Esmerelda Black (A Harry Potter Fanfic )

Hogwarts

"At last!" Bella sang as we entered a compartment.

"Yes!" I agreed," I feel as of we're... free."

"Because we are, Elda," she took my hand," We're free."

I smiled.

"Hey... someone told me there were two lovely ladies in this compartment," said a boy. He had ruffled black hair, twisted glasses and a silly grin on his face.

"Then they must be lying," Bella replied, raising her chin," I only see one."

"Who do you think you are anyway? Just barging into a compartment into a private conversation like an impolite swine with no manners whatsoever, " I said.

"I told you they'd react like that."

This voice belonged to our cousin, Sirius, who waltzed in after the first boy. He wasn't alone too.

All four boys took it upon themselves to sit in our compartment

Bella rolled her eyes.

"No need to be so aggressive," one boy raised his eyebrows.

"I'm James, by the way," he said, puffing out his chest," James Potter. What's a beautiful girl like you doing with her then?"

"What?" Bella snapped," what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well..."

"Esmerelda is my sister," she continued.

"Bella, stop," I said. I could tell that he was trying to impress her, not offend.

"Why? He just flat out insulted you!"

"I'm sorry," he said, his face drooping.

"Yeah. James isn't good at flirting," Sirius teased," unlike me."

He flicked his hair and pulled a silly expression.

I shook my head.

"It doesn't seem to be working, Sirius," said another boy," I'm Remus. You are...? I didn't get your name sorry."

"I'm Esmerelda Black," I informed him.

"And I'm Bellatrix Black."

"Alright then, Trixie,"  James said," can I make it up to you with a game of Wizard's Chess?"

Bellatrix pretended to think. I know that she can't resist a game of chess.

"Alright," she finally agreed," but don't call me Trixie."

《~》《~》《~》《~》《~》

"Look, Bella," I said," let's see who can see it first."

We were on the small wooden boat, crossing the lake to Hogwarts.

"Ok," she said," but my robes got all wet!"

She picked at the soaked fabric, scowling.

"Oh well... there it is!" She exclaimed.

And there it was. The large castle stood like an illusion. It was gorgeous.

《~》《~》《~》《~》《~》

"First years, follow me," the teacher instructed.

He lead us to a huge wooden door. It magically swung open and we entered a large hall with four long tables.

We walked up the middle lane of the room with the other first years. , Before us stood a stool with a worn hat on it.

We sniggered as it suddenly burst into song.

When it was finished a professor stood before it with a scroll in her hands. She began to read names off it.

"Aspens, Lory."

The tense girl walled up to it and sat on the stool. As soon as the hat touched her head, it shouted:

"Hufflepuff!"

"Black, Esmerelda."

Bella squeezed my wrist one last time before I went up.
We hoped none of us would end up in Slytherin like the rest of them.

I held my breath as the hat was lowered onto my head.

"So... you do not want to be in Slytherin?" It said," Where do you want to be placed? Griffindor? Hmm... you could do better in Hufflepuff... but if that's what you want..
GRIFFINDOR!"

One table cheered and I went to awkwardly join them.
I made eye contact with Bella as she waited.

"Black, Bellatrix."

Biting her lip, she went up. As the hat merely brushed the top of her head the hat shouted:

"SLYTHERIN!"

My stomach turned. How?

Poor Bella loomed like she wanted to cry as she joined the other cheering table.

The list continued and u was joined by Sirius and his friends. They tried to talk to me, but all I could focus on was Bella,  who was sitting be herself, head down on the table. She didn't eat a scrap of food.

Suddenly, her head shot up and she turned her head to the head table. Her eyes focused on the old guy seated on the middle of the table. The headmaster.

The man stood up some time later and walked slowly to a podium. He said a short speech I'm sure would have been some value to me but I was still trying to figure out what was going on in my sister's head.

"...Off to bed now," he finished.

Sadly I trailed after my annoying prefect who told us the common room password. As we exited the hall, I saw Bella sneak off somewhere...

《~》《~》《~》《~》《~》

"Elda! You'll never guess what I did!"

I jumped as Bella danced into our common room a while later.

"What are you-?"

"Get out of here, Slytherin!" A boy spat at her," go back to your own hole of a common room."

"Shut it you!" I yelled at him.

"I got permission from the headmaster to have classes with you and go to your common room!" Bellatrix continued, unfazed.

"That's... great!"  I exclaimed.

"And there should be an extra bed in the girls' dorm," she continued," so I can sleep there."

《~》《~》《~》《~》《~》

I helped her lug her trunk up the stairs and put it by the free bed.

Happily, she threw herself onto the bed and pit her hands behind her head.

I began to tall to her but soon realised that she had fallen asleep.

I smiled and covered her with a quilt.

For a while I watched her sleep, thankful that we didn't have to stay at home again.

I stroker her hair, which was pulled back into a tight plait. I began to undo ot when I saw a bit of dark red in her hair. Carefully, I parted it to reveal a deep gash in her skull. Flakes of dry blood were tangled in her  already messy hair.

I wanted to wake her and ask her what happened... but I didn't. She looked too peaceful. Besides, I already knew the answer to how it happened...