DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Harry Potter series or anything related to it. I do own Connie and the other characters associated with her.

Chapter 1 – Hogwarts

I hugged my mother as we stood in front of my new school. We made moved from France because my dad had found a job in the British Ministry of Magic. I was going to be Sorted today, according to Professor Dumbledore. I didn't know what that meant but the letter said it was to determine which House I belonged to.

"Now, sweetheart, be strong, you know these kids are just like you. Your father and I will be proud no matter where you get Sorted into. Now, go with the teacher behind us." I hugged her one more time before she Disapparated. I turned to see a man in purple robes, with silver hair that was long and a beard to match. His light blue eyes were covered by frameless half-moon spectacles and they had a twinkle in them. He looked old and wizened but completely friendly at the same time.

"Hi, I'm Professor Albus Dumbledore. You, my dear, must be Coniina Alamora Soleil. Welcome to Hogwarts." I smiled at his happy nature. I took his hand as he led me through the gates. They closed and locked behind us, as we continued our walk up to the stunning castle. The Academy was a simple place, nowhere near as extravagant as Beauxbatons or Hogwarts. As we neared the front doors, Dumbledore turned to me to explain the House rule.

"You will be Sorted into a House during dinner, which is occurring now. The founders of this school created the Houses as a way to teach and unite the students while having some rivalry play into it. There is Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. The House cup is awarded at the end of each year to the House with the most points. You earn points by answering questions correctly or doing well and you lose points by breaking rules. Easy enough, it is. Now, let's go, I believe dinner is ending shortly." He continued to lead me into the Great Hall, as he called it under his breath. The ceiling was invisible because it looked like the sky outside, dark purple with stars and even a waxing moon near, who I assumed, to be the teachers. The students were staring at Dumbledore and I as we walked forward to an older woman with stern features, green robes, and a perfectly straight hat.

"Coniina…."

"Um, sir, sorry to interrupt you but you may call me Connie for short. It's easier to pronounce anyways." I blushed as I told him my nickname. I loved my name, but I realized at a much younger age that it was a mouthful so I shortened it to Connie. The twinkle in his eyes grew brighter and his smile made me more embarrassed then I already was. I could still feel the student body looking at me.

"Well, Connie, this is Professor McGonagall. She is the Assistant Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor House, and your Transfiguration professor. She will place the Sorting Hat on your head for you." Dumbledore left me to stand with Professor McGonagall while he went behind the teacher table. He faced the students who looked at him immediately and quieted to a silence.

"Students, we have a rare and very wonderful situation happening to us today. Miss Connie Soleil is transferred from the French Magic Academy, a smaller sister school to Beauxbatons. She will be entering the seventh year class. I hope you all welcome her." The students clapped and I got redder in the face. I was a shy person by nature and didn't like attention on me. McGonagall placed a hat on my head that I hadn't noticed in her hand earlier. It covered my eyes so all I saw was the black interior.

Ah, a new student. Coniina Alamora that's a pretty name my sweet.

Thank you?

It's okay, I'm the Sorting Hat. Now let me look to see what I have to work with. You are very intelligent, extremely warm-hearted, and you are very talented. Where to put you……….ah, here we are. You are pure-blood as well for quite a few generations. I need you in Slytherin my dear.

I don't mind. Why do you need me in Slytherin?

They need to see they are not all mighty.

"Slytherin!" The silence became tangible with shock and a good bit of hostility. McGonagall removed the hat from my head and I blushed as all the students looked at me.

"Connie, you are at the far table to the right. Congratulations on making Slytherin." As I walked to the Slytherin table, I turned to see Dumbledore looking at me in a peculiar way. He looked pleased and not really surprised.

"Now, that our new student has a home, off to bed with you all. Pip pip." I followed my House as they went off to what I figured were the sleeping quarters.

"Welcome to Slytherin Connie." I turned to see a pale blonde walking next to me. He was a good foot taller than I was; I was only five foot. His grey eyes were hard and he held himself with an air of superiority. He held out his hand and I shook it.

"Nice to meet you, uh…"

"Draco. Draco Malfoy and I'm a Slytherin Prefect. Here we are the entrance to our common room and dorms." I looked to see we were at a stretch of stone that held no door what-so-ever.

