DISCLAIMER: I OWN DOMOVOI AND LOUISE, AND ANY OTHER CHARACTERS AND SETTINGS OF MY OWN/CHRIS'S CREATION. ANY OTHERS ARE PROPERTY OF J..
Chapter 1: New Beginnings (Louise POV)
A fire crackled in the living room hearth, as I lay sprawled across the leather upholstery. The flames were mesmerising, auburns, scarlets and oranges entwined gracefully.
"Louise…Louise…Lou," a distant voice was calling me, faint and concerned.
"Huh?" I was jolted back to reality by a hand shaking my shoulder. Above me stood Dom, his unruly mop of charcoal curls falling gently into his emerald eyes, one hand lifeless beside his spindly frame.
"Are you alright? I lost you for a while there," His brow was furrowed, troubled.
"Yeah, I'm ok, just thinking," I shrugged, offering up a weak smile and sliding up into a seated position, cross-legged. He analysed me for a minute, eyes roaming my figure for any signs of distress.
"If you're sure," he sighed, before taking a seat across from me.
We sat in companionable silence, the way its always been, watching the fire crackle and glow. The day was the 24th August, and we had chosen to spend the day at his house, while our parents were swigging butter beers at some place called The Leaky Cauldron. Maybe I should explain. My name is Louise Maria Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank. Stupid name, I know, but apparently in German this translates to desire to protect. That's me, and my family. You see my mother is part of a secret organisation in the wizarding world, while my poor father is a hapless muggle. In order to carry on in the wizarding world, I took my mothers maiden name, as opposed to my fathers name: Smith. So much more generic, and you must wonder why I wouldn't want that name. But you don't understand. But anyway, my mothers a witch, my father is a muggle, and I'm a half-blood. During the summer, mother and I up sticks to visit her side of the family in an out of the way village in the Lake District, while dad stays at home and minds the shop. This is where I met Dom, or Domovoi as is his full first name. He is the only son of the Cross family, who are my Aunt Mathilda and Uncle Gordon's neighbours. They live in a well off street, with towering, polished four storey houses and servants, including an illtempered house elf. Dom's bedroom is in the attic, as is the room I stay in during visits, and we live next door to each other. We have been best friends since the age of seven, when I first came to learn about magic. His whole family are purebloods, but that hasn't changed their opinions on us at all. In fact, they are all very welcoming, and Dom and I often spend a lot of time round the others house. I turned 11 last month, and I've just received my acceptance letter to Hogwarts. For the past few days, both my relatives and his have recounted joyous tales of their schooling days, of the headmaster Dumbledore, of endless feasts and balls, of game tournaments and matches, and of the tyrannous teachers too! However, I found myself completely hung up on the idea of the sorting hat. I only knew Dom, and what if we were in complete separate houses? We'd be destined to be competitors, rivals, and if only in jest, I'd be alone. I would never fit in. Dom and I are polar opposites, therefore there was less of a chance. Oh no! What if I am placed in Slytherin? That slimy, no good house. I wouldn't myself trust them with my life. Any of them. "What if they separate us?" I blurted out.
"Wait, what?" Dom chuckled.
"This is NOT funny! I don't want to be on my own," I growled, glaring at him wholeheartedly.
"Look, it'll be fine. I promise, I won't leave you," Dom sobered up. "I fear too much for my life!" And, his grin was back.
I groaned, before getting up and stalking towards the door.
"I'm gonna head home, I'll see you tomorrow," I huffed, before leaving the room and grabbing my shabby, scuffed nike trainers. "You know, I hate you sometimes?"
"I know," Dom shrugged, as he had followed me out into the hall.
I halfheartedly pawed at his chest.
"Aaahhh, I'm wounded," he cried in mock agony.
"Bye!" I chuckled, before opening the door and stepping out into the warm air.
"Bye," Dom straightened up, smiling. before shutting the door in my face. Bitch.