When My Life Changed

Intro

* That is Delphi her cat above. ^>^>^>^>^>^

I have thought for ages how I should start telling this story of my time at Hogwarts. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that the problem was that my story of my time at Hogwarts is really the story of my friendship with one, Draco Malfoy. The problem with that is that Draco and I were very much just classmates for the first two years at Hogwarts. I don't know how I spent two years at a school for wizards and witches doing absolutely nothing but school. How did my years here become only a story about Draco Malfoy you ask? Well I should start with some background.

My name is Estelle Burke, yes those Burkes. My great grandfather was Caractucus Burke, co-founder of Borgin & Burkes. As such, I am the darling daughter to a pure-blood family. It was always expected by my father that I would attend Hogwarts and be sorted into his house, Slytherin. Problem was that he and I both knew that the likelihood of that happening was slim. I am not daring like Gryffindor, I am not the most humble or friendly like a Hufflepuff, and I am definitely not power hungry and ambitious in the sense of a Slytherin. I am a quiet person, I keep to myself because I enjoy to observe. If I am not reading, I am observing. This might be my family or strangers. I don't really have friends, not because they aren't available or because I am made fun of, but because I simply enjoy the peace of the library and never make the effort to socialize.

I should take some of that back. You could consider the Weasley twins my friends, the rest of Hogwarts did. I don't know when that became a friendship, but my classmates assumed it from day one. With the twins I never had to fill the silence because there was none. They made the conversation with little to no input from myself and whether it was their enjoyment of my silence or maybe the fact that for once someone only listened and absorbed their ideas, maybe because they had a mostly silent backboard to bounce their plans off of without worry of being exposed to the professors. I don't know, but they were what I guess some would consider my friends.

My first day of Hogwarts I was dropped off at King's Cross Station with my trunk, an hour early for the train. The driver helped me load my trunk onto a cart before turning to wish me luck. "Miss, you remember what to do?"

"Yes, Pierre. walk through the wall between platforms 9 and 10 without drawing attention to myself." I responded, nodding to the driver and leaving with my cart. On top of my trunk sat Delphi's carrier. Delphi is my beautiful seal lynx bengal kitten. I calmly looked around as I reached the entrance to platform 9 3/4 before walking through pushing the cart ahead. I was so early, as is my normal routine for any situation, so there were no other students yet to arrive. The train was surprisingly in its spot at the station. So I handed off my trunk and grabbed Delphi out of her carrier before boarding the train with her and the book I was currently reading, "A History of Magic".

It felt like mere minutes before the train was filling and I was a third of the way through the book. Delphi was sleeping in my lap and I didn't look up until I head the door to my cabin slide open. Walking in were two identical smiling faces.

"Morning", the first said. I returned a short smile and slight nod before returning to the book that had previously occupied my attention.

"Suppose you won't mind us joining you?" The other said. I simply shook my head no without a look in their direction.

"Brilliant, we sat in this cabin both ways to and home from Hogwarts last year. Wouldn't want to break tradition would we, huh George", the first twin spoke again, "Well, I'm Fred.."

"Weasley, correct?" I responded while shifting my eyes to take a short look at the two shocked faces in front of me.

"Blimey, do you know us?" George asked.

I shook my head no in response. " I am Estelle Burke. I know all the major wizarding family. Part of my education prior to attending Hogwarts, becoming informed on all the pureblood families." I rolled my eyes at the thought. Mother had spent weeks drilling the information into my mind on fathers request. They wanted me to be prepared for who to befriend. I learned on account of my desire to know any information I could get ahold of, but didn't intend on paying any mind to who they desired I befriend. All three of us knew there was no point.

"Burke huh? Didn't know they had a daughter" the one, Fred responded.

"Yes well a precious jewel is not the be shared lightly" again rolling my eyes at fathers words. I don't think he realized the years of keeping me "hidden away" simply added to the things that would inevitably lead to my house sorting. Both twins laughed telling me I was funny before falling into conversation talking about last year and Quidditch. I went back to my book, listening to their conversation and nodding or muttering a word or two where appropriate. They didn't need me to carry the conversation and it had been that way through the entire first and second year at Hogwarts. The only people I spent time with outside of my studies for both years.

Anyways, this story isn't about the Weasley twins. Maybe don't tell them, I know the idea that the first two years are not apart of my Hogwarts story might hurt their feelings. I never really know the usual nuances of social relationships, but they have been sweet to me and I would never want to hurt them. I imagine it is like having brothers, but I would never know. My brothers have never much bothered with me, even more so ignoring me since they graduated Hogwarts last year.

I spent both the first and second year comfortably with my nose down at the Ravenclaw table and only looking up for classes, meals, and for the inevitable Weasley prank. I knew of the drama Harry Potter and his friends endured. I knew of the rivalry between Potter and Malfoy. I knew because Fred and George told me everything no matter how little I cared.