Living as a Slytherin

Disclaimer: They aren't mine, they're Rowlings, and I'm not trying to earn money with it. All said?

Summary: It's Blaise's and Draco's first year in Slytherin, told from their perspective.

It was the first of September, and once again Britain's magical children were on their way to board the train to their school.

Blaise Zabini, recently turned eleven, was looking forward to his first year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Mainly because that way he could escape his home for at least some months. And he really, really needed the change.

His mother, a tall Italian looking woman, had her hand on his shoulder. A unhappy smirk graced her beautiful face while she studied the other students. „Don't forget what I've told you. Don't you dare mixing with those who are beyond you. And f you're not sorted into Slytherin…"

She didn't even have to voice an actual threat; Blaise had heard them often enough in the past two month. He nodded, hoping that his mother would leave him alone anytime soon.

„Good," answered his mother and smiled at a passing wizard. The wizard, Blaise recognized him as Theodore Nott Sr. Blushed and nearly tripped. „Fine," thought Blaise annoyed. „Another fling form y mother. What a pity she can't marry him, rich as he is."

Blaise watched Mr. Nott returning to his wife and son, the first giving him an angry glance.

Next to come by was Lucius Malfoy with his only son and heir, as he liked to tell everyone who happened to be near.

"Ah, Miss Zabini, a pleasure like always." Blaise really had to hold a snarl back as the elder Malfoy kissed his mother's hand. "You look stunning as usual."

Blaise rolled his eyes. Draco Malfoy, who had noticed him doing that, sniggered silently. Very silently, because he really didn't want his father to notice it. Blaise grinned at the blonde boy.

"The pleasure is mine," greeted Angela Zabini. "So, Draco, you're off to Hogwarts too?"

As if she didn't know that. "Yes Ma'am."

The two parents were quickly engaged in a conversation that was totally boring to the boys. "Mother?" asked Blaise after listening to her chatter for some minutes.

"What is it?" snapped Angela impatiently. Lucius Malfoy had never been one of her many flings, of husbands (what is impossible, simply because none of her husbands were alive for a long time), and Blaise knew that she really wanted to mark Malfoy Sr. down as one of her captures.

"Can Draco and I board the train?"

Draco shot him a revealed glance; he too didn't like those boring conversations between adults.

"Of course. Just go!" And she waved with her hand, a sure sign for him that he was dismissed.

"Good bye Draco," said Lucius, smiling at his son. "I expect you to behave, and make Slytherin proud!"

"I will, father," answered Draco. "Goodbye Miss Zabini."

But Angela Zabini was already to consumed in the talk with Lucius to notice the boy's good-bye.

The young soon to be Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins were nervously gathered in the front of the great hall, watched by hundreds of students and all teachers. Blaise was suddenly getting nervous, he knew he had to get into Slytherin at all costs, because he'd be in real trouble if he'd get into any other house. And the stupid thing with his surname was that he'd be the last one to be sorted.

"Abbott, Hannah," announced the deputy headmaster, professor Minerva McGonagall. A small girl with sandy brown hair stepped forward, and the professor put the sorting hat over her head. The hat was so big that it covered nearly her whole head. "Hufflepuff!" yelled the hat after some seconds, and the girl happily went to the table with the clapping students.

Blaise watched as Granger, Hermione became a Gryffindor, and then, it was Draco's turn. "Good luck," whispered Blaise and Draco just smiled. "See you in Slytherin!"

The hat hadn't even touched Draco's head as he already yelled: "SLYTHERIN!" The Slytherins were clapping furiously and Draco smirked at Blaise.

Blaise watched again, noticed Potter, Harry becoming a Gryffindor, great surprise, as well as Weasley, Ronald. And then it was his turn, finally.

"Zabini, Blaise!"

While he was walking to the stool he could hear someone whispering: "Blaise? Isn't that a girls name?"

McGonagall placed the hat on his head and the boy was surprised when he hared a tiny voice. "I don't think I've sorted your parents."

"You didn't" answered Blaise.

"So... what about you. Where do you want to go?"

