[ I won't usually put dates ]
1ST YEAR

Dear Aunt Dessi,
It's September 1st, Mother and I are leaving for the Platform soon. I know I shouldn't be afraid, or nervous, but I am. Rayna says I shouldn't write to you, that Mother will have my head if she finds out. I just thought I'd say I'll be at Hogwarts. So if you send any letters, do make sure they're sent to the school and not here, or mother might find them.

Yours Truly,
Malikai

ꨄ

Malikai quickly gave his letter to the family owl, that thankfully couldn't speak or Malikai would be long overdue for a lecture on why his aunt wasn't to be interacted with. These lectures obviously never changed anything, as his aunt was actually very nice to him and was one of the only people who actually seemed to like talking to him.

Rayna wasn't the worst, but she was older than him, and busy with her own friends and tasks from their mother throughout holidays. That left him to his own devices when his father wasn't making him study and his mother wasn't teaching him spells he shouldn't be fluent in at the ripe age of 12 years old.

His mother didn't speak to him when he came downstairs, ready to leave. Rayna met them at the Floo almost immediately after, her own stuff ready to go. Their mother smiled, fixing Rayna's hair before she turned, throwing her Floo powder at the flames. "King's Cross Station" and walked straight in. Malikai had never actually used the Floo before, as he was rarely allowed to leaving the estate. Their home was pretty far out, their closest neighbors being the Malfoy's. Malikai had met them before, at a Yule Ball his parents hosted two Christmas' ago. He'd only met Lucius, though Malikai wasn't sure if the guy had any siblings. His family liked the Malfoy's, and his mother always talked about Rayna marrying into their family. Malikai doubted that would happen, since despite Rayna seeming like she had the same beliefs as their parents, she was not into Lucius Malfoy in the slightest.

Malikai and Rayna followed their mother in suit, quiet even when they got there. Rayna liked to say Malikai was their mothers favorite, but Malikai personally disagreed. His mother always seems to hate him, even if he was their family's rightful heir. Their moths led them to the platform, where they ran their carts through one after the other. Their mother wasn't evil, not entirely, but she had rules. Rayna already knew them, while Malikai was given a list of the Sacred 28, told which ones were traitors, lectured on what would happen if she found out he was mingling with muggle borns, and even half-bloods that weren't part of the list. Malikai was t usually afraid, since he was never particularly in a situation where he had to talk to other children. Now he was going to a school full of them. His father always said Malikai couldn't be his, considering his constant anxiety, considering the way he was attached to his mother even when she hurt him. Recently though, his mother didn't feed into it, not as he got older, not after his father yelled at her for it.

Hogwarts Express was a nice train, the platform was full of children of all ages. Some gave them odd looks, especially a particular red headed group. Malikai saw his mothers distained look, and quickly copied it, as to maybe please her before they left. Rayna barely paid the family any mind, kissing their mother's cheek before she was off to the train. Malikai looked up at their mother. She was a tall woman, with naturally blonde hair. The funny thing is that Malikai got completely black hair; like their father's hair, while Rayna got blonde; like their mother.

His mother fixed the collar of his suit, before she gave him a tight lipped smile. "Your father knows the professors, remember that." It was a coded threat, before she backed away, leaving him to either stand there and miss the train or hurry on.

Malikai slowly got onto the train with the last few kids, a bit overwhelmed by all the noise. Some kids were bombarding windows, trying to say goodbye one last time. Malikai made a beeline for the closest compartment, eyeing some of the people he saw who wore odd stuff. Colorful clothes and tshirts and such causal attire.

He got into a compartment, sighing as he sat down, glancing out the window as they began to move. He saw his mother, not even trying to wave, as she only turned away.

He didn't wait to watch her apparate, turning and glancing around the compartment. It wasn't unbearably small. He pursed his lips, leaning back against the window. He thought he was safe from any bothersome people until a knock jerked him from his thoughts. The door slid open to reveal a girl with dark skin and hair braided into many even smaller braids, and a sudden grimace on her face. He frowned, glancing over her. She was wearing mostly normal clothes, sort of resembling his own, which is what made it slightly weird. Girls didn't wear suits.

"Hello, could I sit in here?" She asked slowly, almost as if she was considering it still. She had a different accent than his, foreign, almost unrecognizable. Her English was perfect though. Malikai blinked, before nodding. She stepped inside, closing the door and taking a seat across from him. He stayed quiet, watching her as she watched him. After a few long moments of them holding eye contact she raised an eyebrow. "Where are you from?" He asked rather suddenly, looking away from her. She blinked, like she wasn't expecting that from him, or was maybe expecting him to sound different too. "The Netherlands." She spoke after a moment. Malikai quickly recognized the accent, but wa so my more confused. "What? Dutch don't go to Hogwarts." He said, almost doubtful. She laughed a little suddenly, before bursting into a fit of giggles. "And where are you from? London?" She rolled her eyes. Malikai's eyebrows drew together, assuming that was meant to be an insult. "No. I'm from Cambridge." He mumbled, looking away. She found that one even funnier.

