The Darkest Heir

Once Returned

Ruby stood at the edge of platform 9 ¾ and inhaled the scents around her. She was so happy to be able to see this scene again, and feel the way she did once a year ago.

Ruby's return to Hogwarts had been doubtful from the start of the summer. Upon returning home, she was not treated with kindness. Her father was furious at her for not handing the sorcerer's stone to her at the end of her first year. That was apparently why he stunned her, because he thought she was about to hand it over to Harry Potter, even though Ruby hadn't made up her mind.

Harry Potter. She wondered what he was doing now. Was he thinking of her? Were any of them? Then again, why should she care? They had promised to write to her and yet, none had. She was been alone this summer.

Well not exactly alone. That was a lie. She had Draco Malfoy there to keep her company. He visited almost every day that summer and the two had gotten closer than they ever had before. He had been by her side since she had first learned of her heritage and her dark destiny. He had never left her. That is, until about five minutes ago. But he was off to find Pansy, so she didn't mind.

She needed a moment alone anyways. She needed to think. Her father had made her promise this year would be different. Different as in, she would leave the Gryffindor friends she had made alone. She was to focus on herself, and her destiny.

"Do not forget," She remembered her father saying, "You are the only one I have. Is something happens to you, I don't know what would happen. Our legacy, everything…would be gone."

She shuddered and thought of Harry again.

She didn't know it, but at the exact same moment, Harry was also thinking of her. He stood at the other end of the platform with his luggage quite alone. He ran a hand threw his shaggy black hair and stood up to his full height, which had been extended quite a few inches over the summer.

Just then he thought he saw a glimpse of bright red hair. He only knew one person with hair that color. Her name was Ruby.

He met her at the beginning of last year and they had not gotten along very well at all. Ruby apparently came from a long line of dark wizards who used to be loyal to Voldemort. She had come to school with harsh, prejudice ideas, but eventually she had dropped everything she had ever been taught about people to befriend himself, Ron and Hermione.

Just then he saw her for the first time in months. She had grown as well, and he red hair was now down to her waist. Her face was older-looking and she was taller. Yet, she was somehow darker than he remembered. He didn't know what it was, but she seemed more serious and more determined. Overall, he thought she was even more stunning than he remembered.

Ruby saw him too, she just pretended not to. He was definitely taller than he had been. His hair was much longer and he was sturdier than he had been before.

She noticed him trying to catch her eye but wouldn't look his way. She couldn't, for his own good.

"There you are!" Draco ran up to Ruby and put an arm on her shoulder. "Pansy got us a compartment alone. C'mon."

Ruby allowed herself to be steered away, leaving Harry confused and alone. Ruby felt bad, but didn't show it. She saw out of the corner of her eye that he was quickly joined by Ron and Hermione.

She shook her head and followed Draco onto the train. It was roomier and warmer than she remembered. She felt at peace at last. She was going back to Hogwarts, her real home. Everything would be okay.

"So Ruby, how was your summer?" asked Pansy, the tall, gangly Slytherin girl.

"Um, it was okay. But to be honest it would have been a drag without Draco. He kept me company."

Draco flashed her a brilliant smile but quickly looked away.

"Hey Ruby, I've been meaning to ask you, did your dad tell you about that necklace?"

Draco was referring to a silver locket Ruby always wore around her neck. It was small, so barely anyone noticed it. And on the front it pictured an emerald serpent, the color of her brilliant eyes.

"No…he didn't answer any questions about it. Why do you know if it means anything?"

Draco shrugged. "No. Last year he just told me to give it to you. When it seemed like you might be drifting away from her heritage. It did seem like that last year. I'm glad you've changed your ways. Who knows, if you hang with us more during the year, maybe Dumbledore will let you switch houses?"

Ruby nodded politely. Switching houses. From Gryffindor to Slytherin, about as opposite as you could possibly get.

Her whole family before her had been in Slytherin, known for its cunning, dark wizards. As opposed to Gryffindor, where she had been sorted, which was known for brave and noble wizards and witches. She had always known it had been a mistake. The Sorting Hat claimed it didn't make mistakes, but it seemed it must have this time around.

The rest of the train ride went by fast. Ruby talked with Pansy, Draco and the other Slytherins and didn't see Harry or the others once. She was perfectly okay with that, too. The less they knew about what had happened this summer, the better.

The feast was fairly awkward. Harry, Ron and Hermione finally greeted her with giant hugs. She returned them politely and then turned away fast. She spent most of the feast sitting far down the table from them, instead talking to Ginny, who had just been sorted into Gryffindor.

The rest of the night was a blur of sleepiness and loneliness for Ruby. Her friends sensed she wanted to remain alone, and so they left her like that.

"Hopefully, tomorrow will be better." Ruby found herself thinking wishfully. She didn't understand, she was back at Hogwarts, why wasn't she happy?

"Ruby, wait up!" Draco ran up to her in the hallway the following morning. "I've been looking for you, ready for Potions?"

Ruby shrugged. Instead of answering, she eyed Ron, Harry and Hermione as they walked a few paces ahead of her. Ron turned and gave her a dirty look. She knew she deserved it for ignoring them all day.

"-And I was thinking, it would be cool if you came too?" Draco was asking.

"I'm sorry, I totally blanked, what?" Ruby asked, giving herself a mental slap.

"The welcome back party. We're having a party in the Slytherin dorm, I want you to come with me." Draco asked hopefully.

