Hogwarts
YEAR 1
1st September 1971
"Being in such close proximity with these muggles are making me queasy." My mother said as we approached Platform 9 3/4 Quarters at the King's Cross. I could not agree anymore to that statement.
"Indeed, Darling. But do not worry, we shall depart as soon as Irene and Y/n boards the train." My father wrapped a consoling arm around my mother's shoulder.
"That is not the sole intention of our arrival here to drop them off, now is it, Vincent?" Mother reminded. "It certainly is not, Medora dear." Father assured her.
I could interpret a faint idea regarding what their conversation was centering around.
"Go now. Go." Mother looked down at me and my older sister, Irene Lierre who was in her third year now.
Irene nodded obediently and stalked into the brick wall, unfazed about the risk of any muggle spotting her.
I copied her.
And now the scarlet train named Hogwarts Express was standing in front of us. It was not my first time seeing the train. I had come to drop off my sister here before and hence the train did not intrigue me even the slightest. The train, or the 'Hogwarts Express' was huge, gorgeous and old-fashioned. The platform was swarmed by lots of students, my age and older, biding goodbye to their parents. Some students who appeared to be my age were crying while their families embraced them.
I did not cry. My family would not embrace me anyway.
"Irene-" I started but she turned abruptly to me. "Tell Mother and Father I have fled to join my friends." Her calm voice reflected a glint of coldness.
Optionless, I nodded and watched her dart off to a group of Slytherins I suppose were in the same year as her.
As I watched her, I wondered if I would be able to be like her someday.
Irene was two years older than me. She is raven-haired with tresses cascading down her back like a velvety night sky. If I had to describe Irene in one word. it would be beautiful. She was drop dead gorgeous. I would not be surprised if she is one of the most desired girls of Slytherin. In addition to that, she is certainly our parents' favorites child. She is deferential and elegant. Just how a lady should be, according to our mother.
I cannot say that we have the nurturing sibling bond.
Irene is indifferent to me. She never bullies me or verbally abuses me. Instead, she ignores me. I have made a few attempts to bond with her. But perhaps it appears that she is more comfortable with pretending I do not exist.
"Where is your sister?" Mother appeared beside me alongside father. "She has gone with her friends." I prompted.
"Such a sense of responsibility! We do not have to spoon feed her!" Mother said. Father nodded abruptly in agreement. "Should I leave as well?" I interpreted that was what they expected.
"Oh you will! But first..." Mother's voice trailed off as she ran her eyes through the crowd as if she was scrounging for someone. It was not long until she and another witch with a pointed nose, piercing black eyes and high cheekbones approached one another. "Walburga!" My mother exclaimed as the two of them neared one another.
So, *this* was Walburga Black. Walburga Black belonged to one of the most notable pure-blood families. The Blacks. She was my mother's friend. They used to be in the same year at Hogwarts. Father had excused himself to go look for Irene. "Medora!" Walburga Black responded as they neared one another.
"Is this the youngest Lierre?" Walburga's eyes shifted from my mother's to down at me.
"Indeed, Mrs. Black. I am Y/n Lierre. It's a pleasure to meet you." I courteously said. I lied. I did not like her even the slightest. The sole reason for my detest was- "I thought Sirius was starting this year too?" My mother questioned. That. That Sirius thing is the reason for my detest.
"Oh, he is-" Walburga Black looked down beside her and then looked around. She must have been thinking that he was beside her this whole time.
He was not.
A little away from us, he was flashing his middle fingers at someone inside the train. Walburga noticed him and immediately flushed in rage and embarrassment. "Sirius, what are you doing?!" She yanked him away from the window and made him stand in front of us. I noticed his eyeroll when he was being ordered around.
"You are Sirius Black, aren't you? I am your mother's friend." Mother said, her cold voice warmed up a little.
"I am." He curtly said, not meeting my mother's eyes. Instead, his eyes were travelling around the platform. I despise this boy. Sirius Black was tall and slim. He had long dark hair, high cheekbones a full mouth and grey eyes.
"Your older daughter is enjoying Hogwarts it seems." Walburga commented. My mother and Walburga Black had shifted the topic of conversation to Irene. I was elated. Though I was aware that I am expected to be courteous enough to at least pretend I am interested in the way my mother had started boasting about Irene and her achievements so far. I was sick of it. It was all that happened back at home and yet mother was not tired bragging about my older sister.
Though I had my eyes fixed on Walburga Black and Mother's conversation, I sensed a pair of eyes watching me. I immediately looked at Sirius. He was watching me with an indifferent expression. But when our eyes met, a smirk ghosted his face.
