Time Travel To The Snakes Den

by OokamiJudge

England is quickly falling to Voldemort. As things aren't working Hermione and Luna come up with a final plan: Time Travel. They leave out a few details on Harry though and after being misplaced in time he is forced to cope with those pesky details.

Title: Time Travel To The Snakes Den

Author: dragongirl997

Beta: Ratherbesailing

Cheerleader: Misbehavingmom

Genre: AU/AR

Rating: T

Warnings: Slash, Fem!Slash, Het

Pairings: Lucius/Fem!Harry, Lucius/Narcissa, Lucius/Fem!Harry/Narcissa, Fem!Harry/Narcissa

Characters: Lucius, Fem!Harry, Narcissa, Lilly, James, Sirius, Bellatrix, Severus, Dumbledore, Hermione, Luna, Draco, Voldemort, Abraxas, Petunia, Bellatrix, Narcissa,

Word Count: 13k~

Summary: England is quickly falling to Voldemort's rule. Realizing things just aren't working Hermione and Luna come up with a final plan of attack: Time Travel. However they leave out a few details when convincing Harry of the plan and after being misplaced in time he is forced to cope with those pesky things like details.

A/N: I want to thank both my Beta and Cheerleader for their help with all this. Kristie my very helpful cheerleader was there to listing to my rambling while I tried to work though the plot and SoftObsidian had to deal with my oh so wonderful spelling/grammar which isn't much fun. Also this should be Cannon~ish up till the point where Ron runs off from Harry and Hermione in their tent during the Horcrux hunt as that is where it veers off timeline. And just as an FYI Ethelinda is an old English name meaning 'Nobel Snake' that a friend not on LJ helped me pick out.

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Harry sighed looking at the two women across from him. He wasn't sure how it had come to this, but he trusted Hermione to know what she was talking about and even if Luna would always be well, a bit 'off', she was still a lot of help and he trusted her with his life. He could see it in their eyes though, they were as hopeless as he was and had been for months. It was why Hermione had even thought to use this plan. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he focused on them once more, forcing his thoughts to stay away from more depressing things. "So let me get this straight." He started, eyeing the two females "You want to use a spell to send me back in time to back before Voldie was Voldie and have me take him out then?"

Hermione shook her head "No." She held up her hands to forestall Harry when he opened his mouth to retort. "Yes, we want to use this spell to send you back in time. However it isn't to stop Voldie, at least not directly. Think about it Harry: He made his first Horcrux when he was in school. We would have to send you all the way back to raise him or some other equally as convoluted plan. We are going to send you back to when he started to get his initial momentum. We want you to try and take him down from the inside."

Harry offered Hermione a look that clearly said he thought she was insane, but Luna took that chance to speak up. "Think about it Harry. With all the information we have on him do you really think you couldn't do it? We'll send you back to about 1970. Most of his current Death Eaters wouldn't be marked or even with him. If you can get the purebloods away from him, he will not have any funds and lose his most obvious followers."

Harry spent several long moments trying to think this though before realizing that they were probably right. It would be ten years before Voldie first fell, and probably at least three before many of the purebloods would have joined him. Still, how was he supposed to convince them? Sure he knew lots of about Voldie, they all did, but what good was it supposed to do him? "I'm older than all of them and I'm Harry Potter, would they really listen to me?"

Hermione offered him a smile, one of the few real once since they lost Ron and Voldie had gained his new name. Harry had been so angry at the loss that for some time he hadn't been able to manage the snake's full name without wanting to run off and kill him. In the end the shortened name had stuck and was used by all three of them. "Luna actually thought about that." She grinned at the younger girl. "We've been working on this for months and we think we have a way to get you close to them. We've managed to modify the spell some so it will make you younger."

Luna giggled at the look on Harry's face "Don't worry Harry it will just be a few years," she promised him "The Nargles say it will work." She added as if that was supposed to make him feel better about the whole thing.

Well it might not have made Harry feel better, but he did manage a small smile for the pair. He knew that they were trying hard and he was grateful for both of them. He had been upset at his failing of Ron, but then they had found Luna after the attack on her father and it had just seemed so natural to bring her along. He couldn't count how many times since then that he had been glad to have her around. Sure he missed Ron, but it was good to have Luna. As loony as she may have seemed, she really seemed to be able to always say just the right thing when he was at his lowest.

Harry could tell from the look in both their eyes that they were confident in their plan. He knew that they would get him to agree no matter how he personally felt, but he was already sorry for it because he would miss them when he left. Sure he would see them again one day, maybe he could even make Luna's life a bit better next time, but it would never be the same. Merlin's beard he would even get to see himself grow up with his parents if this went right. Oh bloody hell, his parents.

He swallowed hard. Th. Tey would be alive and well in the past, in fact, they would never have to suffer the same fate if he did what he was supposed to. How was he supposed to do this? How was he supposed to go back there and ignore his parents? Fuck, how was he even supposed to get close to the purebloods? "I don't know if I can do it." He managed after several long moments.

Hermione had expected this once he managed to think it all the way through and pulled Harry into a hug. She offered Luna a grateful smile when she did the same. "Harry I didn't say this would be easy, but we both know you can do this. If you focus on your mission you shouldn't have too many problems. I know what we're asking Harry. They'll be there, but you won't be. You can't be . You'll have to be someone else, someone who the purebloods will listen to." She explained. She knew what they were asking him and if she thought they had another option she would take it over this, but she couldn't come up with anything. They still hadn't destroyed all the Horcruxs, they weren't even sure how many there were in truth. But with less support and access to them before they were all hidden so well was the best shot they had. It had to be Harry to go as well because he really was the strongest one of them.

Harry held onto Hermione tighter, glad for her and Luna's support "Who else could I be Hermione? I can't be a Potter; they would notice that. Who else could I be? Feck the only person I've ever seen who looks close is Snape." He insisted.

"We'll figure it out Harry, don't worry. We have some more work to do on the spell first, mainly getting someplace where we can stop long enough to get everything set up. We will tell you more of the plan when we get there." Hermione promised.

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Harry would have stood looking over the runes that were plastered on every surface for who knew how long if not for being run over by Hermione who was quickly followed by Luna. "No wonder it took so bloody long." He stated. The awe was more then a little apparent in his tone as he was prodded into place by the girls. "Maybe I should have taken Accent Runes." He added more to himself than them. His thoughts focused on trying to figure out what they all were, at the very least, knowing he couldn't nearly understand what it was all for.

Harry knew he shouldn't be gaping like this, Luna and Hermione had been stuffing him full of books on pureblood customs and having him study his memories of the older generation that they knew for weeks now, but feck he couldn't help it. This was all just incredible. Maybe he would have to see about convincing Dumbledore into letting him take the class. First, though they had to get this to work and he still had to make sure he had everything straight because he literally only would have one chance at this.

"So, are you sure this will work?" he questioned, glancing between them both nodding easily. "Then it is back in time to when the others are in school and get them to get away from him?" Again nods were the reply "And we're sure Lucius is the best one to start with?" Harry still really wasn't sure he could deal with being that close to that man for any amount of time.

