PROLOGUE

Persephone Malfoy checked her school supplies list over once again as she exited the robes shop and took up position by the door where she had been instructed to wait for her mother. As she examined the list, a fat little check mark appeared next to “School robes” as if drawn by an invisible hand. Madame Malkin's shop was the second-to-last stop they had to make.

She stood on the tips of her toes to peer over the mannequin display in the shop's front window. What was taking them so long with her brother? They were nearly the same size, after all, and there couldn't be that much difference between the girls' uniforms and the boys.

She caught the glint of her brother's light hair far in the back of the shop in front of a mirror, just stepping down after having his measurements taken. There was another boy that Draco was chatting with, but Persephone couldn't place him.

“Who was that you were talking to?” She asked her brother out of curiosity as he came out of the shop, rubbing at a spot on his arm.

“Woman poked me with a pin... Oh, that boy, there? I didn't catch his name. Didn't seem all too talkative, really.”

He linked his arm with hers and they walked to their mother when she appeared from around a corner. She gave them a disapproving look but didn't say anything as they followed her to the wand shop. Her mother's customary look of disdain grew even stronger, if possible, when she laid eyes on the shop's goggle-eyed proprietor.

“If it isn't Narcissa Malfoy... Rosewood, unicorn hair, 9 and one-half inches?”

Narcissa nodded stiffly and placed a hand on one shoulder of each of her children.

“Ah, starting off at school. Always a fine time in the life of a witch or wizard. Let's see what we can find for you, shall we...”

Without another word, he started rooting through the boxes upon boxes that lined the many shelves surrounding them.

More than an hour later, she and her brother left the shop in possession of new wands. Persephone's was hawthorn, ten inches, and it was infused with veela hair. Ollivander had warned her that he had stopped using it in wands years ago after finding it to be a little unstable, but she liked it well enough. She held the polished handle, wanting to get used to the feel of it.

The rest of the summer passed without incident, relatively speaking. She got invited to a slumber party by Millicent Bulstrode, and at first she had told her mother that she absolutely, positively wasn't going. Her mother had other ideas, though, because it simply wouldn't do “not to keep up appearances.” She wouldn't want people thinking she was a snob now, would she? She'd turned so red in the face from trying not to laugh that her mother had ordered her to have a lay down.

The slumber party turned out not to be too terribly horrible, as Mrs. Bulstrode kept a careful eye on them the whole night. Aside from having her hair spelled a few strange colours by some prank ice mice, it was completely uneventful. Tame, by Millicent's standards. It had seemed odd until she'd heard Millicent talking to her mother about all the different kinds of owls she liked. It looked like she was in line for a present at the start of term, and so she was being on her best behaviour. It was a nice, rare occasion to be spared Millicent's teasing and snickering, and Persephone counted her blessings. She'd not had peace from Millicent for days when her own parents had gotten her an owl for her last birthday, useless bird that it was. Too small to carry much, and hardly ever finding the time to deliver anything between preening sessions.

After that night, only two weeks separated her from the start of school, and then before she knew it it was the end of August and her school trunk was packed for school.

She had been trying to get to sleep for nearly half an hour when Draco tapped gently at her door, asking quietly if she was awake. She padded softly to the door and opened it, letting him in. They sat cross-legged facing each other on the large rug covering the floor on one side of her room, and the fireplace next to them promptly lit itself.

“I can't even think of sleeping with school so close.” He started, a rare hint of nervousness about him. She was feeling the same way, if not more so. She smiled and gave his knee a pat.

“I know how you feel.”

They sat and watched the fire for a few comfortably quiet moments. “I've a secret.” He told her suddenly. “I don't think it'll hurt to tell you though. We tell each other everything, don't we?”

She nodded, unsurprised that he would be suspicious even of her. Their father usually left her to her own devices, but Draco got the brunt of their father's speeches about what he considered 'truths of the world.' The most important rule was to suspect everyone, no matter who they were to you. “Of course. I've never kept anything from you.”

A warmth was brought to his eyes, and Persephone wished it was more than just a reflection of the crackling fire. “I heard father talking to someone from the ministry earlier. They said Harry Potter's coming to Hogwarts.

“Harry Potter, like from the history books...?” That was hard to believe, but if Draco thought it was true then there was no reason to doubt him. “That's interesting.”

“Yeah...” Draco seemed contemplative. “Think we'll both be sorted into Slytherin?” He asked after a small while.

Persephone shrugged, moving to lay her head on her brother's shoulder. “Probably. Mother and father were. They say that it's not genetic, but more often than not children follow in their parents' footsteps. Part of me hopes I won't be, though.”

Draco gave her a surprised look.

“It's just that.... I'm not like you, I can't deal with that lot they always put us in with, and you know as well as I do that they're likely the biggest bunch of Slytherins there ever was.” She sighed. “None of them like me, either.”

“They just don't know you like I do. You just need to give them a chance.”

“Don't you think I've tried?” She had, again and again.

“You don't need them, anyway.” Draco broke the silence they had seeped into. “You've got me. You're my best friend, you know.”

“Really? She asked, even though she didn't really need to.

“Always.”

