September 1st

533 11 4
                                    

One

Katarina Konstantinovna Kartashova never been remotely normal by anybodys standards.  Firstly, she was a witch. Secondly, she was a completely pure-blood witch. And thirdly, she belonged to one of the most powerful and dangerous wizarding families in all of history.

On September first, she had been woken up at five o'clock rather rudely by a screaming portrait in the hallway. There was no doubt in her mind that her mother had ordered it to do so, as their already strained relationship was becoming tenser by the day.

As she finished packing up her trunk, she tried hard to keep her emotions under control like she had been taught. She was heartbroken and furious at her mother. It was certainly an exciting day, she was starting a new school and a new life, but she couldn't help but be angry all the same. Her family had originated, thrived, and lived in Russia for centuries, she was supposed to be going to Koldovstoretz, where she had spent her summers and vacations since the day she was born, not some substantial wizarding school in Scotland!

The blonde frowned as she remembered the reason she wasn't going to Koldovstoretz, the oldest wizarding school that was located in Russia. Family relationships were being strained, and her aunt and uncle were fighting with her parents again about political standing and about the way Katarina was being raised. Because of the intense fighting that had been going on between the two halves of the Kartashova family, her mother had taken away what little time she had to spend time with her extended family and sent her to a different school, thousands of miles away from her home and best friend. It also probably hadn't helped that she had told her mother exactly how ridiculous she was being, and then compared her rather rudely to a temperamental plant that grew in Siberia. 

Shaking her head slightly, Katherine, or as most of her family called her, Katarina, stood up and shut her trunk before dragging it down the back stairwell. She took a deep breath to compose herself before she walked through the arched doorway into the foyer. Her father and mother were talking in hushed voices by the front door. She hastily fastened her cloak before making her way over to them. Her father gazed at her, Hardly any emotion showing in his dark eyes as he asked, "Katherine, you remember the charm I taught you for your trunk do you not?"

Her father had been the one to give her her name. While the rest of her family, and the country, called her by the Russian form, he insisted on using the western form. He had chosen it to honor an american colleague of his who had gave her life for his on an Auror mission gone wrong. One could say many things about  Konstantin Kartashov, but you could not say that he was not a man of honor. It just depended on what he felt was honorable.

"Of course отец," Katherine replied evenly. "Pondus minuere" With a wave of her wand, she felt the weight of the trunk lessen significantly, allowing her to shrink it and pick it up with ease.

Her father just nodded before solemnly telling her, "Be good at school Katherine, I do not want to hear of any mishaps or troubles from the professors. Gain a place in the Slytherin house and bring honor to our family." He met her eyes directly, and he could see the fire flicker in them as he gravely said,  "And remember our family motto."

Katherine pursed her lips but nodded. "Of course отец. Смерть перед позором " With that, Konstantin Kartashov nodded once before he retreated back into the dark hallways of the house, leaving Katherine and her mother alone in the entryway. With barely a glance at her daughter, Yuliya Kartashov started off down the path that was nestled between high snowdrifts. After ten minutes of walking, they reached the end of the wards. A pile of snow blew off a tall fir tree and onto Katherine's head, causing her to let out a surprised hiss.

Yuliya glared at her daughter in contempt before snapping, "Be quiet мерза́вец. Don't draw attention to yourself like that. It's unbecoming and irresponsible. "

Katherine rolled her eyes. "There's nobody around here to notice. We're in the middle of nowhere if you haven't forgotten."

Her mother glared at her fiercely. "Hold onto your trunk, We're leaving." Katherine resisted the urge to snap back at her mother but complied and shoved her trunk into her pocket. After shoving her wand into the waistband of her leggings, her mother roughly grabbed her shoulder and they apparated to platform 9 3/4.

Katarina Konstantinovna Kartashova had always been a topic of discussion, from the rich pure blooded families that her parents socialized with, to the poorest beggars of wizarding Moscow. Throughout the twelve years of her life had overheard countless muttered conversations regarding how the shadows seemed to favor her over others, and how her blonde hair made her stand out strikingly against the black that the rest of her family sported.

People could tell, just by looking at her, that she was a Kartashova to the bone: all sharp features, cold eyes and violent auras. But if they looked closer, they would also realize that there was something off about her as well, that no matter how similar she was to the rest, she was not a replica.

And that just scared them more.

The 5th marauderWhere stories live. Discover now