Chapter 3
JAMES POTTER SMIRKED TO HIS BROTHER in everything but blood (being second cousins doesn't count), Sirius Black as they boarded the shiny red Hogwarts express.
At the platform, Lord and Lady Potter were standing straight and regal, living up to their Nobel titles. However, he could see his father's proud face beneath his blank face and his mother's beautiful smile beneath her icy mask.
Standing beside them were the Black family. All of them with grey eyes, attractive features, perfect posture and cold looks. James was sad that Regulus could not join them this year. He would miss his little bro and assistant-in-crimes. He gave Reggie a sad smile before going with Sirius to find a place to sit.
10 minutes later, the Train had started her journey, the boys were seated and talking about random things.
"Hey little brothers..." came a voice they knew all too well.
With a voice like a siren, face of a goddess and a shiny Prefect badge sitting proudly on her silk Slytherin robes, his pseudo sister (technically she was his god-sister) entered the compartment, closing the door behind her.
"Hey" they chorused in reply.
Lyra giggled.
"Listen, I know you guys are nervous or excited or something; but, can we go over the rules one last time?" she asked.
Sirius rolled his eyes while James shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
She raised a perfect eyebrow in waiting.
"I'll start." said Sirius, huffing a little. "Do not bully anyone or let anyone bully you. It will result in the loss of House points and will embarrass your family. We should either tell a teacher or let you handle it."
"We need to remember the hierarchy systems." continued James. "Every House has one, even if they say they don't. The kindest and most hardworking are the leaders of Hufflepuffs, the smartest in Ravenclaw, the bravest in Gryffindor and the most cunning in Slytherin. However, Slytherin is the only House that openly acknowledges and supports the system. If we are to go to Gryffindor, our best option is to pull many pranks. We need to make sure everyone knows that we committed those pranks-"
"- but could never prove and punish us because we did." interrupted Sirius. "We should be the most popular, 'ideal' Lions by fourth year, at least. We also need to be weary of the Slytherin King and Queen since they have the whole House under their control."
"We should get in the good graces of Professor Slughorn, our Portions Master, since he has a lot of influence that will come handy in the future." said James.
"We should be outgoing and try out as many things as possible, because we only come to Hogwarts once. However, we should make sure it's with the right sort of people, at least in public. We can do whatever we want when no one is looking." said Sirius.
"We should ask the portraits or ghosts for help if we ever get lost as they are more reliable than people sometimes... Oh! and we should also watch out for or possibly befriend peeves." said James.
"Moaning Myrtle resides in the girl's bathroom on the second floor. Under any circumstances if we were to go there, we should probably be invisible or be prepared to flirt with a ghost..." said Sirius with a slight shudder.
"Don't be afraid to ask help for homework or to come to you for tutoring in any subject, and solve the mock papers you give us before exams. But, don't give or share any tips, tricks or papers with anyone without something valuable in return. I quote 'I don't care which House you go to, it's best to behave like a Slytherin in most situations' and end quote." replied James.
"If there is anything we need, anything at all, we should always fall back on family. Bella's in seventh year, Andi is in sixth, you are in fifth and Cissa is in forth." said Sirius. "Morgana! James, we are completely dominated by girls in our family!"
James grimaced, but upon seeing his sister's glare (courtesy of her genes from Walburga Black), he let out a nervous laugh...
"Thats funny, Sirius. I like them all and I wouldn't have it any other way." After seeing the approval in Lyra's ever amused eyes, he cleared his throat, "Lastly and most importantly, we should not be afraid to use our family names in order to pull us out of trouble or out of a sticky situation..."
Lyra smiled proudly before engulfing the boys into a warm, tight hug.
"I'm so proud of both of you! It seems like just yesterday I was cleaning the vomit of peas and carrots you presented me with when you were four. Ah, how time flies." she said, and looked them both directly in the eyes and she said her last bit, "Be careful, okay Loves? Have loads of fun and always smile. It makes you both look very handsome. I have to go to a prefect meeting right now, or else I'd be too late to be 'fashionably late'... I'll see you at the sorting, alright?"
And with one final kiss on both the boys' identical dark hair, Lyra Black made her way out the door.
"Ly?" came a voice.
