firecracker ???

1-5

"Do you think she's related to Sirius Black?"

"Or Bellatrix?"

"Another one of those Blacks..."

Elestara walked with precision, chin high.

As soon as the hat touched her head, it spoke in her ear.

"Ah, another one from the old blood... House of Black, proud and clever. So certain of yourself, aren't you? There's ambition in you. A taste for power. SLYTHERIN!"

She slid off the stool, robes whispering behind her as she joined the Slytherin table to polite applause.

The list continued alphabetically.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" was called next and sorted into Slytherin.

A few names later: "Crabbe, Vincent" and then "Davis, Tracey."

"Greengrass, Daphne" came after, then was sorted into Slytherin.

"Malfoy, Draco."

He gave a quick glance toward the Slytherin table, then marched up to the stool with practiced ease. The hat barely touched his head before shouting "SLYTHERIN!"

He joined Elestara with a confident air, and she shifted slightly to make room without looking at him.

"Nott, Theodore" followed soon after, then took his place beside them.

"Parkinson, Pansy" came next, smiling faintly as she too was sorted into Slytherin.

"Potter, Harry."

The hall erupted into murmurs again. Elestara watched with barely concealed boredom. As he sat under the hat, she leaned toward Daphne.

"They're acting like he just defeated Voldemort again," she said.

Daphne stifled a snort. "Hell, he didn't even do it consciously the first time."

Elestara hummed and scoffed quietly. "No doubt he was one." She rolled her eyes.

When he was sorted into Gryffindor, applause exploded.

"Zabini, Blaise."

He strode forward with that same nonchalant grace and was sorted into Slytherin with barely a moment's pause.

Dinner followed. The food was lavish and endless, but not enough to distract Elestara from Draco's annoying table manners.

"You sound like a troll," she said, poking his elbow off the table.

"I'm starving," he muttered with a mouthful.

"So is Goyle, and at least he chews with his mouth closed."

"You're impossible."

"And you're a public menace."

"There they go again," Theo murmured under his breath as Elestara and Draco continued to snipe at each other in whispers.

When the feast concluded, the prefects led them through the dungeons to the Slytherin common room, Elestara and Draco flanked one another as they passed a group of Gryffindors.

"Did you see Weasley's hand-me-down robes?" Draco sneered.

"And the dirt on his nose," Elestara added with an exaggerated shudder.

"Tragic," Blaise said, deadpan.

The dungeon door swung shut behind them.

A pair of prefects—tall, older Slytherins with crisp robes and cool expressions—were already waiting near the fire.

"First-years to the left," the girl said. "Beds are assigned. Do not change them. You'll find a schedule on your nightstand. Breakfast begins promptly at eight. You'll be escorted to your first class tomorrow."

"No hexing each other until after breakfast," added the boy, not entirely joking.

Elestara raised a brow but said nothing. Theo smirked.

They followed the rest of their year group through a short tunnel and into a stone corridor that branched off to the dormitories. The air was cool, the walls green-lit and quiet as a forest floor.

A pair of prefects—tall, older Slytherins with crisp robes and cool expressions—were already waiting near the fire.

"First-years to the left," the girl said. "Beds are assigned. Do not change them. You'll find a schedule on your nightstand. Breakfast begins promptly at eight. You'll be escorted to your first class tomorrow."

"No hexing each other until after breakfast," added the boy, not entirely joking.

Elestara raised a brow but said nothing. Theo smirked.

They followed the rest of their year group through a short tunnel and into a stone corridor that branched off to the dormitories. The air was cool, the walls green-lit and quiet as a forest floor.

Elestara let herself fall back beside Daphne and Pansy, the three of them exchanging looks that said without words: we're home.

Welcome to Slytherin.