"Have you heard?" I sat down infront of Hermione Granger in the compartment, putting my head on my left palm afterwards. I glanced up at  her, not knowing what she was reffering to. "Heard what?" I asked. She leaned forward and gestured for me to do the same thing, and so I did. I leaned forward as a chubby yet tall male student opened the door to our compartment. "Have you seen a toad?" Me and Hermione backed away from each other, Hermione looking at him with a raised brow, obviously irritated about someone suddenly popping up and asking non sense. "No."

 The student looked at as with horror and exclaimed, "My grandmother is going to kill me if she finds out I lost my toad!" I rested my back on the chair as I glanced at Hermione. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Well then, we'll help you find the toad but give us some time and go ask other people in the mean time." The boy nodded and closed the door. Hermione then motioned for me to lean closer again. We both did and she covered her left face to whisper.

 "Harry Potter is going to-" Hermione was cut off by the door opening again, the male student's head earlier peeking inside. "I'm Neville Longbottom by the way." He stated. Hermione huffed, looking annoyed, "Hermione Granger." Neville looked at me expecting me to introduce myself. Though Hermione answered for me. "Pyxis." She gestured her hands towards me as Neville nodded and raised a brow but shut the door after a second. Hermione sighed and spoke up. "As I was saying, I heard Harry Potter's going to attend Hogwarts along with us!" I looked at her, confused, but masked it immediately with a gasp.

 "Surprising, right?" Hermione asked. I shook my head at her and pointed something out, "Pardon me, but I have no idea who Hairy Potterr or whatever name he has is." Hermione's eyes widens but she rolls her eyes anyway. She stands up and says, "Its Harry Potter, he's the boy who lived." I gave her a disapproving look, shaking my head. "Are you sure?" I asked, "We should check later if he has the scar." Hermione shrugged but nodded nonetheless.

 "Come on, get up. We still need to help Neville on finding his toad," Hermione ushered me to get up and grabbed me by the arm, running out of our compartment going to Neville. When we reached him, he was asking on a compartment with a bunch of first year girls inside. I poked him to have his attention and he turned around. "Oh! I thought you two never really planned on helping me out!" He sighed, sounding relieved. Hermione nodded while I smiled.

 "So, what do we need to do?" Hermione asked, glancing at the girls inside the compartment who looked confused. Neville looked up, thinking, then he made a small smile and looked at us, "Why don't you guys help me by going to different compartments and ask if they have seen a toad?" I nodded and glanced at Hermione, seeing her glance back at me too.

 "Okay, so, you take this part of the train," Hermione instructed, pointing at my right side, "And I take this side." pointing to my left side. I gave her a thumbs up and went from room to room to ask for Neville's lost toad. 

        "Sorry, we did not." I sighed, bowing as a thank you and apology for disturbing them. 'Well... that's the last compartment for me.' I walked my way to where Hermione should be searching, but unfortunately upon my arrival, she immediately disappeared into where the conductor is. Grumbling, I decided to ask the first compartment I see for the toad. 

        Turning to the compartment to my left, which door was ajar, I busted in.

 "Unless you're a bit politer then you'll—"

 "Excuse me, but have you seen a toad?" 

        Five heads turned to look at me, three of which looked annoyed and two of which looked slightly relieved. I coughed awkwardly, knowing nothing of the happenings that I have disturbed. A boy with dark, slightly messy hair with incredibly striking bright green eyes spoke up, "If you are talking about the toad that Hermione and another boy was looking for, then no, we did not. Both of them went here already, the boy twice, even." I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it, nodding instead as I backed away to the still opened door. 

        "Why if it isn't Pyxis Black!" A blonde boy with icy gray eyes snorted. Slightly taken aback by him saying my name out loud, my eyes widen, but as fast as it does, I quickly compose myself, glaring at him,

 "Malfoy." I remarked.

 The boy laughs, making the two thickset boys at his back laugh as well. "Fancy seeing you here, Black. I thought you'd hide yourself because of the embarassment your father gave you!" He exclaimed out loud, challengingly raising a brow at me. I raised a brow back, eyeing him from head to toe.

 "Excuse me," I smirked "If there is someone who should be embarrassed here, it should be you, you evil midget." I reached in my robe for my wand, pulling it out and pointing it directly at Draco's face, "Who goes around with his nose poking in every places where it shouldn't be, gathering his so called "allies" anyway. And by the looks of it," I glanced at the two boys that he seemed to be intimidating with a laugh. 

