Fallen in grace

Hogwarts

When the day finally arrived I was to board the Hogwartsexpress I had mixed emotions. I felt a wave of relief that I was finally getting out of this house and hopefully on my way to a happier environment, since the atmosphere in the manor could never be described as a 'happy' one.

But at the same time I was also scared, today would be the day I would meet tons of new people and I heard my fathers voice repeating over and over the importance of a first impression. I was to be placed in Slytherin and he told me to make sure to show my pride from that very moment, for not doing it would make me seem like the lesser generation of the noble Malfoy family. He said we had to protect our status as a dark and powerful family in the wizardingworld.

I had already met Harry Potter in Diagon Alley and my father felt that it was important that I'd befriend Harry Potter to make sure that he would meet the right people. He told me it was of great importance that he wouldn't befriend the wrong kind of wizard, bloodtraitors, for which he gave the example of the Weasley boy and some boy called Neville Longbottom. They would apparently all be in my year and according to father their families had always stood on the wrong side of history.

I had failed to impress the Potter boy in Diagon Alley so I had to make sure I got to him today or my first owl from home would probably not be very pleasant to receive.

I saw my mother waiting downstairs and luckily my father was nowhere to be seen.

'Your father has gone to the ministry he had an important meeting today.' I just nodded, I didn't really care where he was, I was just relieved that he wasn't here. 'Are you ready to go, Draco? Haven't you forgot anything?' I shrugged. 'Pretty sure I have everything, and in case I did miss something you can always send me an owl.'

My mother smiled and she took my hand, the world started spinning and soon I landed on a hard surface with a lot of noise around me. I looked around and noticed we were in the middle of a train station. Right in front of me was a big red train, the Hogwartsexpress. My mother took my trunk and walked away while I just stood there watching my surroundings.

I saw many children and parents saying goodbye. Some of them were already dressed in their uniforms. I saw some kids who looked to be my age and some who were clearly in the years above me, already wearing their housecolours.

My mother came back and hugged me. 'I will miss you, Draco, behave and make us proud. But make sure you also have some fun!' I nodded, 'sure mom, I'll see you at Christmas.' She gave me one last kiss before I walked away unto the train.

I boarded and looked left and right into the compartments looking for a place to sit. I spotted two boys I vaguely recognized sitting in a near empty compartment so I went it. I recognized them as Crabbe and Goyle, the sons of two of my father's friends. From previous experience I knew they weren't very bright, but at least I had some people to sit with.

I immediately felt some kind of admiration coming from the two boys. I found that a very strange feeling for I barely knew them, I knew the fame that came with my name but I couldn't imagine I would already experience the effects so early on. I decided that the admiration didn't bother me, in fact I kind of liked it. Maybe school wouldn't be too bad if this was the way it would go for me.

I mostly listened to the boys talking, they were trying to impress me with some stupid stories about the things their fathers told them about the dirty muggles. I didn't really engage in the conversation I just smirked from time to time or nodded when they asked for affirmation.

At some time a girl with brown curly hair and prominent teeth opened the door, asking for a toad. I had to smirk about the thought that someone had already managed to loose their pet before even arriving at school. Luckily I had an owl who my mom would send over with her first letter. She said the boy whose toad was lost was called Neville.

I recognized the name for he was one of those my father had called a blood traitor. I was doubting whether or not to tell the brown haired girl that she was befriending the wrong kind of people. But since I didn't know her I decided not to do so, for all I knew she might be a blood traitor herself, or even worse a mudblood.

After a few hours we finally arrived. I followed Crabbe and Goyle to a giant man who kind of really looked like a giant. I had to ask my dad about him in a letter, I wonder whether it could be that there was really a giant working at Hogwarts. He put us all in small boats which rowed themselves. After a while I could catch the first glimpse at Hogwarts. The school was standing tall above the water and looked really magical with al the surrounding lights.

It only took me a couple of seconds to get a sense of belonging. Most of the fears I had washed away when I saw the school. Here I would be able to be me, Draco. Even though I had to uphold the name Malfoy, my father wouldn't be there looking over my shoulder all the time. I felt home.