When Dru wakes up on September 1st it is at the hands of her house elf, Purly. The creature stumbles back nervously as soon as her mistress' eyes flutter open, but Dru merely ignores her as she throws her quilt back.

Light filters through the floor length dark curtains, as Dru has yet – in all the five years she's been living in this bedroom – to summon enough effort at the end of the day to close them properly. Lit up from behind, the curtains look the colour of fresh blood, although in reality they are a much earthier colour. The half-inch gap between them provides just enough light for her to see around her room for what feels like the last time ever as she wakes up properly. The carpet is thick wool the colour of rich red wine and as Dru swings herself off the bed her toes curl into it appreciatively. The claret red floor is broken by a large rug the colour of cream that sits in the middle of her room. It is sheepskin, or so Purly told her once when she asked. The walls are spelled into two colours, because when she was getting the room decorated she couldn't decide on which colour would look best. The upper two thirds of the wall are cream, and the lower third is an ombre transition to the same claret as her carpet. The skirting boards are pitch black. She stands and looks around in her night dress, frowning at the fact that she feels like she'll never come back to this room. To her left, Purly is making her bed, pulling the red and brown quilt back over a black bottom sheet and plumping the matching pillows. Once she's finished, she puts the two creamy coloured pillows back in place on top of the quilt that Dru throws on the floor every night. Dru knows that the moment she's left the room, Purly will strip the bedding and replace the sheets with fresh ones, as she does every morning.

Directly across the room from her bed, she has a large desk with a comfortable armchair placed in front of it. The armchair did not match the room's décor, so her Uncle Lucius had it spelled to match. It is cream, just like her rug and the walls, and she usually keeps a red blanket thrown over it to stop any dirt from accumulating, but she packed the blanket- Transfigured by Aunt 'Cissa to a more neutral grey colour, to fit into whichever House's décor she ends up in- in her trunk going to Hogwarts. The armchair looks bare and alien to Dru now. The small mirror on the desk is reflecting one of the beams of light from the window at her feet. The only new additions to the desk are the cage for her owl, the little box that her Aunt has set up as a temporary home for Lilith because her vivarium is packed away, and her wand, which she looks at with a small sense of glee. The trunk to go to Hogwarts is on the right hand side of the desk, close to the door to her room, which currently stands slightly ajar. The last time Purly Apparated into her room to wake her, Dru nearly beat her to death with a slipper, so Purly instead Apparates just outside the doorway and slips in through the door as quietly as possible.

The wardrobe and the window are both on the opposing side of the room to the doorway. The enormous window sits straight in the middle of the room. Dru likes the view she has over the gardens of the Manor, and has in the past spent entire days simply watching the garden, pretending she was an Empress holding court; she would watch her 'empire' and talk to the imaginary subjects that populated the grounds of the Manor. Often, Draco had joined her as her chief advisor. When they had finished 'holding court' Draco and Dru would go on 'adventures through the Empire' in 'disguises' that usually consisted of large hats and long coats. Together they would run around the gardens of the Manor, hiding from the gardeners and other 'subjects' of the Empire who might recognise them, fighting imaginary enemies with wands made from twigs and swords made of bigger sticks. Once they tired, they would sit and together they would talk about history and what they wanted to do in the future, as if they were really royalty or imperial lord and lady. Dru grins at the happy memories. The wardrobe sits just to the side of the window, near the desk. Both are made well, sturdy and minimal but elegant in the same breath, and varnished to look darker and glossy. Overall, Dru thinks as she heads over to the desk to get ready for the day, her room gives off a comfortable feeling, and she likes that very much.

She hopes that whichever house she ends up in will have a common room and a bed that is as comfortable as her bedroom here in Malfoy Manor. She isn't sure she'll be a Slytherin yet. Pavo disowning the family name means that Draco's family honour basically resides on him being a Slytherin, but Dru isn't sure if the Malfoys are as keen for her to be a Slytherin as they are their only remaining son. What happens, she wonders uneasily, if she ends up in Ravenclaw- or worse, Gryffindor? She knows she's not a Hufflepuff. They're too nicey-nice for her- all unwavering loyalty and friendliness. Her already powerful penchant for wandless hexes proves she's not cut out to be in a house like that. For a moment, she allows herself to dwell on what would happen if she turns out not to be a Slytherin and the Malfoys kicked her out. She has no idea where Pavo lives now, and she doesn't even know if she'd be able to get in touch to ask him to help her. She would be even more alone than she is now, in a house with people who she doesn't really feel she fits in with any more. She gulps and wishes that not knowing didn't bother her so much. They're not her parents, anyway. Why should she care? Purly opens the curtains and her brief moment of reflection dissipates. She sits in front of the mirror at her desk, and sets to getting ready for the day.

