𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧

chapter 2

of course, the only empty seat was next to draco. the other spots at the end were reserved for the first years. talia wondered if draco did that on purpose just to get on her nerves.

"welcome to slytherin." the girl that was originally rude to talia said as she sat down. talia looked up at her confused.

"really? a few moments ago you wouldn't say the same." talia said. she saw the girl roll her eyes and look over towards where first years were being sorted.

"i'm trying to be civil with you. we're in the same house. we're family now." the girl said. the slytherin house broke out into cheers again for another first year. talia was going to argue, but she decided not to. she didn't want to waste her time, and she had a feeling she'd be doing lots of arguing this year.

"pansy parkinson." pansy said, holding out her hand across the table for talia to shake. talia looked at it instead of taking it, which made pansy chuckle and put her hand back at her side.

"i like you, you know. you're not like the other students who are normally scared of us." pansy said.

talia didn't say anything. she tried her best to ignore pansy as dumbledore started talking when all of the first years were done being sorted. the tension at the table was very awkward, none of them making a peep.

when several different foods appeared on the table, talia smiled and became surprised. she didn't know they'd be eating, and she was definitely hungry after her travels.

talia reached out to get some food the same time draco had, and they accidentally touched hands. instead of pulling away, draco picked up the spoon and got food for talia, putting it on her plate.

"i can get my own food." tal said. draco looked over at her.

"a simple thank you would've sufficed." he rolled his eyes.

talia rolled her own eyes and began eating. she stopped when she felt a gaze on her. when she looked up, she saw a boy sitting at the ravenclaw table staring at her. when he saw he was caught staring, he quickly looked away with a blush on his face.

"hey, pansy. who's that over there?" talia asked pansy. pansy looked over to where talia was pointing.

"the ravenclaw? that's michael o'connor." pansy said. talia nodded, but pansy gave her a look.

"don't even think about it. at least let him be in slytherin." she said. talia shook her head.

"i wasn't thinking about anything. just wondering." she mumbled.

everyone continued chatting. by the time dessert was out, professor dumbledore took a stand to the front podium where the teachers were sitting. everyone grew silent after he cleared his throat, looking over at him and pausing their eating.

"very best of evening to you all. first off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, horace slughorn." he announced. everyone clapped, looking over at slughorn who smiled and waved in his seat.

"professor slughorn, i'm happy to say, has agreed to resume his old post as potions master. meanwhile, the post of defense against the dark arts will be taken by professor snape."

talia heard some students murmuring around, questioning this snape guys' position. still, they lightly applauded and allowed dumbledore to continue. even though the applauding mainly came from the slytherin table, talia noticed draco next to her remaining still.

"now, as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight. and you have the right to know why. once, there was a young man, who like you, sat in this very hall. walked this castles corridors. slept beneath its roof. he seemed, to all the world, a student like any other. his name? tom riddle." dumbledore informed. talia noticed that, on the last part, he was looking solely at her .

the hall went utterly silent.

"today, of course, the world knows him by another name. which is why, as i stand looking out upon you all tonight, i am reminded of a sobering fact. each day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle. but, in the end, their greatest weapon remains...you."

again, dumbledore made eye contact with talia.

"just something to think about. now, off to bed. pip pip." he finished, trying to remain cheery and not bring down the mood of the hall entirely.

later on when the feast was over, talia sat in the common room with draco, pansy, blaise, crabbe and goyl as pansy started introducing her to the girls.

"this is tracey davis, daphne and astoria greengrass, and millicent bestrode. girls, this is talia riddleson." pansy said. she stood in front of one of the windows with the other girls as the boys sat on the couches.

"is that your natural hair color?" daphne asked. before talia had time to answer, tracey asked a question.

"what's it like in america?" she wondered. then another girl asked a question, and another girl.

talia didn't know what she was expecting meeting fellow slytherins, but it wasn't this. she didn't really understand why so many people were afraid of them. sure, they could be intimidating at times, but in the end they were just like every other student at hogwarts. you know, besides the whole stuck up pure blood evil parents thing. although that seemed to be a lot of just malfoy.

before talia could answer any of their questions, another one was asked. instead of coming from the girls, however, it came from the couch were the boys were sitting.

"are you girls all coming to the party tonight?" talia heard draco ask.

"of course, draco. don't be silly." astoria said, walking over the the couch to join the boys. the other girls followed. since talia didn't want to feel left out, she followed as well.

"what party?" she asked.

"every year the night before the first day we throw this huge party for all the upper class slytherins in the common room." millicent said.

draco rubbed his finger across his jaw and then stood up, looking down at talia.

"only pussys don't show up." he said, almost in a threatening tone. talia stood up as well, but she was still looking up at him since he was taller than her.

"why do you have to be such a dick?" she asked. he only chuckled. they didn't look away from each other, flashes of annoyance, threats, and a little bit of flirtation wiping their eyes.

"um, c'mon, talia. you haven't even seen the our room yet." pansy said.

she grabbed talia's shoulders away from draco, and the rest of the girls followed. draco watched them walk away and up the stairs.