"Yes, Sirius?" she asked, confused as to why her darling brother had stopped her just as she was about to exit.
"What if-" he hesitated. "What if I get into Gryffindor?"
Lyra's lips curved up. "Then Gryffindor would be gaining an outstanding new prankster and I would also be on the winning side of the wager against mother, so I encourage you to do so."
Sirius looked surprised. "You bet on me going to Gryffindor?"
Lyra looked at him as though he had asked a very stupid question, which he did according to her, "Of course I did. Mother, Grandfather Pollux and Uncle Cygnus were the only members of House Black who bet on you going to Slytherin. Something about Blacks always being in Slytherin and purest of bloods; but I didn't pay attention... Don't worry, little brother. I'll sort it all out. Everything will be okay, trust me. Just promise me that you and James will make loads of friends in the House of Lions, yes?"
"Yes." They both chorused happily as Lyra smiled and left to the Prefect meeting.
"Black, Sirius," came the strict voice of Professor McGonagall.
Sirius Black masked all the nerves and dread he was feeling into a perfectly blank face. He walked to the Sorting Hat with his shoulders straight, his back erect and with all the haughty arrogance of a pureblood heir.
He sat on the wooden stool and awaited judgement, a casual handsome grin on his attractive face.
"Why does he even need to be sorted?" he could hear a boy dressed in Hufflepuff robes ask. "He's a Black. They all go to Slytherin, anyway."
It was the last thing he heard before the Hat that belonged to Godric Gryffindor was placed on his head.
It was there for only a second, before it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
There was pin drop silence in the Grand Hall.
A Black getting sorted to Gryffindor? It was unheard of!
Sirius himself was nervous. What was he supposed to do?
A clap was heard.
Everybody turned to look.
The Slytherin fifth year prefect and oldest child of Scion Black was clapping with a proud look on her beautiful face.
Everybody was shocked.
A Black was clapping for the future Black Lord getting sorted into Gryffindor?
The minds of Ravenclaws, especially, were going into overdrive.
Another clap joined Lyra's. Everybody turned to look again.
James Potter was clapping for his best mate with sparkling hazel eyes and a happy look on his handsome face.
"I was not aware that the students of our esteemed school have lost the ability to clap," came the sharp but drawling voice of Lyra Black.
That was what it took to snap everybody back to their senses and start clapping. The Gryffindor's clapped and screamed loudly for their first student that year.
Sirius grinned and hopped off the stage and made his way to an empty seat in his House. Along the way stopping to grin, high-five and receive pats on the back and many congratulations for coming to the best House ever.
Lyra Black only clapped a total of seven other times during the sorting, (bar the sorting of any Slytherins) . She clapped for Alice Fortensque getting sorted to the House of the Lions, for James Potter and Frank Longbottom joining her shortly after; for Tatiana and Timothy Travers, who both joined Ravenclaw; and Hilary Macmillan and Jessica Fawley who went to Hufflepuffs.
"Let the Feast begin!" Headmaster Dumbledore said as food appeared on the table from thin air.
Everybody from other Houses started eating immediately, forgetting all their manners at the moment.
House Slytherin, however, had not touched their plates.
Almost everybody who was in Slytherin were either Legacies or pureblood and half-blood. Even those who were not, could sense something wrong when nobody started eating, and looked around confused.
One such person was Severus Snape.
Severus Snape turned to the person next to him, Thomas Nott.
"Why have we not started eating?" he asked curiously (and hungrily).
Thomas sneered, "Don't you know? We wait for the King and Queen to start first, and then we follow them."
This ignites Severus' curiosity.
He, himself, was a Legacy, albeit a half-blood.
His mother was Eileen Snape nee Prince. The former Prince had fallen in love with a muggle and the man he dreaded to call 'father', Tobias Snape, and had left the wizarding world to be with him, (much to the dismay and humiliation of her pureblood parents).
Ever since he was young, Severus longed to be in the wizarding world, and until then, he asked his mother many, many questions about it. He didn't like surprises.
But, Eileen Snape did not open up much. Sometimes, she would. But that was when she was very upset and would want to remember about the happy times of her life.