 "These two didn't even want to be one of your petty little allies. Oh how pathetic, I almost feel sorry for you, Mr. Malfoy." With a chuckle, I held his chin threateningly. "If you ever talk like that about something personal about me, trust me Draco, you'll be done for."

        I glared intensely at the blonde, watching his usually pale face turn red. I put my wand down, not wanting to get into trouble before even actually arriving at Hogwarts. Draco rushed his way outside the compartment, bumping his shoulder to mine causing me to stumble a few steps backwards but luckily not to the point where I completely fall down. I huffed and steadied my self only to be bumped by the shoulder again, but with more force and twice this time, making me fall off my feet.

        Draco turned back to look down at me, glaring, "You might want to watch your mouth you filthy blood traitor. I don't understand why you're still defending yourself even if you have nothing to defend for, well maybe you would, if only you had not been interacting with mudbloods and muggles. Let alone befriending them." And with that, he and the other two boys, who's name I believe is Crabbe and Goyle, started walking away.

 "That's rubbish!" I shouted out before they could reach their compartment. Malfoy looked back with a smirk, and went in the compartment, closing it with a bang.

        Grunting, I dusted off some dirt off my shoulders as the two boys who were left here with me went to my side to help me up. A red haired boy with bright blue eyes and lots of freckles on his face crouched down beside me, "Pyxis Black?" He asked, observing my face. My eyes twitched, but I covered it with a look of fake amusement, and a smirk.

 "You know me?" I asked with an amused tone.

        "Of course, who wouldn't know about the famous daughter of Sirius Black! Pyxis Black, the girl who witnessed her own father murder twelve muggles and his own—" Ron was cut off by Hermione arriving as the Black haired boy helped me up.

        "Pyxis!" She shouted, running to my other side, opposite to the red-head, and throwing me a worried yet confused face. "What happened? I heard you had a fight with Draco Malfoy!" I nodded at her, rolling my eyes at how she was acting. It's not like Malfoy scares me that I can't even talk to him.

 "First of all," I started "I believe I can take care of myself to deal with a stupid brat. Second, what happened was nothing special except that the look on his face was priceless, I actually wanted to laugh at that moment if not for his two bodyguards at the back, they're kind of scary. And lastly," Stopping momentarily, I turned to the black haired boy.

 "Thank you very much for the help, but may I ask who you are and what might you be doing putting a lightning scar on your forehead? Are you trying to look like Harry Potter?" I became more amused when I realized how he looked so much like how I visualized the famous Harry Potter would look like.

        Hermione laughed uncontrollably, putting her hand on my shoulder for support on standing. I looked at her in confusion, raising a brow. "What?" She coughed, trying to stop herself from lauging "This boy," She gestured to the boy with the lightning scar who was trying not to laugh as well. "is indeed Harry Potter."

        I turned to look at the said boy, eyes widened. "You are..." My words faltered, I couldn't continue because of my suprisement. He smiled widely, reaching out his hand for a handshake.

        "Harry, Harry Potter."

        I looked at his hands, not sure if I should take it, but slowly and unsurely, I took it. "And as you have heard," I started, a smirk starting to appear on my face, "The name's Pyxis Black, a pleasure to meet you."

 "Likewise."

 We both let go as Hermione shoved something to me. "Go get changed. I went to the conductor to ask and he said we're almost there." I nodded, going out of the compartment, but not before waving and winking at the boys, more specifically at Harry, as he waved back.

        *

        *

        *

        "Firs' years 'ere! Firs' years!" A giant, hairy man was calling out for the first years as students departed from the train. "And then when mom asked me to go— Ouch!" I was animatedly talking to Hermione when someone bumped me by the shoulders. "Out of the way, Black." Malfoy bawled, bumping other students on the way as well. I rolled my eyes, dusting off my shoulders as if there were germs that came from the blonde, sarcastically mumbling, "Such a gentleman." Hermione shrugged and grabbed my hand, leading us to where Hagrid is. 

        "Oh Pyxis!" A voice called.

        I turned to look at the source of the voice and saw Harry Potter waving at me and smiling. I waved back with my signature smirk. "Why, hello there Potter." He nodded and behind him was the red headed boy earlier who was also smiling, and when Hermione reached his vision, it became a half-hearted smile. "And you are...?" I asked, staring at him. "Oh! I'm Ron Weasley!" I gasped. Red hair, hand down uniforms, freckles, I'm surprised I haven't realized he's a Weasley.

