Narcissa

Ahh. Freedom.

I could smell it.

Unfortunately, it smelled like nasty greenish-gray smoke from a train, so I coughed a little bit.

"You all right there, Cissy? The mudblood stench getting to you already?" Bella snickered.

I ignored her, or at least I tried to. I'd been trying to ever since Bella went off to Hogwarts three years prior and gotten the biggest head on the planet. But, ignoring Bellatrix was not the easiest thing to do.

But I was certainly not going to let her get to me right now. This was my moment of freedom.

Our parents had already departed, thank Merlin, So it was only me and my sisters standing on Platform 9 ¾. I gawked. Mother had told me never to stare, but I really couldn't help it. The famous gold and red Hogwarts train was staring me straight in the face. Here it was. First year away from Mom and Dad. I could almost literally hear the hallelujah chorus.

I guess you could say that I had lived a pretty sheltered life. Almost never leaving the house. And if I did at all, my parents made sure it was to the "right" places. All the "right" parties, with all the same people I'd grown up with. Which, sadly enough, consisted of mainly my family. And Andy had left to go to Hogwarts the year before, so this past year had been very lonely. And scary. But, not anymore. No, Now, I was going into my first year of Hogwarts and needless to say I was really really excited. And relieved, but I tried not to think of why. "Only during the Holiday's, and Bella's there then. So, It's fine.

"Anyway, time to move on." I whispered under my breath.

"Hellooooo? Earth to Cissy!" Bella sang, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Time to board the train!" Andy said excitedly and ran aboard without sparing Bella and me so much as a backwards glance.

I watched as her cloak disappeared behind the door.

Bella sighed deeply. "Oh, come on Cissy." She muttered as she grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the train.

Andromeda

I ran onto the train as fast as my legs could carry me, searching for my friends. I began glancing into compartment after compartment as I ran through the corridors, only getting glimpses as I flew past.

Nope…Nope…Nope…Nope…A flash of red hair…nope…

Wait! Red hair?

I backtracked a few steps to look into the compartment I had just passed.

Sitting and talking were my four best friends.

Ana, Corbin, Dex, and Em. Ana explained the red hair…

We called ourselves the alphabet. Because of all our names, you know? Andromeda, Bibiana (or Ana as she made us call her), Corbin, Dextra, Emily…A, B, C, D, E… Get it?

I walked into the compartment smiling. "Hey guys! Miss me?"

"Andy!"

"It's Ana # 2!"

"Andy!"

"An!"

I sat in my usual seat next to Ana. We we're kind of weird that way. We always sat in alphabetical order. We didn't even do it on purpose. It just sort of came, naturally.

Ever since that day last year…

It was our first charms class. The professor was calling roll.

"Andromeda Black?"

"Here"

"Bibiana Lapelle?"

"It's Ana…"

"Corbin Siffton?"

"Here."

"Dextra Miletera?"

"Present!"

"Emily Schumacher?"

"Right Here."

The professor chuckled and looked at us curiously. "Did you mean to do that?" He asked, an amused smile on his face.

"What?" We all chorused.

"You…you're all sitting in alphabetical order."

We all looked sideways at each other suddenly grinning.

We had been best friends ever since.

"So, how were all your summers?" I asked.

There were a few mumbled "fines" and "good's" but Emily launched into an extremely long monologue that would most likely last the majority of the train ride.

I sighed and put my feet up on Ana's lap.

Yes. Oh yes, it was good to be back.

Bellatrix

I was happy happy happy. There was absolutely no reason for me not to be happy.

I was on my way back to Hogwarts

I was sitting next to my boyfriend

Narcissa was also on her way to Hogwarts, so I didn't have to worry about her anymore.

Once I got to Hogwarts I would, again, be the best at everything.

And I was even more beautiful this year than last year.

So, what was the problem? Everything should be fine. Everything was fine!

But for me, lately, nothing has been…enough. I've started wanting more. Just more.

I've been wanting more from my boyfriend.

More from my friends.

More out of life.

"Oh Merlin. What's your problem Bella?" I thought to myself and grinned. What's my problem? Well we just won't get into that…

"I just need to focus on the present. Yeah, that's it. Here and now. No more reflecting."

I looked around the compartment to try and find someone who I could focus my attention on other than myself.

Ahhh, Cissy. That would work.

She nearly had a heart attack when I said goodbye to her in the corridor. She practically begged me to sit with her on the train. Me, being the wonderful older sister that I am, complied.

She was staring out the window now, completely oblivious to the fact that the four other boys in here were practically drooling over her.

Good lord, only a first year and already…

I would have to do something about this soon, or the girl would be more popular than me come winter break.

I mean, obviously, I was the prettiest one. But there was always something about Narcissa that just captured people. Maybe it was the fact that she looked almost exactly like a porcelain doll. Perfect.

I just thought she looked pale. Weak.

I punched Rodolphus on the arm to awaken the zombie from his tomb.

"What?" He asked rather stupidly.

I just rolled my eyes at him.

"Seriously, what?"

"Oh, nothing…I'm just sitting here. You know, remember me? Your girlfriend?" I emphasized.

He was still staring at me as if I was telling a joke and had yet to deliver the punchline.

Idiots. I was surrounded by idiots.

This was going to be a long ride.