Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series, including all characters and plot, belongs to J.K. Rowling

Edited 08/06/2018

ONE: First Year

Guinevere Weasley was not quite as excited about attending Hogwarts as her twin sister, however, on September 1st she still found herself wide awake at six in the morning. The red haired girl rose as the light of dawn flittered through her window, tiptoeing around Ginny's bed and out into the hallway. She was the only conscious person at the Burrow- or so she thought.

When Guin reached the living room, with its worn, miss-matched sofas and bookcase full of novels (on either household cleaning, muggle products or both), she found a boy with extremely messy black hair perched on the edge of one. Considering every person in her family had varying shades of fire as a hair colour, she should have been concerned at the total stranger who was lounging in her house at such an ungodly hour. Thankfully, although she hadn't met him personally herself, she had heard enough from Ginny and caught a few brief glimpses to know that the famous Harry Potter, whom had become her brother's new best friend, was their honoured guest. She had not felt the need or the want to approach him throughout his stay as he was always around Ronald, a family member she had never gotten along with. Hence, when she found him to be the only person as much awake as herself, she made to turn back and head for the kitchen instead of disturbing him. A voice stopped her.

'Are you Ginny?' He had turned to face her with tired eyes. At that moment she was surprised to find that they were not as they had been described to her (green enough to rival emeralds, her sister had said) but instead seemed older, and more tired, than they should have been.

'No.' She didn't know what else to say. He was The Boy Who Lived, someone who had always been a fairy-tale until recently. After a brief pause, she decided to simply introduce herself. 'I'm Guinevere Weasley. Her twin sister.'

'Oh… I'm Harry. Harry Potter.'

I know, she wanted to say, but settled with: 'Pleased to meet you.'

There was another awkward pause. She made to leave in hopes of forgetting their dying conversation, but he persisted. 'So you'll be starting your first year? Hoping for Gryffindor?'

'Yes.' Of course I want to be a Gryffindor. There hasn't been a Weasley not in Gryffindor for three centuries. 'Are the classes very hard? I already skimmed through all of my books…'

'You remind me of Hermione,' he sighed. 'I wish I had the sense to do that.' He shuddered like he was remembering an awful moment. 'Classes like Astronomy and Herbology aren't too bad, it's Potions and Transfiguration that you need to worry about. Professor McGonagall is fair but expects the best, especially from her house. And Snape's a git.'

'Right. Thanks.' They paused long enough to observe each other for a second. 'Mum won't be up for another hour. Would you like something to eat?'

'Yes!' he cried and leapt to his feet, only to blush and cringe at his own enthusiasm. Guinevere wondered how long he had been up and waiting. Instead of asking, she made her way to the kitchen and settled in making enough peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to temporarily satisfy the two of them. Potter, ever the gentlemen, worked beside her to slice them into halves and then quarters- triangles instead of the squares she was used to. They spent the rest of the morning in companionable silence until her mother appeared to make breakfast (thankfully they had finished by then, she would have had a fit if she found them feeding themselves).

Although half of those residing in the house were early risers (Harry, Guinevere, Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley and Percy), they still managed to be running late for the train. Seven Weasleys and one Potter clambered into the magically expanded Ford Angela, along with their respective trunks, suitcases and pets, in a flurry of jutting limbs. They made it ten minutes down the road before Ginny realised that she had forgotten her diary, which was strange to Guin, who didn't remember her ever having one, and the trip was delayed furthermore when the fireworks Fred and George had smuggled exploded in the trunk.

In the end, they arrived at Kings Cross with ten minutes until the train left. Ushered through the barrier by her mother, Guin clambered into a compartment at the end with her sister following. Their parents hugged them and kissed them fiercely- they were, after all, the last of the brood to leave home- as the train began to move away. The twins waved until they were out of sight and then rushed to find an empty compartment.

