§Nine Years Later, May, 24th 1991§
Running into the small café with her seven year old little brother following close behind her, eleven year old Christi Polizzi squeals with excitement. She had just gotten her letter from Hogwarts that she had been waiting for since her birthday a few days prior. She finds her mother and runs over to her mother.
"MUMMY LOOK! MUMMY LOOK! IT CAME! IT CAME!" she squeals showing her mother the official letter as there were hardly any muggle's around.
"Well open it and see what it says sweetie." Nicole Polizzi said smiling at her "daughter".
She giggles and rips it open and reads it.
"I got in mummy! Oh can we go and get all my supplies soon? Please? Oh please mummy!" she begs.
"We'll go before school starts it's too soon to go." Nicole said causing her "daughter" to pout.
"Now don't pout. It will go by quickly." She said looking up as the bell over the door chimed and she saw someone who she didn't want to see walking in with his own son.
"Christi take Cristiano and go home right now."
"But…" she says getting cut off.
"Go!" Nicole snaps.
She nods and takes her Hogwarts letter and Cristiano's hand and leaves the café.
Nicole releases the breath she had been holding until she saw her children out of sight. She didn't want to risk her biological father's right hand man seeing her and recognizing her. She wasn't going to lose her daughter. She grabs her pad and pen and heads over to the table where the man and his own son had just taken a seat.
"Hello, I'm Nicole and I'll be your server today. What can I get you to drink?" she asks.
"Well Nicole, lovely to see you again it's just been to long since we last saw each other. Were those your children that just left?" Lucius asks.
"Yes, my daughter just got into school and she was very excited about it and wanted to show me."
"Hogwarts I presume?" he asks.
"Yes, who is this little strapping lad and where will he be going?"
"This is Draco and his birthday is in twelve days so we're still unsure of where he's going. I would prefer for him to go to Durmstrang but his mother wants him to go to Hogwarts. I lost out on that so he'll be attending Hogwarts."
"Lovely. Can I get you two something to drink?"
"That muggle fuzzy drink for Draco and I'll just have that plain clear drink."
"So a soda and water. I'll be right back." She says.
She goes and gets them then brings out their menus out to them along with their drinks then she heads over to her other tables to pick up the bill and her tip then she went right into the ladies room to let tears slide down her face.
She had to prevent Christi from getting to close to Draco for the fear of her finding out the truth of who she really was. She refused to have her find out that she kidnapped when she was two and had two charms placed on her for all her life and lied to all her life as well.
After a few long moments she collects herself then heads out and over to Lucius and Draco's table.
"Are you ready to order?" she asks.
"Can I have the bacon cheeseburger please with chips?" Draco asks.
"Of course and for you Lucius."
"The chef salad."
She nods and takes the menus and goes to put their order in.
£Later that night£
"Sergio what are we going to do? Lucius is sending his son to Hogwarts and she's bound to find out the truth sooner or later from Draco. What are we going to do?" Christi hears her mother ask as she was creeping down the stairs to get something to drink.
"I don't know Nikki. We can send her to Beauxbatons Academy."
"No. I want her close to us."
"Well then we just have to hope and pray that she doesn't find out."
"I guess so. We also have to hope and pray that she doesn't end up in Slytherin like her no good father."
Christi covers her mouth and scampers back to her bedroom.
She couldn't believe what she had just heard. They weren't her real parents. She had always had a feeling that she never belonged in that family and she just found out that she wasn't. She cried herself back to sleep dreading the next morning have to face them after finding out what she heard.
§September 1st
Sitting in the compartment alone Christi leans her head against the chilly window as it was raining. She hadn't brought up the topic about what she heard with her parents that dreadful night. A knock on the compartment door tears her from her thoughts. She looks over and sees a blonde haired boy with stormy grey eyes standing there.
"Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full."
"Not all. Go ahead."
"Thanks. I'm Draco Malfoy." He said extending his hand.
"Christina Polizzi but I like Christi better." She said shaking his hand.
"Nice meeting you. Pure blood family?" he asks.
She nods. She had just met this boy so she wasn't going to spill her troubles to him. Hell she wasn't going to tell anyone. She wasn't sure if her was muggle born, half blood or pure-blood. She wanted to know but she refused to bring it up to her parents.
"What House do you hope to get into? I personally want Slytherin. My family has been Slytherin's for generations." Draco says.
