Chapter Two

Draco

I should get used to being alone. No one, not even my best friends, would want to be around me now. Not after what I did.

ince then, Ihave been devoted to good. And I also haven't heard from my parents.

Now, I sit alone on the carriage. I see everyone talking to their friends, laughing, smiling, whispering. Goyle, Zabini, and Pansy, who, as soon as they heard the news, discontinued our friendship. They see me looking, and I turn away abruptly.

I have no one.

We arrive at the castle a minute later, and I get off the carriage. I join the crowd that's awaiting entrance into the castle. People glare at me, and I try not to react. All they know me as is a teenage Death Eater.

We are led into the Great Hall. Everyone takes a seat at their house table. I sit at the end of the Slytherin table. As expected, no one sits beside me. There are three empty seats in front of me and two on either side of me. I feel out of place, like I don't belong here anymore. But it was once my destiny.

Despite everything, it does feel nice to be back at Hogwarts, to be surrounded by the people I grew up with. For the past four months, I have lived in an apartment. I pay for it with the money left in my vault at Gringotts since it is a wizarding apartment. The apartment has a few wizarding amenities, and my neighbors are wizards. They don't care for me very much, besides this one girl. Her name is Clara Kentley, and she's in her sixth year at Hogwarts. I scan the Ravenclaw table to try to find her, a girl with bright green eyes and sandy brown hair, but I don't see her.

Professor Slughorn, the new deputy headmaster, leads the first years through the grand doors and onto the stage where the staff table resides. Professor McGonagall steps up to the podium where Dumbledore made all of his speeches. The room grows quiet.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts," She begins, "It is such a pleasure to see all of you and to serve as your Headmistress and the Transfiguration professor. As usual, Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has a few start-of-term notices for you."

I stop listening because I've heard this many times. I feel someone looking at me from the stage, and I glance. It's David Yaxley, the first year from the train. He's also the son of a Death Eater. He reminds me of me at his age.

The sorting begins after McGonagall's speech ends. Nancy Abling is first, and she gets sorted into Hufflepuff. I watch a few more Sortings before I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see who it is.

"Come with us," Hermione, the person who tapped me, whispers. I don't know who "us" is, but I follow her anyway.

"What's this for, Granger?" I ask when we exit the Great Hall.

"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has something to show us, apparently. There he is," She adds, pointing, "right up ahead."

He has long gray hair, but that's all I can tell. However, even from behind, he looks a bit familiar. He wears a flowing brown cloak.

We follow him around for a long time, winding through the corridors. Suddenly, we sense a rush of wind, and Hermione trips. I catch her in my arms. Peeves cackles down the corridor.

"Are you okay?" I ask. She's still encased in my arms.

"Y-Yeah. Thank you." She responds, running her hands through her hair. I let her go. The professor is almost at the end of the hall, awaiting us. As we get closer, I realize exactly who it is. Hermione also shows astonishment.

"Aberforth Dumbledore! You are our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"

"I am, and I was instructed to show you this." He draws a square on the wall and a door appears. He opens it and directs us to go inside.

It is an old classroom that has been transformed. It is painted black with silver and gold furniture. There is an ornate fireplace surrounded by a wall composed completely of bookshelves. A desk is in the corner. It is a very beautiful room. Hermione is, of course, by the bookshelves, stroking the spines of the books.

"What is this?" I ask, browsing through the room.

"A room," Aberforth grunts. I look at him, raising my eyebrows. "for the Head Girl and Boy. It's like a common room, I guess, except you still use your house common room and dormitory."

"So," Hermione begins, gesturing around the room, "all of this is for us?"

"Yes," He answers, "Don't you feel special?" He adds, sarcastically. Besides his looks, he doesn't remind me much of Dumbledore. "I'll leave you to it then." He leaves, and it's just Hermione and me.

"I suppose I'll just be returning to the Sorting, then..." She says, and she walks towards the door. I let her leave.

I really don't want to return to the Great Hall. It's too awkward and lonely for my liking. I dart out of the door.