Chapter 2

Hermione still hadn't recovered fully from her morning shock as she packed a bag with some clothes. They had decided that it might be best if Hermione spent the day and night in her real parent's home, getting to know her family, meet her brothers, meaning that she would spend her birthday morning opening her presents in front of all of her family as Tim and Helena would join her for breakfast.

She packed some sweats and a tank top. Everyone had protested when she mentioned packing clothes as her parents had claimed that there were enough clothes for her back at their house but Hermione had wanted her own things, for the time being.

She packed some underwear and toiletries. Her book was next. A t shirt, cardigan, smart jumper and slacks just in case and some pumps. Last but at not least she went over to her desk and picked up her journal which had contained all of her secrets. She had written a lot of poetry over the years and songs to express her feelings, her dance routines she wrote down for practice. The journal also had every adventure she had undertaken with harry and Ron from the first day of Hogwarts to the battle of Hogwarts, getting her prefect badge.

Should I be called Seraphina or Hermione? Oh I don't know what to do! Seraphina is my real name should I take that but then I have been known as Hermione longer. Oh God what will harry and the weasleys say when they find out? Especially that my mother is Bellatrix Lestrange- wait no black and my father is Regulus black. They might hate me!

She shook her head and zipped up the bag and went downstairs to be greeted with warm smiles and faces that had been cleared from tears.

"Well then poppet we better get going "said regulus looking down at his watch. " Zach and Benjamin will be home from one of their friends" Hermione nodded and looked over to her mother. Bellatrix was just staring at the ground almost in shock it seemed and quickly pecked Helena on the check mumbled a goodbye.

Hermione could feel bellatrix's eyes staring at her as she hugged Tim and Helena goodbye. Regulus then walked into the lounge. Hermione followed him and bellatrix brought up the rear with her head down. Hermione saw bellatrix place a purple hood on her head so that her face couldn't be seen.

"Now sera... Hermione. "Started regulus as he grabbed some floo powder. " We are going to the family estate, castle Howard."

"But I thought number 12 grimauld place was the black family home?" Hermione replied curiously.

"Well it is one of them. We have many estates" she then watched regulus throw in the powder and walk in barking "castle Howard"

Hermione was next. She pinched some of the powder and weighed it into her hands. She then threw it into the hearth and took a deep breath before stepping in.

"Castle Howard..." she felt that familiar tugs and as she zoomed up and watched many other fireplaces zoom across her eyes. She felt like she had been squeezed into a small tube.

At last she landed in a grand marble fireplace. She couldn't see her surroundings that well as she was in a soot cloud and so quickly stepped of shaking off any black powder on her clothes.

"Ah there you are. Welcome to the black family home." Regulus beamed. Hermione stared at her surroundings. She was in a medium sized foyer. Her shoes clicked on the cream marble floor as she walked around the room. There were large windows and door covering one of the walls leading to outside where she could see a large fountain. Hermione remembered at primary school having to do a project on famous British houses. She and Helena did it one weekend.

"Mummy what castle shall we do for school? I want to do a great big one where pretty ladies used to live and dance at balls. Like Cinderella!" Hermione smiled and got up to twirl. Her mother was looking on the laptop. Hermione stopped and when she looked at her mother she saw her frowning and biting her lip nervously.

"Have you found a castle mummy?" she asked and walked over to her mother's chair to peer at the computer screen.

Castle Howard. It read in big letters and Hermione smiled when she saw the grand building with the large fountain standing in the middle of the lawn.

"Can we do that one mummy? It looks really pretty and ladies must have lived there and danced with princes"

Helena just nodded and didn't say anything. She started to write down some notes that would be relevant.

Hermione knew now of course that Helena was so quiet after her question. She had been born here, raised here until she went to the house in Manchester which they had just brought, where the fateful night of her father being branded happened.

She walked past the circular table in the middle where a large vase of flowers were and a little pot full of floo powder was. She turned around when there was a loud "pop!"

"Master regulus Christy is here to take your coats. Master Zachary and Benjamin have arrived home and are in there rooms. "Christy bowed. Hermione looked at the elf who was taking her father's coat. Suddenly a green light burst through the fireplace and bellatrix walked through taking off her hood. She looked at Hermione again and had an expression on her face which was almost pain. Hermione looked back at her father who was beaming not noticing his wife's pained face.

