The morning of September 1 finally arrived. Maleficent was ready to go at dawn. She was up, packed, and had eaten breakfast very early. She spent the morning pacing back and forth through the house, watching the clock. Eileen smiled, remembering the days when she was waiting to go back to school. Pierre sat in his chair reading the newspaper, just like the previous year. Each time he heard Maleficent's feet passing in the hallway outside the room he rolled his eyes. After about an hour of her relentless pacing, Pierre said angrily, "If you don't stop pacing you'll wear a hole in my floor! Stop it!" Maleficent resigned herself to pacing her bedroom, watching the clock. Finally, Eileen entered the room and announced, "It's time to go."
Maleficent could hardly wait to get to the train station. Fortunately, she didn't have too long to wait. They arrived at the train station shortly after leaving the house. Once again, Pierre chose not to go with them. This time Maleficent asked her mother not to into the station with her. Eileen agreed and dropped her off. Maleficent pulled her trunk and passed through the barrier easily. She saw lots of students wandering around, putting their trunks on the train, running into friends, and metting new ones. Maleficent closed her eyes and mentally called out, "Severus? Are you here?"
Severus was loading his trunk onto the train. He had seen Lucius and Narcissa but had not yet seen Maleficent. He had looked for her but couldn't find her. Then, he heard a familiar voice in his mind..."Severus? Are you here?" He smiled a bit. She was back. He replied, "Yes, I'm here. I'm putting my trunk away." Maleficent said, "I'll be there in a second." Maleficent grabbed her trunk and heaved it in the direction of the train. She managed to pull it over to the storage compartments when she heard her name. She stopped and turned around.
There stood Severus in his usual black. He looked the same. He was still pale, still had the same slightly greasy black hair, and still had the same coal black eyes. But, he looked different at the same time. His eyes no longer were cold and lifeless, but vibrant. He was happy to see her. Although the rest of him was the same, his heart had changed. He missed her and it showed. Anyone who looked into his eyes could see it. Her eyes met his and they stood that way, just staring at each other for a moment. Then, on impulse, Maleficent dropped her trunk and ran over to him, flinging her arms around his neck.
Severus watched her rush over to him and wrap her arms around his neck. He froze, uncertain of what to do. Then, he slowly raised his arms and wrapped them around her gently. He relaxed a bit, holding her. For a fleeting moment, he felt complete. But he wasn't really ready for that feeling yet. He quickly released her, muttering something about getting her trunk on the train. He moved away from her and loaded her trunk on the train for her.
Maleficent stood there, watching him load her trunk for her. Something incredible had just happened. She felt a warm feeling that she had never felt before. She looked into Severus's mind and saw that he felt the same thing. Yet, they were both a little afraid of this new thing they felt. He loaded the trunk, turned to her, and said, "Let's get our seats." Maleficent nodded and followed Severus onto the train.
They found an empty compartment and sat down. The train started moving. Just then, there was a knock on their compartment door. Maleficent opened it and saw a girl standing in the hallway. She smiled and asked, "Would it be all right if I sat here with you two?" Maleficent nodded and the girl sat down next to her. The girl had an unusual accent. Maleficent asked her where she was from. The girl replied, "New Orleans." However, the words sounded more like N'awlins. She seemed very nice. Maleficent introduced herself and Severus. Severus merely nodded to the girl, not saying anything. The girl said, "I'm Zandra DeLaCour. Nice to meet you both." The train ride was spent talking to Zandra about life in New Orleans. Her mother was sending her to Hogwarts so that she would learn more than just the "voodoo stuff back home." By the time the train arrived at Hogwarts, Maleficent knew that Zandra would be a good friend.
At the Sorting Ceremony, Zandra was sorted into Gryffindor as well. Although Maleficent had really hoped for her to be sorted into Slytherin, she knew Zandra would still be her friend. All of the Slytherins were really looking forward to beating Hufflepuff this year in the House Cup. Maleficent was really glad to be back where she was happy.
Maleficent could hardly wait to get to the train station. Fortunately, she didn't have too long to wait. They arrived at the train station shortly after leaving the house. Once again, Pierre chose not to go with them. This time Maleficent asked her mother not to into the station with her. Eileen agreed and dropped her off. Maleficent pulled her trunk and passed through the barrier easily. She saw lots of students wandering around, putting their trunks on the train, running into friends, and metting new ones. Maleficent closed her eyes and mentally called out, "Severus? Are you here?"
Severus was loading his trunk onto the train. He had seen Lucius and Narcissa but had not yet seen Maleficent. He had looked for her but couldn't find her. Then, he heard a familiar voice in his mind..."Severus? Are you here?" He smiled a bit. She was back. He replied, "Yes, I'm here. I'm putting my trunk away." Maleficent said, "I'll be there in a second." Maleficent grabbed her trunk and heaved it in the direction of the train. She managed to pull it over to the storage compartments when she heard her name. She stopped and turned around.
There stood Severus in his usual black. He looked the same. He was still pale, still had the same slightly greasy black hair, and still had the same coal black eyes. But, he looked different at the same time. His eyes no longer were cold and lifeless, but vibrant. He was happy to see her. Although the rest of him was the same, his heart had changed. He missed her and it showed. Anyone who looked into his eyes could see it. Her eyes met his and they stood that way, just staring at each other for a moment. Then, on impulse, Maleficent dropped her trunk and ran over to him, flinging her arms around his neck.
Severus watched her rush over to him and wrap her arms around his neck. He froze, uncertain of what to do. Then, he slowly raised his arms and wrapped them around her gently. He relaxed a bit, holding her. For a fleeting moment, he felt complete. But he wasn't really ready for that feeling yet. He quickly released her, muttering something about getting her trunk on the train. He moved away from her and loaded her trunk on the train for her.
Maleficent stood there, watching him load her trunk for her. Something incredible had just happened. She felt a warm feeling that she had never felt before. She looked into Severus's mind and saw that he felt the same thing. Yet, they were both a little afraid of this new thing they felt. He loaded the trunk, turned to her, and said, "Let's get our seats." Maleficent nodded and followed Severus onto the train.
They found an empty compartment and sat down. The train started moving. Just then, there was a knock on their compartment door. Maleficent opened it and saw a girl standing in the hallway. She smiled and asked, "Would it be all right if I sat here with you two?" Maleficent nodded and the girl sat down next to her. The girl had an unusual accent. Maleficent asked her where she was from. The girl replied, "New Orleans." However, the words sounded more like N'awlins. She seemed very nice. Maleficent introduced herself and Severus. Severus merely nodded to the girl, not saying anything. The girl said, "I'm Zandra DeLaCour. Nice to meet you both." The train ride was spent talking to Zandra about life in New Orleans. Her mother was sending her to Hogwarts so that she would learn more than just the "voodoo stuff back home." By the time the train arrived at Hogwarts, Maleficent knew that Zandra would be a good friend.
At the Sorting Ceremony, Zandra was sorted into Gryffindor as well. Although Maleficent had really hoped for her to be sorted into Slytherin, she knew Zandra would still be her friend. All of the Slytherins were really looking forward to beating Hufflepuff this year in the House Cup. Maleficent was really glad to be back where she was happy.