Chapter One
Surprising Inheritances
Hiram and Hermione Lodge took a seat in the lawyer's office. They looked across the desk at the older man whom was looking through a file of papers. They were both surprised when the lawyer had come up to them during the wake of Hal and Alice Cooper saying that he needed to speak to them. That he had a few things to discuss concerning Hal and Alice's will.
The Lodges were equally surprised by this. For one everyone in Riverdale knew that Alice and Hermione had never cared for one another in their childhoods. That from the moment the two girls met at the tender age of five they were against one another. Alice because Hermione was rich and spoiled. Hermione because Alice straight up and told her that she would never be friends with Hermione ever. Hermione of course tried to make friends with Alice through the years ... but by the time middle school rolled around ... she knew it was a hopeless cause and decided just to ignore Alice. But Alice by then knew which buttons to push with Hermione to get Hermione to see red with rage.
Also everyone knew that although Hiram Lodge didn't grow up in Riverdale ... he wasn't a man whom would lower himself to being on general terms with the likes of the lower class of Alice's parents or even the middle class on how Hal Cooper himself grew up in. Hiram was born filthy rich ... and his entire family were the kind whom never lowered themselves to the mere common people of the world. They lived among the Kings, Queens, Presidents of the world ... and they never saw fit to lower themselves to anything less.
It was surprising when Hiram met Hermione and fell head over heels in love with Hermione. Yes Hermione was born rich herself ... but she lived her life in the real world. She had no problem associated with anyone less rich than a King or Queen.
The lawyer finally looked up from the papers. "It states in Hal and Alice's will that they leave the guardianship to their two daughters ... Polly and Elizabeth Cooper to their godmother."
Hiram sighed deeply. "So what are we doing here exactly?" He was waiting to see what small ticket the Coopers had left them ... something that will surely be thrown in the nearest trash bin on the way out of the lawyer's office.
"Hermione Lodge." The lawyer finished.
Hermione's eyes widen. Her breath was stolen. "C-c-can you repeat that please?"
"You Hermione Lodge as the godmother of Polly and Elizabeth Cooper are awarded guardianship." The lawyer repeated as he handed the paper over to Hermione to read herself.
"But this is impossible. Alice and I had never been close. We had never been friends. Matter of fact Alice had hated me on sight." Her eyes lowered to read the black and white ink on the paper. Her irises slowly took in the words '... I, Alice Cooper, will my two daughters; Polly and Elizabeth; over to their godmother; Hermione Lodge.' Her thoughts drifted to the two little girls that had been sitting slightly in the front row pew of their parents funeral. "Whom is the oldest?"
"Polly is six and Elizabeth is four." The lawyer replied.
"Veronica's age." Hermione whispered.
Hiram tightened up. "We aren't going to raise two strange girls! We aren't going to allow anything like this around Veronica!"
Hermione turned to glare at her husband. "We can't just leave them Hiram. There is no other family for the two girls."
"We'll find a nice safe loving home for the girls." Hiram wasn't heartless after all. He was just thinking that the two young Cooper girls were not their kind. So there was no way would he allow his precious Veronica be around them. It was as simple as that.
Hermione's heart had gone out to the two lost little girls when she first laid eyes on them. She had wanted to rush over and kneel down and gather them up in her arms; to never let them go again. But she had no right. She was a stranger after all. So she had sat a few rows behind them but with a clear view of them. She kept her eyes on the two orphans more than she was listening to the service.
Now to learn that she had every single right to gather those two precious little girls into her arms and never let them go. She wasn't going to lose that. She wasn't going to allow those lost children to be ruder less in this world. "I'll love them as if they were my own. Veronica will love to have two sisters."
"Hermione!" Hiram spoke up in shock.
Hermione turned to look at her husband. "Hiram I know this is completely out of your depth. But I know you truly do have such a loving and caring heart. That you can raise these two girls that aren't your own ... that haven't been born in your social bracket. I know you can find love for these two little girls whom need it so much." She reached over and carefully traced his jaw line. "I have faith in you Hiram Lodge."
Hiram read everything he had to read in his wife's eyes. He sighed deeply. "I can't love them as much as i love Veronica."
"How can we. Veronica is ours after all." Hermione nodded. "But I know you can grow to love these two precious little girls just as much as your own natural child. They need us."
Hiram nodded. "Okay." He swallowed. "Okay." He agreed to adding onto his family tree two adopted daughters.
Author's Note: I have decided to see what would happen if Hal and Alice Cooper passed away when Polly and Betty were very small children. I have also decided to see what would happen if they willed Polly and Betty to their godmother Hermione. I am going to explore 'Riverdale' storyline of Alice and Hermione being rivals. I am going to explore 'Riverdale' way of changing the characterization of the Archie Comics characters. I just decided to change it up a little different from what 'Riverdale' is doing.
So far the only change in characterization I'm working on right now is Hiram Lodge. (No he is not going to be the embezzler that he is on the show). I all ready wrote the characterization change in the premier chapter.
I have decided to have Veronica and Betty grow up as sisters. It will be interesting to see their friendship grow ... and see how the timeless love triangle will play out with B&V growing up as adopted sisters.