Chapter Text
The family of six made their way through the crowded station, people throughout King's Cross shot perplexed looks as three children pushed trollies holding large trunks with animals sitting atop in cages as they hurried along.
"I'm going to be a Gryffindor!" A ginger haired boy with a toad on his trunk announced as he followed behind his father.
"What makes you think that you're brave enough to be in Gryffindor?" His twin sister asked mockingly, the owl on her trunk hooting as though agreeing with her.
"Mira be nice." Their mother, Eridanus, sighed in exasperation, holding tighter to the hand of her only child not yet going to school.
"Yes mum." Mira said reflexively, though they all knew she had no intentions of ceasing her mockery.
"I'm brave!" Her brother declared, shooting her a sour look.
"Of course you're brave Pyxis but only the Sorting Hat can tell you where you belong." His father, Ronan, remarked with a smile.
"But I want to be in Gryffindor!" Pyxis whined.
"Oh shut up!" Mira snapped, through with her twin's tantrum, "Ali, where do you want to be put?"
"Slytherin." Alhena, the only one of the children with hair as black as night, answered, her cat looking up in mild interest.
"Slytherin?" The twins said in unison, a note of revulsion in both their voices.
"And what's wrong with Slytherin?" Eridanus asked, quickly coming to the defense of both her niece and house.
"Nothing mum!" Pyxis hurriedly said, shooting his mother an apologetic smile.
"People don't usually want to go there is all." Mira defended, eyeing her cousin curiously.
"Well I do, that's the house my mum was in." Alhena retorted, paying the stares of her family little attention as she continued on.
"Gryffindor is the house your dad was in." Pyxis pointed out.
"I'd rather be like my mum." Alhena said firmly.
There wasn't much she knew about her mother but what her aunt was willing to share gave her reason enough to believe that her mother was a person worthy of looking up to. She had been raised by her aunt and uncle since she was only a year old, her mother died shortly before the downfall of You-Know-Who and her father having gone to Azkaban soon after. The only memory she had before coming to live with her aunt and uncle was the sparkle of something shiny, aside from that she was left with only stories of her parents.
"Well here we are." Ronan announced, breaking the tension of the moment.
"It's a wall." Pyxis said dejectedly as he stared at the large pillar before them.
"We have to walk through it!" Mira exclaimed.
"Who wants to go first?" Ronan asked before the two could begin arguing again.
Mira and Pyxis suddenly fell silent, each staring at the pillar in a suddenly intimidated manner. It was as Eridanus began to snicker that Alhena stepped up to the front of the group.
"I'll go." She said calmly, shifting her trolley to be directly in front of the pillar.
"Do you want one of us to go with you?" Eridanus asked, casting her niece a concerned look.
"It's alright Aunt Eri, I'll be okay."
Waiting only another heartbeat, Alhena began quickly walking towards the stone wall before her. There was no panic as she drew closer to the pillar, no second thoughts, and before she knew it she had crossed over to the other side. As she waited for the rest of her family to come through, Alhena took a moment to take everything in. There was a large red engine and hordes of people, parents sending their children off, children saying last minute good-byes to their loved ones and hurrying onto the train. It was all so much that Alhena was left awestruck but soon the moment was over as everyone else came to join her. Once they had all regathered they began making their way along the platform.
"Look there's Ron!" Pyxis shouted, pointing to a spot ahead of them where a group of ginger people stood.
The twins hurried to join their extended family as the rest of them joined at their own pace. Talitha, the youngest of Alhena's cousins, and Ginny, the youngest of their extended family, began talking about the next year when the two of them would be joining the rest at Hogwarts. As Aunt Eri and Uncle Ronan began talking with Molly Alhena stood off to the side, eager to board the train yet unwilling to leave her cousins.
"Harry Potter is on the train." Fred said as he and George hopped off the red engine.
"Harry Potter? Really?" Mira asked, brown eyes gleaming as her excitement was suffocating, "Oh I can't wait to meet him!"
As the students began talking adamantly about the prospect of having Harry Potter as a friend, Alhena took notice to the way her aunt and uncle stiffened and suddenly became grim.
