I began packing pretty much as soon as me and Dumbledore had figured out the details, so now I'm sat here with everything packed with no idea what to do. Me and Tratcorn had exchanged our goodbyes and I waved her off this morning. She told me she was sad to be leaving but I knew she was looking forward to going back to her normal life, I was grateful for the time she took to reassure me of my capabilities and keeping me on the right track. So now it was up to me. I was the only one who could do that. Dumbledore would try his best but he had the rest of the school to look after not just me. I knew my father would be forever grateful for the time Dumbledore had taken over the last 8 months and the devotion he has had to protect me. I don't know much about their relationship but I knew Albus was very close with my grandfather and his father before him so I guess it was out of respect to them, whatever it was I was lucky to have him because I truly had no one else.

I stood up to pack my final pieces, my collection of photos of my family. As my eyes skimmed across them all, they landed on a significant picture of my mother with who I presume was a school friend. The picture of them both in their Slytherin robes laughing to each other. The girl she was with seemed quite similar to mother in her figure. She had very dark brown hair with silver grey running through the front pieces. I opened up the back of the frame to see if there was anything written on it, there I found in my mother's writing.

'Me and Nars, Hogsmeade'

I took a moment to wonder what her Hogwarts life was like. Like Dumbledore said she was one with a good heart, I wonder if her and her friend Nars were the outsiders of Slytherin, the ones that didn't fit in with the Slytherin Sterotype. Maybe they were the same, kind and pure with a fierce streak just like the girl's hair. I allowed myself to fall into what her life was like for a while, was she popular? Did she have fun? Was she well behaved? Did she like Dumbledore? Is that where she fell in love? Before I knew it the sun was beginning to set and soon Dumbledore would be here to apparate us to Hogwarts.

I wandered around my room for a short while and then the final knock on my door came.

"Ready?" Dumbledore held out his arm.

"As I'll ever be" and with a crack we were spiralling, spinning uncontrollably, the nausea kicked in as we landed. It took a moment for what felt like my organs to return to their normal place.

"How was that?" Dumbledore give a small smile.

"Well I wasn't sick so I'll class it as a win" I picked up my bag and had a small look around. "Where are we?" The room was full of paintings and books, I looked over to my right to see some sort of giant bird. "What on earth is that?"

"We are in my office and 'that' would be my Phoenix, he's sensitive so please be kind" I couldn't tell if he was joking but he seemed pretty serious. "Now let me fetch the sorting hat and begin." This was it, this would decide my friends, my life, my path, my everything! I felt myself going pale and the nausea started to return. "Now before you go fainting on me Ivy this does not decide your future simply your sleeping quarters and your house." I knew he was trying to comfort me but I couldn't help the overwhelming fear that was inside of me.

"Okay" I whispered even though not intentional I just simply could not find my voice.

Dumbledore placed the hat open my head.

"Hmmm...let's see what we have here. Hmmm father a Gryffindor, mother a Slytherin. Not your everyday love story. Now..intelligent, courageous but there's something else isn't there....it has to be....SLYTHERIN."

My heart sank, this is not how I wanted to start my new life, not like this. My eyes slowly closed as I released what felt like the last bit of hope I had in me. I pulled up the heels of my palms to hold up my head. "Why?" I've never felt so defeated and deflated. It's like the universe didn't want me to be happy. Now I was going to have to work my way through a sea of snakes to find maybe only one person that actually wants to be around me.

"Come on now, the sorting hat is needed for the first years. Let's make our way to the Great Hall." Dumbledore was already by the door before I realised. Why did this happen to me? I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and tried to remember if my mum could find a friend then I could too.

Dumbledore handed me my robes and we were on our way. I never really saw green as my colour but anyway here we are. We turned the corner and we had arrived outside some of the biggest doors I'd ever seen. "Wow" I strained my neck looking up.

"Wait till you see inside, now when we walk in the hall will be full and people may stare as I'm walking but I want you to walk straight to your table and you will be fine, are you ready?" Dumbledore put his hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, I'm ready" the doors flung open and I froze. Suddenly what felt like 1000 eyes were on me, or maybe they were on Dumbledore, I checked to see where the eyes were pointing and I realised they followed me as I moved. Nope they are on me. Dumbledore gave me a final small smile and I made my way to the river of green. All I could do was try my hardest not to fall flat on my face, I didn't dare look up to try and absorb any faces I just focused on the empty seat that was slowly getting closer.

I reached my seat after the longest walk of my life, I took a moment to look up and see if any faces were still staring and to my surprise they were. I noticed one girl in particular staring at me she was very pretty but was pulling a rather deathly face.

I decided to see if maybe she was my good hearted friend. "Hi I'm Ivy" I tried my best smile for what seemed like the first time in forever.

"I don't remember asking" she snarled and returned to her conversation without so much as a bat of an eyelid. I guess she wasn't the one.

"Well I don't believe we've been introduced" I looked up and saw a rather gorgeous boy looking at me. His eyes didn't seem to have the love I was used to looking at. More a vacant stare of lust. I could see he wasn't after finding a friend. "Do you speak?" I didn't even realise I hadn't spoke in at least a whole 60 seconds.

"Oh er- sorry I'm Ivy, Ivy Drayheart. You are?"

"Blaise Zabini" the corner of his mouth rose up to a smile. "I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot of each other". He winked and carried on with his suspicious smile. I couldn't help myself but blush. I had never been spoken to like that, I slowly pulled myself together as I realised Dumbledore had begun speaking.

He began explaining about some Tri Wizard thingy and I was barely following until he mentioned two schools would be joining us for the year and one I knew for certain! It was my school! Well my old school and suddenly the girls came rushing in, I recognised them all but I can't say I was really friends with any of them. I suddenly felt a wave of nausea seeping over me after seeing the blue uniforms, memories I had pushed to the back of my mind. All eyes where on them, I noticed the dozens of boys staring at them whilst drooling. In fact the more I looked around every single boy was staring.

Except for one.