CHAPTER ONE

“You're sure you remembered to pack everything?” Narcissa Malfoy questioned her two children, sounding as if she were bored rather than concerned about how prepared they were for the upcoming school year. In truth, the question was out of concern, but said concern was for her reputation as a mother. Most of the surrounding families were bidding each other farewell with varying degrees of emotion, some of the younger students especially tearful to be boarding the Hogwarts Express for the first time. There were more than a few awestruck faces, some on first year students and a nearly equal amount of them on obviously muggle parents.

“Yes, mother. You had us both check three times last night, and then again this morning.” Persephone Malfoy sighed quietly as she watched her mother casually levitate the identical trunks that belonged to her and her brother into a storage compartment on the train, absently fixing her hair with her free hand. She was completely certain that neither she nor Draco had left a single thing behind, and she was also certain that if either of them had there would be owled before the train had a chance to reach its destination.

School trunks safely stowed away, Narcissa focused a glance on her son and daughter. “Well... Be good. See you at Christmas.”

That was that, no hugs or tears. A small wave was all Persephone and Draco received. Persephone hadn't expected anything else from her mother. While Narcissa came off as rather cool, even toward her own children, Persephone knew their mother loved them in her own way. Her mother had grown up in a home where public displays of affection were discouraged, and she'd never broken that habit.

Persephone trailed behind her brother a step, allowing a couple students with prefect badges to hurry past. She knew that she could at least talk to her brother, now that they were away from the company of their mother and her strict attitudes toward social behaviour.

“We're finally on our way to Hogwarts, it's so exciting!” She ventured, barely stopping herself from right out gushing. Despite the bond she had with her twin, she knew that even he had his limits. At home behind closed doors, they were the closest of friends, and even in the relative privacy of the narrow corridor he would still be fairly open with her. It was when they were around their peers that he would become that other person, putting on that mask of sarcasm and indifference. In the company of others, she walked a thin line between being her brother's friend or being his silly, outcast of a sister. More often than not she ended up being the latter.

Draco had opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again, making a small shushing noise and clearing his throat. His posture had straightened to perfection, and an all too familiar smirk settled on his lips. From the brief moment he had turned his head to silent her, she noticed the sparkle she often found in his eyes when they were alone wasn't there, instead replaced by the practised look she often saw in the eyes of their parents.

In the next instant she saw why her brother had bristled so quickly into his other persona. It was those two brutes, Vincent and Gregory. Why her brother put up with either of them was anyone's guess, though she assumed it had something to do with how big and intimidating they tended to seem while her brother was on the smaller side. He became their ringleader, bossing them about and handing out orders to do this and that. She often made plans to be elsewhere when she knew they were going to be around. She had discovered after trying to befriend them a few times that there was more intelligent conversation to be had with the nearest dinner plate.

“Crabbe, Goyle.” Draco greeted the pair of them as they approached, and Persephone took it as her cue to leave. With a thinly concealed grimace she squeezed through the narrow space between the wall and Vincent Crabbe, looking back over her shoulder for a moment to watch the two larger boys follow her brother in the opposite direction like lost puppies.

She supposed, as she wandered down the corridor looking for a compartment that wasn't full, that Draco was likely to act that way for as long as they were at school together. Would her brother still be her friend with the now almost constant pressure to act like a Slytherin? She and her brother, along with most of the children they had been allowed to associate with had been pegged down for Slytherin by their parents since birth. All members of the Malfoy family to attend Hogwarts in several generations had been sorted into Slytherin, it was almost a certainty that they would be too, but Slytherin also had a certain reputation. A reputation that had Persephone growing more and more concerned the more she heard about it.

She hurried her steps after glancing through a window to see Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson, as well as Daphne Greengrass. They were the girls she had been expected to befriend since early childhood. Daphne was pleasant enough, but she'd never quite been able to get along with the other two. They had often teased her until she had just stopped trying, instead content to read a book or hover on the outskirts of her brother's circle of friends.

She had nearly reached the end of the train, and finally settled on a compartment with one boy in it. He had dark hair and was watching something out the window. She knocked softly out of politeness and then slid the door open. He turned his head to her, slightly startled.

“Sorry.” She felt a slight blush come to her usually pale cheeks. “All the other compartments are pretty full, mind if I sit?”

The boy gave a bit of a smile and shrugged. “Go ahead...” His eyes turned back to the window as she took the seat opposite his own. She glanced over to see that he was watching the Weasley family, who she had a vague knowledge of. She'd never actually met any of them, but her father had mentioned them on occasion and she'd seen them at Diagon Alley when they'd went shopping for school things.

“Are you a friend of the Weasleys?” Persephone ventured. The boy turned her, looking as if he was surprised she had actually chosen to sit near him.

“Oh, no.” He shrugged again, and Persephone noticed his shirt was rather overlarge. “I only just met them, they seem rather nice, though. Helped me get through the barrier to the platform.” The boy took his own turn at blushing.

So he was a muggleborn. Persephone did her best to quell the twinge of disdain brought along with that thought. She tried not to share in her family's prejudice against muggleborn witches and wizards, but every so often it would rear its ugly little head. She pushed it into the back of her mind where it belonged.

She shrugged. “I wouldn't know... I think my dad works with Mr. Weasley at the ministry sometimes, though. I don't think they like each other much.”

There was an awkward silence after that. The boy was seeming shy and bashful, and Persephone was finding herself with a lack of things to say, as well. She realized then that neither of them had introduced themselves, but before she could say anything he started to talk.

