*****Author's Note*****
I am very sorry for the nearly year long absence from this story. I had finished the whole story in March, but for the longest time I did not like the ending. I am still not entirely sure that I like the ending. The problem I am running into with my imagination is that I cannot see the story going in any other direction.
With the last chapters, Violet has made her choice. She will be on Voldemort's side. She has a few of Voldemort's horcruxes as collateral, but she is a horcrux herself as we know. Dealing with her as a horcrux while following Voldemort always leads me in a singular direction it seems.
And with Year Five, things are going to change for Violet. She has made her choice and the chips are going to start falling as a result. This will affect all of her relationships.
As a final note, I will submit the story as I finished it, and if someone who has liked the story up to this point would like to openly adopt it and take it somewhere else, I am all ears and would love to hear what they would do. I'd be a beta reader or even allow anyone the ability to steal my work up to this point and change it to their own work as long as they note me in their credits.
Sorry for my long rant. And now without further ado, Violet's fifth year begins ...
"I never thought I would say this, Ginevra," Violet said to her red-headed Slytherin friend, "But I find myself wishing that I were at the Burrow right now." Violet shook her head. "At least at the Burrow, we could run off to the marsh or hide from these terrors. Here, they can find us."
Ginevra, who was always called Ginny by the redheaded family replied: "For once I don't agree with you, Violet." She smirked as she looked below at the fearsome faces of Fred, George, and Ronald Weasley. "While the noise level is certainly higher here. I find it fascinating that this house refuses to let even one of their pranks fall on you. And since I'm standing this close to you, none seem to land on me either."
The two girls smirked as they continued to look down at the three interlopers in the Black Townhouse Manor. For the first week of summer the Weasleys were camped at the Townhouse along with Violet and her godfather. Dumbledore felt that the wards at the Burrow were not safe enough for the Weasleys.
Just then, Ronald grumbled below. "Those blasted pranks worked on Sirius," he said. "But why won't they work on Potter?"
"Or fair Ginny?" one of the twins added.
Just then another interloper to their house came out from her sanctuary in the Black family library, Hermione Granger. Violet narrowed her eyes at the bushy-haired Gryffindor. She did not understand at all why Dumbledore's Order felt she was necessary. The only thing the Mudblood did was read books that she had no right reading. She had no Black family blood.
The aforementioned Hermione Granger's voice gave a click as she turned into the authority. "That is because we are in an old Manor House for one of the old families. Any magic that assaults the Head or one of its named heirs that is deemed as a threat will be neutralized."
The other twin who hadn't spoken earlier asked. "Even our products?"
Hermione Granger nodded. Violet shook her head and grabbed Ginny's hand. "Walburga –" she said.
Then, walking through her bedroom she led Ginny into the hidden corridors that were for Kreacher's use and where he had hidden Lady Black's portrait. As Violet shut the door to the hidden corridor behind her, she heard a voice on the other side of the wall.
"Wait Ginny … Violet … " it said. But they were gone from sight. Violet held Ginny's hand and walked her to Lady Black's portrait.
Violet and Ginevra stood smartly in front of the large imposing portrait, a life-sized portrait of Sirius Black's dead mother, Walburga Black. Green velvety curtains framed the portrait. She was dressed immaculately, but her face lost all its beauty in the absolute look of loathing that appeared on her face.
"I cannot believe that the Lord Black invited Blood Traitors and a Mudblood into our hallowed halls." She growled. "The whole building shakes in disgust from the taint."
Violet smirked as she listened to the tirade of her adopted grandmother. She nodded her head in agreement with everything she said.
"At least, we were able to provide protections so that some of our treasures and other things could not be touched." Violet said.
Ginevra scoffed at Violet's side. "The tirade that mother gave when she could not find all those dark books when she got here. All the week at the Burrow before we got here, she kept going on about how she was going to get rid of them."
"It is a good thing that Sirius is too busy to look for those books." Violet agreed.
Sirius Black, Violet Potter's godfather had been very busy. Dumbledore had the Wizengamot in emergency sessions nearly every day trying to fight the growing power of the Minister and the Ministry. He was desperate for any method to get Britain's Wizarding World to see that Voldemort had in fact returned.
"Well," Walburga interrupted. "That still does not excuse him for his failure to his duty as Lord Black or for the crime of bringing those people –" the last two words Walburga Black's portrait said with a hiss – "into our home."
Ginevra added, "Nor does it overlook the crime of allowing Blood Traitors and Mudbloods to treat ladies like us the way they do."
Violet nodded again in full agreement. Walburga Black's look changed from anger to reverence and even fondness as she looked at the two ladies who stood below her.
"I am very glad that there are two with Black blood before me who have embraced their blood and rejected the Muggle-loving ways of Dumbledore." She said. Then, she asked. "It isn't that I don't appreciate your appearance before me, but what can I do for you both?"
