Summery: This is just another Harry Potter story…or is it? Follow Athena, a young girl raised on the fringes of the magical world learning so much but her own past, as she get her Hogwarts letter and learns that her past is much more complicated then she could have ever dreamed. There's adventure, friendship, family, laughs, tears and this…this just the beginning…
A/N: this is seriously like the first every piece of fanfic that I've ever tried my hand at. Normally I'm working only own original work but I was challenged to get something published even if it was just fanfic. You never know what's going to spark an idea or muse for yourself or someone else. I'm a big fan of fanfiction, seeing these different worlds through different eyes I think expands the whole verse' and cannon.
…also I don't own Harry Potter, if I did it'd mean that I've already published something and I probably wouldn't be here…props to the great J.K.
Chapter One: Diagon Alley: Part One
Blake Fraser was a bastard of a man. He was cold, quiet, borderline cruel and very strict. This was not the kind of man who should have been raising a child and I hated him with a passion. It's pathetic that by ten years old I knew what hatred really was or what spell could be used to eviscerate a grown man in less than seven seconds. I hated the days that I was forced to get up before the dawn and enter would could be the equivalent of the American Navy Seals training.
I can't say I hated my tutor, the poor wretch of a woman who'd been hired to school me while I was dragged around the world by Blake Fraser, dark wizard bounty hunter/treasure hunter/mythical creature expert/womanizing man-whore/asshole. Kaylee was a lovely woman, in fact, who tried to shield me as much as possible from Blake's influences. She did this through schoolwork; saying I needed to learn my history and letters more than I needed to learn how to kill a lion cub to make me stronger (psst! That cub was diseased and dying anyways and it would have been a mercy kill but I was only seven…so, yea).
Traveling is how I spent my young years, until I was eleven and Fraser went back to his native Scotland. Kaylee followed until she was dismissed one summer day when a tawny owl brought a letter with my name written on it and the name Hogwarts on the upper corner in green ink. Fraser smirked at my surprise when he flicked the envelope at me.
It had the standard; Dear Miss Athena Cassiopeia Black…oh, so I guess Black was going to be my official surname. Honestly, I've been iffy on that one for years because Fraser always seems to be changing my damn name. It continued; you've been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…so that's why Fraser brought us back to Scotland. His smirk grew wider when I glared at him.
"Did ya really think you're were going anywhere else, lass?" he taunted "to Ilvermorny? Hmm? Or perhaps that frilly French school or that one in Japan? Nah, you've a parental burden to bare here," he paused to drink the mixture of fire whiskey and coffee he had in his cup "sins of the parents visited upon the child."
I had learned long ago not to rise to his taunts and instead asked "is Kaylee taking me to get the supplies listed?" I held up the sheet of parchment.
Fraser snorted "no," he said simple "she's no longer with us, I'm afraid. Her services are no longer needed as you'll be going to proper school," he gave a cold grin "instead, you'll be going with my Aunt Minerva."
I frowned at that. It seemed that I'd heard that name before in one of Fraser's family lectures. Ah, yes…Minerva McGonagall, head of the McGonagall clan of which Fraser is kin too. Had two brothers, mother gave up magic to please her squib husband who became a priest of all things. Catholic, suffer not a witch to live…I wonder what those holidays were like when the kids came home from Hogwarts. Awkward…
She'd once been a part of the British Magical Ministry's Department of Magical Law Enforcement, quit that rather quickly. Then she was hired by Dumbledore as a teacher at Hogwarts and took over as Laird McGonagall when her brothers Malcom and Robert Jr. were killed during what is considered the 'Frist Wizarding War' (1970-1981 with the fall of Voldemort). Ridiculous to call it that when witches and wizards have been fighting and killing each other in wars for centuries, what made this one so special?
