I don't own HP.

'RAVENCLAW!'

A majority of the students, tired at having been waiting so long. Jumped in their seats at hearing the sudden declaration. It was quiet but soon the hall filled with clapping as they watched the younger girl roll her eyes as the hat was taken of her head and she and made her way to the Eagle table.

Minerva also had jumped on hearing the hat shout. Once the name of the house it had placed the younger witch in her heart stuttered a bit as she cast a fearful eye at the headmaster. The older man looked a little weary doing little to assuage her fears as she stepped and removed the hat from her head.

She sent Hermione a small smile as she watched her depart for the blue and bronze coloured table as they welcomed her to the fold.

This wasn't what she wanted. Yes she was happy that she had gone to a house that clearly suited her intelligence as it really was the best for her, but she was in two halves.

One part of her was relieved that she hadn't gone to Slytherin. If the hat had placed her there then she could only imagine the sort of chaos that could cause.

The pure-blooded students were fiercely overzealous about anyone not from the sacred twenty eight. Going as far as to torment them even in class. If that happened and because of the fact that her only other family member was both a teacher and a Gryffindor, Merlin she feared that outcome.

Given that she was also the heir. If that got out and became public knowledge. It wouldn't take long for word to get back to one of the parents and her stomach clenched a bit at the ramifications that would follow should they get wind that the Heir of Slytherin was residing at the school.

No… the other house was the best place for her, at least with them they would only inquire enough to get the basic gist and then leave her alone. That was another of the Eagle's traits – they mostly kept to themselves and so wouldn't bother her enough to antagonize her to the point of retaliation.

She wasn't sure what would happen if the news that she was also Rowena's Heir. They would gloat; if god giveth in the form of intelligence then he also took away with arrogance. She knew they wouldn't be able to resist telling the rest of the school that they had something they didn't.

The other half was fraught with worry. The fact that she wasn't in her house meant she wasn't able to keep an eye on her, she would be on the other side of the school. Surrounded by strangers and she could broker a pretty good guess they would stay that way.

But what could she do? She couldn't just keep going into the tower every night purely because she was terrified that one day she would snap and cause untold horror so damaging, it affected those around her, she couldn't even tell Filius either as no one knew about her past apart from those small handful, and even then most of those where at the Ministry.

Dam it why did the hat put her there. Couldn't it have at least taken into account her own house? She would have to talk with Albus once everything was settled, at least he might have an idea on how to proceed.

She cast another glance to the Ravenclaw table and saw Hermione sitting on the end. The indifferent posture she adopted and the way people were giving her side glances was merely making her nerves increase.

This would be a long seven years.

But she had a job to do, and so looking back to the list. Carried on reading the names off one by one. She got to Harry's name and watched as the small boy stumbled his way over, followed by a trail of whispers and mutterings as he shakily put the hat on his head.

From the side it seemed the interest on her had waned as they heard the boy who lived being called to the front. Soon all eyes were on him, including a sharp set of liquid amber as they took in the appearance of the supposed saviour of the wizard world.

Hermione kept her keen gaze fixed upon his stature as he seemed to be in conversation with the hat. She knew about him… like everyone else in the magical community, she had heard about how he had overthrown the dark lord.

She had known because the last night she saw any of them. They had come to the house in a frenzy of panic and hysteria. It made her want to smack the stupid out of them as they rambled on and on about how everything was ruined, and that they needed to flee before the Aurors came down on them.

Of course it was clear not all of them did if the owner of the house was caught. But it wasn't as if she cared as loud clapping had her looking to see him stumble over to the red and gold table.

She never took her eyes from his form as he reached the end and was heartily welcomed, claps on his back and handshakes – two red headed twins jumping and cheering. It was embarrassing.

The scene made her want to stick a fork in her eyes to get rid of the image of him being led to the empty spot – like he was of some importance.

She had no care for those that she had lived with for those first few years, their ways of teaching – whilst important, as was all knowledge… but frankly she could care less about their staunch beliefs.

That was to say she held any interest in this Harry Potter either. She wasn't sure why he looked like the littlest hobo, but there was nothing spectacular about him.

If anything he was mediocre. His magic, while strong for a first year, was nowhere near the level she held or even a few of the other first years… it was on the cusp of high and average.