Once she has attempted to tame her black curly mane she pulls on her new Hogwarts robes and the muggle coat that Aunt 'Cissa picked out for her. They cannot turn up to the station without attempting to conceal their robes, as too many wizards in one place will tip the muggles off – just seeing trollies full of strangely titled books and owls in cages confuses them enough. Despite her dislike for most muggle clothes, Dru cannot help but appreciate the long, slender black coat that buttons up and ties around her waist. She puts her black Hogwarts scarf on too, making sure to tuck the badge inside her coat. Then she orders Purly to take her trunk downstairs. The house elf obeys instantly, dragging the trunk slowly out of the room before Apparating to get help. Dru watches her leave and then looks over at Nib's cage and smiles fondly at the bird. He's very loyal to her already and she can't help but love him. She sits to the desk, where on a plate sits a slice of hot buttered toast and a cup of apple juice. She eats the toast quickly, feeding the crusts to a grateful Nib. When she opens the tiny box that Lilith is contained in, she hisses sadly.

"Feeding the other one, the one who looks at Lilith like Lilith will be food. Why do you not feed Lilith? Lilith is sad."

Dru laughs. "Lilith I fed you a few days ago, you can't be hungry quite yet. Are you ready for today?"

Dru lets Lilith slide around her wrist. She's grown lots in the past two months, and is now big enough to hold herself there for an entire day if need be, although it does tire her. Dru had explained that she was not allowed a snake, and Lilith had agreed to be smuggled into the school on her wrist not long after. She pulls her robe sleeve down over Lilith's head.

"Are you secure there, Lilith?" Dru asks her quickly.

"Yes, Lilith is secure. Lilith will stay here all day, as agreed."

"Thank you, Lilith. Try to stay quiet if you can- I don't want anyone to know you're there."

"Lilith will obey. Lilith hopes your day is enjoyable," comes Lilith's curt dismissal.

Dru grins at her snake. She's blunt, and Dru likes it. She looks around at her room one last time, slides her wand into her boot to conceal it and grabs Nib's cage. He nips at her fingers fondly, hooting quietly.

"Shh, Nib. You'll be out of your cage when we get to Hogwarts, okay?"

She looks behind her one last time as she leaves her bedroom and lets the door swing shut behind her. The journey down to the hallway seems to last forever. Nib nibbles at her fingers as she walks, true to his name, but he doesn't actually hurt her. She's the first one down to the hall, so she sits on her trunk and puts Nib's cage in front of her, staring down the hallway towards the ballroom and dining rooms.

"Aren't you bringing that snake?" Draco asks nonchalantly as he leaps his way down the last three steps, his face breaking into a grin and betraying his pride as he lands safely. Feather rustles her feathers in protest at the jolt, but stays quiet. Dobby and Purly hobble down the last few steps carrying Draco's black trunk and then Dobby collects Casiphia's crate and takes it to Draco. Draco gestures for him to hold it, so he steps in line with Draco. Casiphia mewls quietly.

"Cas, shh," Draco tells her. "You can't come out yet, we're not at Hogwarts." He looks over at Dru expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"She's on my wrist," Dru murmurs.

"How did you get her to do that?"

"What? Stay there? I just told her to."

"And she understood?" he asks, shocked.

'Well, yes… I thought everyone could talk to snakes? I can talk to her, at least..."

"Mistress Gaunt," Purly squeaks, earning twin glares from the children. She flinches under their cruel gazes. 'Terribly sorry for speaking without being asked, Mistress Gaunt and Master Draco. But Purly wanted to tell Mistress that she is a parselmouth."

"Parselmouth," Dru says the word slowly, as though tasting it. "What's that mean?"

"Parseltongue is the language of the snake, Mistress. Purly knows it well, Mistress, as when He—" Purly never gets to finish that sentence, for she is interrupted by a well-aimed boot in the back from Lucius. She falls to the floor unceremoniously and looks to her Master with eyes filled with fear. Lucius' eyes narrow as he takes in the house-elf.

"Punish yourself accordingly, Purly," is all he says to her.

