BUTTERFLIES, DAISIES AND PAPER RINGS • PANMARLILY

CHAPTER 2

We were almost at school by now. There was a sudden knock at the door.

A boy who looked almost identical to Regulus leaned on the doorway. His brow furrowed slightly.

"You cut your hair."

Regulus shifted uncomfortably in his seat and I let him click my fingers in and out of place rhythmically.

"She let me be Regulus." He muttered.

This time, the boys eyes flew wide open and his mouth dropped in shock. "Maman let you be Regulus?"

"No."

The boy was about to ask another question before Regulus interrupted him and glanced up at me.

"Pandora did. Sirius, this is Pandora, my friend. Panda, this is Sirius, my brother."

Sirius' brow furrowed again, "Panda? Friend? What is going on with you Ca-."

Regulus glared. "I am not her. I am Regulus."

"I just wanted to see if you were okay." Sirius whispered.

"I am okay. I am with Panda, my friend. Now you can go back to your friends. Unless they forgot about you."

"They didn't forget about me." Sirius slammed the door behind him and left quickly.

"Well wasn't that a lovely first impression!" I said, trying to fill the awkward silence.

Regulus chuckled, "Your mind is such a strange place, Panda."

"And so is your heart, Reggie."

We needed to get dressed. Regulus only had a skirt, one he didn't want to wear. Lucky him, I had brought my trousers just in case I changed my mind.

We were practically the same size so he fit nicely into the trousers. We complimented each other on how masculine or feminine we looked. It made my heart giddy.

When the train stopped, I tried to distract Regulus from his brother, who was bound to show up somewhere. I danced and span in circles around him, forcing a soft smile onto his lips. I had managed to make him dance ballroom with me for a little. I took the woman's role and he took the man's. It felt nice.

I saw Sirius, glaring suspiciously at the two of us. Next to him was a grinning boy with skin slightly lighter than my Mama's and glasses. Rolling his eyes at the smiling boy was a boy with scars criss-crossing his skin and honey eyes. There was another boy, who threw a chocolate frog at the honey eyed boy, this one had straw coloured hair and a round figure.

I smiled at Sirius.

This seemed to irritate him as he scoffed and turned away.

Regulus and I made our way towards the large man with a lantern. We splashed each other with water from the boats and raced each other up the stairs, shrieking as the other pulled as back by the hood of our robes.

A stern looking woman was waiting at the top of the stairs, emerald robes flowing elegantly around her.

"I am Professor McGonagall and I will be sorting you into your houses. There a Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. We are almost ready for you."

She walked away and soon we were being led through huge double doors and seemingly thousands of students turn to look at us.

There is a table decked out in red and gold, they all have ridiculously large smiles and Sirius and his friends are there. Beside them are a group of girls. They are all very pretty girls.

Next to them is the blue table with books covering the surface and students gossiping to each other, not noticing the first years. They had a little less pretty girls but that's okay.

After that was the green and silver table. A lot of the people sneered at us and looked at us like dirt. There was one pretty girl that smiled gently at Regulus and I knew they were family. There was a small gathering of pretty girls around her.

The last table was yellow and black, like a bee. They were all smiling and laughing. Someone had brought a plant with them to the table. They had slightly less pretty girls than the green and red table but that might just be Pandora's opinion.

A wrinkly old man made a speech and soon the emerald robes witch was calling out names.

I didn't recognise any of the names so I didn't pay attention but then I heard it.

"Black, Regulus."

I was surprised she hadn't said his old name but I gave him a strong smile and a gentle nudge towards the stool and the hat.

Regulus was on that stool for exactly one minute and thirty seven seconds.

"Slytherin!"

He went to go sit next to the pretty girl at the green table. That means I needed to get the yellow or the blue one so I could still talk to him.

The witch called out more names. Boring name after boring name until finally.

"Lovegood, Pandora."

She hadn't said my old name either. Regulus sent me a discreet thumbs up and I sat on the stool. The witch plopped the hat onto my head, it covered my eyes, and suddenly there was a voice in my head that wasn't Pandora's or Priamos'.

Well, well, well. What do we have here?

My name is Pandora Lovegood.

I already know that, silly girl. Oh I see. Your one of the transgenders. If you need any help go to Madam Pomfrey. She will help you.

Thank you.

Look here, the bravery of a lion for standing up to your own blood. Ah yes, much brave acts to come.

I don't think I'm brave.

Hmm, a golden kind heart like that of the badger, how interesting.

Badgers are quite interesting but I don't think they're the smartest creature possible.

And that snake ambition and protectiveness. You love your friends greatly.

Friends? I'm pretty sure I only have Regulus so far.

And the mind of a Ravenclaw. So incredibly smart just not the way they want you to be.

I know where to put you.

What do you mean?

"RAVENCLAW!"