Things are about to change children, this year will be a year of change for Atria and I hope you're ready for it.

I am so sorry about my terrible grammar and spelling, I do try but I always have those little mistakes that somehow escape me, I promise I am trying.

As usual please follow, favourite and review, I love hearing all your feedback.

Lego


When she got onto the train her cousin was in a mood, Caspian sat snuggly in his lap as he glared at her while she sat down.

"What?" she demanded but he simply turned away with a broody glare. Atria shook her head angrily as she too turned to look out the window.

Trees and lakes zoomed past them as they drew closer and closer to London. While her classmates chattered around her, her anxiety grew with every mile. Had she done something, anything wrong, in all honesty, she had done so much she could not decide what he would and would not know about. She liked to prepare herself for Lucius's wrath, knowing what she had done and what he would punish her for, helped that. But now that list seemed endless. A purring interrupted her thoughts and she looked down to see Capsian snuggling into her thigh. She ran her fingers over his soft black fur knowing that no matter what awaited her at home, she would be ready.

When they arrived on platform nine and three quarters, she and Draco said their goodbyes, grabbed their trunks before they passed through the brick wall the led them into muggle territory.

She held Capsian comfortably in her arm while Draco kept a tight grip on the other. She would never admit it to anyone, but muggles frightened her, all the fear-mongering and the way Lucius talked about them had worked. She didn't understand them, they were like another species.

They turned at the back of the station, into an ally way and met a dead end. Draco turned to make sure no one was around to see them, before turning and nodding back to her.

"Kreacher," Atria said softly. In a few second or less the house-elf appeared, taking Atria's hand quickly and aperating the three away.

They landed in the foyer of Malfoy manor, the large and intimidating staircase in front of them. She immediately let Caspian slink out of her arms.

Kreacher's small hand remained wrapped around Atria's, "mistress is home and safe," she heard him muttering under his breath as he nuzzled his face into her hand only letting go when her aunt's heels started clicking down the stairs.

Her aunt immediately rushed to them holding out her arms as she engulfed her and Draco in a large hug.

They separated as Narcissa moved to Atria running her hands over her hair, "Oh my darling girl," she said her voice light but croaky, her eyes were also red, had she been crying.

"I'm alright I swear," Atria grumbled bashfully as her aunt kissed her forehead.

"You're not alright," her aunt said angrily, pulling away, as she ran her hands through her hair, "That school is no good for you," Atria heard her murmur.

Her aunt took her hand tightly as she began to pull her somewhere, "Kreacher take their bags to their rooms," she said before turning back to Atria, "Come, I've run a bath for you."


Atria sat in the bath her knees drawn to her chest as her aunt massaged the shampoo into her long dark hair. It was all very comforting, the warm and soothing water, her aunts light fingers massaging her scalp.

"Close your eyes," her aunt said softly before she poured the water over her head rinsing out her hair.

Atria brought her hands up and wiped her eyes making sure no soap got in them as she opened her eyes.

"Cissy?" she asked softly, staring down at her knees as Narcissa began to comb through her hair.

"Yes?"

Atria hesitated, "What was my father like when he was a boy?"

Her aunt's hands stopped momentarily before she continued to comb them through her hair, "We don't talk about that man in this house."

"But I want to know?" Atria said turning around to look at her aunt.

"He was abrasive and disdainful," her aunt snapped her eyes boring deep into Atria's, "traits that followed him into adulthood, He didn't care about his family he only cared for himself."

Atria turned away trying not to be angry with the response as her aunt continued to work the brush through her thick hair, this time not so gently.

"He broke your grandmother's heart you know," her aunt said vehemently.

"Yes," Atria said bored with the never-ending lies.

"But that is enough about him," Narcissa said her tone more cheerful now as she brushed the subject off, "Soon all will be as it was and he'll be back in that place where he belongs."


The hours went by and Lucius still was not home. She had tried everything to calm her down, a bath, a cup of tea and now she sat in the study reading trying to forget the world she lived in.

"What are you doing with him?" he demanded, his voice hollow and cold as his eyes bore into her head.

Atria folded the book close, placing it in her lap, "I knew you were angry about something," Atria said looking up at him as he lazily leant against the doorway his arms crossed, but Draco only continued glare, "Who are you talking about?" Atria asked.

"Potter," he said disdainfully, pushing himself off the wall to walk further into the room.

Atria shook her head dismissively, her head began to spin every time Draco spoke of Harry and she was in no mood to hear of it again, "We're just friends."

"I don't care, I don't like it, I don't like him near you," he said stubbornly as he came to stand closer to her, "He's not good for you Atty."

"We've had the conversation before Draco," she said angrily standing and walking the book back over to the bookshelf, him following behind her like a lost puppy.

"It's not proper," he said," Father would have a fit," he tried to reason.

"Well, he doesn't have to know then," Atria said sharply turning to face him with a scowl.

"Potter will get you into more trouble then he is worth, Atria," he said gruffly.

