"Take my past and take my sins like an empty sail takes the wind." - Heal, Tom Odell


Thirteen years later...

Carmilla squirmed under the covers of her bed. Everything was so soft and warm and perfect and-

"Ow! What the fuck?!" Carmilla sat up and glared at the person who threw a big heavy trunk at her.

"Get up," Lex said simply. "I already packed all your shit." She was almost dressed, only lacking her Slytherin robes and Head Girl badge.

Carmilla said nothing and just threw herself back on the bed, burying her head into the pillow.

Lex sighed and walked over to one of the curtains and threw them open. The sunlight hit Carmilla's face. She yelped and tumbled off the bed. Lex moved to the next set of curtains, did the same then proceeded to the next and so on until Carmilla's room was bright and sunny. The said girl, on the other hand wasn't so sunny.

"Fucking hell, Lex," she groaned and pushed herself up. "I'm up, okay. Now, ugh, get out."

Lex smirked and threw her hands up in a gesture of "surrender".

"Okay, okay. Calm down, cranky pants," she said. "You better dress up quickly unless you want William to eat all the food."

Carmilla groaned and threw a random shoe at her cousin who dodged it.

Lex shook her head and walked out of the room, shutting it quietly behind her. Her cousin's sleep was disturbed enough. She'll get up.

Lex and William went ahead to find a private compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Carmilla hung back to double-check her things (at Lex's insistence because "Carmilla Alexis M. Karnstein, I'm graduating at the end of this school year and I won't be around to make sure your things are complete so you better get used to double-checking and triple-checking your things!")

Carmilla sighed and stood up. She pushed her trolley and left her stuff with the porter. She entered the train bringing only a book and began to look for her cousins. She scowled at the other students who made a lot of fuss upon seeing each other.

(Boo-hoo. You see your friends again. No need to act so excited, you lackwit.)

They jostled her around, much to her displeasure. Carmilla finally snapped when some girl in Gryffindor robes bumped her, causing her to drop her book. Her prefect badge was also knocked off her robe.

"Bloody hell!" She bent down to get her book, while the other girl picked up her badge (she didn't even want to be a prefect and she's sure Lex and/or her mother pulled some strings.)

"Oh crap! I'm so sorry!"

Carmilla froze at the sound of her voice. She stood up, holding her book while the Gryffindor girl awkwardly held out her badge.

"Carmilla."

"Creampuff."

==xx==

Five years ago...

"Watch where you're going!" Carmilla snapped. She dropped her book and she hastily bent down to pick it up. She inspected the book to make sure its spine didn't wrinkle and that its pages weren't wrecked.

"I- I'm sorry," the other girl said a little timidly. She looked up at Carmilla who said nothing to acknowledge the apology. She just continued glaring at her.

"Um... my name is Laura! Laura Hollis!" Laura stretched out her right hand but Carmilla didn't take it.

(Seriously, this girl is so chipper. She'd probably get sorted into Hufflepuff. Those hippies.)

"I don't have time for pleasantries," Carmilla mumbled, looking away.

Laura frowned at her. "Why are you so rude to me?" She crossed her arms and pouted.

Carmilla's lip quirked.

(So maybe she's cute when she pouts. She's still annoying.)

She waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, sundance. I'm rude to everyone. You're not special."

This time, Laura looked downright offended. "And you are?"

Carmilla gave the other girl a wry smile. That seemed to piss Laura off even more but before she could say anything, a tall redhead in Gryffindor robes approached them,

"Hey frosh, is this girl bothering you?"

The redhead asked. Carmilla scowled at her.

"Mind your own business," she snapped. The redhead stood straighter, stretching to her full height, and glared down at Carmilla who simply stared back not at all intimidated by the (huge) height difference.

"My name's Danny Lawrence. I'm a second year. You'd do well to treat your upperclassmen with more respect."

"And you'd do well to keep your nose from other people's business, Lawrence," came another voice from behind Carmilla. It was Lex.

