" So, who did you meet? " Harry whispered as Ron and his brothers walked ahead to the boats.

" I don't know.. Said his name was Draco. He was very keen on me being part of Slytherin. " She said, scrunching her nose in confusion.

" Well, Ron told me Slytherins are bad people, especially their leader, Salazar Slytherin. " He answered.

" Well, I am going to see for myself, who's bad and who's not. Just because one person is bad doesn't mean everyone who follows his name is bad. " She answered, holding the jacket close.

" First years! No more'n four to a boat! Pick yer boats! " He yelled in a booming voice.

Ron, Harry and Ila sat in one, while looking for the last.

" Here Draco! " Ila called, seeing him cross. He looked over, smiling, then he saw something and snarled, walking away.

" Don't talk to him Ila. He's bad. " Ron hushed her and she stared at him in confusion.

" Why? He gave me a jacket." She said, staring at Ron, then she remembered Harry's conversation about Slytherins.

" He's not a good person, his father torments mine in the ministry. Pure blood advocates. " He huffed.

" Pure blood? Isn't all blood pure? It's regenerated every six weeks? " She said, wiping the sleep away. The day's exhaustion was now hitting hard, but the cold of the river kept her up.

" No Ila, " He sighed then smiled, " Pure bloods are those who have had a line of only magical ancestors, like is, the Weasleys, my mum's side, the Prewett's, Harry's fathers, the Potters, though I feel they had been removed -"

" - removed? " Ila cut in.

" Removed, yes, there is the Sacred 28, the twenty eight pure blooded families and the Malfoys are one of them, they believe themselves to be superior to all. That's why I said to stay away from him. "

" But maybe he's different, his son might be different. " Ila said, trying not to cloud her mind with prejudices.

" Ila, we -"

" All off! Hogwarts is here! " Hagrid's voice cut off as the magnificent castle came into view.
It sat atop a high mountain, its many towers extended into the sky. The windows glowed in the low lantern lights. The shimmering moonlight cast its own luminescent glow, creating shadows to the towering walls, the stone gleaming in the moon light. Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry enticed all witches and wizards, new and old.

" Woah.... " Ila's eyes were wide, unable to  take in the beauty of the school, it was truly straight out of a fantasy book.

" It's brilliant. " Harry mumbled next to her and she shook her head in silent agreement.

As the boats reached the banks, the students got off, walking towards the main gates. The drawbridges were dropped and they walked through in a single file.

If the outside was impressive, the castle inside blew her mind. Ila's eyes ran over the portraits that gave the wall grace, moving, chattering portraits, the lanters gave it a golden glow. The cream coloured walls gleamed under the light of the lanterns, casting shadows across them. The walls were lined with armours, shining in the glow of the lanters, as they stood tall and proud, ready to protect the castle.

" Good evening all. " A familar voice called as Ila and the others turned around to see, " I'm Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Professor of Transfiguration. All of you will be lead to the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into the four principle houses of Hogwarts. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. " She stared at them all with rapt attention and seriousness, " Any step out of line and you will be sent back just as you arrived. "

" She's strict. " Harry whispered and she nodded to him, " Yes, she is.. She can also turn into -"

" - girls and boys, form separate lines please and follow me. " She ordered, turning around as she glided through the Grand Starcase.

" Well, see you later? " She said and both boys nodded.

She searched the crowd for her friend and when she did, " Hermione! " She whisper shouted, running over to her joining the line.

" Hello. I didn't see you when you got off?" She asked, smiling widely.

" Ah, I was with the boys. But now I'm here! " Ila replied with glee and the girls smiled, giggling at the boys tripping over each other.

" I'm Parvati. This is my sister Padma. " Two girls said and Ila smiled and then gasped.

" You're twins! " She said happily and the girls laughed.

" Well yes, we are. "

" I'm Pansy. " A cold voice cut in.. But it wasn't cruel. She simply sounded, well, bored.

" Hi Pansy, Ila. " She shook Pansy's hand as they walked over to the grand gates of the Great Hall.

" Ready? " Ila whispered to Hermione, who was nearly bouncing with excitement. She offered her hand to Ila, who grasped it with anticipation.

" Welcome! " Thousands of cheers went up as the doors finally opened and the first years walked into the Great Hall.

" Woah! " Ila shouted, truly that was the only expression she had left as she stared ahead at the ceiling. Thousands of candlies hung from it, while the ceiling looked as if they opened it, the sky was visible, the clouds covered the roofs and stars gleamed through.

" It's not real, " Hermione whispered, " It's charmed to look that way. I read it in Hogwarts a History. "

" Welcome. " A man stood up, he wore a long, silvery robe, had a beard that could rival Santa Claus's. He wore half moon spectacles and his eyes twinkled with childlike joy behind them.

