i. New Beginnings

Hogwarts First Year


When they first met, they didn't know each other. Pure strangers, looking forward to their first year in Hogwarts.

The two met at Madam Malkins. He was with his family in their trip to Diagon Alley, but only his mum accompanied him to Madam Malkins. The rest were at Magical Menagerie, if he guessed correctly, planning to surprise him with a new pet owl. His mum was talking with an old friend that they met at the shop when he wandered off, gazing by the robes when he saw her.

She was standing in front of the mirror. Her shoulder length platinum blonde hair stood out a lot. It was almost silver, he thinks. Her skin fair and free of blemishes. She was really pretty. And she was alone.

She turned around to assess her robes when she noticed him. Staring dumbly at her, looking quite amazed.

"Hello," She started off shyly. This was her first time talking to a completely new person, other than her family and several old family friends.

"H-Hi," He stuttered, quite shocked at himself that he was gazing for too long. He noticed her striking grey eyes. They were pretty.

"You're going to Hogwarts too?" She asks with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah, I'm going to be a first year. You?"

"Same. I'm also starting my first year as well." She smiled. "What are you looking forward to at Hogwarts? If... You're excited too, like me, I mean..." She blushed at her giddiness. He smiled back excitedly.

"Oh, I'm excited for Quidditch!"

"Me too!" She gasped.

"Really?!" He smiled even wider, "I've been waiting my whole life to fly. Me and my brother, we fly and play when we can!"

"My little brother and I do too," She added with a smile.

"I guess maybe one day we can play together? If we are in the same house, I mean." He suggested.

"I would love to--"

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you." A red haired woman came over and patted her son's hair affectionately. The girl looked at the action in slight envy.

"Sorry, Mum. I was just talking to her." He said to his mum, who in turn looked at the girl. Her eyes followed along to find a familiar shade of platinum blonde hair and grey eyes. Knowingly, her eyes changed. The girl noticed and her smile faded.

She was unwanted here.

"Sorry. I'm just finishing up, I've got to meet up with my friends soon. Sorry for taking your time. See you," The girl quickly apologized and said goodbye to the boy with a tight smile. She quickly walked away to the cashier, avoiding to look at their faces.

"Wait!" Before the boy can stop her and ask for her name, His mum stopped him.

"Don't get close to her. She's... Dangerous." She warned to her son. "But Mum--" He tried to argue, but she shook her head firmly.

"You wouldn't want to be associated with her kind, just trust me."

The sentence was the last thing she heard before she walked off the store after paying for her stuff.


She stood in front of the shop window of a jokes shop as she waited. There were many fascinating products displayed and if she weren't waiting for her friends, she would come in and see them herself.

"Lyarra!" A dark haired boy called out to her. Next to him was a dark skinned boy with cropped hair, grinning along.

"Christophe, Blaise. Finally here at last." She smiled as she saw her childhood friends.

"Sorry, my mother had dragged me to an old tea shop and forgot I was meeting you. Blaise here just arrived, late as always." Christophe sighed. Blaise only rolled his eyes.

"Is your mother or father not coming?" He asked. At Blaise's question, Lyarra stopped smiling.

"No. Mother started easily getting sick after Scorpius was born. The doctors advised for her to stay at home and not spend a lot of time outside. She's just at home with Scorp." She explained, already used to the questions.

"Your father?"

She didn't answer at that.

The two boys looked at each other knowingly.

"Well then, let's get our books, shall we? I'm dying to get a new addition to my ever-so-growing library." Christophe smiled as he put a comforting arm to Lyarra's shoulder. She looked up to him and smiled slightly.

"Oh you and your books. Lya, how 'bout we get to the Quality Quidditch Supplies instead and leave little ole' Nott here to rot underneath those books of his?" Blaise winked.

"Oh, shut it, Zabini! Leave me alone. At least I like them. They're not as chatty and pompous as you." Christophe whined.

Lyarra chuckled at their banter.

"I'm happy that you two are my friends."

The three smiled as they went to the book store, making her forget that she wasn't truly alone.


"You got everything, Little Star?" Her mother coddled her and looked at her back and forth. Her father was awkwardly trying to avoid the gazes of the people around her. Scorpius was excited and kept looking around the Platform, carrying Lyarra's owl cage.

