"Lexi! Hurry up! We're going to be late!" Regan was rushing around, grabbing her bags, throwing them in the trunk of the Pulsar.
"I don't see why we need to drive. You're of age! Why can't we apparate!"
"It doesn't work that way, stupid. Grab Chrissy and lets go." She shoved the snowy owl into the back seat and jumped in the passenger stepped on the gas and tore out of the street.
"See this is why I told you to pack yesterday, it is not my fault if you miss the train." Lexi rolled her eyes and sunk back in her seat. She was different from her brother. He had followed the rules, dressed neatly. A Gryffindor, a straight A student. Passed his exams with flying colours. Now he's on his way to becoming a respected Auror. Lexi was... Lexi. The exact opposite. She passed all of her exams but not with brilliant grades. She was impulsive, reckless.
"Would Dad be angry if I wasn't in Gryffindor?" Lexi was visibly worried. She hardly spoke with her father. He would never admit it but she knew he secretly blamed her for her mother's death. Who am I kidding, it is my fault, she mused. She died giving birth to me. I killed my own mother.
"I wouldn't know." Regan shrugged and caried on navigating the streets of London.
"He's a muggle. What would he care?"
Of course, mechanics wouldn't care what house their murderous daughter were sorted into. Regan stopped driving and turned to her.
"Anyway, it doesn't matter, you'll be put where you belong."
The roads were packed with muggles trying to arive at work on time, to get to where they needed to be.
Out of nowhere, a red Mini came hurtling around the corner. The car stalled as Regan tried desperatley to move out of the way. The car refused to start and Regan reached over her, wand outstretched.
"PROTEGO!"
The mini slammed into the side of the car and sent them both flying forward. Regan's wand flew from his hand. His head snapped against the steering wheel. My trunk rattled in the boot and Chrissy was squawking in her cage as she was thrown around the car. And then, everything went black.
When Lexi came to, she felt someone nudging her shoulder, whispering in her ear. The sound slowly got louder and clearer as the nudging grew stronger.
"Hello? Can you hear me?"
She felt herself waking up further. Where was I? Where was Regan? Why was Chrissy... Chrissy squawking. Headlights. The mini folding in half. Her eyes flew open and struggled to focus on the face that was leaning over her.
"My name is Teddy Lupin. Can you hear me?"
She moved her head in something that she thought resembled a nod.
"Can you remember your name?"
She tried to sit up and Teddy jumped to support her back, and slowly moved her upright. "Careful, slowly."
"Lexi. My name is Lexi." He nodded and murmered something under his breath.
"Stand up, slowly, come with me. We've missed the train but we can fly."
"Regan... Where's Regan? Where's my brother?"
She couldn't see him anywhere. The mini was nearly broken in two. Her trunk and Chrissy had been moved out of the way of the wreck and onto the sidewalk. Teddy helped her to her feet and led her to a nineties Nissan that was waiting on the corner.
"They've taken him to St. Mungo's. He was pretty torn up. But we have to get to Hogwarts or we'll miss the sorting. He'll be fine. He's safe."
Lexi was too dazed to argue with him and followed along blindly. An ageing woman sat in the drivers seat and winked at her as she climbed in the back, while Teddy loaded her luggage into the boot. Lexi sat Chrissy's cage on her lap and tried not to cry. She didn't want to go to Hogwarts with the strange boy with the blue hair. She wanted to find Regan, to make sure he was okay. For the first time in years, Lexi wanted her brother.
"Niamh-Alexia O'Callagahn." The Proffesor called her name from the scroll, and she made her way to the stool. She lowered the hat onto her head and it leapt to life.
"AH! an O'Callagahn! your brother was a great student, a great wizard. A Gryffindor. But I sense that you are very different. Oh, you will be difficult. Too bold to be a Hufflepuff. No, not a Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw? Hmmm, no. So, like another great wizard, the choice between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Both great houses, both deserving."
The whole hall went quiet. Everyone was waiting. The silence grew until it engulfed the entire room. Under her breath, Lexi whispered. She knew what her choice was. She didn't want to be compared to her brother. She wanted to start fresh. He was gone. She knew now he was dead. She would forget him, she would forget them all. She could be her own family. After all, she thought, I am a murderer. She had killed her mother, and it was her own fault that Regan had died. Lexi knew where she belonged."SLYTHERIN!"
She smiled as the witch removed the hat from her head, and she went to join the other first years at the Slytherin table. Teddy waved at her from the Gryffindor table and she smiled. His hair had turned a fire-engine red and his eyes were glowing purple. A hand extended across the table towards her.
"Mikhail." She shook his hand and giggled at his strong Russian accent.
"Lexi."