Professor McGonagall has one living sibling, a sister, younger who married into the lesser Fraser clan; she's the bitch who whelped a bastard. I purposely forgot her name, ranks up there with names for daemons and various devils. As far as I know the professor had four children, three sons and a daughter with a man named Urquart; two of those sons died with their uncle. Urquart was eccentric fellow who let his children carry his wife's name and died in 1985 born because he was playing with a poisonous plant that fought back.
"She'll be arriving tomorrow," Fraser cut through my mental ramblings "early, so you best be presentable. She's not as nice as I am, lass, so ya best be on your best behavior."
I gritted my teeth and nodded "yes, sir, may I be excused from the table?"
Fraser looked from me to my unfinished plate and scowled. For once he didn't taunt me but just ordered me to finish my food instead. Thank the Greek divine for which I was named after. Though I am a fan of bacon and eggs, at the current moment they were bland and hard to swallow. When I was done, Fraser barked at me to wash my plate and his before crying that I needed to learn discipline and this would help me build character.
He let me go to my little room after that as he continued to read his wizarding newspaper. It was strange to have a room, I must say, even if it wasn't going to be mine for very long. Everything I owned was in a beaten up steamer trunk that Kaylee had been very adept at shrinking and re-growing during our travels. It had been enchanted to fit all my possessions, my clothes, trinkets from different countries and all my books. There was a small library in there.
A small library in which I picked a book on obscure mythical creatures, crawled up into the seat in the widow and started to read. Books had always been and will always be my friends. Never stayed long enough anywhere to have friends and I spent more time with adults then kids my own age. So books became a refuge, like Kaylee had taught me.
It hurt that she'd been sent away without being allowed to tell me goodbye but I couldn't afford tears just yet. Not until I was sure that Fraser was sleeping, then and only then was it safe. Another lesson learned that tears are punished if seen or heard by Fraser, Kaylee taught me to cry when it was safe. So I would hold my tears until later, until it was safe to mourn the loss of the only mother figure I'd ever had. An hour later, Fraser dragged me outside to run laps around the cottage and begin the day's hellish workout.
The next morning I was up with the sun, showered and dressed, habit at this point honestly. Rikki, Fraser's house elf (and Kaylee's silent ally even though the little guy is sworn to Fraser) already had breakfast on the table and Fraser's morning paper waiting. The house elf had made sure to give me fruits and by the sight of the mangos, this was either going to be a bad or a strange day. I loved mangos and Rikki only gave them as reward or apology.
In any case, I had them gone before Fraser came down from his room on the cottage's second floor so that he didn't see them, again safer that way. As usual, Fraser gave a grunt as a morning greeting. At the same time he was demanding his morning coffee the fireplace in the living room roared to life with green flames; out of them came a very tall witch in what the normal world would consider antiquated robes and a very stereotypical (tall and pokey) witch's hat.
She looked like she was in her mid-forties with a couple wrinkles, very green eyes like mine and black hair. I watched as she magicked away the soot from the fire while Fraser just raised his newly arrived coffee cup in greeting. The witch noticed and scowled at the younger man before moving over to him and slapping him upside the head for the disrespect. She may not be so bad after all.
"Is that any way to greet your Laird and your aunt?" she demanded with a soften Scottish lit, as if trying to kill her natural brogue.
"It's the ass-tits of morning," he complained vulgarly "so, aye, tis!"
She smacked him again and growled before look towards me with critical eyes. It was eerie to be surveyed so harshly with eyes so like my own. I say harshly because her scowl deepened as she took in my curly black hair, tanned features that still had some determined baby fat clinging to them, my gangly build and I'm certain she was screaming internally at my knee length, cloth shorts and muggle metal band tee-shirt (loved Pink Floyd).
"This is not the proper dress for a young lady," McGonagall smacked Fraser again "you could at least dress her in pants!"
Fraser ducked out of the rebuff and growled "tis summer and the lass does a lot of running. That hippie you hired as her tutor said this was healthier for her than pants."
McGonagall just shook her head "this will not do for Diagon Alley," she glared at me "go put some pants on as I'm sure you don't own a dress."
