AN: I have actually had this in the works for a bit. I couldn't decide precisely what direction I wanted to take it. But since I finally decided, it was time to complete the first chapter and post it. At over 2,000 words, this chapter is the longest I have ever written and I am hoping to start having that standard for all future chapters I write for this story and others. Here's hoping.
Her name wasn't important. She had all but forgotten the name she was given when she was a newborn, likely while being held in the arms of her mother. Not that she would really know. From the time she was six years old, she had been essentially cast from her family. Though she was still a relative and their child, the girl who now went by the name Storm knew nothing of them. She had known where she wasn't wanted.
The second she had figured out floo travel, she had headed for the wizard bank. She had pilfered money from the family vault directly into her trust vault after shutting off any other access to said vault. It wasn't enough to break her family and they wouldn't notice it missing but it was enough to make her considerably extremely wealthy considering her family was the wealthiest in the magical world. Add to that that every year she got another stipend into her trust account.
She had gotten herself very quietly emancipated and then went shopping to get various things she needed. Then, with the help of the Goblins, she had very nearly disappeared. They had given her a necklace that would make her appear to be about eighteen years old. They had allowed her a property from the Black family that they wouldn't miss. She was named heir even if her godfather was in the Wizarding prison. Which they had also promised to look into that.
The house was in the muggle world and she was thankful. Much easier to disappear there. Documents were forged. According to the paperwork the goblins drew up for her, she was Lady Annalise Cecelia Donovan.
Slytherin*
That had all been nearly 5 years ago now. Her parents, James and Lily Potter had been brutally murdered by some of Voldemort's crazier followers. Her twin brother was sent off to live with their aunt and uncle, and the name Faith Elizabeth Potter hadn't been spoken in that entire time period.
Well one person had. Within two months, the goblins had become true to their word and had gotten her godfather released. They had put him in touch with her and he had only called her that once. She liked her forged name so he blood adopted her to become Annalise Cecelia Black.
He has introduced her to the Malfoys. Shockingly to them. When they had learned that Sirius had been under the influence of Albus Dumbledore, they were understandably upset. Narcissa had taken her to Gringotts for a blood test. It was discovered that with her having been emancipated all those years ago, she could officially take up the Potter mantle and become Lady Potter. She would still be a Black but her official title would be Lady Potter, Heiress Black.
As far as she was concerned, it was better her than her idiot brother. She had agreed immediately.
When the time finally came and she got her Hogwarts letter she had smirked and flooed to Malfoy Manor. It was a day for breakfast to be there. She sauntered into the dining room and smirked at her family. "I've gotten it. And it's time for them all to pay."
Annalise had a dark smile. One that sent shivers down the spine of those who didn't know her exceedingly well. She glanced up to the door as the fire made noise again and seconds later one of her and Dracos friends entered. The girl was muggleborn and had been discovered quite by accident.
Hermione Granger had flourished when she made friends with Annalise and Draco. Together with Narcissa, they had magically fixed her teeth for her and helped her find a good potion to tame her wild hair. "You get yours?" She asked of her friends. Her two best friends.
"I've got mine and Dracos should be here any time. Even if it isn't, his stuff will be the same as ours. So Diagon Alley after breakfast?"
"Of course. Uncle Luc, we are stealing some of your books for school."
Lucius shrugged. Usually such a thing was beneath him and he would have argued for his books but those three were downright dangerous. Especially Annalise.
"There's something we have been meaning to talk about with you three."
The three kids snapped to attention. "Yeah?" They asked in unison.
"When you're sorted, the Slytherins will feel the power shift. Only the Slytherins and likely Severus will feel it. But they won't know which of the first years it shifted to. You have two choices. Annalise, you can either let them know clearly that you are now the official Slytherin Princess. Or, you can hide behind the scenes and let them believe the new leader to be Draco. Hermione isn't ruthless enough for them to believe it."
"I'm not sure what we will choose. But we will let you know so that you can send the public gifts appropriately."
With that all conversation was done and they hurried through their breakfast before taking off for Diagon Alley.
Hermione had begun saving all her money years ago and investing it with the goblins. Still, Annalise never let her pay for things. Instead she paid for her.
They all went to Twilfitt and Tattings for their robes instead of Madam Malkins. They bought more robes than the list suggested. They bought a set of robes for each day of the week for school purposes, four brand new winter cloaks, three new summer cloaks, and then robes specifically for dueling and potions making. Annalise and Draco split the check and both paid for half.
Next was trunks. They bought ones with various compartments, but all three trunks were the same in compartment choice. A normal one for normal appearances, a potions one, a quidditch one, and an apartment. The apartment was shared between the three trunks. It had several bonuses to it.
It was several hours before they finished their shopping.
September the first dawned bright and early. Hermione had stayed the night with Annalise and Draco in their wing of Malfoy Manor.
Annalise was the first one up and awake and had gone through getting dressed before she crouched down to awaken Hermione so she could shower next.
