Optionless with Draco Malfoy

Prologue

Juliette

My name is Juliette Trails. I like to think that I'm an ordinary witch. My wand is a 12 3/4" dragon heartstring core, silver lime wood.

Both of my parents, Mason and Lorie Trails both come from wizard families, meaning that my bloodline is identified as pureblood. Unlike some, this label does not make me strut around with great pride. In all honesty, blood status means almost nothing to me. One of my best friends is a muggle-born, and I love her just the same.

As any other typical wizard, I received my letter to Hogwarts at age eleven. My parents were thrilled that I'd be going to the same wizarding school that they went to during their childhood.

There are perks of being a child raised by wizards because you see magic done all the time. My parents reiterate their stories of their time at Hogwarts, and talk about the different houses at Hogwarts. At a young age, I found boxes covered in dust, filled with their old textbooks, and I would go through and read them. Books became my best friends.

Even before I got my letter, I read all about the houses. First Year students were sorted into a house which they portrayed its qualities and traits. Gryffindor, where those who were brave and daring were placed. Ravenclaw, the intelligent and witty. Hufflepuff, who were kind and loyal. Slytherin, the ones known for resourceful and ambitious.

Both of my parents were Slytherins themselves and hoped for me to be one too. After reading the amount of books that I read when I was eleven, I was up to date of what was occurring in the Wizarding World. Even I knew, that the Slytherin house was where the most common dark wizards and witches came from. In particular, You-Know-Who.

You-Know-Who came from the Slytherin house, the same as my parents. When I was one, my parents took part in doing the death of the Potters. I didn't understand much at the time and my parents never talked to me about it. Whenever I tried to ask questions, they would change the subject or tell me that it had to do with "grown up stuff." Little did I know that knowing would change my world.

I felt ecstatic about the whole "going to Hogwarts thing," learning more about magic and seeing what was in store for the future. Watching my parents do magic was fascinating and made me feel even more excited to learn how to do it.

Deep down, I wanted to be in any other house that was not Slytherin, but if my parents were to find out that their daughter was a Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor, I'd probably be disowned.

Over my years at Hogwarts, I learned many things, not just about magic, but friendship. I grew close with Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. The obstacles we faced during our years at Hogwarts were experienced together.

Anyway, I was put in Slytherin, but I couldn't keep up with the whole 'Slytherin-reputation', as not everyone in that house was bad. Draco Malfoy was the main reason why everyone believed that Slytherin was a terrible house to be in, and because of his personality, all Slytherins were given the label "evil." I tried to make everyone else think differently about it, especially during my first and second year at Hogwarts.

Every now and then, you'll catch me with a few Slytherins, as well as other students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. I wasn't prejudiced of the other houses, unlike some. 

My parents were two loyal Death Eaters of the Dark Lord until he vanished. The Ministry finally cleared them after three years of the attack on the Potters. I was convinced that they changed once he was gone, but I never really understood what was happening.

It made me nervous you know, after listening to all of the adult-talk and stories. What if he came back? To be completely honest, You-Know-Who scares the crap out of me.

Just because everyone thought he was gone, it didn't mean that his followers didn't stay intact.

As I grew older, people always came to visit my family. Later on, I learned that they were former Death Eaters as well. When meetings took place, I would be sent to my room. Several charms were placed so that I couldn't hear what happened, no matter how hard I tried.

Over time, I discovered that these people who visited didn't mean good news. Besides, I wasn't interested in whatever was being planned, and I had no intention to be involved.

However, I learned that life didn't go the way you wanted it to. In days, I went from, not wanting to be involved in whatever was planned, to being part of it.