The morning air was brisk and filled with anticipation as Rigel and Dora walked side by side through the Black manor's main entrance, their hands nearly touching, a comfortable silence between them.
Lord Black remained a few paces behind, letting the two lead the way — a silent acknowledgement that this was their first step into a world much larger than their own.
With a crack that seemed to split the heavens, the trio Disapparated and reappeared in Diagon Alley — a riot of color, movement, and magic. The cobblestone path beneath their feet glimmered under a weak ray of sunlight that fought through a blanket of clouds.
The moment their feet touched ground, the bustling market seemed to come alive in a chorus of sounds — vendors shouting their wares, owls hooting from their perches, children darting in and out of stores, eyes glimmering with curiosity and anticipation.
Rigel tightened his grip briefly on Dora's wrist — a small, protective gesture — then let go once her confidence seemed to return. The two fell into step side by side, shoulder to shoulder, letting their surroundings wash over them.
Flourish and Blotts was their first destination. Inside, the dimly lit bookshop seemed endless, its shelves soaring upward into shadow.
Lord Black nodded once toward the children. "Choose your books. Anything you need for your first year… and a few things you might find useful."
Both of them darted of to different sides to browse through the books and find anything suitable for themselves.
The next stop was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Inside, rich fabrics — black, green, purple — flowed from racks to the ceiling, shimmering in the light of numerous enchanted lamps.
Madam Malkin herself, a short, bustling witch with piercing green eyes, rushed forward with her measuring tape.
"It must be perfect for Hogwarts' first years… something that speaks of tradition… prestige..."
Rigel remained nearly motionless under her hands, letting the elderly witch measure him without a word.
Dora stood nearby on a small pedestal, spinning just slightly to allow Madam Malkin to check the hang of her robe.
The shop's little bell chimed suddenly as the door opened. A fair-haired boy entered alone — small for his age, yet already trying hard to carry himself with an air of confidence and maturity.
His piercing grey eyes darted around the dimly lit store, resting briefly on the two children already there.
Draco Malfoy.
He pressed his lips into a thin, unsure smile — a nervous habit masked by pure-blood confidence — then nodded casually in their direction. "Getting ready for Hogwarts, I suppose?"
He remained oblivious to their Black ancestry, seeing only two children his age in the fitting room — potential future allies or rivals.
Rigel remained silent at first, letting Dora answer. "Seems we are." Her voice was calm, neutral.
Draco hopped up on a small platform across from them, letting Madam Malkin measure him with brisk movements.
"I'm going into Slytherin, of course."His tone was a mixture of confidence and nervousness — a young boy trying to assert himself in a world filled with legacy and power. "My family always does. Pure-blood through and through."
He glanced back toward Rigel and Dora. "How about you two?"
Dora exchanged a brief look with Rigel — a silent conversation that passed in an instant — then answered casually, "We'll see when the time comes."
Draco nodded, a little unsure of their confidence. "I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
He paused, letting the name hang in the air, expecting a reaction — a spark of recognition, deference — but none came. Rigel remained impassive; Dora simply nodded, unfazed.
Draco pressed on anyway. "My father says we pure-bloods need to stick together."
For a moment there was silence — the only sounds were the rustling of fabric and Madam Malkin's careful instructions — then Rigel spoke quietly, without a hint of aggression or submission: "We'll see."
Draco fell silent at that, unsure how to respond. His confidence faltered briefly under their calm, indifferent gazes. With a small huff, he turned back toward Madam Malkin.
The silence that fell after Rigel's simple "We'll see" seemed to weigh more than it should. Draco pressed his lips together, unsure whether to pursue the conversation or withdraw gracefully.
His confidence faltered just a bit under their calm, indifferent gazes — not outright rejection, but a refusal to be defined by him.
"It's… a formality anyway." He said at last, a nervous thread creeping into his normally assured voice. "The Sorting Hat knows pure-blood when it sees it."
Dora remained silent, letting Rigel respond in his own time — or not at all. Instead, Rigel turned back toward Madam Malkin, signaling in his small, composed way that the conversation was finished.
Draco nodded stiffly and fell silent, letting Madam Malkin continue her measuring without further distractions.
Once the fitting was finished, Rigel hopped down from the small platform, smoothing his tailored black robe with a maturity that seemed strange for his age.
Dora followed close behind, careful not to disturb the hang of her own deep purple-black fabric. Without another word, the two walked past Malfoy — not ignoring him, exactly, but not acknowledging him either — and out into Diagon Alley's bustling afternoon.
Behind them, Malfoy remained a moment longer, staring after their retreating forms.
His hands tightened briefly at his sides — a mixture of indignation, curiosity, and something else: a feeling that, for the first time, someone hadn't fallen immediately into his view of the world.
From there, the children crossed the bustling path toward the Magical Menagerie. Inside, creatures of all kinds hopped, flew, and purred in their enclosures — owls, cats, toads, rats, and more.
Rigel made his way toward a majestic black owl with piercing orange eyes, a creature that seemed to match his own demeanor — proud, distant, yet fiercely loyal.
The owl hopped forward on its perch and allowed Rigel to stroke its feathers, a silent bond forming immediately. He decided then and there to name him "Tenebris."
Dora fell in love with a small, sleek black cat with a single white spot on its forehead — a mischievous creature with piercing green eyes and a protective nature. She called her "Nox"— a fitting name for her guardian in the years to come.
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Author's notes
Please give me power stones.