-insert disclaimer-

Today = Hell.

We are starting school again, and Shane is off to his sixth year, and I am starting my fifth, and of course Kevin is in his fourth. None of us actually want to get up before the sun has risen, but that's what we have been forced to do. The rules for Hogwarts has changed. No one is living in the houses anymore, though the Common Rooms are still in use for those students of whom they belong to.

Yes, we got a big long letter about all the changes.

Voldemort is the Headmaster now, and I'm sure it will be a huge joy to see him. Kevin told me he had already seen him when he was rescuing Annie from Hogwarts a little while ago, and apparently the Dark Lord isn't much of a looker. We are no longer allowed to stay at Hogwarts, and must return home to our homes once the day is done. The latest we are allowed to stay is ten o'clock, and only if we are using a classroom or library. To get to school, the Apparating ban has been lifted, so most of the older students will be apparating into some of the check-points. The rest of us are allowed to Floo in, fly in, or take the train in daily, but the general summary of the paragraph Lucius read us was that the staff no longer cared how we got to school, as long as we were there.

I slowly entered the kitchen, rubbing some sleep out of my eyes. Dad frowned, "Why are you wearing an orange tie?"

I stared down at it, wondering why the big, bright Gryffindor badge on my sweater had not given it away, "Because that's my house colour?"

Shane and Kevin had their green ties on, hanging loosely around their necks, and their faces were shoved into two large bowls of cereal.

"I don't want you wearing that," he stated, folding his arms. "Not in this house."

"Too bad," I grumbled, "I'm in Gryffindor, so live with it."

"I beg your pardon?" he snarled.

I rolled my eyes, "Yell at me when I'm more awake to understand why, Dad."

He let out a defeated grumble and buried his face behind a newspaper. I looked at Shane and he smirked, then returned to his cereal.

"Morning!" Annie said cheerfully, standing by the door of the kitchen, a stupid grin on her face, "Going to school?"

"Yes," we all groaned in unison.

She smirked a little more, "Have fun! I'm going back to bed, and sleeping in until ten!"

We glared at her and she flittered off, still smiling. She always does it to us; every single year she comes down to make fun of us. I personally can't wait for her to start schooling.

When we finished our breakfast, we hurried around up in our rooms, grabbing book bags and books, along with our house cloaks.

"I heard a rumour you're going to be the only Gryffindor coming back," Kevin chuckled as we walked towards the large fireplace in the main hall. "You nervous?"

I shot him a look, "Where'd you hear that from?"

"A friend."

Kevin hears most of his gossip from his friends at school, and being the Slytherins they are, most of it is made up junk.

"I have a feeling more Gryffindors will show," I shrugged. "We're brave."

"Not that brave," Shane countered from behind me, snatching the Floo bucket from the top of the mantel. "Most of the Gryffindors were old Dumbledore supports... Even though he's been dead for years!"

The statement had been true; there was a painting of Dumbledore hidden in every dorm room in our house, and it was no mystery who the Gryffindors sided with.

"More people will be there," I said firmly, grabbing a handful of Floo powder. "I know it."

My first few steps into the Great Hall of Hogwarts were wonderful. I had missed the school so much over the holidays, and after all the clamor of moving in with the Malfoys, this was the only place that seemed familiar to me.

Then I noticed it.

Kevin was right.

Everywhere I looked, all I saw were green ties and snakes.

Boy snakes.

"Shane," I breathed, stepping closer to him, "where are all the girls?"

"I was just wondering the same thing," he mouthed. "What the fuck?"

My eyes peeled through the crowd, until I finally stopped a mass of curly black hair, belonging to a friend of mine in Ravenclaw, Tracy Young.

We had always been in each others' classes, and for the first two years we weren't exactly the best of friends, but over the past three years, we've gotten rather close. I left Shane and Kevin when I noticed a group of their friends were heading towards them, and rushed through the crowd.

"Tracy?"

