Oksana Karkaroff guided Valentina through the crowds of people on the platform with a sour look and upturned nose, looking at people with a disgusted face. Valentina just rolled her eyes, she thought the reaction was all very extreme and dramatic. It was only her mother and herself. Neither her father and brother had found the will to wave her off to Hogwarts, she didn't blame them, she didn't want to be there either.
As her mother muttered rude words about blood purity Valentina looked around the platform properly. At Durmstrang they didn't let in Muggleborns meaning that Valentina had little to no experience being around Muggles and Muggleborns. When she was little she imagined them with sharp teeth and red eyes with horns sprouting out of their head. Five year old Valentina would have been very disappointed to find out that everyone on the platform looked completely normal, just like all the pure bloods she knew.
"Oksana, Valentina" Walburga Black nodded as she approached the two of them
"Lovely to see you again Walburga" Oksana replied, barely a smile on her face
Valentina smiled at Regulus as he nodded in greeting, standing beside Walburga silently.
"The train is about to leave, I would find a compartment now Regulus" Walburga said turning to her son, "and take Valentina with you"
"Yes mother" Regulus replied quickly
"And remember everything you do reflects the reputation of the house of Black. Your brother has already besmirched our name, do not worsen our reputation further" As Walburga mentioned Sirius she turned to Valentina, hinting to Valentina that she better do as she was told.
Valentina tried to hold back her fifth eye roll since she arrived at the station.
"That goes for you as well Valentina" Oksana warned, "I want you to be perfect"
"Nothing to worry about mother" Valentina replied
"Good, now off you go. Hurry along"
As Regulus and Valentina walked through the crowds she watched the other mothers fuss over their children, checking they had everything while their fathers tried to tell their wives to calm down. Neither Walburga nor Oksana had shown any motherly love towards their children as they sent them away.
"So what's your problem then?" She asked breaking the uncomfortable silence between her and Regulus
"Excuse me?" Regulus asked looking at her perplexed
"I asked what your problem is. Your mother's got you on a pretty tight leash. Do you speak in your free time or only to say, yes mother"
Regulus' eyes widened before a slow smile pulled onto his lips as his uptight demeanour shifted and he left a laugh slip out, " you're not any better Miss 'nothing to worry about Mother' "
Valentina narrowed her eyes at Regulus for a second, "I like you" she hummed
"Thanks?" Regulus quirked letting Valentina onto the train before himself, " Avery and Rosier will have already got an apartment down the other end of the train" he said guiding the way.
Carrying her trunk in her hand she glanced into each compartment. Hogwarts students were sat in groups all laughing and chatting with their trunks over head and owls, toads and cats sat beside them.
Valentina was going to ask Regulus about Hogwarts when she felt a sharp pain stabbing into her ribs.
"Come on pads, Moonys waiting for us!" a boy with glasses and shaggy hair shouted obnoxiously as he'd pushed past Valentina with his trunk.
Valentina turned around to see who he was referring to as 'pads' and saw a boy standing there frozen, staring straight past her, looking at Regulus.
He looked a lot like Regulus, still there was major differences. This boy was taller and had longer hair. His face was more defined and chiselled compared to Regulus' and his lips a little fuller. This boy looked more casual and relaxed than Regulus with a more rebellious look compared to Regulus' prim and proper clothing. Both boys skin was pale with ice blue eyes, that almost looked as if they'd not been out in the sun too often.
Valentina figured that must be Regulus' brother, Sirius.
He was handsome, perhaps this little favour Walburga had given her wouldn't be so bad after all.
The two brothers were still stood frozen staring each other. They both looked as if they wanted to say something but both remained silent.
Valentina, getting bored with just standing there, picked up her trunk, nodded to the third boy who had a worried look on his face, and continued down the train.
"What the hell was that? English people are fucking weird" she muttered as she peered through the compartment windows hoping to find Avery and Rosier.
Eventually recognising Evan Rosiers ugly sneer she pushed open the compartment door.
"Karkaroff, nice of you to join us" Avery nodded as she walked in
Valentina wanted so badly to explain how unpleasant it was to be there but refrained, looking for somewhere to sit. In the compartment was Rosier, Avery, Snape, mulciber and some girls she didn't recognise.
"You take a seat here Karkaroff" Mulciber said flashing her a view of his yellow wonky teeth, gesturing to his lap.
"I think I'll have to pass, my apologies" Valentina smiled sarcastically making the girls in the compartment giggle and Avery and Rosier smirk. Severus remained quiet observing.
"You Can sit here" a girl named Violetta Bulstrode said moving towards the window so Valentina could sit down between her and the other girl, "I'm Violetta Bulstrode" she said introducing herself, "and this is Cordelia Zabini", she pointed to the other girl
Valentina looked over both girls for a few seconds trying to grasp a gage on both of them. Bulstrode had a chubby round face with a blunt Bob of blond hair framing her face. Her nose was large and her eyes beady. Zabini was already dressed in her Slytherin robes, her black hair laid in tight corkscrew ringlets over her shoulders and her dark eyes held twinkling curiosity. Much unlike Bulstrode she was petite and pretty. She looked cunning and smart, a vast difference from the other girl who looked as if she'd only have a single though when one of her four brain cells would accidentally bump into the corners of her brain.
Valentina greeted the girls with a nod and a cautious polite smile. She'd decided then and there that Cordelia was someone she'd want to be friends with. Valentina always chose her friends with caution, with benefit and gain for herself. Cordelia was someone that Valentina would find useful.
"Where's Regulus?" Snape asked Valentina suddenly, "have you seen him?"
"He's further down the train. He saw his brother"
Snape face morphed into one of hatred.
"Sirius Black" Rosier spat, "what a disgrace"
"Regulus must be embarrassed" Avery chortled
"I heard he ran away. He's been blasted off the family tree" Bulstrode snorted in amusement
"you've got to cut off the rotten parts of the tree otherwise it'll all become infected, Violetta" Cordelia rolled her eyes while the boys nodded in agreement.
"Anyway" Bulstrode said changing the subject abruptly, her voice was nasally and annoying, "you never said your name"
"Valentina" She replied coolly. Valentina had already decided she didn't like this girl
"What's your accent?" She asked bluntly
"Shut up Violetta you idiot" Cornelia snapped, "she's a Karkaroff. Her families from Bulgaria"
"Ohhh. Why have you moved?" Violetta asked blinking her watery eyes a few times
Cordelia rolled her eyes again, putting her head in her hands while the boys scoffed.
Valentina glanced to the boys to see if she could reveal her families affliction to Voldemort. Avery nodded giving her the green light.
"We moved to be closer to our Lord. It is easier to serve in England than Bulgaria, hence me joining Hogwarts"
"You're serving the Lord already?" Violetta asked, eyes wide, "we're not allowed the mark until our seventh year"
"No, not yet. My Father and older brother Igor have the mark, soon my mother, I believe"
Cordelia studied Valentina for a beat before giving her an nod of approval.
"Well you'll be sharing a dorm with Violetta and I" Cordelia said
"Good luck you'll need it Karkaroff" Mulciber laughed, "then again you're always welcome in my bed"
"Will you shut up" Cordelia interrupted, "Valentina's so out of your league it's laughable, "I'm so glad I have someone to talk to other than Violetta over here" she said turning to whisper in Valentina's ear while pointing at Bulstrode who was shoving a whole pumpkin pasty in her mouth at once while Severus Snape across from her had a look of disgust painted across his waxy face.