" Dumbledore. " Ila mumbled, recalling him from Harry's cards.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words and here they are, Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment. Tweak! Thank you." He said in a booming, yet soft voice, pulling piles of laughter from the children.

" Now, when I call your name you'll come up and sit here, I will place the Sorting Hat on your head and you may go sit with your house, once allotted. " Professor McGonagall said sternly.

" Abbot, Hannah! " The girl, shyly walked up, she had blonde hair and a round face. She looked kind.

"Hufflepuff! " The hat yelled and Hannah smiled with glee, running down to the house with a badger symbol, yellow. All of them wore yellow and black ties and their robes had the house emblem.

A few more boys and girls went by alphabetically, and then came the alphabet. B.

" Black, Ila. " Professor McGonagall said, although she too hesitated, reading it again.

" Black? She's a Black?" Whispers ran across the Hall as her eyes met Hermione's next to her.

" I -" Ila began and Hermione nodded, squeezing her hand softly.

" It'll be alright. Don't worry. " Hermione promised as the girl climbed up the stairs.

Her eyes met Harry's across the room, who stared at her in confusion, while Ron whispered something in his ears, making Harry furrow his brows.

" Ah, so, a Black. It's been ages since a Black sat under me. Tell me, what calls you, power? Glory? Knowledge -"

"- sir, " Ila mumbled, to test, but she realised that no one but her could hear them. " If I knew what I wanted, I would not put my trust in you. Please just tell me my house. " She huffed silently and the hat laughed in her head. " Well, you're an interesting one. Should I put you where your father was? " It asked.

" Sir, as I said. If I knew I wouldn't come to you. You are wiser than me, more knowledgeable and in fact have been doing this for years. How would I, someone entirely new to this world have any idea? " Ila tried and the Hat snickered with glee.

" Ah yes, cunning. Yes you are, better be, Slytherin! " It roared and to her surprise, not many clapped, in all honesty, she saw Harry clap hesitantly, Hermione smiled and clapped for her, but the Slytherin table. Some clapped, some judged her.

But the eyes of a certain pompous idiot caught hers as his twinkled with unplanned mischief.

She walked down over to the Slytherin table, sitting with those their.

" Hi, I'm Millicent Bullstrode. " A girl said, she had a stocky build, like she had been a true gym freak all her life, " Well, a Black. My mother said the line died with Sirius in prison and Regulus who got lost. Malfoy there is Narcissa's kid. " She pointed.

" Hello Ila. " A smooth voice called to her and she turned her head to see a senior,
" I am Adrian. I'm your prefect. Welcome to the Slytherin house. " He said warmly, shaking her hand.

But all of the surprises were short lived, she saw Hermione sorted into Gryffindor. Her heart died a little when she heard the hat yell, but she supposed, house rivalries, as she had learnt from her other seniors couldn't and wouldn't stop her from being her friend, especially Harry, Hermione and by extension Ron's, though she'd have to work on his attitude towards the Slytherins.

"Malfoy, Draco! " The professor called as the boy walked up, but before she could even place the hat, " Slytherin! " It called. The boy smirked and walked down, sliding next to her.

" Hello house partner. " He said, smiling at her.

"Hi." She shifted away, then took off the jacket, " Here, thank you. " She answered and he took it silently, watching the table.

"Nott, Theodore! " Another Slytherin. He was tall and lanky compared to the other boys with curly brown hair.

He simply sat on her other side, quietly.

" Hello," she offered her hand and he shook it, silently then stared at the plates ahead.

" I'm Ila. " She tried.

" I know. " He answered shortly and she realised he wasn't willing to talk. Well, who cares.

" Potter, Harry! " Whispers rang across the hall once more as the famed, 'the boy who lived' made his way to the hat.

" What do you think Potter will get? " Draco asked and she wondered what she could do to shake off this boy.

" Well, he could go to Hufflepuff, he's very loyal . " Ila answered and Draco shook his head.

"No, he isn't. Well, could be Slytherin. I can finally try and be his friend without that redheaded Weasley spawn following him around. " He said.

Although Ila only knew Ron for a while, she was about to defend him when.

" Gryffindor! " The hat called as the table cheered for the boy.

" Shite. Well, I'll have to figure some other way. "

" You could just, try talking to him, you know? " Ila suggested and Draco shook his head.

" I did. The redhead got in the middle. "

" Well, if you did insult Ron, I doubt Harry would be interested in speaking to you at all . " She sniffed and waited for the sorting to come to an end.

The last one for Slytherin was Pansy, the girl she met in the line. She was snarky.. Ila liked her. For now. If what Ron explained to her about pure bloods and all, Ila was simply counting down seconds to see who would hate her the first.

⏟

I mean... It's just Black. But which one?

Tell me in the comments and do vote.

Much love