Meliorism

I stood on Platform 9 ¾, I had been there the year before, although it was just to drop of Sirius, but this…this was different, this time I was going too, and so was Lyra. I was nervous, especially for the sorting, I knew that I had to get into Slytherin, especially after seeing what happened to Sirius after he was sorted into Gryffindor last year. My thoughts are broken by my mother’s cold, sharp voice.
“Delphini, Lyra!” We both turn around, facing her. “Delphini straighten your dress, what did I tell you before!” she scolded, I pressed my hands to the front of the dark green, knee length dress she made me wear, in an attempt to flatten out the crinkles. “We are expecting perfect grades from you both, and don’t think we won’t find out if you make a mistake. Remember Toujours Pur.” She said, not making eye contact with either of us. Suddenly the train pulled up, I took in a breath and gave my mother a stiff hug.
“I will see you next break” I say to my parents as my mother gave Lyra the same stiff, awkward hug that she gave me. I looked over at Sirius, his eyes were locked with a boys, who looked to be in his year, he had dark rather scruffy looking hair, glasses, tan skin, and dark brown eyes. I recognised his face…James Potter, my Father had always told me to stay away from the Potters, he said they were all Filthy Blood Traitors, but Sirius had told me that James had nice, and they had become the best of friends in the past year. Anyways Sirius now was holding my hand in one of his and Lyra’s in the other, tugging us towards the Hogwarts Express. Sirius dragged us to an empty compartment.
“Look girls” he started, “Mother and Father want you to be in Slytherin, but I will still be so proud of you guys, no matter what, alright. You guys have freedom now, you can do what you want, talk to who you want, be yourself for once.” His words of comfort barley worked, Lyra still looked slightly panicked and I’m sure I did too. Sirius looked into my blue eyes, and then Lyra’s, before pulling us into a hug. It was warm, and comforting, much in contrast to the one my mother had given me earlier. Suddenly a boy comes into the compartment, the same boy from before.
“Oh hey, I uh, sorry I just though- Never mind, hey Sirius” James said.
“Hey James” Sirius replied, “These are my sisters, Lyra and Delphini, it’s their first year.”
“I have a sister who’s starting this year too” James smiled, “You can sit with us, and I can find her if you’d like, I’m sure she’d love to meet you!”
“Uh thanks but we’re going to find our friends, we promised we would sit with them, sorry” I said, internally I was thinking about how much my parents would hate me for talking to a Potter.
“Oh that’s all good, I’ll see you around” James said.
“Bye Sirius” Lyra said before leaving the compartment, I followed her silently. We walked past random students before finding the compartment filled with familiar faces.
“Annie!” I squeal before hugging Pandora Lestrange. She was one of my best friends, I had known her since I was young. She had fair skin, long blonde hair, and green eyes. “I missed you so much!”
“Really feeling the love, Princess” I hear a sarcastic voice say from behind me. I immediately knew it was Barty, I let go of Annie and turn to hug him, his hands slipping around my waist. Eventually I turn and see Evan Rosier sitting in the compartment. I knew who he was and had spoken to him briefly at a few balls and parties, but he knew Sirius better, I mean they were in the same year. I noticed a girl next to him, she had dark skin and hair, and was wearing the Slytherin uniform.
“Dorcas Meadows” She said, her voice like honey, “I’m a second year”.
“I’m Lyra Black” my sister said, shaking her hand, “She’s Delphini…What’s Hogwarts like?” Dorcas and Evan immediately stayed telling us all about Hogwarts, teachers, classes, students, everything. Lyra, Barty, Pandora, and I were all listening intently, before an Indian boy came into our carriage.
“I was not expecting so many of you” He said chuckling as he sat next to Evan and Dorcas, “I’m Amir Patel.” We all introduced ourselves and found out that Amir shared a dorm with Evan. As everyone was talking, I zoned out, looking outside the window that I was sitting next to, admiring the view.
As few hours passed before I checked the time on my phone, we would be arriving soon. I stood, pulling down my bag, Lyra and Pandora flowed suit. “We’re going to the bathrooms to get changed” Annie calls out to the others. We go to the bathrooms, and I quickly get changed into the standard black skirt, white shirt, and grey tie that would change when I got sorted. I quickly tied my tie as my mind flashed back to the night prior.