"Mother, I'm already eleven," She whined with a chuckle. "I already got everything. If I forgot something, I could just ask Christophe or Blaise for it."

"Alright, alright." Astoria smiled and kissed Lyarra's forehead affectionately. "Stay safe out there, my love!"

"Hope you don't get hit by a bludger, Lya!" Scorpius cheekily joked.

"I can't get in the Quidditch team yet, you dork! I'm still a first year!" She rolled her eyes and ruffled her little brother's platinum blonde hair affectionately.

"Promise me you'll write to me?"

"Always," She said fondly as he handed her Athena's (her owl) cage which he insisted he carry before she goes.

Lyarra turned to her father who had a tight smile as he tried calming his nerves by being there. She knows he feels uncomfortable with the knowing stares of people around him.

"Father?" She called to him.

"Oh, yes. Take care out there, Lyarra. Don't worry about the sorting. You'll do fine." He patted her awkwardly on the shoulders. Astoria frowned at this.

"Draco," She chastised.

"It's okay, Mum." Lyarra tried to hide her slight disappointment with a reassuring smile. She stood on her tip toes and kissed her father on his cheek, then her mum, and last her little brother.

"See you all at the holidays!"


While waiting for Blaise and Christophe in one of the train compartments she sat next to the window when she met him again.

"Oh, it's you!" The brown haired boy said in recognition. He was a little sweaty and looked like he was looking for something.

"Oh, hello!" She said with a smile, lowering down a book she was reading.

"Sorry for my mum yesterday. She's very...protective." He apologized.

"It's okay. I'm used to it." She shrugged it off nonchalantly.

"I also forgot to ask for your name," He scratched his head.

"It's Lyarra,"

"Nice to meet you, Lyarra. I'm--"

"James! Where have you been, man?" An olive skinned boy put his arm around James' shoulder and finally noticed her. "Oh, who's this?" He asked curiously.

"She's Lyarra, I met her on Madam Malkins yesterday."

"Oh, the girl you told me about?" James' friend smirked knowingly.

"Fred!" He blushed.

"Yeah, I'm Fred, by the way. I'm his cousin." Fred introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, Fred!" Lyarra smiled. Fred smiled back and patted James on the shoulder.

"We tought you were left behind, Jamie. C'mon, everybody's already in the compartment waiting for you!"

"Alright, alright." James rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Lyarra. Got a whole bunch of people waiting. See you at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, see you." She smiled and waved good bye. James smiled back and went with Fred to their compartment.

Lyarra found herself smiling as she waited for Blaise and Christophe. She continued reading her book and didn't realise the door to the compartment she was in opening. It was Blaise and Christophe.

"What got you smiling so much, Lya?" Blaise asked as he sat down next to her, and Christophe across from her.

"Nothing." She bit her lip. She couldn't contain her ever-growing smile. "I just can't wait to get to Hogwarts."


Hogwarts was beautiful as her mother and uncle described. Even though her father didn't say anything much, she knows he found his first experience wonderful as well. She, Blaise, and Christophe got into the same boat. She found her eyes trailing in search for James and found him with Fred, along with a few other boys.

They then got off the boat and walked to the Great Hall, accompanied by Professor Ariadne Euodia, a Transfiguration professor that succeeded McGonagall. She was kind yet a little strict as she instructed the first years to quickly line up before they all went inside.

As the first years were announced, the doors to the Great Hall opened. Everyone was in awe. There were candles hovering near the ceiling that looked like the sky.. The tables are long and a few older Hogwarts students smiled curiously at the first years. Lyarra noted that they are wearing pointed hats. Probably for the start of the curriculum.

Lyarra was caught up in her awe that she didn't notice that Headmaster McGonagall had finished talking about the rules. Blaise had nudged her out of her daydream.

"You didn't hear her at all, did you," Blaise said pointedly. Lyarra just gave off a sheepish smile.

"You can tell me the rules later?"

"We're going to get sorted. That's the Sorting Hat, by the way." Christophe pointed to the pointed hat on the stool.

"Yes, thank you Christophe. Ever so informative," Blaise rolled his eyes.