"Aunt Eri, Uncle Ronan, are you alright?" She asked, eyeing the two intently.
"It's time for you all to get on the train." Aunt Eridanus said, kissing them each on the head before ushering them onto the train.
They stood in front of the door for a moment longer before the four of them began the search for somewhere to sit.
"Where do you think he is?" Mira wondered out loud as they pushed past people crowding the corridors of the train.
"Who?" Alhena asked with mild interest.
"Harry Potter of course." She sighed in exasperation.
"There are no free compartments." Ron complained, interrupting the girl's conversation.
"Here's one, well someone's in there but maybe he won't care if we join him?" Pyxis suggested, causing the group to stop outside a compartment with only one person inside.
"That's him." Ron gasped.
"Who?" Mira asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
"Harry Potter." Ron answered with a look that clearly said she was daft.
As Mira and Pyxis shared an excited look Ron slowly opened the compartment door and nervously stuck his head in.
"Do you mind if we join you?" Ron asked anxiously, "Everywhere else is full."
"Not at all." The lone boy answered, his face breaking into a bright smile as he made room for them to join him.
Ron took the seat closest to the window, opposite their companion, allowing Mira and Pyxis to take the remaining seats on the bench. Being left with no other option, Alhena sat on the bench across from them but was sure to leave a seat between herself and Harry Potter.
"I'm Harry, Harry Potter."
"Ron Weasley." Ron greeted, giving a tentative smile, "These are my cousins, Mira, Pyxis, and Alhena."
"It's nice to meet all of you." Harry said, his smile growing wider as though he had never had a friend in his life.
The giggle Mira gave was inevitable but to Alhena is was almost embarrassing. Apparently Mr. Potter felt the same as his pale cheeks tinged a light shade of pink when he looked at Mira. Maybe it was more than just appearances that set her apart from other people, she never seemed to react the same as others did.
They all peered out the window as they felt the train begin to move. Talitha and Ginny could be seen running alongside the train until the platform ended then they disappeared as the train took the bend and they were officially on their way to Hogwarts.
"What do you think it's like?" Pyxis wondered after a moment of silence had passed over them.
"Fred and George said the food is amazing." Ron answered with a grin, "When Charlie was in school the quidditch was great but Gryffindor hasn't won since he left."
"We'll have to change that." Mira declared with that smile she got whenever she was presented with a challenge.
"First years never make the house team." Ron sighed heavily.
"There's always next year." Mira pointed out.
"What if we don't end up together?" Pyxis asked with a tremble in his voice.
They all fell silent, each falling into thoughts of what it would be like if they weren't all together. Alhena herself knew already that regardless of whether her cousins remained together or not she was not going to be with them. She could feel it in her very core.
"Well it's not like it would change anything." Mira finally said after five minutes of silence had passed.
"But it would." Pyxis protested, "We've never spent a day apart."
There was a moment where pain flashed across Mira's face and she had to take a quick breath before her bravado was back in place.
"We can't be together all the time Pyxis." She stated, "Maybe this is what we need."
"It's not what I need." Pyxis murmured though Mira acted as though she hadn't heard him.
The atmosphere in the compartment thickened and Alhena was left with the feeling that this first year was going to be rougher than any of them expected it to be. It was Harry who was brave enough to break the silence.
"Are all of you from wizarding families?" He asked, the tone of his voice giving away his hope that this would lighten things.
"We are. We're pure blooded, well except Ali." Mira answered and Harry turned his attention to Alhena with an unspoken question.
"My father was a pure blood and my mother was a muggle born so I'm a half-blood." She explained.
"Oh, so you're like me." Harry stated, the relief evident in his voice, then asked, "Are there lots of half-blooded wizards?"
"I'd say there's more half-bloods and muggle borns than pure bloods these days." Ron answered.
The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a little old lady pushing a trolley filled with ever sweet they could want.
"Anything off the trollies dears?" The old woman asked with a bright smile that reminded Alhena of her grandma Weasley.