Danny looked at Lex with disdain. They obviously didn't get along with each other. "Ivers. Look who's talking. Why are you here?

"Unlike you, I actually have a reason to be here. Carmilla," Lex put a hand on the said girl's shoulder. "Is my cousin."

Danny scoffed. "No wonder. I should've known given the terrible attitude and all."

The two older girls glared at each other and an awkward silence followed.

Carmilla glanced at Laura who was staring at her feet.

"C'mon Carm. Will found a cabin," Alessandra said, steering her cousin away.

==xx==

Present…

Laura nervously tucked some stray strands of hair behind her ear. It's been a really long time since she last spoke to Carmilla.

"So how's your eye?" Carmilla asked gesturing to the small scar under the Gryffindor's left eye.

Laura reached up to touch it. "It's almost completely faded. Um… thanks for asking."

Their eyes met and Laura felt like she was back at the Yule Ball, dancing and laughing–

Then she locked her jaw and looked up at Carmilla. "I thought you didn't care."

Carmilla was taken aback by Laura's statement but before she could reply someone but her arm around Laura's shoulder.

"My nose is great too; after your Beater hit a bludger straight towards my face."

Carmilla groaned and ran a hand through her hair. "We really have to stop meeting like this, Xena."

Danny scoffed. "Pft. Please."

Laura noticed a compartment door slide open. Alessandra (or Lex, as her cousins call her) and Will stepped out then started to walk towards them. They stopped whenever they encountered another prefect, probably to remind them about the meeting. Finally, the pair reached them. Will smirked when she saw the band-aid of Danny's nose while Lex showed no emotion.

"Well this looks familiar," Lex said. She turned to look at Danny. "Lawrence."

"Ivers."

Silence.

Suddenly, Will chuckled. "How's your nose healing up?"

Danny opened her mouth to answer but Lex beat her to it. "William. That's enough."

"But–"

Lex sighed. "What you did was too much. I wanted you to play smart, not violently. In case you forgot, you're suspended from the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor games, this season."

"Wait. Why Ravenclaw too?" he demanded.

"You knocked Clara Fitzroy off her broom after you hit a bludger towards her head."

"And I remember you nearly abandoning your post to save her, cus. You yelled at everyone to save her. Almost cost us the game."

"I did it so Ravenclaw wouldn't harbor any ill-feelings towards the entire team, hell, the entire house. Just you."

Will frowned. "And now that chaser now has a Starsweeper XXI signed by Ginny Weasley-Potter of the Holyhead Harpies. Care to explain that?"

Lex raised an eyebrow. "A gesture of good faith, Will. Didn't mother teach you the importance of those? Really, William. I thought you paid attention to everything she taught us."

Will glared at his older cousin whose face remained expressionless. Finally, Will's shoulders slumped. He nodded and said, "Fine."

"Now that that's settled," Lex turned to face the other three. "There's a prefect meeting at the usual place in ten minutes. What on earth possessed the Headmaster to appoint Adam Martin as the Head Boy is beyond me."

"I thought Mathias Avery was the Head Boy?" Danny asked.

Lex scowled. "Unfortunately not. He's still recovering after someone used Aqua Eructo on his face."

Danny made a face. "I'd actually prefer him or even the Hufflepuff, Tommy James. I guess this is one thing we can agree on."

Lex nodded once. "I better make sure everything's set up before Martin gets there." And with that she pushed her way past her cousins, Laura, and Danny while mumbling something about "annoying Ravenclaw boy".

The remaining people looked at one another awkwardly.

"Should we follow or..." Laura asked.

Carmilla sighed and glanced at her cousin's retreating form. "Give her a few minutes."

==xx==

The prefects' meeting room was the compartment at the very front of the train. It was the biggest and had a long table that seated 24 (two seats at the head, the rest at either side.) The walls were painted a dark chestnut brown. Lex and Adam were standing at the very head of the table. (Well, Lex was. Adam was sitting with his legs propped up.)

