The Slytherins

"There, look!"

"Where?"

"Next to the blonde kid with the greasy hair."

"The one with brown eyes?"

"No not that one, the one next to her who's walking around like she owns the place."

"Why is that Riddle kid talking to her?"
"I dunno, but Merlin, that's a powerful duo right there. Godric help us all if those two become allies."

Whispers followed Cassie from the moment she left her dormitory in the morning until the minute she climbed into it again the following evening. People queuing outside classrooms stood on tiptoes to get a look at her, or doubled back to pass her in the corridors again. She became so bored of it that at one point she hexed a second year who stood gawping at her for too long.

After that she was quickly left alone, probably also because of the icy looks she sent anyone that scowled at her for too long.

She wasn't the only first year to receive some unwanted attention though. Mattheo Riddle and Harry Potter were also the school's centre of attention yet in completely different ways.

Potter would have people openly stare at him, and smile at him as though he was a saint. He normally returned the smiles awkwardly or ignore someone when they thanked him, before hurrying quickly off to his next lesson, with Carrot Sticks glued at his side.

Riddle, on the other hand, was an enemy of the school. No one tried to openly insult him or scoff at him due to his father, but that didn't stop the rampage of whispers that followed his back. Of course people stared, and there was often a daring Gryffindor that confronted him.

He normally took the least crowded hallways to his lessons, and tried to blend in with the shadows, desperate to get out of the spotlight, but it wasn't working. Though at least Potter and Riddle hadn't hexed anyone yet, Cassie thought.

On the first Monday of term, they had endured a long speech from Professor McGonagall about her expectations for transfiguration. Whilst the majority of first years shuffled in their seats nervously, Cassie simply rolled her eyes at them. She knew that McGonagall's rules were merely satisfactory and easy to achieve, however she was slightly disappointed that they wouldn't be doing anything advanced until their second year.

On Thursday morning, Cassie and Pansy entered the great hall for breakfast, already dressed in their robes. "Morning," said Theo yawning as they sat down on the Slytherin table besides him, Laurie and Blaise.

"Morning," replied Cassie, grabbing a piece of toast and reaching for the marmalade.

Laurie, meanwhile, was frowning at his timetable. "What?" Asked Pansy, peering over his shoulder trying to see what he was looking at.

"I colour coordinated my timetable to make it easier for me to understand, apart from I seem to have forgotten to say what the colours were,"

Theo laughed at him, and took his own timetable out from his bag. "Seriously Laurie? How do you even do that?"

"Here," said Cassie, taking out her wand.

"Thanks Cas!" Laurie said happily, as the subjects on his timetable revealed themselves again.

"This'll be interesting," said Theo, reading the timetable over Laurie's shoulder.

"What?" Pansy frowned.

"After lunch we have potions. With the Gryffindors." He laughed. "That's made my day,"

_____

The rest of the morning ticked by slowly as Cassie glanced hopelessly at the clock throughout history of magic. She would've normally been paying attention, only Professor Binns was twenty minutes into an explanation about goblin rebellions and it was beginning to get rather dull.

When lunchtime swung around, Cassie sat with her fellow Slytherins as they chatted about the upcoming potions lesson. "I've heard that Snape is really tough on students. My sister said that a few years back a girl fainted with the stress! She didn't even reach O.W.L level," said Theo.

Cassie opened her mouth but Mattheo spoke, and shrugged. "Some people just can't handle the pressure. From what I've heard of Snape, he's a very good Professor and only accepts the best,"

"Still, though, he's our head of house. Surely that gives us extra brownie points?" Pansy said.

"We know Snape."said Cassie, gesturing to herself and Draco. "Draco's father is friends with Severus, and my mother knows him as well."

Mattheo raised his eyebrows. "You sure do know everyone don't you?"

Cassie frowned at him. "I have to. I'm a Peverell. When you grow up in a prestigious household you meet prestigious people, Riddle."

"Well I know father personally asked Snape to keep an eye out on me, so I think we'll be fine." Draco said hurriedly, ignoring the icy glare Mattheo shot at Cassie. "The Gryffindors though..." he laughed.

"I wonder what it'll be like for Potter to realise that not every Professor thinks he's a Saint," said Blaise thoughtfully.

After lunch ended, they separated as they went to collect their bags from their dormitories, and they made their way down into the dungeons towards the potions classroom, to find Draco already there.

"Why are you here so early? You can't have collected your books and got here so quickly," Cassie asked, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously.

Draco smirked. "I just had to talk to Snape about  few things, that's all."

"Right. Did any of these things include his plans for the lesson?"

Draco rolled his eyes at her. "I want to know what we're actually going to be doing. I'm not wasting away and hour of my time learning things that I've already been taught. Besides, he wanted to check up on me and see how I've been doing."

Cassie laughed and ruffled his hair. "You mean you want to make sure you know what we're doing in the lesson so you show off to Potter and act like you're so smart?"

He scowled and smoothed back his blonde hair. "Shut up, Cas."

