I knew that I had a lot to learn but I had no idea how much.

The first thing I learned was that I had a big family. Like REALLY big.

Well… a sort of really big family. Not that the family was sort of big, only that most were only sort of family.

I was related to James, Albus and Lily because of Uncle Harry. They were related to all of the Weasleys including Scorpius and Cissa. And an older sister I had never met. She was off studying to be some kind of doctor. Except they call them healers. I mean WE call them healers. I had to remember I was part of this world now.

And not everyone was happy about that.

Some of the Slytherin's wouldn't really talk to me. I thought at first it was because of Albus and Scorpius. They weren't really popular. Of course they warned me about that. I didn't care. They were my friends and as far as I was concerned that was that.

My first week of lessons I learned why I was specifically unwanted.

It had been a really busy week. The fairy tales I had read had woefully unprepared me for the realities of being a witch. In those stories witches just sort of… are. They are always real powerful right from the start of the story.

They had cauldrons and some had wands, and they certainly brewed potions, but none ever had to LEARN any of that. Not a single fairy tale told about homework and endless hours in the library.

In reality witches had to study really hard to learn even the most basic of magic. It was exhausting.

At the end of my lessons one day I walked in on Albus trying to cheer up Scorpius.

"Just ignore her, Scorp. What she said is stupid. And a lie. And…" Albus was babbling.

"It doesn't matter that it is a lie." I hated how miserable Scorpius sounded. "It matters that people keep saying that about my Mum."

I was immediately angry. No one should say bad stuff about anyone's Mum. If mine were still alive I wouldn't let anyone talk bad about her!

"What did they say about your Mum?" I asked furiously.

"Never mind, just forget it." Scorpius said quickly.

"Scorp.. we have to tell her." Albus frowned. "She is going to find out sooner or later…"

"I guess…" Scorpius shrugged.

"In potions, we accidentally messed up our instructions." Albus shrugged. "Polly Chapman walked past us and told that idiot Yann to leave "Voldemort's kid" to it."

"I thought your father's name is Draco?" I was really confused.

"It is!" Scorpius said forcefully. "Only some people are saying… they think my parents couldn't have a son so my Mum…"

"They are saying your Mum cheated on your Dad?" Wow, that really was mean.

"Well… yeah, but not just that." Albus tried to clarify. "They say she used a time turner and went back and had a child by Voldemort."

"Is that possible?" I was surprised by the angry look Scorpius gave me. "I mean… how would someone go back in time?"

Scorpius relaxed. "I forgot how much you don't know."

"Gee thanks." I glared at him. "As if I am not insecure enough as is."

"No, NO!" Scorpius said quickly. "Not like that. I mean, I forgot for you the big deal would be time travel and not Voldemort."

I shrugged. "I have never heard of him."

Scorpius sighed. "Come to the library with me. You really should know the history."

Several hours later I had a crash course in two wizard wars and a really bad wizard who had started them.

"Uncle Harry sounds like he was pretty brave." I was impressed anyway.

"Yeah and our Aunt and Uncle." Albus did not sound happy.

"OH!" I realized suddenly. "That is why they are so famous and why those people are always following them around."

"Yeah…" Albus leaned his head back in his chair. "We never get a minute's peace. And the press is always saying what a disappointment I am. Harry Potter's disappointing Slytherin son."

"But… Uncle Harry doesn't feel that way, I am sure!" I was shocked Albus could even think that!

"How could he NOT be disappointed in me?" Albus slumped in his chair. "The unpopular, unathletic, Slytherin screw up."

"Wow." I huffed. "I have sure chosen a couple of sad sacks as my best friends."

"Yep. That's us." Scorpius agreed. "We could give Moaning Myrtle a run for her money.

"Who is Moaning Myrtle?" I couldn't imagine anyone more miserable than these two.

"Oh," Scorpius began, "She is a ghost who…"

"Excuse me." I interrupted. "I see someone I have to talk to.

Polly Chapman had just walked in with some boy and Rose Weasley.

I stormed over to her. "Polly Chapman, you are beyond vile. How DARE you say those things about Scorpius and his Mum?"

I was happy to see Rose glare over at Polly. Maybe she wasn't a total twit. "We talked about this, you said you would leave my Aunt Alya out of things."

"Oh Merlin, Rose! Are you going to take the word of some filthy little mudblood over your best friend's?" Polly had the nerve to laugh.

I had no idea what that word she just said was… mudblood… but it sounded bad. Like really foul.

And from the way the whole library went silent, I knew I was right. It was a bad word.

"How dare you?!" Rose hissed. "My MOTHER is muggleborn."

"Oh, la, Rose. But your mother isn't some… well, she IS Hermione Granger, she is different." Polly waved a hand.