While Guin observed the older students running up and down the halls, Ginny found Hermione Granger, a friend of their brother's, alone. With permission the Weasley sisters settled in her compartment, however, the small amount of conversation attempted was stilted, as the brunette was too busy worrying about the whereabouts of her male counterparts. Undisturbed by the silence, Guin pulled out A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, a book she had been studying extensively after Potter's advice.

She didn't see Potter and her brother throughout the train ride. When they arrived in Hogsmeade, Granger ran to find them without so much as a goodbye. Guin and Ginny headed in the opposite direction to whom they knew to be Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts and their guide across the Black Lake. The twins were seated in a boat with Luna Lovegood, a girl who lived quite near them, and an excitable muggleborn boy called Colin Creevey.

The chatter between the four stopped abruptly when the castle finally came to view in all its magnificence. It had at least five towers, made of old bricks that shone silver in the night and was lit up by what could have been fire but was most likely magic of the most ancient kind. Plants with brilliant green leaves climbed up the walls and glowed. Ginny gasped loudly beside her, but Guin found herself struck mute in awe. The Burrow had a comforting sense of magic about it that she was used to, Hogwarts seemed much more imposing.

The boats stopped at the edge of the lake and Hagrid led them to a large set of double doors made of solid oak. He knocked twice before turning to address the small crowd.

'Welcom' to Hogwarts!' Before he could continue, the doors opened to reveal a stern witch with dark hair.

'Thank you, Hagrid. Follow me, first years.'

Guinevere stayed towards the back of the group as they followed the professor inside the entrance hall. She didn't have time to take in the sights before they were in front of another set of wooden doors.

'As Hagrid said, welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,' the woman she presumed to be McGonagall began. 'The start-of-term banquet will begin after you are sorted into your houses and, hence, take your seats in the Great Hall. There are four houses called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house contains its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. Triumphs will be rewarded with house points, however, any rule breaking will lose points. The house with the most points at the end of the year is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I am sure you will all become a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

'The Sorting Ceremony will take place shortly in front of the rest of the school, so please fix yourselves accordingly.' She paused for a moment to glare at a few select individuals. 'Please wait quietly until I return to escort you.'

Chatter began to build up shortly after the stern professor left and Ginny clutched Guin's hand tightly. Her already fair face had become deathly pale, causing her freckles to prominently stand out. Guin assumed that her face mirrored her sister's expression, though she, like her mother, didn't have any noteworthy freckles.

'You have quite the infestation of wrackspurts clouding your brain, Ginny,' Luna commented absentmindedly. 'It is a good idea to stand by Guin, she seems to be repelling them.'

When McGonagall returned, she ordered them to stand in a line the width of two people before marching them into the Great Hall. Guin took a moment to admire the ceiling her brothers had told her about, which reflected the stars back at her, before jogging slightly to keep up with her sister. She was too short to see whatever was waiting ahead.

The first years spread out into a small crowd again when they reached the end of the aisle and Guin was finally able to observe the small stool with an old hat perched on top.

'When I call your name, you will sit on the stool to be sorted!' McGonagall called out. 'Abernathy, Simon!'

A tall boy with curly brown hair shakily walked up and sat down. The Transfiguration professor placed the hat on his head. There was a pause.

'RAVENCLAW!'

The table to Guinevere's immediate right burst into applause and the Sorting continued in this fashion.

'Adams, Craig!'

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

'Aihara, Megumi!'

'RAVENCLAW!'

'Alexander, Leo!'

'GRYFFINDOR!'

Guin felt herself loosing focus until, finally, a familiar name was called:

'Creevey, Collin!' The small boy stumbled up towards the Sorting Hat, excitement radiating off him as he jammed it on his head in anticipation.

'Better be… GRYFFINDOR!' the hat yelled and Collin ran to the table to their immediate right after almost throwing the hat back at a highly offended looking Professor McGonagall.

