Stars and Ground

✩CHAPTER 2✩

Today was finally the day that Aurora could take the Hogwarts express to start her first year at Hogwarts. She wasn't able to contain her excitement at breakfast. Yes, today, she woke up early enough to eat breakfast with her family. They engaged in small talk. "And you, Aurora? How do you feel this morning?" Her father inquired. She knew he only was asking to be polite. "Great, actually! I'm so excited!" Her mother frowned at her manners. Aurora sighed. "Thank you for asking, father. Work's going well, I presume?" Her father went on, talking about his work. That was a good distraction so Aurora could go on thinking about the adventures to come. 

The dinner table was a long, wooden table. Aurora's mother and father sat at the heads of the table. Aurora sat in the middle and her brother would sit opposite her. They sometimes had conversations while their parents went on about politics and such. Aurora and Orion had a strange connection; they could sometimes hear each other's thoughts. They used this to their advantage. It only happened when they were in the same room. Sometimes, they could feel when the other was in pain from far apart, but that was the extent of it. Are you excited? Aurora asked her brother, whose face was solemn. Aurora didn't understand why they had to be so professional inside their home as well. Of course, I am. He responded. What if I don't get into Slytherin? She was very concerned about this. She knew her parents wouldn't react well. She didn't think they'd disown her, but they'd be absolutely furious with her. Don't worry. It'll all be alright. At least she'd still have her brother. Orion and Aurora might have their differences, but they were still close. Orion loved his sister. He hated seeing her in trouble with their parents. Aurora knew that he wished that she could be more like him. 

After breakfast, the Cresswell family apparated to King's Cross Station. They looked like quite the family. They looked more like they were some sort of royalty. They all walked with pride. Pride that Aurora faked. Her parents stopped as they got closer to the wall. People were watching them. "I assume you will guide your sister there," Aurora's father said to Orion. 

"Yes, father."

"Good," Her mother said, and they apparated away. No hug, nothing. Aurora frowned slightly. She couldn't remember the last time her parents hugged her. Orion looked at his sister, trying to keep her in line. They did have a reputation to uphold, after all. Aurora was tempted to look around her, at the people staring. Her father told her once, "You mustn't pay them attention. We are higher than them. We're better. They don't deserve even the slightest glance." She didn't think they were that much better than them, but she didn't tell her parents this. "Ladies first." Aurora was uncertain whether this was her brother's idea of a prank or not. She shook her head. Orion would never play a prank on her in public. Maybe in private, but surely not in public. 

She walked through the wall, and to her surprise, she saw a train. The Hogwart's Express. It was a bright ruby red train, with steam coming from it. There were many parents, children, and pets. She loved the busy scene. She wondered how all of these people, minus the parents, would fit on this train. She carried her trunk into a compartment. There were 4 boys sitting here. She smiled at them. Now that her parents weren't here, she could finally be herself again. She took Artemis out of her pocket and stroked her fur. "What's your name?" One of them asked.

"Aurora," She answered. She didn't want them to know her last name. If they did, they wouldn't want to be her friend. She looked at the boys. She recognized one of them as the boy from Madam Malkin's. "This is James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and I'm Sirius Black," The boy from Madam Malkin's introduced. Aurora was about to say something when she heard her brother clearing his throat at the door. She scowled at him, but he looked at her sternly. She cursed under her breath and gathered her luggage. "Can't I sit here?" He looked at the 4 boys unapprovingly and shook his head. "Come. We'll sit with...other people." Aurora felt like punching her brother. "Like who?"