"Is this seat taken?"
He turned his head to look at the girl in the door way to that room of the train car.
"Erm, No."
She smiled sweetly. "So may I sit with you?"
He smiled back at her a bit awkwardly. "Uh, sure."
Her smile brightened and she walked in and sat across from him. She held out her hand to shake his.
"I'm Nyx de Medici. Yes, it is spelt N-Y-X and yes like the old Italian family."
He hesitantly extended his hand to meet hers in slow shake.
"I'm Fechin Griffin."
She smiled even brighter. He blushed a bit and pulled his arm back.
"So, you're Irish? I love the Irish! They're so… what's the word? Traditional! That's it!"
He looked slightly awkward as he tried to from the proper words into the right sentence.
"Yeah, but I really don't know a lot about my Irish side. You're Italian?"
She giggled slightly. "Yeah, born and raised in Benevento, Italy. Up until I was 4, I thought Benevento was the only place for me. When I turned four though, my mother and father took me on trips around the world, to places like Madagascar, Japan, Puerto Rico, etc. It opened my mind to the world around me. I was never allowed to say something or someone was weird. I had to try something before I could say I didn't like it, that's what my mom instilled in me. I could see how different children led different lives and it inspired me. I learned the magic and rituals of the natives in each place we visited, and became fluent in the language. When I was 10, I received a letter from Hogwarts inviting me to learn, but I pushed it down saying I wanted to learn a it more, and over that year I mastered some old Italian art forms, like the Etruscan, Roman, Gothic, Rococo and so on. Then, I said I was ready to go to school! So when I got the letter this year, I packed my stuff and rushed off to catch the train!" She was very animated while she talked, using many hand gestures and faces to convey her emotions and show emphasis.
He smiled a bit more as he watched her babble on and on.
"I can see you're a true Italian." He said.
Her face looked like a spotlight, it was so bright! "Of course I am! I can cook perfectly, I adore art-"
"I mean, you speak with your hands and are very animated but that too."
She blushed brightly at that. "I-I'm sorry! That doesn't bother you does it?"
He gave her a comforting smile, "Of course not. I would have said something if it did."
She smiled again, but the blush didn't fade. "I'm sorry if I'm babbling… I haven't had any outside confrontations for a whole year and I'm just so excited!"
The door to their room opened and in stepped three boys, two of whom looked as if they had more cards in the brawn pile then the brains and the other just looked so… arrogant…
Nyx's sweet and open attitude quickly changed to one of a well pruned member of royalty.
"Gentlemen. Is there something I can do for you?" She asked quickly, as a Lord would do a common man whom approached him.
The arrogant one who stood in front spoke first. "I'm Draco Malfoy. Who are you?"
Before Fechin could open his mouth, Nyx stood before the group of boys. "May I ask of your age, Mr. Malfoy?" She asked.
One of the bulky boys took a step forward. "He doesn't have to answer that. He asked you a question, girl, now answer it."
Fechin sat back watching, and waiting for a good time to move.
Nyx showed no change in emotion to the comment. "I highly doubt that you are in any position to order me around, being as I seem to be older than you."
The other took a step forward. "We can do what we want! We're from noble families! You're just from lower classes, Mudbloods!" This one acted like a dog, snarling as he spoke.
Fechin's eyes widened. What a bold statement! Kid had guts, he'd give him that. Nyx's eyes widened slightly and her form bristled a bit. Fechin just watched on, he knew where this was headed. One of his friends back in America, He was an idiot, that friend that he didn't know why they were friends. They went into the mall one day, to one of the clothing stores where a girl was trying on dresses for a big event. They passed by the fitting rooms right as she came out in a small dress, and his friend, being the idiot he was, turned to her and shouted "YOU LOOK LIKE A WHORE!" She broke down crying and ran back into the changing room, her friends came over and beat the living piss out of him. He deserved that too, she was pretty in Fechin's opinion.
"M-mudblood?" Nyx asked, deathly calm.
"Yeah, I've never seen either of you around so you can't be purebloods!" Dog-boy said smugly. Nyx raised her hand and slapped him, hard, in the face, followed by a kick to the groin.