"So, if a muggleborn hasn't saved the entire wizarding world and become Minister of Magic, they are worthless?" Rose looked angry, If I were Polly I would choose my next words carefully.

I looked over at Albus and Scorpius. They both looked shocked. And grim.

"Well... I mean… kind of?" Polly said hesitating. "But Rose!" she quickly added. "Your Dad is pureblood!"

"Get. Out." Rose hissed.

When Polly stalked out I looked down at my hands. I thought I looked like everyone else. "I don't understand… what is wrong with my blood? Am I… is it some kind of disease?"

"NOTHING is wrong with your blood!" Rose was practically shouting at me.

I was a little shocked by how angry she sounded, but knowing she wasn't angry at ME, it kind of felt nice too. Like someone protecting me.

"Polly Chapman is a bigoted idiot." Rose glared at the door where the other girl had just left. I should have dumped her as a friend last year. Uggghhh! And anyone who ever thinks they might have a relative who needs my cousin Miri to heal them won't ever call you that again!"

I felt a hand on each of my shoulders. Albus and Scorpius.

"Come on Lils." Scorpius said quietly. "Let's go back to the dorm, 'k?"

Albus just looked down at me worried.

I nodded sadly. "OK."

As we were leaving Rose called out to me "Hey! Lilliana!"

I turned to look at her.

"My muggle studies are going horrible." She said. "I know, pretty pathetic for the Queen of the Muggleborn's daughter, huh? Maybe you could help me study and I could help you with you know, witch stuff."

"WE can help her with witch stuff Rose." Why did Albus sound so petulant?

"Oh? When puberty hits can you help her with THOSE problems?" Rose smirked.

Both Albus and Scorpius looked horrified. I am not sure they even knew what witch stuff and puberty problems meant. They sure didn't look like they WANTED to know either!

But bless him Scorpius tried. "My sister is a healer she can help with… whatever you know…"

Rose grinned. "Sure she can she told ME all about it, would you like me to tell you the stuff she told me about. You know, so you can repeat it to Lilliana?"

"NO!" Scorpius squeaked. "I mean, yeah, study time, Girl bonding. Hurrah."

"Yeah, totally." Albus managed to look sweaty and pale all at the same time.

I would have interrupted and told those two they weren't the boss of me and who I hang out with, but I was too busy laughing at the expressions on their faces.

I mean, we had the lessons in primary school. I kind of knew some things. But What if witch body changes were different?

Albus and Scorpius dragged me out of there without another word. Rose's laughter trailed behind us.

As mean as it was, it was still pretty funny. I started laughing again.

"Oh my lord!" I gasped out. "Your faces. The look on your faces!"

When we got back to the dorms I was still confused. And upset. "Why did she call me that name? What does it mean?"

Albus and Scorpius looked at each other and sighed.

"See… it is like this…" Scorpius started.

"Some people…" Albus tried.

"Oh just say it!" I stomped my foot. "Am I diseased or something?!"

"NO!" Scorpius looked embarrassed. "Nothing like that. But… remember the wars we told you about? Well, we didn't exactly get around to telling you why they started."

I was confused. "I thought you said it was started by a monstrous madman who hated people he thought were beneath him?"

"I guess we were pretty up front about that part." Scorpius smiled a bit. "But see, he thought those people were inferior because they have muggle parents…"

"So mudblood means…" I was shocked.

"Don't use that word!" Albus interrupted. "But it means some people think muggleborns have dirty blood."

"But Scorpius… you said until the end that your family fought on the wrong side…" I could feel my eyes burning. "Does that mean… are they going to hate me for being muggleborn?"

"No! Well, grandfather and grandmother may not be pleased, but they will never say anything about it." Scorpius assured me. "My Dad is way more tolerant than he was when he was a kid. Mostly he never offers an opinion on blood status at all. And Mum… my Mum has never hated anyone that I know of. She is really nice. You will like her."

"Yeah, and my Dad is a halfblood. His Mum was muggleborn. So don't worry, the family has your back!" Albus handed me a chocolate frog. "Oh hey… ummm… don't tell my Mum I have those, huh? We are supposed to be off sweets."

"My Dad would move out of the house if Mum took US off sweets." Scorpius grinned and swiped a frog.

"Yeah well… Mum says they can be addictive." Albus shrugged.

"It is hard to believe Aunt Ginny and Mum are twins." Scorpius laughed. "Aunt Ginny is all healthy and athletic and my Mum is…."

"More like us?" Albus grinned.

"More or less." Scorpius laughed.

And just like that with two friends by my side the idea of being a muggleborn and looked down on by other people didn't seem so horrid.

I decided not to make time for what people thought about blood purity. It couldn't possibly affect my life anyway.

I would remember having thought that later and how horribly wrong and almost prophetic it was.

..