A/N: So, I haven't had to deal with too many foul comments on this story as many of my readers seem to genuinely enjoy this story, however I received two rather disheartening comments about the feasibility of this story and it's come to my attention that the beginning timeline, as well as the fact that Draco and Hermione being half-siblings is a bit disbelievable, which if anyone has done their research they would know that it is completely feasible. But first let me address the Harry Potter fandom as a whole. I have often had conversations with both of my parents, who are rather avid fans like myself, and it has been expressed that this fandom, of all the multitude of fandoms that I write for is the most toxic because a small percentage of outspoken assholes like to tear other writers down and completely trash their stories, so I'm going to remind every single one of you that I do this for my own enjoyment, and have no problem with discontinuing or even completely removing a story from this site if you cannot or refuse to be civil. If you don't like the story, don't fucking read it. Do not tear my story apart because you think it's not feasible, it's called FanFiction for a reason, it is fiction, written by fans. We make no money off of it, and us writers spend hours, for months and even years, bent over a computer writing because we want to. We don't have to share it with anyone. Now on to the timeline.
We all know, or should all know that Hermione is the eldest of the so-called Golden Trio, having been born on September 19th of 1979, and like Luna, who was I believe born in October of 1980, that means she wasn't accepted into Hogwarts until she was almost twelve years old. Now following a normal pregnancy of 40 weeks, that would put her conception somewhere around Christmas time of 1978. With the help of magic Pandora would have known that she was pregnant as soon as she missed her first menstrual cycle around the 10th of January in 1979. She faked her death less than a month later, sometime in mid to late February. After a near nine-month mourning period, Abraxas Malfoy forced Lucius into his marriage with Narcissa, which would put them at being married in late August, early September. Now Draco, being born in early June of 1980, would put his conception between the 8th and 16th of September, between eleven and three days from Hermione's birth. November 1st of 1981 would put Hermione at being twenty-five, almost twenty-six months old. Now Pandora would realize the danger both she and her daughter are in should it get out that she's still alive. Not only would her own mother disown her for Hermione's birth, but she feared she would also be hunted down by the dark as a traitor, so she did the only thing she could think of to keep her daughter safe; she hid her in the muggle world with the intention of coming back for her as soon as she could manage it safely. Now she was away from Hermione for approximately five years and in those five years she found out that the man she loved was married to another woman, her own cousin no less. There's emotional blow number one. Her younger brothers and her favorite cousin are essentially dead, with Bella and Sirius being in Azkaban and Regulus being thought as dead. Emotional blows two through four. Then, as she's finally starting to get over the facts that she'll never be with Lucius again and will likely never see Bella and Sirius again as well as the fac that her youngest brother is actually dead (so she thinks) her mother dies in 1985. Emotional blow number five. Now in 1986 she manages to make her way back to the orphanage, only to find that her daughter has already been adopted by a muggle family, a few hexes later and she know where said family and her daughter now live. She's captured by animal control in her animagus form and is put in the London Zoo, where due to the emotional trauma of the last five years, and the shock of finally seeing her daughter again after so long, she loses herself to the animal mind of her snake form. In 1991 she is released from the Zoo by Harry Potter, still locked away behind the snake-mind, which is how she remains until 1994 when Wormtail and Voldemort find her. Now as this story was started long before The Crimes of Grindlewald came out and Rowling revealed that Nagini was not just a magical snake and was indeed a Maledictus, I went off the theory that Nagini was the snake released from the Zoo and assumed that she had not been around during Voldemort' first blood war, thus Pandora became Nagini while in her snake form. At this point in time, Pandora "wakes up" so to speak and is aware of what's going on, but unable to do anything because her animagus mind still has a firm hold on her body, and it's not until the Department of Mysteries that she manages to overpower both the animal mind and the compulsion charms layered on said animal, enabling her to save Sirius from being killed.
There, now you have the complete timeline leading up to Pandora revealing herself in the DoM. If anyone has any other questions, feel free to PM me for answers. Also, yes, I already know that I need to fix Hermione's age in the beginning of the first chapter where I say she's almost two instead of having just turned two. That will be done after the story is finished because if I wind up going back to edit anything right now this story will wind up just like Harry Potter and the Lady of Blue Fire.
Now that I have spent more than a thousand words bitching and clarifying shit I shouldn't have to clarify, for assholes who don't know how to keep their mouths shut when they don't like something, we can finally move on to Chapter Twenty-two of Heiress of the Stars.