"I don't care. I think my parents will freak if I get put into Slytherin." She said.
Draco nods as they arrive at the Hogwarts Station.
§Hogwarts, Great Hall, Sorting Ceremony§
Christi was impatiently waiting her turn. She was standing there bouncing on her feet.
"Christina Polizzi." Professor McGonagall called.
Dumbledore sat up straighter once again and listened.
She stepped up and took a seat on the stool.
McGonagall put the hat on her head and stepped back.
"Hmm," the Sorting Hat says once again like he did for Harry. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes- and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting….So where shall I put you?"
She balled her hands into fists and started thinking, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
"Not Slytherin, eh?" the Hat mused. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that-no? Well, if you're sure- better be- SLYTHERIN!" the Hat says.
Christi's heart dropped and she plastered on a fake smile then heads over to the Slytherin House table.
She looked over at Dumbledore and saw the look of pure worry on his face.
"You okay?" Draco asks.
"Not really. Hey who's that talking to Professor Quirrell?" Christi asks.
"My godfather and Potions professor. Professor Severus Snape. Stick with me and you'll do just fine in his class and will always be on his good side." Draco said as the feast started.
She nods and starts to fill her plate.
Up at the staff table Severus couldn't stop staring at the girl next to Draco. She looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it.
"Ainsley?" he mutters when he sees her laughing and smiling at something that was said.
The smile and the way her eyes twinkled she looked just liked Lucy.
"What was that Severus?" Minerva asks.
"Nothing." He says.
He first had to make completely sure that, that girl was Ainsley Lynn Riddle. He knew her father didn't want to give her his muggle father's last name but she would need a last name for schooling so he and Lucy used what was his last name but it suited her.
He also knew her father was searching for her. When he discovered she was still alive by a member of the Order they took hostage and tortured with the Cruciatus curse. He finally told that the girl was still alive but he refused to say where so after nearly a week of silence on where Ainsley was he was killed.
After the feast was through the Heads of Houses showed the first years to their common room.
The entire time Snape showed the first year Slytherin's to the common room he was watching the girl with Draco. She had to be Ainsley but she looked nothing like her. Ainsley had incredibly dark brown hair and hazel eyes but this girl had light brown hair with blue eyes.
Once he gets the first years there he goes back to his office and floo's over to Riddle Manor.
"Lucius where is the Dark Lord? I need to speak with him immediately." Severus said.
"Up in his study. What's wrong?"
"I think Ainsley has returned. She maybe in my house but goes by a different name and looks completely different. But she looks so much like Lucy when she laughs and smiles then her personality is much like Lucy."
"Are you sure?" Lucius asks as they both head up there.
"I'm about twenty percent sure. But a father will always be able to tell his child. I'll let him go into my memory and see her for himself." Severus said as they got to the study where the Dark Lord spent his days.
He knocks and waits.
"Go away." Voldemort growls.
"My Lord, I believe that Ainsley is at Hogwarts." Severus says.
The door flies open and the Dark Lord is standing there.
"In here. Now."
Severus walks in and the door flies shut and wards are put up as well as a silencing charm.
"Are you sure?"
"About twenty percent. But you can go into my memory and see her for yourself. After all a parent will always know their child."
"Sit down." He said.
Severus nods and sits.
"Ligillimens!" he casts.
He immediately is put into Snape's memory and sees the young girl he suspected was Ainsley. He stays until he gets up to the moment he flooed to the manor.
He pulls out and looks at him.
"It is indeed Ainsley. But how to approach her about her true life."
"If I may."
"Go ahead. You are after all her godfather as well."
"I say we let her find out on her own or let her come to me. Young Draco is taking her under his wing and telling her who's good to be with and who's not. I mean if she is anything like Lucy she'll be an incredibly smart girl and will start to figure things out on her own."
Voldemort doesn't say anything but he just walks away angry.
Severus sighs and leans back in the seat.
A while later the Dark Lord comes back looking much calmer.
"Are you okay my Lord?"
"Fine. Just slightly agitated. Just after not having my daughter for nine years and thinking about waiting to see her longer when she's finally returned agitated me. But yes, I do believe it is better for her to find out on her own. We don't need to frighten her."
"I agree. I must be getting back to the school now my Lord. I'll keep a close eye on Sely. I'll even make sure Draco keeps a close eye on her when they're not in class and in class." Severus said.
He nods as Severus leaves and heads back to the school.