"No thanks, I'll all set." Ron said begrudgingly as he showed off his corned beef sandwiches.
"She never remembers, does she?" Pyxis sighed with a pitying look Ron's way.
"We'll take the lot." Harry exclaimed, pulling out handfuls of galleons as he approached the witch.
Harry was more than eager to share his sweets with the rest of them. They traded chocolate frog cards and dared each other to eat various Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans. It was a good time and Alhena could think of no better way to be spending her first journey to Hogwarts. But all good things must come to an end.
"So, the rumors are true."
The group turned in unison as the compartment door opened, allowing a low drawing voice to spill in. Three boys, two a massive size with dark tuffs of hair on their head and the third with white-blonde hair and steel like eyes, stood in the doorway of the compartment but were slowly edging their way in despite the lack of room. Alhena slid closer to Harry as the three managed to squeeze in.
"I heard Harry Potter was in this compartment." The third boy, the one with white-blonde hair, remarked as his gaze focused on Harry, "I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Ron's snort which he attempted to cover up with a cough was all but unnoticed and soon those steel like eyes were focused on the tallest boy.
"No need to ask your name." Draco sneered, "My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."
Alhena was on her feet, uncaring that she had shoved the three unwelcomed boys in her attempt to keep Mira from attacking. She quickly took hold of her cousin's shoulders and forced her to sit back down before she rounded on Draco Malfoy.
"You should put a leash on that thing." Draco sneered.
"If you're unable to keep that mouth of yours shut, I'd be happy to close it permanently for you." She growled and could feel Pyxis tugging at the back of her shirt.
"Oh?" Draco said with a mocking smirk, "And who might you be, a deformed Weasley?"
"Alhena Black."
The recognition was immediate and for once Alhena was grateful for her surname. Draco took a step back and seemed to take her in for the first time.
"Someone of your status doesn't belong with this lot." Draco finally said after another moment.
"My status? You don't even know me so just do yourself a favor and go away." Alhena hissed, feeling her temper beginning to reach its boiling point.
Aunt Eridanus often said that it was surprising that was so calm considering who her parents were but when she was pushed to her breaking point she had a temper to rival even her mother. Draco Malfoy seemed taken aback by her hostility and his lip curled in an unattractive sneer before he focused his attention back on Harry. Working together, Pyxis and Ron managed to pull Alhena down onto the bench they were on after forcing Mira over by the window.
"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
Draco stuck his hand out to Harry but he only spared it one brief glance before his eyes met Draco's once more.
"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself." Harry retorted, "I think you should listen to Alhena and leave."
"But we've already finished all out sweets and you seem to have so much more to spare." Draco remarked as one of the two boulders he was with reached into the pile of remaining sweets.
The compartment was suddenly filled with a loud screech as the boulder pulled his hand from the pile only to find a fat rat attached to his finger. He immediately began swinging his hand like a wild animal until the rat finally released his finger and flew through the air to land in Mira's lap. It didn't take the trio long after that to vacate the compartment with various words to share as the group inside laughed.
"Are you always so....aggressive?" Harry inquired as Alhena took her previous seat beside him.
"Not usually." Alhena confessed, "I don't like his type and you'll find I'm rather protect of my family."
"What about your friends?"
"We've only ever had each other." Mira stated, smiling warmly at her cousins.
"What about school?" Harry asked.
"Our mum taught us." Pyxis answered.
"My mum teaches all of us too." Ron added with a shrug.
"Wow." Harry breathed, "I only ever went to regular muggle school."
"What was that like?" Ron asked.
"Nothing like this." Harry answered with a wide smile.
They spent the rest of the journey discussing and comparing the magical and muggle worlds. They were at one point interrupted by a girl with bushy brown hair, Hermione Granger is she was to remember correctly, attempting to help a boy find his toad. She had taken the opportunity to show off a spell but soon left on her way. After that they had changed into their robes and the train had arrived at the station.
"What do we do now?" Pyxis asked nervously the moment they stepped into the chilly September air.
"First years this way!"
The sound of a booming voice caused all of them to jump and turn in the direction of the noise.
