Year One

Platform 9 ¾

Carnissa Lestrange stood next to her Guardian scowling as she watched the other students walk by, some pushing trolleys, some carrying animals in cages, others clinging to their parents and weeping openly.

"Sir, do I have to go to Hogwarts?" Nissa asked softly, tugging at her Guardian's hand.

"Yes Carnissa my dear, I'm afraid you do" Lucius replied, looking down at the girl and brushing his hand over her hair.

"But why?" Nissa persisted, "Surely there are other schools, schools more befitting for our kind"

"Indeed there are Little One" Lucius said with a smile, "However, they are farther away than Hogwarts and your Aunt would not hear of it. Just remember, you are better than they are, and you'll be fine. Keep your friends pure, and stay out of trouble and the next seven years will fly by"

"Seven years?" Nissa asked, looking around at the mismatched families, some she knew were Muggles. She blew out a breath, It was going to be a long seven years.

The Sorting

Nissa stood next to Draco, nervously clutching his hand. She had seen the others get sorted, and watched as the others, like her, waited for their turn. For some reason, the Sorting was being done differently this year. It was being done by first name instead of last. Which meant she would be going sooner rather than later. Nissa turned to say something to her cousin when suddenly she heard:

"Lestrange, Carnissa"

"Lestrange?"

"Did she say Lestrange?"

"As in Bellatrix Lestrange?"

Nissa held her head up high as she moved towards the stool in the center of the room, ignoring the comments she could hear murmured from the students gathered below. She had been expecting this. Sitting down on the stool, smirking slightly as the hat was dropped on her head. For a moment, there was nothing but silence, and then she heard the hat musing to itself, "Ahh yes... I can see them both in you...but there...there she is... there is more of her in you than you think... but interesting... interesting... there is more yet of him in you than her. So for you I think it had better be... "SLYTHERIN!"

Confusion flashed on her face at its internal musing, before she smiled, and headed off to take her place at the Slytherin table.

It didn't take long for her cousin to be called, and Nissa let out a sigh of relief, although she had never really been worried, as he too was sorted into Slytherin. Smirking, she looked over as he took a seat beside her, "There was really never a question that we'd end up here together was there?" she said softly. Draco smirked down at Nissa then wrapped his arm around her shoulders with a chuckle. "No question at all...although I did fear you'd be in Gryffindor." he teased softly. Nissa chuckled, leaning her head against his shoulder as she draped her arm around his waist. "Very funny" she teased, sticking her tongue out at him, "I'd have been disowned in a heartbeat and we both know it". Draco grinned. "We'd have still acknowledged you...maybe teased you a bit for being a lion but loved you either way. Well, all of us except for your Mother perhaps." Nissa snickered, "Well, that is nice to know" she said looking up at him with a smile, "I'd leave it up to you to tell her"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

Seamus headed up to the stool and sat down with a smile. He really had no doubt as to where he'd be placed.

"Ah, there is no other home for you! GRYFFINDOR!"

With a grin, he slipped from the stool and headed over to the loudly cheering Gryffindor table, his green eyes drifting over the Slytherin table as he passed, landing on a pretty brunette sitting next to a tall blonde boy.

Nissa had been listening to the rest of the sorting with half an ear, enjoying the playful banter between herself and Draco. Ever since she had been dropped on the Malfoy's doorstep, she and her cousin had been as close as siblings.

Nissa blinked as the boy that had just been sorted Gryffindor looked at her as he passed, and she smiled at him, turning her head slightly as he took his seat with the rest of the Gryffindors, watching him curiously.

First Meeting

A week after the term started, Nissa hung back after breakfast, torn between amusement and curiosity at the Gryffindor boy. She had caught him looking at her numerous time, and she wanted to know why. On the pretense of tying her shoe, she sent Draco away, waiting until the Hall was empty of Slytherins to approach the boy.

"You're Seamus Finnigan right?" she said, tilting her head as she looked at him.

"Aye lass" the boy replied, smiling brightly at her, "And you're Carnissa Lestrange"

Nissa felt the heat rise in her cheeks, as she nodded. He had the most adorable Irish accent she had ever heard.

"Why do you keep looking at me?" she blurted out, surprising them both.

