Hello everybody, here is Tc bringing you all another chapter of Harry Potter and the New Black Sisters.
I hope you all enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Harry Potter and the New Black Sisters: Chapter 04
Harry Potter was walking through the station King's Cross, looking for the platform nine and three-quarters.
The place was crowded with people of all ages. Some were adults with briefcases, and some were teenagers like him with backpacks.
As he walked between the people, he couldn't help but think about the month that had passed since he met Hagrid.
The last month with the Dursleys has been one of the best that he could remember.
They act as if he didn't exist. Yes, it was kind of lonely but it was still better than what he was used to. When once he had to do chores until he could barely stand, now he was mostly left alone.
But best of all was the books that he had purchased in Diagon Alley.
At first, his uncle Vernon tried to take them from him, but he told him that if he didn't read them by the beginning of school, those books would curse him and everyone nearby.
It was a lie of course, but his family didn't know that.
So he spent the past month free of chores and reading about magic.
And now it was finally time for him to go to Hogwarts. It was finally time for him to meet other people like him. That was, if he could find that bloody platform.
He founded platforms nine and ten, but there wasn't any platform in between. He even approached a passing guard but he didn't knew anything about it.
He stopped in the barrier between the two platforms and he dropped his shoulders in a morose mood.
He couldn't believe what was happening. He has spent all this time dreaming of going to that magic school and meeting other people like him, including the three sisters that he had befriended, only to fail in something so simple as finding the right station.
He leaned against the brick barrier. Maybe he could send a letter to Hagrid, telling him that he couldn't find the right plat-
"Waa!" He shouted as he fell to the floor. His glasses hit the ground as they dropped from his face. It seemed that he had miscalculated and didn't lean against the barrier.
"This is definitely not my day," he said to himself from the floor as he blindly looked for his glasses. His hands were touching the floor, looking for them when they touched not only them but also what appeared to be a pair of boots. He couldn't see who they belonged to without his glasses so he quickly put them on and raised his head.
What he encountered was a very familiar blonde woman who was looking at him with amusement. Beside her were three teenage girls who were looking at him with similar expressions as their mother.
"Hello Heir Potter," said the older witch, her voice laced with mirth. "In a bit of a pickle, are we?" She said, making him blush and the sister laughed at him. Well, two of them laughed and one calmly smiled.
'Someone kill me please,' he thought. The last thing that he wanted, was to look ridiculous in front of her new friends.
But then he realized. If they were in front of him then that means...
He started to look around him. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.
He looked at Narcissa Black.
"But I- how did," he tried to say but his voice failed him.
Narcissa chuckled at him.
"Let me guess, you tried to lean against the barrier?" She asked him.
"Yes!" He said as he quickly stood up. "And all of a sudden I fell to the floor! And then..." He looked around him. "And then I was here," Harry said, bewildered.
Narcissa just smiled.
"That is easy to explain. Nymphadora," she said, addressing his eldest daughter. "Can you please search for his luggage?" She asked her.
"Of course, mum," responded Aries, enthusiastically.
She walked straight toward the barrier behind him... and just passed through like it wasn't even there!
What the...!
Harry looked at the occurrence with wide eyes.
"How?" He asked, shocked.
"Magic," said a monotone voice beside him, startling him.
He looked at the owner of say voice.
Dressed in similar clothes that her older sister, Delphini was looking at him with the same blank look that he associated with her.
Trying to shake off his surprised face, he said.
"Hello, Delphini. How are you?" He asked casually.
She narrowed her eyes at his question.
"Heir Potter," she responded.
"Harry," he said. "As I said before, please call me just Harry," he reminded her.
Glancing at her mother, Delphini said.
"I don't think that will be appropriate," she said, unsure.
"It is not," said another voice behind him. This one, lace with haughtiness.
Letting a sigh, he turned around to look at who had spoken.
With blonde hair just like her mother and grey eyes, Altair looked at him with arrogant eyes.
"Hello to you too, Altair," said Harry, trying to be polite with the girl.
Honestly, he would prefer not to deal with her, but he likes the rest of her family, so Harry will at least make the effort.
Her eyes went from arrogant to annoying.