Chapter Twenty-Two:
It took no more than a few moments for Pandora to step through the fireplace at Malfoy Manor and pause to take stock of the things going on within earshot.
"You're back." She smiled at her fiancé and stepped towards him, hoping that he didn't notice her eyes were red rimmed from finding Regulus. That was not something she was willing to discuss until she was sure that her daughter was safe, and that there had been no lasting damage from Daphne's Imperius induced rejection of their bond.
"I am. How is she?" Lucius smiled softly;
"Miss Greengrass came through the floo about twenty minutes ago. The moment she walked into the room the storm stopped, and Hermione stopped shaking about five minutes ago. I think she's going to be fine, if a little agitated with Daphne until she stops apologizing." He paused and glanced at the stairs, making sure none of the boys were around to overhear the next part, "I haven't been able to tell Hermione about Daphne being under the Imperius because Draco and the others haven't left them alone together. I think all three of them are worried that Daphne will leave again."
"I will point out that it took only three days for us to have to put war wards around her bed just to keep everyone in the house safe from her magic's lashing out. They're likely afraid that it isn't over just yet, despite Daphne being back." Pandora reasoned, placing a chaste kiss on the blonde's cheek, "Come, let's go rescue Daphne from the well-meaning overprotectiveness of the boys." She looped her hand through his arm and tugged him towards their daughter's quarters.
The scene in the room as they entered was rather heartwarming; Hermione was locked in an embrace with Daphne, both girls had tears in their eyes as Daphne apologized over and over again for her actions, despite the fact they were not her fault.
"It's okay, you came back." Hermione murmured as she hugged the blonde tighter. Pandora turned her gaze towards the other teens in the room and smirked. Theodore looked a little put out, but ultimately relieved that Hermione was okay. Draco and Harry were both watching the blonde like hawks, ready to jump in a protect the curly headed witch should it be necessary.
"Daphne's actions were caused by being under the Imperious curse. They were not her own, so I would thank all of you to not to hold her accountable for them." Draco and Harry both looked at the dark-haired woman and frowned.
"Who cast it?" Pandora shook her head,
"We aren't sure yet. But as Hermione is your best friend Mister Potter, it stands that it could have been one of many Death Eaters, marked or unmarked, that cast it. Just being your friend puts those you care about in danger, which is something I'm sure you know already." Pandora hated lying but she couldn't have her soon to be son and the Chosen One running off to go after Narcissa. Harry frowned,
"I don't want anyone getting caught up in my war with Riddle." Hermione snorted as she pulled away from Daphne.
"It's not just your war Harry. Everyone in this room has something they would lose should Voldemort win." Most the people in the room flinched at the name, "My parents and I would now be considered blood-traitors, so would Draco, Daphne and Theo. Do you honestly think that just because we're all purebloods Voldemort would spare us?" Hermione's eyes flashed in a temper, "He wouldn't. We all chose to follow you, one way or another. So, shut up and accept the fact that you're not in this alone." She snapped the last part, leveling a steely glare on her best friend.
Harry sighed and shook his head, knowing it would just be easier to go along with whatever she said when she got like this. Daphne, Theo and Draco were all nodding along with Hermione's words,
"Face it, Potter. You're stuck with us and we're a whole hell of a lot more loyal than Weasley."
"Ron is-" Harry started, earning a dark glare from the Malfoy siblings
"A petty vicious child who turned on me because of my parentage and the fact that I was resorted into Slytherin. Which was done so I wouldn't have to deal with Gryffindor's petty feud with Slytherin or bullying for my parentage. If Ron doesn't get his head out of his arse soon, he'll be facing consequences that even you can't save him from for trying to besmirch the name of the Heiress of two Ancient and Noble houses. The Weasley family doesn't need that strife Harry." Hermione snapped, her grey eyes flashing with anger. Harry held up his hands in a placating manner. He knew Ron's hatred of all things Slytherin was going to get him in trouble, he just hoped the boy didn't drag his whole family down with him.
"Ron was my first friend Mi... I can't just turn my back on that." Draco snorted,
"Some friend. What with the way he turned his back on you last year and distanced himself from you in public this year due to the utter dragonshite the Daily Prophet was spewing about you and Dumbledore." Harry frowned at the older boy who just raised an eyebrow at him.
Pandora glanced between the two boys and sighed, wondering if they would ever really get along. She knew from Hermione that the two had been bitter rivals throughout the last five years, but she hoped with Hermione being Draco's sister and Harry's best friend they would at least try to get along. It reminded her briefly of Sirius and Severus. She rolled her eyes slightly. Hopefully the two boys wouldn't turn out exactly like their godfathers. Sirius and Severus had remained bitter enemies all this time after the incident with Remus in their fifth year. Sirius had been vicious after Severus had dumped him.
