Star Child

“I’m glad you found him. How’d you find him? Did someone help you? Did they use a spell? Can you tell me who helped you and what spell they used?” The girl asked Neville, completely ignoring everyone else in their compartment.

Neville blushed, “Hermione! You need to introduce yourself.”

Hermione seemed to finally remember that there were other people in the compartment and she blushed, “Sorry. I’m Hermione Granger. Nobody in my family’s magic at all. It was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased of course! I mean, it’s the very best school of witchcraft there is I’ve heard! I’ve learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough! Who are you?” She said rapidly, giving no room for anyone else to speak until she had finished.

Seren blinked while Ron stared at her in stunned silence as he took in the fact that the girl standing before them had actually read her school books enough to know them by heart.

“I’m Ron Weasley.” Ron muttered.

“I am Prince Seren Goetia—” Seren began before being interrupted.

“Are you really?” Hermione said, “Are you magical royalty or muggle royalty? Your accent is British, but I don’t think I heard of someone called Seren in the British royal family. Is there even a magical royalty in Britain? Of course there is if you are a prince and have a British accent. How could I have missed such important information?! Do you know any books about your family that I can read? I need to know everything about the magical world and—”

“Hermione!” Neville interrupted, appalled at the fact that she had interrupted a member of the Most Ancient royal house of the Ars Goetia.

It had taken him a while to remember where he’d heard the name before. It had been at least a few hundred years since there had been any news of the wizarding world’s royal family. In the beginning, before becoming their world’s royal family, it was said that the Ars Goetia had been descended from the gods and had created their species, giving magic human shape. Many pure blood families were proud of the fact that they hadn’t muddied their bloodlines with even a drop of muggle blood. Only pure bloods seemed to remember the family and he was sure that many of their world’s nobility would be scrambling over themselves to befriend a member of the Ars Goetia. A part of him felt giddy over the fact that he’d managed to befriend the royal and the other part of him felt sick to his stomach as he realized what that meant for however long they remain friends.

Oh Merlin! Gran is going to go bonkers when she get my letter in the morning! Neville thought to himself.

Hermione at least had the decency to blush when she realized her error in greeting a member of any royal family properly, “I’m sorry, your highness. I was just very excited. I didn’t mean to speak out of turn.”

Seren continued to frown, “See that it doesn’t happen again. I did not give you permission to address me by only my first name and I don’t appreciate being interrupted while speaking.”

His mother definitely would have slapped the young girl for speaking to him with such familiarity. There were a few moments of awkward silence before Hermione broke it with a hesitant tone.

“Do any of you know what house you’ll be in? I’ve been asking around and I hope I’m in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best. I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn’t be so bad…” She said.

Seren gave a small smile, showing he wasn’t still upset with her, “You shouldn’t try to go into a house just because of it’s reputation, go to one that works best with your qualities. I could definitely see you in Ravenclaw because of your love of learning. I could definitely see myself in Ravenclaw. How about you, Ron? What house do you want to be in? What house are your brothers in?”

“Gryffindor. Mom and dad were in it too. I don’t know what they’ll say if I’m not.” Ron told them gloomily, “I don’t suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin.”

“What’s wrong with Slytherin?” Seren asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Ron balked, as if he’d said something terrible, “What’s wrong with Slytherin?! That’s the house You-Know-Who was in!”

Seren scoffed, “Don’t tar everyone in Slytherin with the same brush just because of some terrorist. Their only children, not villains-in-training. Slytherin is the house of the cunning and I could see myself in that house as well. Just because your cunning, it doesn’t instantly mean you’re an evil person. Being cunning is a must among those of royal and noble blood, high society is very cut-throat and every encounter with others of status can be a battlefield. Many aristocrats would gladly see you humiliated in order to raise themselves or their family up in high society.”

Ron blushed, “Sorry. I-I’ve just… I’ve always been told that anyone sorted into Slytherin went Dark. I never really thought about it any other way.”

Seren’s expression softened, “It’s alright. Just try to keep an open mind, that’s all. How about you Neville? What house do you want to be in?”

“I-I hope I get into Gryffindor, but I’ll probably get into Hufflepuff.” Neville said, shoulders drooping in disappointment.

Seren frowned, “Hufflepuff is the house for loyalty, isn’t it? There’s nothing wrong with being loyal, I could see myself going into Hufflepuff too. I think the only house I can’t really see myself getting into would be Gryffindor. I think you’d do great in either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.”

Neville blushed, both in embarrassment and pleasure at his new friend’s words, before sending Seren a small smile, “Thanks.”

Seren just smiled back at the rather timid boy while Hermione cleared her throat, causing the boys to turn their attention back to her.