'Yes, Master Malfoy. My apologies, Master Malfoy.' Purly scrambles to her feet and curtseys deeply, then Apparates elsewhere to punish herself. Dru doesn't quite understand what she's done wrong to be punished, but she knows better than to ask. Especially as the punishment was related loosely to something about her.

Lucius turns his gaze to Dru. "You will get rid of that snake, understood?"

"But Uncle Lucius, you let me buy her—" Dru begins grumpily.

"It was a mistake. You can get another pet at Christmas. No snakes."

Dru gulps. She loves Lilith far too much already to let her go, and knows that Lilith would never forgive her if she did. She thinks fast. It's not obvious she has her snake with her, clearly, or Draco would never have asked where she was, so-

"I left her upstairs anyway," she mutters sulkily, putting it on just a little to make it believable. "I'll go find a house elf to release her."

Lucius looks at her sharply, determining whether or not she's telling the truth. Her lie rings true enough that Lucius nods curtly after a moment, though behind his back Draco is watching her with one white-blond eyebrow raised accusingly. She turns her eyes to him and gives him a look that screams if you tell him the truth I'll hex you in to next week before wandering off in the general direction of the kitchens. Instead of finding a house elf, she takes one last trip to the library to take up some time. She knows she will miss the comfortable reading chairs in the room as she walks through, trailing her fingers over the books and smiling at familiar titles she has read often throughout her childhood.

She also knows that as much as she will miss the library at home, the books in the Hogwarts' library will more than make up for any homesickness she might feel, especially considering how awkward living with the Malfoys has been since Pavo disowned the family. When she returns to the hallway, her Uncle Lucius and Draco are already in the car along with all their luggage. Aunt 'Cissa stands in the doorway, beckoning for her to hurry up. She follows her Aunt and climbs in besides Draco in the back. She glares at the raised partition between the back seats and the front, both annoyed she cannot listen into her adopted parents' discussion and relieved that her Uncle Lucius is much less likely to see Lilith if he is sitting in front of her. Still, she tugs the sleeve covering Lilith a little further down over her hand, just in case. As the driver begins to pull away from Malfoy Manor, Draco watches their childhood home silently. Dru knows that he's scared of voicing his feelings, but she's more than aware of the nerves and excitement he feels.

Dru barely spares a glance back at the Manor. She has felt increasingly unwelcome there of late- Lucius has been colder with her than normal, and even Draco, usually so open with her, seems to have pushed her away, though Dru isn't sure if that's because his father has been lecturing him at length on the responsibilities being head of the Malfoy household will entail or if she's done something wrong. Either way, Malfoy Manor has stopped feeling like home to her. She looks out of the window instead, half wondering whether she'll ever find somewhere she fits in, hardly daring to hope she'll find it at Hogwarts. Slowly, her thoughts shift from the prospect of finding a home at Hogwarts to her newfound knowledge on parselmouths. Why, she wonders, is Uncle Lucius so angry that she can speak to snakes? Is being a parselmouth a bad thing? She stares out of the window for what feels like forever before turning to her brother.

"Have you ever heard of Parselmouths?" she asks him quietly. The partition might be up, but she doesn't want to risk her Uncle hearing her.

"No, but Father acted very weirdly when Purly told you you are one. I wonder why."

Dru shrugs. "Don't have a clue. Maybe we'll learn about them at Hogwarts, or something."

"Or perhaps you could ask one of the Professors. I'm sure the head of your house will know about them."

"Merlin, Draco, have you been reading?" she teases. She remembers reading about heads of houses in Hogwarts: A History and grins at her brother. He just pouts at her.

"I was curious. I want to know what to expect and seeing as Father won't talk about it with me, I thought I'd better learn for myself. We don't want to be walking in as clueless as a couple of mudbloods, do we?"

"I guess not," she murmurs.

The drive from Wiltshire to London lasts for around two hours- she's done it before, to wave goodbye to Pavo. To pass the time, Draco flicks through a spare copy of Hogwarts: A History and telling her interesting facts as he comes across them. Dru mumbles responses under her breath, stroking Lilith from under her sleeve and wishing she dared speak to her little pet. She wants to know why Purly telling her about being a parselmouth was worthy of punishment. It is no secret that her adoptive parents were Death Eaters, so what could possibly be worse than that? Why hide something as minute as parseltongue from her, yet openly admit to that they were willing servants to the Dark Lord's cause? It makes no sense to Dru. Lilith pokes her head out of her sleeve, looking at Dru curiously. She makes no noise, but Dru can tell she's aware of her confusion.