*

Sirius was in my room, making sure I had packed everything I would need. “Sirius... can you help me?” I asked.
“Sure bub” he replied, “What do you need help with Delphi?”
“Can you teach me how to tie my tie?” I spoke. I had been standing in front of my mirror for the past 20 minutes, trying to figure out how to tie Sirius’ Gryffindor tie, with no luck. Sirius stood in front of me. “it’s easy” He said, “So the rabbit goes around the tree twice, under a bush, runs away, and hides in its burrow.” Sirius tied it for me, before uniting it and getting me to re-tie it until I could do it right.

*

As I left the bathrooms, I saw my cousin Andromeda talking to the trolley lady, buying sweets. She turned and noticed me. “Starlight” she cheered, ugh I hated that nickname, and I only ever let my cousins call me it. “Hey Andy, how are you?” I asked, it was her last year and I’m sure she was going to have a great but stressful last year. “I’m good, you excited for your first year?”
“Yeah, but I’m nervous…what if I get Gryffindor?” I sighed out, I knew I could trust her with my feelings, she was my favourite cousin for a reason. “So what? You’ll thrive anywhere Delph, you’re only 11 and I already know you are going to be a very powerful witch, plus what house you get doesn’t matter to me.” Her words were comforting and made me feel better about the situation.
“Hey Lyra!” Andy called, I turned to see that Pandora and Lyra had finished changing, “well I better go, Cissa said she needed to ask me questions about OWLS.”

The 3 of us walked back to the compartment to see that the boys had also changed their clothes while we were gone. Suddenly everyone crowds around the window, and I see Hogwarts coming into view, its huge and beautiful and so much better than I had expected, I couldn’t wait.
Soon enough I was stepping into the Hogsmeade station. I had been at Hogsmeade before, many years ago, my uncle Alphard took Lyra, Sirius, and I out for a night.

*

It was around Christmas and Hogsmeade was decorated with fairy lights, and everything was pretty, like out of a movie. He took us to get hot chocolate at a small café. At the time I thought he was doing it to be nice but looking back on it I realise his true intentions. That night there had been a family dinner and Bellatrix had been misbehaving, all the adults were drunk and started causing fights and duels, and when my Aunt Druella took Bella to another room to punish her, all I remember hearing were her screams and I didn’t understand what was happening. That’s when Uncle Alphard took Sirius, Lyra, and I by our hands, and took us to Hogsmeade.

*

“FIRST YEARS, FIRST YEARS” A tall man yelled out. He was HUGE and had a thick black beard and long frizzy hair. Rubeus Hagrid, he was the groundskeeper for the castle, well that’s what ‘Hogwarts a history’ said. I make my way over to him along with the rest of the first years, and soon enough we were all sitting in small boats and making our way across the black lake. I was sitting with Barty, while Annie and Lyra were sitting in another boat behind us. Eventually we all get off the boats and walked into Hogwarts. It was beautiful, high ceilings, lanterns, and ancient architecture. As we walked past portraits many of them greeted us and wished us luck.