“You know, you look familiar, but I can't imagine where I could have seen you.” His green eyes met hers from behind his circular framed glasses, and her eyes settled on a bit of something poking out from beneath his fringe as she tried to figure out if they'd met before.

“Oh!” She exclaimed. “I know. I think I saw you in Madame Malkin's, you were getting measured for your school robes and talking to my brother. His name's Draco.”

She saw the sparkle of recollection in his eyes. “Oh, yeah. I remember him now, but I don't recall seeing you there... You two look a lot alike, though.” He grimaced. “Well, of course you do, if he's your brother... I meant, more than usual...” He trailed off, offering her an embarrassed smile.

She giggled. “I understand what you mean. We're twins... I'm Persephone by the way. Persephone Malfoy.” Her last name was probably a formality, as the boy had probably already figured it out when she had mentioned Draco. “Nice to meet you.”

She held out her hand and the boy shook it lightly. “Harry Potter.”

Persephone tried to consciously stop her eyes from going wide and her jaw from dropping. There wasn't a witch or wizard alive that didn't know that name. That was as far as she was able to go before losing most of her composure.

“You're Harry Potter? The Harry Potter?” Her voice was a little higher pitched than was usual.

“The one and only.” Harry looked rather uncomfortable.

She leaned forward just a little. “You've got the...” She blushed and looked down, then back up and motioned to her forehead.

“What? Oh!” He lifted up his fringe and there it was, the famous scar that nearly everyone knew about it. After a few moments, he dropped his fringe again to let it hide the scar, and she decided that no matter how exciting it might be to be in a train compartment with the wizarding world's biggest celebrity, she should also be respectful. Having seen the scar, she was satisfied enough, and decided she would treat Harry as if her were anyone else, as so far he seemed like the kind of person she might like to be friends with.

“Sorry... It's just, everyone's always wondered about you.” She decided it was time to take a great interest in her fingernails.

He shrugged once again. “It's okay. It's happened before.” He was trying to make sure she didn't feel bad. “Is everyone in your family a witch or wizard?”

Persephone raised an eyebrow. Then she realized, of course he wouldn't know. Wherever he'd been, he'd been with muggles, or so it seemed. He didn't seem to know much of anything about the wizarding world yet, really.

“Oh, as far as I know.” She said lightly, having no desire to get into matters of bloodline purity. “At least for as far back as our recorded family tree, anyway.”

Just then, a head of vibrant orange hair bobbed quickly passed the window, and within seconds it was back again. Apparently one of the Weasley boys had, like her, decided that nearly anything was better than sitting anywhere near Pansy Parkinson. He soon entered the compartment after another hesitant glance through the compartment door's window. He smiled sheepishly and took a seat beside Harry. Though he seemed friendly, he also seemed to be giving Persephone a weary look. The three of them stared at each other, and the redheaded boy still seemed uneasy. Apparently, he'd heard all of the worst rumours about her family.

“Or, for heaven's sake!” She started after the silence had gone on uncomfortably long. “I don't bite, you know. I'll thank you not to judge me by my last name, and I'll do the same for you.”

The boy looked sheepish and his face turned a vibrant shade of red, but he didn't say anything in way of an apology, or anything else, for that matter.

“You're Ron, right?” Harry asked. The boy who was apparently named Ron nodded slightly, still looking reproachful. Harry continued. “I'm Harry Potter, and this is Persephone Malfoy. Nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure.” Persephone gave Ron her most winning smile. She was pleased to see that he was starting to look at her a little less like she was a snake that was about to bite him.

“Anything from the trolley, dears?” Asked a plump, cheerful looking witch after sliding their compartment door open. Ron grimaced and pulled out a parcel of what looked like rather unappealing sandwiches. Harry examined the trolley's shelves for some time before deciding to buy a little of nearly everything on it. Persephone contented herself with several cauldron cakes and a few packages of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. When Harry went ahead and piled everything he'd bought from the trolley in the middle of the compartment for all of them to share, she added her own purchases to the pot, as well. Ron had a look of surprise on his face, but offered her a genuine smile as he took a cauldron cake. Without preamble, a scruffy looking rat poked out of his pocket and gave a squeak. He set it on the seat beside him and tore off a bit of the cauldron cake for it to eat.

“My brother got a new owl for making prefect, so I got stuck with his old rat, Scabbers. He's pretty useless, usually doesn't do anything other than eat and sleep. My brother taught me a spell to turn him yellow, though. Want to see?”

Persephone and Harry nodded simultaneously.

“Right then, here we go...” Ron cleared his throat and held the tip of his wand against Scabbers' snout. “Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!”

Persephone waited a beat. Nothing happened. After another beat, she was giggling, and Harry and Ron joined in. “I think your brother was having you on.”

Ron pouted at his rat. “I think maybe he's just too fat to soak up any magic at all. It would have worked if you didn't eat so much.” He scooped the rat back into his pocket and sighed.

Harry picked up a chocolate frog and eyed it with curiosity. “It's not a real frog, is it?”

“Plain ordinary chocolate, that's all.” Ron explained. “They just spell them to jump around a bit. I collect the cards. Mind if I have one?”

“Help yourself.” Harry replied. He then proceeded to chew thoughtfully on his chocolate frog as he examined the card that had been under it in the package. “It's Dumbledore! Wait, where'd he go?”