"It is either him or Bellatrix." Luna reminded airily, knowing that it had been Harry himself who said no to the Black being his main 'target' because he couldn't get over the fact that she had killed Sirius. The glare Harry offered her was countered with one of her smiles that made her look more airy than 'normal'. They both knew she had 'won' this.

"Fine, so I go back, get Lucius away from him, and convince Lucius to get the others away. That will mean less money for Voldie, which you think will take him down." It wasn't a question. Harry had heard the explanation, but that didn't mean he had to be entirely convinced about the whole thing. Sure he would go along with it because they were convinced it would work and because he had no better ideas. At the looks he got from both girls, he sighed. "Fine lets just get on with this."

He settled into a crossed-legged position on the floor, trying to be calm and relaxed. But he couldn't help the way he clenched his fists when they started the spell. It was more then a bit disconcerting. This was a modified spell, untested and untried and while he trusted Hermione and Luna, that didn't mean he couldn't be twitchy about things like being the test subject for this spell. Still, they had been planning this for some months now, had even made his cover story, he wouldn't let them down and could only hope to meet them again.

Luna giggled as she finished her part of the spell, watching as Harry started to change. He looked younger then his twenty-one years and his features softened. "He makes a good girl." She informed Hermione, though she did pout as Harry's green eyes darkened, becoming nearly black. Sadly, they had agreed that he just couldn't keep the green eyes. They were too much like Lily's and it would get him too many questions. It had been his idea for them to be black rather then say a blue or even hazel; she supposed he would always be Harry no matter what he looked like.

Harry's now obsidian eyes snapped in the blonde's direction, barely catching the words. The look on his face clearly saying 'I did not just hear that' as his gaze shifted from Luna to Hermione. The looks on their faces and a glance at himself proved that he had just heard that. But no sooner than he opened his mouth to protest, or yell, the world fell away around him and he found himself landing on cold wet ground.

Groaning, he pulled himself up, hoping that those last few seconds hadn't happened, that he had only imagined them. Sadly, he soon found out that it hadn't been something he dreamed up when he automatically crossed his arms over his chest and found two things that should not be there. What in Merlin's name had those girls been thinking? He was not a girl. Feck, he wouldn't know the first thing about being a girl if he tried and he did not want to try or even think about trying. The problem though, knowing Hermione and Luna, and there was very little to no chance of ever reversing this. Harry would have been glad to stand there fuming, fussing, pouting, and whatever other childish things he could come up with if not for the sudden voice behind him.

"Are you lost, my child?"

Harry swallowed hard at that voice, the voice he hadn't heard in going on four years now, after it's owner had been killed back in 1997 when he was in his sixth year. This was great! This was just bloody fucking great! He sighed well nothing to do he supposed, but to keep up with the plan. He turned towards the voice, offering the man a bit of a hesitant yet fearful smile, trying to play his part.

"I'm sorry, sir. I am afraid I'm a bit lost. I was running from the men attacking my mum and papa when I was just suddenly here." He informed Dumbledore, shifting a bit intentionally to look like he wasn't telling the older man everything he knew.

"You were attacked?"

The questioning tone was exactly what Harry needed and he nodded enthusiastically, quickly modifying the story they had come up with when he realized they had somehow gotten the time of his arrival a bit wrong. He was supposed to have arrived in summer, but this wouldn't be too much of a change to be here during winter instead, just a bit of a change in the story.

"Yes, they were not very nice men. We came here to visit cause Mum and Papa said we might move here in the summer since Papa's family was from here a long time ago and they thought it would be good. I don't know who they were, but Mum told me to run, so I did. I ran and ran and then it felt like when Papa or Mum side-along with me and then I was here." He sniffed a few times now pretending to hold back tears for his supposedly hurting and missing parents. "You have to help me find Mummy and Papa, you have to!" he demanded hoping his acting skills were as horrid as they seemed.

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Harry let Dumbledore take him back to Hogwarts, not having to fake the shiver that racked his now smaller form due to his clothing being soaked form melting snow. Ok, so they had obviously gotten the time a little wrong, but so far everything else looked good. The school was blissfully empty when they arrived and he easily followed Dumbledore to his office, staring at the old man's back so as to not have to fake looking curious about the castle. Harry had become disenchanted with the castle years ago, but his new form hadn't been here before so he had to do what he could to keep this plan from falling to pieces; he wouldn't let his friends down.

He settled into the offered chair, wrapping himself tightly in a conjured blanket to help bring warmth back into him now that Dumbledore had gotten around to casting a drying charm on him. If he wasn't so busy trying to figure out exactly which way in the timeline he had gone, he might have been more insulted, but right now he was still a bit busy with that and trying to get used to be heavy, and light, in places he shouldn't be. This was a disaster, what had been going though their minds when they thought of this? He wasn't a bloody girl!

"Well, now that we are warm why don't we see what I can do to help you my child. Why don't we start with your name?"

Harry's thoughts ground to a halt. Oh bloody hell! My entire story was based on me being a guy. Well the name I had certainly won't work now. Oh bloody fucking hell! He couldn't help ranting in his mind for what felt like forever, but was only a few seconds, before forcing himself back to his task. He needed a new name now. Fuck, what could he use? He resisted the urge to snort, well he supposed that was one of the reasons Hermione had made his learn that entire fucking family tree. Fine. Fine! What was 'his' great great grandmother on his mom's side's name again? Ah ha!

"Ethelinda Prince." He informed Dumbledore, doing his best to sound confident as he straightened his back in the proper 'pureblood pose' as he had dubbed it. He met the old man's gaze head on, glad that he had learned Occlumency finally. It had taken most of their time on the run these past few years, which the final push coming from the death of Ron when Voldie found him. His mind had been a mess before everything happened, so it wasn't too hard to just 'project' a mess for Dumbledore to see that made him think that Harry or rather Ethelinda as he would be known from now on had been attacked by men in black cloaks, that his parents where two black haired 'faceless' figures, and various other little small bits that they had agreed on before hand. As much as he missed the elder man he sadly was easy to play if you knew which buttons to hit, which would only make his task easier. The smile that took over the Headmaster's face, that seemed to try and be sympathetic and the twinkle in the old man's eye told Harry all he needed: their plan was working.

"Well, my dear, the students will be arriving back shortly from Winter Break. Why don't we continue our talk after that? For now, why don't we go to the Great Hall? I'm sure you could use some food and company after your experience."

Harry nodded, pulling himself to his feet and leaving the blanket in the chair. He followed Dumbledore out the door and down the rather familiar path to the Great Hall glad to find it still empty for the most part. Most, if not all, of the teachers at the Head Table, where he was being taken. He kept a straight face as he settled in the place Dumbledore directed him to sit. He was even more glad when he managed to do it while still looking rather 'pureblood~ish' but he didn't get much time to think before noise outside the doors started to kick up. Apparently the students were back.