"Potter," she said. "Why aren't you using the manners that I teach you so generously? And who said that you can address me by my first name?" Altair asked him, irritated.
Harry recoiled a little at her words. She had indeed spent a couple of hours of her time teaching him how to behave in high society. He had even read one of the books that Delphini recommended to him on that topic.
He may not like very much Altair, but that didn't mean that he was ungrateful.
"I am sorry," he said to her, looking at her and her sister. "But after Madame Black said that I could talk to her in a more... casual way, I just thought that that also applies to you two," he said, rubbing the back of his head.
He hoped that he hadn't offended the two sisters. Well, more Delphini than Altair. The middle sister may be cold, but she had helped him without asking for anything in return and she didn't have that air of superiority that her young sister had.
Hearing his words, Altair opened her mouth to respond but Narcissa decided to intervene.
"Easy girls," she said to her two younger daughters. She then looked at Harry and said. "Heir Potter, I did say that you shouldn't worry about how you talk with me, but I was only speaking for myself, not for my daughters," she explained to him. "If one of them wants you to talk to them in a more formal way, you should respect their wishes," the blonde woman said, making the blonde girl smile. "And Altair," she said in a strict tone of voice, making said girl shrink. "While it is true that you are the first one to teach him proper manners, I didn't see or hear you use them just now when you address Heir Potter," Narcissa said, making her youngest daughter lowered her eyes at the reprimand and Harry smiled vindicate.
Madame Black then looked at her middle daughter and said.
"Delphine, if you wish to address Heir Potter by his first name, you are free to do so, but," she said as she reached down, snagged a curl on Altair's head and tucked it behind her ear. "Remember, there are times to be casual and times to be formal. What is important is to distinguish which is which," she said, and then she path her head. Giving her a sweet smile, she said. "I know that you would be able to do it, sweety," she said, smiling.
Her daughter returned the smile with one of her own, albeit a small one.
"Of course mum," she said.
Delphini turned her head and looked at Harry.
"As I was saying Harry," she said, remarking his name and making him smile. "The barrier between the platforms nine and ten is enchanted and when a witch or wizard walks toward it, they can go through it and find the platform nine and three-quarters. It is also enchanted to keep the muggles away from it," she said and to demonstrate her words, she walked toward it and put her left hand through it. Her hand simply went through it like it was just air and not a brick construct.
Harry looked at this in wonder before walking toward it and doing the same. When his hand touched the supposed wall, Harry just felt a little bit of cold and nothing else.
Just as Harry retired his hand and walked away a little from the barrier, the oldest of the sisters walked from the other side of said barrier. She was calmly pushing his trunk with his things on it.
"There we go Harr- whoa!" Aries said with a smile when she tripped and fell to the floor. Luckily for him, she didn't drag his luggage along with it.
"Aries!" he said, alarmed. "Are you okay?" He said as he approached her and extended her hand to help her get up.
"Yeah, I am okay," she said, holding his hand and getting up. "Don't worry Harry, it happens all the time," she reassured him.
Still a little worried, he turned around to the rest of her family, just to see exasperated expressions instead of concerned eyes.
"Haa, Nymphadora," Madame Black sighed in resignation. She then looked at Harry and said. "Don't worry Harry, we are used to this. My daughter has many qualities. Being able to walk on a perfectly plain surface without falling is not one of them," she said to him.
He chuckled at her response. So Aries was a little clumsy. Or more than a little at base in the words of Madame Black. It was kind of cute.
Aries's hair went from pink to red and back to pink again. With a little pout on her face, she said.
"Muuuuum!" She whined. "He didn't need to know that," she said, childishly, crossing her arms. "And please, don't call me Nymphadora in public," she added.
Harry was trying to suppress his laugh at her reaction. It was nice seeing the oldest of the sisters act so childishly. But then he looked at the rest of her body and, while blushing, he quickly looked away.
In the meantime, Madame Black raised her eyebrow at her daughter's words.
"It is your name, Nymphadora," she said, making her daughter sulk even more. "And don't cross your arm like that, it is undignified. Remember, you are not ten anymore," she said severely.
Aries blinked at her words before looking down at her chest and rapidly uncrossing her arms. She then looked at Harry and seeing his blush, she went red on the face too.
