“Potter, Christopher,” Professor McGonagall said.
Tabitha held her breath as her brother nervously made his way up to the stool. She crossed her fingers and toes, silently praying her brother would be sorted into her house. Besides her, Trent was sitting still, just as apprehensive as his sister.
“GRYFFINDOR,” the Sorting Hat called out.
Everyone at the Gryffindor table cheered, but no one cheered harder than Tabby and Trent.
Tabby looked over at the Ravenclaw table where another good friend of hers, Marcus Longbottom, sat. He was a year younger than she was and was the goofiest-looking person she’d ever seen. Marcus looked a little disappointed that Chris wasn’t sorted into his House, but when his eyes met Tabby’s he gave her a small smile.
Chris, on the other hand, looked immensely relieved. His huge grin on his face gave it away. Trent and Tabby kept patting him the back and every time their hands met Chris’ back, his grin grew about an inch.
Later that night, all three siblings gathered around the common room fire.
“Chris, I’m so proud of you,” Tabby exclaimed, then she pulled Chris into a big hug.
When Chris started to turn a delicate blue, Trent said, “Tabs, let go. He can’t breathe.”
Tabby nodded then loosened her grip on her brother, holding him at arm’s length. All three siblings stood silent for a little while. All three of them relieved that Chris was sorted into Gryffindor.
Finally, Trent broke the silence. “Tabby, when is mum supposed to give birth? Isn’t it only in a couple of weeks,” he asked. Their mother was indeed very pregnant, and had taken a couple of months off work to have her child.
“Yeah, I think it is,” Chris answered.
“I hope she has a girl,” Tabitha replied wishfully. How she dreamed of having a little sister to play with. When Edward and Christopher were little, they didn’t enjoy having Tabby dress them up in bonnets.
Trent didn’t like it very much either.
Chris said, “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind having another sister.”
Tabby yawned loudly, so the trio bid good night to each other then headed up to their beds. All of them were anxious for classes the next day.
Tabby woke up to her friends beating her on the head with pillows.
“Wake up! You’re going to be late for class!” Quinn exclaimed. “How late did you stay up last night? Didn’t I warn you not too?”
Tabby bolted straight up, panic filling every square inch of her body.
“What time is it?” she asked herself more than she did her friends.
“Almost time for classes to start. Now come on!” Nikki yelled, then her and Quinn turned around and headed straight out the door.
Tabby jumped out of her bed and quickly changed into her school uniform, silently swearing to herself every time she put a garment on backwards. When she was finished dressing, she ran out of the room and through the portrait hole.
Tabitha kept running, slowing down every so often when she heard a teacher near by. She looked at her watch. “Crap,” she muttered to herself; classes started in a minute.
Finally, she arrived at the Transfiguration door and hurried on in.
She couldn’t help but notice the fact that everyone in the room was giggling as she walked by. She felt her cheeks turn more red with every giggle and point in her direction. She quietly sat down next to Nikki and Quinn, her cheeks burning. Tabby was about to ask Nikki what was going on when she was interrupted by Professor Cook, the Transfiguration teacher.
“Miss Potter,” he started, a note of humor in his voice. “May I ask you that the next time you walk through those doors, that you wear appropriate shoe wear?” Tabby blushed even more crimson, then looked at her feet.
She was still wearing her fuzzy pink slippers.
The class erupted into enormous laughter, leaving Tabby to slowly sink down into her seat. Nikki patted her arm but Tabitha couldn’t help but notice she was smiling with everyone else.
The rest of the class continued swimmingly, but every now and then someone would make a slipper joke, then the class would laugh again.
When Transfiguration was dismissed, Tabby rushed out of the room to go change into appropriate footwear.
“Oh,” she exclaimed when someone bumped into her, knocking her to the ground. She quickly stuffed all of her belongings that fell out of her bag back into it. When she noticed that the person who caused her to fall was helping her, she looked up to say thanks.
“Tha-“ she started, then stopped mid-word.
Decimus Malfoy was looking straight into her green eyes. Tabby quickly stood up then turned around and hurried away.
Tabby nearly skyrocketed to the moon when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Malfoy, leave me alone,” she said calmly to Decimus who had an iron grip on her arm.
