"Why would Sirius Black be after you? If he was that loyal, wouldn't he try to find Voldemort first", Ron frowned.
"I dunno. Catulus, what do you think? Do you know anything about Black that we don't, cause no offence, but I wouldn't be surprised if your parents were Death Eaters", Harry asked.
"None taken, but they aren't actually death eaters. Father's from America, and mother shifted there once they got married. We came back after the war.
Anyway, the Blacks are a powerful pureblood family.
They've been known to be notoriously neutral. Some members of the family did get involved in the war, but they, as a whole were always neutral.
They were a big family too. All of us, even Hermione, are related to them in some way.
Both of Ron's grandmothers are Blacks.
Lucretia Prewett née Black, mother of Molly Weasley née Prewett and Cedrella Weasley nee Black, mother of Arthur Weasley.
Harry's grandmother was Dorea Potter née Black and I found out after a little research that Marius Black, a squib, married Helena Granger, Hermione's great-grandmother.
My uncle, Lucius Malfoy is married to Narcissa Black. They're Malfoy's parents", Crystalline finished, taking in a deep breath.
Ron and Harry stared at her, wide-eyed, and Hermione, who had been busy examining the dagger of Slytherin, looked up before,
"I'M RELATED TO A PUREBLOOD FAMILY", Hermione shrieked at the same time as Ron exclaimed,
"YOU'RE CLOSELY RELATED TO MALFOY" and Harry yelled,
"MR AND MRS WEASLEY ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER!"
"Shh shh, quiet down or you'll wake him up", Crystalline hissed, gesturing at the sleeping form of Professor Lupin, while Ron turned to Harry and said,
"Everyone with pureblood ancestry is distantly related, mate. You, me, Crystalline, and apparently even Hermione are cousins twice or thrice removed or something."
"Ok, so indirect incest. Not the weirdest thing I've heard about the wizarding world. How'd you know about Hermione's ancestry by the way", Harry asked.
"Oh, well, my mother's got a copy of a self-updating genealogy book. It shows squibs and disowned relative too since it doesn't get it's information from humans."
"That does sound quite fascinating. If I ever get my hand on such a book, I'll be sure to examine all the spells that must be cast on it.
Well, anyway, I need to go", Hermione said quickly.
"Go, where?", Ron asked.
"Tormenting the first-years with tall tales of the sorting. Wanna come?", Hermione enquired.
"Get some of them here, don't feel like getting up", Ron stretched.
"Wow, Slytherin has started taking its toll us", Harry laughed lightly as Hermione exited the compartment.
"Uh-huh", Crystalline added.
All of a sudden, the train started slowing down.
"Erm, have we already reached there", Harry furrowed his brows.
"I don't think so", Crystalline said, just as the train was engulfed in darkness.
It had grown cold so cold. Chills were running down their spines.
They heard the door of their compartment sliding open.
"OW, I'm sitting here", Harry yells, as someone tries to sit on him.
"Oh, sorry Harry", came a voice he recognised as Harmony Fawley's.
"WHO TUGGED AT MY ROBES", he heard Crystalline yell.
"Ooh, sorry Crystal", came Hermione's voice.
"Hey watch it", Fred, or was it George, cried.
"Sorry George", Ginny and Skylar Visten apologised.
"Oww-"
"Hey I'm here-"
"What in the word is going on-"
"SILENCE", yelled a hoarse, unfamiliar voice, and all at once, the compartment was brightly lit.
The hoarse voice, it turned out, belonged to the now awake Professor Lupin.
There were flames scooped up in his hands, which the Black-Lights absently recognised as a more advanced version of Hermione's bluebell flames.
Yet, even the warm flames weren't able to dispel the chill.
The door to their compartment slid open once again, but this time not to let in friends, but something much worse.
Rotten scabby hands gripped at the doorframe, and a horrid, cloaked creature glided in.
A sense of hopelessness took over, it was as though there would never be any joy in the world ever again.