The owl post in the morning does not surprise me as it does Hermione. I've been swing owls fly in and out of breakfast for years, but to the muggleborn, it must have been a sight, to see hundreds of owls flock into the hall through the many open windows that line the very top of the walls. I can immediately spot the owls that are here to deliver envelopes to me. There are four. Two of which look far too thick to mean anything good, the other two being owls that I have seen my entire life, owls belonging to my mother and father. Draco receives one letter, delivered by father's favourite owl Orion. Father's second owl swoops toward me, dropping a letter on my lap without pausing to reduce its speed and swoops away. I recognise the owl far too easily, it always having been the bearer of his bad news. It would swoop rather snobbishly through the window of father's study and would always turn its beak up at me, almost as if it knew this day was coming. Mother's owl stops at the table before me, nipping affectionately at my fingers before flying away, looking particularly sad as it does so. The other two owls simply slow, drop their letters and fly away.

"They really did it." Hermione frowns next to me, a pout on her face. She eyes the letter in my hand, the one from father. I already know what words it will contain, but it doesn't make it any easier to open. I glance over at Draco, who has a rather smug expression on his face as he reads his own letter, glancing at me with a sneer.

I take a deep breath and pull out the nerve wracking parchment.

Cassiopeia,

I had hopes Draco's letter was wrong and that you were simply trying to appease your house and trying to cultivate the Malfoy name in a better light, but when I entered your room to consider this I saw that you had muggle books on your bed, filthy muggle clothing left in your wardrobe.

You have disappointed me. You have disgraced the family name and made yourself a blood traitor. Your mother told me that you have harboured such despicable thoughts all of your life. It is something I cannot, and will not, stand for. I will no longer allow a blood traitor to hide behind the name Malfoy. Your things will be at Hogwarts by the end of the week.

This will be our last correspondence.

Lucius Malfoy

I can't bring myself to look away from the parchment, tears welling up in my eyes. I knew this would happen, I have for years, and yet I can't stop the sinking feeling in my stomach from cultivating.

I open mother's letter next, though I technically shouldn't call her mother anymore. She isn't my mother anymore after all.

Cassie,

I had hoped to convince your father to not disown you but after he walked into your room he had his mind made up. He briefly entertained the idea that you had been brainwashed by a Gryffindor on the train but I couldn't let him think that of you. You're too strong for that. I know I made it worse, but I would not let him think you were weak and try to torture the brain washing out of you.

I will always love you my star, and I will always be your mother, no matter what your father does or says. You will always be my family, even if you are angry with me. I am and always will be there for you, no matter what you choose to do from this moment forward.

I love you very much my dear child.

Mother

I wipe away the tears that are streaming down my face. Mother's words hit me harder than fathers had, harder than the sneer on Draco's face.

Hermione places a hand on my arm, she's crying too. She doesn't even know what the letters said and she is already crying for me. I smile to her and open the first of the two large, thick envelopes.

It's from Gringotts, detailing the final transfer of all remaining Black vaults and assets, nothing terribly important, though there are many pages that I have to sign and send back, something I'm sure will become very tedious before the ordeal is over. The second letter is the same, though from the Ministry, they want to know who I will select to represent me until I come of age, among other things. I have to review all votes cast in the Black name by proxy, something I'm not too enthusiastic about. They aren't as urgent as the pages Gringotts sent, though they will most likely give me a headache trying to finish them as quickly as I can.

I glance up at the teachers' table, knowing that I'll have to talk to my head of house at the very least about the letters I've received, though Dumbledore might have to get involved now that I'm technically an orphan. I'll also have to leave the castle at some point soon to deal with a lot of the intricacies of assuming the position as head of a house, especially one as old as the Blacks.

The stern woman from last night is frowning at me, though she seems like she's seen people like me before, people who've lost their families because of the sorting. I'm sure she's had many students cry in her office, she seems like a rather good person to share your troubles with.

She and several other teachers rise from the table, a stack of parchment in hand containing timetables. She hands out all of them before finishing with myself and Hermione, a comforting smile on her lips.

"My office is open to you whenever you need. Don't worry about your first class, I'll make sure the Professor knows that you'll be speaking with me. You seem like you could use it." She tells me, introducing herself as Professor McGonagall.

"Thank you Professor." I try to smile back, suddenly very aware of the tear marks that must be painfully evident on my face. Mother always called me a pretty crier, but suddenly I question her words, very conscious of my red eyes.

The prefect I spoke with walks up to us when McGonagall leaves, a very proper smile on his face. "I'm Percy, your prefect. I know McGonagall will be able to help you but you can always come to myself or my female counterpart for anything as well. We're here for the students in our house, no matter what the situation."

I smile politely and turn back to Hermione, taking her hand, which hasn't left my arm. "It hurts a lot more than I thought it would." I confess, my thoughts going to the sketch I was working on during the train ride. I pull the book from my bag and turn to the page holding the image of my father. I look longingly at it, knowing that I'll never see that smile again.

"Is that him?" Hermione asks, glancing over my shoulder at it. Had she been Daphne I would have snapped at her for looking but I'm okay with her seeing, she should know about the good in my father too.