“You can't expect him to stay around all day, really, can you? I was hoping for Agrippa or Ptolemy...” Ron helped himself to another chocolate frog.

“I've a bunch of the cards at home.” Persephone started after watching their exchange. “Only about a drawer full, don't know why I didn't just throw them out. I could have mother owl them, maybe there are some in there you don't have yet.” She thought that maybe she was laying it on a little thick, but the two boys seemed like the first chance she'd had at real friends in what seemed like her entire life. After all, she'd need someone to talk to if her brother was going to act like a great git now that he'd be around his friends all year, and she wasn't about to start up trying to be friends with Pansy and Millicent again. She'd rather get on with that hulk of a grounds keeper they kept on at Hogwarts, not that she thought there was much difference in appearance between the large man and Pansy Parkinson herself.

“That'd be great.” Ron said with a small amount of enthusiasm. Persephone smiled. She'd edged herself in just a little further.

It was then that they heard a scuffle out in the corridor. Harry got up to check, Ron close behind him. Persephone was somehow completely and utterly unsurprised to see her brother and his two thugs on the other side of the door, a round faced boy sniffling on the ground nearby. Gregory and Vincent were tossing something back and forth the short distance between them, and this only made the boy sniffle all that much more.

“Trevor!” The boy whimpered.

“Draco!” Persephone inserted herself between her brother's two friends, trying to catch whatever it was they were keeping away from the boy they were teasing. She ended up getting hit in the face with it.

As it turned out, getting hit in the face with a toad isn't quite all it's cracked up to be.

“If it isn't my darling sister.” Draco still had that smirk on his face, and he looked quite unlike the brother she knew and loved. She hated the way he got around his friends, but there was nothing she could do to change it.

Harry and Ron helped the boy up. He hiccoughed quietly as Persephone handed him his toad. “Why have your bullies toss around that poor toad? You should know better!”

Draco raised his eyebrows, as if this was the last thing he expected to come out of her mouth. “It's just a stupid toad. We were coming down here to see if the rumours were true, and we thought we'd have a bit of fun, didn't we, boys?”

Vincent and Gregory chortled agreement behind her brother. Harry and Ron pulled Neville into their compartment and stood in front of him. Draco gave them a steely glance before turning back to his sister. “So it's true, then? That's Harry Potter, is it?”

“Yes, I am.” Harry answered the question even though Draco had been speaking to his sister. Draco's cool gaze turned on him, then to Ron who was still by his side.

“No need to ask who you are. Red hair, all dressed in hand-me-downs. You couldn't be anything other than a Weasley.” Draco scowled. Ron bristled visibly, looking fit to snarl.

“Draco!” Persephone admonished. She knew full well how her brother could be, but she was starting to consider Harry and Ron her friends, and she always thought one was supposed to stick up for their friends. Could she still do it if it was against family?

Draco turned back to Harry. “Sometimes blood isn't the only thing that matters, Potter. People like him.” He gestured at Ron. “We're better than them, people like you and I. You don't want to start mixing up with the wrong sort.” He held out his hand. Ron looked disgusted, turning a darker shade of red than Persephone had seen on him during the whole trip.

“You and I clearly have different ideas when it comes to what the wrong sort of person is, Draco.” Harry made no move to take Draco's hand.

Draco fumed, pulling it away and letting it drop to his side. “Suit yourself. Come on, Persephone.” He turned on his heels and started stalking off. Persephone stood against the corridor wall, still shocked at how he had acted. He stopped and turned his head to the side. “Are you coming?”

She looked to Harry and Ron. Ron wouldn't meet her eyes, but Harry locked his with her own and raised a questioning eyebrow.

“No, Draco. I'll see you later.” Draco left without more than a departing glare in her direction. When she turned back to Harry and Ron, Harry was smiling broadly. Ron still wouldn't look at her. It looked as if Draco's comments had undone all the progress she'd made with the redheaded boy.

“Your brother.” Harry started. “Bit of a prat, isn't he?”

Introductions were made with the boy they had saved from Draco and his goons. His name was Neville Longbottom. Just as they'd all gotten themselves settled in again, he glanced around the compartment with a worried expression.

“Has anyone seen my toad?”

CHAPTER TWO

The rest of their ride on the Hogwarts Express was relatively uneventful. Neville's toad Trevor eventually showed up while they were playing a game of exploding snap, and they were just shoving leftover cauldron cakes and pumpkin pasties into their pockets when the train arrived at its destination. The timing was almost perfect.

“Harry!” Boomed a voice almost as soon as the three of them left the train. Both Ron and Persephone jumped a little. She was glad she hadn't been the only one startled by the large man's jovial greeting. Harry offered a cheerful wave and went over to introduce Ron and Persephone to who was obviously Hogwarts' grounds keeper, Hagrid.

“I told ye, Harry, you'd be makin' friends b'fore ye knew it, and if just that hasn' happened. Good on you, Harry. Good on you.” Persephone was surprised to see tears shining in the great man's eyes, and found herself liking him quite a lot more than she thought she would. Hagrid continued directing the other first years in the right direction after the three of them had passed. “Firs' years, single file, this way... Did somebody lose a toad?”

