That Was the First Day
When the letters started arriving for you and your twin brother, your aunt and uncle were furious. But, try as they might, the Dursleys couldn’t stop you and Harry from leaving with Hagrid when he showed up.
When Hagrid started explaining that your family was famous and that you and your brother were famous and that you were also both wizards you didn’t really believe him. The more you learned the more it made sense though.
Hagrid took you and Harry to buy all the supplies you two would need for your first year of Hogwarts. You both got wands and books while learning about how the Wizarding World works.
As you walked down Diagon Alley you could feel the whispers that surrounded you. You overheard the other people saying things like, “That’s Harry and Y/n Potter. They actually exist? Look at their matching scars…”
At the end of your trip Hagrid took you both to a cafe and you ate a quick snack. About halfway through your meal Hagrid decided to drop one more huge surprise on the two of you.
He said, “There's one more thing you both need to know. You two are not the only high profile students who will be starting Hogwarts this year. Mattheo Riddle, the son of he-who-shall-not-be-named will also be starting school.”
He continued. “No one has ever met him before. He has been kept away from the Wizarding World out of fear of him taking after his father. Hopefully nothing will go badly. Anyways, are you good to go for getting on the train tomorrow?”
You and Harry were both shocked but you just nodded your head and ate your food.’
***
The next day you and Harry went to the train station and met Ron Weasley, who helped you get on the train. The three of you sat down next to Hermione Granger and all of you quickly became friendly.
Then Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson sat across from you guys and started being quite annoying about the whole being a Potter thing. He was quite insufferable.
The train departed after about half an hour. Draco started talking to you little group more and you mostly tuned him out until you heard him ask, “Are the two of you afraid of Mattheo Riddle?”
“Why would we be?” You replied, “He’s not his father.”
“How do you know? No one’s ever met him.” Draco questioned.
“Well, I guess we’ll all find out soon.” Harry said in response. You noticed he seemed to kind of enjoy being around Draco. Interesting.
***
A few hours later the train stopped at Hogwarts and everyone got off. You were all grouped together and taken on a quick tour of the grounds. You marveled at how pretty the school was. The architecture did make it seem foreboding though.
Eventually you were all led into the great hall and sat down. Then the speeches started. Professor McGonagall introduced herself and explained the sorting system.
Then the sorting started.
That hat sang a song and the first student was called up. You watched in fascination as the hat was placed onto the boy’s head and a few seconds later it shouted out, “Hufflepuff.”
More and more people went and got sorted until it was finally someone you knew’s turn. Hermionie was up first out of the people you had met.
The hat was placed on her head and it quickly called out, “Gryffindor!” You cheered and clapped as Hermionie made her way to the Gryffindor table.
More students went. Draco got sorted into Slytherin. Then the P last names started. Pansy also got sorted into Slytherin. Then it was time. McGonagall had reached Potter on her list.
Harry was up first. You took in a heavy breath as the hat got put on his head. There was silence for what felt like forever. It was definitely a few seconds longer than most of the other students but finally the hat yelled, “Gryffindor.”
Then McGonagall called for you to come up. You could feel hundreds of eyes on you as you made your way to the hat. You sat down on a hard bench and felt the weight of the hat get placed on your head. It was heavier than you would have guessed.
Then the hat started talking to you. It went, “Hmm. You're like your brother. Toeing the line between Gryffindor and Slytherin but he made his choice. You don’t get a choice. You have a destiny. Well, won’t this be fun…”
Then the hat screamed, louder than you heard it yell for any of the other students, “SLYTHERIN.”
A hush fell over the hall. You felt frozen. You knew that you were supposed to be a Gryffindor. Both of your parents were Gryffindors. Even Harry is one. This had to be wrong. This is wrong…
The hat was lifted off your head. You stood up on shaky legs and slowly walked towards the Slytherin table. Everyone was staring. You didn’t make eye contact with anyone, even your brother.
You sat down next in an available seat next to Draco. Then the whispering started. Everyone, almost simultaneously, started gossiping. You knew it was about you. You ignored Harry’s gaze, despite the fact you could feel it piercing you.
Then life continued. McGonagall called the next person, then the next, then the next. Draco stared at you and asked, “Are you really a Slytherin?”
“I guess.” You said weakly. You swallowed hard. You were determined not to let this get to you.
“How?” Draco asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine.” You replied. Then you cast your gaze back to the line of students.
A while later the M last names started. You knew what was coming but you were still surprised when the name Mattheo RIddle was called out.
Out of the shadows that seemed to be on all the walls of this school, a tall boy with dark curls and darker eyes walked towards the sorting hat. Another silence fell over the room.
Without much deliberation the hat called out Slytherin and the son of the man who killed your parents made his way across the room.
Toward the Slytherin table. Towards you.