"Put that thing away. Father might see."

"Does she scare you?" Dru sniggers.

"No," he huffs, but she can tell from his stiffened posture and the way that he's glancing towards the front that he is, though she can't tell if he's afraid of the snake, or of what Lucius will do if he finds out she lied to him again. She is tempted to ask him to prove it, but then Draco looks again at the front of the car and she realises that her Uncle will end her if she's caught with Lilith, so she lets Lilith go back to sleep coiled tightly around her wrist without another word to her brother.

Eventually, Dru falls asleep in the car. She wakes suddenly to Draco shaking her arm, exclaiming excitedly that they have arrived. She notices him glancing in to the front of the car as he does so. Lucius is still grumpy about losing his eldest son, and anything Draco does that might reflect badly even for a single second on the Malfoy name will draw an 'appropriate punishment' from his father. She knows that he is cautious of looking 'too excited' to be going to Hogwarts. Dru is also inclined to keep her excitement hidden, but only because she'd rather watch than dance about and be a nuisance. Their chauffeur collects a couple of trolleys for the children and then helps them load their trunks and pets on to each. Once they have finished he straps them down and then they both take the handles of their respective trolley. Dru makes the effort to thank him, but Draco is far too busy admiring the muggles entering and exiting the station. He has never been one for manners in any case.

'Quickly,' Narcissa snaps, ushering them inside. They follow Lucius through the crowd, who seem to separate as they gaze at the two owls, cat and odd clothing the wizarding family are wearing. Ignoring the stares, they continue up to the pillar between platforms 9 and 10. When Dru notices that Nib's cage isn't quite strapped on safely she stops to adjust it, earning her a steely glare from her aunt.

'Dru, what are you doing? Hurry!'

'He was going to fall!'

'Never mind, never mind,' she huffs before turning to her son, 'Draco, sweetie, go on through; with your father, now."

As Draco and Lucius run at the barrier, Dru thinks about how long she has been waiting for this day. Finally she is getting away from her Aunt's pestering and her Uncle's bitterness and lectures on family honour and tradition, not to mention the importance of blood purity. She believes his words are the truth, really – she just gets sick of hearing about it, and it makes her uncomfortable that she doesn't know her parents to prove her blood purity. He's like one of those wizened old buffoons who sit in the Leaky Cauldron, groaning on constantly about what it was like back in their days, and she hates it.

Dru looks at her Aunt. She's glancing around nervously- she's always been cautious around muggles. Her shoulders are all tensed up, and she looks like she wants to flee whenever one of them walks just a little bit too close. Muggles are almost alien to the pureblooded family, but then again, it seems they are just as alien to them. They are staring at Dru's owl and the robes peeking out from under her coat with a strange sort of fascination, whereas Dru is gazing at their strange trousers and blazers in distaste. She has seen many wizards in muggle clothing, but it has never been quite so… bland; so boring. This whole building screams muggle. The posters advertise their muggle transport and gadgets that are completely lost on her. Why don't they move? She wonders. They have invented so many devices in their ignorance of magic; she'd almost feel sorry for them if they weren't muggles.

"Dru, come on!"

She takes off running with her Aunt 'Cissa by her side. For a second a strange sense of displacement churns her stomach, and then they are on the platform. The platform. The one she's spent years gazing at photographs of, photographs of her adopted parents from their Hogwarts experiences. Platform 9 ¾. In person it is even more wonderful than in photographs. The train itself is a bright, polished red and she beams at it, glad to see the splash of her favourite colour. A timetable overhead simply reads Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. Dru can't hide it; she finds herself grinning broadly, pleased to finally be there. She turns back to admire the excited crowd of students and their parents. Plumes of smoke from the chimney of the train fly overhead, and a cat meows shrilly at its owner from beside her. She looks down at Nib. He seems to be curiously taking in the sudden crowd, but as ever, seems decidedly unruffled by the sudden shift in location.

"Alright, you two," Aunt 'Cissa says, claiming their attention once more. Draco looks just as awestruck as Dru feels, though neither one of them would ever admit to it.

"You must get on the train now, alright? Find a good seat whilst you can. Come along, I'll get one of the stewards to help you with your trunks."

"… Give us a look, Lee. Go on!"