"Yes." I smile, another tear falling down my cheek. "I'd just won against him in a game of chess. He'd been so proud. He'd taken it easy on me up until that point, it's the only time I've ever beaten him, but he was so happy with me, he even had the house elves bake a cake to celebrate."

"How could he just turn his back on you like that? You're his daughter." She says, the frown still deep set into her expression.

"Like I said last night, there are a lot of rules you have to follow and I broke them. He wasn't left with much of a choice." I tell her, placing the book and letters into my bag.

"But it's ridiculous." She almost yells. "Family should always come first."

"In many ways it does." I shrug. "And he has to protect the family name from the scandal that I would cause."

"I still think it's stupid." She proclaims, stabbing her fork into the egg on her plate.

I try to eat, though my appetite is all but gone and I find myself prodding at my porridge instead of eating it. Time passes rather slowly before people begin to leave the great hall for their lessons, though some of the older students don't seem to be in any hurry to leave, most likely not having any lessons they need to worry about for their first period. I suppose that I don't have to either, though I know I have to try to find Professor McGonagall's office. I bid goodbye to Hermione before approaching Percy, knowing he'd definitely know the way to my destination.

"Would you be able to tell me how to get to Professor McGonagall's office." I ask him, having waited for a break in his conversation to do so.

"I'll walk you there." He smiles to me, standing from the bench. "It's not too far from charms." He says politely, leading me from the hall and up the ever moving staircases. They seem to know where we're going and arrange themselves accordingly, giving us an uninterrupted path to the fifth floor. We walk through several curved, winding corridors before we stop at a rather plain door.

"This is her office." Percy smiles warmly to be before waving goodbye.

I stand outside the door for several minutes, rather scared of what I'll have to say. Part of me doesn't want to admit that I lost my family, that I'm all alone now, especially as one of the last living Blacks in the wizarding world. I know I have several cousins that were once Blacks, one of whom is in Azkaban. I briefly consider visiting him during christmas, given that he too was burnt from the family tapestry. I don't think on it long, wanting to get my meeting with McGonagall over with.

I knock on the door and it opens by itself, McGonagall sat in a rather comfortable looking chair by a fireplace, wand in hand. "Come on in Miss Malfoy." She smiles, gesturing to a chair across from her. There is a table in between them, and a tray with a teapot, two cups and saucers and a plate of biscuits. I know she's trying to seem as unintimidating as possible. As unintimidating as one can look with a large hat on your head.

"I suppose it's Miss Black now." I say, my tone dry. She doesn't seem insulted by it, which I can only hope is a good sign. I take the seat, finding that it is far more comfortable than it looks, crossing my legs in the rather large chair. If only father could see me, he would lecture me about sitting like a proper pureblood lady and use a sticking charm to ensure my feet remain planted on the floor. Not anymore, I think wistfully.

"I don't mean to belittle your circumstances or presume to know anything of the letters you received today, but I am no stranger to students receiving troubling news the morning after their sorting." She says, urging for me to speak.

I don't speak, taking in a long shuddered breath as I prepare my thoughts. "I've known this day would come for a long time." I finally confess, the feeling in my stomach returning. But no matter how much I've tried to prepare it still…"

"Hurts." McGonagall suggests, simply smiling at me.

"A lot." I nod, almost wanting to laugh. "It's almost ridiculous. I knew father would realise that I don't care for blood purity and I knew he'd be angry. But it's still hard knowing that it finally happened."

"And your mother?" She urges, pouring out the tea.

"Is still my mother, despite everything." I shake my head. "She's covered for me for years, helped keep my secret. I'm sure she thinks I'm angry at her. I'm not though, nor at father. I suppose I can't be, despite everything."

"What of now?" She asks, already fully understanding my situation.

"I have to go to the ministry at some point, finalize paperwork and such." I tell her, trying to remember everything contained in the dozens of feet of parchment. "I'll also have to introduce myself to all of the members of my house, though they can at least wait until christmas break for that."

"I'll arrange a meeting with the headmaster for that." She smiles. "And I'm sure he'll allow you a weekend to visit any family you need to. But I meant with your family. I hate to use the word but…"

"I'm an orphan now." I nod, already knowing what I am. I don't mind though, it's nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Most unfortunately so." She frowns. "I can't pretend to know any of what you're going through, nor could most, but your aunt, Andromeda Tonks, may be some comfort to you. She too was removed from your family tree."

"I was planning on reinstating her in the family." I smile.

"Something I'm sure she'll be glad to hear." McGonagall grinned. "You have a family here at Hogwarts, and a home too. One that you'll never lose, even after you leave in your seventh year. It'll be a long time until that day, but you need to remember, Hogwarts is something you'll never lose."

"Thank you Professor." I smile, feeling tears prickle at my eyes again. Not even a day here and I already understand what she meant. Even if it's only Hermione, I have a family here, one I'm not eager to lose.

AN- This is a story I've had on my hard drive for a few years now and after finding it again I knew I had to post and finish it, even if I did escalate the time frame rather significantly. I hope you enjoy my take on Harry's year at Hogwarts and the changes I made with the introduction of a certain main character.

I'd love to hear what you think so far.

Amyx