“It was nice to meet you all and I hope we can become better aquatinted later, but you had all better change. I expect we’ll be there soon so I’ll see you later.” Hermione told them before she began to leave their compartment.

“Bye, Hermione.” They all told her as she left.

Seren turned back to Ron, “So what do your oldest brothers do now that they’ve graduated Hogwarts?”

“Charlie’s in Romania studying dragons and Bill’s in Africa doing something for Gringotts.” Ron began, “Did you hear about—”

Ron was cut off as their compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn’t Hermione returning to chat as they had all assumed. Instead, three boys entered. The boy in the middle was a pale boy with white blonde hair and pointed features, the way the boy held himself revealed he was from a noble family. The other two boys were both large and stocky with rather mean expressions. Seren raised an eyebrow at the two boys resting bitch-face, it was quite unfortunate. Each boy stood on either side of the pale boy as if they were his bodyguards, Seren wouldn’t be surprised if the two were from vassal families of the noble house the pale boy was born into.

The boy stared at Seren with quite a bit of interest, “Is it true? They’re saying all down the train that a member of the royal family of the Ars Goetia is in this compartment. So it’s you, is it?”

“Yes. I am Prince Seren of the Ars Goetia.” Seren replied.

“This is Crabbe and this is Goyle.” The boy told him dismissively before continuing, “And my name’s Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.”

Ron gave a slight cough to hide a small snigger while Neville elbowed him, knowing Malfoy would be offended by what he would consider a slight against the most noble house of Malfoy.

“Think my name’s funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father’s told me all the Weasley’s have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.” Draco said as he looked at Ron with his nose scrunched up in distaste before turning back to Seren, “You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are better than others, Goetia. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort, I can help you there.”

He held out his hand to shake Seren’s, but Seren didn’t take it. Instead, he stood up with a sneer at the audacity Malfoy had when speaking towards him.

“How dare you?!” Seren exclaimed, “I would expect better from an aristocrat, were you not given the proper lessons ones of high status are to be taught from infancy? Not only did you fail to introduce both yourself and your family’s vassals properly, but you even had the nerve to speak to me without the proper respect. You may be of noble blood, but I am a member of the Most Ancient Royal house of the Ars Goetia. My blood is far superior to a mere noble and you will speak to me with the respect I deserve. Isthatunderstood?”

Seren’s head was held up high as he glared down at the Malfoy heir, looking every bit his mother’s child in that one instant. While Seren was more soft-hearted than the rest of his family, but he was still a member of the royal family. He had to put the child back in his place harshly, otherwise it would paint the Ars Goetia as weak.

Malfoy paled, terrified at the giant mistake he’d made in the presence of a member of the royal family, “I humbly apologize and beg for your forgiveness, your highness.”

Seren stared at Malfoy for a few moments before giving a stiff nod, “I shall grant you my forgiveness this time. Make sure you don’t step out of line again.”

Malfoy sighed in relief, knowing just how close he’d come to dooming his family line, “Thank you, your highness. Allow me to reintroduce myself and my companions, I am Draco Malfoy, heir to the Noble and most ancient house of Malfoy. Standing by my side are heir Vincent Crabbe of the noble house of Crabbe and heir Gregory Goyle of the noble house of Goyle.”

“Muchbetter.” Seren told him stiffly, “I’ll allow you to become an acquaintance for the moment, don’t make me regret giving you another chance.”

Malfoy gave a small smile, an alliance with the royal family would greatly benefit the Malfoy family and he’d ensure he’d never anger Prince Seren of the Ars Goetia ever again.

“I am honored for this opportunity, your highness. I wish for the remainder of your ride to be pleasant. We will see you again at another time soon.” Malfoy said, bowing before leaving with Goyle and Crabbe trailing after him protectively.

Ron held his tongue, fighting the urge to tell Seren that the Malfoy’s were as Dark as they came and tell him he shouldn’t associate with a mini-deatheater. He knew Seren wouldn’t listen and would be angered by his words.

Not only that, Ron thought to himself as he bit his lip, but Malfoy had only begun antagonizing him when I’d laughed at him.

“Let’s put on our robes now, the train seems to be slowing down now.” Seren told them.

Ron mechanically took off his jacket and pulled on his long black robe as he thought back on what Seren had said earlier when they were talking about the Hogwarts Houses. The Slytherins were mostly made up of children from high society and Seren had said a few times already how cut-throat it could be. That every encounter with others of status was a battlefield and most of them would gladly see you humiliated so they could raise themselves or their family up in high society. Ron’s trail of thought was broken by a voice echoing through the train.

“We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.” The voice told them.