Hi. I'm new to this site, though I read a lot of stories for a long time, and finally decided to make a profile. Obviously, I'm a hardcore, never stopping, in love, Harry Potter fan. This is my, attempt at a, fic.
Also obviously, I don't own anything you recognize (characters/places) except for the plot and the main character.
The compartment door slid open, and in walked a boy with silver hair and pointed features. He snorted, and looked at Harry.
"Don't tell me; another Weasley?" he glanced quickly at me, his features unchanging. I realized, with a slight smile, that I resembled the Weasleys in hair color, though my burning orange hue was definitely more brilliant than any of theirs, and sure to grab attention once we got to school. I looked at Harry questioningly, who simply gave me a meaningful look before answering the boy.
"No, Malfoy," he spoke the name as though he were spitting. "This is, uh… This is my sister, sort of."
The boy frowned slightly, the only recognizable emotion he'd shown thus far, and then looked back at me, before snorting again.
"Sister? Oh, you've got to be kidding… How did this happen?"
"I'm Sirius Black's daughter," I answered for myself, looking the boy straight in his cold, ice blue eyes.
He seemed almost taken aback, though his voice didn't show it, "Oh, this is rich. A little family reunion, I expect. Shame you've got to have the dirty side of your family's blood, otherwise-" he was cut off by the door sliding open again, two chubby, shorter boys appearing behind Malfoy, faces eternally scrunched in confusion.
"C'mon, let's get going," grunted the taller of the two cronies.
Malfoy sneered before leaving, the door crashing shut in his wake.
"He seems really great," I muttered after a pause, causing everyone in the compartment to snort with laughter.
"Oh, yeah, he and I are grand friends." Harry grinned as he opened a Chocolate Frog.
"Slytherin, I assume?" I asked, not looking up from Dumbledore, beaming at me from a small card in my hands.
"Bingo," said Ron through a handful of Every Flavor Beans.
"He's hated Harry since our first year," said Neville with a frown.
I raised my eyebrows and nodded in acknowledgement.
"Nervous about school?" asked Hermione, finally taking her eyes off of her book, propped open on her lap.
"A bit," I nodded. "More excited, than anything. It'll be an adjustment, I'm sure, but a good one. Dad already told me pretty much everything I need to know," I smirked at Harry, who smiled at the mention of his Godfather.
My dad, who had just gotten out of jail (well, escaped, more like), hadn't known of my existence until I showed up at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, introducing myself as his daughter. He hadn't believed me, at first, until I showed him a letter my mom had written, explaining that my deepest desire was to transfer to Hogwarts, and in order to do so, I had to live with him.
He was shocked, but once the initial surprise wore down, he was more than elated.
It was agreed that I'd live with him during half the summer, and with mom the other half.
Of course, I'd been told the story of my father, of his crime, more importantly his innocence; but also I'd been told of his past. His friends, his relationship with my mom, their friendship now that they were both part of the Order again and that he knew of my existence, and one very interesting detail- his godson.
I was excited, to finally have a 'sibling', someone to hang out with, someone I would know at Hogwarts before even setting foot on the grounds, a big brother. It wasn't much trouble, either, that he happened to be Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.
Of course I knew who he was, even before I met him.
Instantly, I became part of the group; Harry, Hermione, all of the Weasleys, they accepted me, and I liked it.
Then, before I knew it, I was on my way to Hogwarts, anxious, excited, and interested to see how this school would stack up.
We finally arrived at the school, and I looked up in awe, as the first years did, as I stepped off the train. The castle was beautiful; tall towers, lights glimmering from inside windows, iron gates, beautiful lawns, I could see greenhouses just next to the school, a small hut, Hagrid's I assumed, with a large pumpkin patch already underway.
Harry nudged my side, "C'mon, you look like a firstie," he said, grinning playfully.
We walked over to a carriage as Harry starting asking about the 'horses' pulling it, and the rest of us looked at him in confusion.
"Harry there's nothing there," Ron reassured him from behind me as I climbed up.
We finally reached the school, and I stepped inside, looking around in awe at the levels of staircases, some moving, from above me. Of course, they'd told me what to expect, but this was far better than any explanation I'd heard thus far. Portraits covered the large portions of wallspace, all their subjects moving about and talking to each other. There were doors everywhere, leading to other parts of the immense castle.
"Excuse me, Ms. Black? May I have a word?"