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Many, or rather most, of the students returning from their winter break didn't notice the new addition to the Head Table, but there were a few who couldn't help but to do so. Needless to say, though, when Dumbledore said nothing about the new addition in his 'pre-feast speech', it set more then a few tongues wagging, especially at the Slytherin table when they caught the way the figure held herself. Everything about her just screamed Pure Blood, but none of them had seen her before today, and she seemed to be giving them glances herself as if she was trying to decide who they were. Not a lot of glances, by any means, she was doing a good job at pretending not to look at them, but they were there enough for the ever-watchful snakes to see.

Harry couldn't help the glances he was sending the Slytherin table, something was wrong here, very very wrong. He could pick out the ones he was looking for, but they didn't look at all like he thought they should. He knew Lucius should be fifteen or close, but he still looked like some little kid. The really big problem, though, was the presence of Bellatrix —she shouldn't have been here. She should have graduated a couple of years ago, they had found that out through studying the family tree. This wasn't good at all. Harry needed to figure out where, or rather, when he was and quickly.

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When the feast died down and once more Dumbledore made no mention of the extra body at the Head Table, it set Lucius and the snakes to talking even further. As soon as the door to their common room closed behind the last of them, they began to speculate about the new girl. They all wanted to know who she was, especially because of the way she held herself, looked, and with the glances she had sent their way through the meal. Snakes tended to know when they were being watched, or rather many snakes did, and there were several in this group that were among that type.

In particular, one blond male was rather displeased with the thought that there might be a pureblood out there he didn't know, after all, he knew everyone. Sadly, when their Head of House came in and said nothing on the extra female presence tonight, Lucius realized that there would be no answers coming tonight. He was forced to put the matter aside for now, but decided that if they didn't hear anything at breakfast, he would be writing to his father to see what the man knew.

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Harry meanwhile was not enjoying his time with Dumbledore. He still wasn't sure when he was, but he knew it had to be years before when he was supposed to arrive, due to Bellatrix's being here. That did not make for a very happy Harry in the least, but he was doing his best not to show it. Luna and Hermione had made this plan and were confident in his ability to complete it, so he wouldn't let them down even if he wasn't sure if he would ever see them again.

He could feel his eyes prickle at that thought. He had been thinking so much about what he was going to have to deal with here that he hadn't entirely thought about what he was leaving behind. Sure, he had briefly thought about trying to make Luna's life better by saving her mother, but he hadn't truly considered what it would be like to be back here without the two of them at his side to support him, especially Hermione. She had been by his side for so many years now, through everything that had happened, especially when Ron had been killed. Suddenly, Harry felt like the world was closing in on him. Hermione was the closest thing to family he had ever had. He had been close to Luna and Ron. With the troubles in their school years for him and Ron, like the time when he abandoned him during the triwizard tournament, and Luna's not having been around as long he hadn't been quite as close to them. While he might have convinced Dumbledore that he had lost his parents, it was only now that Harry realized he really had lost everything.

He could feel the weight of that realization on his shoulders, but he forced it away, not about to show that to Dumbledore. The old man had what he needed. A brief break in Harry's mask in which he appeared to be saddened, that was more then plenty considering he was supposed to be a well trained pureblood. He had practiced this since the moment he had agreed to the plan, so he had gotten rather good at playing this part, but he knew he still wasn't perfect. His only hope was that it was enough for Dumbledore and the Slytherins.

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After a night spent with Dumbledore playing twenty questions, Harry had been glad for being given a guest room and allowed to have some rest. He wasn't entirely sure that he had convinced Dumbledore of everything, but it was enough that Dumbledore had decided he could follow some of the students around for a few days while the headmaster tried to find his parents. Harry knew that his parents wouldn't be found, he just hoped this didn't take long so he could get down to his real task.

In the meantime though, while Dumbledore looked for his dead parents Harry was lead down to the dining hall and to his seat at the Head table from the night before. Harry would rather be down there with the students, but knew that this would get him attention, so he wouldn't complain. By the time the Headmaster realized that his made up parents weren't going to be found, he should have the interest of the ones he wanted and that was what mattered.

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When Lucius came to breakfast the next day and once more the unknown figure was back at the head table, looking for all the world like she belonged there it was drawing more then a bit of attention from the students. In particular, the Slytherins were paying the most attention to the new form, simply because she did act and look as she did. They had decided rather unanimously that no one knew her, but that everything about her just seemed to scream pureblood to those who knew to look. That meant the Slytherins were watching her to decide if she was friend or foe.

The following week found them seeing her, who ever she was, on and off in classes as she followed the Gryffindors around. It nearly made them lose interest in her, deciding she must be a blood traitor, if not for Lucius catching her less then pleasant remarks to the Gryffindors after one of their classes. The smirk on Lucius's face was enough to convince quite a few to give her a chance, but it wouldn't be until the first weekend after their return from winter break that they would get the chance to properly interact.

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Dumbledore had apparently spent the last week trying to find his family, only to come up short much to Harry's relief. He had known that the story of his parents wasn't real, but it was good to know the headmaster had apparently given up searching for them. Though he had been surprised to learn that Dumbledore had contacted a 'distant relative' and she was willing to let him stay with her. That was apparently for later though, because, for now, Harry was to be allowed to attend classes, but first he had to be sorted.

The conversation he had with the Sorting Hat had been more then a bit amusing and Harry came away from it smirking. He had gotten what he was after, of course; the hat had been happy to put him in Slytherin, apparently glad to be allowed to 'sort him right this time'. However, it had also been impressed by the cunning of the plan and told him it was looking forward to meeting Hermione and Luna again. That had caused Harry a pang of loss once more, but it was amusing to know, all the same, that the hat would be on the look out for them. In the end, he was all to glad to end his latest talk with Dumbledore before supper and be allowed to spend it with the Slytherins. He had work to do, and the Headmaster had been causing him delays he couldn't afford. Though he could thank the man for one thing —the Sorting Hat had been able to tell Harry what year it was, and it was only his pale skin that made his reaction unseen.

He had done his very best not to speak, throughout the entire meal, offering a simple "Good Evening" when he joined the green and silvers for supper. It was hard for him not to talk, especially with the looks he was receiving, but he knew he had to do it. He was in the snake pit now and he needed to remember that meaning: give out no information that wasn't needed, and then stretch it as far as you can. Of course the fact that he was supposed to be a pureblood offered greater assurance that he would talk even less. He couldn't reveal anything, not here. Once they got to the common room he could give away a few things, but there it would be all a matter of playing the game. He had gotten rather good at the game from his interactions with Snape back in his time and he would use it well now.

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By the end of the night Lucius, like most of the others, still wasn't sure what to think of the new housemate. Apparently she was in his year, her name was Ethelinda Prince, and she had been out of the country until winter break. Like a true snake she hadn't told them more than was needed to one untrusted. There was just something about her that screamed 'liar', but the problem was he wasn't sure what part of her and her story conveyed that. Lucius believed the part about the loss of Ethelinda's family, but that was about all he really believed.

