In hindsight perhaps diving head first into a fireplace wasn't such a good idea. I tumbled out onto the platform and right into someone's leg causing her and the girl she was with to crash down on top of me.
"What the hell is the big idea?" the girl yelled. I stared at her for a moment, unable to distinguish who she was. I had never seen this blonde haired girl in my life, nor had I seen her green eyed friend. I looked around thinking the floo network had taken me elsewhere but the gleaming red and black Hogwarts express leered in front of me.
I got up, dusted myself off and offered her a hand. She slapped it away and stood up angrily, I titled my head and shrugged, "Sorry about that, I tripped into the floo network. I'm Mesira." My hand still outstretched in a warm, inviting way she stared at it like it was a deadly snake.
"Astryx." She said stuffing her hands in her pocket and looking away toward her friend, "This is Avalon." The green eyed girl nodded bored, her dirty blonde hair gently falling out of place on her head. They were definitely a sight; Astryx wasn't a stereotypical blonde, she wore dark clothing, Tripp pants with red inlay along with a red tank top and a black leather jacket with a phoenix rising from the ashes on the back. I saw briefly that she was wearing some sort of black leather boots (perhaps even with steel toe?) that had belts with spikes coming out the sides.
Her company was completely different: with green eyes and long dirty blonde hair she stood upright and proud aside from her friend who slumped and walked with a swagger, Avalon walked rather like something might have been shoved up there. Perhaps she walked more casually when others weren't around but there she stood, leaning on one leg as she texted some Muggle boy about a weirdo she just encountered. She wore tight ripped up jeans, with a lacy blue tank top and a light blue jean jacket. Her hair and make-up was beautifully done, perhaps professionally and when she finished texting the person on her phone she used the darkened screen to check her make-up once more.
"The pleasure is mine ladies." I said waving my unaccepted hand in a slight bow. I looked them over and though I wanted to talk to them and figure them out they weren't amused by my presence. I close my eyes sighing, "Perhaps I'll see you two around." I turned on my heel and slammed into another person. "Has the dammed platform shrunk?" I yelled losing my cool as I opened my eyes to see a sneering Serinaa before me.
"My apologies Ms. Riddle." She bowed slightly and stood up with her hand on her hip.
"Good to see you again Serinaa, and you know you only have to call me that in front of the lower years." I said smiling. She looked over my shoulder and then back at me.
"What do you call that thing then?" Serinaa said pointing to Astryx. They had yet to move and when Astryx heard Serinaa's comment she nearly leapt at her throat. I had turned and was holding my hand up to her while her friend was holding tightly to her jacket.
"Oh no you don't I'm not ruining this new shirt in a scuffle just 'cuase you want to be badass." She growled losing her bored expression and yanking Astryx backward onto her butt. She grabbed Astryx by the scruff of her jacket and started pulling her toward the train. "You'd best hope there's a compartment available or I'll really have your head Astryx." With a puff of smoke from the train they disappeared.
"Just as well anyways, the train'll be leaving soon." Serinaa said turning on her heel and leading me away from the floo network fireplaces. I waved good bye to my mom and dad and saw Scorpio down the hallway as we entered our compartment. He looked my way and I caught his eye, winking I slipped into the compartment and gently shut it. "it's a good thing I come to the train early every year, otherwise you'd have to bewitch some other students into giving you their compartments." Serinaa said sitting down by the window.
"Nissa." I said extending my arm toward the seat cushion. With a small hiss Nissa shot out of my sleeve and onto the cushion causing Serinaa to jump.
"God dammit! Couldn't you get a normal pet like a cat or toad?" she growled angrily. Nissa hissed at her and curled into a spiral by the window opposite her to soak up some sun.
"Come now Riaa, you have a mini dragon for a pet. At least Nissa isn't altered, magically or genetically. Nissa raised her head as I approached and slithered onto my lap so that I could sit in the warmth as well. I looked up at Serinaa, her dragon, Kringe, was perched on her shoulder hidden by her long silver lavender hair. She crossed her legs staring blankly out the window, a light jingle from her black and purple Tripp pants made Kringe look around for danger. She leaned on her elbow gently petting Kringe who was now hidden beneath her black leather jacket. She brushed something off her purple shirt.
"You know they'll be knocking soon." She said hearing footsteps of the younger years outside. I sighed and looked at the door gently petting Nissa expecting the knock that came mere seconds after Serinaa mentioned it. With a quick glance to me Serinaa stood up and flick her wand sideways. The door in turn snapped open revealing a group of 4 first or thirds years staring horrified into the compartment. At first their terrified glances were directed at Serinaa, the closet to them and standing, prompted by Nissa's content hissing their gaze drifted to me. A young slytherin girl pushed her way foreward and was about to ask permission to enter when Serinna asked, "Do any of you have an appointment with Ms. Riddle?" the girl, once feisty and sure of herself, turned a dangerous shade of white as she looked at me.