He smirked at her. “What’s wrong, Tabs? Can’t a guy help a girl without her running away?”
Tabby snorted. Malfoy always did this, ever since they first met.
“What’s up with the footwear? Trying to start a trend,” he asked playfully.
Tabby blushed, then said, “I was in a hurry this morning. If you’d let me go, then I could go to my dormitory and change.”
“I’ll take you there,” he said simply, as if this was the answer to every question anyone ever asked.
Tabby stood rooted to the spot. “I didn’t ask you to escort me, I asked you to leave me alone.” She glared at his gray eyes, trying to muster the meanest, most assertive look she could.
Malfoy laughed. “Well I’m obviously not going to leave you alone. Just let me take you to the Fat Lady, then I promise I’ll leave you alone.”
Tabby considered this, then nodded. “You promise,” she asked cautiously.
“Slytherin’s honor,” he replied, then saluted her.
With that, he lead the way. Sometime on their little walk, he slipped his hands into Tabby’s, and when she tried to pull away, he held on tighter. Fortunately, they didn’t run across anyone, so Tabby didn’t need to worry about anyone starting a rumor that her and Malfoy were going out.
When they stopped at the portrait, Tabby successfully pulled her hand out of Decimus’ grip.
“Farewell. Until we meet again,” he said, then swooped down to plant a kiss on her cheek. Tabby tried to move her head, but he was to quick, and she felt the warm spot where he pecked her.
She stood perfectly still as she watched Malfoy descend down the stairs, her hand touching the burning spot where Decimus’ lips touched her cheek.
“What’s wrong,” she heard a male voice say. Thinking that it was Decimus’ she ignored it.
“Tabby, why aren’t you answering me?” She turned her head and saw Marcus Longbottom giving her a worried glance. She gave him a smile.
“Just lost in my own thoughts.”
“Oh,” Marcus said. “I heard about the ‘Slipper Incident.’”
“Already?” Tabitha asked. She had only been out of class for ten minutes, and already people were starting to hear about it. Not only that, they named it.
“So, how was your first day of class,” Tabby asked, trying to change the subject.
“It was okay, but in potions I tripped over someone’s cauldron and broke it. So now they’re demanding that I pay for it,” Marcus replied. Tabby had to stifle a laugh. Marcus was just like his father, Neville. He is the most clumsiest person you’d ever meet, and if anything went bad, it happened to Marcus.
“I better go change.” Tabby nodded towards her feet.
Marcus nodded, then continued down the hall, humming a tune that was frequently played on the radio.
Tabby sighed, then said the password to the Fat Lady. She slowly climbed through the portrait hole to the common room, her thoughts filled with her encounter with Decimus.
Ever since they had met, the hatred that their fathers share had torn between them. Tabby didn’t like Decimus, not because of the stupid thing he’s done, but mostly because of his surname. She would be the first to tell you that this isn’t the best way to make enemies, but somehow it had divided the two teenagers, creating a wall that could never be broken.
“Potters,” they heard a voice say. Tabby, Trent and Chris all looked up to see Headmistress McGonagall heading their way. “May I have a word with you in my office?”
All three siblings nodded, then followed Professor McGonagall up the twisting staircase that led to her office.
“Hershey’s kiss,” she said, the gargoyle jumped aside leading to another staircase. She turned to the children. “I swear I didn’t make up the password,” she told them with a smile. The trio smiled back hesitantly. “Come along.”
Tabby, Trent, and Chris followed the Headmistress up the stairwell, and into her office.
It was nothing like what their dad told them Dumbledore’s office was like. His office, according to Harry, had many magical objects and had a Phoenix named Fawkes. McGonagall’s was just like the Hogwarts library, filled with books and had a very orderly feel to it.
“Children, I have some good news for you,” the Professor said.
All three heads turned towards the elderly woman, curious about what the news could be about.
“Potters, your mother gave birth yesterday.”
AN~ I’m starting this new thing where I dedicate chapters to reviewers that I happen to like. There are many reasons why I might dedicate a chapter to you. Like you might be the first reviewer, or you review every chapter I am going to submit, or maybe just the fact that I liked your review!!
This chapter is dedicated to Grimmrook, LexiGirl, and summer time girl for being my first three reviewers. YOU GUYS (or gals) ROCK!!!!!