        "Is that so?! Lovely to meet you!" I held his right hand with both my hands as I looked at him with eyes shining, though he looked at me looking confused. "Uh-uhm... excuse me?" He voiced out, gently retrieving his hand. "Oh! I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, softly laughing. He smiled and nodded awkwardly, while Harry looked confused at us as well. Hermione didn't pay much attention as she already knows why I'm over reacting.

        "It's just that, I've always wanted to be friends with wizards who don't care about other wizards being a pure-blood or not, and by far, you—- the Weasleys—- are the most popular ones!" I talked excitedly. Ron gulped and Harry was looking dazed. "W-well... Is that an insult... or a compliment?." He coughed out.

        "Al'right! No more'n four in a boat!" Hagrid instructed.

        Hermione jumped in a boat, looking back at me and helping me on getting in it. "Looks like the four of us will be on one boat." She said to the boys at the back. Harry simply smiled and nodded while Ron silently whined behind Harry, not wanting to be on the same boat as Hermione. "Oh, and Ron," Hermione called out. Ron looked at her with a questioning face. "It's both."

        .

        .

        .

        Everyone was silent, admiring the great castle overhead. Their boats sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff where it stood. 

        "Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

        Everyone started going down from their boats, Hagrid counting the students. 

        "So I'll be leadin' y'all inside the castle where a witch, Professor McGonagall's waitn' for ya'" We walked on rocky places until we went inside the castle. We were greeted by a witch— assumably Professor McGonagall— who had a face that would tell you that you would not want to mess up with her.

        "The firs' years Professor." Hagrid told her and left. We all looked at Professor McGonagall stiffly, afraid to make a wrong move.

        "Welcome to Hogwarts."

        ""The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

        "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." The mention of Slytherin made Malfoy smirk, nudging Crabbe and Coyle. Professor McGonagall looked at them sharply before continuing. " 

 Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

         As Professor McGonagall finished, a toad went infront of the students and croaked out.

 "Trevor!" Neville cried. Everyone started laughing except Professor, who caughed loudly to gain everyones attention. "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." She inspected us, turned, and went for the door. Excited whispers immediately errupted as the door to where Professor McGonagall went in.

        "I don't understand the houses." said Harry, looking confused, nervous, and excited at the same time. "Well neither do I but we'll do soon." Ron commented, staring at the door nervously. "But all my brothers—- my family—- went to gryffindor. What if I get sorted to a different house? Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff..." He paused, saying his next line timidly "Or worse, Slytherin?" I laughed cooly and went to their side, putting my hands on my hips. "I wouldn't worry about that, I mean, I don't think any— no offense— blood traitor would get into Slytherin." 

        Ron frowns, looking quite insulted, but he lets it off and shrugs. "How exactly do they sort us into houses?" Harry asked curiously. I looked expectantly at ron as well, not really knowing how. "Some sort of test perhaps?" Hermione suggested, popping out beside me. Ron shrugged again, saying, "I'm not really sure. But probably? Fred said it hurts a lot but I think he's joking." 

        I froze on the spot, not wanting the idea of having a test in front of the whole student body. What could be more embarrassing than doing something wrong and funny during a test with the public seeing it? I'd rather let the ground swallow me whole.

       "Scared, Black?" A voice taunted behind me. I groaned, already knowing who it is. I quickly composed myself, turning to face him with my usual smirk, "Stalking, aren't we?" I teased, trying to get the topic off me. He snorted, raising a brow and looking at me as if evaluating me, although I could see the faint blush on his cheeks. "I don't really think you're worth stalking for, Black. To be concise, you're not worth anything." The two boys at his back, Crabbe and Goyle, laughed evilly with him, looking at me with pityful yet tauntful eyes.

        "I think it's you who you are talking about, Malfoy." Harry spoke up, getting infront of me as he glared at Draco, obviously tempted to do something that would physically hurt Draco. "I'd actually say you're a despicable person." I spat. Draco contemptibly glared at Harry, then at me though I think it was just my imagination, but his gaze softened. 

        A cough was heard as Draco's shoulder was tapped on twice by a paper. Me and Harry backed away a bit from Draco while Draco glanced at the back and went back to his place, still glaring at us.

        "We're ready for you now." Professor McGonagall announced, "Now if you'll follow me." All of us, first year students, followed Professor McGonagall into a big hall, where the other students were waiting for us. We all went in, looking around in awe. The room was lighted by an uncountable number of candles floating in the air over four long tables, where the rest of the students sat, and infront was another very long table where the teachers sat watching us intently. 

        I looked up and was even more surprised to see not the ceiling, but the night sky. It was beautiful, you could clearly see the stars twinkling inside the hall. 