She was also willing to bet that it wasn't accidental magic that helped him take down the darkest man in recent times. As a creature of facts and logic, she knew that out of the 99.9 percent that made up a person's magical ability. Around three quarters of that was raw power.

The rest was good preparation. Honing that power and getting it to bend to whim. The rest was sheer dumb luck. That was where she would place the boy who lived.

Like everything in the world. One thing would have an equally opposite and just as effective counterpart. In one of the many books she had read during her time, she knew that there was a fine line to everything. It was just a matter of chance as to which one a person ended up on.

Like Love and Hate. People would say that they go hand in hand, now she couldn't say she was one of those… she couldn't even say she felt them, spite what the other woman thought it was still a work in progress to what others could readily feel that she couldn't.

But they said there was a line to them. That one could just as easily turn into the other at the flick of a wand, she thought them fools but either way it was still a line no matter how fine it may be.

Dumbledore liked to keep spouting that Love was the strongest magic of all. That it could overcome anything thrown in its path and was unstoppable in its force. Now unless he had tangible proof then she was just going to stick with her 'He's senile' theory, but he had some notion to his words.

Love could be harnessed. It might have been fake but it could still be used: Potions… charms… spells and such, those sad and desperate enough to be sucked into peddler's tricks deserved to be swindled. But it could also be used as a counter to hate.

Clearly Voldemort. She wasn't going to deign him with the title of father as he was anything but; he had a lot of hate going on and so it was only natural that if perhaps he was to come across something as counteracting as love in its most raw and potent form… and really, what better then to be a martyr for a small baby - even the dumbest of Squibs could have told you what would happen next.

So no… it wasn't his sheer talent in magic or even luck she decided in this case. It was a deus ex Machina – he had a blessed encounter that night, but without that intervening moment of something helping him, then it all could have gone the other way.

…at the flick of a wand.

Finally the last of the new kids had been sorted, as he made his way over to the Snake table. Once everyone had settled the headmaster stood to address the crowd. She dipped her brow as he uttered four words before smiling happily and sitting down.

Senile indeed.

Soon the hall was filled with loud chatter and laughter as they engaged their friends who they hadn't seen in a few weeks and how they were glad to be back.

It was loud and grating on her hearing, wincing at a particularly loud shriek and giving the offender a hard glare. She sighed and looked around; if she had to be here with these idiots then at least she would be compensated in the form of cheese toasties.

Only to find there wasn't any.

Staring at the multitude of food spread out. She was both annoyed and unimpressed at the fact that that they had everything – including every bloody animal on the farm, but they had no cheese on toast for her.

She sighed again and glanced to the high table where the headmaster was sitting talking cheerfully with her Mother, she glared at his head and decided there and then it was his fault.

So with that she reached out and pulled he nearest jug of milk to her, there wasn't even tea around as she moodily filled a mug and sat sullenly alone, broodingly sipping her drink and giving glares to the oblivious masses.

Her actions didn't go unnoticed. Every so often Minerva would glance over and her consternation deepened on every disdainful look Hermione would give to those around her, she hadn't even tried to interact with any from her house and it worried her terribly.

Albus too had seen his deputy's face and knew how worried she was, he also was anxious and not in a good way, to see how this would go. He could have cursed the hat when it shouted out the house that he admittedly, didn't want her in.

Like Harry he had hoped it would send her to the lion house where they could both keep an eye on her, but now with that out the window and no chance of a resort, he just had to re-work his plans and go from there.

But for the time being he would have to take Moody's example and be extra vigilant.

Soon it was time for bed. Once everyone had eaten and the food vanished. He said a last few words about the rules, where was out of bounds and the point system before wishing them goodnight as one by one each house left the hall.

"Ravenclaw's this way!"

She turned to see a blonde haired boy signalling for them to follow. She silently stood and waiting until they had all gone first, trailed after. They moved out with the Gryffindor's but then turned right on the stairs as they turned left and carried on up the steps.

Soon the moved down the halls and up another flight of steps before another long hallway, having known these halls since she was six it didn't bother her just how far the tower dorm was until at last they came to a stop outside of the picture she knew to cover the entrance.

They all bustled around eagerly waiting to see what would happen next. As he prefect coughed politely. Nothing happened for a moment as they looked on, eventually and as soon as the occupant of the portrait made their appearance the excited whispers started.

The person – a woman this time, or more specifically a muse. Returned to the rock she was sat on, placing her feet in the small body of water before turning to them before undoing a scroll she had with her.