They pass a small gathering of boys, who are all gazing at a boy with dreadlocks excitedly. He lifts the lid of the box he is holding slowly and the creature inside reveals a long, hairy leg. The crowd of people shriek in horrified glee. Dru wants to see if the creature is a spider or something slightly more interesting, but Aunt 'Cissa shepherds them by without a second glance at them. Dru can't find it in herself to be sad about the missed opportunity, however- she's boarding the train she has spent her entire life dreaming about.

Eventually they find a compartment. Once they've got help with their hand luggage, checking they have money and essentials ready and everything is stashed away, Narcissa pulls the children in for the tightest hugs Dru thinks she has ever given them. As her Aunt speaks softly to Draco, Dru slides into the empty compartment. She wonders what it would be like to have her own Mother and Father bid her farewell instead of her Uncle and Aunt. But Dru knows very little about her parents except two startling facts: they were Death Eaters, and her mother, Aunt 'Cissa's sister Bellatrix, is spending the rest of her life in Azkaban. As far as she's aware, her mother is also completely insane, and couldn't look after her even if she was out of prison. She's never been told for sure who her father is, but she presumes Bellatrix's husband is the man responsible for her existence, though her Aunt and Uncle have never really verified her assumptions one way or another.

Slowly, the compartment fills with other people. First to enter are Crabbe and Goyle. Almost clones of one another and certainly never apart, both boys have been friends of Dru and Draco their whole lives. Shortly after they arrive, a tall, thin boy enters and sits in the corner quietly, smiling at them all. Dru recognises his face from a photo in the Prophet a few months ago, and realises after a moment she is looking at Theodore Nott. A girl Dru doesn't recognise at all follows him in and sits primly on the chair in front of Dru. Draco spends a while catching up with Crabbe and Goyle, but Dru soon finds herself becoming bored of their talk of Quidditch. She turns to the unknown girl, who is staring out at the passing London buildings.

"I'm Druella Gaunt," she says by way of introduction. "Who're you?"

The girl, with a short, sleek bob and a slick of pink lip gloss, looks up from the window politely. "Pansy Parkinson."

"I've heard of your family, you're in the sacred twenty-eight, aren't you?"

"Yep. You're a Gaunt?" She gives Dru a somewhat doubtful look, "I thought the Gaunts were all mental."

Dru almost corrects Pansy by explaining that she is, in fact, a Lestrange. But she stops herself. The Gaunt family name is, at least, still slightly more respectable than the Lestranges- if only because it is something of a mystery nowadays. "I don't actually know my parents, so I'm not sure. I live with Draco and his parents – my adoptive parents."

"Draco Malfoy. Pleasure," Draco says, taking Dru's mention as an opportunity to introduce himself. His Quidditch conversation seems to ground to a halt as the introductions begin.

"Theodore Nott- but please, you can call me Theo," Nott says, nodding at the group. "So, we chose a clean carriage. What a pleasure. What house do you all reckon you'll be in?"

"Slytherin," Draco says immediately.

"Same here," Crabbe adds.

"Me too," says Goyle.

"Probably Slytherin," Pansy nods. "My family have all been Snakes at Hogwarts."

Everyone turns to Dru, who shuffles her feet slightly. She's not a nervous person but doesn't exactly enjoy the attention, especially as she's not sure whether she can trust the two new acquaintances she's made. "Slytherin, most likely, but... I wouldn't mind Ravenclaw that much."

"I had a cousin in Ravenclaw. Weird as hell," Theo grimaces. Draco nods sympathetically. "I'm pretty sure it will be Slytherin for the lot of us."

The talk returns to Quidditch after that, and even the admittedly-reluctant Pansy joins in the conversation, explaining that she enjoys flying, just... not so much as a sport.

Once they're out of London and passing green fields in a blur, a plump, dimpled old lady taps on their carriage door, pushing a trolley and smiling at the new first-years warmly.

"Anything from the trolley?" She asks. Everyone helps themselves to an array of treats- everyone except Dru, who despite her usually gargantuan appetite is too distracted by the journey to eat. She just buys a pumpkin pasty and juice. She slides some into her sleeve to give it to Lilith, but she feels her snake turn her nose up at the food. She can almost hear her little hiss complaining that it is not meat in the back of her word, but true to her word, her snake says nothing.

"I got Agrippa!" Goyle grins happily, holding his Chocolate Frog card up proudly. "I've been wanting this one for ages!"

"Babayaga," Draco grimaces. Dru knows from his whining in the past he has at least seven of her. Of course, he tries to barter with the ever-incompetent Goyle for his newly-acquired Agrippa, and soon it becomes a free-for-all, with everyone bartering and bidding over one another to try and get cards they are looking for. Dru, not having any Chocolate Frog cards of her own, simply sits and watches the chaos.

