Chapter 2
The Past- 1973
It's been said that people's paths cross our own for the express purpose of changing us a little more, shaping us into that final design that we've been striving for all our lives. For better or worse, one person is all it takes. Young or old it doesn't matter, just one person and that one moment when everything changes. For me that one person happened to be a rich little Ravenclaw by the Dominique Melodie Rennoir. She was...beyond words. Above my station in life, she was beautiful, and everyone came to love her. An exact opposite from myself.
"Have you heard about the new transfer? I was told she attended Durmstrang."
"Really?"
"You idiot, she came her from Beauxbatons- you know, that school in France."
For weeks now the school had been ablaze with gossip, rumors, and constant speculation about the new student.
"I heard she was kicked out for using unforgiveables on the other students. She comes from a family of witches and wizards who practice dark magic."
"Don't be ridiculous, she's in Ravenclaw- not Slytherin."
And so it went on. They simply had nothing better to talk about.
"I heard that she's part Veela."
"From her mother's side, if she even has one.."
"Well actually, I do have a very small amount of Veela blood in me. But that's on my father's side of the family, it's what makes us so charismatic."
The whispering stopped. The group of students were quite embarrassed at being caught. Immediately, they all began to disperse towards their classes.
"You're quite the enigma around here, you know?" A new voice had entered in behind the girl, and she turned to see who.
"So I hear."
"I'm Sirius." He said.
"I'm sure you are." The girl replied flippantly, running a hand through her unruly mass of curls.
"No, that's my name. Sirius Black." He gestured to three boys behind him. "My mates and I are all in Gryffindor. That's James, Peter, and Remus."
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Dominique. Rennoir, that is. But please, just call me Mina."
"So, what's the story Mina?" James asked. "What brings you here? I mean, as fascinating as that theory is about you being expelled from Beauxbatons for murdering five students...I think I'm right in saying that's just gossip?"
Mina gave a little laugh startling the four. She sat down on one of the benches of the Great Hall and shrugged nonchalantly.
"Is that why everyone is scared of me? What can I say? I make a lasting first impression. I transferred to Hogwarts because my father's job required moving somewhere close to the ministry. He's the ambassador for the French Ministry of Magic, I'm sure you've heard of him." Mina paused for a moment, then after carefully examining their expressions she continued on, hiding a smile. "As for myself, I enjoy long moonlit walks on the beach, cozying up to that special someone next to a warm fire, and incidentally, I've never murdered anyone. And the thing about being part Veela was just to shut them up."
The four were silent for a moment, before Remus started laughing.
"Anything else you need to know?" Mina asked, already mentally berating herself for starting a new rumor about herself.
"I think that about covers it." Peter said, almost shyly.
"Good, I wouldn't want to bore you by prattling on about myself."
"I can't believe you're in Ravenclaw, you act more like a Gryffindor." Remus told her, shaking his head.
"Who cares? I rather like her." James stated as Sirius offered Mina his arm to walk her to class.
