Miss Malfoy

Chapter 2

     The stern woman, who Trixie assumed was Professor Minerva McGonagall from Lucius' stories, led her over to the group of nervous first-years.

     "Alright everyone." She raised a hand to quiet their nervous chattering. "We will now proceed into the Great Hall, and the Sorting will begin."

     Trixie found herself swept along by the crowd, right through the double-doors and into the hall. The House banners rippled in the breeze brought by the rush of students, and the enchanted ceiling twinkled with stars.

      Trixie noticed Lucius and Narcissa at the Slytherin table, and Lily, along with that awful Sirius Black and his cronies, at the Gryffindor table.

     McGonagall abandoned the confused and petrified group and strode over to a wooden stool at the front of the hall, on which was perched an old, frayed hat. To Trixie's great surprise, a rip in the hat opened like a mouth, and it began to sing a song describing the traits of the different houses. When it was finished, leaving the first-years in stunned silence, McGonagall stepped forward.

     "We will begin by Sorting our new transfer student, Trixcelia Malfoy."

     Trixie walked up quickly, desperately praying she wouldn't trip, and sat on the stool, allowing the professor to place the hat on her head. Being the petite girl she was, it slipped completely over her ears, only held aloft by her sharp, aristocratic, Malfoy-inherited nose.

     'Another Malfoy.' A voice drawled in her ear.

     Trixie, knowing it was the Hat, didn't panic and make a fool of herself.

     'Indeed.' She thought back.

     The Hat was quiet, and Trixie felt it pulling up memories; her friendship with Narcissa and Andromeda Black, her times sneaking out late with Apolline VanDoze (her best friend from Beaubatons), her close relationship with her twin brother, and her earlier encounter with Sirius Black.

     'Hmm.' The Hat mused. 'You're like your brother at heart.'

     Trixie waited for the decision.

     "GRYFFINDOR!" This time, the Hat spoke for the whole hall to hear.

     It was lifted from her head, and Trixie nearly flinched at the hundreds of shocked faces. She hopped neatly from the stool and pushed her way through the deafening silence to the Gryffindor table. Low mutters ran up and down each table; clearly everyone was surprised that a Malfoy was in Gryffindor.

    Suddenly, loud clapping shattered the quiet, and Trixie's eyes smarted when she saw Lily Evans and two other girls applauding her. She darted over to sit with them, relieved when the next name was called as the Sorting continued.

    Lily gave her a quick side-hug. "I'm sorry we didn't start clapping sooner; we were busy putting a Silencing Charm on Black."

   Trixie peered over to see Sirius, red-faced and mouthing furiously while his friends laughed.

    "Thank you." She said to the girls, her eyes pooling with gratitude.

     The girl with curly shoulder-length hair the color of molten gold laughed. "No problem. It was fun shutting him up. I'm Marlene McKinnon."

     "And I'm Alice Cole." Added the other girl, with a petite build like Trixie's and a brunette pixie cut.

     "Trixie Malfoy." Trixie smiled. "Nice to meet you."

     The Sorting ended, a fairly even number of new students to each House. Trixie wondered how that worked. What if every new student was extremely smart? Would they all be Sorted to Ravenclaw? Would the other Houses slowly die out?

     She thought again about what the Hat had said to her. 'You're like your brother at heart.' She had thought for sure this meant she would be in Slytherin, but instead she was in Gryffindor. Why?

     Trixie tried to make eye contact with Lucius, but he kept his gaze fixed downward. She managed to catch Narcissa's eye, but the blonde just stared unreadably at her for a minute before looking away. Trixie inwardly fumed. All those years spent together, and now Narcissa could barely acknowledge her? And what about Lucius? They were twins, for Merlin's sake!

     Lily, who Trixie was surprised to learn was Head Girl, led everyone to the dormitories. They shared a room with Alice and Marlene, along with a girl with prim blonde hair and a condescending smile named Rose Hayes.

     Trixie flopped onto her crimson-blanketed bed, the velvet upholstery and satin sheets familiar to her from her bed in Malfoy Manor, and even from her room at Beaubatons. It was comforting, and homey. Her thoughts full of classes, home, and Sirius Black's smug face, she drifted off to sleep.