She turned back, "Eloise! Oh thank Merlin you're here! Where are all the girls?"

I hugged her quickly, and whispered, "I don't know... Where's the rest of your house?"

"It seems like I'm the only one who showed up," she stated, glancing back at her empty Ravenclaw table, "and I'm guessing it's the same for you."

I turned back to the Gryffindor table, which was the third one in the line, next to the Slytherins, and I shrugged, "Maybe more will come soon?"

"Hopefully more girls will come soon," she whispered, "I can see boys from first to seventh year... But I don't see any girls!"

A tall man dressed in teachers robes grabbed our arms and dragged us out of the Great Hall, much to our shock. He stopped in the hall and my eyes widened when I spotted Voldemort standing in front of us, his eyes sweeping down to our house badges.

"So we do have a variety this year," he chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "I can have new robes made for you soon."

I frowned, and while forgetting my fear of him, raised an eyebrow, "Why would we need new robes? These fit fine."

His already thin eyes narrowed at me, "Because they do not say Slytherin on them."

"What's your point?" I inquired, "I'm perfectly happy being a Gryffindor, and Tracy likes being a Ravenclaw."

Tracy pinched my arm in fear and I winced, trying awkwardly to move my arm enough to get her off.

"You'll watch how you speak to me," he hissed softly. "We've brought back some of the older more... effective punishments this year."

My eyes widened and I gulped.

I remember hearing Snape and Lucius talk about punishments that were forced to stop when they started their fourth year.

Hanging students by their thumbs...

Whippings...

Spells...

And with Voldemort as the mind behind all these, there's no telling what could happen.

"We can be in Slytherin... It's okay," Tracy said quickly.

Voldemort smiled, "That's a good girl... Ms. Young, I take it?"

She nodded and her grip on my arm tightened a little more. I grunted and with as much subtlety as I could muster, unclawed her nails from my arm.

"I still don't want to change," I stated. "The hat put me in Gryffindor, and I'm staying in Gryffindor."

"That's perfectly fine, Ms. Malfoy," he sneered. "You seem to be too stubborn for Slytherin anyway."

I wasn't too sure if that was a good thing, but I took it.

"Um... Headmaster?" Tracy squeaked, "Where are all the other... girls."

Voldemort grinned and made a teepee with his hands as he spoke, "You'll notice the very small amount of students here... I've only allowed Purebloods to return to Hogwarts, and it seems your families are as traditional. Most of the girls, in previous times, were not allowed to study."

My jaw dropped, "So no more are coming?"

"Is that a problem, Ms. Malfoy?" he asked sharply.

I felt my fists closing, not quite enjoying the 'Malfoy' name at the end of mine, "Of course not. Tracy and I are in different houses... But seeing as we're the only girls, may we sit at the same table?"

Voldemort nodded to the teacher and departed, either ignoring my question, or agreeing to it.

I grabbed Tracy's arm and dragged her back into the Great Hall, looking around in disgust at all the boys. I like having mixed schools, and boys are usually a lot more fun to joke around with then girls, but there are just ... so many of them.

Shane was seated with the usual Quidditch jocks, which included Darius Zabini, looking as piggish as ever. Kevin was also sitting with his large group of friends. I've always been slightly envious of his abilities to make friends so fast. But he always has been funny, which helps a lot. My humour is more dry and sarcastic, which for some reason offends people.

"So... Are we going to be the only girls, all year?" Tracy whispered as we took a seat at the Gryffindor table. I watched her, and rolled my eyes as a hint of excitement sparkled in her eyes.

She had always been a little intimidated by other girls, always saying they were prettier then she was, and that was why boys never went for her.

I suppose now that she has only me to fight with for a boy's attention, she'll be quite happy.

"Maybe some more will come," I muttered, shrugging my shoulders, then quickly changed the subjects. "Wonder what our teachers will be like..."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" I grunted, nearly slipping on my damn shoes as I rounded the corner, running as fast as I could through the empty halls. I had exactly two minutes to get to my class, or I'll be late.