"Nope," Fraser said sound proud, that was the only thing we've ever agreed upon "lass doesn't own a one. Nor will she wear a skirt for a school uniform," he said pointedly looking up at his aunt "canna renege on that agreement, Aunt Minerva. I willna let my teaching go to waste. Can't fight properly in a dress!"
That earned another scowl from the Deputy Headmistress, she made me change clothes before she was ordering me to follow her. Pinch of Floo powder and I was being directed through to a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. Fire travel is not my most favored but I arrive safely and didn't keep the witch waiting very long. I followed her through the dreary pub and waved at some man named Tom before following to a back room. All this made me wonder how in the divines muggle parents still let their children even enter this world after having to go through a pub to get to their shopping, a freaking creepy pub at that!
Maybe they forgot about it after the tapping of the wall that broke apart to reveal the flashy magical street beyond. If I wasn't a part of the magical world and seen magical shopping districts around the world, I'm sure I'd feel that sense of awe, shock and wonder. Guess I'm just harder to impress, which showed in my raised eyebrow when I looked up at the witch who was watching me intently for my reaction.
She smirked smugly, much in the same way that Fraser when he was taunting me, then without a word the professor took off towards a tall and leaning build (seriously it looked like it was only standing because of magic) that had in big gold letters Gringotts on the front. By the door were guard goblins, it's my theory they did something to piss off the head manager, Gringotts has branches all over the world.
They eyed me and the professor as we passed but did not move to stop us. Apparently we didn't look like thieves, always a good thing. Not that we're actual thieves but still goblins are very touchy about the vaults they rule over. Fraser has been known to call them greedy little bastards from time to time, I would say he was in good company then but I'm not allowed to say that.
"Hello, Bodred," McGonagall said in a polite tone when we reached an available teller, she read his name the plaque "I'm accompanying Miss Black for her school things and I need to make a withdrawal from the school's orphan fund."
The beady eyed goblin raised a dark eyebrow at the professor before looking to me, his eyes narrowed at my look of surprise. That cheap-ass Fraser wasn't funding this? What the freaking hell? There were so many bad words going through my head that an eleven, near twelve, year old shouldn't know.
"From the orphan fund for Miss Black?" he frowned and the professor nodded "I'm afraid there's been a mix up, Professor McGonagall. I received a different set of instructions involving young Miss Black. I'm afraid you'll have to talk to Griphook about this."
McGonagall growled as the teller window clanked shut and Bodred came round to usher us towards a door along the far wall that read 'Account Manager Griphook' on a gold plate. Goblins really love their gold. Bodred knocked on the door and then announced us to the voice that'd called out on the other side.
"Ah, Professor," Griphook smiled, well as much as the dwarfed, shriveled creatures with very sharp teeth could "and this must be your charge for the day?" he sat back in his chair and bought his long fingers together in a steeple, he was enjoying this.
McGonagall noticed this as well "with all due respect, Griphook, this is a mistake. Miss Black's name was already down on the orphan fund."
"That changed," the goblin almost purred "when it came to our attention that Miss Black here is the official heir to the house of Black. With filed papers, confirmed bloodlines and recognition just this morning by Wizengamot," he shrugged, I was very confused by this and even more by the older witch's angry flush "I'm afraid that putting Miss Black on the orphan fund list is a waste of those funds in more ways than one."
"Wait!" I cried, I don't like being confused "what in the name of the divines does that mean?"
Griphook motioned me towards a chair on the other side of his desk, flicking his wrist to pass me a manila envelope "this was left for you, Miss Black. To explain everything; please take a moment and look over it."
I caught it but didn't open it, instead I glanced at the fuming professor wondering if it was safe for me to open it. Griphook noticed the look and sighed softly before he hopped down and made his way around the desk. In a strange gesture, the normally cranky creature put a comforting hand on my knee. He caught my eye before he spoke.
"I will ask one of my curse-breakers to come in and sit with you," he said softly "I believe I need to have a word with the professor, Hogwarts's business so no worries."