"Oh, yeah, definitely." Ruby flashed him a bright but fake smile.

Draco seemed satisfied though as he gently led her down the corridor to potions.

"A Slytherin party?" Ruby found herself wondering. "I'm not even in Slytherin."

Later that night, Ruby was getting ready to go out with Draco to the party. Hermione came into her room and stopped short when she saw Ruby.

"Ruby…listen, we need to talk." Hermione began slowly, "Why have you been avoiding us? I know something happened this summer, please tell me and we can-"

"You can't help." Ruby snapped. She immediately regretted it. "I mean, I'm sorry Hermione, I can't tell you. It'll be okay though." Ruby wished it were true.

"OK then." Hermione was clearly not satisfied with her answer. She paced around the dorm room and finally seated herself on the bed. "Why are you all dressed up?"

Ruby looked down at her clothes. She wore a short black skirt and over it a bright green halter top. Her sliver locket was clearly visible over her exposing shirt.

"I'm just going to a party." Ruby answered flatly as she tried to squeeze her feet into her black heels.

"With who?" Hermioen refused to drop the subject.

Ruby felt her temper flaring. "Well, if you must know, Draco invited me." Ruby quickly grabbed her purse and headed towards the spiraling stairs.

"You're changed Ruby."

Ruby turned when Hermione spoke. "What do you mean?" She was scared of what the answer was.

"Last year we were all such good friends…you seemed to really forget about your family's teachings. We had so much fun, you, me, Ron….and I saw the way you looked at Harry."

Ruby winced.

"And now…you're off to a party with Draco Malfoy, and you're wearing that?" She pointed to Ruby's unusual ensemble.

"Look….Hermione, I'm sorry if I hurt you. But this is for the better, trust me. I'll tell you about it later." Ruby lied.

Hermione nodded. "Have fun, I guess."

Ruby looked at her friend for one last moment before hurrying down the stairs and out into the hallway. She saw Draco waiting for her outside the portal. But she also saw Ron and Harry approaching fast.

"Ruby?!" Ron gasped when he saw his friend. "You look-"

"Great." Draco finished for Ron. "You look great, I mean." He took her by the arm. "Don't you agree Potter?"

Ruby silently begged for him not to answer. Harry's eyes stayed focused on hers. As did, whenever Harry looked into her eyes, she felt a s small shock radiate threw her body.

"She looks different." Harry answered coldly. Ruby begged for forgiveness with her eyes.

"We're going to a party." Draco bragged. Ruby desperately wanted to slap him across the face.

Harry's expression looked pained. "Well then, if this is what you want. I guess we'll talk later."

Seeing Harry's expression hurt Ruby badly. "Wait, Harry!" She tried to call to him but he clearly ignored her as he walked through the Fat Lady's picture frame.

"C'mon, Ruby." Draco led Ruby by the arm away from the Gryffindors and her friends.

They walked in silence until they arrived at the dungeons where she knew the Slytherin common room to be. When they walked in the entrance to the common room, she was astonished to see the amount of people there.

Pansy quickly rushed to her side, beaming. She was dressed similarly to Ruby minus the silver chain.

"The guest of honor has arrived!" Pansy declared as she grabbed Ruby's hand. The room broke out into cheers.

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked flatly, and cautiously.

"This whole party is for you! We didn't tell you at first because Draco was sure if we did, you wouldn't come."

"He was right…" Ruby mumbled. She hated attention. Little did she knew that was all her life was going to become.

"A toast to Ruby!" Draco called out holding a glass in the air.

"Why are you toasting me?" She asked desperately.

"Well, I can't say it out loud, because it's hard to know if everyone here is completely loyal to your father. " He whispered, "Basically…we're toasting you, heir to the Dark Lord's thrown. Soon Ruby, you will lead us all."

Ruby felt weak at her knees. Yes, this summer she had accepted her fate. She had been preached of her destiny and decided she couldn't fight it any longer. But this was too much. Eventually she thought, she would need allies and support like this. But now, she was just a scared 12 year old girl, who didn't want this kind of attention.

"Draco…I, I have to go."

Ruby ran out of the room in a hurry. She ran all the way back to the Gryffindor common room and quickly took off her party clothes.

She slipped on comfy pajamas and took off her high heels. They had each left many blisters because she never wore them. Hermioene was right, she realized. She was changing. But she didn't want too!

They didn't understand, Ruby thought of Ron, Hermione and Harry. She was ignoring them for their own good, especially Harry's. She had been trying to hide her feelings about this, but the truth was, her father had said that if he received news from Draco that she had been hanging around with Harry Potter, he would eliminate him.

Like for good. Ruby had no choice, she had to continue to stay close to Draco and stay away from Harry. If she didn't…and Draco told her father…she couldn't bear to think of what he might do.

Yes, this was Ruby's only option. With a heavy heart, Ruby threw herself onto her bed and fell into a feverish, troubled sleep.

Ta da! By the way, this is one of the longest chapters to The Darkest Heir there has ever been! I'm very proud of this one.

So what do you guys think? Like that little twist at the end? If Ruby stays friends with Harry and the others, Daddy wouldn't be too pleased. He might even be angry enough to see that they're all eliminated for good. So what will Ruby do? Keep checking for updates, there will be some soon!

Any ideas? Comments? Questions? Please leave a review, I live to read them.