When the girl had stopped laughing at him, she shook her head. "My family and I moved to Wales. That's why I get to go to Hogwarts instead of Beauxbatons." She explained. Malikai supposed that made sense. "Oh, that makes more sense." He said, voicing his thoughts. She leaned back, nodding. "I'm Ingrid Bruin, what's your name?" She asked. Malikai but the inside of his cheek, glancing away. "Malikai. Malikai Delacour." He spoke. This made her eyebrow raise once more. "Delacour? You're French!" She almost seemed- excited. Malikai nodded. His mother and father were French, but their family hadn't actually lived in France for a while, until his grandmother moved back when he was just a baby. "I do not speak it, if you were going to ask." He muttered. He wasn't.. embarrassed about that, no. He'd just never been allowed to learn it, his mother saying the accent was nasty and that if he wanted to learn French then he could go live with his grandmother Annalise and grandfather Cain who weren't the nicest people on earth to say the least.

Now, his grandmother Céline was much better, which was ironic considering she was his mother's mother. But it explained why his aunt Dessi was nicer.

"You seem disappointed by that." She laughed. Malikai was ready to assure that he wasn't, but was cut off when the compartment door opened once more, a boy slipping inside before quickly shutting it. It took him a moment to notice there were already people in this compartment, sighing. He didn't even say anything as he plopped down onto the bench beside- what was her name again? Ined? Ingrid? Malikai was pretty sure it was Ingrid. The compartment was silent before Ingrid replaced her confused look with a friendly smile. "Hello, I'm Ingrid. You seem thoroughly exhausted." She spoke, turning to look at the boy. He had blonde hair, messy, like he didn't style it. Did he style it? It looked very much not styled. "Oh, sorry. I'm Aneirin. Most people just call me Rhys. But Rhys is technically my surname." He was speaking quickly, as if he was nervous. Malikai had also never heard that name before. "Are you from England?" He asked, blinking.

Rhys seemed confused too, assumably by the odd question. "Don't worry about him, he's from London." Ingrid rolled her eyes. Malikai glanced at her, frowning. "Well, I am from England. But no, I'm not pureblood. I'm halfblood, if that's good enough?" Rhys gave him, shrugging. Malikai blinked. He wasn't supposed to mingle with anyone who wasn't from a pureblood family. Ingrid was pureblood, so he couldn't really worry about her. "I am not from England." Malikai narrowed his eyes at her. She simply laughed, shaking her head. "Then where are you from?" Rhys asked, almost curious. Malikai looked between the two of them before he scoffed. "Cambridge." He muttered. This pulled a laugh from the blonde boy, and also caused Ingrid to laugh even more.

Malikai knew he should be more offended than he actually is, knew his mother would be disappointed that he was just taking these insults.

Malikai stayed quiet, listening to the two of them as they began to talk. They seemed to lose interest in teasing him about how 'posh' he is. Malikai fell asleep at one point, head leant against the window. He thought he heard the compartment door opening again, but ignored it. There couldn't possibly be another person coming in here. He was startled awake by the voice, familiar.

He opened his eyes, turning to see none other than Severus Snape. Ingrid and Rhys went silent. Malikai knew Severus, as the Snape's were one of few non-pureblood families that Malikai's family were on good terms with. Malikai had known Severus for a while, since the first Yule Ball his family had thrown that had stuck with Malikai's memory. Since then, Severus has been the only boy his age that his parents have ever really permitted him to speak to. "Malikai." Severus spoke, glancing momentarily at Ingrid and Aneirin and then back at Malikai. "Would you rather sit in my compartment?" Snape asked, almost completely regarding the other two now. Malikai blinked, glancing at Ingrid. He didn't know why he cared for her reaction, only finding an annoyed expression.

This annoyed him, so he simply nodded, standing. He saw Rhys raise an eyebrow at Ingrid as he and Severus left the compartment, and would've sneered back if the door didn't shut in his face. Severus was quickly walking away though, so Malikai decided to follow him rather than glare at a metal door.

Severus led Malikai down a few compartments, before opening the door to one on the right and gesturing for Malikai to enter. The compartment was empty, thank Salazar, and far more comfortable looking without Ingrid and Aneirin. Malikai took a seat on the bench, by the window, and Severus sat across from him. It was quiet for a bit before Severus cleared his throat. "So, how is your mother?" He asked, pulling Malikai's eyes from the view out the window to his own. "Who? Oh, Mother. She's well." Malikai replied, a bit clipped. He didn't like thinking of his mother on most occasions, especially not when he was away from her. Severus gave a nod, sitting back. He had his wand out, fidgeting with it. "Have you learned any new spells?" He asked. Malikai and Severus had a game of sorts. Whoever learnt the most new spells by the time they next saw each other got a candy, since neither of their parents really let them have sweets.

Malikai blinked, shrugging. He had learned a new one. Two actually. But both weren't spells twelve year olds going to Hogwarts should know. Severus gave him a look, before nodding. "I did. Only one though. So I'll let you off." He tried to joke, Malikai thinks. Malikai gave a simple nod, to which Severus took as a sign to be quiet.

Malikai was never really one to talk a lot, except for when he was comfortable. But Malikai wasn't comfortable. The benches weren't comfortable, and he was still debating if he had been too harsh on Ingrid and Aneirin. But Severus knew this, or at least Malikai thinks he did, because it was very common for their interactions to just be hours of silence, featuring an occasional nudge or gesture to remind them they were still there, together. Malikai didn't have friends, and didn't think he was supposed to refer to Severus as one. His father had always told him no man has friends, just acquaintances that are sometimes good company.

But Malikai sometimes wondered that maybe his father wasn't the brightest man out there.