Chapter 11: Only for the Firstborn

Once the food had appeared Harry slowly began to load his plate, still under the scrutiny of Lucius Malfoy.

Regulus, while being reserved, seemed totally at ease with these people.

The pretty blonde studied him for a moment before holding out her hand to the first year, "Narcissa Black, fifth year."

'Oh my GOD! It's Malfoy's mother!' Harry thought trying not to let the disgust show on his face. He now could see the resemblance between the teenager and the woman he saw at the world cup before his fourth year. Harry took her hand and gave it a quick shake.

"I've never heard of any Potters other than Harold Potter and his wife and child," Lucius said 'child' with disgust, "are you related to Harold by any chance?"

"Yes he's my third cousin."

"Ah so you are a pureblood?" The question was asked lightly but his eyes were intent.

Harry didn't hesitate before answering, "Of course."

Lucius smiled slightly, "Welcome to the noble house of Slytherin Potter."

Giving a slight smile back Harry looked down at his plate.

As he returned to eating his meal he noticed two dark eyes glaring at him from down the table. Long dark, oily hair hung around the pale face, a scowl taking its place on his lips.

Regulus seemed to notice the boy's glare as well, but it was Narcissa who commented, "Don't worry about Snape. There's bad blood between he and James Potter. If he knows what's good for him he'll keep his alliances."

"Alliances?" Harry asked curiously.

"You are in Slytherin now, we take care of our on at Hogwarts."

He kept his mask fully in place as he tried not to cringe.

"I'll introduce you to him later." Regulus whispered before taking another bite of his steak.

"You know him?" Harry asked curiously for he never thought that Regulus knew Snape before Hogwarts because he was a half-blood, but it did make sense. Prince was a very old and powerful family."

"Yes, Severus was Sirius' childhood playmate."

"His playmate?"

"Yes mother and father hand pick who we are allowed to associate with before Hogwarts, they are very selective. While I had two playmates Sirius only had Severus."

"Then why do they hate each other now?"

"Simple…Sirius is in Gryffindor and Severus is in Slytherin. We don't mix, at least not in school." He almost sounded sad, but then again it could be a trick of the ear.

"Where does James play into all this though?"

"Potter is my brother's best friend and he hates Slytherin. He's pretty much hated Severus since the moment he laid eyes on him."

"So Snape hates James because he turned his best friend against him?"

"Would seem so."

Harry looked down the table once again at the third year with a new comprehension in his eye.

After dinner the marauders seemed to disappear before the final word left the headmaster's lips. Sighing Harry and Regulus followed Narcissa, who was one of the prefects. The other prefect was a tall boy with immaculate brown hair that was slicked back in a way reminiscent of Draco Malfoy.

"First years over here NOW!"

The unknown boy smirked as many first years scuttled over, looking unsure of themselves, their eyes shifting back and forth.

Narcissa smirked and playfully slapped the boy on the arm.

Once the majority of the children were there the boy sneered out, "Right…let's go."

The first years walked out of the dinning hall and to the dungeons. When they reached the entrance Narcissa turned to the staring children, "Listen carefully because I am only going to say this once. The password is 'Grindelwald.' Remember don't forget it."

Harry and Regulus made their way to the first year's boy dorm at the top of the stairs with Rabastan Lestrange, Phineas Yaxley, Charlus Rosier following quickly behind.

The dorm was much more munificent than the Gryffindors' dorms, and clearly reeked of wealth and refinement.

Rabastan quickly retired to the bed with his trunk at the foot of it and pulled the curtains for some privacy. Harry frowned as he noticed that his bed was right in between Regulus and Yaxley. Being surrounded by two future death eaters while he slept was not a very comforting thought.

Sighing he quickly changed for bed, dreading facing James tomorrow.

James quickly left the Great Hall, the Marauders right on his tail.

"James wait for me!" Peter exclaimed shrilly, running to keep up.

