Hello! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Celeste and I am in my first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My upbringing has been anything but normal though I like to think I'm not all that unique. I'm considered a half-blood because my mother was a muggle and my dad a wizard, a pure-blood to be exact. Mum left when I was three and I've never met my dad so I was raised by my godfather. He's a great guy though a little over-protective. You see I've had a black cloud over my head for ten years now. My father is a notorious murderer and is locked away tight in Azkaban. Mum never believed he was guilty and left me letters telling me so. I believe he's innocent even if my godfather doesn't always. My biggest problem with starting at Hogwarts is that I am in the same year as The-Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. Its nothing against Harry and everything against me. I'm scared that life at Hogwarts will be awful because of my connection to Harry. I'm afraid that when I get called for sorting everyone will know who I am. My name is Celeste Black and Sirius Black is my father.
Platform 9 ¾ was bustling with activity. Students and parents alike were milling around trying to get everything settled before the train left. I had stored my things and was now biding my godfather farewell.
"Remember that you are not your father, which means you can make your own legacy. What he did," I shot him a scathing look, not for the first time. "Or did not do does not dictate who you are Celeste."
"I know, but still, he was convicted without trial, and if anyone figures out that we're related, I probably will be too. I may have never met my father, but if they figure it out I'll stand my ground and if they try and push, I'll push harder." I was so serious that my godfather only smiled.
He hugged me goodbye and whispered, "Ever your father's daughter," before nudging me toward the train. Smiling over my shoulder I waved and climbed up, setting off to look for a compartment.
It proved impossible to find an empty one and after running into a group of boys who looked like gorillas I ducked into the next compartment I could find. After shutting the door I found two boys staring at me and smiled shyly.
"Hi, sorry to barge in but there are a group of boys out there that are the size of trolls so I hope I'm not intruding on anything. I'm Celeste by the way."
I sat down close to the door and tried to fade into the background hoping they would forget I was there but instead they introduced themselves in turn.
"Ron Weasley." This came from the red-headed one and I smiled at him which made him blush.
"Harry Potter."
It took everything in me not to fly out the door. The one person I was most afraid of was sitting right next to me. I smiled but I knew it was shaky at best. His broken glasses framed green eyes and his black hair was the messiest I had ever seen.
I tried hard not to sound nervous as I said, "Well if we're going by full names I'm Celeste Black."
This drew no response from either boy and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. My smile grew and as I pulled back my dark curly hair I asked them if they liked Quidditch. Ron looked like he'd seen a ghost or something. Harry just looked confused. Seeing his look Ron took the opportunity to explain Quidditch to Harry. I think he was just trying to recover from shock.
Finally Ron turned back to me and said, "So you actually know Quidditch?"
I was shocked at the question. "Of course I know Quidditch. What just because I'm a girl you think I haven't a clue?"
This made Ron sputter nervously and he was saved from answering as a girl with hair so curly it made mine look straight entered the compartment.
"Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."
We all shook our heads and she left. Shortly after we heard the distinct words, "Anything from the trolley?"
I jumped up and opened the door. I didn't have much but I still had enough to get something. I bought a couple of chocolate frogs and a licorice wand. Harry came up behind me and bought a little bit of everything. We all enjoyed the candy as the train moved further north.
After a long discussion on sweets Ron started talking about spells. I'd done a few my godfather had taught me when I was younger but Ron said he had one that would turn his pathetic looking rat yellow. Just as he was getting ready to show us the girl from earlier appeared again. The fact that Ron was going to attempt a spell fascinated her. She plopped down beside him and watched expectantly.
Ron only managed to send the poor rat flying but the girl was actually able to do something interesting. As we watched she fixed Harry's broken glasses and as she handed them back she said, "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way."
I smiled and introduced myself and Ron though she already knew who Harry was. I glanced at him and shrugged. What could I say, he was famous even if he had just found out about it. Hermione suggested we change into our robes and headed out of the compartment again. The three of us pulled down our robes and threw them on just as we felt the train begin to slow.
As we disembarked the train we heard someone yelling for the first years. We turned in that direction and I saw a mountain of a man smile and ask Harry if everything was alright. Harry said yes and the three of us climbed into a boat. The ride across the lake was uneventful at best and soon all the first years were squishing into a room together. That was when things started to get ugly.
A voice so cold that it caused me to shiver spoke right behind us. "Well, if it isn't Harry Potter. I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Ron sniggered and I rolled my eyes.
"Something funny," Malfoy shot back. "I can tell just by looking at you that you're a Weasley."
Ron fell silent and I was starting to get angry. This boy acted like a name meant everything and I knew all too well that it didn't.
"You don't want to fall in with the wrong sort Potter, I can help you there." Malfoy looked incredibly pleased with himself. I wanted to throw-up.
"I think I can judge the wrong sort for myself," Harry replied.
Malfoy was moments away from sputtering unintelligently when a woman walked in and started speaking about the sorting ceremony. As we were lead into the Great Hall my nerves returned full force. The moment of truth was about to arrive. I couldn't breathe all of the sudden and wished I had remembered to slip some chocolate into my pocket.
"Black, Celeste."
I slowly slid onto the stool and waited. As the hat was placed on my head I heard a voice speaking softly. "Yes, a Black is it? A Slytherin family through and through but something here is different. Gryffindor lies in your past, interesting indeed. Ah, what's this? Well, it's obvious where you belong- GRYFFINDOR!"
I was so relieved I almost fell on my way to the house table. People were cheering and welcoming me into the fold. I settled in place, relieved that I had not let my father and godfather down.
Soon everyone was sorted and I had been joined by Ron, Harry and Hermione. Professor Dumbledore rose and gave a rather odd speech which was followed by the appearance more food than I'd ever seen in one place. The food was some of the best I'd ever had and made me miss my godfather terribly. This may sound strange but growing up food this rich and perfect had been a rarity since we really didn't have much money. I'd felt horrible when I had boarded the train and he had slipped me money for sweets because I knew it meant that there would be one less thing he would have that month.
When Dumbledore made his post dinner announcements there was a murmur of curiosity as to what was in the third floor corridor. There wasn't much time to think about it though because we had been dismissed and the house prefects were calling for us to follow. The climb to Gryffindor tower was tiring after such a long day and I didn't hesitate to bid Ron and Harry a hasty good night before climbing the stairs to the girls' dormitory.
When I entered my room I found that four other girls were already there. I recognized Hermione from the train and was glad that someone I had met was there with me. She and I smiled at each other and I bounced onto the open bed next to hers. I looked around at the others girls who were smiling at me.
"Hello, I'm Celeste Black."
"Lavender Brown."
"Parvati Patil."
"Hermione Granger."
"Leah Norton."
All of us were smiling but that quickly changed as we all began to giggle. No one was quite sure why we were laughing but that didn't help in the least. Finally, I caught my breath enough to say something.
"Well, that was polite wasn't it?"
This sent the lot of us back to giggling and I thought for sure that I would die of laughter. I was incredibly relieved to finally settle myself down. Slowly the others did as well and we prepared for bed. With a final smile at everyone I pulled the cord to release the curtains on the bed and fell asleep the moment my head touched the pillow.