"Do you all have a copy of your patrol schedules?" Adam asked. The prefects mumbled their consent. "Nice. This meeting can finally end!"

Carmilla noticed Lex's left eye twitch in irritation.

"Yes, as Adam said oh so eloquently, this meeting–"

"Um, just a clarification," said Lola Perry, the 7th Year Hufflepuff prefect. "Quidditch captains who aren't prefects are still going to be allowed in our bathrooms."

Lex nodded and leaned forward. "Yes, but they're no longer allowed to take points away from other houses even in Quidditch-related matters. Brady Michaelson was already sanctioned for abusing his rights as Hufflepuff Quidditch captain." She glanced at Perry. "No offense to your house."

"None taken!" Perry said (a little too cheerfully, Carmilla noted.) "He deserved it."

"Right. This meeting is adjourned."

Carmilla stretched and stifled a yawn. She may not have wanted to be prefect but either Lex's or her mother's reputation would be frowned upon should she choose to act terribly (she couldn't care any less about her mother's but Lex's definitely mattered. She couldn't risk it. She'd never admit it out loud but she actually cared about her cousin.)

Carmilla noticed the bloody Amazon, wait sorry, Danny put an arm around Laura. They were joined by Perry.

She regretted what happened between her and Laura the previous year. Just when things were starting to get better, her mother just had to–

"Carm, you okay?" Lex asked.

Carmilla looked up at her cousin's forest green eyes. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm absolutely golden, Lex," she drawled.

Lex frowned and straightened her tie which had become crooked because she kept fiddling with it every time Adam said or did something that irritated her. She opened her mouth to say something but Will piped up.

"She was probably daydreaming about that pint-sized Gryffindor nerd."

(Oh, that little–)

He smirked at Carmilla who gave him the finger.

"That ship sunk last year, Mama's Boy." She crossed her arms and put her feet up on the black table.

Will leaned forward and rest his cheek on his right hand. "Yet you still go all 'heart-eyes' when you see her, Kitty."

"Oh yeah? Well–"

"Will the two of you stop bickering?" Lex cut in. "I'm getting a migraine." She rubbed her forehead. "But Will's right, Carm. You still give her heart-eyes."

Carmilla crumpled up a page from the notebook she was doodling on during the meeting and chucked it at Lex who caught it.

"No littering. And really, you should know better than to throw things at a keeper." She smirked.

Carm rolled her eyes at her cousin. "Whatever. Can we go back to the other compartment now? This one reeks of uptight prefects."

Will laughed and Lex shook her head.

"Unbelievable. Let's go."

"So hotties, how was the meeting?" Brody Kirsch, 7th Year Gryffindor and the beater of their Quidditch team, asked.

Danny groaned while Laura smiled, used to his antics by now.

"It went okay, Kirsch. Danny didn't butt head heads with the Karnsteins as much as she usually did."

"Actually," LaFontaine added. "she and Ivers got along pretty well since they had a mutual enemy: Adam Martin."

"The Ravenclaw dude SJ's been complaining about?" Kirsch asked.

Danny nodded. "That's the one. At first, I didn't believe he was as bad as Betty said up until we got stuck with each other for patrol last year." She made a face. "He's so arrogant, I swear."

Kirsch tilted his head. "Maybe that's why he and Ivers don't get along. Aren't they both like that?"

Danny shook her head. "After Fifth Year, Ivers and I developed a mutual respect for one another. Yeah, she seems arrogant but I realized that she only acts that way to people who tick her off. Unlike Martin, she can actually back up the things she says."

"Yeah, she really isn't as bad as she seems," Laura added. "She saved Clara Fitzroy last year during the Ravenclaw-Slytherin semifinals last year."

"Wasn't Clara saved by Mathias Avery?" Danny scratched her head.

"Yup yup! But at Lex's instruction." Everyone stared at her. "What? Her name's long!"

"Okay, so Ivers isn't that bad. Eisen, though…" LaFontaine trailed off.

