DPASW: The Foundation of Power

A Very Slytherin Muggleborn - Part 1

The Hogwarts Great Hall was big, and the students, packed together like bristles on a broomstick, were small.

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore frowned. He surveyed the young witches and wizards of the great hall with the air of a similarly great lord surveying his just-as-great house. There was a feeling of trepidation not normally found before the sorting. John Potter's entrance to Hogwarts had been on the lips of all for the past week, but this went beyond even that.

He'd heard the phrase 'The Golden Year' more than once. There hadn't been a year so full of heirs in living memory. Ten heirs. A year was usually lucky if it got even one. That three of those heirs were children of the leaders of the Dark, Light, and Gray didn't help.

The side door opened and Professor McGonagall led the first years into a line facing the rest of the students.

The general hubbub of the hall slowly died.

Leaning over the head table, he could see the general state of the children. Many fidgeted, their eyes darting around the hall as though expecting to be attacked. That was normal. His frown deepened. What wasn't so normal was that a smaller number seemed to sway slightly. Their eyes drooped shut before jerking open again. An occasional yawn escaped. They looked exhausted. He couldn't help notice that this second group all wore custom-made robes.

The sorting began.

"Abbott, Hannah."

It wasn't right, forcing these children to sink in their parents' political crucibles. They should enjoy their childhood.

"Hufflepuff!"

He forced a smile and clapped for the Abbott girl.

"Bones, Susan."

"Hufflepuff!"

He motioned for Poppy to join him.

"Boot, Terry."

"Ravenclaw!"

Poppy leaned down to his ear. "Yes, Headmaster?"

"Brocklehurst, Mandy."

"I wonder if you might take a quick look at some of our more well-known young charges—"

"Ravenclaw!"

"—during the feast? I fear many of them may have been using their occlumency all day."

Poppy huffed.

"Brown, Lavender."

"Really, Albus. I know occlumency doesn't use much magic, but they're still far too young for extended use like that."

"Gryffindor!"

"I know, Poppy."

"Bulstrode, Millicent."

"Slytherin!"

He sighed. "Unfortunately it's not our place to dictate how their houses conduct their affairs."

"Corner, Michael."

"Ravenclaw!"

Poppy grumbled.

"Crabbe, Vincent."

"So long as they don't expect pepper-up," she said.

"Slytherin!"

"I'm getting far too many students these days who think—"

"Davis, Tracey."

"—they can push themselves to their magical limits and just fix it with a potion."

"Slytherin!"

"Just don't be surprised if I drag one or two of them up to the hospital wing."

"Dunbar, Fay"