I do not own Harry Potter. All rights go to J. K. Rowling as well as Warner brothers (For the movie rights).

Daughter of Darkness

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Izzy woke up to an incessant knocking on her window. It was a week into the summer holiday, and that meant today was the day she would be going to Gringotts. Opening her eyes, she saw a black owl tapping its beak on her window, and Izzy got out of bed to let it deliver its message. As soon as she took the letter from the owl's leg, it flew off, clearly not wanting a reply. Izzy shrugged and broke the wax seal, which was the shield of the house of Black. Izzy sighed as she laid eyes upon it. It perfectly matched the shield on the necklace she had worn around her neck for as long as she'd been able to remember. Unfolding the letter, she read it with equal parts dread and excitement.

'Isabella,

I know you must be nervous, but I want to assure you that there is nothing to be nervous about. I'm right, I can feel it in my bones. You'll see.

Regrettably, I won't be able to meet you there. Someone recognized me near my safe house, and I had to leave quickly. It's regrettable, but I've sent instructions ahead to Gringotts for you. They'll recognize you if you go with pink hair and green eyes. Tell them I've sponsored the payment from my vault as well. They were also given further instructions, but those will be explained once you take your heritage test.

I know we haven't known each other long, but trust me. I know you're a Black.

Regards,

Sirius

The letter fell to her desk tucked under her window sill as Izzy sat down and read it again.

Sirius wasn't going to be there?

This whole thing was his crazy idea! He was insistent! He'd sent her two letters before today making sure she hadn't changed her mind or wasn't going to chicken out! Now he wasn't going to be there? What if the Goblins decided not to follow his instructions? All she'd wanted besides a loving home was answers, and here was a possibility that she'd finally get some, even as slim as she believed them to be.

Hermione had written her yesterday and told her that no matter what happened, the Granger door was open for her, Ron had written her pretty much the same thing though less elegantly, and Harry was being as supportive as possible in his usual way by telling her that everything was going to be okay. Sirius wouldn't steer her wrong.

Discarding the fact that they had literally met two weeks ago, Izzy was glad that Harry had someone to look up too. From what she could tell, he hated living with his relatives. Relatives…he never called them family in his letters. Izzy could never prove anything, but she had a deep suspicion that Harry was being abused at his relative's house. He was very standoffish if Izzy ever asked about them.

"Minerva?" Izzy asked as she walked out of her room.

"Yes?" Minerva said as Izzy made herself some breakfast.

"I was wondering if I could go to Diagon Alley today? Daphne's birthday is coming up on the second of July and I wondered if I could go and grab something for her?" Izzy asked. She hated lying to Minerva like this, but she doubted she could just come out and say that she'd helped free Sirius Black and then he'd told her to go to Gringotts to prove she was his relative. When she got back, she vowed she'd tell Minerva the truth.

"I don't see why not. You have your allowance from the Ministry, you're a responsible young teenager," Minerva said as she read the morning edition of the prophet.

"Thank you, Minerva. I don't expect I should be more than an hour or two at most," Izzy said. Minerva smiled as Izzy finished her toast. She went back upstairs to her room and changed into decent looking clothes before heading out. She walked a mile to the nearest town and summoned the day bus, the opposite running time of the knight bus that Harry had taken before they started third year.

"Diagon Alley, please," Izzy told the conductor.

The day bus was much smoother than the ride Harry had described on the knight bus, which was nice, but it didn't do anything to settle the unease in Izzy's stomach. She'd promised herself she wouldn't let this change anything. Except of course, if nothing came of it, which she was still convinced would happen. Then she would try and forget about it, bury that burning desire in her to know where she came from. No more…She couldn't live her life praying for a miracle.

The day bus finally arrived in Diagon Alley, allowing Izzy to exit. Her heart seemed to thunder in her chest as she stepped ever closer to Gringotts. When she was on the steps, she stared up at the imposing structure, tempted for a moment to turn tail and run. No. She'd see this through and finally put her childish dreams to rest for good. It was as she was entering the building that she remembered to change her hair and eyes. She took a deep breath as she passed by Draco (surprise surprise to see him in a bank of all places. Not) and someone who looked to be his mother. She had both blonde and black in her hair, a rather nice looking combination if Izzy said so herself. The two were talking to a teller, but she paid them no mind as she walked to an open goblin.

"Excuse me?" she asked. The Goblin stopped writing whatever he was writing and peered over the edge of his workstation.