Ginevra was the first to reply. "We just wanted some civilized conversation," she said.
Violet cut in. "We have already had to deal with the Mudblood's speech on Elf rights, the dirty twins and their horrible games –"
"And Ron's smell –" Ginevra added.
Violet's face turned pink at the memory. That morning Ron had come down for breakfast, eating – no inhaling his food like a pig and without a shower.
Violet added looking at her best friend, "And nothing against your mother," she said, "But if I have to hear one more offhand comment to the effect of dating one of your ghastly brothers, I might have to kill myself."
"What do you mean?" Walburga Black said her eyes narrowing.
"Well, my mother," Ginevra said, her face turning pink in shame, but also pink out of fear of her mother, "feels that Violet should be spending more time with Light families, and if she would perhaps hook up with Ronald, then everything would be fixed."
"I was never happier that I am in my own house," Violet said. "I fear that Molly Weasley might try something – Amortentia perhaps?"
"My brother keeps weaseling up to you, as if he has the idea that you should be dating him," Ginevra giggled.
"What does my son do about this?" Walburga screeched.
"Nothing," Violet replied. "He refuses to speak to me. He only glares at me. I think he means to write me out of the Black Family Will, but Dumbledore has kept him too busy."
At just that moment, there was a pop next to Violet – Kreacher, the Black family House Elf. Kreacher bowed deeply first to Walburga and then to Violet and Ginevra.
"Miss Potter," he said. "The dirty Muggle-loving blood traitor demands you return to help with the cleaning –"
The House Elf said, "Cleaning" with thorough disgust. He had done a good job cleaning these last years with people inhabiting the house, but he wanted nothing to do with Molly Weasley's version of cleaning.
Violet sighed and turned to her friend. She curtsied for Lady Black and made their way down the hidden steps and slipped out in the family parlor where currently no one was. They went back to work.
For supper there was a large gathering of extras, along with Sirius, her goddaughter, and the Weasleys. Albus Dumbledore twinkled eyes and all had arrived for Molly Weasley's Roast Fowl. Sirius' cousin, Nymphadora Tonks.
When her Godfather had seen her come in for the first time, he had said, "Oh, hello cousin Nymphadora –" and he had said it with a smirk on his face. He clearly got the desired reaction. She narrowed her eyes at him, and then responded. "Don't call me Nymphadora," she said. And then with a meaningful look at Violet of all people she said, "Call me Tonks."
Violet noted her desire to be called by her Mudblood father's name. She had repeated it to Grandmother Walburga. It had started a tirade like few others.
Violet ignored her. Her godfather might have allowed the Tonks family back into the Black Townhouse, but she did not have to treat her like family – it wasn't as if Sirius had spent the time to actually change her official status yet.
Also present around the table was Violet's former Professor for Defense against the Dark Arts, Remus Lupin. Violet had to grudgingly admit that he had been the best Defense teacher she had had.
There were other faces, and Violet could put names to faces for some, but others she had little knowledge of. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Auror who had accompanied her to Hogwarts the first year had arrived for dinner. Elphias Dodge, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, and Hestia Jones were among the others present.
Dinner was a quiet affair. The Weasleys attempted a few pranks along with someone who was becoming their mentor, Sirius Black.
It was a quiet meal for the two lone Slytherins at the table. Violet and Ginny were actually going to survive the meal without any kind of confrontation when Ginny's brother Ron brought up the sorest subject outside of Violet and Ginny being in Slytherin.
Sirius had just asked with that joking voice. "I know that as good Gryffindors you don't like my goddaughter and your sister very much," he started with a chuckle, "but there appears to be more to it than that."
Ron scowled, but impetuously answered the question.
"Your goddaughter," he said with a horrible sneer, "caught us in the hallways and took Fred and George's map."
Sirius' face had a strange look when that came up. He looked at his goddaughter strangely and then focused on Ron. "What kind of map was this?"
Everyone at the table had gone strangely still. Ron who felt that this might be the chance to get their treasure back quickly said. "It called itself the Marauder's Map. It was a map of Hogwarts. It shows everyone where they are. It shows the hidden passageways and the current passwords of the rooms in question."
"RON!" Fred and George gasped out at the same time.
Ron looked at his brothers with a growl, and said, "What?" Then he glared at Violet. "It was how you guys were always so successful with your pranks on the school."
Sirius did not scowl at Violet or at the boys. Instead his head reached back and he roared in laughter.
"That old thing!" He said. Then he turned to Professor Lupin. "It turns out that there is hope for Violet here after all. She has regained her father's map."
Professor Lupin smirked tiredly at his friend. Violet remained prim and proper. Ginny openly gasped.