"What you are, I once was. what I' am you will eventually be… what I'm I?"

As she spoke the words slowly came to life. They lit up on the picture in bright yellow words before she finished and placed the scroll away, with a smile she hopped from the rock and left the picture again leaving them to ponder the riddle.

Soon the chatter began again as they tried to work out between them what it could have been. She stood on the edge and listened as they spoke among themselves.

"What does she mean?"

"Was she talking about herself?"

"She was a muse right? Did she mean we'll become muses to?"

She fought the herculean urge to roll her eyes at that, how dense did one have to be to ask something like that? And to think he made it to the house of smarts, she cast an eye over the prefect and wasn't pleased to see that he too seemed to be having difficulty solving the puzzle.

She guessed it had something to do with the fact they had just come back and so was still in the holiday frame of mind, but as she exhaled loudly and made her way to the front, it was still no excuse to let standards lack.

If they knew they would be coming back to school. Then wasn't the best option to study as much as they could? After all she had heard this house got very competitive when it came to academics and so if they wanted to be on the ball, they would have to be a lot faster than this as she stood at the front.

The rest, having seen her move fell silent as she stood next to the older boy. Said boy turned to look at her but wasn't given the same curtesy before she looked to the highlighted words, speaking clearly so they could all hear; maybe they would take a lesson as she wasn't going to be this nice all the time… possibly never again.

"Life and Death."

The others behind her turned to their neighbour on hearing her words. Confusion evident as they thought on the riddle more clearly. It was silent for a moment or two and a few had thought it to be wrong, when the sound of latch undoing and soon the portrait slowly came away from the wall.

She watched in silence as the door soon opened fully and she could see the inside of the tower. It occurred to her that no one had yet moved and so turning her head, she finally graced the other boy with an expectant look as he stared at the open door.

Someone from behind gave him a daring tap on his back which shook him from his thoughts. He glanced around before looking around and coming to see her staring, gazed at her arched brow.

He struggled for a moment before it became apparent that he was meant to move and so springing into action. He stepped ahead of them and cleared his throat.

"This way please." Before turning and moving inside. She watched him go, a feeling of tiredness coming over her that had nothing to do with sleep, as she stepped through the small archway and after him – the rest hurrying to catch up as they scrambled through the doorway.

Perhaps the hat was having an off-day when it came to its sorting.

After a quick look around the tower she knew like both the back and front of her hand, it was a direction to where the dorms lay – again something she knew and so had no problem setting off once he stopped speaking. Much to the bafflement of the other girls who had decided to follow her, seeing as she had worked out the riddle and so was already becoming a leader of sorts for their year.

Pushing on the door, she made her way to the end bed. It wasn't so much she was tired but she wanted to see if her friend had been found, it was a worry of hers as she knew that her belongings would be taken from the others woman's chambers and so began her search for the reptile.

Crooks had already made himself at home. The fat ball of orange fur had settled himself at the top on her pillow, and was watching her root through her things. The others had begun sorting a few of their items, but were looking for their night clothes.

One by one they all started to get dressed leaving her the only one as she came across a hopeful box at the end of the trunk. Pulling it closer she lifted the lid and smiled as inside laid her second and unknown pet.

Carefully glancing around so the others didn't see, she moved a little lower and met his gaze as he slid over the side of the box. She couldn't speak as it would give her away but she still kept her smile as he flicked his tongue out. With a few more seconds of eye contact and a small nod so she knew he was alright, she carefully placed him under the bed and shoved the box to the far side.

Getting to her feet, she looked around still wary that they might have been trying to look. But she was pleased they didn't and so gathering her clothes, made her way to the small side bathroom.

Soon she was under the covers and had wasted no time in pulling the curtains closed. Peace was now a luxury afforded to those who knew how to get it and so with a quick wave of her wand. She cast a silencing spell before settling back under the cover.

The small shuffle saw Crooks getting comfy for the night as he curled up into a tighter ball, and the other saw the snake that had once been in the box, now sliding his way to her side. She looked down as he came to rest her arm and coiled himself much like the cat before to settling down.

Once he was safely hidden from view. She wasn't above thinking any of them to be the nosy type come morning and pull her drawers back in a friendly bid of waking her up, so making sure he had enough room to breathe, she closed her eyes, ready for the start of the new day.

'And so it begins