"Is it a crime to look a pretty girl?"

Nissa's mouth popped open before she shook her head, "No, I suppose not" she said, as she swallowed hard, trying to calm her suddenly fluttering stomach. "Well I uh... I had better get to class" she said, before turning and rushing from the Great Hall.

It's 'Wingardium Levio-sah' not Leviosuh!"

Halloween is right around the corner which means one thing - the 1st years are learning how to float things.

...dangerous, huh?

Professor Flitwick has demanded they all return to his classroom after supper and practice for as let's face it, they were all pretty much failures in class with the charm.

Nissa eyed Seamus wearily from her spot a few feet away from him. She had already seen him set one feather on fire, and as she had been too close to him that time, had nearly had her robes set on fire in the process. Floating her pillow a few feet in front of her, not yet managing to get it any higher than that, she watched the Gryffindor boy.

Seamus glanced over when he felt someone staring at him and resisted the urge to blush. He knew Carnissa was probably a bit annoyed at his little fire trick in Charms. Not that he had meant to catch the feather on fire. How was he supposed to know that tapping it with his wand would cause it to go up in flames?

Nissa blushed when Seamus suddenly looked over and caught her watching him. She smiled a bit, just a quick grin as she sent her pillow flying over, purposely smacking him with it.

Seamus blinked in surprise when the pillow hit him. He laughed a bit. "I'd retaliate but I think you see how well I've mastered the charm..."

Nissa laughed, tilting her head as she moved a bit closer to him. "Its all in the way you flick your wrist" she said, "And... not touching the object with your wand" she added quickly remembering their disastrous class. She blushed a bit, "I could... help you... if you want..."

Seamus smiled a bit. "I'd like that...I seem to be pretty hopeless when it comes to floating anything."

Nissa shook her head as she moved to stand next to him, "No one is hopeless" she said with a smile, "It just takes practice" Pointing her wand at the pillow, Nissa murmured the incantation flicking her wrist slightly. "See? Light flick... like this" she said, moving closer to him and touching his wrist, moving it lightly.

Seamus watched her hand movement then nodded, raising his wand as he focused on the pillow. And almost losing focus when she came closer to him and touched his wrist.

Swallowing hard, he fought for control again and flicked his wrist as he murmured the incantation, watching as the pillow lifted a bit before crashing to the floor. "Well...that was better than before."

Nissa blushed as she realized she had touched him, and she quickly pulled her hand back, "I'm sorry" she said quietly, before a smile light her face "See! I told you that you could do it! Try again" she said encouragingly.

Seamus smiled a bit at her blush. "It's okay...sometimes that helps..." he replied then cleared his throat, looking sheepish. "...with the charm that is...showing me how it's done...Merlin, shutting up now."

Nissa laughed softly at his words, "At least I'm not the only one that gets flustered easily. Its ok" she said softly, "I don't bite..."

Seamus smiled a bit at her. "...you sure about that? I've heard you Slytherin lasses are quite fond of biting..."

Nissa snickered softly, "That may be true of most us Slytherins" she said with an impish grin at him, "But I promise, I only bite if asked"

Seamus chuckled. "I'll keep that bit of information in mind..." he murmured softly.

The Long Train Ride Home

Nissa leaned her head against the window of the train, watching as the scenery sped by. After all her worries about her first year of Hogwarts, it seemed as though the time had gone by more quickly that she had anticipated. There had been homework to do, and classes to attend of course, but then there had been her cousin to heckle at every opportunity, new friends to make, and of course, those quiet hours spent out by the lake with her new friend. Seamus Finnigan, the shy Gryffindor boy. Sure, she had to endure some teasing by her Housemates, but that didn't bother her. It wasn't like she was planning on dating the boy. Merlin no, she would stick to her own house for that thank you very much. But he was sweet. And nice. And his accent. Merlin that accent.

Nissa let out a small sigh before she caught herself and blushed, thankful none of the others had seemed to overheard her. The last thing she wanted was to endure more teasing.

Once the train arrived back on the Platform, Nissa grabbed her things and hurried off to meet her Guardians, pausing only to offer a smile and a wave of good-bye to her new friend.