"I don't care if you're done or not, you get your lazy behind down here at once!" Wallaburga yelled up the stairs. Regulus and Kitty stood uncomfortably next to her; as usual, Sirius was late.

Grumbling about ungrateful, insolent brats, Wallaburga lumbered towards the door, trailed by Regulus and Kitty. "We're leaving now!" She bellowed.

Sirius clomped downstairs, a sarcastic grin on his face. "Gee, Mum, thanks for waiting. After all, it was you who made me scrub the bathroom at dawn today."

"Shut up." Wallaburga snapped. "And come along." To her other children, she said "There's been a problem with the floo network, so we'll be apparating."

"Why are we going outside, then?" Sirius asked.

Wallaburga glared at him. "Because there's a charm on this house; you knew that, idiot boy. We can't have aurors apparating in here. Kreacher!"

The house elf appeared before them and bowed. "Yes, mistress?"

"Start preparing dinner for when I get back."

"Of course, mistress." Glaring at Sirius, Kreacher disappeared.

"Come, Sirius," their mother barked. "Orion, we're leaving now."

Kitty's father didn't bother to look up from his newspaper.

"Well," Wallaburga harrumphed. "Come along." Kitty had just stepped outside, blinking at the bright sunlight, when Wallaburga grasped her wrist and she was pulled into nothingness. She was no longer Kitty; only a sprinkling of light. She gasped as the suction ceased and the four of them landed in King's Cross Station.

It wasn't a part Kitty had ever seen before; it was clearly disguised from muggles so that wizards could arrive by apparition or floo network.

"Excuse me." Kitty jumped at the voice. A young boy, about her age, had just slid out of the fireplace behind her.

"I'm sorry." She said, quickly moving aside.

He grinned crookedly at her, his reddish hair obscuring his eyes. "No problem."

"Come along, Kitty," Wallaburga called. With a quick glance at the boy, she turned and followed her mother into the busy turmoil that was King's Cross. "Hurry, now, or you'll be late." Wallaburga looked back at Kitty. "Katherine, who was that boy you were talking to?"

"I don't know. He came out of the fireplace behind me."

"Well, do be careful who you talk to at Hogwarts, Kitty. I would send you to Durmstrang- it's nearly all purebloods there- but it's very far and besides, Hogwarts is the most renowned wizarding school in the world. Don't worry; once you're in Slytherin, you won't have to worry about any mudbloods."

"Yes, mother." Kitty ducked as a man, who was clearly a wizard, came lurching past. Wallaburga glared with disdain at the man, wrinkling her nose at the polka dot trousers he wore on his head. Seconds later, a member of the magical law enforcement squad (recognizable because of his badge) came rushing after the man.

"Good day, Madame Black," he called to Wallaburga. Turning back to the colorful wizard, he muttered "going to reveal us all!" under his breath.

Regulus sniffed. "That's Dod Hopkins, isn't it Mother?"

"Yes; he went insane years ago. He should be locked up somewhere now if you ask me."

"How'd he go insane?" Kitty asked.

"He was an auror and he was tortured under the Cruiciatus Curse. He's not the first to go insane from it either." Wallaburga smirked.

"Got what he deserved, didn't he?" Regulus said. "Putting his nose where it shouldn't be."

"He was an awful snoop," said Wallaburga disdainfully.

Sirius had remained silent the entire conversation, but now his face lit up. "Oi, James!"

A boy with messy hair and round spectacles turned to face him, a wide grin on his face. "Sirius, old buddy! Is this your family?"

Sirius's face went rigid. "Yeah. Let's go, we don't want to miss the train."

"Wait, we have time." James held his hand out to Wallaburga. "Pleased to meet you, I'm James Potter."

Wallaburga eyed his hand like a snake, but shook it. Regulus did the same. "Delighted." He said stiffly.

"Who's this?" James asked when he got to Kitty. "I didn't know you had a sister, Sirius."

"It's her first year." Sirius responded.

"Maybe you'll be a Gryffindor like your brother here."

Wallaburga stiffened. "Come along Regulus, Kitty. We mustn't miss the train." She turned and left, not bothering to say goodbye to Sirius.

James looked confused. "Did I say something?"

"No, you were fine." Sirius turned away from his siblings. Kitty took a breath, upset, before following her mother. She'd never understood her brother; they'd been close when they were young, but not anymore.

Regulus looked down at her. "Forget him." He said. "His bad decisions aren't our fault."

"I know." Kitty replied. They were quiet as they walked towards the platform. Kitty went first, running at the wall and squeezing her eyes together tightly.

She was quickly followed by Regulus and Wallaburga, who had passed through at the same time. Wallaburga grumpily rearranged her hair, muttering about the inconvenience of getting into the platform.

Kitty had seen the Hogwarts Express before, but it had never looked so magnificent. It was shining in the bright sunlight, swarmed by hundreds of wizards. Regulus checked his watch. "We only have five minutes. We should hurry up and board."

Kitty reached for her trunk, but Regulus stopped her. "I'll get it. You go find a place to sit."

"Thanks." Kitty hugged her mother and walked towards the train with her head held high, as her mother had instructed. Her heart was pounding wildly, but she managed to board without tripping over her robes and falling.

Walking down the aisle, she searched for an empty compartment, but found none. In the back, she spotted one with only one person. She opened the door and stepped in; the boy sitting down turned his head to look at her.

It was the boy who had come out of the fireplace. "Do you mind if I sit here?" She asked politely.

"No, not at all. Plenty of space." The boy gestured around him.

"Thank you." Kitty sat down across from him.

"What's your name?" He asked, grinning crookedly.

"My name is Kitty."

"And I need help," announced a female voice from outside the compartment door. Startled, Kitty looked up to see a boy in a wheelchair who was being pushed by a girl with long blonde braids.

The boy who she was sitting with- she hadn't gotten his name yet- quickly stood and opened the door.

"Thank goodness." The girl said, pushing the boy inside the compartment. "That wheelchair is heavy."

"I told you I could have pushed myself, Sirena."

"And had you break your neck? No way."

"Are you two related?" The brown-haired boy interjected.

"Rowen and I? Nope, I just met him a few minutes ago."

"Oh. Well, we were just introducing ourselves. This is Kitty and I'm Jack DiGievo."

"Goodness, that's a mouthful. I'm Sirena Palms." The blonde girl grinned at them.

"I'm Rowen Cobb." The wheelchair boy piped up. "But you can call me Lands. Or Cobb."

"Or Rowy." Sirena said.

"Okay, you can call me anything except Rowy."

"Okay, Corn on the Cobb."

Rowen groaned. "You know what, Rowen's good. How about you just call me Rowen?"

"Can I call you Row?" Sirena asked.

"Sure. Fine. Whatever."

"What's your last name, Kitty?" Sirena asked, turning her dark eyes on Kitty.

"I'm Kitty Black." Rowen and Sirena froze.

"You're a Black? Like, your brother is Regulus Black?" Rowen asked.

"Yes." Kitty looked straight at them. "Why? Who are your parents?"

"I'm a muggleborn." Sirena seemed to know exactly what Kitty was asking. Kitty recoiled.

"Me too," Jack said.

"I'm half." Rowen said. His eyes scorched hers; he knew exactly what she was thinking. Sirena looked suspicious; Jack looked confused.

"I'm sorry, but I just remembered that I promised to sit with my brother," Kitty fibbed. She hurriedly gathered her things and stood up.

As she was leaving the compartment, she heard Jack's voice: "Why is she leaving?"

Rowen answered him. "Because she's a Pureblood. And we aren't."