"It's the truth Potter and you know it!" Draco snapped, causing Pandora to refocus on them,
"Ron's not jealous of me. I don't have anything. If anyone is jealous it's me. He has his parents and all of his siblings. I didn't even get to have any siblings because of Voldemort-" Everyone in the room flinched at the name, "My whole family was murdered and Sirius was locked away for twelve years and spent another two in hiding because Dumbledore couldn't be bothered to get him a trial!" Harry all but shouted. Draco rolled his eyes,
"Would you bloody listen Potter? Weasley has all that yes, but that's not what he sees. You have money, you're Heir Apparent to three titles due to defeating the Dark Lord five times in combat, though you couldn't have claimed any of them until this past summer and you're the secondary Heir to the House of Black due to Sirius adopting you as his son in blood and magic. You have money and power that the Weasley's will never know because of that." Harry's face blanched as he stared at the boy.
"Three titles?" Lucius stepped in as he saw his son was started to lose his temper, something he had gotten from his mother.
"As the last living Potter, you are able to claim not only the Lordship of House Potter but also the Earldom of Gryffindor. Through Right of Conquest you can also claim the Barony of Slytherin due to defeating the previous Heir in combat three times. Normally you would be instructed of all this starting at five years old. Due to your unique circumstances and Dumbledore's meddling you were never told about any of it. I offered once to instruct you as you were Heir Apparent to the House of Black and they are the senior house in my marriage to Narcissa, but... Dumbledore said that he would instruct you in the management of your estate and that it wouldn't be safe for you to be around Narcissa, which I agreed. Now Hermione is the Heiress Apparent for both the House of Black and the House of Malfoy, but you still hold three titles that should you wish, can be conferred upon you at the bank at any time you wish it. Had your father not died the night of October 31st 1981, you would have been instructed in the ways of your estate and claimed your titles when your father was ready to give them up to you or upon his death after you reached the age of seventeen." Harry looked completely floored as he took a seat, hurt flashed across his face,
"But why didn't Dumbledore tell me? I didn't know any of this." Lucius frowned and sighed,
"Dumbledore has always had his own agenda and is far darker than he leads people to believe. I think with the prophecy he wanted you to grown up unloved and unaware of your station so you would turn to him for support. Mister Potter... As much as it pains me to say this, I don't believe Albus Dumbledore intended you to survive this war." A choked sound came from Harry's throat and Hermione launched herself from her bed and across the room to wrap Harry in a tight hug; sending her father a dark glare,
"You could have been gentler about it." She hissed,
"You knew Hermione?" She looked at Harry and sighed,
"I suspected, but I wasn't sure."
"When?"
"After he told us to use the time turner to save Sirius... As Headmaster of Hogwarts he can grant anyone sanctuary within its walls; as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamont, and as Supreme Mugwump for the ICW he could have easily forced a trial for Sirius, whether here on a local level or internationally with the ICW. I... I didn't want to tell you because I wasn't completely sure what Dumbledore's motives were for not doing any of those, or for sending you back to that horrid Muggle house." Harry buried his face in her shoulder as a sob shuddered through him. Lucius grabbed Draco and Theo's shoulders and pushed them towards the door, while Pandora nudged Daphne. Once they were all outside of the room, she shut the door and cast a privacy ward,
"Daphne you may remain here outside the door because I'm not sure how Hermione's magic will react to you being any further away. All three of you can come down for lunch when they're done talking." Pandora turned and stopped, "Oh, and on the behalf of House Black I apologize for what you went through these past three days. It is a tragedy that you were manipulated in such a way." Pandora walked away, leaving Daphne floored behind her.
Pandora entered the dining area where the two teens and her fiancé were waiting for her to join them,
"There's a lot of hurt that will need to be mended, and Mister Potter is going to need a thorough crash course in estate management and how to conduct himself as a titled noble." Lucius nodded and called for one of the elves to retrieve the books that he had taught Draco out of when he was little. The books appeared on the table with a soft pop moments later and the group of four settled in to wait.
Post A/N: I know that is has taken many months for me to get this out despite the fact that I started it the day after I posted the last chapter and I would apologize but I'm a new mom and have very little time on my hands due to taking care of the baby. I hop you guys will forgive me and I hop that I can get Chapter 23 out quicker but I make no promises.