"I'm going to go for a walk," Dru says after a while, but no one is really paying too much attention. Draco waves at her as she leaves them, but then returns to arguing animatedly about the potential value of his Babayaga card in comparison to Agrippa. She slips out of the carriage and gazes up the aisle, spotting a couple of older-looking Ravenclaw girls giggling excitedly.

"-but can you believe he's actually real?' one asks.

"I know! Harry Potter, starting at Hogwarts! I can't even... Sandy said she'd even spotted that scar whilst he was getting on the train!"

"Oh, Sandy's a fibber – but I know Anne saw him heading towards his compartment. I wonder what house he'll be in!"

"Do you know where he is now?"

"Apparently he's sat with one of the Weasleys – they've another brother just going in to first year now."

Dru is mildly intrigued. She's not really one for gossip, but... this is Harry Potter, after all. The whole Wizarding World is interested in Harry Potter, for Merlin's sake, and... well, if he's a first-year like her, she might be able to make friends with him. Friends with Harry Potter, she thinks. Wouldn't Draco be jealous? Smirking to herself, she begins peering in to every compartment she passes, wondering if she'll catch a glimpse of the boy famous for defeating the Dark Lord; the one who helped put her parents in Azkaban when she was just two years old. She feels no resentment towards him for it- he was only a baby himself, she reasons. She has heard so many tales about him – about the shape of his scar, that the reason he defeated Voldemort is because he's going to be much darker a wizard than he ever was.

She eventually stumbles across a carriage with just two young boys inside. One boy has the trademark Weasley red sprouting from his scalp and the other has a mop of black almost as uncontrollable as her own. It parts slightly on his forehead, revealing the lightning shaped scar. He's a spectacled, slightly owlish looking boy wearing clothing that looks distinctly muggle. Everything he wears is too big for him, and looks slightly ragged. Dru wonders if the family he lives with are poor. She remembers to knock on the door slightly before opening it; she wants to at least attempt to be polite, and she's sure he's had students barging in and watching him the whole time he's been on the train. She doesn't want to be amongst that number. As she opens the door they turn to her expectantly, Potter still chewing on some liquorice wands. Weasley's eyes are a pale cornflower blue, and Harry's are impossibly green. His eyes would most certainly be his most defining feature, if it were possible to overlook the fame of the lightning shaped scar on his forehead.

"You're Harry Potter," she says bluntly.

"Uh... yes."

"It's not a stick on or anything, then. The scar… it's real?"

"I'd say so. I have lived with it my whole life after all."

She nods and takes a seat beside him. He stiffens slightly in response and she remembers that she hasn't introduced herself. Cursing internally, she wishes for a moment she had the charisma of her brother. She might have better luck with the awkward boy in front of her if she did.

"Druella Gaunt, but call me Dru. I hate Druella," she tells him, staring unabashed at the scar on his forehead.

"Harry, but you already know- and that's Ron Weasley."

"Pleasure," she says, finally turning to Ron and offering him a tight smile for politeness' sake.

"You look familiar... wait, I saw you in the robe place!" Harry exclaims after a moment. "You were sat reading one of our school books."

"Flattered you remembered," she says wryly. "Though I'd wager it's only because of my hair." Harry grins at her, and even Ron sniggers in the corner. Encouraged, she presses on. "I'm sorry, I can't say I remember you… no, wait, you might have been talking to my brother. I was reading when he had his robes fitted."

"You didn't look alike," Harry says to her.

"I'm adopted."

"Oh, sorry," Harry flushes. "So am I."

"Yeah, I knew that. I think everyone does."

"Oh... uh... yeah," Harry falters. "I keep forgetting everyone knows about me here. So, uh... are your parents- I mean, are they-?"

"Dead? No, they're in Azkaban."

Ron's face pales at the same time that Harry furrows his brow, confused.

"Azkaban?"

"Azkaban is wizard prison," Ron says for Harry's benefit.

"When you got that scar and the Wizarding War ended, a lot of Death Eaters were put in Azkaban. My parents were taken there too... so the Malfoys adopted me." Dru pushes her hair back from her face with one hand and looks at him earnestly. She hopes she is making a good impression.

"Death Eaters?" he asks, looking even more confused.

"That's what everyone calls the Dark Lord's followers."

