incendio; tom riddle

chapter 3

It was starting. Her adventure of a lifetime, her story, her memories were all going to blossom from this day forth. And what more fitting place for them to start, if not the Hogwarts Express.

"Wooooooooooo!"

Steam billowing from the Hogwarts Express in great puffs as Celeste apparated with her mother to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Celeste saw parents wiping their children's faces with their sleeves and lightly scolding them already. She saw older students chattering with each other and younger students frantically looking for peers. Celeste felt a bud of warmth in her stomach as she hoped she would also be like that.

"Celeste, stop your daydreaming already! I can't stand the sight of so much filthy blood. Come along, I need to find Laurence."

"Mother, where are Al and Wally? Is Cyg coming with Father? How come-"

"Insolent girl, stop calling your siblings such pet names. You must address them properly, as Walburga and Alphard. Don't show this type of behavior in front of others. Do you want the Black family to be labeled as incompetent?"

"No, Mother." Celeste mocked with a slight eye roll.

Unbeknownst to this behavior, Irma continued, "Your father is bringing the three of them as we speak. But I need to speak to Laurence about you, which is why we are heading this way"

They approached a lavishly dressed group of people, among them, her fiance Laurence Avery. Catching the sight of Celeste, Avery smoothed his dark hair and came forward.

"Ah, Mrs. Black, what a pleasure to see you." He reached for her hand and laid a delicate kiss. Turning towards Celeste and placing a kiss on her hand, he looked up and down at Celeste.

"And Celeste, may I add that you look stunning in those robes."

Shudders ran through her body as Celeste developed the urge to wipe her hand and smack Avery's face. It took some control to stop the twitching of her hands.

"Yes, yes, she looks wonderful. Laurence, I believe you also started Hogwarts last year right?" He nodded.

"Great, then I ask you to guide Celeste around, make sure she sticks to the right type of people, you know, the pure-blooded cousins and such."

"Of course, Mrs. Black, it is my job to keep my fiancee in line after all. We can't have her around the wrong sort of people."

"Thank you, Laurence, I look forward to seeing you at our Christmas Ball."

"Ooo, Irma, I never thought I would see you here. Doesn't Pollux usually send the brats off?" The honeyed words of a woman came floating toward them.

Cassiopeia Black came sauntering over with her hair piled all over her head like a bee's nest. She was the only sister, or the only one Pollux would acknowledge, of Pollux Black. Lots of mother-of-pearl necklaces hung from her neck, and her grubby fingers were adorned with lavish gold rings. She wore frilly magenta robes, pulling off that insane, but wealthy look.

"Cassiopeia, what are you doing here?" Irma asked in a pinched voice, never much liking her sister-in-law.

"Ahh, thought I'd see Celeste off, as we know, this lass is odd. Can't be odd when you head off to Hogwarts, you're representing the family name. Dear me, if it isn't Laurence Avery. My boy, you look handsome and strong. It will do Celeste good when you marry her."

Celeste shuddered at any thought of becoming an Avery. To even look at Avery was revolting, much less to carry his name or his heirs.

"Cassiopeia, I've been drilling these into Celeste's head all day, no need for you to repeat them. The two of you should head onto the train, it's ready to leave. Remember, Celeste, toujours pur. Associate with the right people, and find your siblings on the train. Pray that you are a Slytherin."

"Yes! Toujours pur! After all, what are we but always pure!" Aunt Cassiopeia added with a maniacal sing-song, "You better be Slytherin, or off the tree you'll be dithering!"

Celeste hurried to put some distance between her and her crazy aunt. She didn't want to catch any of what she had.

~~~

"Celeste, would you like to share a compartment with me? Or perhaps with the purebloods?" Avery asked in a silky voice.

"Umm, I need to use the loo. Pardon me."

Celeste lugged her trunk as fast as she could away from Avery, getting herself lost in the sea of students. Celeste found an empty compartment near the end of the train and quickly entered. After shoving her trunk up the racks, she leaned her head against the window and stared at the bright red station. She saw other students leaning out the windows grinning at their parents, and their parents waving back. A sharp pang rang in her heart as she glanced toward Irma who was conversing with other pureblood mothers. They were most likely discussing how much more filthy blood was attending Hogwarts. Irma didn't care for her nor her siblings, unlike how Daisy's mom used to care for Daisy.

Daisy. Her childhood friend. The girl whose mother made the best pies. The girl whose childhood got destroyed when her parents plunged off a bridge in a car accident. An accident that Celeste highly suspected was just the doing of her parents, serving as a warning to Celeste. Daisy moved to America with her grandparents, and Celeste lost her only friend.

Then there was Alphard. Celeste was very worried for Alphard, who now bore a resentment toward Walburga from the incident two years back. He was still the same cheery self, just not towards Wally. He would ignore her and only spoke to her when necessary. Celeste felt responsible as it was all just the result of the belladonna incident. He was still the caring twin towards her, and the joking brother to Cygnus.

Finally, there was poor Cygnus, who was already betrothed to the dreadful Druella Rosier. Five years his senior and more than slightly mad. Cygnus was quiet and pretty much the complete opposite of Alphard. Celeste tried to talk to him, but he would ignore her most of the time. Celeste thought the pressure put upon him by their parents was too much, and that he was slowly starting to crack. But he was only nine years old, much too young for this gruesome fate.

Celeste was so lost in her thinking that she didn't even notice the train was already moving. She needed to find Alphard already, so she scrambled out of her compartment and looked around the train. She rushed up the length of the train, looking into each compartment, but could not find Alphard. So distracted, she didn't even pay attention and slammed into someone.

"Oof! Owww!" Celeste rubbed her arm as she looked up to whom she ran into from the ground.

Ice. That was the only word to describe this boy. Acristoic features with pale, almost white skin. Dark hair that fell in front of his eyes, and cold brown eyes. He stared down at her with a sneer, and practically hissed, "Are you done ogling at me or should I stand here longer. Pity for you, there's nothing to look at."

Celeste could only continue to stare at this attractive boy. She felt a deep pull, in her stomach, towards this boy. She couldn't explain the feeling but it felt as though they were meant to be. Celeste could only focus on this bond between them, that she didn't even hear what the boy was saying.

"Hey! You slam right into me and now you're just staring at me? Where are your manners? I didn't know an apology costed gold these days."

Celeste, still too lost in her head, didn't even hear what the boy had to say. So he walked into a compartment farther up, with a sneer on his face.

"Scum." That was all she heard him say.

As if in a trance, Celeste forgot all about his search for Alphard and headed straight back to her compartment. What she didn't expect was two people, fiercely snogging in her compartment.