"What do you want, little witch?" he sneered.

"I-I would like to request a heritage test," Izzy said, hoping her voice came out more confident than she thought it sounded. The Goblin growled before he wrote on another sheet of parchment.

"Very well. the cost of the test will be ten galleons," he said.

"I-I believe Sirius Black has sponsored this test…he sent a request to Gringotts to charge it to his vault," She said, remembering his earlier letter. The Goblin scowled at the annoyance before rifling through papers and yelling at another goblin nearby. Said Goblin came running back and handed the first goblin a sheet of parchment.

"Very well. If you'll follow Garac, he will prepare the potion," the Goblin said. Izzy bowed her head and walked off, following the goblin as they passed through several doors. The halls of Gringotts' interior was lined with marble and gold, and Izzy couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of it. They came to another door and turned right down a hall before the goblin led her to an office. He directed her to sit, rather aggressively but Izzy didn't mind, before he placed a potion on the table and a sheet of paper followed by a wicked looking dagger.

"This is a heritage potion. Once the potion has been consumed, you must wait fifteen seconds before you will cut your palm and bleed on the parchment. The magic will activate and record your family tree down to five generations if records of said family exist. Black indicates deceased members, lighter colored blood indicates living family," the goblin explained. Izzy nodded before taking the potion and pulling the stopper off. She drank it without hesitation and nearly gagged at the taste.

When the waiting period was up, she took the dagger and dug the tip into her palm. Strangely, it didn't hurt as she cut a deep line into her palm and bled all over the parchment.

At first, nothing happened, and Izzy was about to sigh and call it quits before the blood began to move around. Most names turned black, while others got lighter and lighter as they got to the end of the family line. Starting from the bottom, Izzy worked her way up to where the blood looked fresher. She nearly cried when she got to the top, where the tree ended with Draco Malfoy.

And Lyra Morgana Black, underlined and starred, two lines going from her to Bellatrix Lestrange; her mother. And Edgar Bones.

Her father.

"This…is me?" Izzy asked in shock.

"Congratulations, Miss Black," the Goblin grinned. Izzy thought she was going to faint right then and there. A part of her wanted to run away, to burn the paper and ignore it, especially when she saw who her mother was. Another part wanted to know more. Like, how did she end up in muggle London? What the hell did any of this mean moving forward? Especially since her father was apparently Edgar Bones.

"Oh, and according to the letter we received from the former Lord Black, I believe another congratulation's is in order. He has abdicated his place as Lord Black, but not before he made you his heir. That makes you Lady Black. Ordinarily, the Black family is a patriarchal one, however according to some records Gringotts possesses, Women have become the lady of the family if no other viable option presents itself. It would appear, that both the former Lord Black and the Black family magic both agree that there is no other suitable option," the goblin grinned as he set a box containing a ring on the desk. Izzy however was rooted to her seat. She had stopped listening when the Goblin had said she was the Lady Black.

Matriarch of the Black family. Lady of the most Noble and ancient house of Black.

She stood up quickly, knocking the chair she had sat upon over in her haste. A ring with a black jewel in the center appeared on her finger and she felt a rush of magic both around the room and through her body. It didn't hurt except for a prick into her finger…it felt almost…welcoming, like coming home. It calmed her down.

"My apologies, Lady Black…family magic's are a bit unpredictable. I had thought that that might happen after you entered the Black family home," the Goblin apologized. He was not so heartless as to notice that the little witch in front of him had not seen any of this coming, and had been told as much in the letter from Sirius Black that she might not react well to the news.

"What else did he tell you?" Izzy asked.

"That he asked you to understand. The years he spent in Azkaban were not kind to him or his health. While he might recover to get a few more years out of his life, it will not be long. He further stated that there were unforeseen...circumstances and you were by far the better choice to lead the house of Black. Though you may be young, it is the young that drive the future. You will make a fine head of house," the goblin said, remembering the letter.

"I don't know how to do any of that!" Izzy cried. Her hair changed between a dizzying amount of colors before it settled on red and gray.

"He said in the letter to reinstate Andromeda Tonks, that she'd be able to help you. Also, he advised that if worse came to worse, you were to seek out Narcissa Malfoy, but only as a last resort." the Goblin said. Izzy swallowed in shock. The goblin privately thought she was handling this better than he'd anticipated.

