Like Sapphires and Emeralds

Chapter 2: Lessons and Consequences

Alessandra's POV

"Back straight and you should always have your chin up," Alessandra's mother, Penelope Curseblood, a well-known ministry worker, scolded to her eleven year old daughter Alessandra. "How will you ever be the next heir of the Curseblood family if you can't even have the correct posture?"

The eleven year old girl sighed softly and nodded, doing as her mother told her. "Yes, mother," she said softly. She was already being groomed and primped until she would soon become the perfect image of a pureblood daughter, which she hated. Alessandra could care less about blood status and her posture, wanting to be more focused on attending Hogwarts.

"And remember to smile. Your smile is what can build or break something," her mother told her as she grabbed a nearby hair brush. "And you need to constantly make sure that you look perfect and presentable. You never know who may be your future husband," she stated as she brushed her daughter's long, silky soft chestnut brown hair.

Stefan Curseblood, her father and the patriarch of their family, walked into the room and smiled, kissing his wife and daughter's cheeks. "Now there is my perfect daughter." He sat on a chair across from where she was standing and smiled. "Daddy's little girl will make a fine Slytherin, don't you agree, darling?" He smiled, kissing her cheek. "Remember, darling, if anyone who is below you on the social hierarchy tries to talk to you or otherwise interact, tell them that they have no right to do so."

Alessandra nodded as she looked at her father, not wanting to disappoint him or her mother. "Yes daddy. I promise," she told him before she looked down at the ground, chewing on her bottom lip in thought. If she walked into Hogwarts with that attitude and mindset, how was she supposed to prove that she was a good person? She already concluded that she would probably be in Slytherin because her parents her, now she had to live in their footsteps.

Stefan nodded and grinned widely, patting the top of his daughter's head, as if she was a trained animal. "Good girl and don't hang out with any Weasleys, we all know that blood traitors run in that family," he said, shaking his head in disgust. "But we know that you wouldn't associate with those people. You're much better than that. Now, go on and head up to your room and pack. We drop you off at the Hogwarts Express tomorrow," he told her as he smiled, gesturing with his hand that she was dismissed.

Alessandra nodded before walking up the stairs, heading to her room. Once she was inside she sighed softly and shook her head. What was she going to do? Go along with what her parents say or do whatever she wants? She shook her head at the question before she started packing her bag.

Thank God there's Hogwarts. At least there, she wouldn't feel the extreme pressure of being the perfect pureblood daughter and heir to the Curseblood fortune.

Sometime later, her younger brother, Sebastian Angus Curseblood, came into the room and hugged her. "Are you leaving me, sissy?" he sniffled. He didn't want his sister to leave. In fact, he had held in his crying up until this point. Their father had always related to him that age-old proverb, 'boys don't cry'. Their father was right, of course. Stefan's father had told him the exact same thing, and his father before him.

Alessandra looked down at her younger brother and sighed softly, returning the hug. "I have to Seb but I'll be back in a few months for winter break," she told him softly as she ran a hand through his hair to calm him down. She hated the thought of parting with her little brother, especially since he was gonna be with their parents. "I'll write to you every day and we'll do a countdown to the time that I come back, okay?" She told him as she looked him in the eyes. 

Sebastian nodded. "Okay... What if Daddy and Mummy find out that we're writing to each other?"

Alessandra smiled as tears formed in her eyes. "I want you to hide them. It'll be our secret, alright Seb?"

Sebastian nodded and smiled softly, hugging his older sister tightly. "I'll miss you Ally," he said softly as he buried his face into her chest. Alessandra sighed softly and pulled him close, gently stroking his back. "I'll miss you too Seb. Now, behave while I'm gone okay? And don't let what Mummy and Daddy say rub off on you. All they say is pure rubbish," she told him as she kissed the top of her head.

She slowly pulled away from the hug, a small smile on her face. "Now run along, go and get to bed so that we can have some fun tomorrow morning before I leave," she told him. He grinned and nodded, running off to his room, telling her goodnight over his shoulder.

Alessandra smiled softly and closed the door behind him, giving off a soft sigh. She walked over to her open window and leaned against the windowsill, looking up at the starlit sky. "Here I come Hogwarts," she said softly to herself before she headed to bed to at least try and get some sleep.