The Untold Tragedy Of Morana Black

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Eleven: The Sorting Hat

September 1st, 1991

Morana was gently shaken awake by Blaise hours later. 

"Ah, the days when I wasn't beaten for waking you," Blaise sighed mournfully, dramatically looking into the distance as if remembering the life only Morana had memories of. "Those were the good old days."

Morana scoffed. "I don't beat you."

"Oh, look," Saros teased, "Selective memory."

She barely had time to register that they weren't alone in the compartment since Blaise ushered them out while pointing at the neat pile of school robes beside her, saying something her sleep-addled brain couldn't understand.

It took a few minutes for Morana's brain to wake up and realize she had to change her clothes. She heard the boys chattering outside in low voices as she hurriedly pulled off her muggle clothes and pulled on her robes.

In her half-awake state, she tripped, stumbled, bashed her elbow against the window, and bumped her head when she twisted her ankle and face-planted the floor.

"It was a moving train," Morana defended herself, noticing how her family tried to hold in their laughter. "No one is graceful on a moving train."

"Sure," her brothers grinned. "It's not because you're clumsy."

If the boys had heard Morana fighting with her clothes, they didn't mention it when she allowed them back inside. However, that might be because Morana was elegantly sitting in her seat, not a curl out of place nor a wrinkle in her robes.

Walbruga nodded in approval, pleased Morana made herself presentable. "The first impressions are always important when dealing with Purebloods. We tend to judge people on them."

"Tom never showed up unless he looked perfect," Abraxas grinned, ignoring the glare he received from Marvolo. "Does he still do the sigh when his hair refuses to cooperate?"

"Oh, yeah," Morana laughed, nudging Tom's shoulder playfully. "Every morning."

Tom sighed miserably, wondering what he'd done to deserve this.

Blaise introduced her to Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, two rather large, mean-looking boys who acted like Draco's bodyguards and reminded Morana of Dudley. 

The last people Blaise introduced were Theodore Nott, a quiet, studious boy with sandy hair, and Saros Lestrange, a fierce-looking boy that reminded Morana of a predator studying his prey. 

"Where am I?" Adolphus pouted, annoyed he was the last one to meet Morana. He glared at his brothers when they laughed at him, evidently pleased they weren't stuck in last place. 

Morana rolled her eyes fondly at her brothers. "We'll meet soon enough," she said, "You were the first person I considered a friend. Shared life experience and all that."

Adolphus shot his brothers a smug look. "Did you hear that? I was her first friend. Sucks to be you, I guess."

Once the formal introductions were over, Draco decided to boast about his encounter with Harry and the boy, who Morana now knew as Ronald Weasley. 

Goyle scowled and stuffed his mouth full of Chocolate Frogs. 

"So, to summarize your over-dramatized version of events, you offered my brother your hand in friendship, got rejected, tried bullying them, and then Tweddle Dumb over here was attacked by a rat?" Morana said, amusement coloring her expression as she fought back a smile.