So far, today, I've had Potions, which was tolerable, unfortunately with Slytherins. Then I had History of Magic with Tracy, or well... I guess I should say Ravenclaw. We were, sadly, the only two people in class. Professor Binns is still teaching it, and we are still day dreaming through it.

Dad says they tried to get rid of the old ghost when he was in his seventh year of Hogwarts, but the ghost just wouldn't leave, thus forcing the staff to keep him.
Now, however, I have Dark Arts, no doubt a class made up by Voldemort himself. I keep wondering whatever happened to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I spotted the door to my classroom and sped up, only to have a tall man appear in the doorway, give me a look, then slam the door.

I stopped dead in my tracks and my jaw literally fell open. He saw me coming! And all he did was smile and slam the door! I stormed over to the door and pushed against it, but to my shock, it was locked.

My temper began to curdle as I banged against it with my fist. The door flew open and a square faced man appeared, his cold blue eyes staring down at me hard.

"Listen, sugar, I don't know what you're on... But normally a little tap gets the job done."

His accent was American, maybe somewhere from up North, and it was sarcastically spiteful. I glared at him, "You saw me coming, and slammed the door..."

"You just don't look big enough to be in this class," he stated, raising an eyebrow. "Intro to Dark Arts is down the hall, cupcake."

He began to shut the door again, but I jammed by foot between the door and the wall, "I just happen to have skipped a year."

"Well shut me up and paint me blue!" he droned, opening the door as wide as he could and bowing, "Please... Bring that gifted brain into my room... Grace us with your presence."

I strode into the room and glanced at the clock; I wasn't even late!

Shane smirked at me and I sent him a less then amused look, then slammed my books down on the desk and sat in the only seat left; next to Darius.

"Why you all heated up, lovely?" Darius asked, leaning closer to me and smiling.

I rolled my eyes, "Just because this desk is big enough to fit two people, doesn't mean you need to sit that close to me... Move away."

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong," my new teacher inquired, rubbing his temples, "but I don't remember saying you could actually... talk. So sit down, shut up the Hell up, and put your books on your desk."

"They are," I snapped, motioning to my books.

He smirked, "You see, princess, I had to add that little command in there so you wouldn't get all distressed with the shut the Hell up comment. I'm not allowed to just say that anymore."

I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair, folding my arms over my chest.

"Now," he said loudly, "I'm Professor Diert, but you will never use that name, or suffer under pain of death. Mr. D is the only thing I'll respond to, understood?"

We all nodded and I slowly inched my chair away from Darius.

"I used to teach at the Salem Academy for Boys," Mr. D continued, "and they brought me here because I can handle smartass little pieces of skin, like yourselves. I don't take shit from anyone, and I don't have a problem with handling a lot of you on my own. Hey Shane, how ya doing?"

My brother's smirk grew wider and he leaned back in his chair arrogantly, "Pretty fucking terrific, Mr. D."

"Good answer," Mr. D stated, folding his hands behind his back. "When I ask how you're doing... I don't give a damn about your life, I'm making conversation that a teacher is forced to make with his students. So you reply with something along the lines of 'I'm doing fine and I know you don't want to keep this conversation going, so I'll shut up now, thanks', got it?"

Jeez this guy is obnoxious. I knew from that point on, it was going to be a very long year.

"Now open up your books to the first page, and read until class is over," he ordered with a falsely cheery smile on his face, "and Merlin have mercy on the poor soul who bothers me within the next hour about what we're doing in class. Just read."

I flipped open my book and stared at the first few lines, not really concentrating on the task at hand. This... guy was just so arrogant and annoying. He must get some sick pleasure by ordering people around, since he settled down at his desk, put his feet up, and started to munch on an apple.

Shane was seated in front of me, talking about the usual rubbish (which would be Quidditch for anyone who hasn't picked up on that yet) with his friend. I leaned forward and whispered, "Shane... Shane!"

