Chapter Five, Journey to School

The morning of September 1st, Persephone was a bundle of nerves and anxious energy, causing her to wake at the crack of dawn. Knowing she wouldn't be able to go back go sleep, Persephone propped herself up in bed to read her new potions book - she was really excited to create potions, as she had her Grandpa Monty's skills - with Nyx curled up against her left thigh fast asleep and purring away as Sephy rubbed her belly, while Hedwig was perched on the headboard just above her right shoulder grooming her hair affectionately. After awhile Sephy started to relax due to the ministrations of her Familiars and her mind being occupied by the potion book, slowly the nervous and anxious energy started to bleed away.

After an hour of reading Persephone put the book away in her purple satchel ready to read on the coach journey to Beauxbâtons (in between talking to her friends), and got up to have a shower ready for school. Once she had finished her shower an hour later and dressed in her blue silk dress, the short cape tied over her shoulders, and her natural tights on and had slipped on the black and white shoes, Persephone entered her bedroom only to grin when she saw her Dad sat on the carpet hairbrush in hand waiting for her.
"Good morning Daddy." Persephone beamed, bouncing over to kiss his cheek.

"Good morning sweetheart. You look amazing, I'm so proud of you! Shall we brush your hair?" Sirius asked, he was feeling nostalgic as this would be the last time he got to brush his daughter's hair and complete their daily ritual to Mother Magic together until she returned home for Yule.
"Oui, s'il te plaît, Daddy." Persephone replied, slipping into French when she was upset or emotional, despite the beaming smile on her face, her emerald-silver eyes held a sadness in them as she was going to miss her family who had been with her through everything.

"I'm going to miss you, Daddy. And Batsy, Rodo, Vinda and Falco." Persephone sighed sadly, as Sirius started their daily bonding session of Sirius brushing his daughter's hair and donating the strands to Mother Magic. Pausing for a moment, Sirius pulled his daughter into his arms, kissing her forehead, offering what comfort he could to his sweet, kind and beautiful daughter.
"We'll miss you too, Petit ami." Sirius told her softly, kissing her forehead once more. "But you can write to us as much as you like.

We want to hear all about your time at Beauxbâtons; your classes, activities, your House and how they sorted you. Everything. But you won't be alone as you'll have your friends you've grown up with, including Fleur who will look after you, Océane, Mila, Dominique and Camille, and you may even make new friends on the coach or in your House. You will do amazing at school I just know it and I'll always be proud and love you no matter what." He told her passionately, holding her close in his arms.

"Thanks Daddy. I love you." Persephone told her father, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly. She knew that Sirius was her Blood-Adopted father and that James and Lily Potter were her birth parents but she didn't remember them at all, all she knew was Sirius as her Daddy and she loved him with all of her being.
"I love you too, Princess. So much." Sirius told her giving her a tight hug which made her giggle. "Now, let's finish getting you ready for school." He said all business-like, picking up the brush to continue with their daily ritual to Mother Magic, that Sephy would now be doing alone while at school.

***

"Look at you, Little One." Rodolphus crowed, as Persephone entered the dining room dressed in her school uniform - including the blue hat upon her head - her fishtail plait swinging against her back as she bounced into the dining room. "That uniform really does suit you."
"Thank you Rodo and don't call me 'Little One'." Persephone stated, mock glaring at the man who just chuckled at her as he gave her a tight hug.
"Petite Étoile, you are going to do amazing things at Beauxbâtons, don't be nervous just be yourself." Rabastan told her, giving her a hug after she was released from Rodolphus' arms.
"My wayward sons are right, Sephy." Falco told her, giving her his undivided attention while ignoring the mock glares his sons were giving him.

"I know Sirius has already told you this: but we will be proud of you no matter what. It doesn't matter what House you get into as that'll be the House for you. As long as you always try your best that will be enough."
"Thank you Falco. I'm going to miss all of you." Persephone muttered sadly, hugging the man tightly.
"And we will miss you, Ma Chérie." Vinda stated, a loving smile upon her red painted lips. "Now, have you made sure you have everything packed? Including your satchel for the journey?" Vinda asked firmly, taking on the role to make sure Sephy had everything she'll need for the journey and for school.

"Yep." Persephone replied popping the 'p'. "I woke up really early this morning as I was nervous and excited but Nyx and Hedwig helped me calm down while I was reading my potions book. After I double and triple checked that I had everything stored away in my trunk in the right compartments and checked I had everything I could need for the journey in the coach."
"Good girl." Vinda praised, kissing Persephone's forehead and receiving a happy smile in return.

"Here you go, Sephy. Some money to get some sweets for the journey, it's tradition both on the train to Hogwarts and the coach to Beauxbâtons." Rodolphus told her, passing Persephone some Galleons after she had finished her breakfast and come back downstairs after brushing her teeth and putting Hedwig and Nyx in their travel cages, with her purple satchel slung across her shoulders, while her Daddy levitated her purple trunk downstairs.
"Thank you Rodo." Persephone said gratefully, slipping the coins into her satchel, as the time was quickly approaching eleven when the Coach would arrive to pick her up.

Unlike those who lived in Britain and had to go to Platform 9 and 3/4; for those who lived in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, and Belgian, the Coach - pulled by Abraxans- flies to each student (starting at nine am, they get a time the coach will pick them up on their ticket) picking them up before taking them to their school. But like on the train they have a witch, Madame Adeline Lemaire, with a trolley full of sweets. Beauxbâtons accepts a higher number of students than Hogwarts does, much like other schools such as Durmstrang, Castleobruxo, and Ilvermorny, and the coach worked from the furthest country first before returning to pick up the French students.