"You really know how to bright up the mood," Ron says to her. "I don't reckon Harry wants to talk about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or about his scar. We've seen Merlin knows how many people parading up and down the train looking for him already."

"I don't mind," Harry tells him. "At least she's talking to me about it. It's better than people just whispering about me like everyone else is doing."

"Hey, I am still here," Dru reminds them good-naturedly. "Look, see, I can even do this-" she grins cheekily at Ron, reaches over, and steals one of his liquorice wands.

"Oi!" yells Ron. "That was mine!"

"S'okay Ron, you can have one of mine," Harry says, giving him a replacement and grinning at Dru. She smiles back. She likes Harry already, and- surprisingly enough- she doesn't really mind Ron, although she knows her Uncle would be angry she's 'fraternising with blood traitors'. He was with Pavo before he disowned the family.

Still, she thinks, sitting back again, Uncle Lucius isn't here. And Ron Weasley is certainly not the most annoying wizard she's ever met- he can actually converse, unlike Crabbe and Goyle, for example. Ron eventually relents and smiles at her a little bit and she knows she's forgiven. Situation resolved, she turns back to Harry.

"So, Harry. You grew up with muggles?"

"Yes. My Uncle, Aunt and cousin in Little Whinging, Surrey."

"How is it? Like it much?"

"Not really, but I don't suppose I can do much about it," he says glumly, looking down. Dru brushes her hair away from her face again. She understands how he feels, but she doesn't know if she can trust the two new friends she's made enough to tell them that.

"I'm sorry. Must be horrible, going from a top-notch wizarding family to that. I'm just grateful my adoptive parents are purebloods, too." She doesn't know why she says

"Blood purity doesn't matter," Ron says in a voice so sour that Dru is half tempted to hex the cheeky git. She reminds herself he's not too bad, and instead decides to return to her brother and tell him about Harry before she has a chance to ruin things with Harry Potter and his new friend.

"It's just what my Aunt and Uncle think... I think I'd better go. I'll see you around, Potter... Weasley."

"Bye, Dru," says Harry.

"Gaunt," comes the curt dismissal from Ron, though his eyes are friendlier than his tone suggests. She nods at him and smiles at Harry.

The door swings shut behind her, and she wanders slowly back to the carriage with her brother in. When she arrives, everyone seems to have lapsed once more into silence, so the news she brings is a welcome topic of discussion.

"Harry Potter's on the train."

"Is he really?" asks Theo Nott, looking up from his hands. Even the disinterested Pansy turns to look at her as she settles back onto the seat.

"I was just sat in his carriage talking with him. It's really him. I saw the scar and everything."

The discussion starts back up again; this time, they're contemplating the fame of Harry Potter, and which house he'll be in, and who he'll be friends with. When Dru mentions he was sitting with Ron Weasley they all turn their noses up as though something's gone sour. She makes sure not to tell them that Ron isn't actually as terrible as she's heard the rest of the brothers are, though. No point spoiling what little good reputation she has so far with the two new pureblooded children- she needs to maintain friendships her Uncle Lucius will approve of, after all.

"I think I'll have to take Potter under my wing," Draco is drawling cockily. "Poor boy. Raised by muggles, he's no idea how the world works. We'll have to show him how things are done, eh?"

There is a chorus of titters from Crabbe and Goyle. Theo just grins. Pansy's smile is one of genuine amusement, but Dru's smile is purely polite; she knows Harry well enough already to know that he won't stand for any of Draco's nonsensical theatrics in the name of reputation.

Nightfall is creeping up on them, Dru realises as she looks out of the window. The vast expanse of sky is slowly fading to a velvet black. As the air cools around the fast-moving train, a slight frost creeps beautiful crystalline pattern around the edges of the glass windows. Dru crams the muggle coat into her trunk and then slips her wand in to the pocket inside her robes, preparing for when they arrive. After what seems a lifetime the train seems to slow a little, and a voice echoes through the train via some kind of loudspeaker.

"The Hogwarts Express will arrive in Hogsmeade in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train to be taken to the school separately. Ensure any loose personal belongings are stowed within trunks. Thank you."

The others in the carriage begin checking for their loose belongings. Dru takes advantage of their brief moments of distraction to speak to her brother quietly.

"Ready?"

"I think so, are you?" he says. His face betrays his nerves to her, but then he sits a little straighter and his features settle into a more neutral expression.

"Definitely," she nods. But she can already feel the tangled knots of worry in her stomach as she thinks about the events ahead. The Sorting has them both worried, and they both know it.