The messy haired boy grunted in annoyance before taking off at a sprint, putting space in between himself and his friends. Soon he only heard his feet pattering against the cold stone, so he slowed before coming to a stop and sinking to the floor.

"How?" He whispered unsurely out.

James leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes with a sigh.

"You think he's ok?" Sirius asked leaning back on his bed with his curtains wide open.

"Who?" Peter asked in confusion.

The black haired boy rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Honestly Peter who do you think? The merry witch of Hogsmead?"

Remus did not look up from his book as he answered Sirius' previous question.

"I think he'll be fine Sirius, he just needs some time to let everything sink in. Just because Harry is in Slytherin hardly means he's evil."

Both Peter and Sirius looked at Remus as if he had sprouted an extra head.

"Um Remus are you feeling ok? You know the whole Slytherins aren't evil think?" Sirius asked half-seriously.

"Of course they're evil, look at Regulus."

Sirius turned a deep shade of red, the displeasure was plain to see on his face.

"He's not evil!" The statement was snarled and the boy quickly jammed his curtains shut with a loud snap.

Peter looked over at his other friend, who still had his nose in a book, "What? Was it something I said?"

Remus simply sighed and rose from his bed, taking his book with him and went to the common room. Luckily for him it was already deserted so he curled up on the couch in front of the fire.

Hours past while he read his book and finally near midnight the portrait creaked open and James stumbled in, sleep clouding his vision.

The boy didn't see his werewolf friend until Remus cleared his throat causing the black hair boy to jump.

"Remus! What are you doing still awake?"

"Just waiting on you James." Amber eyes peered intelligently at the other boy.

James avoided the other boy's eyes, "Oh, thanks Remus, but you really shouldn't have. You still look tired from you last illness."

"So do you want to talk about it?"

James face twisted, darkening slightly.

"What's there to talk about? Harry's in Slytherin."

"And?" Remus pushed.

"I…don't know how could he end up there?"

Moony looked thoughtful for a moment before he spoke.

"James if your parents were killed right before your eyes and you were tortured for a month what would you do?

James looked angered at the very idea.

"I'd kill them…they would pay dearly…revenge would consume me." There was no hesitation in the answer; it was stated simply as a fact.

"So you would have ambition?" Remus asked lightly.

James looked sharply at his friend, realization dawning.

"Yes you could word it as that."

Remus leaned forward and whispered, "What better place to start revenge than among the death eaters' children?"

Potter's eyes widened.

"That would have to be the most cunning thing I've ever heard."

"Yes." Brown hair nodded in agreement.

"You think he requested to be placed in Slytherin, even knowing how we feel about them?" Asked a shocked voice.

"Hate is a very powerful motivator. James if you had the summer Harry did right before your sorting where do you think you would be sorted?"

James looked slightly repulsed as he answered, "Slytherin."

"Right, I would be too. And what courage it would take to be sorted there and know your family would reject you for it!"

The youngest Potter looked mildly ashamed and bothered.

"What about Sirius?"

"I think he'll be fine. He seemed rather bothered when Peter said something about Regulus."

"What about Regulus…what should we do about him?" James asked.

Remus' expression did not change as he replied, "Nothing. We haven't even met him, the only thing we know about him is from what we've learned from Sirius."

James turned slightly red, "Sirius wouldn't lie to us!"

"I never said he would, but at the same time Sirius is blind when it comes to his family."

James just nodded his head in agreement before sighing.

"Let's just go to bed…knowing our luck we'll have McGonagall in the morning."

Over all just as with the Gryffindors the older Slytherins tended to ignore the first years. Actually they ignored anyone under fourth year, unless they were related or they wanted something.

On the first morning Harry rose early, bathed and dressed then waited for Regulus to get ready before heading to breakfast.

As Harry led the way and didn't get lost once, Regulus considered taking Harry's comment about having a photographic memory seriously. They hadn't been sitting long at the Slytherin table when Abigail ran over and threw an arm about each boy's shoulders. Regulus looked mortified while Harry was simply amused.