Madame Black, who was clearly amused by their interaction, suddenly took a pocket watch -really, a pocket watch? were did she even find such thing- from what appeared to be thin air and said.
"Children, as amusing as this is," she said, drawing the attention of the four teenagers. "You all should be abording the train. It is almost time to aboard it," she said.
The four teenagers looked at a clock nearby and realized that she was right.
They quickly pressed on through the crowd until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train and stored their luggage.
"Girls," a familiar voice from outside the train called them and they saw that it was the mother of the girls.
Altair and Delphine hastily exited the compartment and went to meet her. As Harry was sitting near the window, he heard a voice calling him.
"What are you doing?" Asked said voice. Harry turned around and saw that it was Aries.
He looked at her with confusion.
"Uh, sitting?" he doubtfully said.
She rolled her eyes.
"No, you are not," she said as she grabbed his hand. "Come, she will want to say goodbye to you too," she said, as she dragged him off the train.
"But..." Harry tried to say, but she wouldn't listen.
They fast walked toward her mother who was apparently waiting for them.
"There you are," she said as she looked at the two of them with fondness in her eyes.
The three sisters were looking at her mother while he just stood there, awkwardly.
He didn't know why Aries dragged him out here. He wasn't too close to Madame Black. As a matter of fact, he wasn't particularly close with the sister either. He had just met them once and chose the same compartment as them due to only going through the motions.
He was having these thoughts when a voice interrupted them.
"Alright girls, it is time for you to go to Hogwarts," Madame Black said looking at the group.
The three of them nodded their head.
"Now," she said, looking at the youngest of them. "Altair, have a good time and try to stay out of trouble," she said as she patted her head.
Altair nodded.
"Yes mum," she said, smiling.
Madame Black gave her a fond smile and then turned her eyes toward the oldest.
"Nymphadora," she said, which made said girl's hair turn red. "You too have a lovely year and take care of your younger sisters," she said.
"I will mum," said Aries, as her hair turned back to pink. "And don't worry, everything will be fine. After all," she said as a sly smile appeared on her face. "The New Black sisters will finally attend Hogwarts!" She said as she pumped his fist in the air. "Who will dare to go against us?" She said with her fist still in the air.
Narcissa just looked at her before she pinched her nose and sighed in exasperation. She then looked at the middle sister.
"Delphine, make sure that Nymphadora doesn't do anything foolish," she said, making Aries sulk at her words. She then gave her tender smile. "And you too tried to enjoy this year sweety," she said as she caressed Delphine's face.
"I will Mum," she said, with a small smile.
"Good girl," she said, lowering her hand.
Harry could see that, despite the smile on her face, it was difficult for the older blond to say goodbye to the sisters. He was sure that if it was anyone else, they would have been crying. But not her.
Well, it made sense. According to some of the books that he read this summer, nobles shouldn't cry in public. Such demonstration of emotions was only to be shown in the sanctity of one's home. And one in the position of Madame Black would respect that.
And then, much to his surprise, she looked at him.
"Heir Potter," she said to him. "I realize that I am not your mother or the person in charge of you but nevertheless, I would like to wish you a nice school year too," she said, giving him a small smile.
Harry just stood there, not knowing what to say. Nobody had ever said that to him. At the beginning of each school year, his relatives only threatened him, telling him that if he caused trouble, they would lock him in the cupboard and not let him out for a whole week.
And then, this complete stranger wished for him to...
He gulped a little and then, swallowing his emotions, he looked into her eyes.
"Thank you," he simply said.
She looked at him for a few seconds before addressing the whole group.
"Well kids, off you go. You wouldn't like it if the train departed without you," she said as she gesticulated toward the train.
The four teenagers started saying their last goodbyes and walking toward the train.
They found their compartment and looked through the window how the image of Madame Black was getting smaller and smaller as the train started moving.
They looked at the station until it disappeared from their eyes.
Once that happened they remained silent for a few moments, each of them engrossed in their own thoughts.
As time passed, each of them started doing their own things.
Aries had left to meet with her friends a couple of minutes ago. Delphine grabbed a book and started reading while calmly responding to the questions her younger sister had about Hogwarts, and Harry simply looked at the scenery through the window while listening to the two sisters talking.