It took a while longer for the first Slytherin, a pureblood by the name of Isabeau Flint, to be sorted and she was directly followed by Arietta Fudge, the niece of the Minister of Magic. Soon after that Luna Lovegood was placed in Ravenclaw- a surprise to Ginny but not to Guin, who thought she was much too odd to be placed anywhere else. When 'Wallace, Elizabeth!' was called her sister squeezed her hand in anticipation.

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

'Weasley, Ginevra!' There was a loud holler from Fred and George at the Gryffindor table as her sister walked forward. Guinevere was left standing alone to wait. She felt her knees begin to tremble. The hat barely touched her head before it cried: 'GRYFFINDOR!'

The applause that followed was almost deafening but quietened again in anticipation as her name was called. 'Weasley, Guinevere!'

Projecting a misleading aura of calm, Guin quickly sat down and felt the hat be placed on her head. It was so large that it fell down to cover her eyes.

Finally, the last Weasley… At least of this generation, a voice sighed in her head.

Are you the hat?

Of course, unless you usually have others visiting your head… It fell silent for a moment. How peculiar. I see plenty of courage here as well as a bright mind. You are loyal and possess similar qualities to your family.

Then… you'll place me in Gryffindor? She prompted.

No.

No?

The secrets of your mind cannot hide from me, Guinevere Weasley. There is only one house that will draw out your true potential. I will place you in…

'SLYTHERIN!' There was no following applause.

[break]

The Slytherin dormitories were located in the dungeons. This should have made them cold and unwelcoming, however, the gloom of their underground hideaway was greatly made up by the large windows that surrounded a quarter of the common room and looked out into the wonders that lay beneath the Black Lake. The common room itself was painted a deep emerald green and had black leather couches, along with tables to study on. When the prefects herded them in, their head of house, Severus Snape, was waiting for them in front of the stairs that led to their rooms.

'Congratulations in being sorted into Slytherin,' he began as they fell quiet. 'Slytherin has won the House Cup several years in a row now and I expect this same standard to be shown again this year. We are the house that takes pride in our ambition and cunning. To achieve our ambitions, we must be the best in all aspects and, hence, poor grades will not be tolerated nor will breaking the school rules and being caught. Against adversary we stand as a united front. If there is a dispute, it is handled in the safety of the common room, and the prefects will monitor this themselves. Aid each other and support each other and you all will reach greatness. Breakfast begins at seven tomorrow morning and classes begin at eight thirty. Good night.'

The professor left abruptly after that, his robes billowing after him, and the fifth year prefect who escorted them, Adamina Burke, instructed them to their rooms (the staircase on the right led to the girls dormitory, and it would have a sign with their year level on it). Weary and full from the events of the feast, the new Slytherins clambered up to their respective rooms to retire. Guin found her trunk placed against the bed nearest to the window that showed a dark section of the Black Lake. There were four girls sorted into Slytherin all together: Isabeau Flint, Arietta Fudge, Gardenia Parkinson and herself. They did not talk until each was settled under their covers.

'So… How did a Weasley get sorted into Slytherin?' Parkinson sneered, breaking the awkward silence between strangers, her button nose crinkling upwards unattractively. 'Shouldn't a blood traitor like you be in Gryffindor? Or were you not worthy?'

Guinevere decided that remaining impartial would be best in the situation. 'I am unsure at why I was sorted here, only that the hat said my potential would be wasted in another house.' She might have been twisting the truth a little.

'Potential, huh? A blood traitor with potential?' She began to giggle loudly. 'Oh, how quaint!'

'There is no point in you judging whether or not Weasley has potential, Parkinson. Just wait how we do in our first lessons tomorrow, then you'll have the option to brag. Unfortunately for you, right now Weasley's blood is twice as pure as yours. She's descended from the Weasleys the Prewetts, you know, and her grandmother was a Black,' Arietta Fudge stated with a malicious smirk. Parkinson visibly flinched before huffing and drawing the curtains around her four-poster bed, obviously dismissing them.

