"Mummy lie!" Those were the first words out of my one year old mouth as my mother looked from the chair across the room. As everyone around the court room stared at me my mother, looking like a Queen upon her throne turned her eyes towards me. She let out a small smile and looked into my crying face. My aunt held me close, trying to shush me, insisting that what I was doing was improper. My mother tilted her chin upwards as though she were amused by her innocent child.
"No Audrey. You must never lie. If you lie Mummy will be very disappointed with you." I nodded, sobbing into my aunt's chest. My mother was led away by some large men and as she turned to me she mouthed, "Mummy loves you." And my first and most haunting memories were forged with my parents sentence to Azkaban.
I grew up from the age of one in the Malfoy Manor with my aunt Narcissa, my uncle Lucius, and my cousin Draco. I felt as though my presence was always a bit resented, although my aunt loved me as though I was her own. She always wanted a daughter and she loved to dress me up in frilly little dresses and do my hair. She bought me many expensive things, many things she thought would be adorable if I had or carried. My uncle, although he never showed it in public, doted on me although I was not his blood relative. My cousin seemed to merely tolerate my existence, although I couldn't say I blamed him any.
Due to my obscure living situation I grew up feeling very shy and overly appreciative of things. I thanked my aunt and uncle for every single little thing. My first words may have been torn from my soul but the second words must have been, "Thank you." I uttered them so often that it became a habit which my uncle could not accept. He insisted that as a Malfoy relative, and as a Lestrange I deserved everything I received and more. He said that my mother would never accept less than the best and he could not recall a single instance that she had been polite. I tried to use it more quietly around him but it became such a habit that it was uttered nearly all day long.
Growing in such a loving environment I never knew that I lived differently than other children. The only thing that I knew was different was that I lived with my aunt and uncle, not my mother and father. Draco made a point of expressing the fact often, saying that they should come and get me once in a while. My aunt would always scold him and then tell me not to think on it. But I did, nearly every day. The Ministry was kind enough to allow one letter a year per parent. So I waited every Christmas for my aunt to read their letters to me and help me write back. It was the only present I wanted all year, and as I child I was extra behaved, believing that if I was naughty they could take it away from me at any point in time.
Other children that came over bullied me every time my aunt turned her back. Vincent Crabbe, Blaise Zabini, and Marcus Flint all liked to pick on me ruthlessly. Draco and Gregory Goyle often told them to leave me alone. Gregory often picked me flowers and snuck them to me when no one was looking. If he didn't act so vile half of the time I would have actually wanted to hang out with him and I might have even had feelings for him.
By the time I was eleven I had developed a very shy demeanor and did not feel entitled like Draco. The shopping trip to Diagon Alley was the worst trip. My uncle took us for our first year and tried to get me to buy the most expensive of everything. I did not want to be a burden so I tried to opt for less expensive things.
"Audrey if you do not live up to your rank in the world others will think they are better than you. You certainly don't want that. You don't understand now but someday you will. Now you will get those robes or I will tell your Auntie." I nodded meekly, always doing as I was told as to avoid trouble. I hated to disappoint no matter who it was I was disappointing. We walked around the book store next and I quietly looked around for something that roused my interests. My uncle allowed one book per shopping trip other than text books because I had read everything in the library and in his study long ago. I lived the life of a recluse. I reached and tried my hardest to grasp a thickly bound herbology book. Then I saw a hand from behind me and I jumped back startled. I bumped into the figure and then saw another in front of me.
"I am so sorry I didn't see you there. Please do forgive me." Two identical red headed boys grinned down at me.
"We just saw that you couldn't reach. Isn't that right Fred?"
"Yes so we thought we'd help you that's all. No harm done on her part right George?"
"No harm done indeed."
"Well thank you so much for your help. My name is Audrey Lestrange."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Fred."
"And I'm George."
"And we're both Weasleys."
"It's very nice to meet you both. Thank you so much for reaching the book. And for being so friendly. I really do appreciate it." I heard Draco calling my name from the lower floor and I knew they were looking for me.
"Well I'm afraid I have to go. Thank you again."
"Have a nice day. I'm sure we'll see you at Hogwarts this year." I smiled shyly and I walked down the long stairway.
"Where have you been! Father has been looking for you! He wants to leave already."
"I'm sorry Draco I couldn't reach this book was all."
"Please like you need another bloody book."
"Draco it is impolite to use profanity in front of a lady even if she is related to you."
"Sorry Father."
"Did you find everything you were looking for?"
"Yes Uncle thank you."
"Alright go up to the counter. Here's some money. Please don't make us wait too long." I walked up to buy the book and saw the two red headed boys and smiled. They smiled and waved to me. I quickly purchased my book and followed like a puppy out of the store. I felt exhausted by the time we arrived home and I just wanted to curl up in my bed and read.
Leaving for Hogwarts was a hassle. My aunt was convinced that I did not have enough things with me. She packed me so many different hair and skin products, lotions, makeup, clothes, books, paper, quills, my owl, and my cat yet she was convinced that I had to be missing something and would continue adding to the pile. Fitting it all on the train was difficult and I got into a little booth by myself. I felt really nervous and scared. I wasn't good at making friends. The door slid open and a girl with black hair slipped through and looked at me curiously.
"Audrey Lestrange?"
"Yes. That's me."
"Hello! I'm Virginia Snape. I've been friends with your cousin since we were six. Do you mind if I sit with you?"
"No not at all." She sat down, being friendly and seeming fearless. There was something mesmerizing about her and I could not put my finger on it.
"Please call me Ginny. I hate being so formal. Are you excited?"
"Not all that much." I tried to keep my legs princess locked like my aunt had taught me. I felt really nervous and awkward. Yet she did not seemed to be deterred from conversation.