He was still a little uncomfortable being around other people so he just remained quiet.
"So Harry," said a neutral voice, interrupting his thoughts. He looked at the owner of said voice with inquisitive eyes. "Did you study the books that I recommend to you during the summer? What has been your favourite subject so far?" Delphini asked.
Harry assumed a thoughtful look.
He had indeed read them. And he had loved them. The topics of the books were all new and interesting, and not just the ones about practical magic.
The culture and history were fascinating too. How it was possible that all those events had happened and no one knew?
For example, the Second War World or as it is known in the wizarding world 'The Great Magic War'. Who would have thought that all that conflict was caused by one man? And that the same man fund the early days of the Nazi Party? It was maddening.
However, that didn't appear in the books required by the school. For some reason, in the book 'A History of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot, all they talked about was past wars against the goblins.
He had found out about it in one of the other books that Delphine recommended.
But back to her question, if he has to choose a favourite subject, it will have to be...
"Well," he said. "Transfiguration looked very interesting. The concept that almost anything can be transformed into another thing sounds fascinating" Harry explained. "Thank you for the book recommendations by the way. It was very helpful," he added.
Without stopping reading her book, she nodded.
"You are welcome," she responded.
"Speaking of this summer," Altair intervened. "Did you spend time practising the manners and etiquette that I so kindly explained to you?" She asked in her usual stuck-up tone.
Harry sighed at this. Can this girl not speak like that? From the way she talks, one could think that she thought that every other human being was below her.
Trying not to show his displeasure, he answered.
"Yes, I have Altair," he said, with a forced smile. "I also read a book that Delphine recommended about the subject, so I should be a little better than I was two weeks ago," he responded with a defying look in his eyes.
Altair just crossed her arms and with the same tone as before, she responded.
"Hmph, I will be the judge of that," she said, giving him a haughty smile without breaking eye contact.
If one were to look at the two of them at this precise moment, they would think they were in a stared contest.
Delphine interrupted this with a sigh.
"Could you please stop talking?" she said. "Some people are trying to read in peace without having to listen to you two trying to flirt," she said, making the two of them blush.
Harry's eyes widened.
"Delphine, i-it is not like that," he tried to say.
"Delphine!" Altair said, more vocal than him. "How could you think something like that!? Are you out of your mind?" She shouted, losing her dignified posture. "As if I could fancy a girly boy like him," she said, pointing at him.
Harry's eyes narrowed. He had been called like that before, but that didn't mean he liked it.
"Who are you calling girly, Altair? And besides, it is me who should be complaining," the black-haired boy said. "Who could like someone as arrogant and prideful as you?" He retorted.
"Excuse me? How dare you talk to me like that, you..."
And then they started bickering with each other. Harry said that she was a pompous brat who should get down off his high horse and Altair called him a girly and uncultured brute who should be prostrating at her feet for her generous help.
Delphine just sighed and tried -and failed- to return to her books.
The shouting could be heard from outside of the compartment for several minutes.
After the screaming match had concluded, one could see the three people in the compartment occupied with different activities.
Delphine was quietly reading a book, Altair was eating different kinds of sweets that she had brought and Harry was reading like Delphine but with his wand in his hand.
He was attempting to see if he could do some of the spells written in the book.
During the week after his trip to Diagon Alley, he had been really curious about the magic described in the books, but he couldn't practice them because it was illegal for a minor to do magic during the summer.
But now, inside the train, there was nothing that stopped him.
In the beginning, he thought to start with transfiguration but he settled down for Charms.
It looked more easy for a total beginner like him.
"Lumos," he said, trying to use the Wand-Lighting Charm but failing.
"Lumos!" He said, this time with more strength in his voice, but failing again.
He didn't understand, he was holding the wand firmly as indicated in the book, saying the words correctly but the charm didn't work.
What was he doing wrong?
A laugh interrupted his thoughts.
"Hehehe," Altair -of course it was her- said. "What is the matter Potter, having a little problem with the most basic of spells?" she mocked him.
Harry tried to not let her bother him. She was just doing it to get under his skin.
"Oh yes? I would like to see you try to do it," needless to say, she did get under his skin.
There was just something about her, about the conceit tone that she used, that made him not want to lose against her.