He turned back, "What?"

He always hated the fact that I was in one of his classes, and was usually really rude to me when I was with him.

"Has this guy taught you before?" I asked.

He nodded, "The entire time I was there he was my teacher for Defense... Guess it's kinda ironic he's here with me."

I rolled my eyes, "He seems like a jerk."

"Just don't push his buttons-"

"Oh sugarplum," Mr. D called from the front, "Little lady... I don't recall asking you to talk, once again... Get your nose back into the book, where it belongs, or I'll put it there."

"Why doesn't Shane get told off?" I demanded, "He was talking too!"

"Go see the Headmaster, I don't have the time to deal with you."

My insides turned, "What?"

"Go see the Headmaster... Are you deaf now too, creampuff?" he asked, smirking at me, "I don't want to deal with you."

"What happened to all that crap about you being able to handle any of us?" I asked.

He glared at me, "Darling... You've got four seconds to get out of my classroom before I remove you with my wand."

"But-"

"One."

"You're being totally-"

"Two."

"Unfair! I haven't-"

"Three."

"Done anything wrong-"

"Four."

I only narrowly avoided getting hit with a curse as I flew out of the classroom, slamming the door behind me.

I knocked on the Voldemort's office door and sighed, entering after I heard a muffled "What?" from inside. I had been in the Headmaster's office a few times before, and it still looked the same. Walls lined with bookshelves, thick, plush carpets, and light trickling in from all the windows. Never would have thought Voldemort would like the layout of the office.

He glanced up from his work, looked back down, and groaned, "Can I help you, Ms. Malfoy?"

"I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of each other this year," I stated, rolling my eyes. "May as well call me Eloise."

He stared at me and I shifted back and forth, "Or Ms. Malfoy is good too... Whatever floats your boat."

I love that saying. We had a huge thing, a long time ago, that we tried to say 'Whatever floats your boat' as many times as we could fit into a conversation. It was a sad waste of time, and something that Annie never understood.

It was worth it in the end.

"So is there a reason for you making my morning just a little brighter?" he asked, sitting up a little straighter and looking me directly in the eye.

I instantly felt uncomfortable and began to fidget with my uniform, "Um... I got sent here for... talking back?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Talking back? To who?"

"Mr. D."

Voldemort grinned evilly and folded his hands together, "Oh yes... D is a fine attribute to this teaching staff..."

He paused for a moment, and his smile instantly turned into a snarl, "Don't you give him any cheek. If it wasn't your first day back I'd have you sent to the dungeons to be disciplined by Filch Junior."

Aunt Hermione told me stories about Filch Senior, who was the caretaker in her days at Hogwarts. He had a mangy cat named Mrs. Norris, who in the end, turned out to be an animagus woman, who was his wife.

Eerie, I know, but now his son is working at the school, and has been for the past three years.

"I'm ... sorry, Headmaster," I muttered, still fumbling with my uniform sleeve, "I'll try and not give him... cheek."

"Good... Ten points from Gryffindor for causing trouble on his first day of teaching," Voldemort groaned, returning back to his paperwork.

My mouth hung open slightly as I stated, "But... But it's the first day of term... And I'm the only one in the Gryffindor house! How can I get points taken away when I don't have any?"

"Then you're at negative ten... Get out."

"Your sister's on fire already," Darius chuckled, poking Shane in the back with his foot. "She always like that?"

"What, ready to start a fight?" Shane pondered the notion for a moment, "Yeah... Pretty much."

"So you okay with her being here?" one of his friends asked, a sly grin on his face.

Shane frowned, "In this class? Yeah, why not?"

"No... Here in general..." his friend droned, rolling his eyes. "You know there's going to be tons of guys after her... Whether they like her or not, since she and that Ravenclaw girl are the only two of their... kind here."

Shane froze; he was right. Besides Tracy, his sister was the only girl in the school, at the moment. Even the usual Slytherin girls that followed him and his friends around weren't at school that day.

