Author's Note

So, I already had this chapter written, and I was going to wait a few days longer until I published it but... nah!

In this chapter Adeline goes to Hogwarts, but things don't exactly go like she expected!

I've pretty much outlined the next five or six chapters of this story, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write in the next few weeks with exams coming up and all. AP Chemistry, AP Human Geography, AP World History... yeah, I've got a lot on my plate! But don't you worry, updates will come!

And please check out my profile! I've put some pictures on there of the actress Caterina Scorsone who plays Amelia on Private Practice. She's so pretty and looks exactly like how I imagined Adeline!

Also, I would like to give a huge thank-you to the people who reviewed my first chapter! I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me! Up until now I've never really shared my writing with anyone and it was so nice and inspirational to hear the positive feedback! Thank you!

So, enjoy this chapter, and bear in mind that although there will definitely be a romance between Adeline and Sirius in this story, it will be a while before that happens! But everything that leads up to them getting together is the fun part anyway, am I right?

Yeah! Okay, well, as always, read, enjoy, review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!

2. Truth

Platform 9 ¾ was absolutely bursting with people as I made my way through the throngs of people, head held high, alone. My parents had chosen to see me off from home, far from the public eye. They had felt it was better for them to stay as far away from the filthy blood that inhabited Hogwarts, and apparently platform 9 ¾, as possible. I didn't question it.

Since we lived just a bit outside London, I had simply taken a car, driven by the family chauffeur, into the city, and made my way to the train station, then through the enchanted wall and onto the platform itself. I noticed the families of practically every child in sight saying tearful farewells and giving last hugs goodbye. It was certainly a sharp contrast from the largely unaffectionate environment I had grown up in. But mostly I was not impressed. Tears, hugs, emotional farewells: they were all signs of weakness, as I had been taught early on.

I handed off my trunk to the trolley-men and climbed aboard the Hogwarts Express, smiling slightly to myself as I did so. It was just like I had imagined it to be, the many, many times I had sat around the manor, day-dreaming of the big red train that would take me away to such a historical, magical place. Hogwarts.

I found an empty compartment and quickly claimed it as mine. I had briefly considered trying to find Regulus Black, who would be starting his 5th year while I started my 6th, but decided against it. I would make my own way for now. There would be plenty of time to visit with my fellow pure-bloods later, once I had been officially sorted into the Slytherin house.

There was no doubt in my mind that I would be in Slytherin. It was where proud pure-bloods like me were always sorted, and by far the best house in Hogwarts. The most powerful, most ambitious, most privileged students were always placed in Slytherin. Everyone said so.

I really did know a great deal about Hogwarts for someone who had never set foot within the castle before. My entire life had been full of stories from guests at my parents' house of their days at the school, representing the Slytherin house and making friendships with other pure-bloods there that had lasted a lifetime. I hoped to do the same. And as I pictured father's smiling face when he heard that I was the best student and the best representation of a Slytherin that Hogwarts had ever had, I was determined to do so. Making father and mother proud was what I had strived for and accomplished ever since I had been a small child.

I was broken out of my reverie by a disturbance, and I watched from my own empty compartment as five people attempted to cram themselves into the one across the walkway. They seemed to be a lively bunch, although my eyes narrowed as I noticed that all of them were sporting Gryffindor colors—red and gold—in some way.

They looked to be all about my age. There was a short, slightly chubby boy with dull brown hair and a good-natured grin on his face. Seated next to him was a tall, good-looking boy with round glasses and dark brown hair that seemed completely mesmerized by the girl sitting across from him. She was maybe an inch shorter than me—though it was hard to tell since she was sitting down—with long, bright-red hair and emerald green eyes. She sat next to a thin, tired-looking boy, though he was smiling as he chatted with her about something, every once in a while running a long-fingered hand through his sandy blonde hair. What really caught my eye, though, was the boy sitting on the other side of the red-haired girl, whom she seemed to be pointedly ignoring.

He was most certainly one of the handsomest boys I had ever seen.

His skin was tan and flawless, and his face boasted a strong jaw and chiseled features that could have been taken straight out of a magazine ad. His hair was not long, but not as short as his friends', and it was an extremely dark brown, almost black, which contrasted starkly with his blue-gray eyes that seemed to dance with energy as his gaze wandered around the compartment and then, quite boldly, right into my own eyes.

I blinked, looking away immediately, but I didn't miss the confident way he looked me up and down like I was a piece of meat once our eye-contact had been broken. I felt my cheeks flush as I gazed determinately out the window, embarrassed at being caught staring and slightly agitated by the way he had just so blatantly checked me out. I crossed my arms, trying to exude the confidence and superiority that I should be feeling as a Villori, especially as compared to all those Gryffindors. The lot of them were probably all half-bloods, maybe even muggle-borns. Disgusting.

However, for some reason I wasn't feeling that Villori pride whatsoever. While I still kept my gaze firmly fixed on the window, I felt my thoughts drift back to the people in the compartment across from mine. They were smiling and talking, probably all old, great friends. I was sitting here alone, no companions. No friends. No one to talk to.