Guinevere smiled thankfully at the blonde-haired girl who defended her before doing the same. It was not until none of her dorm mates could see her that she allowed herself to cry. She had never imagined that she would be in any other house than Gryffindor. Sure, she had always been less extroverted than her siblings, and was more prone to quiet introspection and reading alone instead of playing outside. But her older brother Percy was similar to her in that way, and he had been sorted into Gryffindor just as easily as Ginny was.

What 'greatness' did that stupid, old hat see in her that couldn't be found if she was sorted into Gryffindor? Considering the reputation of her new house, she wasn't sure that she wanted to find out.

[break]

All of the girls woke up early the next morning to prepare for a day of lessons. Their robes and uniforms had changed overnight to accommodate their new house. Guin found that the green trim certainly enhanced the red of her hair, however, clashed with her blue eyes. She established that morning that Parkinson remained typically stuck up, Fudge was usually neutral but held an intense hate for the short-haired girl and Flint was too shy (or too lazy) to get involved. In spite of this, their bickering ceased as soon as they exited the common room and instead they stuck together as they navigated their way to the Great Hall.

It was there, while piling pikelets onto her plate, that Guinevere received her first ever howler. Errol landed hazardously in a bowl of porridge before delivering the scarlet letter and leaving. Guin stared at it in shock and horror, knowing that it would be her mother scolding her (for what, she was unsure).

'Just open it, Weasley!' Fudge cried impatiently after the letter began to steam.

Flint nodded in agreement. 'You know it'll only be worse if you don't.'

Following their advice, she reluctantly peeled the letter open and watched as it rose into the air. The Great Hall grew silent in anticipation.

'GUINEVERE CEDRELLA WEASLEY!' her mother's voice began to bellow. 'HOW DARE YOU BE SORTED INTO SLYTHERIN! WHY, YOUR FATHER AND I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN WE READ RONALD'S LETTER!' Of course it would be her least favourite brother to rat her out. 'THIS IS AN UPMOST BETRAYAL TO THE VALUES OF OUR FAMILY! IF I HEAR ABOUT ANY FUNNY BUSINESS FROM YOU, I'M PULLING YOU OUT OF HOGWARTS IMMEDIATELY! AND ON THAT NOTE-' the letter suddenly flew across the room to land in front of the aforementioned brother- 'RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR? I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER'S NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!' It seemed like not even his honesty on Guinevere's "betrayal" could save him as his face glowed to match his hair, and he sunk down into the bench in an effort to hide himself from his sniggering peers. The letter then turned to her twin sister, and said in a significantly nicer tone: 'And Ginny, dear, congratulations on making it into Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud.'

Staring down at the food that no longer seemed appetising, Guin found herself to be too much of a coward (no wonder she didn't get into Gryffindor) to face her dorm mates. Before she could leave and wallow in her shame, Fudge spoke up.

'How rude,' she huffed. 'Like Slytherin is a bad house to be in. Everyone knows that all the greatest people have come from Slytherin!' along with some of the worst.

There was a resounding 'Hear, hear!' around the table and, just like that, the howler was forgotten. A few Hufflepuffs, who sat adjacent to the Slytherin table, sent her sympathetic looks, but thankfully no one else seemed interested enough to mock her. Feeling happier than Guinevere thought she would, she left early with the three girls to find their classroom. According to the schedule Professor Snape had given them, their first class was Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. A helpful portrait managed to point them in the right direction and they arrived early enough to get seats at the back of the room.

McGonagall began her lecture as soon as the bell rang. For the first half of the lesson, they took notes on the basic rules of Transfiguration before the professor waved her wand and a matchstick flew in front of them.

'Focusing your intent and using the spell we just learned, please attempt to turn your match into a needle. Please refer to the board again if you forget the pronunciation or wand movements.'

The class instantly got to work, excited to perform their first magic spell. Unfortunately, it proved to be much harder than anticipated. Guinevere's match turned silver, but she couldn't get it to actually change shape. She took a break to think it through, furrowing her brow.

