Chapter 6

June 1973

The rest of Capella's first year at Hogwarts ended smoothly, she focused on her classes and walked away with seemingly decent grades that she hoped would impress her parents, remove any anger they still had in regards to her sorting into Ravenclaw.

She was disappointed that Ravenclaw didn't win the House Cup, it had gone to Hufflepuff only by the difference of three points between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. She knew it was no surprise that Gryffindor was last in the house running considering what Sirius and his friends usually got up to throughout the year and it also seemed like that Slytherin was sometimes found not far from where they are concerned when it comes to a certain group of Gryffindors.

Gryffindor had walked away with the Quidditch Cup though. She had heard from the older Ravenclaws that Gryffindor has held the Quidditch Cup for four years now and it seemed as though no one was coming close to taking the cup from them as the team had also been undefeated for four years.

"You alright there Ella?"

Capella turned her gaze from the window and looked at Marlene, giving her a small smile. Both Jacob and Ivy had left the compartment they were sharing on the Hogwarts Express, Jacob said he wanted to go and speak with Philip about something they were planning for the summer while Ivy claimed she needed to use the bathroom.

"Does your offer to spend time at your house still stand this summer Marley?" Capella questioned and Marlene quickly jumped across the compartment and sat next to her.

"Of course. I don't know why you'd think otherwise. Are you sure everything is okay at home?" Marlene questioned, a look worry on her face.

Capella kept a smile in place, not wanting to worry her friend more than she obviously already was. It was now she was beginning to wish she was sorted into a different house. She couldn't believe she didn't realise that Ravenclaws were smart, of course someone would eventually work out that her home life wasn't perfect. She just wished it didn't take one year at Hogwarts for concerns to be raised.

"Everything's fine Marley. My parents just weren't happy with my house placement in Ravenclaw, Blacks have been in Slytherin for generations. Sirius spends most of breaks at Potter's house instead of at home and he only spent Christmas at home for my sake. If they're still mad at me then they won't notice if I'm gone. Why not enjoy my summer instead of being ignored?" Capella questioned, letting out a laugh at the end.

"Are you sure Ella?" Marlene questioned once more and Capella nodded.

"I just want to know I will be welcome elsewhere if things get a little lonely is all," Capella explained further and Marlene nodded, finally looking like she believed what Capella was saying.

"Look, I don't live far from Potter, we grew up in the same village. Go with your brother if he goes to the Potter's and they can help you get to mine if needed," Marlene spoke and Capella's change to respond was cut off by the compartment door opening revealing Ivy.

Capella looked at Marlene before giving Ivy a smile. She had no idea that Marlene knew James aside from what most people knew, he was a popular Gryffindor third year that was also on the Quidditch team.

She didn't even know that Marlene and James grew up in the same village. She wondered why Marlene never said anything, why James never said anything and Sirius obviously knew this as he had spent more than one break at the Potter's and he also knew who Marlene's older brothers were.

When the train arrived at Kings Cross station, Capella hung back like she had at Christmas. She wanted to be the last one of her friends off, give her parents no reason as to believe who her friends were.

She wasn't stupid, she knew other students talked and eventually her parents would find out but it wouldn't come from her. She also knew her brothers wouldn't tell.

"You alright Ella?" Capella jumped at the sound of Jacob's voice.

If one of her friends was going to hung back and wait for her then she would have expected it to be Marlene, not Jacob.

She turned and faced him, nodding.

"Are you worried about your summer?" Capella questioned and Jacob shrugged.

"I'm not sure how mum and dad are going to be. Josh said in his last letter that they can't keep ignoring me, he also said that they seemed guilty over their actions. Time will tell."

Capella walked over and gave Jacob a hug. "I hope things improve for you Jacob." She whispered, smiling when he tightened the hug.

"Thanks. I hope your summer is better too Ella."

The two stood there like that for a minute before they pulled apart. Jacob helped Capella pull her trunk down and the two slowly made their way off of the train.

"I'll send an owl when I have time," Capella whispered and Jacob nodded before they separated, going their separate ways to their parents.

Capella was slightly shocked to see her father standing there beside her mother, in the past only Walburga had been the one to retrieve both of her brothers from Hogwarts leaving her at home in the care of Kreacher while Orion was off taking care of family business.

Neither Orion nor Walburga said anything as they led their three children towards the fireplaces that were connected to the Floo Network, taking it home. Even when they were all on the other side nothing was said as the parents left the room.

Regulus and Sirius both turned and looked at Capella, before turning and glaring at each other.

Capella let go of her trunk and stepped forward and placing herself in between her brothers, a hand on each chest.

"Please don't fight. We haven't even been home five minutes," Capella spoke, looking between them.

"He knows what he did," Sirius gritted through his teeth.

Capella dropped her from Regulus' chest as she looked up at him. She knew they fought and argued at Hogwarts, she had never seen as much, only heard of it.

"What did you do?" Capella questioned.

Capella knew why Regulus was refusing to look at her, why he kept his gaze on Sirius. Regulus had done something and refused to tell her.