Jealousy bit through me before I could stop it. It hurt for a moment, but I soon mentally kicked myself for being so envious, especially of people with such poor blood. I was a Villori for god sakes. I was the subject of envy, not the person who felt it.

With that I held my head high, waiting out the rest of the train ride in solitude, my excitement growing and my jealousy for the students across from me ebbing with every kilometer that we traveled.

Soon, I would be at Hogwarts, surrounded by my Slytherin comrades, and everyone would know who I was. Here, on this train, I was just a girl, sitting alone in a compartment. There, I knew that word of my family's reputation would spread fast. After all, I was Adeline Villori. I had the blood of kings running through my veins.

The sorting began as soon as everyone else had filed into the Great Hall, just as I had read in Hogwarts, a History. Once all the first-years had scurried off to their respective house tables, I stepped up to the stool as the headmaster spoke. Dumbledore. Certainly a name I had heard before.

"Ah yes, we have one more student that requires sorting. She will be joining us at Hogwarts for her sixth year. I expect you all to give Miss Adeline Villori a warm welcome!"

I didn't even spare Dumbledore a glance as I placed the ragged hat confidently on my head. Mother and Father, and every one of our friends, hated him. They said he was mad as a hatter, and a lover of mud-bloods. He was scum and most definitely not worth my attention.

The hat fit snuggly on my head, and I waited with squared shoulders as I heard its voice sound in my mind.

Ah, what have we here. A Villori? It's been ages since one of you came along. Still pure as ever, I see. And as proud. You're a clever one though, that much is evident. Ambitious too. Hmm… yes. Well, by first glance I'd put you in Slytherin. My heart soared. However… I can tell you aren't like the rest. You have a good heart, Villori. And courage. Who would have thought it?

And then that damned hat ruined everything.

"GRYFFINDOR!" it screeched.

What had I done to deserve this?

I stood up from the stool in a daze and took off the bloody hat, having to exercise extreme self-control just to keep myself from tearing it off my head and ripping it into pieces. I hadn't taken two steps before the muttering started. If there was anyone who didn't know what family I belonged to or what we stood for, they would know soon.

"Bloody hell, a Villori. Never thought I'd see one with my own eyes. Her father must be the richest man in Britain!"

"Adeline Villori? Her parents are practically the leaders of the dark side! She got put in Gryffindor?"

"Her parents are those insane pure-blood supremacists! Her family funds You-Know-Who's entire operation. Who does she think she's fooling?"

"Doesn't look so proud and pompous now, does she? Supposedly she's got the purest blood in all of Britain. I wonder what Mommy and Daddy are going to think when she tells them she got sorted into Gryffindor!"

I held my head high, as always, as I walked with purpose over to the disgusting Gryffindor table, trying to keep myself composed while on the inside I was in absolute turmoil. I felt every single eye on me as I took the first open seat I saw, and wondered vaguely if I was going to be sick.

Because right now, I felt as though my life was surely ending.

I, Adeline Villori, a member of the most prominent, wealthiest, most powerful family in the entire country, had just been placed in Gryffindor house. Home to the mud-bloods. What could be worse?

How could I ever face my parents, knowing I had failed them so terribly? They hated anyone who had any affiliation at all with any other house but Slytherin, and Gryffindors most of all.

Slytherin was the place for the clever. The ambitious. The pure.

But not me?

Mother and Father would be so disappointed. They, nor any of their friends, would ever look at me the same way again. I may as well have married a muggle.

I was partially aware that food had appeared on the tables, and that people were still staring at me and whispering my name, trying to make sense of the situation as much as I was.

But to them it was surely just a bit of a novelty. A Villori that isn't in Slytherin? Odd. Surprising. Suspicious, even.

To me, it was as if I bomb had gone off, destroying everything I held dear. My parents' approval. My pride. My standing as a Villori heiress.

I snapped out of my panic when I felt a hand on my shoulder and jumped, breathing in sharply, and turned to look into a pair of green eyes. "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to startle you!" said the girl. The girl from the train, I realized, as she smiled apologetically at me, her hand still on my shoulder. I fought the urge to shake it off and scream in her face. Instead I just stared blankly. "Um," she said, glancing back at the boy sitting directly across from us. It was the blonde, tired one whom she had been talking to earlier. "I'm Lily. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You seem a bit… distraught." More sympathetic smiling. Her kindness was almost as bad as the whispering of her fellow students.

"I'm fine." I said, a little harsher than I had meant to, and left it at that. Turning away from her, I started to put a bit of food on my plate, just to give myself something to do.

I saw her frown out of the corner of my eye and look over to the blonde, who simply shrugged and went back to his plate. I glanced up momentarily to see that he was sitting between the tall one with glasses and the plump boy, both of whom had also been on the train earlier today. Bloody hell, of all the people I had been hoping to avoid, I seemed to have sat right in the middle of their little group.

One was missing though. With a sinking heart I took a quick peek to the right of the bespectacled boy and, sure enough, the handsome guy who had been staring at me on the Hogwarts Express was sitting there, watching me again, a peculiar expression on his face. He seemed to find something amusing. It pissed me off to no end, and I glared at him until he finally gave a little shrug and looked away, smiling slightly to himself. Handsome or not, the guy was obviously a complete prick.

