Umbras ? Harry Potter

September 1, 1993 • Hogwarts Express

"Goodbye, Mother, Father," Ciara said as her mother released her from her grasp. Her mother handed her the permission slip to visit the wizarding village, as this was her first year being allowed to attend.

"Stay bright as always, my sweetness," Seraphine whispered, kissing her daughter's head. "And be careful," she said to Ciara with a pointed look.

"Do not let me hear about your questionable choices again this year Ciara," Alaric Briarwood stated sternly.

With a nod, and one last lingering look at her father, Ciara stepped onto the train to find a compartment. The station was bustling with students, and the air buzzed with chatter and laughter.

Although Slytherin students typically sat at the front of the train where the 'luxury' compartments were located, Ciara preferred the privacy of the enclosed compartments further back. She took out a book she had brought from Briarwood Manor, its leather cover worn from years of use, and tried to immerse herself for the duration of the train ride. All the while, she eagerly awaited Hermione's arrival so they could catch up and talk about their summer breaks.

She would have gone to sit with Hermione, but Ciara had to consider Harry and Ron. Although she was civil with them, they often had disagreements, the most common being about her placement in Slytherin. This infuriated Ciara, as she saw them as hypocrites—activists against blood status prejudice who then turned around to judge others.

Ciara did not care about the concept of blood purity. She considered it an ancient, outdated way of thinking, perpetuated only by those who believed they were superior due to their birth status. In Ciara's opinion, muggles were dangerous, but she viewed them more as arrogant than anything else. They couldn't possibly fathom the existence of higher powers living alongside them in their everyday lives, so they posed no real threat to the wizarding world.

Just then, Ciara heard the compartment door slide open, but before she could look up, she heard, "What are you doing all the way back here, Briarwood?"

Draco. His voice dripped with condescension. "What do you want, Malfoy?" she responded, her tone cold and dismissive.

"Just wondering what you're doing all by your lonesome back in the slums?" Draco retorted in a bored tone, leaning casually against the door frame.

"You're an ass, you know?" Ciara stated matter-of-factually without looking up from her book. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her ruffled.

"Don't be so rude to what could be your future husband," Draco sneered. Ciara scoffed and turned away from the door, rolling her eyes.

That summer, Ciara had attended her first debutante ball, a grand affair held in a magnificent hall adorned with twinkling lights and elaborate decorations. Her father had stated that she was ready for such societal engagements. It had been a night of dancing, introductions, and the subtle politics of high society—a world Draco, unfortunately, inhabited.

While the debutante ball could have been a beautiful and enchanting experience, for Ciara, it was overshadowed by the underlying expectation that she was being paraded before pure-blood families, destined to produce "pure" children for their sons. This traditional path was not the life that Ciara envisioned for herself.

"Your daddy told my father to let me know to report anything you do this year that could tarnish your name. I hope you're on your best behavior," Draco sneered as he walked away.

Ciara's parents had been upset with her for the 'awful company' she liked to keep. She had received letters from Hermione over the break, which was fine for a while, until they found out about Hermione's lineage and forbade her from speaking with the Gryffindor again.