She laughed as her fellow students began to line up behind them, chattering amongst themselves. Potter and Carrot Sticks were standing by a large column opposite them, with Granger tailing them like a clingy sheep.

Just as Snape began to emerge from his classroom, Mattheo sprinted up the hallway only to arrive just in time, as Snape addressed the class.

"Please take your seats, but be warned: unlike some of your other Professors, I will not tolerate talking in my class, so I suggest you are sensible."

As they began to empty into the classroom, Cassie overheard Blaise ask Mattheo, "Why are you so late?"

Panting, he replied, "Couldn't find the dungeons. A fifth year stole my map,"

They took their seats, Cassie next to Draco and a girl called Daphne Greengrass, (also a Slytherin, for otherwise Cassie would've moved), and waited for Snape to start the lesson.

Like most of their other professors, Snape started with the register.

He stopped at Cassie's name. "Ahh, Miss Peverell. I expect fine things from you, and I'm sure fine things I will receive in return." he didn't quite smile at her, but the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "I am quite sure it will be a pleasure to have you in my class,"

A few seconds later, he stopped in the register again. "Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new- celebrity,"

Draco sniggered next to Cassie and she nudged him the ribs, smirking.

"You on the other hand, I am not expecting to be quite so... capable."

The register continued until Professor Snape paused a final time. "Mattheo Riddle." He spoke it sort of like a question , his black eyes staring into Mattheo's.

"Here," he replied, from next to Pansy, his hands fiddling with his quill on his desk.

Snape continued to stare at him, before he opened his lips to say something before closing them again, and finished off the register.

"You are here," he said, after he had finished, "to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making." He spoke barely above a whisper but they caught every word of what he was saying. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will barley believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the cauldron with its fumes, the delicate power of liquids that slither through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory,"

Half of the class sat up, including Draco and Cassie. "Even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of clodpoles as I usually have to teach. But hopefully a few of you this year may have some great skills," his gaze flickered from Potter's to in Cassie and Draco's direction.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly, "what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Granger's hand shot into the air. You would get a sleeping potion, Cassie thought. It was basic stuff- things she had learnt when she was seven, with a private tutor her mother made her have.

When Potter replied that he did not know, Snape asked Draco. "Mr Malfoy what is the answer?"

Draco smirked. "A sleeping potion,"

Snape nodded. "And Potter where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Granger stretched her hand as high into the air as she could, and again Potter replied, "I don't know, Sir."

Snape rutted and turned to Cassie, ignoring Granger again. "Miss Peverell do you have the answer for us?"

"A bezoar," she began, "is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from almost all potions,"

"Ten points to Slytherin for both you and Mr Malfoy's contributions. And a point from Gryffindor, Potter. I suggest you actually read the text books that are on your list by your next time you enter this classroom."

_____

When they got back to the common room after their lesson had finished, Laurie collapsed onto the green sofa as the rest of them sat down, apart from Mattheo who stayed standing. "The look on Potter's face!" Draco laughed.

"I'm sure you could transfigure Granger into a tomato and you could hardly tell the difference!" Blaise exclaimed as they laughed with him.

"I've decided," said Pansy as she sat down neatly next to Laurie, "that potions is my favourite subject,"

Cassie and Draco made eye contact as she imitated Granger, and they both erupted into a fit of giggles as they clutched each other.

"Umm, well I think I'll be going then," said Mattheo, awkwardly as he began to walk away.

Laurie shot up in his seat. "What do you mean?"

He stopped walking and turned back, his cheeks hinting with pink. "It's alright, I have homework to do anyw-"

"You are one of us, you know," said Blaise.

"You're in our group," Blaise nodded enthusiastically.

"Wait we're 'a group' now?" Theo frowned. "Since when are we a group?"

"Well we're 'a group of people that hang out together' then?"

"We should name our group," Theo thought, curiously.

"What about-" Blaise began but Pansy interrupted. "They mean you're one of us, Mattheo."

"Yeah!" Exclaimed Laurie, "just because half of our families are dead because of your dad doesn't mean we aren't friends!"

Cassie sighed into her hands.

"Honestly Laurie," said Draco, and then he turned to Mattheo. "You're welcome to hang out with us, if you wish. But once you're in, you stick with us,"

Mattheo, gaining some confidence, turned to Cassie. "That alright with you, Peverell?"

She folded her arms and leaned away from the sofa. "Not my decision to make. We have a democracy established,"

"All in favour then?" Said Theo. Everyone raised their hands, while Cassie didn't move.

"Then welcome to our 'group', Riddle," said Cassie.

Mattheo sat down on a chair, his face mutual, as if it wasn't a big deal to him, but Cassie could see that in his eyes he looked relieved, and happy.

___

Word count: 1997

Hey guys! I'm so sorry that it's taken so long for me to update, it's just that I've had a busy few weeks of sport, and it's made me actually sleep for once so I haven't had as much time to write as I would have liked.
 
Also let's just say that there are like 20 students in a class. Honestly they messed up the student ratios so badly in the books