I truly had no appetite as I sat in the middle of a sea of Gryffindors, scared and upset and absolutely dreading the letter I would have to send to my parents as soon as I got the chance. I had a feeling this was unforgivable.

The red-head, Lily, seemed adamant about talking to me though, as she turned to me and prepared herself to take another stab at conversation. "So, uh," she said, as I grudgingly moved my head minutely to show her that I was paying attention. "You're a 6th year! I am too. So is Remus." she told me, nodding her head towards the blonde, who smiled at me. I didn't smile back. "I suppose you and I are going to be roommates! How exciting! Sally was my only roommate last year, and she just moved to France, so I guess it'll just be you and me!" she tried to smile at me, but I basically just ignored her. "And, uh," she said, apparently determined to befriend me and now seemingly looking around the room, trying to find a topic for conversation. Her eyes settled on the boys sitting across from her and she started pointing to them. "These are the sixth year boys in Gryffindor," she told me, pointing them out one at a time. "Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, and Sirius Black."

Black?

Bloody hell!

I must have given a start when she said his name, because Lily immediately started glancing between Black and myself, as he fixed me with another smug smile.

"Do you know each other?" she finally said, when neither Black nor myself gave any indication that we were going to explain things.

I didn't quite know how to answer. Sirius Black was someone that I technically did know, or had known, when I was a little girl. Obviously he was the son of Walburga and Orion Black, and my family and the Blacks were tight-knit to say the least. But Sirius had become a bit of a taboo. No one talked about him. No one said his name. Doing so was likely to send both the Blacks into a rage.

Since I was 6 or 7, Sirius had stopped coming with his family to social events that were a part of pure-blood society. At first, the Black's would say that he was ill, and everyone would believe them. But it slowly became apparent that Sirius Black was not ill, but rather refused to play the role of Black family heir that he technically had inherited. Last I had heard, Sirius had completely forsaken his standing as a Black and it was only a matter of time before his family disowned him entirely. It was something I certainly had never understood. The Blacks were a very powerful family, not as powerful as Villori, but still, they had a good standing. Why would he turn his back on everything his parents had worked hard on, and something that would bring him so much fortune and pride?

It had always struck me as mad.

Yet here sat Black, a boy I had not seen since I was just a little girl, looking quite sane—and if I was being quite honest, quit attractive—and there was no doubt in my mind that he remembered me too.

This was confirmed as he opened up that pretty mouth of his and spoke, answering Lily's question.

"Yep." he said, focusing all his attention on me and flashing a smile in my direction. "Since diapers. Our dads are right pals, aren't they, Addy?"

I cringed at the nickname that no one had called me since I was a toddler. Of course he would remember that.

"And more than that, looks as if we're even in the same boat! You're probably even more shocked than I was to be in Gryffindor. Quite the rush, right? To realize you aren't the pureblood-supremacist, raving lunatics that your parents are?"

I stared at him, gaping. I couldn't help it. Was he serious? I had never been more ashamed of myself in my entire life, and he was acting like this was a good thing? That our parents' way of life was what was backwards in this situation? He was obviously crazy, just good at hiding it.

My shocked expression was apparently enough to clear up the misunderstanding. His face fell from that cocky grin to almost a look of disgust as he finally understood my behavior.

"Bloody hell," he said, looking briefly at James and Remus before returning that bright-eyed gaze back to me. "You're exactly like your parents! A damn blood-obsessed monster just like all the others!" he shook his head at me, disbelieving. What was he trying to do? Make me ashamed of my heritage? My way of life? It seemed ludicrous to me. And offending. I was a Villori. He should be treating me with the upmost respect. My blank stare became a glare as I watched him watch me.

Lily mistook my anger and decided to intervene. "Sirius! What a terrible thing to say! Of course she wouldn't believe in all that rubbish! She was put in Gryffindor for a reason, just as you were! Right, Adeline?"

She turned to me, an uncertain, hopeful smile on her face. I was frozen as I felt everyone within a 10 foot radius watch me, waiting for my reaction. For a brief, insane second, I considered lying through my teeth, and telling all my new Gryffindor housemates that Lily was right, and that I cared nothing for blood or lineage or connections, all the things that made me who I was. They would accept me then, I knew it. I might even make a few friends, and be just how Lily and James and Remus and Peter and Sirius had been on the train today. Laughing and smiling and talking.

But I was not a liar, and if anything I craved the reverence and respect that I had been treated with my entire life. I wasn't ashamed or disgusted by my heritage like Sirius Black was of his. It was what I had been taught to believe in, I would never compromise my pride or my beliefs just to fit in with filthy Gryffindor blood-traitors.

So I stood, my head held high, and looked Sirius dead in the eye like the Villori I was born to be. "I'm a Villori," I said evenly, as Sirius glared right back. "and damn proud of it."

Then I left the Great Hall without looking back, leaving a shocked group of Gryffindors in my wake.