"Thank you, Master Griphook," I bowed my head to him the best I could, show them respect and they don't treat you like human dirt "may you find fortune."
The goblin beamed with amusement, his black eyes shining "may you as well, my friend. Now," he looked to a scowling McGonagall "shall we, professor?"
The very upset looking woman allowed the goblin to lead her from the room and the second that door was shut I had the envelope open. I had never been told about my parents. Oh, don't think I haven't asked but Fraser strongly discouraged those questions and made sure I knew that he wasn't my father. He also magically bound Kaylee from giving me answers in his stead. He made snide remarks about them using words like foolish, stupid, foul gits and on occasion evil. Like he'd done when I got my Hogwarts letter, he like to say I had a parental burden. Tough to know what that burden is when you've no clue who your parents are.
First thing that came out was a sheet with a family tree and I wondered if this wasn't just a prank. One side had the Black family and the other held…the McGonagall family. I swore under my breath as I followed down to where they meet. Cygnus the Third and Druella Black (nee Rosier) gave life to three daughters; Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa. Andromeda had married a man named Edward (Ted) Tonks and Narcissa had married Lucius Malfoy but they didn't matter.
It was the eldest, Bellatrix who was connected by a little line to Robert Bruce McGonagall; there was also a line connecting her to a Lestrange fellow. The same Robert Bruce McGonagall who was the second son of Minerva McGonagall and that Urquart fella. The best part though, was the line that attached to their marriage line (the same line that made Black a McGonagall) that had my name at the bottom of it. In fancy script was Athena Cassiopeia Black.
I jumped a little when there was a knock at the door before it opened. In came a shorter woman in a dragon leather jacket (blue coloring), she had short blonde hair and kind blue eyes. Behind her was a tall, gangly man with shocking red hair that bushed his shoulders. He had an ear pierced. We studied each other before the blonde cleared her throat.
"Hullo, love," she greeted kindly as she came to kneel beside my chair "I'm Vicky Clearfield and this is Bill Weasley, he's here on loan from Cairo, Egypt and my partner today. It be alright if we sat with you?"
"Umm…sure, but only if you tell me what this means," I nodded slowly and held out the family tree "I mean, you guys are paid to keep secrets right?"
"Yes, love," Bill nodded and knelt beside his partner and at the same time Vicky did, he said "wow!"
Vicky looked up at me and blinked "you're the granddaughter of McG? Whoa!"
"I'm more surprised that you're the daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange," Bill frowned deeply "how'd that happen?"
I smirked "well, Bill, when a mommy and a daddy really love each other…"
"Shush you," Bill said playfully while Vicky laughed heartily "I know how it happened…hey, you're too young to know that! I've a brother your age!"
I raised an eyebrow questioningly "congratulations?" I offered
"You're cheeky, I like it," Vicky was still chuckling "but seriously, though, you might not want people to know about Bellatrix being your mum. Serious persona non grata around here. She's in ranks with You-Know-Who and got herself locked up in Azkaban for it."
Bill sat down in front of me, then, and took the envelope from me and started looking through it with Vicky. This was a lot of information to take in. FUCK! I swore mentally, this meant that I was related to Blake Fraser. It also meant that Minerva McGonagall was my grandmother. Why was this such a secret?
"Wait, you're the heir to the fallen house of Black?" Bill asked shocked looking up from the paperwork in his hands
I shrugged "that's what Master Griphook said. Sent Professor McGonagall through the roof though she didn't say anything. How would I be their heir when my father was a McGonagall? How is it a 'fallen' house? Seriously, what does this mean?"
Vicky snorted contemptuously "first off, looks like the great Professor McGonagall has disinherited you completely kid," she held up a piece of official looking paper "went through the ministry and everything at your last birthday, harsh. Means you're free to inherit from your mother's side because you've no legal ties to your father's, makes your name official a Black."