A talent for transfiguration certainly required on a decent amount of magic ability. However, much of a successful spell relied on intent rather than prowess. One had to almost wish the match to become a needle, similarly to how accidental magic occurred before the magical core stabilised. On that note, Guin straightened her posture and began to visualise the needle in her head- silver, tapered to a point at one end and round with a small hole on the other, it would be thinner than the match… yes, much thinner…

She took her wand out again and waved it accordingly. Slowly, the match wavered before sharpening into the needle she had imagined. At this moment, Professor McGonagall was doing rounds around the classroom and paused at her table.

'Why Miss Weasley, you've done it! One of the first in all my years to perform a transfiguration in the first lesson!' she cried, seemingly more shocked than she would have liked to let on. The other first years turned to face them and stared at the perfect needle in front of her. 'Twenty points to Slytherin! Well done!'

'Thank you,' she replied awkwardly, and spent the rest of the lesson patiently and subtly coaching her new housemates.

By the end of the first day, Guinevere found that she had a talent for both Transfiguration and Potions, however, found Charms mildly difficult and was hopeless at concentrating in History of Magic (in saying that, everyone fell asleep during History of Magic). It was in Potions class that she tasted the isolation from her family that her sorting caused for the first time, as it was shared with the Gryffindors. When she attempted to sit next to her twin sister, a person she had rarely been away from since birth despite their differing personalities, she had found herself ignored and then rudely asked to move by her own flesh and blood. Ginny, perfect, Gryffindor Ginny, preferred to sit alone during the first lesson, as she had obviously not made friends with any of her dorm mates (Euphemia Jones, Josephine King, Rosalie Mayfair and Romilda Vane), rather than her Slytherin sister.

As time drew on, Guin became furthermore isolated from her family and much closer to her Slytherin counterparts. After a particular incident in Herbology, where they were grouped together to depot a flower with fangs, the four snake girls set aside their differences and forged a tight bond for the rest of the year. Guin surprised herself when she found that she became closest to Isabeau Flint the most, of all people, as both preferred to sit back and watch Gardenia and Arietta argue rather than get involved.

The attacks on students seemed forever away in Slytherin. Unlike other houses, there were no muggleborn students and, therefore, none of them were worried so it was not discussed (other than a few jabs at Dumbledore's competency). When Guinevere was summoned to the Headmaster's office at the end of the year, she expected it to be about her awful grade in History. However, instead she found the majority of her family, with the exception of Ronald and Ginny, standing in various positions of stress and grief. It was then that she was informed that her sister, her twin sister, had been taken by the monster in the chamber and no one had any idea how to save her. Upon sight, her mother grabbed her into a fierce hug and apologised for her previous prejudice. Perhaps she had realised that life was too short to worry about Hogwarts houses, but Guin wasn't holding her breath. She had spent the better part of a year completely separated from her family. In fact, she couldn't even remember the last time she'd spoken to someone who shared her blood. It felt strange to be embraced by them again after so long, and after they'd so quickly and callously excluded her.

This affection might have developed into a long awaited heart-to-heart had not Harry Potter burst into the room a few moments later, her brother and sister in toe. After explaining what had happened (Dumbledore did not seem surprised), he was embraced by practically every Weasley in gratitude. Ginny and Ronald were taken to the Hospital Wing, along with Professor Lockheart, to their shock, and Guinevere was dismissed to follow them, only to find her friends waiting in front of the gargoyle.

'Guin!' Arietta cried when she saw her. 'What happened? It couldn't possibly be about your grade- an A isn't even a fail! Both Isabeau and I did much worse than you!'

Gardenia scoffed. 'That's because all the two of you do during class is sleep.'

'Guinevere sleeps too!'

'Yes, and she still managed to pass so you have no excuse!'

'I-'

'Enough,' the redhead sighed. 'It had nothing to do with my grades. It was about family business.'

