The train slowly took off and left all the parents and younger siblings behind. Alec pulled out a book and began reading. Shortly after he began, two boys entered his compartment.
“Hello! Would you mind-”
“If we sat here? Everywhere-”
“Else is pretty full.” The two red headed boys finished each other’s sentences rather amusedly.
“Sure that’s fine.” Alec responded to the twins who pulled their trunks in after entering.
“He is Gred-”
“And he is Forge-”
“According to mum, we’re-”
“Fred and George.”
Alec snorted lightly. “Nice rhyme. I’m Alec.” Alec noticed that they were from the Gryffindor house by the insigne on their slightly worn looking robes. “What year are you in?”
“Second. You must be-”
“An ickle firstie then.”
“What House do you think-”
“You will be sorted in?”
“I don’t really know. I like to read so maybe Ravenclaw but then again my father is head of Slytherin so maybe I’ll end up there.” Alec noted the identical features of shock appearing on their faces after that statement.
“I think I see-”
“The resemblance between-”
“The two now. What is-”
“It like living-”
”With Snape?”
Alec pondered that for a moment before answering. “I only started living with him this last summer. He is intelligent and an excellent teacher. Dad taught me fencing, which is really fun, along with other subjects such as Wizarding etiquette.”
“If you don’t mind-”
“Us asking, but why didn’t-”
“You live with him-”
“Before this summer?”
Alec and Severus had created a story to tell others in the event that they were asked this particular question. Alec relayed the story he had been forced to memorize, “I lived with my mother until she died when I was five. I was then sent to some relatives who weren’t very nice.” He winced slightly at the thought of his relatives. The twins noticed the little wince and noted not to bring up that subject in the future. “My father never knew about me because my mum broke up with him. Dad was never aware that Mum was pregnant with his child when she left him.” The story was plain and simple, therefore easy enough to fabricate when telling others. “What about you two? Do you have sisters or brothers?” Alec asked, wanting to get off the other topic.
“Well, first there is Bill-”
“The Egyptian curse breaker.”
“Then we have Charlie-”
“Who plays with Dragons for a living.”
“Next we have Percy-”
“The prat who loves rules.”
“Then comes us two, who happen-”
“To be the best of the bunch.”
“Next is ickle Ronnikins-”
“Our younger chess loving brother”
”And last-”
“But not least-”
“Would be Ginny, the first-”
“Weasley girl for many generations.”
“Wow. You have a large family. That must be nice.” Alec commented wistfully. The twins both stood up after a moment of silence among the three sharing the compartment.
“We are going to find-”
“Our friend Lee. We will-”
“Be back later.”
“Bye.” Alec replied to the twins who left the boy alone in the compartment. Alec pulled out his book and began reading. He became slightly drowsy as he read and eventually fell into a light sleep. Alec began dreaming about the Dursley’s after he had mentioned them to the twins and he must have appeared slightly distressed. Someone was gently shaking his shoulder in attempt to wake him up and upon instinct, Alec shed away from the unknown touch. The dark haired boy opened his eyes and was greeted by the familiar blue eyes of Lisa.
“Hey Alec, did you have a bad dream?” Lisa questioned after witnessing his initial reaction to her touch. Alec just nodded and worked on using his Occlumency barriers to hide his emotions after that nightmare. He quickly regained control of his racing heart and relaxed a bit.
“I don’t think we were properly introduced in the books store. My name is Lisa Ann Bellini.” Lisa held out her hand for Alec to accept.
Alec applied his newly learned manners of Wizarding etiquette by pulling her hand up to his lips and lightly kissed it. “It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Bellini.” Alec drawled out in an elegant and well practiced tone. Lisa giggled slightly at the formality of it all as Alec released her hand. “I am Alec Narciso Snape.”
“Lily?” Lisa wondered out loud. At Alec’s questioning look, she responded to the unasked question. “I studied Latin when I was in school. If you don’t mind me asking, why is you middle name Latin for lily?”
“It was my mother’s favorite flower.” The name Lily was not too common in the Wizarding world, therefore it was better to play it safe by not saying that was her name.
“Was?” Lisa looked curiously at the dark haired boy next to her.
“My mother died when I was five.” Alec said shortly. This was the second time that day when this conversation was brought up and he’d rather talk about some other time. Especially since his nerves were still somewhat on end after the nightmare. “What House do you think you will end up in?”
“Well I love reading. So maybe I will end up in Ravenclaw. What about you?” Lisa eagerly asked.
“I like reading too so Ravenclaw is a possibility for me as well. I don’t really know though. I tried asking my dad how we were sorted but he told me that it was a secret.” Lisa looked a bit worried that she was going to have to perform some sort of task. Alec saw this look and quickly reassured her, “Dad said it was nothing harmful or dangerous in any way so there is nothing to worry about. I’ll ask the twins when they return.”
“Who are the twins? Are these their trunks?” As soon as she finished saying that, the Weasley twins entered.
“Hey Alec. Have you already-”
“Got yourself a girlfriend?” The twins teased as they sat down on either side of Alec. Alec blushed at the insinuation and murmured out a negative answer.
“Lisa, this is Fred and George. Guys, this is Lisa. I met her at the bookstore before term started.” Alec explained.
“You might want to-”
“Change soon since we-”
“Are almost to Hogwarts.”
Alec glanced outside the window and noticed that it was in fact dark and he could almost see the faint outlines of the Hogsmeade station in the distance. Alex was currently wearing his school clothes so only Lisa needed to change. She excused herself and left in the direction of the bathroom put on her uniform. Alec and the twins chatted for a while before Lisa arrived, clad in her new robes which were obviously made in of a fine material.
“Are your parents-”
“Loaded with cash?” The twins commented as they eyed the fancy robes.
“What do they do-”
“For a living?”
“They do a little of this and that.” Lisa answered vaguely as she sat down. Seeing as Alec knew her father was a criminal, it was not hard for him to understand where the money came from. It was quite possible that some of it was probably from the same money that Vernon stole earlier that very summer.
The train began slowing down as they ascended on the little town of Hogsmeade. The train halted at the station and the students slowly wandered off. All the second years and up piled into the carriages as the first years headed towards the large man yelling, “Firs’ years! Firs’ years over here! C’mon, follow me.” Hagrid led the first years to the waters edge where four people piled into a boat. They took off after everyone was situated. A gasp was heard from just about every first year when they caught their first glimpse of Hogwarts. The castle always looked best at nighttime with the torches lit and the shadows adding an almost spooky look to it. The boats came to a halt when they reached the shoreline and the students clambered out onto dry land.
Hagrid led them up the doors, where he knocked and waited for them to open. A stern, older woman opened the doors and led the young students inside. She briefly welcomed them and explained the various Houses at the school. Professor McGonagall, as she introduced herself, also mentioned that they would be sorted into the Houses mentioned earlier but gave no hints on how it would happen. So when she entered the Great Hall alone, many began speculating as to what they would have to do. Some ideas were rather far fetched but before anyone else could say more, she returned.
“We are ready for you now.”