We were well out of London now, speeding on our way to school. I felt a rush of excitement. We were going to Hogwarts!
Remus was changing into his new robes. James and I did the same. Then somebody pushed open the compartment door. A tall thin girl came in, throwing back her glittering black hair. I recognised her immediately. My older cousin.
"Bellatrix."
"Little Sirius," Bellatrix sneered. "You haven't changed much since I last saw you… pity."
I clenched my fists and resisted the urge to punch her grinning face.
"So…" she cast a mocking glance over James and Remus. "Who are these?"
"Mind your own business," I snapped.
"So rude. I would have thought you would have learnt more manners than that. We'll soon sort that out in Slytherin,"
I glared at her.
"Anything else?"
She cast an amused eye over Lupin who was looking stunned.
"You're pure-blood?" she asked.
"Half-blood."
Her lip curled.
"What would your mother say?"
"I don't give a damn what that woman says," I growled angrily. "Get out of here. Go back to your friends."
She swept haughtily out of the door, turning back to add;
"See you in Slytherin."
I looked at James and Remus, expecting to see shock and revulsion in their faces. But instead they looked angry, and sorry for me.
"Who was that girl?" Remus asked
"My cousin. Bellatrix. I think she's in her sixth year."
"Who does she think she is?" James spat. "I'm sorry that she's your cousin… but seriously…"
"My whole family act like that. That's what they expect me to become. I can understand if you don't want to… you know… talk to me anymore…"
I turned away. I could feel tears stinging my eyes. I knew this would happen. My family and my so-called pureness… are driving away the only people who had actually treated me like a real person.
I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I turned to see James and Remus looking at me.
"Just because your family expect you to act like them, doesn't mean you have to." Remus told me gently.
"But I'll be put in Slytherin! My blood… my ancestry…"
"Your blood doesn't cancel out your personality."
"But you hardly know me… why are you telling me this?"
"Because it is the truth."
I looked at them in astonishment. James smiled.
"Look!" he exclaimed "We're there!"
I looked out of the window, and there it was. The turreted fortress that was my new home. As the train approached, I could see bright candle-light flickering in the windows.
"It's so beautiful," I sighed.
The train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and we got off.
"Firs' years!" came a voice. A huge bearded man strode up and down the platform. We hurried over, and he smiled down at us. "Any more firs' years?" he boomed.
"You must be Hagrid!" Remus breathed. The man looked at him out of small beetle black eyes.
"Yeah, Rubeus Hagrid. Gamekeeper."
"Cool," grinned James.
The first years followed Hagrid to a huge lake, on which several little boats were bobbing up and down. He gestured for us to get into them. I, James, and Remus were followed into our boat by a small round faced boy with small watery eyes and a pointed nose.
"Peter Pettigrew," he smiled nervously.
"I'm James, this is Sirius, and that's Remus,"
"Pleased to meet you."
The boats suddenly began to move by themselves, towards the castle. There was a collective gasp as we approached. It was so huge, and so majestic and incredible.
As we left the boats, Remus told us that this was the last time we would get to the school by boats.
"It's a first year tradition. I read about it in Hogwarts: a History."