Lucinda sat in her compartment staring out the window by herself until a young girl and boy opened the door and asked, "Can we sit with you? Everywhere else is full."
Lucinda appraised the pair, the boy was skinny and his long black hair was greasy, his robes were second-hand and showing a patch badly done. The girl was gangly, all elbows and knees with bright red hair and a kind, if hesitant smile.
Lucinda nodded her head and watched as they arranged themselves and their trunks in her compartment.
The girl was clearly a nervous sort, she kept fidgeting and eventually spoke to fill the silence.
"I'm Lily Evans, this is Severus. We're first years." Lucinda nodded in acknowledgement of the information and remained quiet.
The girl, Lily, looked to her friend with a worried expression, slightly hurt as if Lucinda's silence had effected her feelings and undermined her confidence. Severus glared over at her.
"Are you a first year as well or have you been to Hogwarts before?" asked the boy, trying to get her measure.
Lucinda was very quiet as she answered and looked at the floor as she spoke, "This is my first time."
Severus narrowed his eyes, furrowed his brows as he asked another question, "What's your name?" "Lucinda Malfoy."
She looked up when she said this, her chin jutting into the air as her father had taught her. She should be proud of her family name. It was the one thing she could say with pride and without fear of repercussion.
"That explains it." "Explains what?" asked the red head. "She's a Malfoy, a pureblood. I told you how they are about things." "Oh." Lily looked dejectedly down at the floor of the train carriage. Lucinda wanted her to look up again so she might reassure her with a small smile, as was permitted. But Lily was staring fixedly at her shoes. So she looked at the boy instead, that impassive, unreadable mask on.
"You'll be in Slytherin then, won't you?" Lucinda nodded her head.
Lily looked up again but the moment to reassure her had passed. She turned to Severus and asked, "That's where you think you'll go, right?" "I expect so."
Just then two boys opened the compartment and slid inside. "Don't mind us, everywhere else is full."
They didn't wait to be given permission to join the three in the compartment, they just came in and made themselves comfortable by the window across from Lily and Severus. They introduced themselves and then went quiet, staring out the window in contemplative silence.
James Potter and Sirius Black.
Of course, Lucinda knew them both. Their families were older than dirt, just like hers, and the Black family was notorious in their purist beliefs. They were more stern and unforgiving than her own father could ever be. She wasn't likely to speak again for the duration of the ride to Hogwarts.
Sirius and James both looked at her and nodded in vague recognition. Sirius had been present for her brother's tenth birthday party at the manor. He had disappeared half way through and had been discovered in the library. His mother had not been very happy with him. Her father had not been happy it had been she who had found him.
But she had always hated the parties and had disappeared as soon as she thought she could get away with it. Her brother had followed her and found her, talking to Sirius Black. It hadn't been a very good evening for either of them. They hadn't spoken since and had certainly not been given a chance to do so.
The five of them rode on in silence for a time. Lily and Severus softly debated the various houses. Sirius and James were flicking a chinese football at the window repeatedly.
Lucinda sat very still and tried to fade into the upholstery while maintaining her family's dignity. It was difficult for her. She hadn't always been shy and quiet. She used to run and laugh and play and ask silly questions.
Now she tried very hard to be invisible.
Lily finally turned to include her in the conversation.
"So, do you think you'll like your house?"
Lucinda had never been asked her opinion of anything. No one cared if she liked the things she was surrounded by or the things that were expected of her. That was just the way it was and so Lily's question shocked her into speaking exactly what she thought.
"I'm too odd for Slytherin house."
Sirius Black jerked his head up to look at her. She blushed and looked at the floor, berating herself and expecting to be punished for her audacity as she would be at home.
The blow never came. The admonishment went unsaid.
Lily asked, "Why too odd? Are there no odd Slytherins?" "Pureblooded females live by certain rules and expectations. Lucinda here has been bred to live a certain way. Haven't you?" Sirius was matter-of-fact as he spoke and obviously testing her.
"My father expects a certain standard to be met by both of his children. I only hope I do our family justice." he nodded his head and turned away from her again. Whether she had passed or failed his examination was unclear.
Lily was about to put more questions to her but Severus stopped her with a shake of his head.
"Well Lily, you've got to be in Slytherin." "Why on earth would anyone want to be in Slytherin? I think I'd rather die."
Lucinda was shocked by Sirius's outburst. All the noble house of Black had been sorted into Slytherin. He really didn't have a choice in the matter. But she remembered finding him in the library the night of the ball and asking him why he wasn't enjoying himself with the rest of the guests. He had curtly replied then that he would rather wear a dress and stand on his head than be caught dead at a ball. He always was a little odd. Like she herself. But that wouldn't change the fact that he was a Black and would be sorted into Slytherin. Would it?