Bellatrix didn't say anything took her cloak off and hung it up on a peg in a cupboard and walked through the archway. She didn't say anything to the others.

Hermione frowned.

"Don't worry about your mother darling. She is so happy that you are home but didn't know what your reaction would be to her. She will come round. She's probably still expecting you to disown her and kill her. She is a little one for dramatics. Now come on give Christy your coat and we can get going. "

"Ok then. Oh do you treat your elves properly?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Well of course we do poppet we are at the fore front in elf rights especially your mother. She has a soft spot for anything every elf is paid and given holidays, wears proper clothes."

"How about kreacher?" Hermione asked seeing as kreacher was a black family elf and yet wore a potato sack as his clothes.

"Kreacher was my mother's elf and therefore is set in his ways. I've offered everything to him but he won't listen and doesn't take it. It's his choice. He doesn't want to live here he stays at grimmauld place as he feels that that is the black family home as that is where one of my mother's portraits are. "Regulus replied and walked through the arch. Hermione followed quickly.

She was in the great hall and looked up above her. There was a massive dome about her head which had angels and biblical scenes painted on. Light streamed through the windows and filled the room. There was another massive fireplace and above a large painting of Mary Madonna with child. Hermione was in awe. She could see corridors heading to either side of her off to other rooms and to the two staircases that were at either side of the room, one hidden behind the fireplace and the other behind some columns leading to a balcony upstairs.

Oi Ben I think mum and dad are back we might as well say hi you know.

Yea but it could just be an elf. They said they may be ages. I think it's an elf Zach. Knowing mum she's shopping and dragging dad around with her.

I don't think so Ben seriously. Let's check it out. It wouldn't hurt.

Hermione was shocked at the two voices she could hear in her head. She tried to block them out but then realised that they could be important.

Um hello...

OMG Saffy? Hey Ben its saffy.

Dude seriously saffy? What are you 4? Saffy isn't here. This is just some plot to get me downstairs to finds that it was an elf I ain't buying it

I just heard her Ben! Seriously I actually think they are home. Why can't you ever just go with the flow? It could be her.

Hermione could hear the argument in her head and was frowning. Regulus was looking at her with a smile.

"You must be able to hear Benjamin and Zachery. You triplets share a bond which allows you to communicate with each other. It's quite rare really. "He sat down on a chair by the roaring fireplace and got out his pipe.

Uh hello...

See Ben it is saffy because she just said it again

Dude I swear you are imagining things.

No I'm not. Seriously Ben listen for two minutes and you will hear it.

I'm warning you if this is some sick joke I won't be happy

I swear on Salazar's honour that it isn't

He didn't have that much honour you know

Oh you know what I am meaning now just listen.

Hermione didn't know whether to answer but as long as the argument stopped then she would be happy as it was starting to give her a headache

Um hello... do you think you could stop arguing now?

See told you I'm right Ben and I'm going downstairs to see saffy. You owe me one.

Sorry Zach, saffy. You've been away for so long I never thought you would come back.

It's ok

Right well we will see you in a minute.

Hermione went and sat down on a chair opposite regulus who was reading the prophet while smoking his pipe. Suddenly a lot of banging and running could be heard.

Suddenly two boys were either side of her enveloping her into a hug.

"Saffy your home" they both exclaimed together. Hermione smiled and hugged them back. She had missed her brothers so much. She stood back and had a good look at them.

Zachary black looked the splitting image of his father. A true black. His black wavy hair fell shoulder length and he had a large smile on his face, his blue eyes sparkling. He was tanned with was a contrast to her porcelain skin. He was wearing a pink Ralph Lauren polo shirt with a dark green emblem and Abercrombie sweats.

Benjamin however was a mixture of his parents. His black hair fell over his eyes and wasn't very wavy. He had black eyes but the black facial features. He was wearing a green and white rugby shirt and jeans. Hermione noticed that he was standing up although he was paralysed and wondered how he managed.

"Hi I'm Zach"

"And I'm Benjamin" the boys said and hugged her again.

Hermione smiled.

"Well boys why don't you show your sister around and get to know her and I'm going to go and check on your mother."

"Why isn't she here? She has been waiting for this for years?" Zach asked

"Well she wasn't sure how your sister here would react to her heritage part in the war and so I think is just giving your sister a little space. You'll see her later."