"Ha!" She said, taking out her wand and her book. "Wach and learn Potter," she said.
She read the part of the book where it described the spell and, after repeating the words a couple of times, she raised her wand.
"Lumos!" She solemnly said, as if she were a priest about to do a miracle in front of her congregation.
But the result was as shortcoming as his. The wand didn't even spark.
She went red in the face, before looking at the book again.
"But I did everything perfectly," she said as she read the book.
"Oh, not so easy now, isn't it?" Harry mockingly said.
"Shut up Potter!" She said, still red. "I did everything just as the book said. There must be something wrong with the instructions," she concluded.
He grimaced at her words. Of course, it had to be wrong with the book. It was impossible for the great Altair to have made a mistake. No, it had to be the book's fault.
Really, could she be more full of herself?
But before he could point that out, someone intervened.
"There is nothing wrong with the book, Altair," Delphine said to her sister. "It is probably that neither of you is using the proper visualization," she told them.
He tilted his head in confusion.
"What are you talking about Delphine? The book doesn't mention anything about visualization," he said, giving a quick look at the page where the spell was written for confirmation.
Altair did the same and after a few seconds, nodded.
"That is because you are looking at the wrong page," she said, closing her book. "That particular instruction appeared at the end of the book," she said, taking the book from his sister and looking for the correct page.
Once she found it, she showed it to Altair and him. It said that while casting any charm described in the book, one has to visualise the final result while doing it.
"'Final result'?" Altair read. "What does that even mean?" She asked.
Sighing, Delphine took out her wand and started explaining.
"In general, when performing spells, there are four important things that you have to remember. Correct wand movement, pronunciation, will and visualization," he explained. "The Lumos spell doesn't demand difficult wand movement, isn't a difficult spell to pronounce and doesn't require great concentration. So, we can deduce that you two are visualising wrong."
Altair and Harry were listening carefully.
"Now, when you are performing charms, one has to envision the end result of the spell," seeing their confused looks, she added. "Here let me show you."
She cleared her throat and holding her wand, said.
"Lumos," and a warm light was created on the tip of her wand. It illuminated the whole compartment for a few seconds before Delphine once more said.
"Nox," and the light was extinguished.
He could only look at her in wonder. So that was what the spell was supposed to do.
"That is what you are supposed to be imagining while doing the spell, the tip of your wand lighting up. As the book said, 'The final result,'" she finished saying.
Harry looked at the tip of his wand and he decided to give it a shot.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on what he had just seen. That warm light filling the compartment. He took a deep breath and, with that image in his head, said once more.
"Lumos!" He shouted and the compartment was once more filled with light.
He looked at his wand in amazement. He did it, he had made magic! It was so incredible that he just laughed from happiness.
"Hahaha!" he said, happy. He could do it, he had actually managed to do it.
"Good job," said Delphine with the corner of her mouth twitching. He could tell that she was happy for him, she just didn't express it very well.
"Lumos!" Another voice said, and another light appeared. He looked at the source and it looked that Altair had also done it.
"I did it. Look, Delph, I also do it!" she said, excitedly looking at her sister before realizing how she was behaving and, clearing her throat, she said. "I mean, of course I succeded. Something like this is nothing for me," she said, feigning disinterest.
Delphine just rolled her eyes before congratulation her sister.
The spectacles-boy looked at their wand in wonder for a few more seconds before asking.
"So," Harry said while whipping through the book. "How do we turn it off?" He asked with a sheepish smile.
"The spell to turn the wands off is nox. Just like with Lumos, it doesn't require any wand movement, just focus on the finished product," she said as she waved her wand once more.
"Lumos," she said, lighting her wand once more. Delphine waited a few seconds before speaking once more. "Nox," she said, and the light turned off.
Harry's eyes were from her wand to his. It seemed easy enough.
"Nox!" Altair said before him and the spell from her wand also disappeared.
"Ha!" She said, looking at Harry. "See Potter, this is how you do it. And on my first try," she said, proudly.
Not wanting to be left behind, Harry tried it too.
He concentrated and said.
"Nox!" He shouted and after a moment, his wand also turned off.
He gripped his wand and showed it to Delphine who just nodded.
