Genuine and True (a Hogwarts Mystery fanfic)

1 - like family, like child

The darkness enveloped me as the Sorting Hat sat upon my head, and I felt eyes stare at me, though I could not see them in return. For a moment, I felt disoriented, hands clenching onto the sides of the stool in sick anticipation. And then--

"SLYTHERIN!"

There was no going back.

I felt sickness bubble in the pit of my stomach as I stumbled towards the Slytherin table, the dreaded weight removed from my head by Professor McGonagall. I should have felt happy. Being in Slytherin meant taking another step in the route my parents wanted me to take. But instead, I felt hollow. I felt weak and vulnerable--the very things my dad didn't want me to feel.

My family name wasn't well known in the realm of the Death Eaters. No one would recognize my parents the moment they heard the name "Lee", and I suppose that was understandable. Neither of them were very bright. But my father made sure that I would not end up with the same fate. He trained me when I was young to exercise nothing but brute force and sheer power. Only with strength would I never feel weakness. Only with power would I rise the ranks to follow in their footsteps and fulfill the ultimate family legacy.

But I didn't want that. I wanted to be different. I've pleaded with my family to free me from their endless tirades, but to no avail. They turned down all the creatures I brought home--magical ones that I wanted to take care of so badly as a kid. I had felt nothing but pain, and no matter how hard I tried to mask it, the sting would always be there.

"Lin, Clara!"

My eyes widened at the name Professor McGonagall just read off her scroll. She didn't mean...the Clara Lin? The younger sister of the infamous Jacob Lin?

I saw her ascend the steps to the platform where I stood not too long ago. Black hair tied back in a sleek ponytail, brown eyes, a pale complexion--her hands were curled into fists as she sat down on the stool, the hat covering her head.

She looked every bit like the boy I saw in the papers a few years ago--only younger, and more headstrong than he. But my father warned me she'd be trouble. It was safe to stay away from her.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I watched her walk off the platform with a slight skip in her step, heading the opposite direction to the Gryffindor table. At least my father wouldn't be worried about me associating with the girl he labelled a troublemaker--or at least, her brother.

Like brother, like sister, after all. And being in a different house could keep her away from me for a while.

I was only eleven when I first saw her, and tried to dismiss the thoughts that suddenly came to mind--like how strong she was holding her own against the world, how beautiful and powerful she looked without even trying. But alas, as quick as I have seen her, she was gone.

Or so I thought.

"Would you snap out of your stupor and pay attention to me!"

Even now, the thought of Jacob's sister still rattled me.

My head automatically snapped towards Merula Snyde, snapping me out of the memory of the Sorting two years ago. Like me, Merula was also the child of a pair of Death Eaters, rich and powerful and probably much more well known than my parents, but that was where the common interests stopped. She was much harsher than I, strutting around the place like she owned it and would forever rule the world from her imaginary throne. She hated Clara so much, she would always plot revenge against her whenever she lost a duel (which was almost constantly) or outsmarted her in class, crying and screaming as it all went.