Lumos: Year Two

Helena arrived to Platform 9 ¾ with her little black cat following behind her. She had her cart ready with all of her belongings and found her way into the train quickly. She then noticed that the front of the train was where all the 2nd year Slytherins were at. She saw Pansy sitting with Millicent and they both waved at her to sit by them. She did so immediately.

“Hey, Helena, how was your summer?” Millicent asked.

“It was average. Wasn’t any more fun than Hogwarts though,” Helena laughed,” What about you guys?”

“Mine was dreadfully boring,” Pansy sighed.

“Mine was average as well,” Millicent shrugged.

She knew that the train ride would be far more boring than last year. No one seemed to have anything to talk about. She sighed and looked around for a moment, seeing that Hermione was walking around anxiously.

“Excuse me, what do you think you’re doing on our side of the train?” Pansy crossed her arms.

“Harry and Ron are missing. They’re supposed to be on the train!” she narrowed her eyes.

“Well, well, it looks like Potter and his raggedy friend finally did something right and left the school,” Draco Malfoy spoke, overhearing Hermione from the compartment across the skinny isle. Pansy started to giggle heavily as Millicent and Helena watched her in silence.

Hermione rolled her eyes at them and walked off quickly, checking more of the compartments. Millicent and Pansy both stayed quiet as usual as Helena glanced into Draco’s. She looked away quickly at the moment that Draco had turned to look at them once more. Her face sunk into her robes.

“Helena, come here. I want to talk to you,” Draco pointed to her. Helena looked over, confused and got up quickly to go and talk to him. Pansy looked displeased that she was leaving to be with Draco, but stayed silent.

“What is it?” Helena asked as she sat down. Draco shut the cart door quickly and folded his hands together.

“You didn’t hear about your parents and my parents did you? What they plan to do? I overheard them talking this summer in Knockturn Alley,” he sounded frustrated.

“I… didn’t hear. Why?” Helena tilted her head, “Are they planning on spending Christmas together once more? I know your father and mine are good friends… me and my father haven’t been very close lately though.”

“No, not this year. But… they plan on surprising us with very… unnerving news,” he flinched, “Your father had mentioned that he feels you’re losing your way as a pureblood and feels it would be right of you to marry into a noble family to make sure you stay the way you’re expected to.”

“I’ve always known that though… what about it?” Helena blinked.

“They want you and I to marry!” he snarled, slamming his hands on the couch, “It’s ridiculous! I don’t see myself with you or anyone for that matter!”

Helena sat there in silence, her cheeks flushing heavily as she watched him, “Why in the world would they…” she couldn’t finish.

“It wouldn’t be until after we’re old enough, that’s for sure. I argued with my father about it for hours, but he insists that it happens. He thinks I’ll change my mind by then. I beg to differ. I mean, you and I? I just don’t see it. I’m sorry, you’re a very honorable person, Helena, but I don’t see you in that way.”

“Yeah, no one does,” Helena felt her heart beat slower. With every word he spoke, she felt herself grow more depressed, “We’re 12, Draco. No one expects us to agree to anything right now. That’s probably why they wanted to keep it a secret.”

“You don’t want to do you?” he laughed slightly.

“I didn’t say that did I?” Helena retorted, “I simply was saying that this was probably the reason they wanted to talk of it in secret.”

“Well I simply will never agree to it. Feel free to leave. I want to be alone,” he closed his eyes, annoyed that Helena wasn’t as angered as he was.

Helena nodded as she quickly left back to the compartment with Pansy and Millicent.

“What did you and Draco talk about?” Pansy asked eagerly.

“Well… apparently we’re arranged to be married…” Helena spoke awkwardly.

Pansy’s eyes grew smaller as her chest puffed up for a moment. Her face went red but she turned and hid it behind her hood. Millicent’s jaw dropped as her eyes narrowed.

“We didn’t ask for it. Our parents sort of… decided it.”

The rest of the train ride was grim and solitary. Everyone kept to themselves until they had gotten off and headed into the boats. Afterward, they had all started to head to the carriages. Pansy, Millicent, and Helena all headed over to one quickly, noticing that Lanee, Seamus, and Dean were walking by. Helena narrowed her eyes to the dark red haired girl with a glow-in-the-dark hair bow.

“Still an attention seeker?” Helena whispered coldly toward her, only loud enough for her to hear as she noticed her bow change colors.

Lanee narrowed her eyes in her direction as she spoke back sharply, “Still an arrogant snob?”

Helena clenched her teeth and held her tongue as Lanee started to walk away. She got into the carriage as it started to head toward the castle. Still, no one was speaking. Helena grew anxious, knowing that Pansy was bothered by something. She felt her stare run down her back as she stared at the pathways. She tried to ignore it, listening to the conversations she heard from the carriages in front and behind her.