Kirsch's eyes widened. He held his hands up as if to quiet everyone done. "Whoa, dude. What? Eisen? As in my buddy, Will Eisen?"

Danny's face scrunched up. "Since when were you and Eisen buddies?"

"Zeta Omega Mu, dude!"

"That dudebro group?"

Kirsch looked offended at Danny's comment. "How dare you, Summer Psycho? Zeta Omega Mu is a brotherhood," he beat his chest with a closed fist for emphasis "that aims for good relations among the dudes of different houses. Will was forced to join at first, by stuffy Lex but eventually, he warmed up to people."

"Um, well, he's still a bit stand-offish, isn't he?" Perry sighed when Kirsch stared at him. "I'm just saying."

"That's true but c'mon, guys! Give my buddy some credit!" He was met with scoffs and eye rolls (except from Laura who tried to give him a smile). He huffed. "Fine, be that way." He crossed his arms and looked out the window in an attempt to ignore them.

Danny punched his arm. "stop being so sensitive, princess."

"I'm not sensitive!" Kirsch retorted, swatting Danny's hand away.

"You so are."

"Am not!"

"You are!"

"Am not!"

They just kept going back and forth. Perry tried to stop them but they ignored her. LaFontaine laughed at her cute but futile attempts.

Laura just smiled and thought about how little changed.

==xx==

Five years ago…

"Do you have a seat?" Danny asked Laura after Lex dragged her cousin away from them.

Laura shook her head. "I was actually looking for one when I accidentally hit that girl, Carmilla."

Danny's face lit up. "Great! I have a compartment with my friends. Come on!" She took Laura's hand and led her through the train.

The younger girl smiled. (Maybe Hogwarts won't be so bad after all.)

They arrived at a compartment that was already occupied by two people with ginger hair. Danny slid the door open and shut it after she and Laura entered.

"Hey guys!"

"Hello Danny," the ginger with curly hair greeted Danny.

The other grinned and gestured at Laura. "Who's the new girl?"

Danny prodded Laura's back, prompting her to introduce herself.

"Oh, um, hi! I'm Laura Hollis!" She extended her right hand to the two. Each of them shook it.

"Pleased to meet you, Laura. I'm Lola Perry but everyone just calls me Perry," the curly-haired one said. "This is LaFontaine." She gestured at her companion who gave her a mock salute. "Please take a seat!"

Laura plopped down onto the seats right across the two gingers. Danny sat down right next to her.

"So, are you a muggle or pureblood?" LaFontaine asked her.

Perry's eyes widened and she slapped LaFontaine's hand. "LaF! That's rude! You can't just ask people that!"

Danny laughed. "Oh come on, Perry. The question's not so bad. Actually, I was wondering that myself."

All eyes turned to Laura who shifted uncomfortably. Her brow furrowed in confusion and she scratched the back of her head. "Um… I'm a little confused with the terms but, uh, my mother was a witch and my dad's, well, not. I never really got to know my mother since she died when I was three. My dad told me she went to Hogwarts so when I got my acceptance letter I jumped at the chance to get to know her somehow."

Danny nodded. "Oh, I see. My mom was a half-blood just like you and my dad was a pureblood. The Lawrence's have been sending its kids to Hogwarts for generations so… yeah."

"Oh, that's cool! How 'bout you, Perry?"

Perry looked down, as if she was embarrassed. Laura wondered whether she said something wrong. Before she could tell Perry that she didn't have to share if she didn't want to, the other girl spoke up.

"My parents are squibs." Perry noticed Laura's blank expression so she continued. "Their parents were magical folk but they weren't. They didn't go to Hogwarts so now they're expecting a lot from me."

Laura's mouth formed a small 'o'. LaF put a hand over one of Perry's. "That's nothing to be ashamed of, Perr! Your parents are great and you're an excellent student." Perry smiled at LaF and said a quiet "thank you."

Everyone turned to look at LaF who stared back. "What?"