"But why?" I frowned "I haven't done anything against them. Hell! I'm just a kid!"
Bill sighed heavily "it's unfair is what it is but you have to understand after the wizarding war, there was a lot of strife between families. I'd say your dad had a lot of trouble coming from his family when he married your mum," he explained "Black are traditionally a dark family and sided with You-Know-Who from the start. Old Cygnus was the head of your family and believed so much in You-Know-Who teachings about blood purity that he threw his own daughter out when she married a muggle-born. Disinherited her like you have been."
I frowned at that "which daughter?"
"Oh," Vicky jumped in then "that'd be the second daughter, Andromeda. Billy and me went to school with her daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. She just graduated, a Hufflepuff. If you met her, don't call her Nymphadora, makes her crazy and her hair changes colors…don't ask." Vicky held up her hands before I even had a chance to ask what she meant by changing colors.
I was storing this information away, I was storing this all way as I looked back to Bill "so what do you mean that the house of Black is a 'fallen' house?"
He grimaced a little "well, it means that there's really no Black's left. In fact," he gulped a little and looked like he didn't want to talk about it but pushed on anyways "only you and Sirius Black carry the name Black. He's in Azkaban with Bellatrix and if you were at the age of majority then you'd become Lady Black, head of the house. Fact," he mused "you're probably the only reason he still holds the title as you were born before he was sent away. You were born in late 79' and he was put away in November of 81'."
"Huh," I blinked several times "I'm honestly not bothered by this," that shocked the two curse-breakers "I was raised by Blake Fraser, I've actually heard more messed up things than this," that shocked them more "I mean, this is closer to home but still."
Bill was the first to come out of the daze "I don't think you've given yourself a chance to process this, love. I'm not a part of it and I find it highly disconcerting. Are you sure you're just eleven?"
I shrugged "that's what they tell me."
Before either of them could reply to that there was a knock at the door. It was Griphook, who looked a bit harassed but more so pleased with himself. He was beckoning me, and by extension the curse-breakers, out of his office. There was someone I needed to meet, he said, a solicitor of all things. The goblin was practically giddy and that left a bad feeling in my stomach. Oh, the woes of growing up too quickly and being taught to notice these things.
With the paperwork back in the envelope, the curse-breakers followed me and the goblin towards a nearby conference room. Vicky and Bill both had a comforting hand on either side of my shoulders. It was bad that I'd just met them and felt safer with them than I'd ever had at my so called home, excluding Kaylee of course.
At the conference room, just as the door opened, I saw McGonagall arguing with a sandy haired man of medium height and a very muscular build. The guy had board shoulders and his robes clung to his biceps. I honestly took a look around the room for the solicitor because this guy was not the image that was brought to mind by the word.
The hushed argument ended when Griphook cleared his throat loudly. McGonagall looked fit to strangle something small and fluffy while the solicitor seemed to quickly let go of his anger. His honey brown eyes were deep and held intelligence of staggering portion. He quickly straightened his robes, habit I presume, before coming around the table and held his hand out toward me.
"Hello, Athena, I'm Edward Tonks, I'm your solicitor. When I heard you were here, I came right down. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." I'm sure that last bit was a dig at McGonagall.
I hesitantly shook his hand "you'd be my Uncle Ted?" I asked and he nodded "isn't this a conflict of interest?"
He laughed and shook his head "technically no and yes, because my wife, Andy, was disinherited and no longer has legal ties to the family but you are my niece. I wanted to come and talk to you today instead of one of my colleagues. If you want, I can hand your account over to one of my associates at my firm who is every bit as good as I am."
I nodded as I let his hand go, long handshakes make me uncomfortable "no sense in getting you in trouble," I pointed out "now, why do I need a barrister? Why didn't she tell me she's my grandmother, why the hell am I related to Fraser and what does me being an heir mean?"
McGonagall growled loudly, reminded me of a cat giving a warning "my son wasn't in his right mind marrying that…"
"Hey now!" Uncle Ted pointed a finger in warning, weird that I just accepted him as an uncle.