Had a school just for girls been made and they weren't notified?

"So I'm thinking of getting that Ravenclaw to... tutor me," one snorted, winking at the group. "You know... Help me earn my extra credit."

"Well you can all go for the Ravenclaw tramp," Darius stated. "Eloise is mine."

Shane's head whipped back and he snarled, "Keep your fucking hands off my sister... If you haven't noticed by now, she isn't interested."

"Oh I seem to have hit a nerve."

Shane's hands turned to fists, but he simply turned away, making a mental note to pound Zabini once they were out of class.

Draco stared at the fridge, groaning as Annie tapped her foot impatiently behind him, "Are you going to make me a sandwich, or do I have to do it?"

"I don't want you to handle the knives," he stated, grabbing some bread and a few other ingredients from inside. "You may hurt yourself."

It was the other children's' first day of school, and the manor seemed oddly quiet with them gone.

He hadn't seen his father this happy in a long time.

"I can make my own sandwiches," Annie stated as she followed him around the kitchen, shadowing his every move. "Why can't I?"

He thought he had already answered the question, but apparently not, "Because I don't want you handling the knives."

"She isn't incompetent, Draco," Hermione proclaimed as she entered the kitchen, her typical scolding look in her eyes. "Just let her make it."

"She can hardly reach the counter," he drawled. "I'll make it."

He wished she wouldn't butt into every aspect of his life, at least the ones concerning his own children. He knew he could handle them, on his own, without some snotty know-it-all's help.

"Annie doesn't like tomatoes," she chided, snatching the slice away before he could put it on. "She likes lettuce, mayo, ham and mustard."

Draco looked down at the ingredients before him and noticed none of them were what Hermione had listed. He let out a frustrated growl and dropped the knife on the counter, "Fine then, Granger... Why don't you just do it, seeing that I'm complete rubbish at this!"

He began to stalk off towards the door, but Hermione let out a tutting sound and grabbed his arm, wrenching him back, "Don't act like such a brat, Draco Malfoy. Now... Go back to the fridge and get a head of lettuce, a jar of mayo, some of the ham, and the mustard. Annie, sweetie... Go get yourself a glass of juice and go sit in your special room... You can have lunch with TV today."

She released a happy squeak and pushed past Draco to the frig, retrieving a pitcher of orange juice, then scuttled off to find a cup.

"Aunt Hermione?" she called suddenly, "You're making my sandwich... Right?"

Hermione shook her head, "No... I'm going to teach your father how to make it."

She glanced at Draco and smirked, "Doesn't daddy know how to make a sandwich?"

"Not the kind you enjoy," Hermione answered before the sarcastic comment at the tip of Draco's tongue could be released onto his daughter.

Annie shrugged her should and filled up a glass of orange juice, put the pitcher back into the frig, then skipped out of the room.

Draco instantly felt himself send Hermione a scalding glare as she grabbed a plate from one of the cupboards and handed it to him, "Set this on the counter."

"Can't I just get a house elf to do this?" he groaned, setting the plate down and crossing his arms.

Hermione pursed her lips together and her eyes narrowed, "Malfoy, this is for your daughter. You can't make short cuts and get someone else to do it just because you don't know how."

"I know how to make a sandwich!" he snarled, "It isn't a complicated procedure!"

"Annie is a finicky little thing who won't eat it if she doesn't like how it looks," Hermione stated, sticking her nose in the air. "It must be on white bread, cut diagonally, and the crust must be cut off and left on the side of the plate."

Draco's eyes widened, "Why the bloody Hell would I do all that for her? Can't she just eat it as it is?"

"She won't eat it if it's not done like that," Hermione argued, shaking her head. "Now get some lettuce out from the fridge, and don't question me."

Draco turned back to the fridge, grumbling, and retrieved the items she told him to.

She hadn't changed; she was bossy in school, and she was bossy at home. It was hard to believe he was living with her.

