𝕄𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔻𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

Sekhmet was rather rudely interrupted by the jarring sound of the train compartment door being slammed open by none other than Evan Rosier. The posh prick dared to give her a smug, insincere smile after she had just shot up as if she was stung with a bat-bogey hex. Previously she had been positioned across the seat with her head lying in Pandora’s lap, her fingers playing with Sekhmet’s hair. Sekhmet had taken to writing in her notebook.

“Rosier, stop barging into places like a rabid animal, would you? You nearly cost me my head, and my door, when you visited last week! My father would have had a fit had he not been hosting a meeting with members of the ministry” Barty Crouch Jr. exasperatedly exclaimed.

His accent didn’t hold the same level of posh arrogance that most purebloods did, but he still had that egotistical, self-confident tone that gave nobody any hints as to whether or not he was saying what he was truly feeling. His father being the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was a big part of why Barty was the way he was. His father, who appeared kind enough at first glance, was a cruel man who had immediately dismissed his son after he had been sorted into Slytherin his first year.

“Oi, why don’t you shut your bloody mouth then you twat! I only left the compartment because you asked me to grab you some sugar quills” Evan said right back at him with a joking ferocity only matched by one other person when warranted.

“Will you both please stop arguing like an old married couple? I am trying to finish reading Hogwarts a History,” Pandora Lestrange chimed in, annoyed.

She was cuddled up against the wall of the compartment, her legs curled under her, and the large book in question was now lying precariously on her knees. Pandora and Sekhmet were incredible friends. The Rosiers being French largely impacted the progression of their relationship.

After the Arafa’s moved to Europe, more specifically Belgium, Set had decided to send his children to Wizarding schools other than Hogwarts. Sekhmet’s brothers, Osiris, Horus, and Anubis, had all gone to Durmstrang Institute. Although the school allowed girls, their father had been adamant that, to quote, “Sekhmet is to attend an institution that will give her the proper education in how pureblood women should act.” Due to this stipulation, Sekhmet attended Beauxbatons Academy of Magic up until her third year. The choice of institute subsequently led to her learning French fluently, making her and Pandora very close friends when she visited England.

Her father had decided, for some unknown and rather abrupt reason, that the family was to transfer their educational advances to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Osiris, being 19, had already graduated from Durmstrang and was going through the process of becoming a member of the Wizengamot as a representative for the Arafa family. Horus, age 17, was in his seventh year at Hogwarts and to no one’s surprise, was placed into Slytherin house.

Horus, age 17, was an impulsive and reckless person. He was placed in Slytherin to no one’s surprise. Horus had a habit of flirting with anyone who had a heartbeat and being a constant presence at every party. Despite his rash, playboy nature he had taken it upon himself to become something of a protector for Sekhmet. Sekhmet and he had a rocky relationship, but they always had one another’s backs.

Anubis, also 17 and Horus’ fraternal twin, was a more complex member of the Arafa household. He was not placed into Slytherin house, but rather Ravenclaw. Anubis was a kind soul. He had big, calculating brown eyes, and a knowing smirk almost always planted on his lips. Out of all of her brothers, Sekhmet had always found his company most calming.

Sekhmet herself was 16, and in her fifth year at Hogwarts when they first moved. She was placed in Slytherin after being one of the longest hatstalls ever recorded with a time of 4 minutes and 52 seconds. The sorting hat was torn between Slytherin and Ravenclaw but ultimately decided that Slytherin was the fit for her.

The news about going to Hogwarts, although nerve-wracking, filled Sekhmet with a sense of, not-often-felt, childlike wonder. Pandora, as expected, was jumping with joy when Sekhmet told her. She had gone on and on about Hogwarts’ rich history and expansiveness. When speaking about the school's rather odd proclivity for not being able to keep a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for longer than a year, Pandora was waving her hands about in a manner befitting that of a young wizard ranting about his favorite quidditch team. She joked that the position must have some sort of curse, saying that someone must have been dreadfully cross about not getting the job way back when.

The Arafa family line had very similar features; the same dark brown, almost black eyes, bronze brown skin, sloping foreheads, aquiline noses, high cheekbones, sharp jawlines, and full eyebrows. Sekhmet herself had inherited features once thought lost by the Arafa family, as they only appeared in Arafa women and she was the first girl to be born into the family in over 500 years. Her birth was considered to be something of a miracle and a curse. The birthing process had been grueling for her mother, Adette Arafa Neé Morozov, a small, pureblood Russian witch who had caramel brown hair, green eyes, and a kind smile reserved only for her children. Sekhmet was blessed with her mother’s eyes— a feature that was despised by her father— dark brown, almost black hair that had thick waves, and the same skin tone as her brothers. They were lighter skinned than their father due to their mother’s genes, but still had an almond skin tone.