"Right, right, Andi will know what to do," Izzy whispered desperately. Head of house! What was Sirius thinking! Oh Merlin, what if Andi was mad at her?! What if she was angry that a girl who hadn't been born into the magical world became the head of her family?

"If that is everything, Lady Black, I would highly recommend seeing the accounts managers at some point and see to the state of the Black family fortune," the Goblin said. Izzy nodded and took a deep calming breath. This had been the very last thing she'd expected to happen as she stood and walked out of the room.

All across magical Britain, certain members of a certain family felt a shift in their familial magic. It was a sign that the head of house had been passed on, and that the torch was carried by a new head.

The first to feel the shift was right in the very bank where it happened, she felt it ripple and pulse before it settled comfortably.

The second was in the hospital when she felt the long dormant pull in her chest. She stopped cold when it happened, worried for what it meant. Had Sirius been killed and Cissa's brat finally taken up the title of Lord Black?

The third sat in her lonely cell and wept at all the mistakes she'd made. She didn't regret what she'd done in the name of finding her daughter; she'd do it again. No. She wept because another generation of Blacks was moving on without her, and she couldn't be there like she had sworn to do.

Narcissa looked around for the source of her family magic, knowing that it was close by. Her eyes finally fell on a lonely girl walking dumbfounded from the back of the bank holding to her chest several sheets parchment and a few boxes. On the finger of her right hand lay a very familiar ring, one she hadn't seen in years, not since Uncle Arcturus had died. Since Sirius couldn't claim it, the ring went to the Black vaults where it couldn't be touched or moved. She'd felt it when he claimed his lordship just after his escape, and now, whoever this little girl was, had just claimed it again. Sirius had abdicated, apparently. Narcissa, being the loyal Black she was, walked up to the girl, unfortunately, Draco had seen her first, and before she could stop him, he began speaking.

"What's a muggleborn like yourself doing in Gringotts, Verona? Picking up your Ministry benefits?" he sneered.

"Draco that's enough," Narcissa said in a hard voice. She would not have her head of house talked to like that. And what's that about muggleborn? "I apologize for my son. He gets his attitude from his father, my Lady," Narcissa said with a small bow of her head. Both the girl and Draco looked in surprise. "Why don't we take this somewhere more private," she said wisely. She began walking out of the bank when she noticed the girl wasn't following her. She made a motion with her hand. "Come along dear."

Izzy snapped out of it. She was surprised when she remembered that Draco was her cousin now and was simply too shocked to say anything when he walked up to her. Then she remembered who his mother was and was now slightly wary of the woman in front of her. She seemed nice though, so maybe this wouldn't turn out too bad?

She followed the woman and Draco to Fortescue's where they sat down and ate ice cream.

"I don't believe we've ever met," Narcissa said, starting off the conversation. "My name is Narcissa Malfoy nee Black. I know Callidora had a son and a daughter. Are you perhaps related to them?" she asked. Izzy shook her head.

"I…I don't know who those people are," she whispered, clutching tighter to the parchment in her hand. "But I'm Isabella."

"It's alright, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard the family magic can be quite overwhelming, but you're young. You'll adapt," Narcissa said, seeing the girl looking at the ring on her hand in shock. Draco watched the interaction take place and had to comment.

"She's a little mudblood, what are you talking about the house of Black for? How did you steal the ring from the vault?" he asked indignantly.

"She's no mudblood and take care how you speak to my head of house," Narcissa said coldly.

"It's alright…I can hardly believe this myself," Izzy spoke up, taking her eyes off the ring. "I didn't think I had any family at all and suddenly…suddenly I'm head of house, whatever that means! All because Sirius just wants to live his life," she said. She wasn't angry or upset at Sirius, but she was certainly something, she just didn't know how to put it into words or coherent thoughts.

"If I may, could I see those papers? Maybe I can help you understand them," Narcissa offered. Izzy numbly nodded and handed them over, not even caring what was on top. She didn't notice the shocked look on Narcissa's face as she read the heritage test. She didn't notice Narcissa drop the papers in shock. She didn't notice the hands on her face until she was looking in brown eyes that were leaking tears.

Narcissa reached across the table and stared into multicolored eyes, eyes that conveyed so much confusion and pain, that it nearly broke her heart.

"Change," Narcissa begged. "Please." Propriety be damned, she had to know for sure that this was-

Izzy relaxed and changed, her nose growing a little as her jawline sharpened and her cheekbones lowered slightly. Her face rounded out as her hair turned brown with lovely red highlights, and to top it off; warm brown eyes stared at her.