'Oh.' The three shrugged and Isabeau finally spoke. 'How boring. Shall we go back now, then?'

'I believe I'll be going with them to the Hospital Wing, so don't bother waiting. I'll see you all in the morning.'

'Fine, but we'll probably still be awake when you come in,' Isabeau replied with a shrug. They began to leave but Gardenia paused.

'By the way, Draco Malfoy was asking about you this evening. My cousin was furious.'

'Malfoy?' she repeated in surprise. The blonde boy was extremely popular in their house, but he had never given much attention to the year below him. 'What-'

'Guinevere! Come along now!' her mother called and she sighed.

'We'll talk in the morning. See you all later.' They left and she jogged to catch up with her family. It seemed their affectionate moment earlier was over, as they ignored her presence, too worried about the injured children. Guin trailed at the back of the group. When they came to a stop in front of the Hospital Wing, she attempted to reach out to Ginny and clutch her arm.

'Gin-'

'This was your fault!' her twin suddenly accused, making Guinevere step back.

'What are you talking about?'

'Tom Riddle did this to me and he was a Slytherin just like you. A nasty snake won't trick me again! Stay away from me!'

She felt her calm facial expression crumble. 'Ginny…'

'You think you're so much better than me because you were sorted into Slytherin?' her sister continued to screech while the rest of their family (as well as Dumbledore, Potter and Madam Pomfrey) watched. 'Because you're the top of our year? Because you're friends with your dorm mates? You're not! You're just scum! People like you manipulate others to achieve your selfish agendas, and cause people like me to suffer. Stop acting so self-entitled all the time, no one actually likes you, they're just using-'

'Stop, Ginny!' Guinevere cried. 'You need to calm down, you've just been through an absolutely terrible ordeal, you need to rest and shouting at me isn't helping your nerves at all! You don't know what you're saying, I don't think I'm better than anyone else-'

'Yes you do! You probably celebrated on the inside, knowing I'd been taken, knowing one of your slimy Slytherins had achieved his ambition-'

'You're my twin sister Ginny!' she looked over at their bystanders for help, but no one spoke. 'I would never use you, you're my family and I love you. If I had known what you were going through I-I would've found help. But Gin, you need to understand that not all Slytherins are evil! I don't know who this 'Tom Riddle' person is or what he did to you, but being sorted into a house doesn't turn you into a villain! There are plenty of people from Slytherin who have done great good in the world-'

'Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot! All you snakes are the same, speaking in that conniving tone, trying to get me to trust you- well, I'm not naïve anymore!'

'That's quite enough,' Madam Pomfrey finally interjected, sensing that the argument wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. 'I'm not sure what the circumstance is here, but Miss Weasley you are obviously stressed and hurt. Please come in for treatment, along with you Mr Weasley and, of course, Mr Potter.'

The three complied with the nurse's orders, Ginny letting out a huff before marching away, and before Guin could follow with the rest of her family, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

'Guinevere, my dear girl,' Headmaster Dumbledore spoke sadly. 'Perhaps it would be best for you to return to your house common room.'

He didn't need to say anything else; the rest of his message was implied: Your presence here would do more harm than good.

'Fine.' And she left.

[break]

A week later, after the farewell feast, Draco Malfoy approached her on the way back to the common room. Guin supposed that he was attractive in a cold way that was atypical of Slytherin house. His hair was perfectly gelled away from his aristocratic forehead and he walked with his back straight and proud. She thought he would look more handsome if he didn't have a constant pinched, superior look on his face. Eyes the colour of the sky before rain observed her apprehensively for a moment before he seemed to find what he wanted.

'Despite the situation of your family, your blood is as pure as mine,' he began, 'and you were the top of your year in two of the hardest subjects.'

She was unsure of how to reply to this so opted to wait for him to continue.