“You’ve read that book about 5 bloody times since the first year! What more could there be to learn from it?” Evan jested to Pandora.

“Evan, Barty, if you won’t shut the incessant screeching that you’ve both deemed your voice for Pandora, will you at least try to let others in this cart enjoy their ride?” Regulus chimed in. Anyone could see that he was exhausted by their antics, yet he still had a fond smile on his lips whenever he talked to them.

“How long do we have until we reach the castle?” Asked Sekhmet, repositioning herself. She now sat up straight and was seated in between Pandora and Regulus who both were reading from their books.

Evan and Barty both took up their bench. They lay sprawled out with their arms resting on the edges of the seat and their legs fully straight, one upon the seat and the other in front of them, mirroring one another.

“We have about an hour left until we arrive at Hogwarts. Speaking of which, shouldn’t you two be attending a prefect meeting rather soon?” Pandora directed at Sekhmet and Regulus, finally looking up from her book.

Sekhmet and Regulus were both prefects this year for Slytherin. After getting all O’s in her fifth year as well as showing exceptionally good skills with the younger witches and wizards, she had been chosen to become a prefect this coming year.

“Oh right! I’ve been so caught up in trying to remember all of my things to pack this year that it must have slipped my mind. Thank you for the reminder Dora” said Sekhmet frazzled. She had spent most of her last days of summer break packing her bag with belongings that she had deemed necessary after omitting them last year. Sekhmet could tell that Regulus, although not mentioning his thanks, was grateful for Pandora’s reminder.

The two prefects quickly put their things in the proper place before departing. Sekhmet deftly put on her tie while Regulus was buttoning up his robes, his hands moving effortlessly through the motions. As they moved to leave, someone opened the door to their cabin.

“Are you two coming or what?” Wulfric Mulciber spat at Sekhmet and Regulus, his eyes full of disdain.

Regulus stood tall, a look of indifference on his face that was almost scary. Sekhmet too stood tall, but instead of the intimidating look Regulus gave, she had opted for a more casual, arrogant air.

“Of course Mulciber, though I wonder why you were the one to come looking for us. After all the meeting doesn’t start for another 15 minutes. Perhaps it has something to do with that girl I saw you with on the platform?” Sekhmet countered, whilst readjusting her necklace. She looked up at Mulciber, tilting her head, “What was her name? Arianna Brown, was it? Which seems ever so odd considering that, if I recall, she is a Hufflepuff and a muggle-born at that. It would be an utter shame to have your friends figure out that you’re fornicating with her wouldn’t it? Especially considering that it was only recently the news broke of your engagement to Esmeralda Zabini.”

Wulfric stood in the doorway of their compartment with a guarded look on his face. Many knew that Sekhmet, although not always appearing to be intimidating, was not a force to be reckoned with. She always seemed to know everything about everyone, though her sources were unknown. It seemed Mulciber had to be reminded of such a fact.

“Congratulations on the engagement. It was a shock to all of us to find out that you were to be married. I wish you the best, it’s only every once in a while that someone finds another who matches them in every aspect.” Regulus commented, a smirk on his lips and a sparkle in his eyes.

It was common knowledge that Esmeralda Zabini, despite her beauty, was not very bright. She had almost failed her third year due to her potions grade but was mysteriously passing after her father invited Slughorn to a prestigious conference overseas full of well-known wizards and witches.

Mulciber’s eyes narrowed.

“Would you move out of the door Mulciber? You came here for them and they have been ready, but they can’t get to the meeting if you’re not going to leave,” Evan said, standing up and looking Mulciber in the eye. His blonde hair, although short, fell over his face, making his blue eyes seem even more severe than they usually were.

Mulciber grunted but proceeded to move out of the doorway.

“We’ll see you later today at the feast. Sekhmet and I have to show the first years to their boats” Regulus told their friends before they left. He fixed the positioning of his rings, the most prominent being his Black family signet ring resting on the middle finger of his left hand.

“Of course. We’ll see you then and save you both seats at the table” Pandora said softly, her lips forming a small, fond smile when she glanced up from her book once more.