He spent the next weeks between classes and homework trying to figure her out. He wasn't sure what about her caught his attention so, but he just didn't like that he didn't know more about her or where she was from. A letter to his father about the sudden appearance returned nothing to aid him, and Lucius didn't like it one bit. He didn't like a sudden mystery appearing before him like this and not being able to solve it.

By the time he realized he had reached the level known as obsession, the school year was nearing its close. He wasn't sure how he had become so fixated on a single person, but it was disconcerting once he realized it. He knew his fellow Slytherins had been as curious about the new girl, how could they not be? But none of them had become as engrossed in trying to figure Ethelinda out as he had. It wouldn't matter though, he would have the summer to pull himself back into a proper frame of mind. It wasn't proper to be so obvious about his curiosity after all.

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The school year came to a close and Ethelinda found that despite a rough start, she had rather enjoyed her second third year. Without dementors, escaped murderous godfathers, and werewolves, it really wasn't so bad. In fact, she almost find herself able to smile. She resisted the urge more often then not, but she found that the snakes and his classes did wonders for soothing the losses she felt at the people now missing from her life. There were a few things that didn't work well with her plan, namely Bellatrix still being in school, but she tried her best to use it to her advantage.

Ethelinda knew that no matter what she wanted she would have to out Slytherin the Slytherins if she wanted to pull them away from Voldemort, which as it turned out, was a rather hard thing to do. She had managed to get a few small things started this year, but she didn't think it was enough. Bellatrix really wasn't her target, but after meeting her before she became so devoted to the mad man, Ethelinda couldn't help wondering if Bellatrix's life could have been different too, if she was pulled away.

Yes, she was still a pureblood bigot, but Ethelinda could see the bond between Bellatrix and Narcissa. She could see the moments when she was someone's sister, rather then just an insane follower of a Dark Lord. Ethelindae hadn't thought it possible, but she actually felt some pity for Bellatrix, or rather for the person she'd become. With all her power, she could have been something great if she hadn't fallen so far into the service of a mad man. It wasn't too late though. It was too late to stop Bellatrix from getting the Mark, Ethelinda had already figured that out, but maybe it wasn't too late to stop her from becoming the crazed woman she'd met a few years ago in her timeline. Ethelinda would stop Voldemort, and maybe in the process she could save more people than he originally thought.

It was the day before the train would be leaving when her mood was thoroughly spoiled as she was forced to shove her planning to the back burner. She hadn't thought a thing about where she was to stay over the summer. But it as it turned out, Dumbledore had, and Ethelinda didn't like it. Apparently the Headmaster had figured out who she was supposed to be related to, and had gotten a hold of her 'relative'. He had also gotten the relative to agree to her staying there during the summers until she was of age, meaning she was to be Ethelinda's guardian. His mood might not have been so bad if he hadn't quickly realized what that meant: he would be living with Severus Snape and he did not like that thought.

The trip on the train the next day was spent contemplating how she thought that was going to work out. Ethelinda would only have a couple of breaks to smile and get a few of the males in his house to agree to write him over the summer. Ethelinda still found it disconcerting to be a female, but with each passing day he was learning more and more about what it meant and how to use it to his advantage. In truth, she had a feeling it was what had allowed her to work his way into the Slytherin web so quickly. For it certainly was a web and a tangled one at that.

Stepping off the train, her gaze automatically sought for her uncle, but she was pulled up short when she spotted a very young looking Snape. Ethelinda managed to keep the surprise from her face, but she made her way towards the now younger male and the woman with him, keeping herself in her 'perfect' Pureblood and Slytherin act as well as she could manage. It was a bit harder than he had thought it would be, especially with all the negative feelings associated, but he forced those away, remembering the Bellatrix she had met over these past months. How she was different from the Belletrix in Ethelinda's original timeline. This was not the Severus Snape she had known, and if Ethelinda could help it, he never would be.

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The summer was spent as every one before it. He continued his training with his father and kept in touch with his fellows, but Lucius found himself with a new addition. He wasn't sure how he had been convinced to return the owl from the mysterious Prince he was trying to forget about, but her letter had come and he found himself replying. Maybe it was the lack of information after all even for a Slytherin she was quite about herself and had more then a bit of luck at turning conversation away from her. Even after half a year he really didn't know much more about her then he had when he had first spotted her after winter's break.

He had spent part of his summer trying to find out more about her and about the two she had met up with at the train station, but she still hadn't found much. She had managed to hide herself so well that Lucius could find nothing about herself or her family and it was frustrating to say the least. He didn't like not knowing and he had every intention of changing it. Also while he would never say as much he was glad for the offers from Bellatrix and Narcissa to help in his endeavor, even if Bellatrix was helping because she had been commanded to find out more about her. In truth it only made him want to know more after all if the Dark Lord wanted to know about this mystery female then she must really be worth knowing about.

So when the day came to head back for their fourth year Lucius found himself hunting the train for their mysterious Slytherin finding her in a room with what appeared to be a couple of first years. Opening the door he didn't bother to ask he just settled into the compartment next to his fellow fourth year with a "Good Day Ethelinda."

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The summer had been far harder then she had thought it would be. Ethelinda had known that this wasn't the same Severus as she knew and was prepared for that, but what she hadn't been prepared for was Lilly and Petunia. She wasn't sure how she had managed to forget that Severus had been friends with his mum before she went to school, but with everything that had happened she had and it had nearly caused her to break her cover. She had been unable to help being cold and distant to all three for the first couple of weeks, but after managing to deal with her feeling Ethelinda had done her best to get to know all three for who they were.

He had in the end managed to mostly work though his issues and become friendly with all three: Severus, Petunia, and Lilly though Petunia was the least friendly. One harsh truth he had found out though was that Snape had had plenty of reason to be like he was. He had soon realized why his former professor and his mum had been so close, it was so Severus had a reason to not be home. Sure Ethelinda couldn't use magic outside of school technically, but he was better at controlling his 'accidental' magic. The first time Tobias Snape had tried to hit him had been the last and he had very quickly realized it wasn't a good idea to go after Severus or Eileen either. It had drawn him closer to both and had sparked a tentative friendship after some time.

He was pulled out his thoughts by the feeling of being watched though and turned his attention to Lucius offering the blond a raised eyebrow in return. Sure he knew what Lucius wanted, but why should he give in so easily? After all the trouble he had been put though by Lucius in his time he felt he had the right even if he really was trying to make nice with him and the others Lucius was making it rather difficult. Apparently even at only fourteen he was already a snob and it was making it hard for Ethelinda to get closer to him because it made it harder to separate this Lucius from the one in his time.

What ever may have been coming was interrupted before it could by the door opening once more causing all four to turn their attention to the male at the door where Narcissa stood. With her joining the small group things soon turned to 'normal' conversation about summer and what happened for which Ethelinda was glad, he really wasn't sure what Lucius had been about to ask and he was sure he would be able to answer what ever it was.