Soon enough they were presented with rows of little boats knocking lightly against each other on gently rippling water. The boats were lit by small candles, and it was quite the sight to take in with the moon reflecting off the surface of the water the way it was.

“Four ter a boat, wouldn't want any of ye ter go overboard.” Hagrid climbed into one of the boats, taking up most of it all by himself. It set off immediately toward the castle, automatically knowing its destination.

Persephone, Harry, and Ron were quick to find a boat. It was about to start off toward the castle before the last straggling first years joined the other boats, but just as it started to move none other than Pansy Parkinson sat down in the empty spot next to Ron. To his merit, he greened visibly in the pale moonlight.

If the boat had had any sense at all, it would have ejected Pansy then and there and left her to be playmate to the giant squid Persephone had heard lived in the lake. Instead, it started calmly on its journey to the castle as if it hadn't a care in the world.

“Pansy.” Persephone was no expert at social graces, but even she knew the smile she had pasted on her face just then didn't contain a touch of sincerity whatsoever.

“Persephone.” Pansy didn't try for a smile, not even a fake one. “Knocking about with blood traitors and half-bloods are you, now?” The other girl made a tutting sound. “My, my. Whatever would your father say?”

“Oh, I don't know.” Persephone drawled. “I'd guess he'd be glad I'd found friends who have parents that don't owe him a vault's worth of gold in personal loans.”

Pansy's mouth become a thin line and she crossed her arms across her chest. The giant squid took that moment to poke the tip of a tentacle past the surface of the water, waving it around dangerously close to Pansy's corner of the boat before slipping back into the chilly water. Persephone and Harry rocked the boat a little just as they were almost to the shore. Pansy shrieked while Ron gripped the sides of his seat fiercely, scowling. Persephone supposed they should have warned him. She'd apologize later.

Pansy took off like she was being chased by a particularly nasty hag when their boat landed. The three of them were more leisurely about it.

Just like that, they were at the grand front entrance of the Castle.

They were greeted by a most severe looking witch at the entrance to the castle. Professor McGonagall. Her black hair was done up in a tight bun and she wore a dress in red tartan. “This way, please.” The professor said simply, leading them to a small antechamber.

“The sorting ceremony will begin shortly. You will be sorted into one of four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw. While you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like a family to you. You will dorm together and have classes together. Exceptionally good behaviour will earn you house points while behaving badly will subtract house points from your house. The house the hat chooses for you is a final decision.” She glanced around at all of their faces. “Please wait here, I'll return for you momentarily.”

The lot of them huddled together nervously, chatting amongst themselves. Harry was on one side of her, but she had lost track of Ron. After looking around, she only just got a peek at his red hair across the group before she was bumped into rather sharply from behind. When she turned to see what had happened, Draco was pushing past her with Vincent and Gregory in tow behind him. Pansy Parkinson giggled from somewhere nearby and Persephone was unable to resist the urge to stick her tongue out at the back of her brother's head. Harry echoed her by rolling his eyes.

McGonagall came back in just then before Persephone had a chance to withdraw her tongue. The professor gave her a stern look and motioned for them to follow her into the Great Hall.

There were mystified gasps as they filed into the lavish and enchanted room, many sets of eyes glued to the ceiling which seemed to display the clear, star-filled night sky. While she had been around such displays of magic her entire life, Persephone still had to admit that it was impressive, the beauty of it magnified by hundreds of small candles hovering high above their heads.

Harry tugged lightly on the arm of her robes, bringing her gaze back away from the ceiling.

“What do we have to do?” He whispered nervously. “I don't know any magic at all...”

She smiled. “Don't worry... You just have to put on a hat. I don't know what it does, though. Probably nothing too fancy, or they wouldn't do it while everyone's sitting around starving and waiting to eat.”

Professor McGonagall placed a weathered, three-legged stool at the front of the room and placed a tattered hat atop it. Almost everyone in the room stared at the hat expectantly, so Persephone did, too.

I'm a shabby looking hat,

I don't look like much at all,

Let's play a game, just you and I,

Without a club or ball

I'll look inside your head,

To find out just what makes you tick

For such a task young ones, it's true:

I'm the only one that's fit!

If you wonder what this talking hat can tell you,

That you don't already know,

Sit down, relax, and put me on,

Let's all enjoy the show!

In Gryffindor, those that belong

Include the daring and the brave

They take the high road every time,

and it's their road to pave

In Hufflepuff they work quite hard

Forever loyal and true

If you're just and patient,

Hufflepuff's the house for you!

In Ravenclaw the wisest find

More of the same

If you're one for learning

Then they want your name.

Lastly, put in Slytherin

You might achieve your goals

You'll reach an end, I have no doubt

No matter what the tolls

If you want to see inside your mind,

Then place me on your head

There's not to lose and much to gain

Your fortune's to be read!

The rip above the hat's brim closed and the room was flooded with applause. Once it died down, Professor McGonagall withdrew a roll of parchment from her robes and started reading off names. Persephone was so nervous by this point that only half of her attention was on the names being called. She only caught them here and there.

Millicent and Vincent were of the first to join Slytherin, of course. There was no surprise there. A couple names later Finch-Fletchley, Justin became a Hufflepuff to a round of excited cheers. It seemed like no time at all until it was time.