***

With a nostalgic feeling gripping Sirius' heart in a vice-like grip, Sirius helped Persephone onto the coach, stowing away her trunk in the overhead rack of a compartment that her friends Océane, Camille, Mila and Dominique had already claimed, while Persephone said her goodbyes to the Lestranges. Greeting the four girls happily and wishing them luck in the sorting and the winter term, as they had been friends with his daughter since she was two years old, before he left the coach to say goodbye to his daughter.
"Au revoir, Daddy. Tu vas me manquer. Bonne chance pour votre formation Auror, je vous écrirai chaque semaine. Je te le promets." Persephone whispered tearfully as she hugged her father tightly.

She was excited to start Beauxbâtons but she also didn't want to leave her Daddy or the Lestranges as apart from her friends and their parents, they were all she knew so she was nervous about meeting new people and starting a new chapter in her life.
"Au revoir ma princesse. Ne t'inquiète pas, tu seras très bien à l'école. Soyez vous-même et faites de votre mieux, c'est tout ce que nous vous demandons. Merci ma douce fille, je t'aime sur la lune et retour." Sirius replied in French as it always calmed her down more effectively than in English as it had a soothing baritone to it when her father spoke.

"I love you to the moon and back." He repeated in English once she was calm and her magic wasn't swirling beneath her skin.
"I love you too, Daddy. I love you all." She added, directing her statement to the Lestranges standing by the gate of their estate.

"We love you too, Sephy." The four replied with wide smiles waving to the little girl they had seen grow up. With an enthusiastic wave to her family, Persephone shouldered her purple satchel and picked up Hedwig's and Nyx's cages, and climbed onto the Coach, waving goodbye out of the window as the Coach (which had Notice-Me-Not Charms cast upon it and the Abraxans so Muggles could not see it, and Undetectable Expansion Charms to make it larger on the inside), as it took off into the sky until she could no longer see her family.

Once her family were but dots on the horizon' Persephone finally joined her friends in their compartment playing games and talking and giggling with each other and the new girl who had joined halfway through their journey - Audrey Blanchet, a African-Belgium-French girl with light mocha skin tone, forest-green eyes, and curly blonde hair; who loved Quidditch (read obsessed) more than Persephone and Dominique did - as they started a new chapter in their lives.

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French to English Translations:

* Oui, s'il te plaît, Daddy. = Yes please, Daddy.
* Petit ami. = Sweetheart.
* Petite Étoile. = Little Star.
* Ma Chérie. = My darling.
* Au revoir, Daddy. Tu vas me manquer. Bonne chance pour votre formation Auror, je vous écrirai chaque semaine. Je te le promets. = Goodbye Daddy. I'll miss you. Good luck with your Auror Training, I'll write to you every week. I promise.

* Au revoir ma princesse. Ne t'inquiète pas, tu seras très bien à l'école. Soyez vous-même et faites de votre mieux, c'est tout ce que nous vous demandons. Merci ma douce fille, je t'aime sur la lune et retour. = Bye my Princess. Do not worry you will do amazing in school. Just be yourself and try your hardest, that is all we ask of you. Thank you my sweet girl, I love you to the moon and back.

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Author's note:

DO NOT ask me to update there are other ways to tell me you like this chapter. What house do you want Persephone and her friends to get into? I was thinking Ombrelune for Persephone and Mila. Bellefeuille for Camille as she's a Dryad, and Pappilonlisse for Fleur, Océane and Dominique. Although I will take suggestions into consideration, but that is what I feel is best for them.

These are the Houses characteristics:

* Bellefeuille: The Bellefeuille students are known for bravery, sensitivity, loyalty, and their love of nature. You could say this is a mix between Gryffindor and Huffelpuff. These students are caring and sensitive to people's needs around them. Those of Bellefeuille usually find physical activities more enjoyable than those that require logical thinking, and are often skilled with their hands, knowing how to craft different things. They are hard and efficient workers and are characteristically book smart. The students sorted into this house think the necessities of life are what is important, they prize family and friends above all else. Bellefeuille students often feel a strong connection with nature. The house colour is green. The logo is five leaves.

* Papillonlisse: The Papillonlisse students are known for kindness, artistic ability, maturity and idealistically. Papillonlisse students are a mix between Huffelpuff and Ravenclaw. Students that are sorted into this house are naturally gifted in the arts, they are thoughtful of all others around them as well as kind and gentle. Students selected in this house are prized for their sophistication and surprising maturity at all ages, they prize beauty of the mind and beauty of appearance above many other characteristics and are always striving to improve aesthetic qualities of life. Papillonlisse students are often very emotional, bring strong feelings and strong dedication into their work. The house colour is purple and the house is symbolised by a butterfly alighting on a leaf.

* Ombrelune: The Ombrelune students are well known for cunning, logic, ambition, and curiosity. You could say they're a mix between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. They are very cool and calculating students who are very adverse to irrationality and prize people for making well thought-out and logical decisions. They are very smart, logical and structured. They are very curious and are interested in the world and the intricate way it works. Ombrelune students often strive for power and perfection more than anything else. The house colour is dark blue and it is symbolised by a moon.

Rose Bertram as Audrey Blanchet