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He had already been though all this once and so had spent his summer reading up on the things he hadn't learned well the first time and trying to learn wandless magic. Ethelinda hadn't found any books on it when he went with Elieen to get the year's school things, but Ethelinda had been convinced it was possible after all what else was accidental magic, but uncontrolled wandless magic? It had taken most of the summer to get even a couple spells down, but he was now going to find a way to put them to good use or at the very least not waste it.

In short by the time Winter break came around he had made plenty of twists and turns on the strands of the 'Slytherin Web' as he liked to call it. Apparently being able to get away with taking a pair of Gryffindors down a notch or two so often gained her plenty of points with him house mates, which was perfect for his plans. He decided the day before break that it was time to make his first official move. Making sure to be practicing his wand work when Narcissa was pass by the room he shared with the other fourth year girls he conjured a snake far closer then one should hoping that the spell would be enough to get Narcissa's attention. Sure enough from the corner of his eye he caught her stopped staring at him and set to work.

With just the right twitch he got the snake to lunge at him and he jumped out of range glaring at it before opening his mouth and hissing. The widening of Narcissa's eyes was exactly what he had been hoping for, good she knew what he was doing. He could see her standing there just inside his vision until he had talked the snake calm and allowed it to climb up him before she bolted and was gone; it would be all over the house before school picked back up after winter break.

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Lucius wasn't sure weather to believe the rumors flying around about Ethelinda or not, but he was sure that they were going to be having a talk with her when break was over and she came back. It was just a couple more days now then they would be getting the truth of it from the other Slytherin and Lucius couldn't wait. He had wanted answers for months and he would finally be getting some.

Those next couple of days passed more slowly then any before them he was quite sure of it, but finally the day came and he was sitting beside her once more on the train. It took more effort then he had thought it would to hold his tongue, but he knew this wasn't a talk for the train no matter how he may want his answers. He contented himself for the moment knowing that the whole house was now as interested in those answers as he was.

That night he was settled in one of the individual chairs around the room when she walked in drawing the attention of the whole house. The room was quite staring at her and he gave her credit for not even twitching at the attention, but it ended up adding just one more thing to his mental list of things to figure out. They were Slytherins they lived in the shadows preferring them over the openness of any or control. Sure some of them may look flashy, but Lucius knew that even he could fade into the background if he needed to. He also knew that while he liked attention the sharp attention of the whole house on him was not something he could have taken as calm as she was.

The look on her face was a calm one, the same she held most days outside of this room. Her pose screamed confidence from every inch of her with no hint of pressure or folding under it she truly was something. He couldn't help wondering what it would take to truly break her and that look she held, it was one of those things he just thought about. He was pulled from his thoughts of Ethelinda though when someone finally spoke asking the question they all wanted the answer to: "Are you a Parselmouth?"

She didn't twitch, flinch, shift, or show any signs of being even slightly bothered or surprised by the question. Instead it was a rather calm "Yes" that came from her in reply. Some of the looks around the room shifted to everything from awe to disbelief. It took several long moments before finally one of them demanded she prove it. Her only reply was to have the sixth year conjure a snake before easily speaking to it and coaxing it up her arm to her neck. He nearly chuckled when a disbeliever got to close to her and only just avoided getting bit by Ethelinda's living necklace. Yes Lucius didn't know nearly enough about her of that he was even more sure now then ever.

It would be a couple more months before the newest rumors would reach his ears. Rumors that said that the Dark Lord while a descendent of Salazar Slytherin was not in fact a pureblood, but was instead a half breed and a bastard at that. No one was able to tell Lucius how or where they had started, but there were several copies of a lineage being passed around that seemed to prove the statements true. Well between the lineage and the accompanying notes that went with them of course. He didn't know who had done this or how, but he made a point to send a copy of the entire things to his father.

The letter he got back from his father told him to keep an eye and ear out for anything specious and this was one case where he wasn't sure if the elder man believed the rumors or not. All the same he did as ordered, but especially kept an eye on Ethelinda after all this had started after she appeared so how could one not think she had something to do with it?

It was near the end up the year, only two weeks left, when he finally had something worth reporting. He caught her sneaking into a room that wasn't really there after supper one night. While he waited outside where the room should be the entire night she never reemerged and in the end he was forced to give it up for useless if he wanted any sleep.

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Ethelinda had done her best though the year and summer to not just work on her wandless magic, ancient runes, and potions but to see if she couldn't find a horcrux or two and destroy them. She had known where a couple where, or where they should be and it had been pure luck when she found the diadem here in Hogwarts. She was gathering them in the Chamber of Secrets for now and would see about destroying them when she could. First though she was more concerned with finding them all.

Her first discovery in her search had been herself. With all her knowledge from before she had managed to find what she needed to work a 'locator' sort of spell for the pieces of Voldemort and had been more then a bit alarmed to find one in her. It had taken quite a bit of work to manage to find a spell to 'transfer' the bit of soul in her into something else, but with her new knowledge of ancient runes she had managed it after several months of studying various configurations for such a thing. She currently had: The Diary, the Diadem, the bit from herself, and the ring that had been rotting Dumbledore's hand. She wasn't sure how many more bits of Voldemort there were lying around but she would find out.

Her collection of current pieces was being guarded by a very big very deadly snake though so she wasn't to concerned if it took her a bit longer still she would rather get this all settled as soon as possible. Sadly she soon found that she wasn't going to be able to keep up her plan well as planned.

The summer came and ended up brining with it some mail she had no interest in. She should have been more vigilant. She shouldn't have been so trusting of her mail no matter who it came from. Sadly she had fallen victim to a rather common mistake and had been captured. Still as she pulled herself to her feet after her rather ungraceful landing she couldn't help staring at the man sitting on the 'throne' in front of her. This was not the Voldemort she knew, the creature that looked as much like a snake as it did a man, no this was the true flesh and blood Dark Lord Voldemort and oddly she found that less challenging then the twisted human creature she had grown used to in his time.

She kept her gaze stead on the red eyes of the man before her ignoring the cloaked figures around her as best as she could even though she could tell that some had to be class mates just from their size. So Voldemort was going to try and use her as an example was he? Ethelinda resisted the urge to smirk, well to bad she was rather good at resisting the supposed 'Dark Lord's' favorite spells.

After several long moments which she guessed were to make her uncomfortable the man finally spoke asking who Ethelinda's family was. She calmly answered that she was Ethelinda Prince of the branch of Prince that had left England many years ago. Apparently it wasn't the answer the man had been after, but she gritted her teeth as her jaw clinched tightly against the pain shooting though her. She refused to cry out, she had endured worse though her connection to this man in her own time.

Ethelinda wasn't sure how long she was kept there by the time it was over, but she did know she had more then pissed Voldemort off. In fact the look on the elder half breed's face when she had not only shaken off the Imperious like it was water, but proceed to calmly tell him that "Voldemort that hasn't worked on me for years." Was beyond priceless. She wasn't sure how she had gotten back home, by the time that happened the pain was well beyond the tolerable level and it was only a wandless silencing spell on herself that made her not cry out, or rather not be heard crying out.

