Rabastan Lestrange can't wait to go to Hogwarts.
The picturesque view from Snakestail Castle is magnificent and all but it has never felt home to him: his parents always too busy fighting than taking notice of their children. Well, they never notice him as they only have eyes for his brother, Rodolphus. Only their house elf, Ballsy, was always there to take care of him.
A loud crack bounced through the walls of his room and then a pudgy house elf appeared on his bedside.
"Ah, Master Rabastan, you're awake. Breakfast is ready. Your parents and Master Rodolphus are already waiting for young master at the dining hall," said Ballsy.
A few minutes later, dressed in his turquoise travelling cloak, Rabastan emerged in the dining hall, his parents and brother already deep in conversation.
"I told you Genevieve, we should have sent the boys to Durmstrang. If I had known that that Muggle-loving Dumbledore would succeed Dippet then they would've been better off there," an exasperated Hannibal Lestrange said.
"Don't blame this on me, Han. Durmstrang is too far away and it's too damn cold there. Even thinking of the logistics of sending the boys there is making my head hurt. Sit up straight, Rabastan!" his mother noticing him suddenly. "Merlin, you'll think you were raised by werewolves with that posture."
"Huh, what do you know about raising children, Genevieve? Don't make me laugh. I remember you leaving the kids to that wretched house elf to have tea with your friends," Hannibal interjected.
"Oh shut up you slug spawn-"
As it has always been in pureblood families, Hannibal and Genevieve Lestrange were cousins. Their parents arranged their marriage for the sake of keeping the wealth and the pureblood line intact for the family. Rabastan always knew that he was only conceived as a spare just in case something happened to a young Rodolphus who was always getting sick.
"Hey Hufflepuff," Rodolphus whispered to him as their parents continued on bickering. "you ready for Hogwarts?"
"Don't let them hear you that, and besides our family has always been sorted to Slytherin. I can't be sorted to any other house, can I?"
"You'll never know little Huffie. You better wish you get sorted to Slytherin or else Dad's gonna chuck you out into the sea," Rodolphus sniggered.
The feeling of excitement that Rab was feeling suddenly turned to anxiety. He was too excited to finally leave the house that he forgot about the sorting. What would his parents think if he didn't make it to Slytherin? Maybe they wouldn't mind if he was sorted to Gryffindor or Ravenclaw but Hufflepuff. He thought about being pureblooded. Surely that would guarantee him a spot in Slytherin.
"Now listen here Rabastan. I don't want you getting into trouble at Hogwarts, you understand?" said his father breaking his reverie. "Stay away from Mudbloods and those wretched blood traitors. We don't want you mixing in with that lot."
Steam was emitting from the Hogwarts Express when they arrived at platform 9 ¾. Rabastan's heart was pounding from excitement as he followed his brother through the throng of people sending their children off to school. His brother, who passed his Apparition test the past summer, took him side-along as Ballsy followed with their luggage on the platform.
"Ah, there you are Bella." Rodolphus suddenly stopped and tried to kiss a girl who shook him off. "Oh come on Bella, don't be like that. 3 more years when you finish Hogwarts and we'll be married."
"Well, that's 3 more years for my parents to find another pureblood to be married with so just get off my case won't you? Oh look, another Hogwarts virgin," Bellatrix said finally noticing him. "Same as my sister here, Andromeda."
A little girl who looks the same as her sister minus that strange glint from her eyes and with a blonde hair smiled at him widely.
"It's just Andie. Hi. How are you?" she said excitedly.
"You two stay here. Me and Rod and a couple of older Slytherins have a compartment at the end of the train," said Bellatrix.
"And don't let Mudbloods and blood traitors sit with you, you understand. You heard what father said, We don't want you mixing in with that lot." Rodolphus said imitating their father's voice.
"Seriously, I don't get that pureblood supremacy thing," Andie shook her head as the older kids left. "I mean, they're magic folks too, right? Or they wouldn't even get a letter from Hogwarts," Andie said. "I mean, look at my uncle Marius. Pureblood bloodline since Merlin knows when and he turned up to be a Squib, got blasted off the wall of our Black family tree."
"You have your family tree on a wall?" This girl could talk for ages, he thought.
"Well, yeah. I don't know what ancient magic was used there but it's quite complicated - cousins marrying cousins and such. I think by now almost all pureblood families are related making the younger generations like ours susceptible to diseases and mental problems and stuff. But don't let my family know I said that. I might get blasted off our family tree or something," she smiled as they found a compartment in the middle of the train. A red-haired boy was already sitting inside.
"Hey, these seats free? All the other compartments are full," Rab said.
"Yeah sure, come in," the boy replied. He had quite a large nose but it suited his features.
"I'm guessing you're either a Weasley or a Prewett," Andie said and then looked at Rab and pointed at the other boy's head. "You know red hair."
The boy laughed. "We're quite famous for that actually. Prewett. Gideon Prewett. You could actually tell coz we don't have much freckles. That's the Weasley mark."
"Ooh, another one from the sacred 28. Well, I'm Andie Black and this one over here is Rab Lestrange. I have an aunt or something who married a Prewett but we don't see much of them. I think they never had children though. See that's what I'm saying with all these pureblood in-breeding, it's getting more and more difficult to have new babies. If it weren't for muggles then all of us magic folks would've died out." said Andie.
''You can tell she talks a lot," joked Rab and then there was a whistle and they were off.
"So where do you guys reckon you'll get sorted to?" asked Rab as he was settling in. He was actually fishing for answers as the conversation with his brother at breakfast was still bothering him.
"Gryffindor for sure," said Gideon. "I think a grand uncle was sorted to Ravenclaw but that was years ago."
"That would be nice, you know, to get sorted to Gryffindor but we've been Slytherin ever since I could remember. How 'bout you Rab?" asked Andie.
"I dunno. I'm hoping to get sorted to Slytherin but my brother says I have the characteristics of a Hufflepuff. There's no way a pureblood can't get in to Slytherin, right?"
"Well, it's not unheard of. MacMilllans generally get sorted to Hufflepuff but they get by," said Gideon.
"Come on, Rab. It doesn't matter what house you'll get sorted in to. That won't dictate what you are a person. It won't make you anything less. Don't worry about it. Hufflepuff's not that bad."
"You can say that," Rab said bitterly. "You don't know my family. They'd probably kill me if I don't get in to Slytherin."
Andie opened her mouth as if to say something but a look from Gideon stopped her as if saying to drop it.
As the scenery changed from city landscapes to vast fields, Gideon took out a wizarding chess set and played with Andie while Rab watched. He was never a good chess player but with Gobstones, that a different story.
It was starting to get dark when a burly guy with a head boy badge opened their compartment. "First years? You better change into your school robes. The driver said we're nearly there. Leave your things here and then someone will call for you kids on the platform."
Fifteen minutes later, the train stopped in Hogsmeade station. This is finally it, Rab thought. He's going to Hogwarts.