A/N: Alright, here we go! A new story, and I swear I do intend to actually keep this one going. Also, let's get this out of the way, if you recognize it, I don't own it. Draco and Blaise included :(
Long Lost Lestrage Daughter Found!
Phoenix Bellatrix Lestrage, daughter of known deatheaters Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrage, who was last seen in Wizarding Britain in August of 1991 when she left to attend Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. We have received from a reliable source that Miss Lestrange has taken up residence with her Aunt and cousin, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy; respectfully. It is the opinion of this reporter that this girl is a fraud. If she truly is the Lestrange heir, where has she been all this time, and why show herself now, after all these years? We have yet to receive a statement from Miss Lestrange or either of the Malfoys. Lets see how things unfold.
"This is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever heard." Phoenix grumbled as she crumpled the Daily Prophet and hurled it into the fireplace.
"Phoenix, you have to understand. The entire Wizarding World, Draco and I included, thought you died all those years ago. Its understandable that people would want to know how it is you've been alive, and seeing as how nobody who knows the truth has decided to share it, they're trying to fill in the blanks on their own."
"I know Aunt Cissa, I really do. Its just not fair. I faked my death at the age of eleven to get away from my obviously insane parents. And now I come back just to be persecuted."
Narcissa began rubbing soothing circles on her niece's back as Draco piped up, "How did you do that anyway?"
"Do what?" She responded with a raised brow.
"You know, exactly what I mean. How did you fake your death?"
"Oh, well I had the help of the headmistress. When I arrived at school, we all walked through the front door, obviously, but what we didn't know is that the door is charmed to remove all enchantments to prevent boys from sneaking in and whatnot. Anyway it removed the glamor charms that my oh so loving Father had put on me to hide the evidence of my mother's earlier beating." She paused at Narcissa's sharp intake of breath, "Oh come on Aunt Cissa, you had to know."
"I didn't I assure you I would have removed you from such a horrendous environment."
"Like being here would have been any better. I know dear old Uncle Lucy beat Draco to a pulp on more than one occasion."
Another intake of breath followed by Narcissa asking her son, "Is that true?"
"Yes."
"I know that you were punnished by both your father and The Dark Lord, but you mean to say that Lucius harmed you as a child?"
"Yes, and before you start ranting that I should have come to you, I thought about it. I really did. But, the thing is, telling you wouldn't have made it stop. It would have just gotten you taken down with me. So I kept my head low, and my mouth shut."
"Draco, I am so sorry." She turned to Phoenix then, "I'm sorry to you both for not being more astute."
"Its fine Aunt Cissa, we're alive and They're not so we won, they lost." She replied with a smirk that rivaled her cousin's. "Anyway, after I walked through and a teacher saw my black eye and busted lip, she pulled in from the crowd and escorted me to see the headmistress. It was then decided that I would take up the name of some muggleborn that had been accepted to both Beauxbatons and Hogwarts, but decided to go to Hogwarts. And Phoenix Bellatrix Lestrange would have an unfortunate accident in her first potions class."
"So you had to pretend to be a muggle-born for seven years?"
"Yeah, it wasn't easy. Especially since my marks in Muggle Studies were abysmal."
Her cousin couldn't help but laugh at that and the asked, "Who were you pretending to be?"
"Mya, well, Hermione Granger."
The blood drained from Draco's face and Narcissa gasped, her hand going to cover her mouth.
"Yeah, I figured you'd react this way, how the people in France never figured it out, I have no idea, Its not like we didn't hear about the war. In fact, When we got word that the war was over and my parents had been killed in the final battle, I thought about coming here. It wasn't until I was told Uncle Lucy had been given the Dementor's Kiss that I decided to come back."
Narcissa was the first to find her voice, "Well, we're very happy to have you home." She stood and gave each of the teens a kiss on the tops of their heads and stated, "I have errands to run I'll see you this evening for dinner." She strode to the fireplace and tossed a bit a floo powder to douse the flames before stepping in and tossing down another handful and clearly stating, "Headmaster's office, Hogwarts."
('.') ( '.' ) ('.')
"'Mionie!" Ginny screeched when she was her friend shuffle into the kitchen of the Burrow.
"Hey Gin." She said glumly.
"I take it Austrailia didn't go so well?"
She shook her head, "I was able to reverse the spell but they were furious. They couldn't understand that I couldn't sit by and let them be in danger."
"They'll come around." She said, patting Hermione's back.
"No, they won't. The rason why it took me so long to come back is because when I reversed the spell, the asked me to just re do it. To leave them with no memories of me. They said it was too painful to feel so betrayed by their daughter. So, I told them I would be back in a week and if they still felt the same way, I'd re cast the spell. When I went back they were still mad and wouldn't be swayed, so I recast the spell and walked out of their lives."
"Oh 'Mionie, I'm so sorry."
"Its alright Gin, I'll be fine. I just need some time."
"I do have some good news though. Our Hogwarts letters came, and yours feels extra heavy, like head girl badge heavy." She squeeled
Hermione ripped the envelope open, her head girl badge falling into her palm. She unfolded her letter and read,
Miss Granger,
The Ministry of Magic has decreed that any student who has voluntarily, or forcibly ended their education prior to their graduation within the last four years and would like to receive opportunity to graduate has been given the opportunity to do so. All students must graduate before they are twenty-one years of age, please adjust class loads and exam schedules accordingly.
On a more personal note, I would like to congratulate you on receiving the honor of being headgirl, should you accept, please respond via owl with your decision at your earliest convenience
Acting Headmistress
Minerva McGonagall
Hermione quickly scribed a response, accepting the position, and sent if off with one of the Weasley's owls. Things were beginning to look up.