"Come ti permetti!" She shouted at him. "E simplice spirito barabrio! Io sono I'unica figlia della famiglia Medici!"
Draco's eyes widened at hearing the Italian surname. He went and stood between the fool on the ground and the pissed of princess. His entire demeanor changed, Fechin noted. He changed from the stance of superiority to that of a boy calming his angered girlfriend. He gave her an apologetic smile and held his hand up to her, trying to calm her.
"I'm sorry for this simple minded fool, Onorevole signiorina Medici. He didn't know, He never did pay attention to anything in history and obviously was never brought to any of our parents meetings. Allow me to properly introduce us." He bowed deeply. She held out her hand, palm down. Draco kissed the back of her hand then rose from his position.
"My name is Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissia Malfoy. To my right is Vincent Crabbe, son of Vincent sr. and Irma Crabbe. The idiot on the floor is Gregory Goyle, son of Goyle sr."
Nyx grabbed Fechin's arm and pulled him to stand beside her. She smiled lightly at Draco. "My name is Nyx de Medici, daughter of Bertrando and Ilaria de Medici. This is my companion, Fechin Griffin." She gave him a quick glace through her peripheral saying, 'I will make the best darn lie you've ever heard!' "His mother passed away due to an illness in Ireland, so he went to live with his father. His father wanted nothing of him so he dumped Fechin in the streets where my mother found him, and we took him in. He can be considered my brother of three years." She nudged him slightly, and he quickly gave a short nod, showing his agreement but disinterest.
Draco nodded softly and took a step forward, placing his hands on Nyx's shoulders. She did the same on his arms and they leaned pressing their opposite cheeks, for both sides. They both leaned back.
"Well met, Mr. Malfoy." She said.
"Well met indeed, Ms. Medici." He replied.
They both released one another and the boys left the cart. Fechin, looked to Nyx as she sighed heavily.
"Brother of three years?" Fechin asked.
"Eh, I had to cover you." She turned to sit back down waving her hand dismissively.
"From what?" He asked, his hands resting on his hips and his eyebrow quirked up.
"You weren't born into nobility, I take it.", she mumbled. She tossed a piece of gum at him. "Sit down. You're making me nervous." Fechin laughed a bit. She liked his laugh. It wasn't to rough, obnoxiously loud, nor was it funky sounding. In fact, the most likeable laugh she ever heard. Fechin sat back down and popped the gum into his mouth. Nyx slid over and looked out the window at the passing scenery.
"You haven't answered my question."
She threw another piece of gum.
"Nyx." He said louder.
Another piece of gum flew.
"You're avoiding the question." He said with a laugh.
Fly, gum, fly!
He threw both pieces back at her.
"C'mon! You can tell me, Sis." He said with a large chesire cat like grin.
This time the whole pack flew. She smiled at the window and sighed, then laughed. "I swear! You're worse then Pietro!" She looked back at him and gave him a blank stare that turned to one of 'Mother of God'.
Fechin became confused and tilted his head to the side, like a puppy. "What?"
"You looked exactly like Pietro! That's scary in of itself!" She then returned to laughing. "Pietro was my closest friend in Italy. He told me that when we grow up he was going to be my most trusted knight. That he would protect me forever." She had a faraway look in her eyes but shook it away. She turned back to the window, noting that it was already dark. "We should get some sleep.", she said, "I want to be well rested for tomorrow and if I'm royalty, you have to look good too!" She said with a grin. "Now, up!"
Fechin smiled softly, and stood. Nyx instantly got to work on changing the bench into a bed. She moved quickly and with gentle hands. He just stared, entranced by the speed and gentleness of the action.
"There ya go!" She sad and patted his bed. "Now, sleep well!" She hugged him and hopped into her bench-turned-bed.
"Night, Fay!" She said as she snuggled closer to her pillow and dropped into sleep.
Fechin stared at her for a minute. 'I seriously need to know how she does that…' He settled down and dosed off to the gentle sway of the car.