Annalise was already dressed in black jeans and a green silk blouse and her combat boots. "Hermione, love, it's time to wake up. So you can get a shower before Draco dearest does."
Hermione was up quickly and disappeared into the bathroom. She wasn't stupid. Draco had a well known habit for taking forever and a day to do his morning ritual.
Annalise smirked slightly and went into Dracos room. Instead of waking him gently though she wandlessly conjured a bucket of ice cold water and dumped it on him, causing him to shriek like a girl.
"Hermione is showering now. So you might want to prepare else you won't have time and we will be late. And we are not allowed to be late. The theme today is green and black. With boots."
They had all planned to dress similarly for this first day and the train ride. United fronts and all of that. She rolled her eyes and headed downstairs. The adults were all waiting for the kids to come down and she shrugged at them. "It's not my fault they don't like mornings." She said it so sarcastically that even Severus chuckled and he gifted her with a proud smile. She had picked up the endless sarcasm from him.
She just sat down and ordered an elf to bring her a blueberry banana smoothie. The elf in particular had been gifted to her the previous Christmas after her precious elf had died an honorable death of old age. The new one was named Lila because she had insisted upon a normal name. Lila had been thrilled.
When she was about halfway finished with her smoothie, Draco and Hermione both came in and ordered their own smoothies. All three loved smoothies.
Annalise drew the attention of the adults when the smoothies were gone. She cleared her throat quietly. "We have decided to let it be known that I am the Slytherin Princess but that any problems or issues should be delivered to either Hermione or Draco. I don't want to deal with stupid things and these two won't have any issues with putting them in their place." She smirked slightly.
"Good plan princess." Severus praised her. He would never admit it to anyone but she was his favorite. She was most like him. She was smart without actually having to try and things just came naturally to her. She had a true affinity to potions and had actually worked with him to improve several potions and they were very close to a cure for lycanthropy.
Annalise smiled brightly and then looked over her two friends outfit selections. Hermione matched her almost exactly although her blouse was in a slightly different style and had black designs on it and Draco neatly matched them both with black jeans, a green shirt and a black tie. Both wore combat boots like hers.
"Alright kids. Let's get this show on the road. I have a twin brother to mock endlessly and a wizarding world waiting to herald me in as the upcoming dark witch." Annalise smirked and had Lila make up some extra smoothies with everlasting cooling charms on them for all three of them.
"You are taking entirely too much pleasure out of this." Draco said dryly as he and Hermione followed their leader down the Hogwarts Express. She was hunting her brother to torture him verbally and was somehow managing to terrify other students they passed as she stalked down the hall.
"I fail to see the problem, Draco."
"Hey. I didn't say there was a problem. Just stating a fact."
Annalise rolled her eyes then smirked as she saw the kid that was very clearly her brother. And the unmistakable hair of a Weasley. And not one of the ones they liked.
"Hey Draco. It's a Weasley."
His eyes darkened slightly in anger. There was really only three Weasleys at his point that they disliked and the way she spoke made it clear that this one was one of them even before he could actually see.
She strode the rest of the way into the carriage and stopped a couple feet from her brother. "Enjoying your trust vault, Potter?" Their seats were filled with candy.
"Yes. Who are you?"
"Your worst nightmare, the future Dark Lady, your twin sister. Take your pick."
"My twin sister died." Jacob Potter revealed.
"No. Your twin sister left and got her Godfathers name cleared so he could be a free man. She also claimed the mantle of the family and can remove you from it and block your trust. So play nice."
His eyes widened in barely concealed horror. "What did you do?" He was angry now.
"What I wanted." She smirked then turned to the redhead. "Weasley. Already corrupting my dearest little brother I see."
The youngest Weasley brother's face went red. "Shut up."
"Hmmm. No. But I will leave. Being around this awful stench is going to take weeks for my house elf to get out of my clothes. I feel bad for the elf." She smirked again, snobby expression firmly in place then turned on her heel and left. She paused for a moment.
"And Jacob. Just remember. Friends are all well and good. But you can never truly be rid of family." She snarled the last word then stalked back up the hallway, her two sidekicks following closely.
She paused long enough to wandlessly summon Neville Longbottom's toad for him then led the way back to their carriage at the head of the train. She plopped into the seat. "Remind me again why I have to be related to that moron? And claim it on top of that."
"Convenience? Advantage? So he can't claim head of house for the Potter family?" Draco listed off.
"All very good points." She rolled her eyes and pulled out her communication mirror that tied to Severus'. "Severus Snape." She intoned calmly.
Severus' face appeared a second later and he looked at her curiously. "What happened?"
"He's a fucking carbon copy of James Potter." She muttered darkly. She had never forgiven her birth parents for how they had treated her and she didn't think it was likely that she ever would.
"Keep your head on straight and remember. You're the Slytherin Princess. We have always known that. You're better than they are in every way.