“Malfoy, Draco.” There was a clamour of noise at the Slytherin table. The sorting hat had just barely touched her brother's head before it yelled out boisterously. “Slytherin!”

Well, this was it. Persephone sat down on the stool and watched her brother join the rest of Slytherin house before pulling the hat over her head.

The sudden voice in her ear was somewhat disconcerting. “Ah, another Malfoy, is it? Not a very hard decision, then. I've been putting your lot in the same place for centuries, you know.”

Persephone's mind was spinning. When she was finally able to focus on something, it was her brother and how he acted.

She channelled all of her nervous energy into telling the hat how very much she didn't want to have to be like him, always being so guarded and manipulative.

“If you're sure, dear...” She was. “There are no second chances, you're aware...” She wished the darned hat would just hurry it up already. “Well then, better be... GRYFFINDOR!”

As Persephone stumbled away from the stool after replacing the hat, everyone was quiet as if they weren't really sure what had happened. Then, because they had missed their cue, the Gryffindor table roared happily. She plopped down at the nearest end of the table and was shortly joined by one of the Patil twins on one side. She was so relieved to be done with the ceremony that she didn't even have the energy to turn around and see her brother's usually cool face staring at her with a purely shocked expression.

The room grew hushed as soon as Professor McGonagall called out the name everyone had apparently been waiting for. “Potter, Harry.”

It seemed to take even longer than it had with her to decide, but eventually it declared Harry a Gryffindor. Minutes later, Ron also joined the Gryffindor table and Persephone was that much more happy.

There was chatter amongst the students as McGonagall took the stool and hat away. Dumbledore stood up at the head of the room and cleared his throat, effectively silencing the room by gaining everyone's attention.

“I would like to say a few words, and now I have. I hope you all enjoy your meals.” He clapped his hands together with a smile, and the tables were no longer barren but covered from one end to the other with some of the most delicious looking food Persephone had ever seen. She helped herself to a little bit of everything, chatting with Harry as she ate. Ron was pointedly ignoring them.

Soon enough their plates were cleared and it was time for pudding. Dumbledore had given the start of term speech he'd spared them from before their meal. Persephone hadn't really paid too much attention. Stay out of the forest surrounding the castle, something about a third floor corridor. She was feeling satiated and content as she followed Percy Weasley, one of the Gryffindor prefects, to the entrance of their house common room. She and Harry were tailing at the end of the line, she noticed he seemed to be marvelling at the paintings.

“Careful.” She smiled. “I hear some of them get offended if you stare at them too much.”

There was a sudden creak to their left, and they both turned. A suit of armour had raised one arm, startling Draco who had been standing in its shadow. Persephone raised her eyebrows as her brother stumbled forward, a decidedly pink tinge coming to his cheeks as he put himself directly between them and the rest of the Gryffindor group. While she simply stared at her brother, Harry pulled out his wand. She held up a hand to stop him, even though she knew he didn't know any spells.

“You're going ahead with it, then? Herding up to the tower with the rest of this lot.” Her brother wrinkled his nose, looking disgusted. “I should think you'd be doing your best to get out of here. Honestly, a Malfoy in Gryffindor. Our whole family must be turning in their graves.”

“Oh, really, Draco... It's not as bad as all that!” Was this really her brother? She'd seen that venomous look in his eyes before, but it had never been directed at her. She didn't know if it was for Harry's benefit or if he really meant it.

Draco softened an almost imperceptible amount. She doubted anyone other than her would have noticed at all.

“We can owl mother and father in the morning.” His cold eyes were searching hers. She could almost swear he was pleading with her, as much as he would allow himself to. “They can have you off to Beauxbatons in less than a day. Mother didn't want me at Durmstrang because it was so far away, but considering the circumstances... Anything would be better than being one of... them.” His eyes scoured Harry for a moment.

“You're just worried about what people think of you, aren't you?” She could feel the tears stinging at her eyes, but didn't want to let them fall. “You'd rather I was in France than in a different house. We've never been apart, Draco! I'm still your sister, Gryffindor or not... and I'm staying.”

Draco's eyes were once again completely blank, even to her. It was one of those disheartening moments that had been few and far between where she couldn't fathom what he was thinking at all.

“You're a disgrace.” He spat. His words stung like nothing else ever had. “I have no sister.”

Persephone stared after him as he left, only turning away when he had rounded a corner.

All she could think to do then was run in the opposite direction, the way the other Gryffindor students had been taken. Harry didn't follow her. She waited until she'd made her way up a couple flights of stairs before she let the first tears slide down her cheeks.

“Nobody told me the password...” Persephone explained to the woman in the portrait that guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. She slouched against the wall next to the portrait feeling sorry for herself. Not only was she feeling miserable because of Draco, but she looked a right mess as well. To top things off, she couldn't even go to bed.

This was how Harry found her, and luckily he had run into Ron's brother Percy after getting lost trying to find his own way to the tower. Percy the prefect had scolded him slightly and sent him on his way with the password.

“Altera Mundus.” Harry said to the portrait, and it swung open without a word from its lone occupant.

The room that was revealed to them couldn't have been any different than what she was used to. While things at her family's home were of the highest quality, everything always seemed so harsh and dark. She was used to being surrounded by greys, greens, and obsidian black. While the palette of reds that had been used to decorate the common room was still on the dark side, they had a rich, earthy quality that Persephone found enchanting. The dark-wooded tables and squashy-looking chairs and sofas flickered from the light of a merry fire, and the cheerful atmosphere of the room brightened her mood a fraction.

