The Orlov family name was one which struck fear into the heart of many a Russian; muggle and wizard folk alike. To any other, it was just a name which, after the initial pique of interest at it's foreign sound, would blend into the background like t...
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CHAPTER II | September 1st 1975
Odessa stood beside her grandmother on Platform 9 3/4 and watched mothers fuss and fathers pretend to cry as they saidtheir goodbyes to their children. Her brown eyes wandered over to the Black family, where two teenage boys stood rigidly beside their parents, receiving a similar farewell to Odessa. The eldest boy, Sirius, caught Odessa's stare and returned a small smile.
Anastasia Orlova was not a cold-hearted woman, nor was she unkindly or unloving. After all, she made the trip from Paris every year to see her granddaughter off to school. However, dignity was the one thing she valued above all else, and public displays of affection just wouldn't do.
"You have everything you need, I presume?" Anastasia spoke to her granddaughter through her mother tongue.
Odessa nodded her response.
"Well then, all that's left to say is goodbye. Work hard this year and you will get the grades that you need. Please, also, spend some time with Regulus Black. It's in your best interests for you to find a way to get along." Anastasia sent her granddaughter a tight lipped smile before pulling her into an embrace so brief it couldn't have lasted more than a second.To Odessa, having been starved of affection all summer long, the small gesture was not nearly enough, but she knew better than to engulf her grandmother in a hug when in the middle of a train station.
Instead, Odessa sucked it up, took a deep breath and replied, "I will, grandmother." in her native language.
Anastasia smiled at her granddaughter one last time before Odessa departed and stepped on to the old steam train that would take her to her fifth year at Hogwarts.
Sirius Black watched the dark haired girl as she listened to whatever her grandmother was saying.He squinted his eyes to try and read the older woman's lips but, unbeknownst to Sirius, the witch was speaking in Russian and his attempts were futile. The one thing that Sirius did understand was the bored look on Odessa's face that he imagined was extremely similar to the one he also wore when talking to his parents.
Selfish was always the first word that came to Sirius' head when he thought about Odessa's future with his brother. Sure, Odessa and Sirius would most likely never have been truly happy together, being pushed into a forced marriage when only 18, but the two were friends and they got along. Regulus and Odessa, on the other hand, had personalities that clashed at every given opportunity and the two couldn't stand being near each other. Sirius blamed himself that Odessa was now doomed to be in such an unhappy marriage. It was due to his being placed in Gryffindor and rebellion from his parents that had led them to reconsider the match and have Regulus take Sirius' place as Odessa's future husband.
