The Disappointment

Chapter 1 - Memories

Every night before I would get on the train to go to Hogwarts, I always experienced the same recurring dream. It was mostly about my first year at Hogwarts. No one knows about the dream, not like anyone would listen and care.

'Vega Malfoy,' Professor McGonagall said as she held the sorting hat in the air above the stool.

My eyes shifted to the high table where the professors sat. I saw a familiar face, Uncle Sev. He told me not to call him that in front of others while at school. He stared down at me and gave a slight nod to me. I hesitantly walked up to the stairs to the stool. As soon as McGonagall put the sorting hat on my head he started talking.

'Ah, a Malfoy I see...' he said. 'I see your ambition to reach your goals... But I also see your desire to learn... But where to put you?...' He seemed to be taking forever to make a decision.

I started fidgeting with my hands with how much anxiety I was feeling. He didn't take this long with the ones before me, so why was he taking so long with me?

'Ravenclaw!' he shouted.

I watched as the Ravenclaw table burst out cheering. McGonagall lifted the sorting hat off me to let me go sit before calling the next student. I got up and walked to the Ravenclaw table where I was greeted by the house Prefect and my classmates that I'll be with for the next seven years.

The following morning after getting sorted, my parents got the news of my sorting. I was eating breakfast when the morning mail came in. It dropped in my cereal. I grabbed it and felt my heart fall to my stomach when I saw it. It was a Howler. Everyone around me stared at the letter in my hands.

'Open it!' a nearby student yelled.

I slowly and carefully opened it. It opened up on its own after I opened the seal on it.

'Vega Alexandra Malfoy! You got sorted into Ravenclaw and not Slytherin?! We are so disappointed in you, we expected better. When you get home we will talk more about the matter. You're such a disappointment.'

I watched as the letter shredded itself. I sat there staring at the remains of the letter in shock. The room was silent after everyone there heard the Howler. I wasn't hungry anymore. I carefully and quietly got up from my seat and left the room. I waited until no one was around before I started crying.

After Uncle Sev's class, he pulled me off to the side. His face softened once everyone was gone and the door was closed.

'What your father did was inexcusable,' he said.

'He hates me doesn't he,' I said with a teary-eyed face.

He sighed as he sat at his desk.

'Your father could never hate you, Vega. He's just in shock at your sorting.'

'You heard what he said,' I said. 'I've never heard him talk to me like that before.' More tears sprung in my eyes.

'Neither have I Vega. He had no right to do that.'

'What am I supposed to do? What is he going to do when I go home during Christmas break?'

'Vega, he won't hurt you. But if he does he will answer to me.'

I could see he meant it. He gave the cold hard stare that he meant every word of it. He's always helped me, especially after Aunt Trixie left when I was about five. Draco was still a baby so I was usually alone if not with the house elves. Dobby had his moments but Mum and Father didn't like the way I treated him. They punished Dobby when I gave him some of my snacks once. I tried my best to avoid interacting with him in case they punished him again because of me.

When my birthday rolled around about two weeks later I came to Uncle Sev after dinner with tears in my eyes. I made sure his classroom door was shut first. He stood up from his desk suddenly when he saw the tears in my eyes.

'What's wrong Vega? Did someone hurt you?'

'No,' I said with a sniffle. 'They really do hate me.'

'No, they-.'

'They never wished me a Happy Birthday like they always do.'

His face showed mixed emotions, all conflicting with each other.

'I'm sorry they did that to you. I will have a talk with them.'

'No! Please don't!' I accidentally yelled. He looked at me with his brows raised in shock at my outburst. 'It might anger Father more,' I said quietly.

'I promise he will not hurt or yell at you Vega.'

We talked a little more before I started leaving his classroom.

'Vega?' he said. I turned around to look at him with the door ajar. 'Happy Birthday.'

The day after my birthday Uncle Sev called me to his classroom after dinner. I knocked on his classroom door.

'Come in Vega.'

I walked inside and walked to his desk.

'You wanted to see me?' I asked confused. Did he talk to my father already?

'Yes, I do. I have something for you.'

I gave him a very confused face. He got me something? I watched as he went to one of his storage closets and opened it to show a box that was wrapped. It wasn't too small, but wasn't too big. I watched as he gently picked it up and set it on his desk in front of me.

'Open it,' he said.

I hesitantly opened the wrapped box. Inside was a small black kitten. Before I realized it tears were falling down my face.

'Is something wrong?' he asked worriedly. He was about to look in the box, thinking it was dead or that I didn't like it.

'No, I love it. Thank you, Uncle Sev!' I said as I ran over to him and hugged him tightly.

When I let go I went back to the box and gently picked up the baby. He was so small and cute. His bright green eyes looked up at me.

'Do you have a name for him?' Uncle Sev asked me.

I looked at the kitten a bit more. 'Shadow. His name is Shadow,' I said with a big smile on my face.

When my first Christmas break came around, I went home. That was a big mistake but I had no choice in the matter. Uncle Sev said he would look after Shadow while I was away since they didn't know about him yet.

'How could you do this to us?' my father asked. I'd never seen him look at me like this before. Full of disappointment and a little bit of disgust.

I held my head down in shame. There's nothing I could say to fix this situation.

'Well I tried speaking with the Headmaster about the mistake but he tried to say the sorting hat doesn't make mistakes. Though there surely has to be another way. All Malfoy's are Slytherins! But my own daughter isn't? What will the others think?!' he yelled.

I watched as my mother stood there shaking her head in disappointment.

'Im sorry Father,' I said quietly with my head down.

'You better not disappoint me again. Is that clear?' he said staring me down with an icy look.

'Yes, Father.'

Ever since then I have kept myself busy and try my best to be the perfect daughter. I juggle not only my classwork but also Quidditch and the Dueling Club as well. I can't disappoint him more than I already have.