She knew she hadn't seen the last of Voldemort, not by a long shot, but it only made her more determined. When she was returned to Snape's house, she spent the next weeks doing all she could to encourage Severus and Lily. After a demonstration of her 'controlled accidental magic', wandless magic, she even managed to get both to try working on wandless magic more. Those first days when she was still tired easily from too much moving or magic use, she spent more with Petunia, helping her to not be so bitter.

She took the time to explain about the Dark Lord and about what Lily would face at school from those who didn't like Muggle-borns. She encouraged the wiry horse-like girl to be there for her sister as only family could, and support Lily through the times to come. She could see the resentment in Petunia's gaze, but it wasn't as sharp or strong, for which he wad glad. She was doing everything he could to change things, but it would be nice if she could fix this along with everything else.

Other than her stay with old snake face, the summer had gone as well as it could for Ethelinda, in fact, she and Severus had managed to be at Lily and Petunia's house when Lily's letter came, via teacher. He had seen the emotion flair up in Petunia's gaze during the meeting, and made sure once the meeting was done that she had promised to write to Petunia when school started up again, causing Lily to promise the same. No, she still didn't like Petunia, but she was trying to give her Aunt the chance she hadn't been given in her time.

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Lucius was running the summer over in his mind. He had been one of several Slytherins present when the portkey had brought Ethelinda to that Death Eater meeting. He wasn't sure why he had been frightened when he saw it was her in the wide space left in the room, but he had been. But as time passed, and he observed her treatment at the hands of Voldemort, he became impressed by her and her treatment of the Dark Lord. It was like she possessed no fear of him, and the blond could honestly say it was more than worthy of respect.

By the time the Dark Lord had sent the twitching form of Ethelinda away Lucius had been nearly sick. It hadn't just been from Ethelinda's treatment at the Dark Lord's hands either, but the thought that apparently he wanted a chance to try again and get what he wanted from Ethelinda. Lucius had spent the next week in his room seriously reconsidering his position.

Now as he made his way though the train, he was determined to find her and get answers for questions he didn't even know. But when he found her, once again, she was already sitting with two people. It appeared to be the boy who had come with the woman to pick Ethelinda up the previous two years and a redheaded female. He wasn't sure who either were though aside from that Ethelinda did live with the boy.

Opening the door, Lucius didn't bother to ask, instead, he settled into the compartment beside his now fellow fifth year with a "Good day Ethelinda" and a nod to the other two. He wasn't sure if he was pleased to get as casual a greeting in return, but decided that like all Slytherins, it was Ethelinda's way of saying that it wasn't safe here. Or maybe it was just who she was, if the summer's meeting was anything to go by. Was she really so cold and unfeeling? Was that how she had resisted making noise even after her spasms from the cruciatus sent her to the floor?

Yes, she had been closed off when she first showed up. But by the last month of that first year she had learned to let her mask down when they were in the common rooms, so she couldn't truly be just cold and unfeeling could she?

Silver eyes turned to scan them, and Lucius nearly found himself doing a double take as he took a look at the other male in the room; he was like the male twin to Ethelinda. They held the same midnight black hair, it was even the same length, sitting at their shoulder. The boy's eyes were the obsidian Lucius had thought to never have seen on any other than his fellow Slytherin. Their skin was pale, though his was almost unnaturally so, and their clothes were pure black. He even looked like he would be as tall as Ethelinda, if they stood next to each other, but that could have been a trick of the mind. In short, if not for the fact that Lucius could tell the person across from him was male, and that Ethelinda was an only child, he would have sworn this was her twin. Who was this person and why did they look so much like Ethelinda. Lucius found he didn't like not having the answer to that question especially as Ethelinda spent her summers with the 'male twin'.

He managed to turn his gaze away from the male towards the redhead. She was not a Weasley, her hair wasn't the right shade, and she didn't have enough freckles, but Lucius quickly found it wasn't her hair that was truly worth the attention. The second his eyes met hers, he had to force himself not to react to seeing such vividly green eyes. It took effort to resist the chill that wanted to run his spine, but one still set into his stomach. He had to look away, instead turning to Ethelinda once more, and raising an eyebrow.

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Truthfully, Ethelinda wasn't sure what to say to Lucius or any of the other Slytherins. As she sat on the train across from Lily and Severus, who truly could nearly pass for her male twin after his recent growth, she was once more reminded of why she was putting up with all of this, and that she could and would change things. Neither had deserved what happened to them, and Ethelinda wasn't going to let it happen. Still she wasn't truly comfortable being stared at, no matter how she managed to act most times. She was nearly ready to tell the blond as much when the compartment door slammed open. His gaze snapped to the now open door.

Ethelinda would know him anywhere. After all, she had seen him in the mirror for quite a few years. As with the first time she saw Lily, she couldn't help a spike of sadness, but she forced it away, especially when she remembered why it was bad for this person to be here. Still, James didn't let them say anything; instead, he just came in and took the spot, which happened to be open between Lily and the window.

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The brash introduction of the newest first year as being "James Potter" forced Lucius to control the urge to sneer at the younger male. The confidence and general attitude would have told the blond all he needed to know about the boy's heritage, even if he hadn't already known the Potters were purebloods. Still, he just wasn't the type of Pureblood that Lucius usually found himself around. No, this was the kind he and his family avoided when possible. Maybe once he got older the other male would be worthy, but right now? Right now he was too loud. Still, it at least got Lucius what he wanted, because after the loud introduction it caused Ethelinda to introduce not just herself to the loud boy, but also the two first years, a "Lily Evans" and a "Severus Snape".

At least that had explained why he couldn't find what he was after the past summer, or the one before that. Apparently 'Prince' wasn't the name of the family that had taken Ethelinda in— it was Snape. Lucius would see what his father could find on them now that he had that information, but until then, at least now, he had a name for the near twin of his housemate.

The following conversation had been informative, if a bit displeasing. Apparently Lily was a Mudblood, but she knew quite a bit about magic, due to Severus and Ethelinda. Eventually talk turned to houses, and things got more than a bit heated when James turned hostile towards Severus, who mentioned he wanted to be in Slytherin. Lucius decided that he would probably take some work, but that, yes, he would make a good Slytherin. However he had been surprised when James had suddenly jumped up and run out of the room, holding onto his arse. Lucius was especially surprised by the smirk on Ethelinda's face. The look remained when asked what she had done, and no explanation was forthcoming, no matter which of the other three asked her.

Hours later, as Ethelinda told Severus and Lily she would see them shortly when the first years were led off, Lucius still wasn't sure what the girl had done. In fact, he hadn't even seen her reach for her wand much less cast any sort of spell. Worthy of her house indeed, it seemed.

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Ethelinda hadn't been sure if she should be pleased or not when everyone was sorted the same as she knew it had in her timeline. She was glad that Severus had been put into Slytherin, but she had hoped that maybe, at the very least, Lily would be sorted some place other than Gryffindor. Ethelinda wasn't going to let that stop her though; she would make things right. She supposed it was just a bit too much to expect changes in either of those two yet.

