We entered the Great Hall and I sat down, anxious to eat. 

 "Well I can't wait to see who's in Slytherin; bet you Leon will be," Draco smirked.

 "If he is, then it will be a nasty next three years for him, won't it?" I asked and he laughed, putting his arm around me.

 "Hey guys," Blaise said, sitting down with Pansy not far behind.

 "Hey," I smiled and Pansy leaned forward.

 "Look at that toad looking teacher in the pink," she muttered, and I let my eyes wander over to the staff table. I looked at Severus first and moved my eyes down the line where I saw Grubbily Plank, Flitwick, McGonagall, Dumbledore, and then after Dumbledore was in fact a toad like woman in pink. She was looking at all of us with a sugar coated smile and beady eyes. I narrowed my eyes at her and turned back to Pansy.

 "Okay, what about her?" I asked.

 "She is bound to cause trouble," she said and I bit my lip.

 "Well, I'll just cause her trouble, too," I shrugged. McGonagall stood up and walked out of the Great Hall to get the first years. She was gone for about five minutes, and then the doors open to reveal the first years walking in nervously. They lined up against the wall and McGonagall set the sorting hat on the stool where it started singing.

"In times of old when I was new and Hogwarts barely started, the Founders of our noble school thought never to be parted: united by a common goal, they had the selfsame yearning to make the world's best magic school and pass along their learning. "Together we will build and teach!" the four good friends decided and never did they dream that they might someday be divided. For were there such friends anywhere as Slytherin and Gryffindor? Unless it was the second pair of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw? So how could it have gone so wrong? How could such friendships fail? Why, I was there and so can tell the whole sad, sorry tale. Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those whose ancestry is purest." Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest." Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those with brave deeds to their name," Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot, and treat them just the same." These differences caused little strife when first they came to light, for each of the four founders had a House in which they might take only those they wanted, so, For instance, Slytherin took only pure-blood wizards of great cunning, just like him. And only those of sharpest mind were taught by Ravenclaw. While the bravest and the boldest went to daring Gryffindor. Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest, and taught them all she knew. Thus the Houses and their founders retained friendships firm and true. So Hogwarts worked in harmony for several happy years, but the discord crept among us feeding on our faults and fears. The Houses that, like pillars four, had once held up our school, now turned upon each other and divided, sought to rule."

 "And for a while it seemed the school must meet an early end, what with dueling and with fighting and the clash of friend on friend. And at last there came a morning when old Slytherin departed and though the fighting then died out he left us quite downhearted. And never since the founders four were whittled down to three have the Houses been united and they once were meant to be. And now the Sorting Hat is here and you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses because that is what I'm for, but this year I'll go further, listen closely to my song: Though condemned I am to split you still I worry that it's wrong though I must fulfill my duty and must quarter every year. Still I wonder whether sorting may not bring the end I fear. Oh, know the perils, read the signs, the warning history shows, for our Hogwarts is in danger from external, deadly foes. And we must unite inside her or we'll crumble from within. I have told you, I have warned you... let the sorting now begin."

I saw Granger whispering to Potter and Weasley, all looking slightly worried. Turning my attention back to the first years, I watched as Euan walked up nervously and was sorted into Gryffindor. I saw that coming, most definitely.

 "Euan is in Gryffindor, what a shock," I said with a smile and Draco chuckled.

 "Oh yes, very shocking," he said sarcastically.

 "Black, Amortentia," McGonagall called and I watched as Amortentia walked up to the hat with a sweet smile on her face and a sugary disposition.

 "Slytherin!" the hat called and my jaw dropped. She walked over with a spring in her step, and we all clapped but none of us could believe it. She sat down next to me with a smile and pushed my jaw back into place.

 "Surprise!" she said and then laughed, sounding like a younger Bellatrix.

 "Your Bellatrix's child, aren't you?" I asked and she shook her head.

 "No I'm Sirius's," she said and I stared at her.

 "Who's your mom?" I asked and she shifted.

 "Well...maybe I shouldn't tell you...my mum is Clementine Loveland," she said and I forced a smile.

 "Never heard of her," I shrugged and Pansy was gaping at me. I have to ask Sirius about this over Christmas vacation.

 "Sarah Bones," McGonagall said, silencing our hushed whispers.

 "Hufflepuff!" the hat said and I sighed, also expected. I looked at Amortentia out of the corner of my eye and saw the dark eyes she would get from Sirius, and I saw Clementine's hair. No wonder she looked like Claire. But this means Clementine cheated on Lamoure.  I faintly heard a few Slytherin's being sorted, and I clapped slightly, but my mind was reeling. Did she ever know us? Was she ever over the house? Why didn't I pay more attention to Claire's friends? I really should've seen some of our relatives when they stopped by. Has Sirius ever dropped hints?

 "Leah," Draco hissed, nudging me and I saw Leon walking up to the hat with a confident smirk. The hat barely touched its head when it yelled,

 "Slytherin!" I groaned and he strode over, sitting next to Pansy and across from me.

 "Hey babe," he winked, and my hair turned red.

 "Ouch, temper," smirked a voice from my left and I peered down the table to see Ariana sitting there, strumming her manicured nails across the table top.

 "What do you want?" I asked suspiciously and she smiled.

 "Aw, aren't you glad to see me?" she pouted.

 "Should I be?" I glared and she nodded.

 "Yes, considering I gave you an offer you really shouldn't have refused. Welcome to hell, Leah," she said, raising her glass of Pumpkin juice. She downed it like a shot and I turned my back to her, only to meet Draco's eyes fearfully.

 "Stay away from her, please," I whispered and he looked confused.

 "She won't win me over, love," he said gently and I shook my head.

 "That isn't at all what I'm worried about," I bit my lip.

 "Huh, does Riddle fear something?" Leon smirked and I glared.

 "Not at all, I just know not to under estimate my enemies," I said and Pansy met my gaze.

 "You too, stay away from her," I said and she nodded. I looked at the staff table where Dumbledore got up to make his speech. I didn't pay attention at all...until the toad coughed her little ahem interruption.

 "Thank you headmaster for those kind words of welcome," she smiled and her voice was like fucking Snow White.

 "It's so nice to see all your bright smiling faces looking up at me, and I know we'll all be great friends," she said and I almost gagged. What are we, preschoolers? 

 "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Now, I know that each headmaster has brought something very special to this school," she said, sending a polite nod towards Dumbledore, which he returned, and then continued.

 "But progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited," she said with a girlish and annoying giggle. I ignored her after that and realized something; the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts. Great, I'll never be off the hook now.

***

-Shay