Fractured Hearts | Draco Malfoy

0 ~ Prologue

FRACTURED HEARTS

prologue

"Please let there be a seat..." Celia Davis whispered under her breath as she weaved her way through the bustling train, her trunk dragging behind her. Every compartment she passed seemed full of excited children chattering away, their faces alive with anticipation.

Back in her regular school in London, Celia had no trouble fitting in, but this wasn't a regular school — this was the Hogwarts Express. Everything about this world was strange and new to her, and despite her normally outgoing nature, she felt overwhelmed. It had only been a few weeks since she learned about the Wizarding World, and here she was, about to dive headfirst into it.

Celia's dad was a wizard, though he had kept the truth from her for most of her childhood. He himself grew up in a wizarding family. Although, not just any family - Celia happened to originate from a long lineage of Pure Blood wizards and witches, carrying on what would be described as a "family legacy" on her tiny, eleven year old back.

Her mom, a Muggle, had insisted on raising Celia without magic, wanting her to grow up in the "normal" world. It wasn't until Lia's Hogwarts letter arrived that her father finally sat her down and explained everything—how he had gone to Hogwarts himself, and why he had hidden that part of his life from her. Lia had been in shock, but also fascinated, as if everything about her life was suddenly clicking into place. The world of magic had always been there, just out of reach, and now it was opening up to her for the first time. The transition from ordinary life to this new reality was still sinking in, and while her mother remained skeptical, her father was quietly proud, offering her stories about Hogwarts in the evenings leading up to her departure.

Another compartment flew by, filled with kids chasing Chocolate Frogs that bounced between their seats. Celia hesitated. Normally, she'd join in without a second thought, but today her nerves kept her from stepping in. Still, she couldn't spend the entire ride standing in the hallway.

"Are you looking for a seat?"

The voice startled her. Celia turned to find a girl standing in front of her, just a few inches taller. She had bushy, dark-blonde hair and a kind smile, her brown eyes curious but warm.

"Yes," Celia replied, a little shyly.

"Well, I found a spot a few minutes ago. Would you like to join me?"

Celia felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Yes, please. That'd be great."

She followed the girl into a compartment that was surprisingly quiet compared to the rest. Only one boy was inside, frantically searching through a pile of trunks scattered on the floor.

"What's wrong, Neville? Did you lose something?" the girl asked.

The boy—Neville—looked up, his face a mixture of panic and frustration. "Yes! It's Trevor—my toad! I'm sure I packed him, but now he's gone!"

The girl turned to Celia. "I'm Hermione Granger," she said with a small smile. "And that's Neville Longbottom. What's your name?"

"Celia Davis," she replied, hesitating before adding, "but my baby sister calls me Lia."

"Nice to meet you, Lia," Hermione said brightly. "And don't worry, Neville. We'll help you find Trevor."

Celia dropped her bag onto the seat, then joined Hermione as they stepped back into the corridor. Together, they searched compartment after compartment, asking if anyone had seen the missing toad. No luck. Finally, they reached the last compartment. Two boys were inside, one holding a wand, clearly trying to impress the other.