Over the next months, she soon came to realize why Severus had been so bitter towards her father. It seems after he ran out of their compartment, James Potter had gotten himself in with Sirius Black, and not only had they made fast friends, but they soon started to torment Severus. It might not be entirely Slytherin what she did in return, but Ethelinda did her best. In truth, she was very quickly losing respect for both and wondering if she really could have been happy living with Sirius in his time. That was in the months following though, but before that, there were his housemates to deal with.

The night of the sorting found the common room quiet when she walked in, and she was reminded of the earlier meeting that took place after last winter break. Well, at least she knew what was coming, the only question was how to deal with it?

At the time, she had only suspected that there had been some school-age Slytherins at that meeting, but by the time the impromptu meeting was over she knew for sure that more than a few had been there. She hadn't answered all their questions, but she had answered as many as she felt safe answering. She explained that the Imperius was easy enough to throw off once you had practice and that it really was just a matter of will. She made sure they knew she had suffered under the Crucio curse more than once before, and that she knew what sort of pain it brought. But she hadn't been about to make a noise, and give the 'Dark Lord' what he wanted. She hadn't been willing to explain where and how she had suffered though both curses, but she knew it was that meeting that started the rumors about her scar being from when she suffered one curse or the other. Ethelinda supposed it was better then if they had decided she survived the killing curse, but she didn't have to like it any more then she had liked the rumors in her own time.

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Lucius wasn't entirely sure how it had happened, but after the talk that first night, something about his thoughts on Ethelinda had shifted. Here was a powerful witch that was more then fit to stand by his side when they left school. He had decided that she would be his, and set to work on his plan, never realizing the entire time where his new path was leading him.

By the time winter break came, he took the liberty of inviting her, Severus, and several others over to his manor for Boxing Day. He caught the brief looks sent to him from his father when the group was over, but he wasn't thinking entirely clear enough to be able to figure out what those looks meant. All Lucius knew was that he still didn't know enough about Ethelinda, and he would learn more even if it had to come from Severus or some other source.

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For her part, Ethelinda really was as bad with expressions of feelings as ever, and hardly noticed that the attention from Lucius was any different than 'normal' for the blond. Sure, she had sneered in true Slytherin fashion when Abraxas had made sure to take her aside before she left and tell her not to touch Lucius, but that had been an automatic reaction. In truth, Ethelinda could honestly say that while her time with Lucius and the other past/future Death Eaters had allowed her to be more like what he wanted, she still had yet to really consider such feelings. There was too much going on, and too much she needed to do for her to consider those kinds of thoughts.

She kept at her appointed task, rather intrigued when she got an odd letter from Bellatrix with the morning mail one day. She had something she wanted to send Ethelinda apparently. The only problem was after that 'episode' this summer, Ethelinda wasn't sure if she had the faith to accept anything from Bellatrix or anyone else. Eventually, she finally decided that it was either she accept or she live in fear and she refused to do that, so she met Bellatrix the next weekend they had out of the castle. At the meeting she was given a cup that she instantly recognized from the aura it had. The smirk she offered the eldest Black child was apparently enough for Bellatrix to realize Ethelinda liked the 'gift'. But just to be sure, she told Bellatrix to be on the look out for anything else coming from the 'Dark Lord', as she had a feeling something else would be coming.

With this now in her possession, Ethelinda still knew of at least one more Horcrux that needed locating, but she wasn't sure how to get it. That was the problem. She remembered the cave and what that poison had done to Dumbledore in her time, but she just couldn't bring herself to go to it.

The rest of the year passed without much notice from Dumbledore as Ethelinda continued to try and work up the nerve to do what she knew she needed to—get help. It was in one of these dazed states of thought that she agreed to what would be the first of many 'dates' with Lucius Malfoy, and even days later, sitting across from the blond in the three broom sticks, she couldn't remember why she had agreed to this. Still, she did remember that she had so she had come and whiles she would never admit it, the trip really hadn't been bad, until the very end. When they returned to the common room, Lucius had all but insisted on kissing her before he would consider letting Ethelinda go. That night she hadn't resisted, not physically, but that was only because of the shock and everything about the 'date' finally setting in.

She was on a date and not just any date, but one with a guy. A guy who thought Ethelinda was really a girl. A guy who thought she was a girl that liked him that way, which Ethelinda didn't of course. But the kiss had been unexpected and just a bit jarring. Not because she had disliked it though, no, but instead because she had rather liked it. If there was one thing she had never thought to take into account with this plan, it was that she might come to well like like any of the people who she was trying to 'save'. It set her on edge and while she tried to focus on her task to distract her from this new problem, it only partly worked.

She knew she would need someone she could trust to come with her to get the locket, but could she really trust any of the Slytherins? In truth, could she even trust herself anymore? She had kissed Lucius, and she had liked it after all. She spoke openly to snakes now when in the presence of only her fellow snakes. She could even double talk with the best of them, without having to think about it. Was she really the right person to do this anymore? Or had she fallen too far to help set things right? In truth, Ethelinda didn't know the answer to that question, and she didn't like that.

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Lucius wasn't at all pleased to find Ethelinda withdrawing from him after their first official date, and he set about to remedy that as quickly as possible. The problem, however, was that it had taken him so long to work up the nerve to ask her on that first date. By the time he realized he was 'losing' her, the year was over once more. It was a very displeased blond that returned home that summer, but Lucius made it up to himself by writing Ethelinda at least once a week, and while it was unsettling to him, he found himself always eagerly awaiting her replies.

That summer, he was forced to attend more Death Eater meetings, and quickly found that Ethelinda had been right. The Dark Lord wasn't some powerful magical person; he was half-breed scum that didn't even deserve to lick Lucius boots. He could tell the man was more than a bit out of his mind, and Lucius decided then and there that he would never follow a man so insane. Those weeks after that decision were spent sending letters to his housemates, as well as continuing his correspondence with Ethelinda, who he was sure to include in his decision.

By the time it was again time to board the train, the supposed Dark Lord had lost more than a few followers though various means, including parents of Slytherins defecting when other parents convinced them of his unworthiness. If the man couldn't even 'break one little girl', how credible could he be? In short, it was rather a sight to see, come the first of the year when Lucius, Ethelinda, Severus, and Lily found themselves more than a bit cramped in their 'normal' compartment with as many other Slytherins as could fit.

The hesitant story that followed, after some questioning of Ethelinda, gained more than one volunteer to aid her, including Lucius. He wasn't sure how the obsidian-eyed female had found out about these Horcrux things, but they would help her destroy them, rather then bow down and kiss the shoes of some half-breed.

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Of all the Slytherins, Ethelinda still wasn't sure why she had ended up picking Lucius to help her. At the time, she had mentally told herself it was because Lucius had been her target in the first place, but as she stood there, staring at Lucius, she wasn't so sure that was the case. Shoving aside the thought for later, she swallowed hard and nodded, feeling the fuzziness envelop his thoughts as the Imperio settled over her. She wasn't sure she could do this any more than Dumbledore could have without assistance.

