Dark Lords Daughter

Chapter 12- year two

First day back

I wanted to say I missed Hogwarts, but getting to the station and having a million pairs of eyes on me was not what I loved about it. Last year I could make my way through the crowd and nobody knew who I was. Now the students had found out who I was and gone home to tell their parents, and my gosh were they not happy to see I was returning. Their faces turned to stone when they saw me, I must of reminded them of the war they all went through and the horrible things my father did to them. I was just about to load my trunk onto the train when an old grandmother stopped in front of me. She glared at me, looking me up and down, as if she was taking in all evil that consumed me. I glanced down for a second and saw she was grabbing her wand. I placed my hand on my own, my mothers wand, ready to defend myself if it came to that. I held the grandmothers eye contact, not afraid for her to yell and me and tell me off. I knew what was coming.
"Your father, is the reason why my family is broken." She whispered with a raspy voice. "You should be disappointed to show your face around here, and to think you deserve to go to school with our children who are innocent." She finished. My anger was boiling. I didn't care if I made a scene. I felt something change in me that I knew thought was there.
"My father, is the reason my family is broken." I spoke bravely. "I don't believe I deserve to have an education with innocent children but apparently someone does, so if you have a problem with me going to school, take it up with them." I tried to control me voice. I didn't want to shout or raise my voice at all, but rage was coursing through my veins. The old grandmother scoffed.
"And who would want you to have an education, if I may ask." She pushed.
"Albus Dumbledore." I said. Her face turned pale but I could see she was trying to hold her stare. The people around us had stopped in their tracks to listen more closely, and I heard a few gasps when I spoke the headmasters name. I gave the old woman one last stare, shouldered my trunk onto the train then swept past her not turning around for another glance. I boarded the train and got an empty compartment towards the back and prepared myself for the rumours to begin. They would first start how it actually went down, then things would go off the rails and it would be said that we had a huge duel in the middle of the train station and that I had used an unforgivable curse, or worse. I didn't know what I was thinking when I spoke back to her. I felt angry, but I also felt brave for standing up for my mother. I felt exhausted from what had just happened and fell into a sleep, just as the train started taking off.

I woke to see a frizzy hair girl sitting across from me. I rubbed my eyes to make sure what I was seeing was actually real before giving the girl a worried look.
"Harry and Ron aren't on the train and I don't have any other friends." Hermione informed me.
"Right, and you don't have any other friends but a daughter of a mass murderer?' I asked.
"I live the exciting life now." She said. I stared at her for a moment before we both bursted into hysterical laugher. It took us a few minutes to calm down but it felt nice to have a good laugh with a girl.
"That was Neville's grandmother you were talking to beforehand." She told me.
"I don't think talking is the right word for it." I grumbled. Hermione gave me a small smile as though she felt sorry for me. I glazed out the window, looking at the beautiful country side we glided past. After sometime, I took out my book on Animagus'. I was so invested in the book, I had read it back to front, twice last night before going to bed. I had read about the month process of having a mandrake leaf in your mouth and then putting it into a bottle and adding the dew and then waiting for an electrical storm, saying the incantation before sunrise and sundown everyday, and finally having a blood red potion to drink and going through the transformation. I had read all the dangers and warmings and all the misshaps which had occurred over time when people didn't do it correctly. I read you must register as an Animagus to the ministry beforehand otherwise you could go to Azkaban prison and with reading the entire book twice, back to front, I knew the first thing when I got to school was going to put a mandrake leaf straight into my mouth. I was the best in our year at potions so I knew I had that part covered and although I was second in transfiguation after Hermione, I thought I could use a little more help with that. I glanced up to see Hermione nose deep into a book which I couldn't see the cover of. My wicked mind had an idea.
"Hey Hermione." I spoke,
"Uh-huh?" She muttered from underneath her book.
"Can you help me with some of the transfiguration homework this year. I know we haven't started school but over the holidays I took a real interest in it and I want to get good at it, know what I mean?" I said. I thought talking about doing homework before we had even gotten half way to school was a ridiculous idea but Hermione gave a huge smile and took out one of her books.

For the rest of the train ride we discussed transfiguration, and not just what we would learn this year, but what we would learn up to our N.E.W.T.S. I was very grateful Hermione was so into doing schoolwork and that I was able to understand everything and pick up on most things quite quickly, that by the time we had changed into robes and were on the carriages up to the castle, I had just learnt everything I needed to know for the rest of my schooling life. Unfortunately, I knew it wouldn't be enough as I needed to practice it in real life, the theory was only going to get me half way, but I knew I was one step ahead already. Once we reached the doors of the Great hall, Hermione smiled at me.
"Thanks for today." She said. "As much as I like hanging out with Harry and Ron, it was nice to have a conversation with a girl and about something that was going to put my life in danger." She smiled. I returned the smile.
"Thanks as well." I told her. "And if you ever want to go over any other homework or, you know, just hang out with a girl, I'm always here, to you know, be friends." I stuttered.
"I really appreciate that Nyx." We gave each other one last smile and then parted ways in different directions. I made my way over to the Slytherin table and took a seat next to Draco.
"Where were you on the train?" He asked me with a concerned tone.
"Hanging out with your favourite person." I joked to him. He gave me a glare as to say what happened to you but I wasn't really interested in having a conversation with him. I just wanted dinner to be over so I could start on my Animagus journey, and I knew exactly where to begin.

After I had shovelled my food down, I said good night to Draco, Crabbe and Golye, and headed down to the basement. I walked through the corridors until I reached the painting with the bowl of fruit and pressed on the pear. The painting flung open and my eyes were filled with hundreds of house elves working away. They all stared up at me and rushed over as quickly as possible to say hello. I greeted them all and asked about their time over the holidays but before any could reply, Cosmos came bounding over as through it was his birthday.
"Oh Nyx, how are you! What can Cosmos do for you! More pudding?" He jumped for joy.
"Nah it's okay Cosmos, but I do need a favour." I told him.
"Anything!" He replied.
"I need you to get me a mandrake leaf, by tomorrow morning if you could. Do you think you can do that?" I asked him.
"Of course. Cosmos will be delighted to get this mandrake leaf for you!" He beamed. I spent the rest of the night down in the kitchens telling the elves about my holiday and hearing all about theirs. After midnight, I headed back to my dormitory to finally get some sleep and start the new year at Hogwarts.