Reign of Saturn

Prologue

"Aquila Malfoy."

The Great Hall descended into silence as Aquila climbed the stairs towards the sorting hat, her short legs taking an eternity to get there. She sat down, fidgeting with her figure nails as the ragged, magical hat was placed on top of her blonde hair.

"Another Malfoy, huh? Well, aren't you an interesting girl," Aquila could imagine the puzzled expression on the hat's face – was it a face? – as it read her mind, or maybe her heart. "Not what I was expecting, not at all. Cunning and determined yes, but there's something about you. Something that tells me Slytherin is not where you belong."

Aquila's breath hitched and she felt her hands starting to shake. Not in Slytherin, no she had to be in Slytherin, she just had to be, there was no choice –

"Oh, but there is a choice. You'll see one day. I expect great things from you."

Aquila took a breath, and for a moment she thought she might cry. She might break down right there, but then what would her father think? He would certainly be more disappointed in her than he already would be.

"RAVENCLAW!" The booming voice of the hat echoed though out the silent hall, its authority leaving no room for argument. The hall stayed silent for a few more excruciating seconds before the teachers behind her began to clap. The rest of the hall followed in suit, resuming their earlier level of cheer.

Aquila stood up on weak knees, forcing her stubby legs to go to the table decorated in blue and bronze faster than necessary. She could feel everyone's eyes on her as she sat down, sinking into her seat.

Over the course of the rest of the sorting, and into dinner, Aquila could feel people looking at her. She could hear them gossiping about her, their whispers sacks of flour on her chest. She kept her eyes down, pushing around her potatoes and wishing it was all a bad dream. That she'd wake up to her brother jumping on her bed, telling her how excited he was that she would be joining him at Hogwarts, in Slytherin.

Her throat tightened just thinking about. How disappointed he would be with her. She could handle her fathers disappointment, which seemed never ending, and her mother had already said she wouldn't be disappointed if this happened. But she didn't think she could take it from Draco, not when he'd been so happy she was coming.

She looked up, unconsciously searching for her brother. It didn't take long for her to find him; he was looking straight at her as if he'd been waiting for her to find him. He gave her a tight smile and a nod, the look in his grey eyes somewhere between sad and happy.

To any other person the gesture would have seemed cold and distant. Aquila had lived with her brother long enough to know that look, he was proud and disappointed at the same time.

Those emotions were conflicting, often battling within her mother and brother. She knew that they were proud of the person she was become, they had told her that much. They were also constantly disappointed that she didn't meet the expectations they set for her.

She smiled back at him, feeling the weight in her chest lift an inch. He was trying, and that's what was important.

"Hello," a soft voice broke Aquila out of her silent conversation with her brother. Next to her was a girl, Luna Lovegood if she recalled correctly. The blonde's dreamy gaze and soft smile were warm and inviting, a feeling Aquila wasnt quite use to. "Could you please pass the butter?"

Aquila nodded, reaching for the butter on the left of her and handing it to Luna.

"Thank you. I"m Luna, by the way."

Aquila gave a small smile, watching the girl spread her butter with a spoon. "I'm Aquila," she said. Luna gave Aquila a bright smile, offering her one of the strawberries on her plate.

As Aquila and Luna sat, silently eating strawberries and buttered yams, she thought that maybe this would be okay. Maybe Ravenclaw could be where she belonged.