"It's hidden. The password is 'Superior.' It changes monthly and will be posted on the notice board inside a week in advance. Now, Superior." The wall split apart to form a doorway into a very cold and dark room. The walls were black, the floor covered in a green carpet that was shiny and soft, and the magic windows were covered with silk curtains that were silver. All the couches and chairs were green with silver decorations that seemed to form snakes. The tables were all black and silver. I saw one of the teachers from the table sitting across from a marble fireplace that held a fire in it. The teacher had on black robes, was pale, and had a crooked nose, coal black eyes, and really greasy hair that hung to his shoulders. He looked to see Draco and me and motioned for me to come to him.

"Miss Soleil, welcome to the noble House of Salazar Slytherin. I am your Head of House and Potions Master, Professor Snape. Now, please hold still while I change your robes for you." He whipped out his wand and pointed it at me. I looked down to see my tie and crest change to green and silver then the crest to a silver snake surrounded by green. I saw Snape looking at me oddly. When he noticed I was looking, he brought back his no emotion face.

"The girls' dorms are on the left. Continue down the corridor until you see a door that reads 7th Year. Your things are already there at your bed. Do you have any questions for me?" He looked honest enough and I did have a few questions.

"Why did all the other students look angry with me when the Hat shouted out my house?" He looked a little taken aback by the question. He soon recovered, sent the straggling students around us to bed and then turned back to me where I saw a tinge of sadness cloud the back of his eyes.

"This house is known for its reputation of turning out Dark wizards. You see, the Dark Lord, who you know is terrorizing Europe right now, came from Slytherin. All his friends and classmates were proud pure-bloods who didn't want to give up their status and so they joined him in his army outside of school. They call themselves Death Eaters and follow his orders to rid the world of Muggles, Muggle-borns, Half-Bloods, and Blood traitors." I frowned at that. I wasn't an evil person and I never want to be. In France, the Death Eaters he spoke of had killed my best friend and her fiancé a month before my family moved here.

"That's horrible. Everyone assumes Slytherin is full of these Death Eater heirs?" Snape nodded.

"Maybe I shouldn't be in this House then. The Sorting Hat said I was needed in Slytherin but I'm not a Death Eater, nor are my parents." Snape put a hand on my shoulder to calm me down. I looked up at him and saw his eyes had lost that coldness and tenderness lurked there.

"Not all of us are Death Eaters. I think you are here to make the rest of the school see Slytherin isn't all bad. Don't worry I'm sure you can make friends anywhere. Now off to bed. You have classes tomorrow and need to get your rest after this eventful day. Good Night Miss Soleil." Snape stood up and then left through the entrance. I went to the left hallway and headed down looking at all the doors. I soon reached the 7th Year door and knocked. A slightly heavy girl answered the door, her hair back in a loose bun while green goop covered her slightly different face. She looked at me in surprise then turned into a guarded look.

"You must be Connie right? Well come on in. Your owl and dog have been driving us crazy." I looked to see my little owl and my puppy sitting on my bed. I ran pass the girl in the doorway and to the bed they were sitting on. My owl was black with a white tuff on his chest and his name was Danny. My puppy wasn't really a puppy. He was a fully grown golden retriever who would always be the little pup I rescued from the drain. I had named him Coeur because he stole my heart when I first laid eyes on him.

"It's okay Danny; go on off to the Owlry. You'll see me tomorrow at breakfast okay?" Danny nipped my ear in affection then flew off. The window in our room led to a tunnel apparently because that's where he flew off to. Coeur sat down on the end of my bed and watched as I opened my trunk and got into my nightgown.

"Trying to impress one of us Connie?" I looked over to see another girl with blonde hair and sharp features looking me up and down with bright green eyes.

"No, it's just that when ma grand-mére went shopping for my Christmas gift this last year, she saw a sale on night dresses and had Maman get rid of all my pajamas and replaced them with these. I went to bed Christmas night and my drawer was filled with these little dresses that are comfortable and cute." I was rambling and I knew it but I was nervous. I didn't know what impressing them would mean. Should I be trying to impress them?

"It's fine. Normally we don't where silk to bed, considering our sheets and such are silk but whatever works for you I guess. I'm Rachael by the way. Over there wiping the green glop off is Pansy, Jennifer is asleep already over there and Michelle is off snogging her girlfriend Valery who is our last dorm-mate. Don't worry; they are pretty decent with the whole not looking at us sexually thing." I nodded and then yawned, not realizing I was tired. I quickly realized where I had yawned and apologized.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to yawn after you finished I just realized how tired I am. I hope I didn't offend you."

"You're fine, girl. Go onto bed, you'll get to be in class with us tomorrow anyway." I nodded and smiled at her and then got into bed. I pulled my curtains that hung around my bed closed. I set my wand under my pillow and then fell asleep with Coeur snuggling up next to me once I lay down.