"Hagrid!" Harry called out happily and made his way over to a giant of a man.
"Hello Harry." The giant, presumably named Hagrid, greeted then his attention was back on the crowd of students, "First years this way!"
As all the first years gathered together they were lead down a path to a lake. During the scramble to hurry after Hagrid however, Alhena was separated from her cousins and Harry.
"No more that four to a boat!"
In the dark of night it was impossible to identify any one person from another unless you were fairly close. Without much thought Alhena boarded the first boat she saw, figuring that she would be able to find her family once they were allowed off.
"Change your mind?"
Alhena forced herself to suppress a groan as that same drawing voice from before broke through the night and as her eyes adjusted she was able to make out the face of Draco Malfoy.
"Hardly." She retorted.
She tried to pay as little attention to him as possible, attempting to focus on the inky black lake instead, but he was making that rather difficult.
"I don't see the point in my having to go through the ceremony." Draco droned on, "I already know I'm going to be a Slytherin, our entire family have been."
"And wouldn't it be just something were you to land yourself in Gryffindor." Alhena remarked idly but could tell he was glaring at her.
The comment had the effect she was hoping for. Draco Malfoy fell silent for the remainder of the journey. The moment they were able to leave the boats she was gone, searching for her cousins through the crowd of eleven-year old's.
"There you are!" The familiar voice of Mira exclaimed as a hand latched onto her arm.
"What did you think of the ride?" Pyxis asked and she knew he had been nervous but now that it was over with he was able to appreciate the wonder of it.
"I think I would have enjoyed it more had I not been trapped with Draco Malfoy." Alhena remarked as they followed the others up a flight of steps.
Mira was never given the chance to say whatever it was she was dying to say for as they reached the top of the staircase they were greeted by a stern looking with in emerald green robes. The group of children immediately fell silent as the witch began to speak. They were given basic rules before they were left to wait in the corridor.
"Pyxis, why are you shaking?" Mira sighed.
"We're going to be sorted." Pyxis answered.
"Yes, but that doesn't explain why you're- are you honestly scared?" Mira asked and it was clear that she was trying to hold in her laughter.
"I'm not going to be a Gryffindor, am I?" Pyxis asked.
"No."
Mira's answer hung in the air like the blade of a guillotine as the emerald clad witch returned. They were shown into the Great Hall where there were four tables, two on each side of the room, filled with students. They were lead down the aisle and stopped before the high table where on a stool rested an old brown witches hat.
The hall fell silent then suddenly the hat began to sing. The first years watched in awe as the hat sang then bowed to each table before falling still once again. The hall erupted into applaud then the emerald clad witch was standing beside the stool with a roll of parchment.
"When I call your name you will step forward and I will place the hat upon your head and you will be sorted." She explained as she allowed the scroll to unravel.
The anxiety amongst the children was palpable, each waiting for their name to be called so that their fate may be decided by a hat. Abbot, Hannah was first, being sent to Hufflepuff, but then Alhena felt a shiver run down her spine as her name was called.
"Black, Alhena." The stern witch called out and immediately the whispers began.
"A Black?"
"I didn't know there were any of them left."
"We all know where she's going."
It was nothing she hadn't expected, Aunt Eri had warned her of the reputation that came with her name, but still Alhena held her head high as she approached the stool and took her place. The hat was placed on her head and suddenly there was nothing but darkness accompanied by a strange voice in her head.
"Interesting, very interesting." The voice remarked.
Alhena waited patiently, trying not to focus on her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.
"Ravenclaw would do you well." The voice commented, "But I know just where to put you."
There was single moment of silence but then the hall echoed with cheers.
"Slytherin!" The hat called out and not even a second late it was removed from her head.
Alhena stood a proud smile on her face as she looked to the cheering table to her farthest right. As she stepped in the direction she turned her head, catching a brief glimpse of her cousins and their resigned expressions before joining her house.
When the sorting continued Alhena was glad to see that she had gotten the name of the girl with bushy brown hair correct. Hermione Granger's sorting had taken longer than the others though eventually she was sent to Gryffindor. More names were called and more children took a seat on the stool but none of them so haughty as Draco Malfoy.
