The Hidden Red Snake

Chapter 1: The Arrival

People always wonder to themselves at least once in their lives: "Am I living to my own potential?" sometimes or usually people will answer, "I'm not sure" and "No", but, I just know I haven't even scratched the surface of my potential. My life has constantly revolved around moving back and forth between America and London or Scotland. My parents raised me themselves, as I had a very unnatural upbringing, with the constant traveling from country to country because of their jobs.

My parents met in their time at Hogwarts, during the second year, when my mom, Lilian Jenson, pureblood and Slytherin, was paired with an Ilvermory transfer, my father, Henry Blackwood, pureblood and newly Slytherin. They fell in love practically at first sight, my father being the first to make a move. They were the perfect couple at Hogwarts, being sweethearts since they officially started courting in their third year. It was almost too perfect if you really looked at them. They always were together, they never fought in public, their families were thrilled with the courtship, and mother and father had me right after graduation.

If you asked me if they were perfect, I probably would roll my eyes and agree, but they were far from perfect. They left me to be raised by countless nannies, not because they didn't love me, they just loved their jobs more. They had me homeschooled by the best private tutors in all of Britain or America that they could find. I grew up as fast as I could, which made me smart and independent very fast, just at the ripe age of 5. My parents supported any endeavors I had, whether I wanted to learn how to do karate in a muggle studio, or dance ballet and waltz, to singing and playing instruments, I was the perfect prodigy. But, I lacked empathy for others. With no proper friends my whole life, since I never stuck around long enough for them, I became an intellectual introvert, only speaking when spoken to.

But enough of my life, I've come to a snag in my life. And why you may ask? My parents have decided to permanently move back to the childhood home I spent most of my early years in, all the way in London. I am not too thrilled about this idea, because my parents have decided to enroll me and bloody Hogwarts, which sounds revolting to me. School and rules do not mix well with my independent self. But my parents pulled some strings with the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, who owed my parents a favor, whatever that may mean. So I now stood on a platform, in Kings Cross, with a cart with my trunks and my snake familiar, Ebony, in her cage. Rolling the cart down the platform, I could feel my eardrums practically bursting, from how absurd the noise in the platform was. Of course, I was alone, as my mother and father had urgent business to attend to with their ministry jobs. Bloody workaholics.

Wordlessly lifting my trunks with my wand onto the train with the other bags kept, I grabbed Ebony out of her cage and charmed the cage to shrink into my pocket. "Ebony, do you think our sixth year at Hogwarts will be calm? I don't feel the need to interact with any bloody person this year." Walking onto the train, I walk down the halls, as I look at Ebony, who seemly rolled her eyes at me. "Mistress, you must make actual friends and not make conversations with just me. You are what you humans call, a loser." Ebony hissed out in what seemed to me as sass, making me grumble in annoyance, looking for an empty compartment. "Sometimes I wish I didn't understand you Ebony", I hissed back at her, as she just flicked her tongue out at me and coiled up to my neck, her long, white scales, wrapping around my neck like a scarf. Finding an empty compartment at the end of the train, I open it and place Ebony's cage onto the rack above the seats and enlarge it back to its original size, not before leaving the cage open for Ebony to slip inside if needed.

Getting comfortable on the cushioned seat of the compartment, I accio'ed my book on Dark Arts and its benefits that was charmed to look like a potions book and opened it up, to continue reading. As the train whistle rang out and the train departed from the station, I saw fewer and fewer people pass my compartment and less noise coming from the halls. Getting lost in my book, while petting Ebony for comfort, I hadn't even realized that the door to the compartment had opened with a bang if it weren't for Ebony hissing in defense. Looking up at the door, I saw two boys dressed in pureblood attire, by the looks of their expensive suits and shirts, with confused glares on their faces. "Excuse me, this is our compartment mudblood. Get lost." The taller and slimmer one said first, making me raise an eyebrow in amusement. This will be fun. "And where is your name placed to claim your compartment, you pureblood supremacists?" The boy looked like he didn't expect such an answer from me, so I stood and got up to get closer to them, as Ebony hissed in anger, making them slightly show fear before their masks went up again. Taking my hand out, I let out a smile, "Clarise Blackwood, pureblood transfer from America. And you two are?" The boys nearly paled at my name, as the other boy who was just staring at me the whole time, took my hand and shook it. "Regulus Black, pureblood and heir to the Black family. This is Barty Crouch Jr., pureblood and heir to the Crouch family. Excuse Crouch, he has a temper, you get used to it. May we sit?" Letting go of his hand, I motioned for them to sit, then closed the compartment door.

This year is already starting off interesting.