“Potter’s gone missing! Same with the Weasley boy!”

“No one knows where Potter is. Did you see him?”

“GUYS! Potter might be expelled!”

Helena tried not to engage into the conversation for too long, because she knew she’d find herself wanting to talk to whoever was discussing this. Truthfully, she felt very lonely suddenly, and knew that she’d probably have to make new friends if this silence and awkwardness was going to linger.

When they arrived to the Castle, they entered the Great Hall right away as Professor McGonagall prepared the new first years for their sorting ceremony. She was excited, because her little sister Annabel would be taking place in it.

She sat herself down next to Tracey and Daphne, who were both on the other side of the train before, sitting with their older siblings. They both greeted her excitedly, as well as Millicent and Pansy when they had followed behind her.

For the most part, Dumbledore said the same exact things that he had said the year before. Then, the first years all headed to the front of the Hall in a single file line. She could clearly see Annabel walking, looking nervous as ever. As they all stood in the front, Professor McGonagall began to read off names in alphabetical order. She thought it would take forever before they finished, since they seemed to have quite a few more than last year.

Finally, they had started the V’s, in which Annabel was the third one, and last one.

“Villar, Annabel.”

Annabel slowly walked toward the stool and plopped onto it quickly, biting her tongue. The hat was placed on her, staying silent.

“Another Villar?” the sorting hat laughed, “My, my, you’ll rank up to the Weasley family in no time… well, let’s see. Very stubborn, I see. Ambitious. Quick on your feet, are you? Well then, I have my decision. SLYTHERIN!”

Everyone at Helena’s table cheered loudly, including herself. She stood up, waving at her so that she’d come sit next to her. Further down the table, she could see Artemis, Jude, and Victoria cheering overpoweringly as well. Annabel quickly strode toward Helena, but then had seen Victoria doing the same and sat next to her. Helena pursed her lips, annoyed, but tried to ignore it as she sat back down.

She hadn’t even noticed that there was another Weasley being sorted, but this time it was a girl. Pansy and Millicent started laughing about something. Soon, Dumbledore began to speak again, and then the feast had started. Food appeared on the tables, making everyone gasp in excitement. Helena started eating quickly, along with the rest of her friends.

After the feast had ended, Gemma Farely—their prefect started to lead them toward the common room. After doing so, they had gotten the new password (“Pureblood”) and entered in quickly. Pansy, Millicent, Tracey, Daphne, and she headed up toward their dormitory.

“I’m pretty excited for this year, aren’t you guys?” Helena laughed. There was no response.

When they had gotten up to their dormitory, their trunks were already set. Helena’s cat was sleeping on her pillow, and she sat down quickly as they all changed into their pajamas.

Helena spoke once more, “Are you guys looking forward to anything this year?—“

“Helena, stop,” Pansy crossed her arms, “You may think you’re going to have a good time this year, but now I’m in charge. You will do as I say or you’re out of the group. Got it? And that means no associating with anyone unless I say so. And if you refuse, I’ll make the rest of our group do so against you.”

“You’re joking right? Guys, are you really listening to this stuff?” Helena looked to Daphne and Millicent.

They bother stayed quiet as Tracy spoke, “We all agreed to it. Now, you need to.”

“Got it, Helena?” Pansy walked up to her, obviously being a bit taller as she narrowed her eyes down to Helena’s.

“This is rubbish, Pansy. You don’t control me. I don’t know what has your wand in a knot, but you have the lot under your brain washing. I’m not following it,” she shook her head, sitting down against her bed.

“Then I suppose you’ll have no friends this year. I’ll turn anyone and everyone in the Slytherin house against you. That means you’ll just have to be friends with the other houses… so unclassy,” she giggled as she sat down on her bed, looking pleased with herself, “It’s either my way, or you’ll be gone faster than you can say poltergeist.”

Helena grew annoyed, getting up quickly as she slowly walked toward Pansy, standing over her as she lay down. Helena bent over, her face only inches from Pansy’s with a stubborn expression.

“Poltergeist,” she spat at her, “Poltergeist, poltergeist, poltergeist.”

Pansy’s face went red with embarrassment as she gripped her bed sheets tightly, “You are no longer a friend of mine, and you will no longer be a friend of the Slytherin house. We share a room, we never talk, and that’s it.”

“You’re just angry that my spirit isn’t small enough to crush to create your little posse of slaves. Unlike them, I’m a real Slytherin. I’m a leader. A fighter. I don’t listen to others,” she snarled as she laid down in her bed, “If you ever try to seek revenge on me, you’ll only find yourself in the hospital wing.”

Everyone blew their candles out and stayed silent. Helena could tell Pansy was angry. This pleased her as she slowly fell asleep. The only problem now was that she’d have to find new friends.