Chapter 1
I stumble out of the fireplace and sneeze, dust particles flying everywhere. Bellatrix should really think about cleaning her chimney, I think as I try to dust my black robes.
Suddenly someone is grabbing me from behind and I turn around to face the host herself.
'Why are you wearing your mask?' Bellatrix asks, eyeing me curiously.
'Well, hello to you too,' I reply sarcastically before answering her question,'There is someone here who can't find out who I am,' I reply in a hushed voice.
Bellatrix takes my arm and leads to the living room where a bunch of Death Eaters are already gathered.
'Alright,' she says, facing me again, 'who are you hiding from?'
'Your nephew,' I answer in a very low voice and proceed to tell her the same story I told Voldemort that afternoon, 'But I don't want him to know that the Death Eater who will be teaching him how to kill, is also the new student at Hogwarts.'
My friend stares back at me like I had just told her that Harry Potter was dead, 'So, you're telling me that you'll be at Hogwarts? That's wonderful,' she whispers in an excited way, before laughing madly, 'You'll make a perfect Slytherin! I need to tell you all about the Room of Requirements…'
I interrupt her in her babbling, 'You must promise that you will keep this a secret. Only you, Severus and the Lord himself know about this.'
As she is about to reply, we are interrupted by Voldemort's arrival.
At once, the noise dies down and we follow the Lord to the dining room where a long table awaits. Entering the room, I am forced to admit that the Lestrange manor is very beautiful… and creepy. Voldemort is already sitting at the far end of the table and I go to my usual seat at his left, while Bellatrix sits at his right. Next to me, Severus sits down and pushes his chair forward. Many familiar faces are glancing curiously at me: While some Death Eaters wear masks to such meetings, I'm never one of them. Greyback eyes me for a long time, his creepy smile freaking me out.
I spot Draco, who is staring intensely at the ground, at the other end of the table. He looks decent, even more than decent, he is quite handsome actually, like a younger version of his father, my partner. However, his seating arrangement indicates that Voldemort is still incredibly pissed at the Malfoys.
When everyone is finally at their place, Voldemort starts speaking and I don't listen to him. I never do. As long as you nod and laugh at the right moments, he doesn't notice it. After about an hour of endless preaching, I feel the Lord's bony, greyish hand on my shoulder, indicating me to stand up.
I do as I am silently ordered and Voldemort stands up as well, talking once again, 'Draco,' he announces loudly, and my gaze immediately goes to the dashing young man. He looks frightened and clearly uncomfortable as he seems to hesitate between getting up or staying seated.
Dear Lord, I think to myself, he still has so much to learn and he better learn quickly or he won't leave this meeting alive. Taking pity in him, I make a very small and barely notable gesture with my left hand, indicating him to stand up. Nobody else notices this, but Draco gets up immediately.
'Draco,' Voldemort says once again, 'I have reconsidered your situation. And I have decided that you will get help.' At once, I notice that Voldemort is speaking cryptically which makes me realise that the nature of Draco's mission is not common knowledge. 'Alex, here, will be your mentor.' Voldemort announces to the entire table, everybody is now staring at me, waiting for me do to something.
I clear my throat, and speak in my most powerful voice, 'I will meet you tomorrow at ten in the evening at the Malfoy manor,' I declare, looking directly into his grey eyes. He nods, and I can see that he is surprised at hearing a female voice. As I look down at his hands, I see that they are shaking but also that he is clutching the table forcefully in order to hide it.
Suddenly, Voldemort claps his hands one time, and dismisses us. The meeting is officially over.
When I'm about to move Severus grabs my shoulder, 'I need to talk to you'
I sit back down and turn around so that I'm now facing him.
'I found you a new identity,' he says in his deep voice, 'And I already informed Dumbledore that a new student will be attending Hogwarts this year.'
'Thank you,' I say as a genuine smile appears on my face under my mask. I'm really happy to go to Hogwarts as I have heard many wonderful stories from there by Bellatrix and Lucius, and after all, that's where my parents met each other. 'Anything I need to do before boarding the train on Monday?' I ask.
'Yes,' he pushes an a thick, yellowed enveloppe towards me, 'Here is all the information about your new identity and also a list of things that you have to buy for your classes.'
I grab the enveloppe, and get up once again, whispering jokingly at Severus, 'See you at Hogwarts, Professor.' I then pat his shoulder, earning myself a murderous glance, and make my way to the fireplace.
As I grab a fistful of floo powder in my right hand, I can sense a presence behind me. One moment later, a wild Draco Malfoy appears in front of me.
'Do you,' Draco starts in a very timid voice, before continuing, more confidently, 'Do you know how to get to the Malfoy manor?' he asks, clearly searching for my eyes behind the mask.
I stare at him for a long time as a multitude of thoughts crosses my mind. I see so many of Lucius' features in Draco and it's painful knowing that the original Malfoy, my dear friend, is locked up Azkaban. This is the boy that Lucius was always talking about whenever we were together: He would tell me how good of a flyer his son his, how polite he is to his parents considering that he is a teenage boy, how proud he was every time he received Draco's school results even tough he would never admit it in front of his son… Then, I am confronted with the knowledge that I promised and made the unbreakable vow to protect the young man standing in front of me, or die trying.
'Of course I do,' I answer in a far away voice, before flooing back home. If you could call it a home.
—
I wake up the next day at noon, stretching out and decide to order room service as I don't feel like going down for breakfast/lunch. I decide to shower as I wait for my first meal of the day.
My hair is still wet when breakfast arrives and I decide to give the good looking employer a generous tip. That's one of the many reasons why it's the second time I stay in this hotel during my summer holidays: the breakfast is nice, the mattresses are comfortable and the staff is enjoyable. But the main reason is that if you offer the receptionist enough galleons they don't ask why an underage witch stays there two years in a row for two months.
I grab the enveloppe, deciding to skim through the information while eating. As I'm about to take a sip of my pumpkin juice, I almost die of an heart attack. 'Bloody Severus!' I scream. He decided that my first name would remain Alexandra. For someone rumoured to be so smart, this wasn't a bright idea. As I look through the rest of the parchment, I start to picture my new identity: Alexandra De Villiers, sixteen years old, french, former student of Beauxbatons (transferred to Hogwarts because parents decided to move to the UK), daughter of Auguste and Anabelle De Villiers, Pureblood.
Fair enough, I guess Severus decided on the french nationality because since I lived there during my childhood, my french was impécable. Besides, admitting that I used to attend Durmstrang would rise a lot of questions as that school is known for its teaching of the dark arts. All in all, I was quite satisfied by my new identity, even though I preferred my two previous surnames, Bloodstain (which I had only carried for a year) and Varenne (curtesy of my adoptive parents). Tears start gathering in my eyes but I quickly clean them away. There's no point in crying about it now: It happened two years ago and at least they are alive. My biological parents may be dead, but at least mom and dad are safe, I repeat to myself, trying to find comfort in the only thing that is truly comforting in my life: The fact that I managed to save them.
I finish breakfast, feeling ashamed of my moment of weakness, and grab the list of supplies that I need to buy for school. I'm almost out of the room when I remember that I'm barefoot.
Please review so I know what you guys think of this story (and also because it makes me very happy :) )
Also, I want to apologise about any English mistakes that you may find! English is only my fifth language, and sometimes I mess it up.
