DEAD TO ME → (h. potter)

CHAPTER ONE

*✧･ﾟ:* DEAD TO ME *:･ﾟ✧*

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IT SEEMED SURREAL to once again be sitting in the Great Hall, watching the strangely large amount of first years being sorted into their respective houses as though there had not just been a war that almost obliterated all that they knew as normal.

Even as Indiana sat silently at the Slytherin table, surrounded by bubbling second years and exhausted fifth years, all around her was the usual excitement and chit-chatting of the Start-Of-Term feast. Despite all of the odd normalcy, Indiana could not stop looking over at the burn marks along the floor by her feet.

"Where's Parkinson at?" Indiana muttered to her left, noticing the vacant seat beside Draco Malfoy. When Pansy Parkinson had been present, the shrill laughter and rude comments were only the bane of Indiana's existence, but the lack of them seemed to be more noticeable than their presence.

"She didn't come back," Nancy Woods, a bubbly yet somehow sensual girl who chewed too much bubblegum and shared a dorm with Indiana, was sitting beside her to answer the question. Nancy was half-blood, and the pair of them had a rocky start to their relationship considering Indiana was raised with the beliefs of a Blood Supremacist; but Indiana loved Nancy too much for bloodist views to get in the way, so she succumbed to being educated (as she should have). In previous years, Nancy had worn various shades of pink and purple glitter over her eyelids, but today they were bare. Nancy had had a rough summer.

The Hall was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. Said tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up there, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, the teachers behind them.

"So many first years," Blaise Zabini, Indiana's resident best friend, remarked, eyebrows twitching up when he spotted the group of first years. Indiana was too busy looking up at the Sorting Hat; raggedy as ever, it's mouth twitched and opened to sing.

"That's the same song as it was our first year!" Nancy whispered when the hat sang its final note. The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. With that, the many first years were sorting, staring off with a "Spearman, Nick!", who was sorted into Gryffindor house. As the young boy bounced over to the table of scarlet and gold, Indiana's eyes drifted to the Gryffindor table, curious to see who had returned.

She easily spotted the last two remaining Weasleys at Hogwarts, Ron and Ginny, both of which were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Ginny Weasley, a fiery girl with a long mane of flaming red hair, was in the year below her. Ron Weasley, who was tall with freckles and a long nose, was in her year and played Keeper. Next to Ron (and holding his hand? What?), was Hermione Granger, a deep-skinned, Muggleborn girl with bushy hair that was the top of their class.