"Fine," the professor snapped "he shouldn't have married Bellatrix. She tricked him into it! She just wanted him for his title!" liar, I thought, she was lying.
"Right, because the smartest witch of her age, who could have gone onto play professional Quidditch with the Holyhead Harpies, been a potion mistress if given the chance and next in line for the title of Lady Black after Sirius as Regulus was already dead," Uncle Ted argued "wanted a second son from a lesser noble house. The Blacks are Most and Noble, one of the Scared Twenty-Eight! All while the McGonagall Clan only rank as Lairds. Try again, Professor, and please don't lie this time."
"I have my reasons why the lass wasn't told!" McGonagall glared death at the unfazed barrister, man was braver than I and the two curse-breakers because we three flinched at that "she would have been told when she was old enough!"
"When she came of majority and realized that she'd been disinherited?" Ted snapped right back, calmly "that the people raising her had lied her whole life? Has lied, I should say. You don't even have custody of her anymore!" he cried "you literally gave up that right by magical law when you filed for disownment! She should have already been in the UK for a year! I figured you, Professor, of all people would have realized that. Why'd you hide her for a full year?"
Oh, that was news to me and to be honest, the heated argument between the two was starting to scare me because who'd want to argue over me? Plus they were pretty mad, who knew when the spells were gonna start flying. Self-preservation skilled kicked in and I took a couple small steps and hid behind Bill while reaching up to hold Vicky's hand.
"HEY!" Bill screamed cutting to pair off "she's also just a child and you're scaring her!" he snapped disgustedly as I hid my face in his back "she's eleven years old, going for her first year at Hogwarts for Merlin's Sake! What in the name of Merlin is wrong with the pair of you!?"
That seemed to snap Uncle Ted's argument and he honestly looked ashamed of himself "thank you, Mr. Weasley and I do believe my niece is correct, this account will handed off in-house but as of right now, I am enacting Wizengamot's order that custody of Athena Black be handed over to myself and my wife. This was agreed on with the support of several houses, including Lady Bones, head of the DMLE, and Lady Longbottom of all people!" he glared challengingly at McGonagall
"Wait," I peeked out from behind Bill, under his arm "does this mean I don't have to go back to Fraser?"
Uncle Ted smirked "yes, it does."
"There's nothing wrong with Blake!" the Professor snapped, I held my tongue, habit.
Instead I said as politely as possible, Kaylee would be proud "that maybe, Professor, but you don't have to live with him. I'll take my chances with Uncle Ted, thank you, no offense."
"Fine," Professor McGonagall threw up her hands "I'm done, do as you please! I'll have her stuff sent to you."
"In one piece, please." Uncle Ted asked politely
With that she stormed out very graceful and cat like. I looked up at Bill and grinned in thanks for his support. He smiled back and draped his arm across my shoulders, brotherly like. Yep, he was one of my new favorite people. He, Uncle Ted and Vicky chuckled when I asked if I could keep Bill as a big brother. Apparently, Bill had plenty of practice as a big brother because he had six younger siblings…wow!
The moment was ruined by Griphook, however, when the goblin clapped his hands in excitement and cheered slightly. He'd very much enjoyed the human drama, so much so that he waved the fees for my heir signet ring, my new key to the Black vault and to even get into the Black vault as it hadn't in accessed in eleven years. I knew I should be greatly impressed by this because even the curse-breakers were astounded. I've said before, goblins love their gold.
Bill and Vicky got the honor of accompanying Uncle Ted and me to the Tonks' vault, I would have gotten coin from the Black vaults but Uncle Ted just said no, they owed me for back-birthday presents anyways. I was slightly disappointed by this because I really wanted to explore the Black vaults. I've always wanted a sword to be honest, hoped there'd be one I could claim as mine…oh, well some other time.
…love it, hate it…let me know but be kind ….The Wallflower with a Sword, out…