𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀 ~ ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣

~ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕆𝕟𝕖 ~

A week had passed, and now the Malfoy twins and their parents walked through the crowded Diagon Alley, shopping for the last of their school supplies. They walked past the Quality Quidditch Supplies shop, where multiple boys stared at the shop windows, eyeing the Nimbus 2000. As she continued walking, Lilabeth began to lose her balance as other Year 1 students brushed past her rather harshly, the force almost knocking her to the ground. But luckily, she regained an even balance before she did so.

She dug her right hand into her pockets, searching for the list she had stowed away while tucking her schoolbooks under her left arm. Her eyes quickly skimmed the paper as she silently counted the things she didn't have yet. Year 1 books... check! Wand... check! "Father, I still have yet to get my robes!" Lilabeth spoke up, hoping he could hear her over the babble of voices.

"Narcissa, could you take Lilabeth to Madam Malkin's? I need to buy Draco an owl," Lucius glanced over to his wife, who nodded at his words. Swiftly, Narcissa took her daughter's hand, and they approached the shop, the bell just above the doorframe ringing upon their entrance. "Be with you shortly!" A female voice called out from the other side of the shop. As they waited, the minutes began to tick by slower than ever, but no matter how much time had passed, Lilabeth maintained her patient and calm demeanor. Whereas the same could not be said for her mother.

Narcissa's right-heeled boot began to tap at the ground rather harshly, her eyebrows slightly creasing with impatience. Her daughter could feel the tension, and it was almost like you could cut it with a knife. Five minutes later, Madam Malkin finally approached them, and Narcissa's posture went back to normal, a fake smile painted on her face. "Ah welcome, Mrs. Malfoy! What can I help you with today?" Malkin asked, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"My daughter requires a set of robes for school. I trust with your expertise; you can assist her?" The Malfoy mother replied, placing her hand on Lilabeth's shoulder. "Of course! Right this way, young lady!" Malkin led Lilabeth to a square block, having her stand and hold still while measurements were quickly performed. Within a few minutes, Lilabeth had her robe size imprinted in her mind, and she walked right over to where the robes her size were set on display.

"How does this look, mother?" She asked once she stepped out of the dressing room in the black set of robes. "Lovely, darling!" Narcissa replied, a hint of fakeness in her voice. In public, Narcissa and Lucius portrayed themselves as the perfect couple with the perfect twins. But nobody besides the Malfoys and their staff knew about what went on behind closed doors, as it could tarnish Lucius's reputation as one of the governors of Hogwarts.

Soon, Lilabeth and Narcissa met up with Lucius and Draco and continued with the rest of the school supply shopping, returning to the manor with all their stuff a few hours later. Things were once again silent at the dinner table, and Lilabeth and Draco exchanged glances of harshness to one another. It was always their way of competing with one another that didn't involve being at each other throats.

"Children, since you'll be going to Hogwarts soon, there are a few things I want you to know," Lucius spoke up, breaking up the twin's war of glares. The rest of dinner was spent giving a long lecture on some of the people who were attending Hogwarts and how they should be proud to be purebloods and Malfoys. This wasn't the first time Lilabeth or Draco had heard this lecture. He had given them this lecture at least two dozen times since they turned five years old. Lilabeth never paid attention to them, not wanting to be pushed into this belief. But Draco listened rather intently, almost absorbing his father's words.

"Those who are less fortunate like us are either halfbloods or those... mudbloods!" Lucius mustered up that last word, showing his deepest dislike for them. "Father, do you think that Draco and I will end up in Slytherin?" Lilabeth couldn't help but ask, her fingers crossed on that possibility upon her arrival. "I certainly hope so! Everyone in our family who went to Hogwarts was in Slytherin. It would be a shame if someone were to break that tradition,"

~~~~~~~

"So, we run straight into the wall?" Lilabeth asked as her parents instructed her on how to get to Platform 9 3/4 inside the Kings Cross Train Station. "Neither of you will crash into it. Just run until you see yourself on the platform. You first, Draco!" Narcissa advised. Without a hint of hesitation, Draco ran towards the brick wall, disappearing faster than a flash of lightning. Lilabeth was stunned at the sight. All her previous doubts and fears of crashing had suddenly faded away as if they had never existed to begin with.

The Malfoy girl stepped back on her right heel before running straight for the wall, closing her eyes the second she passed through, her parents following close behind. "Were you scared, little Lila?" Draco sneered as she slowly opened her eyes. "I wasn't scared, Draco! Nervous maybe, but not scared," Lilabeth clarified. When they looked up, the twins were stunned to see a scarlet red engine, the name Hogwarts Express printed on the front and sides in gold lettering.

With the help of their parents, they got their luggage boarded along with their owls. "Alright, you have a safe trip. Do me proud, Draco," Lucius smiled, Draco giving him a quick hug before hopping on the train. "Bye Mum, bye dad!" Lilabeth said gleefully. The smiles on their faces instantly faded and Lucius took a step towards her. "Don't get in your brother's way, Lilabeth. Do you understand?"

"I understand," she responded. With that, Lucius gave his daughter a firm pat on her head and let her hop onboard. The moment she stepped onto the train, she caught glimpse of other students talking amongst themselves and laughing inside their compartments, some of them waving goodbye to their parents. As she moved through the passenger car, she tried to find somewhere to sit, but there seemed to be no extra room for her.

"Psst! Lila, get over here!" Draco poked his head out from one of the compartments, ushering her to join him. Oh Merlin, please! Anyone else besides golden boy! She took in a quiet breath of frustration before stepping into the compartment, greeted by the glares of some of Draco's friends, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Lilabeth did her best to block them out, shifting her gaze to the windows, watching the outside world zoom past in an instant.

For a while, Lilabeth continued to look outside, just waiting for the moment they would arrive at Hogwarts, but in her mind, it felt like it was taking forever. Hopefully, Mum and Dad won't be so harsh on Dobby while I'm gone. She thought to herself, remembering the sad look on the house elf's face that morning.

"Must Ms. Lilabeth go?" He asked as she set down the cage containing her owl, Achilles. "Unfortunately, I have to. But I'll be back before you know it!" Lilabeth promised. Dobby let out a sniffle, wiping his nose on his servant cloth. If she could've brought Dobby with her, she would've. She would've given anything for him not to be stuck with the cruelty of her parents. "Don't be sad, Dobby. I'll tell you everything when I get back!" Dobby embraced her, wishing her nothing but the best.

"You'll make Dobby and everybody proud, Ms. Lilabeth. I know it!"

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" A woman with a cart full of sweets asked, pulling Lilabeth out of her flashback. The look of the candies made her stomach begin to rumble, even if she had breakfast only a mere two hours ago. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a few coins and requesting some of the gummy worms and chocolate frogs, along with a small box of Bertie Botts Flavoured Jellybeans.

"Looks like someone will be a fat hog by the time we get to Hogwarts!" Draco teased as he watched his sister open one of the candies. "Shut up, Draco," She muttered, knowing that they still had a long way to go.