She herself was a Slytherin alumni. He vaguely remembered her mentioning about a handsome King named Tom something, but he had at that moment thought it was a bedtime fairytale of some sort.
To hear that there was an actual King and Queen that ruled Slytherin made him feel very excited. If he could maybe get close to them, he would be very powerful in Slytherin.
A fellow half-blood, Zack Dolan asked, "A King and Queen?"
Nott looked at him in disgust, "My brother told me that everything will be explained in the common room. For now, just don't eat anything until the King and Queen do.""
There was only one problem, Severus did not know who the King or Queen were!
It seems he didn't need to at the moment, because the older years had all started eating. He had missed spotting who the King and Queen were.
Nott and Dolan had also started eating. Not wanting to be left behind, he too, allowed himself to eat.
The food was absolutely delicious, and he could not find any fault in it.
Dinner was a quiet and dignified affair. All the Snakes were eating as they would at a fancy dinner.
Severus was very proud to say that he considered himself a fast learner. So, he, with a little difficulty, mimicked Nott's way of fine dining and did not make a fool of himself by eating like how he would have done at home.
Nobody spoke. There was no polite conversation or anything.
After a person had finished eating their dinner, they would lightly dab their mouths with a handkerchief and continue to remain seated. Severus followed their behaviour.
This continued until every one of the Snakes had finished their dinner, and Severus immediately understood the first rule of Slytherin: Leave no Snake behind, and put up a united front always.
He was loving this House already.
All the Prefects stood up at the same time. There was no Head Boy or Girl in Slytherin this year.
Two Prefects, a boy and a girl, came to where the first years were seated.
The boy was fair with chiseled features. He had platinum blond hair that was perfectly gelled and styled along with silvery-blue cold, beautiful eyes. He was tall, fit and muscled with broad shoulders and strong arms. His robes were ironed and tailored to fit him perfectly and he wore expensive-looking rings on his fingers. One of them, he was sure, was an Heir Apparent ring to a Noble House. Among the things he perfectly wore, his handsome face had a charming smile. He carried himself like a Noble and there was no mistaking that he was a pureblood heir.
The girl, he recognised as the one who had clapped and spoken when Black was sorted. Coming to think of it, he could see some resemblance between them. Brother and sister, perhaps?
Anyway, the girl was definitely beautiful, and Severus would be lying if he didn't say that he was blushing enough to make a tomato jealous, every time he saw her. The only good thing was that he was not alone, as he could see every one of his fellow first years, along with most upper class men either blushing or smiling wistfully at her.
The girl's robes were much like the boy's- expensive, tailored and neat, unlike his second hand robes. There were three rings adorning her fingers, each made carefully and looking very expensive and beautiful. She had a charm bracelet on her right wrist, that he had no doubt was made from real gold. She also had a necklace around her neck, that had a single purple coloured gem.
The girl, herself, was tall and fit. She was fair with dimpled, rosy cheeks and a breath-taking, alluring smile. She had black hair that was held together in a French braid and her eyes were the colour of storm clouds- beautiful but dangerous. Her features were attractive and she had an aura of calmness around her.
"Merry meet," said the girl. "I am Lyra Cassiopeia Black."
"I am Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, and we are your fifth year prefects," continued the boy.
"We shall lead you to the common room, where you will be given rules of decorum that you must follow. Any doubts, curiosities or concerns you have, will be cured in there." said Prefect Black.
"Behave properly, as you should be for being worthy enough to be sorted into the House of the greatest founder of Hogwarts. Behave like fools, and you shall be treated as such. Follow." sneered Prefect Malfoy.
With a glare from Malfoy and a smile from Black, all the confused, nervous, frightened and excited firsties followed the Prefects into the Dungeons.
Severus briefly wondered how he will remember the directions.
The Prefects came to a halt at a large black door.
Black took a step forward, "Angius." she said.
The door opened and they were let in.
Common Room was beautiful. It was adorned with shades of green and silver. There were couches, study spaces and he could even see the Black Lake from there.
But what interested him and the other first years most was in the centre of the common room.
There were two arm chairs side by side, almost touching. One was in green, the other in silver. There were 14 other smaller chairs surrounding it, in a half circle. 7 on either side, painted either silver or green.
The Slytherin Court.