Chapter 1
The rain battered against the high windows of Malfoy Manor, a rhythmic drumming that seemed to echo the beat of Euridian’s heart. She stood in front of the grand mirror in her room, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the black streak in her blonde hair. It was the one part of her that connected her to the rest of her family. She had tried bleaching it to match the rest of her hair, but it had turned a horrid shade of orange and angered her father. She would remember that beating for the rest of her life.
"Are you ready?" Draco's voice broke through her thoughts, his reflection appearing behind her in the mirror. He leaned against her door frame, he had grown a lot this summer reaching six feet and making father proud. His gaze flickered to the streak, and for a moment, a shadow of something crossed his face—sadness, perhaps, or maybe understanding. It was gone as quickly as it came.
She nodded, smoothing out the pleats of her school skirt. "Ready as I'll ever be." Euridian smiled weakly and Draco returned it reaching out his hand for her to take.
The ride to King's Cross was as silent as ever, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. Her father, Lucius, sat at the front, giving the occasional glance back at his son, pride evident in his eyes. But he never looked at her, not once. It was as if she didn’t exist. As if she was just another shadow in the dim light of the car. It was better that he ignore her.
Draco had always been the golden child. The one who lived up to their father's expectations, who carried the Malfoy name with pride. She was just the mistake. The one with the cursed hair. She was nothing more than a burden to Lucius, a constant reminder of what was not perfect in their world.
When they finally reached the platform, the hustle and bustle of students and parents should have been a comfort, but she felt more alone than ever. She was used to the whispers, and the sideways glances, but it didn’t make them any easier to bear. Her family’s infamy was a source of pride for the rest of the Malfoys but euridian used it as a shield.
As they stepped onto the train, Draco was immediately swept up by his friends, leaving her to find a compartment on her own. As they dragged him away he glanced back at his little sister apology on his lips but she was gone already. She passed by one group after another, each compartment filled with familiar faces, each one turning away as she approached.
Until she found one, near the back, quiet and nearly empty. She slid the door open and slipped inside, hoping to disappear into the background as she had learned to do so well.