"Lyra," Narcissa breathed in shock. "It is you."

"I-I guess so," Izzy replied nervously, shifting away from the unfamiliar touch.

"But…how?" Narcissa whispered as she moved around the table and pulled the girl in for a tight hug.

"That's what I've been trying to figure out," Izzy replied shyly, unable to interpret her swirling feelings. On the one hand, she felt so nervous she thought she might pass out, on the other, she felt so overjoyed that she had family. A member of said family was even right in front of her, hugging the life out of her.

"I can't believe it's you, after all these years. I thought…I thought you were dead, we all did…after Bellatrix…after she was sent to prison, we…we gave up hope that we'd ever find you!" Narcissa cried. "We gave up on you!" she gasped.

"I…really, it's okay," Izzy said, very uncomfortable and getting more so by the minute as several people were staring at her. Narcissa shook her head before she attempted to collect herself.

"So, what, does this make us cousins?" Draco interrupted, a horrified expression on his face.

"Yes…yes it does," Narcissa said firmly, fixing her son with a glare. He would need to be far more cordial with this young woman from now on.

"Mrs. Malfoy…I…I appreciate all of this, but I really don't want to think of all this family stuff right now. I just would honestly prefer to go home now and just…think," Izzy said. Narcissa nodded before she stood. Izzy stood a moment later before the older witch offered her her hand.

"Would you mind…if I tell you something before you go? Something I hope might help us build our relationship?" Narcissa asked. Izzy hesitated but nodded.

"When you were born," Narcissa started. "When you were born, your mother was so happy to have you, but you were so small, that's why she named you Lyra, after the Lyra constellation. She was so proud when you first morphed, changing your hair to match hers. She came to me, so excited and happy, the happiest I had ever seen her," Narcissa said before she paused. "I want you to know that you can write to me. Anytime. Your mother made me your godmother…and I want to fulfill the duty I should've had all these years. If you'll give me a chance…I'd like to help."

Izzy stared at the woman in shock. She hadn't expected something so tender and gentle from the woman who had birthed Draco Malfoy.

"Thank you…Narcissa," Izzy hesitated, hoping she wasn't being too forward. The older woman smiled and gave a gentle hug which Izzy did her best to return.

"We'll be in touch when you're ready," Narcissa said. Izzy gave a small smile and turned away from the two Malfoy's.

She summoned the day bus, and headed home.

When Izzy returned home, she walked in to see a pacing Minerva, who was holding a letter as if it had burned her. She was still in a little bit of shock, so she didn't notice Minerva staring at her at first until the woman was on her.

"Why did I receive a letter from the ministry telling me that my ward was now an emancipated minor?" Minerva asked in a hard voice. Izzy froze and her hair went white.

"What?" she asked in shock.

"Why did I receive a letter-"

"No I-I heard that but…what do you mean?! How am I an emancipated minor?" Izzy asked.

"I'm unsure. I received a letter only a few moments ago, and it was sent during the time you were in Diagon Alley. I was almost done reading it when you walked in," Minerva said.

"Well finish reading! There's gotta be something that explains it!" Izzy panicked. She'd not thought today would go like this when she woke up this morning.

"Head of House Black? But…how?" Minerva asked aloud as she finished reading the letter.

"More importantly, since I'm emancipated, am I not going to be allowed to live with you?" Izzy asked.

"Somehow you became the head of a noble house. And no, I can still keep you as my ward. We just have to go to the ministry and refile the paperwork. It also means that you can now do magic outside of school as is your privilege. I expect you to use that responsibly if this wasn't an accident on the Ministry's part," Minerva insisted. She began scratching out a letter on a blank sheet of parchment but Izzy broke down crying. No.

This wasn't supposed to happen! Minerva was by her side in an instant. Izzy told her everything, every detail starting from the middle of third year when she met Sirius' animagus form all the way up to now.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Minerva asked gently, knowing that now wasn't the time to be berating Izzy…or rather, Lyra.

"I was scared you wouldn't let me; think I was foolish for trusting a criminal. I just wanted answers, not this!" Izzy cried as she wiped her nose free of snot and tears.

"Shhh now, everything's going to be alright," Minerva said comfortingly, hugging the distraught girl on the floor.

"No, it's not!" Izzy shouted, tugging at her hair in distress. "It's all gone wrong! I just wanted answers! This wasn't supposed to happen! I want to stay with you! They're not going to let me, that's how it always works!"

