Back to Hogwarts
Chapter 7
“Firs’ years this way” Draco heard Hagrid shout.
“Come on Neville,” Draco said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the other first years.
“Four to a boat” Hagrid said
Draco dragged Neville and Dobby towards a boat and sat down.
“May I sit with you?” Draco heard a voice say and looked up to see Granger standing there with a book in hand.
Draco nodded his head, and Granger stepped in the boat. The boats started making their way towards Hogwarts and soon Draco was able to see the school. It was beautiful with all the stars of the night sky shining down on it. Draco looked up at the sky and found this constellation immediately.
“Is that a house elf?” Granger asked curiously, snapping Draco from gazing at the stars above.
“Yeah, this is Dobby. He’s going to work in the kitchens.” Draco told her simplify.
Granger nodded and turned back to her book because she didn’t have any more questions to ask. Draco then turned his attention to Neville who looked sick to his stomach.
“You’ll do fine Neville.” Draco reassured him.
“But what if we aren’t in the same house?” Neville asked worriedly.
Draco knew there was no way he would be a Gryffindor. He would be a Slytherin like all the other Malfoys. His father would kill him if he wasn’t. He was too much of a coward to be a Gryffindor anyways.
“We probably won’t be.” Draco said truthfully. “But we’ll still be friends. They’ll be plenty of time for us to hangout after classes, and we might even have some of the same classes”
Neville was relieved after hearing what Draco said, and Draco could tell he had calmed his new friend's nerves. The boats made it to the castle quickly, and everyone got out, excited to finally reach the school.
Draco, Neville, Dobby, and Granger followed the other first years towards the entrance to the castle. They walked up a set of stairs and stood outside the door to the Great Hall.
Draco saw Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle walk over to Weasley and Potter.
“Harry Potter is at Hogwarts” she said and held out her hand. “I’m Pansy Parkison.”
Potter shook her hand lightly. “Can I help you with something?” He asked.
“Just wanted to introduce myself and warn you about what would be best for you. If I were you I would stay close with wizarding families like mine and stay away from families like his” she told him nodded towards Weasley. “There are some families that are.. better than others. So you might want to watch out. I’m sure you’ve already met Draco Malfoy. He’s someone you’d want to stay close with. Along with myself, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and Theo. You wouldn’t want to hang out with the wrong sort would you?” She asked.
“I think I can tell which families are better by myself,” Potter said and turned back to talk to Weasley, ignoring everything Pansy had just told him.
Pansy looked annoyed but walked back to Blaise and Theo.
Draco thought back to what happened last time in this moment. It was him who had gone up to Potter, asked him to be friends, and made a complete fool of himself when he didn’t shake his hand. Draco was sure that Pansy and the rest of their friends had been told by their parents to become friends with Potter just like his did.
Professor McGonagall then appeared in front of the door. “Hello I’m Professor McGonagall.” She said, “Soon you will walk through these doors and be sorted into your house at Hogwarts. These houses will become your family and you will share their history. There are four houses to be sorted into. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.”
Everyone looked around excitedly. Draco felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. ‘Slytherin. You have to be Slytherin.’ He kept repeating over and over in his head. He didn’t want to deal with his father being upset at him for messing up something he had already done before.It was a simple enough task. All he had to do was be sorted into Slytherin like last time, and then his father would leave him alone till end of the year exams came around.
The doors to the Great Hall opened, and Draco walked inside with everyone else. He looked around and felt all the people staring at them. He then looked up at the table up front and Severus was looking straight at him. They made eye contact and Draco gave him a small smile. Severus nodded his head a little and looked away. He remembered how much his nerves had calmed last time when he saw his godfather sitting at the head table, and this time was no different.
Draco could tell that people around him were talking, but his own thoughts kept him distracted. Slytherin, Slytherin, You have to be sorted into Slytherin.
A nudge to his side brought Draco back from his thoughts. He looked over and saw that Neville was the one to do it. “Draco it’s your turn.” He said.
Draco gulped and slowly walked up to the stool. He looked up at Severus again and he gave Draco a small reassuring smile that no one but him would be able to see. He sat done on the stool with everyone looking at him and McGonagall placed the hat on his head.
‘Ah Draco Malfoy here to be sorted again?’ The hat said.
You know about the past? Draco thought confused.
‘I know all your thoughts Draco, It’s how I am able to sort people into the right house.’ The hat said. ‘It seems you have made some major choices in the past couple of months. Going behind Voldemort’s order, breaking away from your father’s ideology, and letting your house elf be free.’
Slytherin Draco thought, not breaking his focus.
‘You want Slytherin?’ The hat asked ‘That didn’t work out so well for you last time.’
Slytherin Draco thought again.
‘Things have changed for you Draco. You would do just fine in that house but you would excel in another. Don’t you want that?’ The hat said tempting Draco.
Slytherin
‘I thought you weren’t going to be a coward anymore?’
Just for a moment, a second, Draco broke his focus to reply to the question. I’m not a coward. Not this time, but it was quickly replaced by Slytherin, You have to be a Slytherin.
That moment was all that the sorting hat needed. It went quiet and then shouted out to the crowd “GRYFFINDOR”
The whole hall had gone silent and Draco’s world had stopped. He had one job, but he couldn’t even do that right.
For the first time ever a Malfoy was sorted into a house other than Slytherin, and Draco knew his father wouldn’t be happy with the news.
He closed his eyes and took a stiff breath, and the only thought in his mind was Shit.