BLAZING SILVER
Disclaimer: I am not British. That alone should tell you that I am not Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Obviously.
Chapter Two: Antalia, the Bright Star
A woman with fiery red hair was running up the stairs. She placed two babies into the crib, and she was crying. Her face seemed familiar, but the name was just out of reach. She whispered an incantation, and red light enveloped both children. Then, a pale man with a face like a snake's strode in. They exchanged inaudible words, and then the woman screamed. She screamed as the green light hit her in the chest, and then there was darkness.
Green eyes flecked with gold opened slowly. Antalia Lyra Lestrange stared up at the light green ceiling of her commodious bedroom and tried to forget her dream. It wasn't the first time she had it, and of course as per usual, it made no sense.
Today was her eleventh birthday, July 31st. Something gradually made its way into the forefront of her mind, and her eyes widened. The Hogwarts letter!
Pushing her long black hair out of the way, she raced down the stairs, where her parents were already sitting at the dining table. Bellatrix Lestrange was reading the Daily Prophet, the main Wizarding newspaper. Rodolphus Lestrange was reading one of Lucius Malfoy's letters. Both were eating their breakfast without much vigor.
They looked up as Antalia barreled down the stairs, and exchanged a rare but brilliant smile. Neither parent openly showed much affection, but it was there all the same.
When Antalia finally appeared, her hair was smoothed down, as were her black robes. Her back was stiff as a board, and she conducted herself like a proper pureblooded child. "Good morning, Mother, Father. Has my letter come?"
Bellatrix smiled fondly at her adopted daughter, shocking them both. "Sweetheart, there's no need to act like that around us. Yes, it's here. But you should eat your breakfast first."
Antalia nodded eagerly, and wolfed down the food so fast she barely registered what was shoveled into her mouth. Rodolphus chuckled, and held the letter just out of her reach. "Daaaaad!" She whined, cursing her own shortness as she tried to snatch the letter.
"Time to see if your dueling lessons have paid off, Lyra." Bellatrix smirked, rising from her seat as well. Antalia's eyes widened with surprise and childish delight.
"Really? I get to duel you two?" She cried, looking back and forth between her parents. They both smiled indulgently at her and nodded. Antalia whipped out her wand and sent a Tickling Hex at her father first. He dodged, and Levitated the letter up until it floated an inch below the ceiling. Bellatrix circled Antalia, and the young girl tried to keep both parents in sight. Before long, however, Bellatrix found an opening. She sent two Stinging Hexes at her daughter in a row, one at her abdomen and another at her legs. Cackling madly, Antalia ducked and jumped at the same time, and twirled her wand at Bellatrix.
Two jinxes, a Jelly-Legs and a Silencio, hurtled towards the Lestrange matriarch. She blocked both spells and sent a silent Tongue-Twist Hex at her daughter, while Rodolphus fired two Disarming Spells. The Tongue-Twist Hex missed, but one of the Disarming Spells hit her, and the wand flew away, towards Rodolphus. Antalia drew her second wand, but when she was hit in the back by Bellatrix, she had to admit defeat.
The letter floated down from the ceiling, gently, and landed on her nose. Antalia glared playfully at her smirking father, and opened it quickly.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Lestrange,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Antalia squealed with delight. She pulled out her list of equipment and handed it to a beaming Rodolphus. He grinned down at her. "Go get dressed, dear. We'll send the reply and go to Diagon Alley."
ASP
Antalia slid to a stop and walked out of the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace. Brushing off soot from her royal blue summer robes, she held her head high and stood next to her parents as they waited for the Malfoys.
Ever since she could remember, Antalia had spent her days at either Lestrange Mansion or Malfoy Manor. Uncle Lucius was kinder to her than he ever was to other people. Then again, they were family. How could he not?
Aunt Narcissa was Bellatrix's sister, and she always had cookies or fairy treats for the young girl. They weren't made by Narcissa, of course, but the gesture was never unappreciated.
Draco was, by far, Antalia's favorite cousin. She didn't care much for Millicent Bulstrode, who was just barely related to her; nor did she care much for Vincent Crabbe. Marcus Flint was, in her eyes, tolerable, but she would never initiate a conversation. She had never met the Potters, and didn't really want to; and all her other cousins were either dead, dying or in jail. Draco she could actually hold an intelligent conversation with, and they had many things in common, such as their lack of interest in Astonomy, their love for snakes (especially cobras), their hatred for two-timers, and their fierce loyalty to their friends and family.
Draco Malfoy was practically her brother, and even though he was a year younger, she did not act superior around him. Nor did she act nastily towards him, unless he initiated it first.
After what seemed like ages, the fireplace glowed green again. But it wasn't the Malfoy family that came out of the fire. No, it was a family far, far worse and inferior.
The Weasleys. The name left a sour taste in her mouth, and she regarded them with contempt. Her green eyes took in the slightly battered and dirty robes (though it might have been just the soot), the sheer amount of members, and their eager little faces. Though, she noted, the Weasley matriarch seemed to be missing.
The oldest Weasley was the first to react. "Ah, the Lestranges, is it?" He greeted politely, though Antalia detected a hint of peevishness in his voice. Rodolphus nodded.
"Arthur. Children." Her father greeted curtly, not bothering to take the small bow usually required by the pureblooded elite. Of course, Antalia sneered, it wasn't as though any of them would understand the proper etiquette.
As Mr. Weasley was just about to open his mouth, presumably to introduce all his children, the fireplace roared and out stepped Lucius Malfoy.
"Uncle." Antalia said only a touch warmer, curtseying. He bowed slightly.
"Antalia. Ah, Bella, Rodolphus, you're early." He said in mock surprise.
Rodolphus narrowed his dark brown eyes. "No, Lucius, you are late."
Uncle Lucius sighed as Draco and Aunt Narcissa stepped out of the fireplace. "We are not simply late, my dear, distant cousin. We are fashionably late."
"Is there a difference?" Mr. Weasley interjected, his face a mixed expression of distrust and curiosity.
"Not that you would know, you're practically-" Bellatrix began. Rodolphus squeezed her hand gently but firmly.
"Not here, Bella." He murmured. Uncle Lucius was sneering openly at the Weasley family, and Narcissa pretended not to notice them. Draco was also glaring at them with contempt.
"I would suggest you all leave here and mind your own business." Lucius told them coldly. "We wouldn't want to take up the entire pub now, do we?"
With one last glance, the Malfoys left, with Bellatrix and Rodolphus right behind them. Already Narcissa and Bella had struck up conversation, and Draco looked back to tell Antalia to hurry up when he realized that she was not there.
ASP
Antalia was currently hissing at a gleeful Weasley twin. "Let go of me, you piece of filth!" She spat, yanking her arm out of his grasp.
"Calm down, I just wanted to know your name!" The Weasel twin raised both hands up in a mock surrender. "Can't a lad ask for a pretty girl's name now?" In a flash Antalia had her mother's second wand out and pointed it at his freckled face.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't curse you to hell and back right now." She hissed. His face broke into a large grin.
"What, you don't like-" A bang and a muffled curse later, Antalia was dragging the boy by his ear towards his father.
"Please keep your son in line, Mr. Weasley. I would hate to cause him more harm." She told the stunned man pensively. He nodded.
"You know you love me!" The boy yelled at her, mischief glittering in his brown eyes.
Antalia whipped around. "The day I love you will be the day I DROP DEAD, Weasley!" With that, she walked into the back of the pub and entered Diagon Alley.