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When he had agreed to help, Lucius hadn't expected this. To watch her suffering, and knowing he couldn't end it, was almost more than he could stand. She said he couldn't give in, no matter what, so he forced himself to endure and hoped that she knew what she was doing. His obsession had only grown over the years, and he found that no matter what he may have thought, he didn't want to lose the mysterious girl that had appeared from nowhere, with no past, in the middle of his third year.

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Unsure of how long things had gone on, Ethelinda was all too glad when she found herself waking to a pain free world once more. She didn't know how Lucius had gotten them out of there, nor did she care. All she cared about was that she had what she hoped was the final Horcrux. Which meant she could finally end the mad man, known as Voldemort, reign. Unconsciously, she snuggled into the warmth that was surrounding her, grateful that it helped to sooth her aching muscles.

She wasn't sure when she had drifted off again, but she did know what had woken her some time later— lips pressed against hers. Familiar lips pressed against hers even, or so she quickly realized, especially when she was assaulted by a scent that she had unconsciously come to associate with Lucius. Later she wouldn't be sure why she returned that kiss, the ones after it, or most especially, allowed herself to be stripped. She would remember returning the kisses, returning the favor of freeing Lucius from his clothes, and the heat and lust that had shot though her when Lucius took her. She would also remember how she hadn't tried in the least to stop it, and had, in fact, tried to use her legs to pull the blond closer from where they had been locked around the other's waist.

She would eventually blame it on the 'near death experience' they had shared in that cave, or at least try, only to find that she couldn't. No matter how she may have tried to convince herself otherwise, that unexpected moment in the cave had changed things, at least for her. Ethelinda realized that while she had come back with Lucius as her target to end the terror of a madman, she had somehow developed feelings for the blond she once called an enemy.

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The following weeks leading up to winter's break were again some of the longest Lucius could ever remember, but Ethelinda had promised that while it might be a wait, it would be better this way. He wasn't sure how all his housemates had managed to stay behind this time, but they had, and the third day of break the lot of them made their way down to the Chamber of Secrets. It was impressive to hear and see the things that Ethelinda had collected to be destroyed by Slytherin's own Basilisk. But it was also more than worthy of a smirk. The irony wasn't lost on the Slytherins, to say the least.

The break ended up being cut short when to their astonishment, their common room was invaded by the Dark Lord himself, just two days before the other students were to return. Ethelinda's smirk as she faced down the man was more then a bit disconcerting to a few of the younger Slytherins; it almost looked evil. It might not have been as unnerving if Ethelinda had been holding her wand, or if the Dark Lord hadn't had his, but it was the other way around, and that made her look all that much more off-putting. It wasn't until she calmly raised her hand and blandly intoned the killing curse, that the children even started to understand that they still didn't know a thing about the mystery girl.

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The weeks following the death of Voldemort were filled with questions Ethelinda refused to answer, no matter how anyone tried. And try they did. The 'authorities' soon found that even the strongest truth serum could be gotten around if you just answered things simply, or only told part of the truth. It took more of her mind to get past the interviews than she would have liked because her thoughts kept drifting to the blond. Somehow, she just knew Lucius was waiting for her return. It was a disconcerting thought, but once things were over and she saw Lucius once more, Ethelinda found she couldn't care she had missed him, and was glad to have someone waiting for her. Maybe things really would turn out OK this time.

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12 years later

Ethelinda sat at the head table, staring over the faces of the approaching eleven year olds. Things had changed a lot with Voldemort truly gone this time, but she had taken the time to help them along a bit. She had managed to keep her promise to herself made so long ago, and had both saved Luna's mother, making her life better, and also managed to run into Hermione's family when she was still young. It had taken a bit of effort on her part, but Ethelinda had managed to convince the school governors to change the dates for registration cut off. As she looked over the faces below her, she knew it had been worth it.

The familiar head of bushy hair was standing next to two familiar blond haired children, and a well beyond familiar child with black hair. She had managed to introduce Hermione to Luna and they had become fast friends, just as they had in his time. Being 'Mother' to Draco and Godmother to Harry had also had its advantages too as she forced both boys to interact with other people their age. Seeing Draco still caused her a twinge at times, for what she knew she couldn't have, but things had worked out as well as they could, she supposed.

When she had first started that relationship with Lucius, all those years ago, she hadn't thought much beyond the 'now', until what should have been a routine check up showed that she was barren. She didn't know why it had surprised her at the time, but it had, and it had depressed her for a time. She wasn't really a girl, she knew she wasn't, even if she looked like one. But a family was something she had always wanted. She hadn't thought about it until Voldemort had been killed, and she realized her feelings for Lucius. But there was her chance for the family she had always wanted, and it had been stripped away from her.

Once she had gotten past that initial depression, she had realized that it really was probably a good thing that Hermione and Luna hadn't made her 'completely' female. While she dearly wanted a family, the thought of being pregnant made her skin crawl in a way she couldn't even hope to describe. She may have looked female, but on the inside, and in her mind she was still and would always be a male because that was how she had been born.

Their feelings hadn't been enough for Abraxas, after all, the Malfoy line needed an heir, so Lucius had been forced to marry Narcissa in the end. Ethelinda could never find it in her to put any of the blame on Narcissa especially not when she had allowed and even encouraged Ethelinda to join her and Lucius in the bedroom. It had been a bit odd at first, but now she wasn't sure she would have it any other way. In truth, the day that Narcissa had told them she was pregnant was probably the best and worst day of her life. Here Ethelinda was, wanting a family that she could never have while Narcissa so easily could. It had made her jealous and caused some friction for a time, until the other two very clearly informed her that they didn't care if she couldn't have children, she was part of their family, and their baby would call her 'mother' just as it did Narcissa.

It had turned into a wonderful time for her though, because that hadn't been the only surprise in store. As it had turned out, without the pressure of the Dark Lord around, Severus had never insulted Lily and that resulted in the black haired boy in the group below. Oddly enough this 'Harry' and his old self really did look a lot alike except for the eyes. Ethelinda's had been green once, where as Harry's were black as night like Severus's. She hadn't been able to help chuckling the first time she realized how very much like a child of Severus she truly had looked in her time.

As the Sorting Hat was settled on the three-legged stool to start its song, Ethelinda grinned once more, returning the grip on the hand in her own underneath the table. She glanced to her side at Narcissa. Yes, lots of things had changed; the pair of them were, in fact, here now to be teachers. She taught DADA and Narcissa taught Potions. Severus had taken a research position, and Lucius worked for the Ministry. The others had found their places in this 'new world' as well, but she had never told any of them about what she had done. Maybe one day, when she was old, grey, and dying, she would tell Lucius and Narcissa, but somehow she doubted it. No matter what happed though, the future looked far brighter than it had looked from the other side of his past.