"Her father's map?" she asked.
It was Violet who answered. "Yeah, during one of the times Professor Lupin tried to get to know me, he told me all about them: they were the Maruaders: Prongs was my dad, Wormtail was the traitor –"
She gave a moment of silence as she joined her godfather and Remus in a scowl and silence. Her scowl also remembered how Wormtail had opened her arm with a knife to draw blood to raise the Dark Lord.
"Remus –" she said pointing at the tired looking man, "was Moony, and my Godfather was Padfoot."
Fred and George gasped, jumped up from the table and fell prostrate before the two.
"You both are our heroes!" They said.
Ron chose to ruin the moment by growling, "Tell her to give it back, Sirius!"
Sirius' eyes flashed at him, but it was Fred and George who shook their heads.
"As much as the loss of the map hurts us, it belongs to her –" they said, showing a strange sense of honor. "The only time she used it against us was to rescue our sister that year."
Sirius looked at his goddaughter strangely, a smile crossing his face. Violet's face was lit up in a smile of her own.
It was Dumbledore who decided to ruin it. "We need to get the Order of the Phoenix meeting started."
Molly shouted, "Kids, take care of the plates and clean them in the kitchen."
With a groan, they all got to work. Violet led the way in grabbing the plates and extra food and then emptied the table. She got the water started in the sink while the Weasleys and Hermione brought the remainder in the kitchen. Then, the door was sealed shut with magic and eavesdropping spells were placed.
There was a strange camaraderie as they worked together to clean up the dishes and put everything away.
"What do you reckon they are talking about in there?" Ron asked out loud.
"Ronald!" Hermione shouted. "It isn't our business. It is adult business."
The Twins looked at Violet and smirked. But it was Violet who answered. "Obviously, it is about the Dark Lord."
"You mean Voldemort, don't you?" Hermione said. "Professor Dumbledore told us not to be afraid to say his name."
Violet smirked. "If Professor Dumbledore is standing between him and I, maybe then I too would be so flippant with that name. But if I walked around with the children of the Dark Lord's servants every day as I actually do, I would take great care how I speak about him."
"Is Professor Dumbledore correct?" The one twin said – Violet could never keep track which one was which, nor did she care to do so. The other twin finished the thought. "Is Voldemort – " he said the Dark Lord's name with great care – "back?"
Violet looked around the room. Everyone, including Hermione Granger, had stopped everything they were doing and had given her their full attention. Violet chose to be vague, but not to tell a lie.
"I don't worship the ground that Dumbledore walks on," she said carefully, "But I would not be foolish enough to call him a fool like the Daily Prophet speaks of him."
Ronald growled at her, "Then, why don't you just tell the truth and tell the world what happened? Why do you deny that You-Know-Who is back?"
Violet smirked at him. "I never said that Dumbledore was wrong. Nor did I deny that the Dark Lord has returned."
"You just said that you don't remember what happened when you grabbed the TriWizard Cup –" Hermione Granger said with a gasp.
Violet shrugged. "The Dark Lord besides Dumbledore is noted for mind magic," she said. "If the Dark Lord used me nefariously to raise himself from the dead. He is very capable of making sure I remember none of it."
"But why would he let you live?" Hermione gasped with open ended fear.
Violet shrugged. "This is what I guess, only guess –" she whispered conspiratorially. "If he killed me, there would have been an outrage in the Wizarding World. If he let me live, and I would not remember, then Professor Dumbledore could be discredited in the press, since he knew that Dumbledore would be able to figure out that he was back."
There was a quiet in the room as they listened to this. Ron was the one who broke the silence.
"Mum says that you are lying. You did see the Dark Lord. You won't let Dumbledore examine your memories. She says that you know enough Occlumency to keep Dumbledore out."
Violet looked at Ronald with a sneer on her face, but she did not dignify what he said with a response. She looked around at all the work finished. She pulled out her wand and with a spell, everything was put away. At that point, Hermione gasped out loud.
"Violet!" she hissed. "You know you aren't supposed to do magic outside of school."
Violet smiled at her, fake sincerity written on her face. None of the Weasleys looked surprised that she had done it. She just tilted her head in Slytherin arrogance and said, "One of the privileges of being me, Granger."
One of the Twins scoffed. "That isn't the reason. We are unplottable and behind such powerful wards that the Ministry never noticed what Potter did."
Hermione gasped in open wonder, then said. "Is that why the Purebloods come to Hogwarts so far ahead of the rest of us?"
Violet just smirked at Hermione but did not answer her. She turned to Ginny. "Want to head back to our room?"
Hermione's face twisted at that. She shared the room with those two, but those two had been not very willing to include her in whatever schemes they had. They often whispered in the room or in the library together. Ginny and Violet seemed to know hidden ways that allowed them to disappear.
