Venom and Velvet

The New Great Hall

5. The New Great Hall

Draco stared into the big brown eyes that were boring into his own. To his surprise, they were not filled with disgust or fear. They were just looking at him, quizzical maybe, but far from malevolent. He wondered what she was thinking. She reached up and tucked a caramel curl behind her ear, still not looking away. They stayed that way for a moment until the cart gave a violent lurch and then stopped. They had at last reached the castle.

As the group bustled through the wide doors that led into the main corridor, Draco was met by many confused and scathing looks. He tried not to acknowledge any of these stares, but he was sure his face was giving away his shame despite his best attempts to remain expressionless.

When he got to the Great Hall, he turned left to head to the Slytherin table, but found there were not four long tables as there always had been. Instead, the Hall was filled with small round tables as it had been for the Yule Ball four years earlier. Unsure of what to do, Draco simply followed the other students in shuffling uncomfortably in the space at the back of the Hall and looking up toward the staff table.

Minerva McGonagall, though she looked as though she had aged a decade since he last saw her, was as commanding of a presence as ever. She stood from her seat in the middle of the table and placed the tip of her wand at her throat to be heard over the bustle.

"Students, as I'm sure you have noticed by now, the four house tables have been removed from the Great Hall," she paused, her sharp eyes peering into each face. "The rest of the staff and myself have decided that now, more than ever, the ties that hold us together as a school must be strengthened. This means that, while your House will remain your family while you are in this school, you are expected to branch out and befriend the students who share this castle with you, regardless of their year or the color of their tie. You will still be taking classes with your housemates, participating in the competition for the House Cup, and spending your free time together in your common rooms. However, in hopes that you will all become better acquainted and more united, you will be dining as a school rather than as Ravenclaws, Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors. Please take your seats."

No one moved for a moment, each student looking around to see who would go first. Finally, Hermione Granger stepped forward and walked to a table near the front on the left side. Her footsteps echoed through the suddenly silent Hall. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath to see what would happen. She sat, and soon the rest of the students followed her lead. Most of them still seemed to be sitting with people from their own houses, but every few tables you could see a glimpse of yellow in a sea of blue or a red tie mixed in with a few greens.

Draco looked around, trying to find an open seat with some older students. He hadn't expected this. He knew that at least in sitting with the Slytherins, he wouldn't have been looked down upon. A few of them had experienced similar things and if not the students themselves, certainly their parents. Now he didn't know where to go to feel secure. His grey eyes flitted to the table where Hermione sat, now joined by those who had ridden the train with them. However, he knew that just because they had been polite with him, it didn't mean they wanted to be buddies or something. Granger had said herself that she only sat with him because she couldn't find another compartment to occupy.

Just then, someone looked up from the table. It was Longbottom, and he was waving at Draco, beckoning him to join them. Draco blinked, convinced the motion had been a trick of the light. He searched the room once more for a suitable seat and, finding none, looked back to Longbottom, who was still looking at him expectantly.