"Slytherin."

"You sure about that?"

"Yap."

"Why?"

"Why I'm sure?"

"No you idiot. Why Slytherin?"

"Because it's expected."

"Stupid reason. I think I'd rather place you in..."

"No stop. I wanna go there because Draco's there."

"The Malfoy boy? You're friends?"

"Err, yes. And I want to stay with him."

"So it's loyalty? Maybe you'd fit into Hufflepuff?"

"Are you joking? I'm no stupid badger!"

"Ah, so much temperament, maybe Gryffindor?"

Blaise nearly fell off the stool. "Gryffindor? Never, oh no, no, no, no, NO!"

"Not Gryffindor, eh? Well... how about Ravenclaw, you're pretty smart."

"If you have to. Better than Gryffindor at least."

Blaise wasn't totally sure, but had the hat just chuckled?

"No, you wouldn't be happy in Ravenclaw. But I really know where to place you. SLYTHERIN!" The last word had been said aloud, and Blaise smiled widely.

Marcus Flint, fifth year Slytherin prefect and, thanks to a lot of boring society parties a good acquaintance to both Draco and Blaise, showed them the way to the Slytherin common room, located in the dungeons.

"Firsties, being in Slytherin is not as easy as being in any other house," stated Melinda Greengrass, co-prefect to Marcus flint and older sister to Daphne Greengrass, first year Slytherin. "The other houses regard us as evil and foul. There is a..."

"Thank you for bringing the first years to me, Miss Greengrass!" This silky voice belong to Hogwarts best potion master, greasy git of the dungeons, bat extraordinaire, head of Slytherin house, of simply Professor Severus Snape.

Draco smiled. Severus Snape was his godfather, and even though the professor had clearly stated that he would never treat Draco differently than his other students, the boy was glad to have a familiar face around him.

"As Miss Greengrass has stated correctly, the other houses really don't like you. Even if you haven't done anything against them... yet. Nothing can be done against that. But, remember the following, because it is really important if you want to survive your seven years in Slytherin: You can fight between each other, but never for non-Slytherins to see. From the outside you must always appear united, you'll never fight against a housemate in public. You'll help each other in public, you'll stick together. Even if you don't like each other. I'll deal personally with everyone violating this rule. Remember, Slytherins stick together!"

Snape glowered at them. "If you have any problems with other students, subjects of anything else, you're prefects will help you. I will monitor you closely over the next weeks, if any one of you has problems in class, I will notice. We have a good tutoring system in Slytherin and after those next weeks, I'll meet with the prefects and we'll decide if anyone of you needs tutoring. If you excel in class, I'll think about rewarding you with special lessons, where you'll learn things that are not taught in Hogwarts. Now, go to bed, tomorrow starts early."

"I think I'll like it here," announced Blaise.

"Yeah me too," answered Draco. They were lying on their beds, talking softly, while the other two occupants of the room were already sound asleep. "Say..." The boy rolled around and looked at Blaise. "Are things better at home?"

Blaise laughed bitterly. "I'm really glad I'm away."

"That bad? Last time I checked you told me that she left you alone, most of the time."

"Oh she still does," answered Blaise. "But hey, she's given full authority over me to her respective lover..."

"And who's that at the moment?" asked Draco, even though he was sure that he really didn't want to hear it.

Blaise looked to his left and made sure that the boy there was really asleep. "Goyle's father. Since about six months. "

Draco winced sympathetically. "Where are the good old times when your mother would only seduce unmarried men?" joked the blonde boy. He was really worried for his friend. Goyle senior was known as a brutal man, and his son, Gregory Goyle, first year Slytherin, had often talked to Draco about it. And suddenly the boy remembered Greg telling him that he was happy because his father had stopped hitting his mom so often, about six months ago. Obviously he had found someone else to torment.

"You could visit me over Christmas break," suggested Draco suddenly. "You've done that often enough, and I'm sure your mother is happy if she doesn't have to care for you."

Blaise grinned. "That'd be nice."

A/N.: So, what do you think. Please, PLEASE tell me and REVIEW!