Written for:
Hogwarts September Event, prompt used: Being on the Hogwarts Express

Word Count: 505

XV

Ursula Black (née Flint)

(husband of Phineas Nigellus Black)

"Oh, you don't want to sit in there," a voice sounded from outside Ursula's compartment on the Hogwart's Express. It was the snooty voice that Ursula knew belonged to the Parkinson girl, who was in the third year—the year above her. "Ursula Flint sits in there."

"What's wrong with that?" came the muttered response. The door suddenly slid open, and a tall, slim boy with short black cropped hair entered and sat down opposite her. He proceeded to take a book out of his leather satchel, and ignored Ursula completely.

Ursula knew who he was. The boy who had entered her secluded cabin was Phineas Nigellus—he had been sorted into Slytherin alongside her just last year, but he seemed unaware (or uncaring) of who she was.

Frankly, she didn't know how anyone would know who she was. Her family had done their absolute best to ensure that no one would know.

Really, she shouldn't have to deal with not having any friends, and having her peers looking down their obnoxious noses at her. Ursula Flint was from a proud, Pureblood family, all of her ancestors had been sorted into Slytherin, and everyone in her bloodline proceeded to marry to eligible families.

But, like all proud eligible families, they had their secrets.

Ursula's mother had been born a Squib. Her parents kept it pretty well hidden, managing to marry her to Ursula's father at quite a young age and giving them reasons why she didn't need to use magic. Of course, Ursula's paternal grandparents did eventually discover that she was a Squib, but by then it was too late. She was seven months pregnant with Ursula.

Luckily, Ursula had been born with magic, and everyone had calmed down. But it didn't stop people who knew of her mother's curse looking down on her.

Ursula didn't know how the Parkinsons knew of her mother's lack of magic, but she desperately hoped it wasn't travelling around Hogwarts already. People steered clear of her because they knew that there was something wrong with her, but most people couldn't figure out what.

"Are you alright?" a dull voice broke Ursula's train of thought. She glanced up at Phineas, who was giving her an odd look. She realised she had bitten down on a hangnail so hard that she had drawn blood.

"Oh," she murmured, and sucked on her thumb briefly to null the pain. "Yes. Sorry."

"You seem deep in thought," Phineas observed, but his eyes were travelling back to the book in his hand. Ursula knew he had little interest, so she smiled blankly.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," she promised him, and that promise that nothing was wrong would follow her right to her grave.