“There's Ron.” Harry drew her attention to the corner of the room by the staircase to the boys' dormitories. Ron was having a chat with a pair of boys, one with sandy-coloured hair, Seamus she thought it was, and another boy that she couldn't really remember.

Harry walked over to them and she followed, suddenly feeling the shyness that often came about when she was about to try and be social. While Harry seemed fine with her, she didn't know if the other Gryffindor students would be any more accepting than the children that she'd grown up around.

The three boys were laughing about something as they approached.

“Ron...” Harry started quietly, looking shy. “Er... We, that is, Persephone and I...” He looked to as if for confirmation and she nodded. “We wanted to apologize, for earlier in the boat. We only meant to frighten Pansy, she was being right horrible.” Harry was looking down at his shoes, almost mumbling now.

To her surprise, Ron smiled. “Don't worry, I figured that after a bit. Harry, have you met Chris and Seamus? They're the other boys in our dorm besides Neville.”

The two boys greeted Harry, and Seamus offered her a polite wave. The boys started talking, and she was just beginning to feel awkward when Ron's brother walked through the portrait.

“Bedtime, everyone up to your rooms!” The boys started up the stairs, only Harry turning her to bid her goodnight. A staircase on the other side of the common room took her to her own dormitory. All of the other girls in her year were already there.

Her trunk was at the end of the fourposter near the window. Closest to her bed was that of Ethel Prewett, a quiet girl with large-framed glasses, her red hair was nearly the exact same shade as Ron's. After her were Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil who were chatting animatedly with each other as they got ready for bed. On the opposite side of the room was Celia Puckle, propped up in what looked like an awkward position on her bed reading a magazine.

Thoroughly exhausted from her day, Persephone promptly changed into her pyjamas, crawled into bed, and went to sleep.

CHAPTER THREE

Their first week at Hogwarts was uneventful, but enjoyable. Persephone found she and Harry were sticking together a lot of the time, and though Ron was still cautious around her, they had started to form a tentative friendship. Thoughts of her brother were pushed to the back of her mind, she kept busy enough with her class work. It wasn't until Friday morning that he was again at the forefront of her mind.

Ron was looking over their class schedule and eating his cereal, a glum expression on his face. “Double Potions with the Slytherins this morning.”

“I'm sure it won't be that bad.” Harry smiled. Persephone was surprised how positive Harry managed to be, especially after he'd told her about those muggles they'd left him with.

Persephone was anxious. She hadn't spoken to Draco, and had hardly seen him except for occasionally catching him giving the three of them dark looks from across the great hall.

Potions got off to a bad start. Professor Snape was terrible to Harry at the beginning of class, and when Persephone was working with him on their first potion, Draco walked by and accidentally bumped their cauldron, causing the sensitive potion to turn a vibrant shade of pink. Snape gave Harry a talking to about that, too. Persephone's mood lightened only slightly when Snape, who tended to favour his own house, said that perhaps Draco would pay more attention if he taught from the back of the dank dungeon room. Draco fumed silently, turning away from his latest glaring session to face forward.

When Persephone and Harry had finally cleared the pink sludge from their cauldron, the hall outside of Snape's dungeon was devoid of students.

“Thought I'd go see Hagrid, since we have the afternoon off. Want to come?” Harry asked, readjusting the strap of his school bag.

She thought about it for a moment. Truth be told, she was a little frightened of the Hogwarts grounds keeper. He was just so... big. Despite the fact that Harry seemed to be a good judge of character, she decided she'd better sit out that particular social call.

She smiled, shaking her head lightly. “I should really get on with my charms work, I was falling a little behind everyone else in class... Not that I expect my parents will be paying much attention to my grades now that I'm up in the tower instead of down here with the Slytherins.

“Any word from them?”

Persephone once again shook her head. “I expect they don't really know how to react. Draco probably has them all riled up, too. That won't help matters.”

Harry sighed. “Well... See you.”

He disappeared out the school's main entrance and she turned on her heels to go up to the common room. She'd only taken a couple steps when a firm hand clamped on her shoulder, causing her to gasp and drop her book bag.

“Ms. Malfoy, a word if I might.”

Persephone rushed toward Hagrid's cabin. She thought Harry needed to know right away that whatever-her-name-had-been from the Daily Prophet had been asking her questions about him, and what was worse, that quick quotes quill she'd had certainly hadn't written her answers word-for-word. The reporter had also mentioned something about a break-in at Gringotts, the same day that Harry had been there. He would probably be curious about that, too.

He met her half way between Hagrid's cabin and the castle. She quickly tried to recount in detail everything she could remember about her conversation with the irritating woman.

“Robbery at Gringotts? Hagrid told me that was as good as impossible. Did she say which vault was broken in to?”

Persephone shook her head. “Only that it had been emptied before they got into it.

Harry's eyes widened. “Hagrid got something out of a vault when we went there.” He spoke quietly. “He wouldn't tell me what it was, just said it had something to do with Hogwarts. I'd bet that whatever it was he took out was what they were after.”

She returned his wide-eyed glance as they started heading back to the castle.

“I wonder what she'll write about me in the paper..."

