pure destruction - tr.

prologue

The sun fell low behind the hills of northern Scotland as the hours of daylight met their end. The minimal light glimmered across the surface of the great lake in its last few moments of blissful stillness.

Peace was abruptly ended as the whistle of the Hogwarts Express tore through the silence as it pulled into Hogsmeade station. Isadora Avery was among the flood of excited first years that followed the groundskeeper, Ogg, along to the great lake, and she was positively terrified. Not only was she about to row an extremely small, falling apart, hardly held together boat with another three people, which in her mind had a ninety nine percent chance of breaking, over a huge lake that was rumoured to have a giant squid roaming about it, but she also was making her Hogwarts debut and was extremely nervous. Since learning to read, aged four (something she loved to brag about), she had read 'Hogwarts: A History' at least sixty times over, wishing and wishing for the time to come for her to leave for Hogwarts. Her twin, Anthony, however, did not seem to share in her excitement in the matter, being the favourite child and wishing to stay in the same routine at home. Despite this though, they were extremely close to each other and loved each other dearly.

As the group of first years neared the lake, panic rose in Isadora's chest. She hated boats and water and giant squids with a passion, and despite everything else that there was to be feared in Hogwarts, this was what she feared most: a boat ride. Honestly, it made her feel quite pathetic, but it is what it is. She, along with her brother, waited till last to get into a boat, and ended up being left with two more people. She stepped in carefully, followed by the other three, then the two boys shared a look before beginning to row, unaware that the boats were magically carried towards Hogwarts, so their efforts were futile.

It took a few moments of awkward silence before any sort of conversation began, but eventually the other girl spoke up.

"I'm Elladora Nott,", she said before pointing her finger in the other boy's direction, "and this is my brother Thoros."

Isadora introduced herself and her brother, the two boys shaking hands then immediately taking off into a conversation that the girls were not necessarily bothered to listen to. Isadora felt the need to strike a conversation with the girl now, so did just that.

"Are you nervous?" she asked, feeling like it was a good conversation starter, which it proved to be once Elladora responded.

"I thought you'd never ask."

The two immediately began to bond over their shared fear of entering Hogwarts, especially with the pressure placed on them from their parents. Isadora wasn't under said pressure as much as Anthony was, but it still loomed over her head that she was expected to be placed in Slytherin, or at least Ravenclaw. Either of the remaining two houses were deemed an utmost betrayal to the bloodline to be placed in, something she didn't understand as all houses contained good traits, and she did not want to be placed lower in the ranks of her family, for example at the same placement as her squib cousin, Adam, who was honestly just the worst: he was bitter and cruel. She wanted to make her parents proud, and wanted to be in their spotlight again.

The castle loomed over the small boat as they closed in on the other side of the lake with the other boats. Thankfully, they'd had no encounter with the giant squid, which calmed Isadora's nerves slightly, having overcome her first obstacle, but the second still hung over her: getting into Slytherin. Really, it should be an easy task, considering her lineage, but the fear of failure still stuck in the back of her head as she followed Ogg up to the main entrance, her group of four still talking amongst themselves. Once they arrived, the doors swung open to reveal a stone staircase, at the top of which stood a man dressed in burgundy robes.