I want to slap that smirk off his face already.
"It is almost time for the train to leave." My mother said. I spotted Walburga Black catching my mother's eyes and both of them nodded. "Sirius, make friends with Y/n here." Walburga ordered her son, manhandling him to make him offer a hand for handshake towards me. Sirius' smirk had transformed to a scowl. "Make sure to stick together on the train and later through all the years. It is better to have some decent company." My mother signaled me shake with her eyes to shake his hand.
Reluctantly, I shook his hand, and this boy had the audacity to squeeze my hand harshly.
I squeezed it harder before I let it go.
I will see him later at Hogwarts when he is away from his mother's feathers. "Yes, the both of them are going to be in the same house anyway." Walburga confidently said. "Indeed. In Slytherin. Just like us." My mother replied.
Our mothers hade us goodbye in an emotionally distant manner.
"My mother wants to set me up with you." Sirius Black spoke as we boarded the train. "As it is my mother's preference, I am patently against it."
"You dare to speak to me once more, and you will meet your demise." I said with a scowl. Sirius shrugged nonchalantly and opened the door of the nearest compartment. "None of you are related to me, are you?" I heard him say as I walked away to find an empty carriage for myself.
As the day wore on, we neared Hogwarts and by the end of the day, after crossing the lake, all the students were standing in an enormous stone hall that was lit by floating candles. The ceiling of the hall was bewitched to resemble the dark night sky with pendulous grey clouds and glittering stars. The mudbloods were staring intently at the ceiling. Imagine being so deprived of magic around you that this mere ceiling fascinates you.
The older students were seated on long banquet tables under their house banners. I glanced at the Slytherin table and spotted Irene chatting with another Slytherin girl while I along with the other first years was led by the professor named McGonagall (A thin, stern looking witch) to a stool, holding a mangy old brown hat. The hat started singing a song describing the establishment of Hogwarts and traits of the houses.
This was The Sorting Hat. Irene had told me about it.
I better end up in Slytherin if I want to live.
I am confident that I will end up in Slytherin. A boy named Simon named Simon Arnold was the first to be called forward. The filthy-looking hat howled 'Hufflepuff' and Arnold descended to the Hufflepuff table that welcomed him with an applause. Hufflepuffs are pathetic. If I am sorted into Hufflepuff, I am dropping out this instant. Right after Arnold, I heard McGonagall call out my name. "Lierre, Y/n."
My heart was pounding in my chest as I approached the stool. I caught Irene's eyes on me. The ugly hat merely touched my head before it bellowed "Slytherin!"
Relief washed over me, but I did not let it show. I approached the Slytherin table proudly. The older students were clapping, whistling and catcalling. But I did not mind it. Irene merely nodded and clapped twice as I grabbed a seat.
Black was called up after me.
This is the worst part of being sorted into Slytherin. I will end up being in the same house as that git.
A queasy looking Sirius approached the stool, and a few older students were calling out to him. Especially two girls with black hair, high cheekbones and full lips as Sirius. I am assuming those are his cousins. Bellatrix and Narcissa Black. My mother had told me about them ordered me to be in good terms with the two of them.
The entire hall fell silent for a few moments as the hat rested on Black's head.
"Gryffindor!!" The hat screeched.
The entire hall fell in a stunned silence before any clapping. I, myself was appalled. A Black in Gryffindor?! Everyone was so confident that he would end up in Slytherin, but Black ended up in freaking Gryffindor?! McGonagall lifted the hat off Black's head and passed him a faint smile. Black appeared horrified, casting a desperate look to our table. His cousins were narrowing his eyes at him and hissing at him.
This is a moment worthy enough to be written in history.
A Black ending up in Gryffindor is not something that happens daily. Every Black has been in Slytherin for five hundred years. I just want to see his mother's reaction to the news. He will be dead meat. Even the thought of it made me smirk. He slowly walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat there with his head lowered.
The sorting continued. A red-haired girl named Lily Evans was sorted into Gryffindor who took a seat beside miserable Sirius Black. A boy covered in scars, named Remus Lupin was sorted into Gryffindor too though the hat had considered Ravenclaw for a moment. A mousy looking little boy called Peter Pettigrew was sorted there as well along with a boy with messy dark hair and round glasses named James Potter. Severus Snape, a boy with long straight hair and a long nose was sorted into Slytherin.
After the sorting that appeared to be going on for ages finally met a halt, the food appeared, and everyone started to dig in.
I casted a glance over to the Gryffindor table to see Black looking petrified. He was not even touching his food.
I smirked, satisfied as I started eating.