Persephone shrugged. “Probably nothing true... You know, you didn't stay at Hagrid's very long.”

“I had to leave before he offered me another rock cake. Two's my limit.” It was only then that she noticed he was looking a tad green.

It was time for their first flying lesson. While Harry was nervous and excited, Persephone was just nervous. Her brother was pretty good at flying, but she tried to avoid it whenever possible. She'd had an accident with a toy broom as a child, and her pride had never fully recovered.

Professor Hooch walked back and forth between the two rows of brooms she'd laid out, each now with a student standing beside it. “First things first, you need to command your broom's respect, speak to it with authority. Place your wand hand above your broom, and command it to rise by saying 'Up.' Try it now, all of you.”

Then they all did. Harry's rose into his hand instantly, and Ron's soon after that. Persephone kept herself from blushing as her own broom raised itself up painfully slow.

“Good, good...” Professor Hooch travelled a straight patch between the two rows of students. “That's not the proper grip, Mr. Malfoy. Look at Ms. Patil, she's got it right.... Mr. Longbottom, careful now. Mr. Longbottom!”

The Professor's shouts were too late, as Neville's broom was rising into the air, with Neville atop it looking considerably more pale than usual. He let out a shriek as his broom started a wild, zigzagging flight high above their heads. The boy soon crashed into a wall, and while his broom continued to rise he slipped off the side of it and came to the ground moments later with a sickening thud.

Professor Hooch rushed forward and helped a sniffling Neville to his feet. “Oh...” She tutted as she examined him. “Looks like a broken wrist, we'd better get you to the hospital wing straight away.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and started guiding him to the castle, turning a serious gaze on her students only long enough to give them a warning.

“If any of you so much as think of flying while I'm gone, you'll have detentions until you graduate.”

The entire lot of them stared after the professor as she left with Neville, and then they turned to each other and stared blankly for a few moments before separating into smaller groups and chatting amongst themselves.

“Never seems to have any luck, that Neville.” Ron said quietly, standing in a circle with Persephone, Harry, and Seamus. “I don't imagine he'll be trying out for Quidditch next year, that one.”

The three of them had just started to explain the basics of Quidditch to Harry when Draco started to laugh. He had bent down and picked something up off the ground near where Neville had fallen. “That great lump of a Gryffindor dropped a Remembrall. If only it had reminded him not to slam headfirst into the castle walls, maybe it would have done him some good.”

Persephone was just about to go to her brother and demand that he give her Neville's Remembrall, so she could return it to its rightful owner, when Harry surprised her by turning to her brother and doing just that.

“Give it here, Draco.”

“Or what, Potter? We don't all have to do just what you want, just because of that stupid scar on your head. You aren't as important or impressive as the history books make you out to be. If you want it, then come get it.” Without another word, Draco shot up on his broom.

Without seeming to give a thought, Harry was astride his broom within seconds.

“Harry!” Persephone called in surprise.

He turned his eyes on her. “I know he's your brother, but someone's got to stick up to him.”

Persephone nodded. “I know, it's just... You've not flown on a broom before, have you?”

Harry shrugged, rising into the air even more quickly than Draco had. The pair faced off, talking to each other, but Persephone couldn't really hear what they were saying. Next thing she knew Harry was flying at the castle faster than she would have expected him to be able to. The small version of Harry in the distance narrowly avoided Neville's fate, but when he returned he was holding Neville's Remembrall in his hand. His fellow Gryffindor students cheered as he landed gently, while Draco and the Slytherins looked, if possible, even more sour than usual. Persephone was fairy certain that Draco was glaring at her in particular, and feeling completely uncomfortable, she walked up to him.

“I just wanted you to know.” She tried to look as cool and collected as he always did, but she felt her voice quaver. “I wanted you to know that I've accepted it, that you've turned your back on me. It's not a surprise really, all you've ever cared about is status.”

She turned her back to him, parting from him with words she could hardly choke out. “I guess always isn't as long as it used to be.” She started to walk back to where she had been standing with Harry, only to find that he was no longer there. Professor McGonagall had him by the arm and they were half way to the castle.

“I hope he's not in too much trouble.”

Harry joined her at dinner that night, looking particularly happy for someone who had presumably been punished by Professor McGonagall.

“Well then, what happened?” Persephone asked as she loaded her plate. Harry poured himself some pumpkin juice as he told her just what happened in hurried whispers.

He had made the Gryffindor Quidditch team, he was the youngest player at Hogwarts in over a hundred years.

“That's wonderful!” Persephone said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes, for once forgetting her manners.

Harry grinned.

“Not that they need a reason, but the Slytherins will hate you even more now that Gryffindor have a chance at beating them.”

Harry almost choked, quickly gulping down his juice to clear his throat.

“That reminds me.” He bent his head toward hers, causing Ron to give them a slightly hurt look. “Your brother, he got me alone in the corridor after I talked with Professor McGonagall. He challenged me to a wizard duel, but I haven't a clue what to do, I don't know any duelling magic or anything...”

Persephone shook her head and sent a weary glance in the direction of the Slytherin table. “I wouldn't go, if I were you. Knowing my brother and how he acts, it's some kind of setup to get you into trouble. I'm sure he doesn't know any more about duelling than what you do, Harry.”

“I'll take your word for it.” Harry looked relieved.