Ginny nodded her head and slipped her arm into her best friend's arm. "Lead the way, Violet," she said with the rare smile that Hermione had seen. Then, they slipped away.
Fred, George, and Ron all watched them go with a scowl. Then, Fred and George pulled out their expandable ears.
"Want to see if these work?" They asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes and growled, "Honestly!" Then in a huff, she did her best to follow Violet and Ginny out of the kitchen and back to their shared bedroom. But when she made it to the bedroom, she found that the two had disappeared again.
Violet and Ginny had moved into the hidden passageways. In fact, they were in the passageway just outside the kitchen where Dumbledore was hosting his Order of the Phoenix meeting. Despite the wards to prevent eavesdropping, Violet, Ginny, and Kreacher looked through peek holes that saw out, but did not allow someone to see in. They could hear without expandable ears.
"Severus," Dumbledore said. "What have you learned of Voldemort's most recent activities?"
Professor Snape had not been present for dinner but had likely arrived afterwards. Violet wished she could see her favorite Professor.
Violet could just picture the bored look on Professor Snape's face as he answered that question.
"So far, our meetings have been about reacquaintance. He calls the Inner Circle. He calls in someone who has not been presented. He questions their loyalty while he was gone. He often punishes them, but little other details are discussed."
Sirius, her godfather broke in. "What does he say about my goddaughter?"
There was a silence, as if two enemies were facing each other down on the other side of that wall. Professor Snape finally responded.
"He says nothing about Miss Potter," he said.
At this point Dumbledore asked. "He still does not talk about the method of his resurrection, then?"
There was silence, but Violet imagined that he shook his head negatively.
After that long moment of silence, he did say. "He does talk about eventually freeing his most faithful from prison –"
There were gasps around the room. "That action would surely draw attention to his return unlike anything," was the reply.
Silence filled the room again. It was finally Arthur that took them to a new topic.
"So, what are we going to do about Miss Potter?" He asked. "You believe she is lying when she says she saw nothing?"
Dumbledore did not reply, but it appeared that his head went up and down. Her godfather growled out.
"Albus, you can use legilemency on her. You have my permission!" He said.
Dumbledore's reaction was negative. "She has little trust of myself or you. If I forced my way into her mind, I would do damage." After a moment, he continued. "I have tried before and somehow she has discovered Occlumency. She is the equal of Voldemort or Severus or even myself."
"What about Veritaserum?" Sirius asked.
"That is illegal!" Professor Snape said in uproar. "I will not allow the use of my stores on an innocent child."
Dumbledore also shot that down. "If she is a strong enough Occlumens to keep out a persistent Legilimency probe against her will and she can throw off the Imperious with little effort, I suspect, she will be able to throw off the Veritaserum as well."
"And don't forget!" Professor Snape growled loudly. "Veritaserum is dangerous to use on children. It can do damage, and that is why the Ministry governs its use so strictly."
"I see little value in such an attempt," Professor Dumbledore said. "It would increase her mistrust of us, it would be perceived as an attack, and there is little that could be gained."
Molly Weasley shrieked, "But surely the Daily Prophet would be forced to print retractions against you if the Girl-Who-Lived would come out in support of your position that Voldemort has returned."
"That also is doubtful, Molly," Professor Dumbledore said sadly. "Rita Skeeter holds little love for myself as does Cornelius Fudge. Cornelius does not want this to be true. The only thing that would work is if Cornelius saw Voldemort with his own eyes. Any new statements by young Violet will also be looked at as an illegal attack on a girl whose custody is being whispered of getting changed again."
Then Violet's own godfather re-entered into the conversation. "What are we going to do with Violet, though? I am sure she has turned dark!"
Just then, Kreacher turned to them and whispered quietly, "The Mudblood is on the edge of finding one of the secret entrances to the Elf passageways –"
Violet groaned, and walked away before she could hear what they were going to plan to do about her – as if they could do anything.
As Violet and Ginny slipped back into the hallway outside of their bedroom. They walked into the bedroom where they caught Hermione with her wand pointing at the wall.
"Granger –" Violet drawled with all the Slytherin arrogance she felt for the Mudblood. "You appear about to perform magic outside of school –"
Hermione jumped and turned, pointing her wand on the two who had snuck up to her. Ginevra with a smirk on her face looked over at Hermione before saying to Violet. "That's against the rules, and we should always follow the rules –" then with a laugh the two girls walked all the way inside and sat on Ginevra's bed. They erected a privacy ward around them. Hermione just took one look at them and with a huff walked to her own bed, took out a book, and sat down on the bed.
Ginny said to Violet. "The Order of the Phoenix is weak. What do they hope to accomplish?"
Violet whispered back, "To drive me to their enemies –"