"Right... Now make sure the slices aren't too big, or she'll take them out."

"Why is she so damn picky?" he demanded, carefully slicing up some lettuce, "Where does she get it from?"

"I wonder," Hermione muttered sarcastically, shooting him a look, which he caught full blast of.

He straightened up, "I'm not that picky."

"I never said anything," Hermione countered as she delicately sliced off the crust of the two pieces of bread.

Draco shot her a glare, of course she didn't say anything. She didn't have to say anything, since her less then subtle hint was all in the tone of her voice.
He cut the piece of lettuce with a little more force then he meant to use, but it was out of frustration.

When they both finished chopping what was needed to be chopped in silence, Hermione quickly put the mayo and mustard onto the bread, stating, "The mayo has to go on one side, and the mustard on another. They are never allowed to touch."

Draco personally wondered what would happen if he 'disobeyed' his new daughter's wishes, and decided he would try it one day. She needed to learn not to be so spoiled, but perhaps he was the only one who noticed this.

"And there we are..." Hermione sighed, "Finished. Now go bring it to her."

"What am I, her servant?" he spat, stepping away from the plate Hermione was handing him.

She rolled her eyes, "You're her father, who loves her and is going to bring her lunch."

He wished she wouldn't use the 'loving father' excuse for everything, since it made him feel guilty if he didn't do what she told him to.

Sending her a heated look, he snatched away the plate and stormed out of the kitchen, trying desperately to ignore her smug look of satisfaction.

Once Annie had completed a rather thorough inspection on her sandwich, she dug in and completely ignored Draco. He wondered why he went through all the trouble of listening to that insufferable Hermione Granger if he wasn't even going to get a 'thank you' from his daughter.

Rather disgruntled, he stomped back to the kitchen to get himself some lunch, only to walk in on Hermione and his father chatting.

"You know what we were just discussing, Draco?" his father asked, a light smile on his lips.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "I haven't the slightest idea, Father."

"Well... Now that the children are off to school, and will be studying a great deal of the week, your father thought I should get a job," Hermione exclaimed shyly, twisting her hands together.

Draco nodded, "I suppose it would keep your mind active."

He wondered what Hermione would be like if she didn't have something to read.

She would probably go mental.

"Then, I suggested she could work for Lynn, since the old dear is quite busy."

Draco nodded absentmindedly, then froze, "Lynn? My Lynn? As in... my secretary Lynn?"

His father smirked, "Unless you know another Lynn that works? I find Ms. Granger to be quite intelligent... And she'll work well with Lynn. I want you to take her with you to the office tomorrow and introduce the pair."

Draco opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to determine whether he had just been given an order, or a suggestion.

"Oh... I don't know if Draco would want me around the office," Hermione interrupted.

His father waved her off, "Nonsense... The office is dreadfully boring and the people are overworked, except Draco. You can assist his secretary, and maybe even take over her job for a day or so. She needs a little bit of a break."

His father shot Draco a wry smile, then left, leaving an awkward silence settling over the pair.

"You... You don't mind if I come to work for you, do you?" Hermione asked finally.

Draco let out a small growl, "No... I suppose Lynn could use some help. As long as you don't bother me-"

"Oh, thank you Draco!" she exclaimed, giving him a quick hug, "I've needed to do something academic for such a long time, and now I finally can! Thank you, thank you!"

He stood still as she scurried off, babbling to herself. He was a little numb from being hugged by Hermione, that it took him a few moments to register what had just happened.

This was his father's doing.

He stalked off to his father's study and stepped inside, spotting his elder sitting at the desk.

"You just want her out of the house," Draco snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Lucius. "You're happy that Eloise, Shane and Kevin are at school, and if Granger and I have to go to work every other day and whatnot... and Mum goes shopping or out... Then all you have is Annie around the house!"

Lucius grinned, "An excellent hypothesis, Draco. Now... Prove it."

Draco shot him a glare and stormed out, knowing it would not be worth the argument.