Slytherin

"Mia Potter." The name was not as famous as the Chosen One's, but she was his sister, after all. Everyone turned their attention back to Mia. In fact, Snape was the one who looked forward to her Sorting the most.

"Let me see. Hmm, ambitious, very talented, unwilling to admit defeat, and yearning for great power. Perhaps this will suit you best."

"Slytherin!"

At those words, no one could believe it. The Chosen One's sister had gone to Slytherin, of all places—a gathering ground for dark wizards! Even Harry could no longer sit still and wanted to get up and go to his sister.

"Wow." Ron's mouth fell open. Hermione, on the other hand, didn't mind. Mia was the first friend she had made after coming to Hogwarts, and the Sorting would not affect their friendship.

As for the professors, a smile appeared on Snape's face. Dumbledore was the same as ever; no one knew what he was thinking.

Draco led the applause when he heard the result. As soon as he had arrived, he had been given the most central seat, so his status went without saying. When he began clapping, the others naturally hurried to follow. Of course, they were also quite welcoming of Mia.

Mia walked naturally over to the Slytherin table. There was still an empty seat beside Draco, and he invited her to take it.

"Please, sit."

"Thank you."

Harry very much wanted to go to his sister, but this was not the right time, so he had to wait until the Sorting was over.

Mia looked at the food on the table. Well, British food. She made do with some chips and a chicken leg and started eating. After the Sorting ended, Dumbledore led them in song. Dessert followed the main course, and it was cloyingly sweet.

Once everyone had finished eating, Dumbledore stood up, and the Great Hall immediately fell silent.

"I have a few words to say to you all. At the start of term, I have a few notices to give."

"First-years, take note: the forest on the school grounds is forbidden to all students. Some of our older students would also do well to remember that. In addition, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind everyone not to use magic in the corridors between classes. Finally, I must tell you that anyone who does not wish to suffer an accident and die a painful, miserable death should not enter the corridor on the right-hand side of the third floor."

Right, the more they were told not to do something, the more they had to do it. First, a nighttime excursion, then the Forbidden Forest, and the Third Floor Corridor too.

Mia nodded with satisfaction at her packed itinerary.

After that, everyone went back to their dormitories, led by the Prefects.

"Everyone, stay close. Don't fall behind!" The two Prefects led the first-years to the dungeons.

"Remember the password for the door. It will be changed every month from now on. Pure-blood."

The door opened onto a dark, damp dungeon, decorated mostly in silver and green. A large pane of glass in the wall looked directly into the depths of the Black Lake, and creatures beneath the water could be seen through it.

Wouldn't you really get rheumatism down here? Mia looked around at the underground space, where no light reached.

"Your luggage is in your dormitories." After explaining things to the first-years, assigning their rooms, and giving them their instructions, the Prefects sent them to their rooms.

Each room held about two people. Mia was the odd one out and had a room to herself.

What a coincidence. Still, it's just as well. It'll be easier to sneak out at night on my own.

After unpacking all her luggage, Mia washed up and went to sleep. The nighttime excursion could wait until tomorrow.

Mia's regular body clock woke her early. She put on her Slytherin uniform, picked up her textbooks, and prepared to head to the dining hall. Then she spotted Draco, neatly dressed, with a group of people behind him.

Goyle and Crabbe stood behind Draco with snacks in their hands. Draco sat in an armchair, and two girls sat on the sofa beside him, one with short black hair and the other with long blond hair. There was also a boy holding a book, rather thin and frail-looking, with beautiful blue eyes, and another dark-skinned boy with delicate, handsome features.

Draco stood up when he saw Mia come down. "Morning."

"Morning?"

"I came to invite you to class."

Mia nodded.

"Hello, I'm Blaise Zabini. A pleasure to meet you, beautiful lady." Blaise was the first to stand and introduce himself to Mia.

They all followed Draco's lead, so since he had taken the initiative to be friendly, they naturally would not make things difficult for Mia.

"Daphne Greengrass." "Pansy Parkinson." "Theodore Nott."

"Hello, everyone. Mia Potter."

"Are you going to the Great Hall?"

"Mm. Would you like to come along?"

"Of course."

The group headed to the dining hall in a large, conspicuous procession. Mia decided she would walk by herself in the future.

While eating in the dining hall, Mia ran into Harry, who had been wanting to find her. Harry pulled Mia away right under the noses of the Slytherins.

"Mia, are you all right in Slytherin? Have they bullied you? Damn it, we've never been apart before. Why did the Sorting Hat put you in Slytherin?" Whenever Harry thought of his sister alone, lonely and helpless in Slytherin, and of the possibility that the haughty Malfoy might bully her, he couldn't sleep.

"No, Harry, calm down. I'm fine." Seeing how anxious Harry was, Mia hurried to put a stop to the fantasies in his head.

"Well, Mia, you should know Slytherins aren't good people," Ron said, gnawing on a chicken leg. Mia, Harry, and Hermione all glared at him. What a thing to say-Mia was a Slytherin, so wasn't he saying it right to her face?

"All right, Ron. Harry, don't think so much about it. Doesn't Mia look like she's getting along well with her classmates?" Hermione hurriedly said. Mia gave her a grateful look.

"Exactly, exactly. Besides, even if something does happen, aren't you still here? Just because we're not in the same house, you wouldn't stop looking after me, would you, big brother?" Mia pretended to cry, and Harry panicked.

"How could I?!"

"All right, I know you're worried about me, but who am I? Trust me. I should get back too. Class is starting soon, so don't you be late either." Seeing that Draco and the others were nearly finished eating, Mia knew it was time to go. The first lesson was Potions, taught by their head of house, and being late would not be good.

"All right." Harry could only watch as his sister turned her back on him and ran farther and farther away, until she reached Draco's side.

Harry: My heart hurts.