        "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside." Hermione whispered, knowledgeably, "I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

        We continued on walking until we reached almost the top of the hall and Professor McGonagall turned around to face us, telling us to wait. We all stopped, watching her put a four-legged stoll in front of us, and a dirty looking old wizard's hat. Everyone was silent, until a rip near the brim of the hat opened wide like a mouth, and the hat began to sing.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

           Everyone clapped as the hat hopped table from table staring from Slytherin to Gryffindor and back to the chair in front. The first years looked at it fondly and curiously, wondering what to do next.

       "Now, as I call your names, come up here and sit on the table, and you shall be sorted to your desginated house by the sorting hat." Said Professor McGonagall. We all nodded nervously as Professor read the first student to come up. 

        "Hermione Granger." Hermione's eyes widened when she heard her name. "Oh no," She mumbled, looking at me with a terrified face. I sighed, patting her head. "Good luck, Mione." She nodded and walked forth to the chair, sat down, and looked above her as proffesor McGonagall put the hat on her head. 

        Everyone watched curiously as the hat hummed, perhaps thinking on where to put her. "GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted. Ron groaned, squinting his eyes. 

        Professor looked at the list of students again and shouted the name of the next student, "Draco Malfoy." A smug smirk appeared on my face as I turned to the person to my left, "I hope you don't embarrass yourself from pissing on your pants, Draco." I whispered. He glared icily at me and walked to the chair. He sat down and waited for the hat to be put on his head, but it barely touched his head when it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

        I sincerely felt like punching off the smirk on his face when he looked at me with a devious look. "Bloody hell, I just want to hurt that face of his." Ron said. I grinned at him, patting his shoulders proudly. "Geat minds think alike!" 

"Say Weasley, do you think it's nice to be in Slytherin?" I wondered aloud to Ron, who shrugged in response. "I'm not sure, Pynix. Fred and George tells a lot about the houses but I don't believe them." I nodded, but looked at him questioningly as to why he wouldn't.

Seeing my confused expression, he scratched the back of his head and explained, "You see, they like to prank people... a lot, I might say." He stated, "Said slytherin's got the nicest people, but I don't really trust that info, especially with that Malfoy in there." He pointed his thumb to a certain blonde boy at the last table as I laughed at his statement, completely agreeing. "Yeah, I bet they've got the most stupid and annoying ones." Ron chuckled, shrugging. I looked at the boy fidgeting beside him, finding it amusing to see the cute Potter boy look like a nervous wreck.

"Ron Weasley." Shouted professor. Ron gave me a thumbs up and went straight ahead to the chair, plopping down shakingly. "Ha!" The sorting hat shouted, startling everyone in the hall. "Another Weasley." He hissed, "Well, I know just what to do with you! GRYFFINDOR!" The gryffindor table apploused as Ron excitedly ran to sit by the table in front Hermione.

"Harry Potter." Professor called. The hall suddenly filled with whispering voices, all talking about the boy who lived. I patted Harry's back before he walked to the chair. "Best luck, Potter." I whispered, he nodded his head, showing an obviously forced smile.

He slowly walked to the chair and sat down. Professor put the hat on his head, and it started evaluating him, complimenting him, "Difficult. Very difficult." It said. "Very brave, also loyal... Your brain's not that bad.. and yes, yes, cunning. Well I believe the best one is, GRYFFINDOR!"

The gryffindor table roared loudly, proud to have the famous Potter in their house. Harry ran to the table, not before stopping by me to do a high-five. Every name was called, me not really that much listening, finding it boring since I mostly don't know the people getting called.

"Pynix Black." Professor finally called, making me jump in surprise and anxiousness. I walked to the chair, sitting on it comfortably. Professor put the hat on me and smiled reassuringly. "Ah! A Black!" The hat shouted, making me jump again, startled. "Hmm..." It hummed, deeply thinking as it browsed into my mind. "A brave girl, indeed, but also cunning and very sly. Loyal to her friends and family, well, not that kind but still... and not that bad of a brain." 

My eyes wondered from table to table, analyzing people, boldly judging them by their looks. The Slytherin, indeed, looked the meanest, with people smirking and frowning at me. Hufflepuff the nicest, everyone smiling, giving off the welcoming aura. Ravenclaw the most serious ones, yet they looked excited about the new students. And Gryffindor, a mixture of all, I guess, but they looked the bravest. 

Gryffindor seems the best choice, but Slytherin might be where I belong, I mean, I'm a Black.

"Should I put you to Slytherin, where most of the Blacks are put... or should I put you to Gryffindor, where your brave father had been. Well, let's see... It should be-"