Chapter 3
Draco and I giggled as we put our broom-smuggling plan into action. "But, Mia... Won't mom check for them?"
"Probably." I concentrated as hard as I could on Draco's broom. Shrink, shrink, shrink...
"Hey! You did it!"
"Shh!" Draco looked apologetic.
"Sorry." He put his broom in his pocket. I concentrated on my broom. Invisible, invisible, invisible... YES! The broom turned invisible and I put it in my trunk.
"Even if Cissy checks, she won't see my broom and I couldn't possibly hide it under my clothes. She doesn't know I can shrink things as even I didn't until now, so she won't check your pocket. It's genius!"
"It is but you're only saying that because YOU came up with it."
"No. If you had, I would say the same thing. I will always acknowledge the achievements of our family and those I care about." Draco smiled at me. I know he feels bad because of the talk his father had with him an hour ago about how he'll get disowned if he's placed anywhere but Slytherin. "Draco... Do you... Will you care if I'm not a Slytherin?" Draco looked at me in shock.
"Of course not, Mia. I love you. You're family." Draco hugged me and I smiled before wiping away a few tears. "Now... Let's go and see if we can fool mom." I grinned at him.
"If not, I can always pull out my Crup eyes."
"YES! Mom can NEVER say no to you with your Crup eyes!" We took our trunks downstairs and Cissy eyed us suspiciously.
"Draco, Hermione. Let me see your trunks." We gave her our most innocent looks.
"Yes, mom."
"Of course, Aunt Cissy." She looked at me suspiciously. Damn it! Has she figured out that I only call her 'Aunt Cissy' now when I want something or am up to no good? Better make her think I want something then. "Aunt Cissy, I was wondering..." I trailed off as she finished checking Draco's trunk.
"Yes, Mia?" She opened my trunk and looked shocked that both had been empty. She closed the lid and I tried not to breathe out a sigh of relief.
"I was hoping you wouldn't mind if Draco and I ate some sweets on the train?" I gave her the Crup eyes.
"You can't..." I amped it up a little. She looked like she would cave. "Don't spoil your dinner." I grinned at her. YES! Not only did we get away with it but I also got us some sweets too!
"Thanks, Cissy! You're the best!" I hugged her and Draco came over and joined in. Cissy chuckled as she hugged us back. She bent down and met my eyes before doing the same with Draco.
"Now listen... No matter where you are Sorted, I love you. You are family. And, family is--"
"The most important thing ever," Draco and I said at the same time as we smiled at Cissy and she smiled back at us.
"Exactly."
...
"And, I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." I watched as the ginger snickered at my cousin's name. Draco looked at him, pissed. "Think my name's funny, do you? I've no need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley." Draco looked back at Potter. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter." He looked back at Weasley for a second. "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." Draco held his hand out. "I can help you there." Potter looked at Draco's hand before looking back at his face.
"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Draco looked a little hurt now.
"Draco, leave him alone." Draco, Potter, Weasley and a few others looked at me. "You don't want to go around associating with filthy Halfbreeds and talking to a Blood Traitor like Weasley is beneath you. You're better than that, Draco." Weasley looked outraged.
"Who do you think you are?" I looked him up and down.
"Someone who doesn't have dirt on their nose." Everyone snickered and laughed apart from the Potter boy. "Though it makes sense given how your family are Mud-lovers. And, I am Cassiopeia Narcissa Black of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. You are a pathetic Blood Traitor and my cousin can do so much better than the likes of you and that Halfbreed." I wanted to continue insulting him but I saw McGonagall coming back.
"You're nothing but a jerk."
"Mr Weasley!" Weasley paled as he turned and faced Professor McGonagall. I kept in my smirk. "Congratulations, Mr Weasley. Whatever House you're Sorted into will already be losing 20 points for insulting a fellow student." Weasley's face went red. "We're ready for you now. Follow me." We went into the room and McGonagall explained the process before calling out a few names. "Ronald Weasley." The Weasley was Sorted into Gryffindor and Potter was Sorted into Gryffindor a few names after him. For some reason, they were going in reverse alphabetical order of surnames. Weird but that's Dumbledore for you. "Draco Malfoy." I saw Draco walk up to the stool. To anyone else, he'd look very confident but I can tell he's nervous thanks to his father's threats. The hat called out just before it even touched his head (just like the Blood Traitor Andromeda if Cissy was right).
"Slytherin!" A few more names were called.
"Cassiopeia Black." The teachers looked intrigued but I saw Dumbledore stare at me with barely concealed hatred. I felt someone try Legilimency and I knew it was Dumbledore. Luckily, Cissy had already taught me and Draco Occlumency and I can easily block him. I glance at Draco before sitting down and the hat is placed on my head.