"We've got ourselves a plan, you don't need to worry. We'll have it all sorted out; I'll be your guardian until you're of age. Nothing's changed in that regard. All that has changed is you're a higher station in our society than I am," Minerva said. "First things first though, let's get you cleaned up, and then we can talk when I'm not kneeling on the floor. I'm not as spry as I once was," Minerva said. Izzy chuckled and wiped her face with her hand. She nodded and stood, helping Minerva off the floor.

Once Izzy had cleaned up and calmed down enough, she made her way downstairs to the sitting room where Minerva was waiting.

"What were you thinking, doing this without telling me?" Minerva asked. Izzy sighed.

"I wasn't. I just had to know and…and I made a foolish decision because of it. I'm sorry, Minerva," Izzy said. Minerva sighed.

"I don't know how the ministry is going to react to this. There have been very few emancipated minors acting as head of house. There's a reason Amelia Bones was asked by her brother before he died to hold the spot until Susan was old enough. It's a lot of responsibility, which is why I can guess Sirius gave it to you the first chance he got," Minerva said angrily. Izzy wrapped her arms around her middle and cried.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Minerva," she whispered. "I'm sorry I brought so much trouble to your life."

"You didn't know any better," Minerva said softly as she ran her fingers through Izzy's now long hair. "You do now, and you've learned that it's best to let me know when you want to try something foolish."

"I've done that before, Minerva. Remember? With the stone?" Izzy reminded. Minerva's face pinched tightly. She did regret not listening to her ward and taking the threat seriously.

"Yes. That's true. I haven't done the best job in expressing that you could trust me with everything," She admitted. She looked at the time on the clock nearby and saw that it was nearly noon. "Come on. We should go now and beat the lines as well as anyone trying to take you from me."

Izzy nodded, happy at the feeling that Minerva didn't want to give her up without a fight, even against the ministry. It felt good for an adult to fight so hard for her.

Minerva threw the floo powder into the fireplace and disappeared, Izzy did the same a moment later.

When they appeared in the ministry atrium, it appeared that nothing had changed when she was here three years ago. The lobby was still the same, the same black and green tiles were everywhere, and witches and wizards were bustling about without a care in the world.

They headed straight for the department of house affairs from the atrium, going two floors up and several doors over on the elevator. On their way there, Izzy saw two flashes of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye, both heading the same direction as herself and Minerva. She prayed to any deity these two were not who she thought they were.

Of course, it was not to be. The two blondes were Draco and his father, Lucius Malfoy. If Narcissa was to be believed, this was the man who Draco emulated, which could only mean he was worse than his son.

"Mr. Malfoy…what a surprise to see you here," Minerva commented as he held the door open for her. Izzy followed right behind her guardian.

"Yes. It's a surprise to be here. When my son told me all about the meeting at Gringotts today, I knew I had to step in. Young Lyra has been without her family for years now. My wife, Lyra's godmother, is also her aunt. I think after all the years she's been without them, it'd be nice for her to get to know at least one member of her family," Lucius said, though Izzy saw right through his crocodile grin. Minerva did as well, though she maintained her cool better than Izzy did. Minerva also caught his avoidance of Izzy's proper title.

"A selfless idea, I'm sure. But Lady Black has been under my care both in and out of Hogwarts for the last few years now. I've grown quite fond of her after all this time," Minerva countered.

"Quite right, but I think it only fair for my wife to get to properly know her goddaughter. She was so distraught when Lyra went missing," Lucius purred. Izzy was immediately creeped out. Whereas Draco was simply annoying, his father was calculating and thinking ten steps ahead. "I'll be filing my own request. You understand of course. She needs proper pureblood training, she needs to be around family," he said, emphasizing that Narcissa was a Black, as well as her godmother.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I understand. That does not however, give you the right to imply that Isabella is not my family. I have raised this remarkable young woman since she was eleven, and I will continue to do so," Minerva said as she proceeded to the line and grabbed a form to fill out.

"We'll see, Minerva," Lucius said quietly as Izzy and her guardian walked away. "We'll see."

Red=angry

Gray=nervous/anxious/irritated

Orange=happy/excited

Blue=sad/overwhelmed

Purple=worried/concerned/frustrated

Green=jealous/suspicious

Brown=content/relaxed

Yellow=afraid/shocked

Pink=amusement/surprise

Silver=determination

Light blue=embarrassment