"Well I am! My father is the potion's master of Hogwarts. I can't wait until he teaches me. I know he'll call me Virginia though. Yuck! Who names their daughter something so awful!"
"I like your name," I stuttered.
"That's what my mom says about it too." I smiled politely as she said that. I was well aware that her mother was the famous author Katrina Riddle, who married Severus Snape. She was famous for living in an actual dragon cave for a whole year and then writing a novel about her experience. She didn't have any problems with being daring. Her daughter seemed to have the same qualities. She was so beautiful with her black hair and green eyes. Her skin was a lovely ivory and her dark features only added to her personality. My long brown hair and brown eyes looked alright on my skin I supposed. I was always considered attractive even for eleven, but I didn't have the same kind of unpredictability as Ginny did. I had always been told I looked like the perfect combination of my mother and father but only having a few pictures I couldn't be sure.
She was amazingly kind to me all the ride long and I liked her immensely. Although she seemed a little distant throughout as though she was expecting something or someone. Her grace was something to envy, her wit something to behold. Even at such a tender age she had the makings of greatness pressed upon her. Yet with relatives such as hers there was no way she could grow to be anything but remarkable. I felt so meek and small compared to her, even though I was barely taller than her.
At Hogwarts, even before the sorting I was pushed around in the halls and within five minutes some other child tried to stick a lollipop in my hair. I was always picked on no matter where I went for some reason I knew it had to be that I was so easy to pick on. An orphan who lived off her rich relatives, the meekest, quietest girl they had ever seen in their whole lives. The girls even started to pick apart how well my hair was done and how I must have bought it with my uncle's money. As we ascended into the Great Hall I was pushed and shoved by other kids. I just wanted to go back home where I knew I would be safe.
As everyone was called up I felt nervous. I didn't want to disappoint my parents by being in a house other than Slytherin. My aunt and uncle would be disappointed too, as would my grandfather. They had all been in Slytherin, as had most of the Blacks and all of the Malfoys. I was more worried about how disappointed my father would be if I wasn't in Slytherin. He didn't say much but I knew he had his expectations of me. I started to feel nervous and my palms got sweaty as I waited. I felt a hand slip inside my own and looked over to a small blond head next to me.
"You'll get into Slytherin. I know it," Draco said. I was surprised that he was comforting me of all people in the world. But he smiled and held my hand even though we were eleven years old. He was called and he smiled back at me as he walked up. The hat did not even touch his head when it declared him to be Slytherin. It called me not long after and I took my shaky steps up towards the Sorting hat.
As it was placed on my head I repeated Slytherin in my head a million times. Slytherin? Why Slytherin my dear girl? You would do so well in Ravenclaw. I have to be in Slytherin. I have to. I need my parents to be proud of me. Oh please put me in Slytherin! Well if you're sure...
"Slytherin!" The table cheered and Draco beamed from ear to ear exclaiming, "She's my cousin you know! The last Lestrange there is!" After that several others got into Slytherin, including Ginny who looked very proud. Everyone who knew of her family knew it was the expectation that she would be in Slytherin also. Not only based on her parents but her grandparents as well. She sat with me and embraced me. I was surprised I had made a friend so quickly. Luckily we were in the same dorm room as well, along with Daphne Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson. We didn't see much of either of them so it didn't matter all that much.
I thought that maybe my luck would continue with friend making. I didn't make another friend for a solid six months of my first year. As a matter of fact I was bullied by Pansy everyday. She beat me up between classes, after classes, in the dorm, in the bathroom, and anywhere she could find. I felt as though she should find something better to do with her time but she just gathered more people to beat on me. They pulled my hair, called me names, left bruises, the whole nine yards. I hid it with a lot of makeup so Draco wouldn't notice and tell his parents. I didn't want them to cause a big stir with the school.
The night I made my new friend was completely unexpected. I was getting my usual beating after dinner from Pansy and one of her friends when I heard an abnormal shouting that didn't usually happen when I got beat on. The girls ran away quickly, but I just stayed on the ground with my hands on my head, afraid they would come back.
"Are you okay?" I looked up to see an older, redheaded boy. He looked very tall to my tiny eleven year old frame. He held his hand out, which I didn't take. He grasped under my armpits and lifted me up on my feet. I had received a good shiner, although it was only beginning to turn purple. He bent down to look at it.
"That looks like it's going to swell up. I should take you to the infirmary." I shook my head.
"That will just make it worse. They'll call me a baby and give me one on the other eye tomorrow. I would rather just put makeup on it."
"How long have they been doing this to you?"
"Maybe a week after school started."
"And you haven't done anything to stop them?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I deserve it."
"Did they tell you that? How on earth did you get such a ridiculous idea?"
"They're right though. I'm a leach on my aunt and uncle. My parents are horrible people. I'm a total waste of space and might as well be a squib. And they're right I'm not pretty either."
"Don't let those stupid girls tell you that. There's nothing wrong with you that I can see. Except your black eye. And you let girls like that make you feel worse about yourself." I looked down towards the floor.
"Just let me take you to the infirmary. And I can walk you around school tomorrow so they can't beat you up. Okay?" I nodded shyly. He took my hand in his and as I looked up at his charming freckled face I felt as though I had found my true love. Brave where I was scared, talented at what I was not, authoritative where I was following. I never wanted to let him out of my sight. He seemed like an angel from heaven to me, with flaming red hair like a God. He even sat with me in the infirmary and talked to me for awhile. He was so charming and he walked me back to the dungeons. As I was about to go back into the dungeons I turned and looked at him shyly.
"By the way, my name is Audrey. Audrey Lestrange."
"My name is Percy Weasley. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."
"It was really nice to meet you. I'll see you tomorrow." He waved goodbye and I felt my heart beating out of it's chest. He was so perfect. Or so I thought.