"Malfoy, Draco."
The blonde boy approached the stool with an arrogant smirk plastered on his pointed face and sat on the stool as though it were some kind of throne. The hat barely brushed his head before the decision was made.
"Slytherin!"
Everyone at the table seemed to cheer aside from Alhena so of course he would have to take a seat across from her.
"Who would have thought, a Black in Slytherin." He whispered mockingly to her, receiving various amounts of snickering from the people around them.
"What a shame you weren't placed in Ravenclaw, seeing as you seem to know everything." Alhena shot back, the snickers her comment received greater than his, then turned her attention back to the sorting.
When Harry's name had been called the entire hall fell silent, some waiting with baited breath to find out just where the boy who lived would be placed.
"Gryffindor!"
There was quite the amount of huffing and eye rolling coming from the Slytherin table as the Gryffindor table erupted into the loudest cheer yet. Fred and George had begun a chant of 'We've got Potter." Before the half settled and the sorting was able to pick back up. But when the scroll had finally reached her Weasley cousins, it was Alhena who sat on the edge of her seat eager to know where they would each be placed.
"Weasley, Mira."
Mira walked up to the stool holding her head up proudly as whispers of 'Gryffindor' fluttered around the room. The hat had only just touched her head when the hat was shouting out its decision.
"Gryffindor!"
Alhena had to resist the urge to snicker as her cousin jumped off the stool and practically ran to the cheering table. In truth there was probably no better place for Mira than Gryffindor, she simply wouldn't fit in anywhere else. At least they had gotten what they wanted but now they would have to wait to find out the fates of Pyxis and Ron.
"Weasley, Pyxis."
Pyxis was visibly shaking as he walked up to the stool after he took a deep breath, he sat down and jumped as the hat consumed his head. A few minutes had passed before the hat finally shouted out.
"Hufflepuff!"
There was a pout on her cousin's face as he slipped off the stool but as he joined the cheering group at the other end of the hall he was smiling. So that's how it was to be. The three of them had been together as long as any of them could remember and within fifteen minutes they were separated. Now there was only Ron to be sorted now but there was no questioning where he was to go.
"Weasley, Ronald."
Ron, much like Pyxis, nearly jumped out of his skin the moment the hat touched him but the hat was only on his head for maybe thirty seconds before his house was announced.
"Gryffindor!"
After Ron there was only one other boy, Blaise Zabini, who was put into Slytherin. The headmaster rose and said four completely random words before the welcome feast which Ron had spoken of so enthusiastically began.
Immediately students began diving into the various foods scattered on platters along the table. Alhena herself covered her plate in roast beef, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Conversation filled the tables but Alhena mostly stayed to herself, passing or accepting platters whenever necessary but never really socialized. When the dinner plates at cleared puddings of every kind replaced them, leaving Alhena with quite the smile.
"So it's sweet things you enjoy." Draco Malfoy commented as he spooned custard and strawberries into a bowl.
"It is, and I find you bitter so I'd prefer you leave me be." Alhena shot back, eyes roaming over the various dishes and attempting to figure out which she wanted most.
"How long do you intend on continuing this little act of yours?"
"My act?" She repeated, eyes lifting up to meet his.
"You're one of us, you can stop pretending you're like them." Draco answered.
Something in his words struck a nerve with her. It wasn't because he was wrong, she would have preferred it, but deep inside she knew that he was right and that was the last thing she wanted to admit to herself or anyone else. They stared at one another then the headmaster stood to address them once more before they were sent off to bed. Quickly Alhena snagged a cinnamon bun from one of the platters before everything vanished.
"First years follow me." A tall boy with brown hair and glasses called out.
Alhena glanced around at the other tables to find her cousins gathering into groups of their own. She was hit with a sudden pang of sadness as she realized this was how things were going to be from now on. As she followed the small group of first year Slytherins down into the dungeons someone stood too close behind her and she could practically feel the smirk as he spoke.
"One of us."