I turned around to see an elderly man, dressed in royal purple robes, with a long, white beard and hair the matching length and color. His eyes were a bright blue, not the same kind that Malfoy's had been, and they sparkled from over the rim of his glasses. Albus Dumbledore. I felt honored to even be standing near him.
"Oh, um," I glanced at Harry, Ron and Hermione, nodding for them to go on. "Yeah, sure."
We walked silently throughout the castle, and after a few staircases and a stone gargoyle later we were in a large office, which was filled with portraits and instruments of all sorts.
He sat behind a large wooden desk, motioning to the seat in front of it.
I sat quickly, a bit nervous, and smiled up at Dumbledore with appreciation.
"Well, Ms. Black, I am absolutely thrilled you've decided to stay with your father and attend Hogwarts," he smiled at me before continuing. "Of course, I'm certain you've been well informed of the four house tradition, and that you would need to be sorted accordingly. Though, I'm sure it would make things more interesting," his eyes twinkled, "I decided it would not be of the greatest interest to have you sorted in front of the entire school. Instead, you will be sorted in your house here," he motioned to the Sorting Hat, which I hadn't noticed sitting on the edge of the desk.
"Oh. Yeah, great." I nodded, trying to keep calm, and rubbed my damp palms on my plain black robes.
"Well," he motioned to the hat, and sat back in smiling anticipation. I took the old hat in my hands, its seams and edges were worn with years. I placed it gingerly on my head, waiting with a frown.
"Mmm, interesting indeed," muttered a voice suddenly from above my head.
"Got a great bit of wit, Ravenclaw's 'greatest treasure,'" he quoted. "But also a bit of bravery, humbleness… I see a bit of sarcasm, quite a bit of caprice. Love, bravery… Got a good mind. You keep yourself together under pressure, you don't let others see the emotions you've got under that cool façade… Tricky, you are. Alright, then, I suppose it'll be… Gryffindor!"
I quickly pulled the hat off, smiling at Dumbledore.
Although I hadn't expected him to make a big deal of the sorting, I had expected more of a reaction than a creased forehead and looking at me questioningly.
"I thought for sure…" he muttered, still eyeing me. I waited patiently until he finally spoke to me directly.
"Camilla, though I'm sure you're thrilled to be sorted into a house to which your many friends belong, I must propose…" He paused again. "I think, that though you do belong in Gryffindor, that an interesting display could be made of your being in Slytherin. Of course, if it is not what you wish, if you want to remain a lion," he smiled, "I shouldn't say any more. But it's my belief that, by being in Slytherin and having a number of friends in Gryffindor, that it would… initiate inter-house relationships." He paused, this time waiting for acknowledgement. I was taken aback, but understood what he was asking.
"You want me to be in Slytherin, so… so that there would be a better chance of everyone getting along?"
"Precisely. You see, it's a peculiar thing, adolescence, and when we are taught to hate another group of people, especially those of our own age that have been taught to hate us as well, it can be difficult to stray from those teachings. However, friendship is a simple solution to such a problem. If you're a Slytherin, and your friends Gryffindors, then it would set an example for other students who are… particularly drawn to despising members of other houses." His eyes twinkled, and I knew that he was speaking of my brother and Malfoy. "Of course, as I said, if you wish to remain a Gryffindor, I would have no problem at all to you staying there and being comfortable."
I thought for a moment, my eyes straying to the window, where moonlight reflected from the lake.
"I'll do it." I looked at him, nodded once, and smiled.
"I do thank you, Camilla. This shows the nature of your intended house, it takes a great deal of bravery to communicate with those who are supposed to be our worst enemies. Now, I suppose we have a sorting, and a feast to start, do we not?" He smiled, motioning to the door.
Professor McGonagall was waiting patiently at the bottom of the steps to Dumbledore's office, and handed me a set of emerald robes as I reached the bottom, stowing the crimson away.
"We knew it would be one or the other," she pursed her lips, smiled faintly, and patted my shoulder before sweeping past. She seemed almost… disappointed.
I entered the Great Hall just as the First Years arrived, looking as exhilarated as I felt, by the castle. I cast a meaningful look at Harry, who noticed my return. He looked over my emerald tie and robe detail, nudged Ron, and they and Hermione watched in horror as I walked past and took a seat at Slytherin table, directly in front of Malfoy, who gave me a look of question before turning his attention to the Sorting, which had just started.
I was interested to see how this would turn out.