"Hmm... Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Loyalty too... An incredible mind, very knowledgeable. Ravenclaw, maybe... Large value on Blood Purity and plenty of ambition and determination. Maybe Slytherin... There's talent, oh, yes. And, a thirst to prove yourself... But, where to put you? You will be great and you know it. Heir to two very prominent Slytherins. I remember Sorting your father and your mother. Both were also considered for Ravenclaw... I think we can rule out Hufflepuff and Gryffindor but between Slytherin and Ravenclaw..."
"Which one?"
"Better be... Slytherin!" All of Slytherin started to clap extremely loudly whilst the other three tables and the teachers' table were silent. I sat down next to Draco.
"Thank the Gods we were Sorted into Slytherin, huh? Father never would've let either of us live it down if we hadn't. You were a Hatstall, you know? Congratulations, Mia," Draco whispered.
"Thanks, Dray," I whispered back before turning to be congratulated by the other Slytherins and all of them introduced themselves to me and Draco. It's clear they're doing the typical Slytherin thing and trying to make as many connections as possible.
...
Draco and I smirked as Uncle Sev embarrassed Potter. "Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything... Is it, Mr Potter?"
"Clearly, you should try asking another student. I bet none of them can get it." Uncle Sev walked in front of Potter's desk and sat down.
"For your information, Mr Potter, there are several others here who know the answers. Miss Parkinson, care to answer my first question?" Draco and I smirked at Potter. Pansy, Draco, the Greengrass sisters and I have had Cissy and Uncle Sev teach us Potions (and other subjects) for years. Our most recent one went over this and it was Pansy who answered the question before the rest of us.
"Of course, Professor. Asphodel and Wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Dead."
"Five points to Slytherin. Mr Malfoy, my second question."
"A Bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons," Draco smirked as he spoke.
"Another five points to Slytherin. Miss Black, my last question, please."
"As for Monkshood and Wolfsbane, they are the same plant," I said as I tried to not be bored. This is all so easy.
"Five points to Slytherin and another ten if you can tell me the other name it goes by." Easy.
"Aconite." Uncle Sev waited a few seconds.
"Well... Why aren't you all copying this down?" Everyone scrambled to start writing notes whilst Draco and I did it slower and calmer and I started doodling a picture of a Narcissus flower when I was done. They're my favourite and I miss Cissy...
...
Draco and I approach Madam Hooch and she looks so annoyed. "Why do you Blacks seem to not be able to follow a simple school rule?" Draco and I smirked at her and I could tell that she knew what was coming and had resigned herself to it.
"I'm not using the school's ratty, old brooms for MY flying lesson. I'd rather kiss that kid's toad!" We said at the same time as we grinned and pointed at the Longbottom kid who had lost his toad on the train (which seems to be a family trait).
"They're not that bad."
"These are Nimbus 2000s. Those are Cleansweep 500s. They ARE that bad." Madam Hooch looked offended by my words.
"Five points from Slytherin for your attitude." I shrugged. I don't care. My father is the darkest wizard to ever exist and I will follow in his footsteps. What does losing a few House points mean against that? Nothing, that's what.
"Okay," I said but Madam Hooch seemed bothered by my nonchalant attitude to her punishment.
...
"Give it here, Malfoy." We turned to face Potter at his demand.
"No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find." Draco threw it before catching it again. He flew around Potter. "How about on the roof?" He flew up. "What's the matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?" Potter got on his broom and flew after Draco.
"Not on my watch, Potter." I followed them.
"Give it here, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom."
"Is that so?" Draco asked as he kept throwing it into the air and catching it. Potter tried to take it from him but Draco dodged him. I nodded at him. "Have it your way, then." Draco threw the ball and Potter raced after it. I raced him and Potter caught it. I crashed into him when he wasn't paying attention and he dropped the Rememberall into Draco's waiting hands below him. "Thanks, cuz!" We raced down to the ground and Professor McGonagall and Uncle Sev came out.
"Harry Potter, follow me," Professor McGonagall said and they left.
"Miss Black, Mr Malfoy... Congratulations. I'm putting you both on the team as Chasers." Draco and I grinned.
...
"It's LeviOsa, not LevioSA... She's a nightmare, honestly. No wonder she was Sorted into Slytherin." I pushed past the Weasley and ran to the girls' bathrooms. I spent ages in there trying to calm myself down. I should kill him for insulting me like that... Or, at the very least, Crucio him a little. I turned around and saw a Troll. Oh, great. I saw the giant club it was holding.
"I'm not in the mood to deal with this right now." I took my wand out and pointed it at the club. "Wingardum Leviosa." The club lifted into the air and I dropped it on the Troll's head. Knocked out cold. I smirked before I heard footsteps. Uh... Tears! If I pretend to have been crying in here, it'll draw less attention. A girl trying a spell in fear is less suspicious than a girl knocking a Troll out cold without any effort. I forced tears to spill as teachers ran in. I explained my version of events (that involve me being upset with Weasley's words) and twenty points were taken from Gryffindor. I smirked as I walked back to the Slytherin Common Room. Weasley's in so much trouble.
...