"Stop it," Lyarra smacked his arm. Blaise gave an overexaggerated ouch, making a few people turn to them curiously. Lyarra just gave a reassuring smile in return.


"Malfoy, Lyarra."

She was the first out of her friends to be called. At her name, she could hear the increasingly growing whispers as she walked to the stool. She tried holding her smile and head up high.

She sat on the stool and nervously fidgeted with her hands as the Sorting Hat was lowered into her head. She eyed Blaise and Christophe who gave her reassuring smiles. She eyed around and found James' as well he looked confused as he stared at her, her last name resonating something within him.


"Well look here. Another Malfoy. Last time I sorted one of you, he was a Slytherin."

Must be father.

"As was the other Malfoys before him."

No surprise that the rest of the Malfoy family got sorted in the house of the snakes...

"You're a curious soul, a little bit thirsty for knowledge."

Yes, but I don't want to be Ravenclaw. Please not there.

"A kind and loyal girl as well."

Not Hufflepuff, either. I'm not sure I'm fit for both.

"Ah, you're quite determined. Brave even for requesting to not put you in those houses. But you're unsure of yourself and what you want to be."

You're quite right...

"But from what I see, you're destined for greatness if you are in this house."

Huh? Wait!


"Slytherin!"

To no one's surprise. Blaise and Christophe clapped their hands in support of their friend. The Slytherins welcomed her to their table and patted her in the back as the rest of the houses whispered.

"Nott, Christophe!"

Lyarra tried to pay no mind as she looked at her best friend in support.

"Slytherin!"

Christophe looked like he could barely breathe. He walked to the Slytherin table and sat next to Lyarra.

"I almost got sorted into Ravenclaw," He said to her in a whisper.

"I think I almost got sorted into Gryffindor," She said with a tight smile.

"Not that it sounds bad but..."

"...Considering our family? Yeah."

"And people will talk. More than they ever would if we didn't end up in Slytherin."

"Yeah."

"I can relate. My parents said they won't but I think they would be disappointed in me if I ever gotten another house like Hufflepuff." A short haired girl chimed in as she just sat down next to Christophe.

"Ah, Sarah Parkinson." Christophe smiled as he greeted her.

"Hi, Chris. And Malfoy, I can't believe we've met officially. I've never seen you at the parties," Sarah offered a hand which Lyarra shook.

"My father doesn't really want me to get in the limelight at such a young age. Lyarra Malfoy, by the way. Just Lyarra is good!"

"You can call me Sarah too! We'll be great friends. I'm jealous Nott's known you way before I do." Sarah grinned.

"Him and Zabini's family is close to mine--" Before she continued explaining, her attention was interrupted.

"Potter, James!" At that, Lyarra turned to look at the sorting ceremony in the front.

"Potter?" She muttered to herself. Their families have been rivals since Harry Potter and her father was in Hogwarts.

"Gryffindor!"

The whole Gryffindor table cheered as they welcomed the famous Potter boy into their house. James smiled proudly as he sat down.

"You know him? The Potter boy?" Christophe asked her as he looked to the Gryffindor table. "He's the oldest son of the legendary Harry Potter."

"I have met him before. He was nice." Lyarra assured. "I didn't know he was Harry Potter's son though."

"Well he looked like he didn't know you after you were sorted into Slytherin." Sarah pointed out. Lyarra didn't answer as she didn't have the courage to look at James if he indeed ignored her.

"Weasley, Fred!"

"Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table roared again as they welcomed him. Fred high fived James and sat next to him. They welcomed a few more Gryffindors.

"Zabini, Blaise!"

"It's Blaise's turn!"

"Slytherin!"

"Not surprising there, mate." Christophe high fived Blaise as he sat down across of Lyarra.

"I think the hat barely sat on my head when it announced Slytherin," He joked.

"Ah, Blaise Zabini the second of his name, ever the charming guy." Sarah smiled.

"Parkinson, hey. No surprise you're also here." Blaise smiled at her.

"Zhang, Jemma!"

A nervous looking girl walked to the stool. She was the last one to be sorted.

"Where do you think she'll get into?" Sarah wondered.

"I've never heard that surname before. Muggleborn? Then maybe something like Hufflepuff," Christophe analysed.

"She looks smart. Maybe Ravenclaw?" Blaise added.