"Preyton GET OFF!" Regulus hissed looking around hoping no one was looking at him.

"What?" The small girl asked innocently.

"Honestly Hufflepuffs." The boy grumbled.

"Fine, I'll talk to Harry then." The girl said with a glare and sat down on Harry's other side and began to eat, talking a mile a minute.

Thirty minutes later Gideon and Jack walked in and said hello to their little sister and Harry. The two boys stayed and talked a few minutes and when they finally left Harry noticed that the marauders were watching him.

The next morning James groaned groggily as Sirius pulled the nice warm, comfortable covers off of him.

"Arggg Sirius get off…I need sleep." The messy haired boy muttered pulling his pillow over his head in annoyance.

"Fine, but don't blame me when you are hungry, have no schedule, and are late for class."

James glared at his best friend, "Fine I'll get up, but I don't have to be functional!"

"Come on even Peter is already up and dressed." Sirius whined, "James I'm hungry!"

James jumped out of bed, dressing quickly before running his hands through his hair, making it even more messy.

Both boys ran out of the dorm room and downstairs to the common room where both Peter and Remus were waiting.

As they walked down to the Great Hall Peter talked about Germany. Apparently every since the end of WWII the Ministry of Magic in Germany had pretty much been in shambles. They were just no really getting back on their feet, but the general public just ignored them so they really had little power. So Peter pretty much spent the summer with his grandmother teaching him some of the older family spells, since the British Ministry could not trace underage magic out of the country.

The four walked in and quickly sat down. Three out of the four boys looked over at the Slytherin table.

"Look's who's sitting with them!"

Peter looked up from his plate.

"Who's that?"

"Abigail Preyton and the two boys standing are her brothers." Remus answered buttering a piece of toast.

Noticing the yellow crests Peter asked another question, "What are Hufflepuffs doing talking to them?"

James frowned slightly before pushing his plate away and staring at his friends.

"Listen…we're not going to treat Harry or Regulus any differently than we did before they were sorted into Slytherin."

Peter and Sirius looked shocked, but the later looked a bit relieved.

"We what?" Sirius asked as if he hadn't heard his best mate correctly.

"But they are Slytherins!" Peter exclaimed shrilly.

James glared back at them, "I don't care! You heard me!"

Sirius didn't say anything, but Peter nodded, blushing a bit and lowering his eyes to his plate.

Harry and Regulus looked up as Slughorn coughed behind them.

"Well Mr. Potter, Mr. Black the family friendship carries on I see. Excellent to see both of you in Slytherin."

"As if we'd be placed anywhere else professor!"

Slughorn chuckled slightly and passed them their time tables.

Both boys immediately began to study their timetables.

"Well we have double charms, lunch, history of magic, and defense against the dark arts." Regulus said with a grin.

"Come on we only have twenty minutes before charms and we still need to get our books and find the class." Harry stood from the table, nodding his farewell to the Marauders across the hall.

"I'm surprised that Sirius wasn't glaring at me all through breakfast like I though he would be." Regulus muttered in a low voice as they walked back to the common room.

"Did you think that he would reject you because of your house?"

Black didn't look at Harry as he answered, "Of course. It is better for Sirius to hate me than for my parents to."

"Why's that?"

"Sirius is in Gryffindor and I doubt he'd seriously harm me. My parents on the other hand would not have any such qualms."

"Are you saying they'd kill you?" Harry asked shocked for his godfather had always spoke about how much his mother favored her second born.

Regulus looked at hi from the corner of his eyes, "I didn't say that but Sirius is the first born."

"Then what did you mean by it?"

The long black haired boy looked slightly uneasy, "It doesn't matter, forget that I ever mentioned it. Let's hurry or we'll be late for charms."

Regulus sped up along the narrow corridor.

Harry stared at the tensed shoulders.

Why was the boy being so trusting in him?