"He sent a tripping jinx at James last week and James fell down one of the staircases," Sirius answered instead letting Capella in on what happened.

"Don't act all high and mighty Sirius, you did it to Cassius first," Regulus snapped.

Capella stepped away from both of her brothers, giving them a look before she shook her head. She couldn't believe her brothers were now turning on each other like this. She also didn't appreciate them placing her in the middle like they just did.

She ignored the calls of her brothers as she headed upstairs with her trunk in hand. She wasn't happy with them.

She was half-way through unpacking her trunk when she heard her bedroom door open, she didn't turn around knowing it was most likely one of her brothers since her parents generally sent Kreacher with a message if they wished to speak with her, or if she was in trouble her mother's voice rang up the stairs.

"Ellie," Regulus called out softly and Capella looked over her shoulder at him.

She knew Sirius wasn't one to apologise for his actions, he stood by them but she also didn't expect Regulus to seek her out.

"Reggie," she spoke coolly causing him to frown at her as he closed the door behind him before he walked over and took a seat on her bed.

"Don't be like this with me," Regulus responded.

"Why? James could have died falling down the stairs and I don't care who started it because I will tell Sirius the same thing, Cassius could have died as well. There is no point in getting revenge that is going to end with someone dying Reggie," Capella reasoned. "And plus, how do I not know that Sirius wasn't getting revenge for something that happened to either him or his friends? I may not have seen a single thing happening between you both at Hogwarts for whatever reason but I do hear what happens."

"We've never gotten along Ellie, I don't know why you're acting like this now all of a sudden," Regulus explained.

Capella raised an eyebrow. "No? What about when I was seven and you both stood up to Alecto Carrow because she was teasing me. Or what about when Bellatrix pushed me in the pond when I was six?" she argued.

"That's different," he responded.

"How is it different?"

"Because the common factor was you Ellie. We only ever got along when you were concerned. Haven't you ever wondered why we sorted into two houses that couldn't be more different than each other?" Regulus questioned but Capella shook her head.

That wasn't the case and she knew it. The two houses were very similar, it was just how they go about their actions that were different. Slytherins stuck by each other and their families, the values they were raised with while Gryffindors stuck with what they thought was right.

Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had a similar rivalry because of the same similarities between the two houses. Despite Hufflepuff being known as the 'duffer' house, the one where someone who doesn't fit in the other three gets sorted, isn't true. Both houses were smart, but Ravenclaws gained knowledge for their own reasons while Hufflepuff gained knowledge to help others.

"That's not true. Why do you think most famous Quidditch players that come from Hogwarts are mostly previous Slytherin or Gryffindor students? They are both highly ambitious but just go about it in different ways. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are the same, rumours have it that most Ravenclaws go off to be Unspeakables while Hufflepuffs be Healers. Both careers require intelligence, it's just one is sharing their knowledge with the world and the community while the others keep it to themselves," Capella argued.

Regulus sat there and stared at his sister. Despite him wanting her to be sorted into Slytherin for the sake of keeping peace within the family, he knew just how brilliant she truly was. But it was this, this speech she just gave that confirmed just how brilliant she truly was.

"You two argue like you did because of how similar you are. It's just values that don't match up. Now get out," she snapped at him.

"Ellie…" Regulus tried to argue with her but the look on her face was still harsh.

"No!" she snapped. "Don't Ellie me. I'm sick of being stuck in middle of you two because you're both too pig headed to realise just how similar you are. You are both obsessed with Quidditch, just because you don't play the same position doesn't mean anything. You both will do anything to protect me but no it's just because of some stupid rivalry between two houses that date back to the time of the Founders and no one bloody knows why!"

"What if Merlin's name are you yelling about Ells?" Sirius questioned and Capella whirled around to face him, she hadn't even heard him enter her room.

"You!" she yelled at him, finally able to take her frustrations out on both her brothers. "I'm sick and tired of this fighting between you two and I'm only eleven for Merlin's sake."

Sirius removed his gaze from Capella and looked at where Regulus was sitting on the bed. Regulus just shrugged and Sirius looked back at Capella.

"Ells…" Sirius started.

But it just resulted in Capella giving Sirius the same speech she had given Regulus mere moments prior.

Sirius stood there dumbfound when Capella was finished speaking, he truly hadn't thought of it that way but it wouldn't change the way he was. He knew that most of the Slytherin students had their own views and it was handed to them by their parents but he would never accept someone that looked down on others just because of where they came from.

"Now get out. Both of you," she gritted through her teeth, throwing a hand up to point at her bedroom door.

Neither Regulus nor Sirius said anything as they both quietly left her bedroom.

It wasn't until they were gone that Capella threw herself down on the bed and let the tears that she had been holding back out.

She knew if the tears came forward they would both instantly jumped up and apologise for making her cry, but she didn't want some half-assed apology because she cried. She wanted an apology because they saw reason, they realised she was right. It was another reason as to why they belonged in their intended house, they stuck by their morals. And a simple set of tears from their baby sister wasn't going to change that.