Two weeks later
Hermione stood outside the great hall with all the new students, with McGonagall acting as Headmistress, there wasn't anyone to walk them into the great hall and sort them. Yes, a professor could have done it, but Hermione didn't want to sit at her house table without her two best friends to cheer for the new Griffindors. Sure, she had Ginny there, but Harry and Ron had been offered positions as Aurors and had jumped at the opportunity to hold their dream job without having to go back to school. She knew this year was going to be different, she just had no idea how much so.
The doors opened up and Hermione led the new students in, most of them were clearly first years, but there were a few who may have been second or third, probably ones whose parents wanted them to go to Hogwarts, just not during the whole Voldemort debacle. There was also one girl who looked to be a sixth or seventh year. He lad long black hair, crystal blue eyes and a complexion so pale it could have rivaled Malfoy's.
When they reached the front of the Great Hall, the sorting hat, which was already on its stool began to sing its song. Troubled times bring new beginnings, for every ounce of darkness one of light must there also be. Balance and Harmony, a perfect mixture of all you see. Here in these halls, you all will be the new beginnings of which I sing. Brave and true or cunning and ambitious, it matters not where you belong so long as you learn to get along. Kind and loyal, or brilliant and wise, nol onger can you remain on the side-lines. All must partake, and all must coexist, for in the end, this world we must all share.
Hermione then retrieved the sorting hat and spoke, "When your name is called, please step forward so the sorting hat may be placed upon your head to sort you into your house." She began calling the list, towards the bottom, she read one that nearly made her heart stop, "Phoenix Lestrange"
The older raven haired girl stepped forward and sat on the stool. Hermione, with shaking hands placed the hat on her head.
"I was wondering what had happened to you." The hat spoke inside her mind, "Now lets see, you're bright enough for Ravenclaw, brave enough for Griffindor, though I agree with you. They'll judge you based only on your name. I suppose you'll have to follow in your parents' footsteps. Yes, you're right at least you'll have your cousin."
The hat then yelled aloud, "Slytherin!"
Unsurprised by the hat's decision, though curious as to why it had taken so long, Hermione continued with the sorting until the last name was called. With the sorting complete, the hat and stool blinked out of sight and Hermione took her seat at the Griffindor table.
Headmistress McGonogall stood to address the students, "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Whichcraft and Wizardry, and to those of you returning, welcome back." She gave a welcome speech that was short and to the point, up until the last few things she said it was the same speech they had heard every year. "I would like to congratulate Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy as this year's head girl and boy."
The Hall erupted in whoops and hollers at the announcement. McGonagall cleared her throat to quiet the hall before continuing. "Finally, at the conclusion of the feast, all seventh year students must remain in the hall for additional instructions, this being said, fifth and sixth year prefects are responsible for showing their first years and transfer students to their dormitories. Let the feast begin!"
As always, the food magically appeared, but it just wasn't the same without Ron there hording everything he could reach. The feast carried on as normal, Hermione would smile and nod at the things Ginny said.
"There's a Nargle in your hair."
"Thats nice Gin."
"You haven't been listening to a thing I've said have you?"
"I'm sorry Gin, I'm just not all here."
"Clearly." Ginny turned to continue speaking with Parvati.
"I'm assuming you're wondering why I've chosen to keep you all, so I'll get right to it. You were the ones this war affected most, some of you were even on the front line. You are also the ones with the least time left here. There are many lesson I wish to teach all my students, and you all have very little time to be taught. This being said, I've decided to house all seventh year students together in one dormitory."
Grumbles and complaints were heard all around.
"Enough! The decision has been made, Miss Granger, I'm assuming you remember a certain forbidden room on the third from your first term?"
Phoenix's head shot up out or habit, Hermione nodded.
"Good, thats where your dormitory is. The password is 'Concordia.' Off you go, classes begin tomorrow and I will not tolerate tardiness."
The trek through the castle was fairly quick, of course it could be because Hermione was returning to the place of her first grand, rule-breaking adventure with Harry and Ron, and they weren't even here to appreciate the irony.
When they reached the portrait of a man pushing is daughter on a swing that hung from a lower limb of an oak tree, Hermione gave the password and the portrait opened. The walked inside and all were shocked. This common room was nothing like any of the four houses. The room was a massive circle, with doors evenly spaced about twenty feet apart. The room was decorated in colors of all four houses, red, silver, bronze, and black. Somehow it worked. Bronze floors and fixtures, silver walls, black furniture and red accents. Along with the fire place, couches and desks and that were in every common room, there was a spiral staircase off to one side of the room. Draco and Phoenix had the same idea, they walked towards the stairs while the other students walked around, taking note of the names on the doors. It seemed every room would house two people of the same gender, but from different houses.
On the second level they found themselves in an alcove off a hallway, walking around they found that the exterior wall was the same as the first floor, lined with doors spaced about twenty feet apart, all with a pair of names on them. The doors of the interior wall were much farther apart, in fact they had only seen one thus far. They paused and noticed there was no name. Draco looked at Phoenix, she nodded, and he opened the door. Inside was what appeared to be a small library. It had a few bookshelves, several more desks, and a few very comfortable looking armchairs they also notices three other doors, presumably leading out to the hallway. Figures there wouldn't be anything interesting, although this should make Granger very happy. They turned and walked out of the room. Halfway down the hall they found their rooms.
Draco found his first. He looked at the door and scowled when he read the names, Draco Malfoy and Dean Thomas. This should be fun.
When Phoenix found her door, she was also in for a shock, Hermione Granger and Phoenix Lestrange.
A/N: What did you guys think? Reviews make me happy.