Friends, Enemies, and All the Broken People

3. The Welcome Wagon

In honor of my birthday week, I give you a light-hearted chapter. Enter Theo Nott and all his sass...

Betawork done by december_noon, Kindajew, rosenymphadoraweasley5, and crookshankscrew.

I want to thank everyone that has left a comment/kudos. I wrote this for me, but I love seeing your thoughts and knowing you all are enjoying the journey so far!

peace and love,

sam

______________________

Slytherin.

The word taunted her from the page. It wasn't her first choice. No. It was dead fucking last on the list. What kind of sick joke was this? Sending famous Muggleborn war heroine Hermione Granger straight into the snake pit.

As we are all aware tensions will likely run high, we've tried to take that into consideration when determining your placements. What a load of shite.

Sure, she'd gotten to know some of the Slytherins over the summer as a result of their parole. And yes, she'd developed a soft spot for some of them. But it wasn't like it was mutual!

Ginny and Parvati came into the room while Hermione was attempting to burn a hole through the parchment with her eyes. Or at least, will the word to change.

"What's the verdict?" Ginny asked from the doorway.

"Padma sent word that she's going to Hufflepuff of all places. She couldn't be more opposite from a Hufflepuff if she tried. And Seamus going to Ravenclaw has to be a last-ditch effort to force him to absorb some of the curriculum by osmosis." Parvati rambled on to fill the silence while she bustled about the room, getting ready for bed herself.

Hermione listened to her roommate go on and on about the program and whose results they knew so far. The Hogwarts gossip mill really did act quickly. The assignments thus far: Seamus to Ravenclaw, Padma to Hufflepuff, Michael Corner and Hannah Abbott to Gryffindor, and Ernie MacMillan to Slytherin. No one had heard from the two Slytherin participants yet. Probably because no one wanted to talk to them.

At least none of the Slytherins were being sent to Gryffindor. The other houses would probably be fine with Davis and Zabini as they were both fairly neutral parties in the war.

"Hermione? Where's your placement?" Ginny was now fully in the room and standing in front of Hermione. That all too familiar look of concern on her face again. Gods, she was tired of seeing that look.

"Slytherin."

"I beg your fucking pardon! No. Absolutely not." Ginny ripped the parchment from her hands and glared at the house name.

"Before you ask... no, I am not dropping from the program. No, I am not using my name to get a different assignment. I'll just go and keep my head down. This stupid festival will hopefully keep everyone from being too vicious." Hermione shrugged as she pried Ginny's fingers from the parchment and rolled it back up.

"How are you so calm?"

"Because I understand why it's me." And she did. It made sense, even though she was angry that she was being used as a pawn. "I wasn't here last year so the animosity between me and the Slytherins isn't as great. I've been bullied and ignored, but not Crucio'd by my classmates. Plus, I fought for some of them at their trials. I think the Governors are hoping that all of that will have garnered some goodwill."

Ginny nodded along. As Hermione ticked off points, the anger faded from both witches. Parvati was being eerily quiet during this, though she was likely taking notes to spread this story around the school tomorrow. A gossip to the bitter end.