They shook their heads, unable to speak, and I stood, gently placing Nissa aside and asked, "Then what business have you?" I asked . They stuttered trying to formulate an answer but couldn't. I stared expectantly at the girl who had rushed forward. She said nothing. I frowned, "You," I pointed at her which made her turn even whiter, "What's your name?"
"B-Bellatrix." She stuttered. I raised an eyebrow indicating I wanted to know more. "Bellatrix Lestrange." I looked her over and nodded, she looked a good deal like her grandmother, but also of someone else. She shook silently, waiting for whatever I might do to her when people walked by the open compartment.
"Bella?" a girl's voice asked. I looked up as Bellatrix turned around, and there standing in the doorway was Astryx and her friend Avalon.
"Astryx!" They girl yelped leaping toward her, much to the humiliation of Astryx, Bellatrix clung to her as if her terror would flee her should she hold on. Astryx gently pushed her back and held Bellatrix away from her and looked into the compartment to see what was wrong. Her eyes settled on me.
"Twice in one day huh?" Astryx growled. I smirked.
"It's not our fault you've been chasing delinquents around the train and happened to bump into us again. We haven't left this compartment since we boarded the train." I said folding my arms over my chest. Bellatrix was mumbling something about being unable to find a compartment. "This one is obviously taken; you'll have to keep searching."
"It's alright Bella, you can have Avalon and my compartment." Astryx pushed Bella and her friends into the hallway and then bumped into me as she strode into the compartment. I glared at her and then saw Bella start back into the compartment. I raised my hand and lowered it causing the door to snap shut.
"Have it your way Astrid," I said with a smirk, she glared at me, " Those old mentalities are hard to escape anyways." She scooted toward the window seat I was just occupying. "By the way, have you met my friend Nissa?"
"Nissa? Can't say I have. She one of your imaginary friends?" Astryx laughed and I smirked.
"No not imaginary, but she is short. Kind of cold, brutal, venomous." I said waving away her appearance, "Doesn't much like it when her spot is in danger of being taken. Oh and you might get a kick out of this, she's got a beautiful set of fangs." I smiled.
"Sounds more like some lizard if you ask me, what's she going to do huh? Bite me?" Astryx laughed. My eyes shifted briefly to where Nissa had perched herself after I had gotten up, which happened to be just above Astryx's shoulder.
"She might, she'd have a hard time eating you though, she's still only a baby after all." I said. AStryx followed my gaze and watched in a frightened manner as Nissa slowly slithered down over her shoulder and chest to her neck where Nissa's tongue flicked Astryx's skin in a menacing way. "So that might mean we'd have to find a place to stow your body."
"Get this thing off of me!" Astryx said trying to remain calm. She didn't seem overly scared of Nissa but she was still a dangerous creature that was practically begging to bite into her neck.
"You and Avalon will answer some questions. Got it?" I said. Avalon nodded and Astryx looked at the snake, wondering if she should risk it. "If you don't answer soon, I'll never be able to stop her."
"Alright, alright!" Astryx said, her muscles tensing as the snake inspected her neck. I smiled.
"Wonderful. Ah sashe sah ah." I said, Nissa turned her head and seemed to almost pout at me when she slithered back up the cushion and toward me. "Also, get out of my seat." Nissa shot out from the seat and wrapped herself around my arm. Astryx reluctantly moved over allowing me to sit back down.
"So what do you want to know?" she growled.
"Your full names, if your please." I said as Nissa placed herself in my lap again.
"Avalon Delacour and Astryx Lestrange. " Astryx said.
"So you're related to Bellatrix Lestrange." I asked. She nodded. "If you're related to someone as mystically wicked as Bellatrix Lestrange then how did you end up in Ravenclaw?"
"I don't know, I never met my real parents, or at least I can't remember them, my sister and I were adopted." Astryx said. I was looking her over to make sure she was telling the truth when I noticed her eyes, one of her pupils was a bright sapphire blue while the other was coal black. She wore her bangs a little long and so I hadn't noticed it before. She fiddled with her black and red wrist bands as she waited for my next question. I looked at Avalon.
"Delacour, are you related to the Potter's and Weasley's by chance?"
"By marriage." She said. I nodded looking at the two.
"Both of you are 6th year Ravenclaws?" they nodded. "You two are very different from each other, how is it you two are such close, reliable friends?" they looked at each other and seemed to be having an unheard conversation. Finally, defeated, they turned to me and shook their heads.
"Interesting." I said. Another knock at the door startled them, the door opened to the stewardess with the candy trolley.
"Anything off the trolley dears?" she asked smiling warmly at us. I looked at Astryx and Avalon who seemed to be too afraid to ask for anything. I looked back at the woman and smiled.
"If you don't mind, I'll think we'll take a few of each if that's alright with you." I tossed Serinaa a pouch of money which she used to pay the woman. Astryx and Avalon looked at me funny as I leaned against the window. "Help yourselves ladies, as an apology for this mess and our earlier mishap." I yawned and Nissa snaked her way around my neck, her tail and head resting on my chest. I heard Astryx and Avalon get up and grab what they wanted.
"Thanks for everything." I yawned closing my eyes.