Finally the train comes to a halt, and the five of them push their way in to the packed corridor, calling out to one another to stay close by as they make their way through the chattering, rowdy stream of students headed to the platform. As they fight their way off the train, Dru shivers and is glad of the warmth of her clothing- her robes are thick, and help to fight off the biting chill. Their breath steams around them as they bundle together, trying to work out what to do. The older students are streaming off in twos and threes towards carriages that await them outside the station, to take them the last of the way to Hogwarts. Dru can't see anything pulling them, but presumes it's just magic at work. Just as she's about to suggest that they follow suit, she notices the lamp swinging haphazardly over students' heads is actually held by a man who appears to be organising the chaos at the far side of the platform.

Dru looks at him hard, sure she recognises him. He is a true giant of a man, dwarfing even the tallest of the students in the crowds. His bushy beard is black and scraggly, and he wears grubby-looking robes. Dru realises he's the man from Madam Malkin's shop window- the one with the ice creams. His round figure is even more imposing in the half-light of the station than it was in the bright light of Diagon Alley. He calls out loudly, his voice carrying over the sea of people.

"Firs'-years, firs'-years over here!"

The first years, grateful for the instruction, all rush quickly over toward him. Dru and the others end up somewhere near the back of the little crowd.

"All right there, Harry?" The giant beams at a student in the crowd, and Dru follows his gaze until it settles on the back of Harry's head. "C'mon, follow me – any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!"

"What a buffoon," Draco mutters as they stumble down a very steep, very narrow path. It is proving very hard to distinguish in the near-darkness, especially near the back of the group where the man's light doesn't quite reach.

Dru ignores her cousin's complaints, instead attempting to make out their surroundings as she stumbles along with everyone else. She thinks there are thick sets of trees around them, but it's really too dark to tell as they make their way down. Aside from one student's incessant sniffing, there is next to no noise as everyone concentrates on where they're putting their feet.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the giant calls to them. "Jus' round this bend here..."

A loud chorus of oohs and aahs rises from the students as the narrow pathway rounds a sharp corner and suddenly opens up on to the side of a huge, black lake. Built on a large mountain on the other side of the lake, with innumerable windows twinkling like stars in the night sky, Hogwarts stands proudly, turrets and parapets silhouetted against the navy night. Dru is speechless as the giant pauses to let them take the sight in for a few moments. This visage is better than anything she could ever have imagined as a child. In the back of her mind, she consciously recognises the fact that this moment in her short life is an important one. The image of Hogwarts, silhouetted against the dusky sky, will always burn bright in her memory, she thinks to herself as she takes a breath of the biting air and looks over the lake.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid shouts after a minute, pointing to where a small flock of boats are sitting in the water by the shore. Dru and Draco climb in to a boat with Crabbe and Goyle, and everyone else seems to just find a space wherever they can.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid calls. He has a boat all to himself. "Right then – FORWARD!"

All the boats begin moving at once, floating smoothly across the water. The only noise is the lapping of water against the sides of the boats; everyone is silent, staring at the castle that will become their school for the next seven years.

"Heads down, people," Hagrid calls out into the silence as the first boats reach the bottom of the cliff that Hogwarts stands upon. Everyone ducks as their boats sail them through a thick curtain of ivy that hides a large opening in the cliff face. The boats continue on into a dark tunnel that leads straight into the cliff, under the castle. Eventually, they arrive in a dimly lit underground harbour. The students scramble out onto the rocks as they dock.

"Oy, you there! This yer toad?" Hagrid asks of one of the group, checking all the boats as students climb out.

"Trevor!" cries an all-ears boy joyfully, eagerly holding out his hands. Dru cringes as he grabs the toad. She has no idea who would accept a pet like that when they're so slimy. She thankfully strokes Lilith under her sleeve, who appears to have finally woken up again and is curling round her wrist again and again, still silent.

"This way," Hagrid says as the last students scramble from the boats. Dru falls into step beside her adopted brother as they follow the giant. All is silent except for the pattering of footsteps along the stone passageway. Eventually, they are spat out onto the grass of the castle's main courtyard. The grass underfoot is frosty and the students' footsteps crunch as they follow Hagrid up a few steps and crowd around an oak door larger than Dru has ever seen before. Hagrid turns to the students briefly, looking around at them as if to quickly count them.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

And then Hagrid lifts a giant fist and knocks on the castle's door three times.