PART I

Chapter 7: A Different Kind of Slytherin

The Slytherin Common Room was located in the depths of the Hogwarts dungeons. Although most of the other students gathered in small cliques to make the journey, no one talked to Severus. It was as if they could already sense that he didn't quite belong here.

Severus knew the history of the House of Slytherin. Most of the students sorted into this House were from pureblood families who believed in preserving the true culture of Wizards and marrying within the magical world. If anyone knew about his past, Severus would be scorned for his mother's choice to abandon her proud pureblood heritage and marry a common Muggle. At that moment, he decided that no one needed to know about this aspect of his life.

Finally, the group reached the end of the long torch lit corridor and Lucius Malfoy opened a set of heavy wooden double doors and welcomed the new Slytherins into their common room. Severus wandered over the threshold and was quickly drawn to the atmosphere of power in the room. Decorated in black and green, the sitting room was adorned with plush furniture made from sturdy fabrics and rich wood. Portraits of famous past Slytherins covered the stone walls and the whole place was subtly illuminated by candles on chandeliers which were hanging from chains on the ceiling. This was all so different from the suburban Muggle environment Severus grew up in or the quaint and simple air of Spinner's End. He felt a rush of excitement at the idea that he just might be a little bit important.

Any confidence rising within the boy quickly dissipated as he looked around the room and observed everyone taking their place on the carpet around the fire, in the squishy armchairs lining the periphery, at a long wooden table. He had no idea where he belonged. He let his eyes wander around the room and he looked at each of his fellow First Years and made a quick assessment of their potential to be friendship material. The group of girls in the corner all looked snobby and uptight. There was no way the group of boys huddling near the fire would even talk to him. Sure there were a few stragglers he could introduce himself to, but they didn't look the slightest bit interesting. Why waste his time?

Severus took a seat on a soft velvet cushion near the corner and rested his chin on his hands. He had been carrying Botry with him in a small cage covered in black cloth. He put the bird down by his side and wiggled a pair of fingers the through the wooden bars to stroke the soft feathers. He felt a tiny sharp beak nibbling at him, but the Jobbernoll didn't make a sound.

Severus thought about what Lily might be doing back in the Gryffindor Common Room. She was almost certainly being her usually cheery and warm self, making friends, forgetting about Severus. At that moment, he found himself wishing he had never received a letter from Hogwarts. He wanted to be back home in Muggle England with his familiar house, his familiar routine, and his only friend. That kind of security was worth it…even if it meant having to live with his awful father and sacrifice the ability to do magic.

Severus felt a hand on his back and looked up to see Lucius Malfoy, his long blond hair framing a face sporting an evil grin. He flinched in response to the touch and the unsettling presence of the older boy.

"Severus," he said loudly tearing the young boy away from his private thoughts. "Don't sit over there by yourself. Come meet the rising starts of the House of Slytherin." He gestured to a group of students clad in black and green behind him. "The twins are Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. They're Fifth Years and so is Bellatrix." He pointed to a striking young woman with heavy lidded eyes, olive skin, and long dark hair. She looked down at little Severus sitting on the floor with a skeptical sneer.

Lucius put his arm around a younger girl standing by his side with long blond hair similar to his own and pale, fragile features. "And this is her younger sister, Narcissa." He grinned and pulled the girl in possessively towards him. She gave Lucius a mischevious glance, but smiled warmly at Severus.

"Our other sister, Andromeda, is a Ravenclaw," Narcissa said coolly. "I don't know what happened there." Severus had no idea how to respond.

"Then there are a few promising individuals from your own class," Lucius went on directing his attention to a group of three boys, "Evan Rosier, Ian Wilkes, and Miles Avery, all from respectable wizarding families, all worthy additions to Salazaar's noble House."

Severus looked at the three boys cowering behind Lucius' domineering presence. Wilkes was tall and gangly with messy dark blond hair and harsh features; his lazy slouching made him appear to be much shorter than he actually was. Avery was small and compact with a head of dark curls and a serious expression. Rosier seemed a little shell shocked by the whole experience of his arrival at Hogwarts. He straightened up and pushed his wire rim glasses up his nose, obviously trying to look more presentable to Lucius. While surveying the new set of friends Lucius had selected for him, Severus couldn't help thinking that none of them could compare the one true friend he knew he somehow knew he had just lost.