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Pierre was impressed at the ease in which his new acquaintance did her spells. It was like watching his parents, or his father's coworkers, albeit smaller. He was mildly put out that he wasn't impressing this new person.

"I've seen my parents do that one plenty of times. I didn't realize there could be so many words for one spell. Father says 'reparo' and my mother says 'reparez'." He thought for a moment about her not being able to practice magic on holidays and considered her.

"Do you live by the British Ministry? My father works there and he says if you're 'in a close enough proximity to an of age wizard they can't pinpoint the magic'" he repeated his fathers words, not sounding nearly as knowledgeable as his elder. "Mama says it's a way to keep tabs on muggle born children, so they don't reveal the wizarding world. They just tell us all we can't because it would single out muggle born families." Suddenly he felt very bad and sat down again. "I never actually thought about it before. I live in the country, so there aren't many muggles around, but if I did magic in the city I'm sure they would have something to say? They can't really pick on those kids, can they?"

She was speaking so intelligently for a girl his age. Well he assumed she was his age, maybe he was just judging based on her appearance.But she had said she just got her wand. She was talking about things he had never even considered, how a spell works? He was busy thinking about quidditch and girls to even fathom that.

"You're a first year, right? You're talking so smart. You'll definitely be in Ravenclaw." he scrunched his face for a moment, "If your dad has gotten away with magic for so long, I bet you'll be fine."

Pierre couldn't tell what he was really supposed to respond to, so he decided to talk about the Hogwarts houses. It was easy, and as his family had a long legacy there he had a lot to say.

"I'm a first year, and I hope I'm in Ravenclaw. Every Forebeck since our family was admitted to Hogwarts has been placed in Ravenclaw. Our family is very old. My grandpa told me once that our blood is more pure than any Black or Malfoy, because they breed with each other. He said we don't because we're smart. I don't think those families actually breed with people within their own families though. My grandpa is very old, he sometimes says things like that." Pierre felt very self conscious all of a sudden, he didn't go around disrespecting his grandfather, or his neighbors.

"That is to say, my grandpa can have his opinions. The Malfoys have always been very gracious to my family, they don't seem like they're unhealthy." He finished as quickly as possible.

Suddenly someone knocked on the compartment door, making Pierre jump. The door slid open and, speak of the devil, Lucius Malfoy stood before them, nose held high, hair silvery blond and cropped close to his head. He was six years their senior. There was a Head Boy badge glimmering on his chest.

"Ah, Pierre, I've been looking for you." the older boy looked at Vittoria for a moment, and, not recognizing her, ignored her outright. "I hope you're keeping good company, we'll be to Hogwarts in several hours now, if you need a change of scenery you're welcome to my compartment," he paused and added "If not, good luck tonight, maybe you'll break your family's streak and we'll see you at the Slytherin table tonight?" Pierre laughed nervously, he was just speaking ill of this boy and didn't want that to be obvious.

"Well, you know better than me Luc, I don't want to disappoint family." Pierre was unsure about his response, it was either too cheeky and not veiled at all, or Lucius would feel impressed. Apparently it was the latter because the older boy smiled and raised his brow inquisitively.

"Of course, smart. Seems like you might be in Ravenclaw after all, it's a shame, you would have made a great Slytherin. Like I said, you can come to our compartment anytime. We're near the front. I'll see you tonight." Lucius glanced at Vittoria, smirked, and shut the compartment door behind him as he left. Pierre felt very rude to ignore Vittoria.

"That was Lucius Malfoy," Pierre began laughing very hard.

Pierre could see the change on Vittoria's face immediately. He didn't really know what to do so he said exactly how he felt.

"Luc is a complete prat." He paused, because he had never even thought about saying that out loud before. Lucius was like his older brother, well very distant older brother. He'd known the guy since before he could even remember. There were pictures on his mantle of six year old Lucius holding a newborn Pierre.

"I wouldn't say that unless I meant it. I don't care for his family's general opinions. They think they're better than my family because we're not in the same house as them every time we're sorted, imagine what they think of muggle borns and non-magical folk." Fleshing out these thoughts was a strange experience, Pierre had never thought about how the Malfoys were, just that his parents were either always laughing, or were annoyed after each of their visits. "Our families go back a long way, and I think there is some good in them, but I wouldn't say we're friends. Me and Lucius."

Pierre, while shocked that she didn't have more to say, answered politely.

"A muggle is a non-magical person. In French we say muldus." he looked at her intently "do you know any muggle-born wizards or witches? I've never met any our age."

Pierre was mystified the by concept of an all muggle school. What did they learn? How to do things without magic, he supposed. His father made him do everything without magic. Apparently to build his character, whatever that meant.
"My whole family are wizards. Well witches too, but I guess a witch is a wizard and a wizard is a witch. Anyhow, there isn't a single muggle born person in my family, according to our history. What are muggles like? Are they really actually so oblivious? My neighbors, the Malfoys," Pierre gestured toward the door where Lucius had been standing, "say they're useless and vermin. My dad says they're really intelligent and resourceful. I can't imagine they could be both." he added, to assure Vittoria he wasn't in line with the Malfoys, that he believed his father to be correct.

"I've never met a muggle. My father takes me to London sometimes and we go in the shops, but I've never been allowed to touch things. Sometimes my father waves to people he knows in the street, but I always thought they were just convincing wizards. You know, they blend in perfectly," Pierre could see Vittoria felt very sure of herself that muggles were just like wizards, so he decided she must be right. She seemed shades more intelligent than Lucius anyhow, and she was only eleven!

"I don't know if I want to associate with Lucius, I mean he's very annoying," Pierre seemed confident that Lucius was annoying, but it was apparent the longevity of their relationship made it difficult to speak ill of him openly. "But, I don't want to abandon him. It wouldn't be right. I know he'd do it to me the minute I gave him a reason, but," Pierre stopped and looked out the window for a long moment, not really sure how to continue. "My mother used to tell me to value people, regardless of who they present themselves to be, because there's something good in everyone. I suppose the situations were different, but I guess it still fits." He looked sort of airy again for a split second before he smiled at Vittoria widely, probably the first genuinely happy smile he had smiled the whole train ride - at least that wasn't dripping in nerves.

"I hope we're both in Ravenclaw. It's really nice to have made a friend on my own."