Soon enough I found myself standing outside the great hall, ready to be sorted when a tall woman with brown hair, glasses, and wise eyes stood in front of us. “My name is Minerva McGonagall; I am head of Gryffindor house. I’m sure that you are all eager to be sorted. When we walk in, I will call you up one by one, you will sit on the stool, and I will place the sorting hat on your head, and you will find out your house.” We walked into the room, all eyes on us.
“Claire Abbot” Professor McGonagall called. A girl with strawberry blonde girl pushed to the front and sat on the stool as the hat was placed on her head, after a minute the hat called, “HUFFLEPUFF!” The Hufflepuff table cheered as she went to sit down.
“Delphini Black.” As I stepped forward, I started to internally panic, my mind willing with ‘what if’s’. I sit on the stool, and I hear the sorting hats voice in my mind as it is placed on my head. “hmmm another Black, you are much like your brother, but that Ambition... Slytherin would treat you well, but… you have many traits of a Gryffindor. A sharp mind, you would thrive in Ravenclaw but…GRYFFINDOR!”
I freeze in place, the silence in the room is deafening, slowly standing up, I catch a glance at the Slytherin table, Bellatrix and Narcissa look disgusted, but Andy is smiling. I walk over to the Gryffindor table and sit next to Sirius.
Lyra is glaring at me as she is called up and quickly placed into Slytherin. I don’t pay much attention for the rest of the dinner, noting that all my friends were placed in Slytherin. A girl in my year named Mary Macdonald was sat next to me, attempting to start conversation but I don’t reply. Eventually a girl named Arya Potter starts talking to her instead, she must be James’ younger sister.
Sirius is talking to his friends, James is sitting across from him, a smaller pudgy blonde boy next to him…that must be Peter Pettigrew, and next to Sirius there was a tall, skinny boy covered in scars. He had golden brown hair and almost yellow eyes, Remus Lupin. Sirius talked about him a lot, especially about how he often disappeared for a night or 2, saying that he was sick. Noting the fresh scars and dark circles, as well as the large portion of food on his plate, and the fact that it was a full moon 2 nights ago…he was a werewolf.
I wasn’t going to tell anyone, mainly because I had more important things to worry about, mainly my family. Merlin, I was going to be in so much trouble, everyone’s going to hate me, I never want to go back, or I’ll be disowned, oh gosh the howler that I’ll get tomorrow, why did I have to get into Gryffindor?
An hour later I found myself in what would be my dorm for the next 7 years. Turns out that McDonald girl, and Arya were now my roommates…fun. They were chatting and unpacking when there was a knock on the door. Mary opened it and there was a redhead girl, with freckles and the brightest green eyes standing there. “Uh you’re Delphini right?” she asked me, I nodded, “I’m Lily Evans, uhm Sirius is in the common room and he wants to talk to you.” I flowed Lily out the door to the common room, Sirius was sitting there, he thanked Lily, and she went up a stair case to where I assumed her dorm was.
“Delph” Sirius started, “Starlight, I know you’re scared but I’m sure not everyone hates you alright, and even if they do, you can make new friends alright.” I wanted to cry, but I knew that wouldn’t help the situation, so I just nodded at Sirius. “You can’t change the past; all you can do is embrace the fact that you’re a black sheep now”.
“Thanks Siri” I said, he ruffled my hair before telling me to go back to my dorm and get some sleep.

I went back to my dorm. Arya and Mary were still chatting as I came into the room. Suddenly Arya shot to her feet. “Hi, I’m Arya Potter it’s nice to meet you! My pronouns are She/her, what are yours?” She had tan skin and long dark hair, but here eyes were amazing, one brown, one blue.
“Oh uhm…she/her I suppose.” I say not knowing what to say.
“I thought Blacks were supposed to be in Slytherin” Mary whispered to her, she had dark skin and short brown curly hair. I tensed at that, but ignored it, unpacking my stuff, putting my books on my level of the shelf, I notice Arya handing up a small flag, it wasn’t a countries flag, It was white, blue, and pink. Arya noticed my confusion.
“It’s the Transgender flag, when I was a born everyone thought I was a boy, but I know that I’m not…you’re okay with that, right?”
I nodded, a few months ago Andy had told be all about the LGBTQ community, and honestly, I didn’t understand why my family was so against it, I mean it didn’t impact their lives. Eventually I collapse onto my bed and quickly fall asleep, the world fading into darkness.