I watched the children hurrying along in Snape’s wake, struggling to keep up with the long strides of the tall potions master. Snape barely spared them a glance, simply leading them through the corridors and down into the labyrinth known as the dungeons.

I saw Potter shiver as the colder air of the dungeons hit him, watched his small body tremble ever so slightly. I half expected him to complain, for even I had to admit it was chilly for September. But nothing. 

The first thing I observed was that Dumbledore had set up the dormitories near Snape’s office, so I assumed he had done so for the other teachers as well. Snape would certainly be able to keep a close watch on the children.

Snape glanced at the parchment he had summoned before, then back up at the new portrait that had appeared before him on the stone wall. It was a large portrait with a dark wooden frame, showing a sleek black panther pacing up and down, the background a brilliant scene of jungle foliage. I took in the details of the portrait, the exotic flowers, the slithering of snakes along the ground. I smiled to myself at that. Yes, hats can smile. You just can’t see it.

It was typical Dumbledore to leave the snakes there. Absolutely Slytherin of him. Dumbledore was another difficult child to sort. I can remember his sorting clearly and the tall, thin, bright eyed youth that Dumbledore had been. That’s the way I see him in my mind. Some people find it hard to picture Dumbledore without his silver hair and beard. But for me, true wisdom isn’t defined by age. But I guess I’m biased.

I heard the gasps of delight from the children when the panther opened her mouth to start speaking, her voice a low purr.

“Password?” she enquired, turning her dark eyed stare onto Snape, her eyes glistening like onyx.

“Accedo,” said Snape, watching the swishing tail of the panther with interest.

Just as he said the password, a small black panther came up to the feline, and I realized it must be her baby. She licked the small head, then swung open to reveal the new common room.

Gracefully climbing through the portrait whole, the children scrambling in after him, Snape quickly examined the new common room. It wasn’t much different from the other common rooms, I supposed. A large fireplace was cackling, armchairs were arranged around it, and bookshelves were lining the walls. Much like Snape’s office. Perhaps Dumbledore had taken that into account.

“Settle down,” said Snape, his voice cutting through the noise that had begun to form. Silence immediately followed his words.

“Boys are to the left, girls to the right. I trust you are all competent enough to figure the rest out from there,” he said, daring anyone to ask him for help.

Personally, I felt he was being a bit unreasonable. But people never seem to take my feelings into account.

Snape turned to leave, still clutching me close to his chest. That was when the voice interrupted him.

“Sir?” the voice was quiet, but confident. Snape slowly turned around to face the small first year who had befriended Potter. Draco Malfoy.

“Yes?” asked Snape, eyebrows raised.

“It’s just that Harry was the one who made the sorting stop. Maybe you should leave the hat here. What if it will say something to him?” said Draco, and I was surprised at how at ease he sounded.

Quite the opposite of how Harry felt, for he looked unhappy that Draco had brought his name up.

Snape didn’t say a word, but crossed the room toward Draco and Harry, who were standing next to each other. I could sense the tenseness Harry felt as Snape approached, see the way he leaned back, how his eyes carefully followed Snape.

Snape, however, didn’t notice Potter’s unease. Or pretended not too. He set the hat on the mantle above the fireplace, then made his exit.

“Why did you ask him to do that? The hat isn’t going to talk to me,” said Harry quietly to Draco once the other students had made their way to their rooms.

“How do you know? It obviously thinks you’re special,” said Draco back loudly.

Harry didn’t say anything else, but I noticed he still looked a bit upset. He didn’t press the issue, though.

“Let’s go see our dormitory,” said Draco, who I felt could see Harry’s unease.

Harry nodded, then made his way to the door, pausing to wait for Draco. When he didn’t come, Harry turned around to look at him curiously.

“You go on. I’ll be there in a minute,” Draco answered, tone easygoing and friendly.

Harry nodded, then disappeared from my sight. That was when Draco ran over to the fireplace, pushed a footstool from a chair over, and stood up upon it . Soon, I was face to face with the boy, his white teeth flashing in my face as he smiled.

“I know you’re not talking to the teachers, but maybe you’ll talk to me. Or Harry,” he whispered to me, taking me off the mantle and folding me, easily hiding me behind his back.

How dare he manhandle me like this! I admit, I was ruffled. As he rushed back to his room, I couldn’t help but admire the boldness of the boy. This must have been his plan all along, to ask Snape if I could stay here, then to take me for his own. But what exactly did he want me for? If he was hiding me from Potter, then it couldn’t be because he wanted me to talk to Harry.

Luckily for Draco, all the boys who were in the room had their backs turned as they unpacked their trunks, retrieving items, clothes, and books.

“Where were you?” asked Harry quietly, glancing up in time to see Draco hastily stow me in his trunk.

“Just tying my shoe,” lied Draco easily, his muffled voice coming to me from above the darkness I was currently surrounded in.

Potter looked a bit suspicious, but didn’t say anything more.

I heard more voices coming from above, this time belonging to different boys.

“I’m Ernie MacMillian,” said one of them, his tone kind, a bit nervous.

“I’m Draco and this is Harry,” I heard Malfoy respond.

“Theodore Nott,” came another, this one a bit more closed. I couldn’t tell what he was feeling or thinking about his new companions.

The boys settled down onto their beds, and I drowned out the sounds of their boyish talk and laughter, Draco clearly the leader among them.

I was annoyed at the boy for leaving me at the bottom of this trunk. But my annoyance was dimmed by the other things I had to think about. The boy had nerve. A Gryffindor trait. But he had asked for Slytherin. It helped me feel better about my decision.

I wanted to know more about him.