'My family finds you to be a suitable ally for the future. Your grandmother Cedrella Weasley, is my mother's distant relative, although she was disowned for marrying into your family. You are my third cousin or so and we believe that we can overlook your origins due to your potential.'

'There is only one house that will draw out your true potential.'

Oh. She knew what he was implying- she had caught the attention of the pureblood society that had shunned her family for the past few generations. This was most likely because she came from two relatively pure families and was sorted into Slytherin, proving her nature to be "on their side." If she was to honour the political views of her family, she should reject his olive branch. However, if she had learned anything throughout the year it was that in Slytherin alliances were key to survival. She would be a fool to squander this opportunity to gain a better status with the upper years, and be safer from attack in the place that would now be her home for the majority of the year. There was no point in antagonising people that she had to see every day for six more years. Now, it was her turn to set the agreement of their truce, and suggest a way to maintain communication.

'I am flattered and accept your acquaintance, Draco.' She held out her hand. 'I would be happy to work together with you in the future. I believe you would benefit in some tutoring in Transfiguration and I would like advice in Charms as an exchange.'

He shook her hand firmly. 'Agreed. Next year, shall we meet on Wednesdays after dinner? In the common room, of course.'

'Yes, I will see you then. Have a nice summer, would you like me to write?'

'That would be appropriate. Enjoy your freedom before next year.'

They parted amicably, him back towards the Great Hall where he had left his friends, and Guinevere found her three friends waiting for her around the corner near the entrance to the common room. Gardenia and Isabeau were smirking at her whilst Arietta scoffed.

'That was the most awkward conversation I have ever heard! It didn't even sound like the two of you liked each other- you were just speaking sweetly out of obligation!' she cried, her confusion obvious. The Fudge family had only recently come into power due to her uncle's position in the ministry and, in turn, she was not as familiar with pureblood customs as the other three.

Guin shrugged. 'You must admit that it would be advantageous to have him on our side, Ari. His family have a lot of sway in the ministry.'

'Yes, but he's still a bit of git.'

Isabeau interrupted before they could bicker more. 'We'll see next year. Promise you'll write this summer? I'd like to invite you all over too, hopefully Marcus will be away so we can have the manor to ourselves, I think he has a new girlfriend now… If you don't want to, that's fine…'

'Of course! Just owl, silly, and we'll all come!' Gardenia scolded. 'How could you think otherwise?'

'Yeah, I'll be there,' Guin agreed. 'I would invite you all to mine but…'

Arietta laughed genuinely. 'I don't fancy staying with your fifteen Gryffindor siblings, Guin. Sorry.'

'Seven siblings, Ari. Not fifteen.'

'I was close.'

'You were out by eight, actually,' Gardenia pointed out.

'No one asked you, flower girl!'

Isabeau and Guinevere simultaneously rolled their eyes as the two argued back to the common room.

'Well,' her friend sighed, 'at least we can be sure that one thing won't change next year. Those two will always argue.'

'Yes, but it's more like play fighting than anything else. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty glad this year is over. Hopefully the next will be much less eventful.'

'I doubt it, especially with Potter in the school,' she scoffed as the two of them left the bickering pair to enter the common room.

Guinevere snorted unattractively. 'Potter the hero. Well, that's if you're in any house other than Slytherin, of course. He didn't even bat an eyelash when my sister decided to accuse me of evil just because I wear the colour green.'

Arms looped around her neck from behind. 'Ah, you've finally come to the dark side, Guin! Only a true Slytherin can insult Saint Potter!' Gardenia laughed.

'A true Slytherin?' she murmured to herself as they walked in front of her. Perhaps she had changed this year more than she thought… It had to be inevitable, living with the same people for over nine months usually resulted in the picking up of common traits. However, she still hadn't decided if being a "true Slytherin" was a good or a bad thing yet.

Hopefully she could be one without losing her own self in the process.

Welcome to my Harry Potter fanfiction! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Just a note: Guin is pronounced like 'Gwin' not 'Gwen'.