"Very good you two. And remember, when you are performing charms, what is important is that you visualize the final result," Delphine said as she put the wand in her pocket and sat down.
"But wait," Altair said. "How can the instructions only appear at the end of the book and not at the beginning?" She questioned.
Delphine just sighed.
"Professor Flitwick would have told you how to perform the spells the first day of class. After all," she said, giving them a half-smile. "Students aren't supposed to practice magic outside of Hogwarts," she reminded them.
Harry gave her a sheepish smile while Altair only huffed.
Well, at least the spell works. And thanks to Delphine, he won't enter Hogwarts without knowing anything.
Harry practised the spells a couple of minutes more before resting.
Silent reigned in the compartment once more. Harry and Delphine were busy reading and Altair kept practising the spell.
He was reading the book 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' that Delphine recommended to him when they met in the store.
It was pretty creepy to know that someone like Voldemort could gain so much support. Especially from the aristocracy of the Wizarding world. Why that kind of person would join a madman like him? The book said that most of his followers joined him because he promised to 'restore the rights of the noble class that were being stolen by the muggle-borns and blood traitors so the society could regain the values and ideals that once ruled this country' but it didn't specific what rights and values he was talking about.
He raised his eyes from the book and looked at his companions. Delphine had stopped reading and was talking with Altair.
He wanted to ask the two sisters about what he just read in the book but he didn't want to seem insensitive. After all, their parents were serving sentences because they were part of Voldemort's followers. More than that, according to Hagrid, they were his most loyal followers.
But before could say anything, Altair said.
"So Potter, what is with the box?" she said, gesturing to the small box beside him. "Is there where you keep your jewellery, girly-boy?" She said, smirking.
Ignoring her mockery, Harry looked at the little box. That was the gift from Hagrid and for the last month, he had kept it with him at all times, as Hagrid instructed him. According to him, it would feed off the magic that Harry unconsciously releases to grow.
But before he could say a word, the compartment's door opened.
At the entrance was a boy, about the same age as Harry, with black hair, black eyes and fair skin. He was flanked by two other boys the same age as him but more heavy-set and, by the look on their faces, dumber.
His eyes first set on him and gave him a look of superiority, similar to Altair's but at the same time different. Altair behaved as if she was the greatest thing that ever walked the earth but also with nobility. This guy only looked at him as if Harry was beneath him.
He then focused his eyes on the sister and immediately stood straighter.
"Daughters of Black," he said, giving the two sisters a reverence that was not reciprocated.
Harry could see that their response bothered the other boy by the way his fist clenched but the boy didn't say anything. It must have been a common response.
"Nott," Delphine responded. "What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I am looking for Harry Potter. I have been told that he is on the train this year and I want to invite him to sit with me and my friends. A wizard of his status should sit with people of his ilk, don't you think?" He asked her. "Of course, you and your sister are welcome to join us. After all..." he said looking at Harry up and down, "Despite her pretty face, two ladies of your status shouldn't mingle with... commoner like her," Harry could tell that 'commoners' wasn't the word that this boy wanted to us-
Wait, What did he just say? 'Her'? Did this guy just mistake him for a-
"Hahahahaha!" Altair started laughing at Nott. "Did- did you just call- Hahahah!" She couldn't finish the sentence before starting to laugh again, much to the boy's confusion.
Harry's face went crimson from embarrassment. It was not the first time that people mistook him for a girl, but still, it was humiliating.
Giving the confused boy a half-smile, Delphine said.
"Thank you for the invitation Nott, but I think we would prefer to stay," she responded.
Nott just looked confused at Altair, probably wondering what was so funny, before giving Delphine a nod and exiting the compartment.
Delphine then turned to look at Harry and he could tell that she was suppressing her laugh.
"So," she said. "Does that happen often? People confusing you for a girl?" Her question made Harry want to hide under a rock.
"...Pretty much," he said, avoiding looking her in the eyes.
That did it. His response was too much for Delphine and she too started laughing out loud much to his annoyance.
Hiding his face behind a book, he thought. 'This is going to be a long ride.'
Still, peaking from behind his cover, he couldn't help but contemplate the smile on Delphine's face.
She, just like her sisters, had a nice laugh.
Hoped you liked it.