"Maybe Gryffindor. No way she'll survive in Slytherin if she's muggleborn. No offense intended." Sarah sighed.

"It's a harsh world out there." Lyarra agreed.

"Slytherin!"

"Uh oh."


Jemma Zhang gulped as she went over to the Slytherin table. They were not as quite as loud when they welcomed her. The older Slytherin students whispered as she stood next to the table, near boy who was sorted before her. She noticed he and his friends were familiarly talking and politely clapped for her as she got sorted. The boys looked confused, and the girls looked at her with curiosity and amusement.

"Hi, can I sit here?" She asked shyly.

"Yes you can. Blaise, scoot over." The platinum blonde haired girl smiled. Blaise scooted over and Jemma sat down next to him.

"Welcome to Slytherin, Zhang. I'm Lyarra Malfoy," She introduced herself. "Next to me is Christophe Nott, next to him is Sarah Parkinson, and next to you is Blaise Zabini II."

They all seemed nice.

"Are you a muggleborn?" Sarah asked in curiosity.

"Um, no one in my family could do magic but me. So yes, I think? I've never heard that term before." Jemma said shyly.

"It's a rare occurence for a muggleborn to be sorted in Slytherin," Christophe pointed out.

"You're special, then!" Lyarra grinned. "You'll do great in this house." She assured.

Jemma found herself smiling. Lyarra was nice and welcoming to her, and her friends followed along. It made her forget the scrutinizing stares of the older Slytherins.

"Let's eat!"


Their first feast at Hogwarts was over, and the first years are led to their respective dormitories by the prefects. The boys went to the first year boys dormitory while the girls went to their own. Jemma stuck by Lyarra and Sarah as they tell her stories about the wizarding world as they know it, so far. Jemma was excited on what was to come, and before they went to sleep on their beds, Lyarra caught her hand and warned Jemma on what was about to come. Sarah was already dead tired and asleep on her bed.

"Zhang. It's going to be hell for you now and in the years to come, just because you are not born from a specific blood, things will happen to you. There are still people who are stuck on their families' old Pureblood supremacy beliefs, and they will bother you and call you certain... Names, just because you are a muggleborn in Slytherin. Well, based on their reaction, the first one in centuries." Lyarra whispered to a wide eyed Jemma.

"How... How bad is it?"

"It used to be really bad. My family used to have the same beliefs, back in the second Wizarding War. Nott's family was deep in it too, well, his grandfather was. Blaise's family always seemed neutral, but since his father is my father's best friend, he followed along. I think the Parkinsons does too.

But that war changed a lot of people, including my family. My father and mother raised me to be better people, and so did Christophe, Blaise, and Sarah's parents. They don't want us to be like them when they were younger. They still have regrets about it."

Jemma seems to contemplate.

"Are you and your friends bad people too, then?"

"...No. We don't share the same beliefs. Looking at our parents we saw that they were scarred and lived the rest of their lives to pay for the price. We promised each other when we were younger to live a good life." Lyarra said sadly, "But I don't know about the rest of the Purebloods. Just me, Blaise, and Christophe. I don't... My father doesn't let me associate with other families." Lyarra looked away.

Jemma smiled sadly and clasped Lyarra's hand with her own.

"So that's why you've always looked lonely. You've never made friends outside of your family friends?"

Lyarra blinked.

"I give you a long lecture about your future and that's what you get out of it? No wonder you're placed in Slytherin."

Jemma laughed and Lyarra laughed along. They stopped when Sarah shushed them from her bed.

"Thank you for the warning, Malfoy. You've done more by telling me and that means a lot. So far you lot have been really kind to me who's new to this whole magic thing." Jemma assured.

"Lyarra is fine. Or if you're comfortable enough you can call me Lya." Lyarra grinned. "And you're welcome."

"Okay, Lya," Jemma giggled, "Jemma for me. Or Jem if you're feeling playful!"

The two laughed again before they went to bed.

What a first night at Hogwarts. Lyarra wonders what lies in the years ahead and hoped it would be great.


A/N

Hi! This is my first ever Harry Potter fanfiction. It will mainly revolve around the New Generation but characters from the original timeline will appear!

Hope you like the story. Please read review!

Thank you!