"Come on, Cygnus." Bellatrix led her cousin into the Great Hall. Cygnus' first night in the Slytherin dorms was one of the worst nights in her life. She just sat in her bed all night, thinking of how she would be able to talk to Sirius again. She knew that he was going to be furious that she wasn't strong enough to be a Gryffindor. Would he even talk to her again? The questions were endless for her.
Bellatrix and her sisters noticed that Cygnus was worried about her twin, and the shadows under her eyes worried them.
"You need your sleep, dear, you shouldn't waste your precious sleep on the blood traitor. He doesn't deserve it." Andromeda said as she sat next to her cousin. Cygnus looked at the Gryffindor table, her brother was laughing with three other boys. Did he move on already?
Soon, Sirius noticed the stare that Cygnus was giving him. He returned it, first his smile dropped, he tried to give her a comforting smile that lasted a second. Then he turned his attention back on his new friends.
Cygnus copied him, bringing her attention to her cousins who were looking at her with disapproving looks.
"I'll be ok," she said in her quiet voice. "I just need time, I'm not used to being separated from him." This made them drop their frowns for more comforting smirks.
"That's better, oh, and your mother told me to take you to the infirmary today. She said that's what your doctor said. Cygnus did remember the physician saying that, at the last checkup.
She had checkups every four weeks, due to the weak heart she was born with. When she was born, the doctors were sure she wasn't going to live to be three, but so far she had proved them wrong. So now they were saying that she wouldn't live to see her twenties, in which she was hoping to prove them wrong once again.
The rest of the meal was quite nice, Narcissa and Andromeda were telling them the ropes of Hogwarts. Who to socialize with, where the best short-cuts were, who was going out with who, who was the best person to partner up with if they needed help with homework, and who to not be seen with.
At the end of the meal, the head of the house, Professor Slughorn, gave out schedules.
"So this is the famous Cygnus Black!" Slughorn had exclaimed when it was her turn to receive her schedule. "You have quite the reputation among your peers in the Slytherin house. Your cousins won't stop talking about you."
"I hope they are only telling people good things about me."
"I can assure you, you have some big shoes to fill. I've heard nothing but good, and I expect to see nothing else." He handed her a schedule that he made with his wand. "Now go on, I will see you later." Cygnus left with Bellatrix to the infirmary.
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"My dear, I suggest you do not stress yourself again. You could have had a cardiac arrest last night! I told Professor Dumbledore that having a private sorting for you would be a better idea, but no. 'Let the poor girl have a true Hogwarts experience. If we do not expose her to stressful conditions now, then what will happen when she graduates from here and moves into the wizarding world?'" Madam Pomfrey mocked the headmaster.
"Well, the headmaster does have a point…" Cygnus said in her quiet voice. "Even if that was the most stress I had, how would I be able to survive explosive spells? Or even duels?"
"You are to not do such a thing! No dueling, no watching duels, certainly do not participate in one! I have not been at this post for a long time, but I know that your heart is not up for the stresses of duels."
"Alright, but aren't first years not supposed to be in duels anyway?" Cygnus hopped down from her cot.
"But your cousins are in second and third year are they not? And from what I heard, your brother had a little mishap in the Gryffindor tower last night." She sighed, "I will sign a pass for you, but I doubt Professor Slughorn will not take points away from his own first year for being late on the first day anyway. Oh, and I will talk to the headmaster about you not taking Care of Magical Creatures, for that class is unexpected and stressful at times." At this Cygnus' eyes widened; that was the class she was looking forward to the most.
"No, madam, I can participate in that class. I work on my aunt's farm during the summer, so I have been looking forward to this class for a very long time. Please don't have me taken out of it!" she cried in desperation.
Pomfrey sighed, "You students just love pushing my buttons don't you? Alright, we shall try it for a week, but if I see anything in the next check up, or even a slight episode, then you're out."
Cygnus smiled, "Thank you!"
She took the note that was conjured easily from Madam Pompey's wand and headed out the infirmary doors.
"Cygnus!" exclaimed her cousin's voice, for Bellatrix waited in the hall for her. "How did it go?" she said when she caught up to her.
"All right, I just can't be sorted again," she joked.
"You won't need to, you're a Slytherin through and through. We just need to toughen your heart a little, that's all."
Cygnus didn't say anything after that, because Bellatrix was telling her all about the howler Sirius had received right after breakfast.
A/N- sorry for the short chapter, I was going to write more but I figured this would be ok for now. Please review, I know that phrase is probably getting really annoying, but PLEASE?!