"Oh I see. Did you know mum during the war then? What side where you on?" asked Zach curiously. Hermione shifted uncomfortably

"I was on the light side." Hermione replied quietly. Even though she knew that her parents were part of the order and only pretended to be death eater she didn't know how her brothers would act to her being know-it all granger.

"Well let's start the tour then. Come on saff. "Benjamin said and started to walk ahead. Zach followed.

"So did you have a major part in the war then? Did you know any of the golden trio? We would have helped them but firstly we had to keep a low profile cause of mum and dad and secondly because we worked undercover with Draco and blaise we had to be mean slytherins. "

"Oh I see. Yea well I kind of knew them. Didn't everyone?" Hermione was trying to prolong the revelation for as long as possible.

"Right well since Zach is just interrogating you, I will tell you where we are going." They headed down a corridor. "This is the dining room", pointing to a dark wooden door. The billiards rooms next" Benjamin started nattering as they walked down the many corridors.

There were about 5 different sitting rooms, dining rooms, parlours as her brother called them. There was the homework room, mother's study, fathers study, father's sitting room, mother's sitting room. The amount of rooms swarmed in Hermione's head as she walked around admiring the statues and artwork. They hadn't even braced the second floor yet.

"So saffy tell us what house are you in at Hogwarts. I'm trying to work out your previous identity since I know that, mum must have put a glamour charm on you." Zach said cheerfully

"Oh um well I'm in your rival house" Hermione replied. She had grown more confident with her twin brothers put still didn't really want them to know.

"Well then secretive are we. Ben place your bets on who you think it is or what house she's in" Zach replied cheekily. Ben smirked. Well we have found out in the last two hours that she's smart so I would say either a ravenclaw or griffindor. "

"Right ill take ravenclaw and you take griffindor. Any person in these houses? How about felicity whawell in ravenclaw, she hot, smart, wouldn't mind tapping that if it isn't" Zach replied Hermione cringed and smacked him lightly on the arm.

"Seriously Zach felicity I don't think so. She sleeps around, and I certainly don't. She probably carries an STD or two around anyway, calls them her lucky charms and then passes them on"

"Meow woman where the hell did you come from!" laughed Ben as Zach frowned. "Right you're not felicity and that's a given. Aww did little zachy get put down because he wanted to tap the ravenclaw hussy" Ben said in a mock voice. Zach didn't say anything and walked on

"Well I personally think you are a griffindor after that little bitch about whawell. Let's see since you're smart I can count quite a few people out no offence if you're in that house"

"None taken "she replied laughing.

They had come to large double doors.

"Right I think that this will tell us who you are" said Ben

"Oh really?" teased Hermione "and why would you say that?"

"Because I've just realised if you are like mum I know just the person who you are if you react to this room in the way she would."

"And what if I don't react?

"Well then I would still know it's you because you're stubborn"

Benjamin opened the doors. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. The room was about double the size of the great hall of Hogwarts. There were large French windows and doors covering one wall which led outside and it the distance Hermione could see the temple of the four winds on top of the hill which she had studied about. All of the surrounding walls were covered from floor to ceiling with books. The library had three floors and throughout the room there were ladders which you could climb to get the novel you wanted, comfy chairs and desks to study at. There was a large fireplace which was surrounded by chairs and cushions.

"Oh my" Hermione gasped and walked in. she fingered the spines of the books. There were more books in here than the Hogwarts library and the library in diagon alley combined. She breathed in the scent of old books.

"Mummy mummy can you read me a story please."

"Of course saffy darling. Come and sit on my lap" bellatrix cooed as she picked up the little girl and plonked up on her lap. She then opened the book. And started to read.

The fire was ablaze and there was a giant Christmas tree gleaming

"Right then darling shall we start?"

"Yeah" the little girl nodded her head vigorously.

"Ok then. Well this story is called beauty and the beast..."

Hermione came out of her memory. She had missed her mother telling her stories when she was little. Helena and Tim did read to her but she now remembered it was never the same as when her mother or father did it.

"This is where I found my love of books" Hermione whispered and picked up the books on the table.

I want to try something I think I know who she is

Do you? I beg to differ

Seriously I think I know who it is and I'm going to proveyou wrong

Dude none beats the Zachmister okay? We will just have to see at dinner but I'm going to whoop you butt

Yea right...

"Oi saff time to come out of dream world there's a lot more to show you!" called Zach. Hermione turned around and sighed.

"Don't worry you can come back later" replied Benjamin