"Your turn to share," Danny said simply.

LaF chuckled. "I come from a family of metamorphmagi."

If it was possible, Laura's nose would have bled. "I'm sorry, what? Metamuffy?"

"Me-ta-morph-ma-gi," LaF said slowly. "It means we can change some parts of our appearance. There are different kinds but mine, well, basically, I don't identify as either boy or girl. That's why people refer to me using they/them pronouns."

"Oh that's so cool!"

"Glad you think so! The other kids probably won't."

"Ignore them, LaF," Perry said. LaFontaine nodded.

"Hey, Laura, do you know what your mom's house was?" Danny asked.

Laura shook her head. "I don't even know what that is."

"Hogwarts has four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," Perry started. "Later, first years will be sorted among those four. I'm in Hufflepuff and Danny's in Gryffindor. LaF's still a first year like you so she'll be sorted later."

Laura remembered Lex and her green robes. "The girl we saw earlier. Lex, was it? What's her house?"

Danny made a face. "She's in Slytherin. Don't worry about Ivers and her cousin. If I'm right, Little Miss Broody will be put in Slytherin just like Ivers. She seems like the type."

"What's so bad about Slytherin?"

Before Danny could answer, the door slid open and a boy around Danny's age barged in.

"What's so bad about Slytherin? They're a bunch of lying jerks! That's what they are!" He said, sitting down heavily right next to Danny.

Danny glared at him and slid the door shut. "Brody, what are you doing here?"

The boy shrugged. "I needed a seat so I thought I'd chill with you guys. And it's Kirsch."

Danny rolled her eyes. "Just don't be your usual self."

"What? Handsome and charming?"

"No. Loud and obnoxious."

"Hey!"

Before the two could bicker any further, Perry cleared her throat. "It's good to see you, Kirsch. Have you met Laura?"

Kirsch's eyes widened as if only noticing Laura now. "Wow, you're tiny!" Danny punched his arm. "Ow! What was that for, Psycho?!"

"You don't have to be so rude!" Danny said, punching him again.

"Ow, ow! Okay! I'm sorry!" He rubbed his arm. "Sup, shorty? Name's Brody Kirsch. But you can just call me Kirsch. I'm in Gryffindor like Psycho over there. Speaking of which," he turned his attention back to Danny. "I'll be trying out for the Quidditch team this year."

"Yeah, what position?" Danny asked, suddenly interested.

"Beater."

Danny snorted. "Great. You'll be one of the meatheads."

Kirsch glowered at her. "Hey! Being a beater is a very important job! And you can't insult me if you're not going to try out."

"Actually, I am. Trying for keeper!"

Kirsch laughed. "That's… That's…" His smile faltered. "That's pretty important. Damn. Okay. Fine. You win this time, Psycho. Good luck in the tryouts."

"Wish I could say the same for you."

"Hey!"

And they kept bickering for the rest of the ride. Perry shook her head and LaF poked her side. Laura simply smiled. She felt like she was around people she could depend on. Suddenly, Hogwarts didn't seem so scary.


Author's Notes:

This chapter was originally 6000+ words long so I halved it and now, it's 3000+

Lex - ah Lex my precious child. Lex is just a foil for Carmilla and Will. Still undecided about how important her role's going to be. And no, she's not based on Lexa from The 100. I made the character and outlined her long before I got into The 100 and I only realized the similarities when I started writing. I wanted a character who could truly highlight Will and Carmilla's traits since those two are similar at times. Danny and Carmilla don't interact that often with each other here and when they do, it's mostly in the form of arguments and sass-offs so you don't see much personality. You'll probably see more of how she's a foil in the next chapter.

LaF as a metamorphmagus - I just thought it would complement the fact that they're non-binary since they can be either or neither male/female (but identifies as neither). There are different kinds of metamorphmagi (e.g. Tonks can change her hair and facial features)

Laura's mom - What house do you want her to be in?

If you have any questions, you can contact me on tumblr: selenade