"Stop it Draco," she said turning to leave the room.

"Atty," he said leaning forward quickly to take hold of her wrist, "I just don't want him to hurt you," Draco said softly.

But Atria was not giving in at all, she stared up at him defiantly as she wrenched her hand from his hold, "I can look after myself."

"No, you can't," he said shaking his head.

"Yes, I can," she retorted arrogantly.

"When have you ever," he said angrily his eyes growing cold, "you can't even get through one year without landing yourself in the hospital wing even when it was all I asked."

"It's not my fault," Atria tried to concede.

"It never is," he sarcastically sneered at her, "you just can't help but draw attention to yourself can you?"

" just leave it Draco," she said in her most authoritative voice.

"Why?" he spat, "will that make you understand? I don't think so," he glared moving closer to her, "it goes right over your head doesn't it."

Without another word, Atria left the room. She walked quickly down the hallway leaving him behind her as she breathed deeply her anger reaching boiling point. Nothing good ever came from yelling at Draco, she was always wrong and he was always right according to those around her, so nothing would come of her trying to defend herself anyway. But it didn't lessen the ache in her chest as she left.

The hallway seemed to close further and further in on her as she drew closer to her room, the cold eyes of past Malfoys glaring down at her as she walked. Not a sound could be heard and an eery feeling filled her but it was not unfamiliar to her, neither was dread but she still felt it as she reached her room.

Not one light had been left on when she left her room, all candles had been extinguished and the door was closed behind her when she left it. But the light still leaked out from the slightly open door. She froze, a few feet away from the door as her hands trembled. Her feet felt stiff and dragged behind her as she moved closer as if begging her not to enter. Her stomach dropped, her pulse bursting from her neck as her anxiety grew. All other thoughts escaped her at that moment, her only thought was of what lay beyond that door, her focus so strong that she forgot to collect herself before slowly moving her hand against the cold wood of the door and pushing lightly.

Her eyes quickly moved over her room, with every inch the door moved the more she saw. Her tidy room clean and perfect as it usually was, was now a panicked mess, it's contents spread on the ground. Her books and clothes lay scattered everywhere as if a rabid animal had torn through her room in manic desperation.

He was sitting on her bed his back to her as he held the item in his hand. Her body began to tremble, wanting to run but she was too entranced with the photo he held, it pulled her in, dragging her closer and closer until her frightening suspicion became reality.

Her mother's eyes glittered from the black and white photo the lay in her uncle's hands.

He lifted his head looking out the window into the cold night, "How did you get it?"

Atria swallowed as her heart continued to pound in her chest, "Professor Lupin gave it to me," She said in a frail voice.

She watched his body move up and down as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before he stood, turning to her, "So now you are blatantly and in full knowledge disobeying me," he said coldly in his collected and self-righteous tone.

Lucius took a few steps closer but Atria forced herself to stand her ground, refusing to show obvious signs of fear, "he's my godfather," Atria said surprised that her voice did not break with fear.

"I don't care he's vile!" Her uncle snapped menacingly.

"No, he's not!" Atria said defiantly, but her last word had barely left her before she felt his hand come down hard on her cheek. The force of it was not enough to send her falling but it was enough for her to stumble.

"How many times?" He demanded, he was met with silence. His hands struck out grabbing her forearms in an excruciatingly tight grip, "How many times will I have to teach you," he said shaking her for good measure, keeping her on her toes. But Atria had had enough, she couldn't do this anymore, it was a time bomb. She could continue to live life comfortably pretending this wasn't happening, stuck in some freeing dream but she always woke up to the harsh reality. She was raised not to bite the hand that fed her, she knew that all she had could be gone in an instant, as could she, she could disappear without a trace and not a question would be raised in defence of her. Well, that wasn't the case anymore.

"What do you want from me?" Atria yelled.

His grip remained but he stilled, She felt his fingers dig deeper and deeper into her arms until she swore she could feel him press against bone.

"I want you to do as you're told," he said softly, a dark undertone to his voice that made her quiver.

Atria looked up at him pleadingly, her eyes filling quickly with tears, "But I do," She fought, "and it's never enough, I can't do this anymore! I can't live like this!"She didn't realize she was screaming until it was too late.

He pushed her away from him with a hard shove causing her to stumble and fall into the hard wooden bedpost. She let out a yelp of pain.

"Without me you have nothing!" He spat, the photo in his hand crinkling as his grip tightened, "you are alive because of me, all I ask in return is you follow my rules."

"Your rules!" Atria exclaimed, "you almost killed me last year," she cried, her throat closing as panic built up further. She had never done this, never stood up to him, had always been submissive and agreeable but this last year had set a fire in her belly that begged to burst out and Lucius noticed it, The unfamiliar look in her eyes, the need, the desperation, the determination.

"The diary," Atria stated he eyes tearing now but not with fear, with hatred,"I'm not stupid, you knew what that diary would do but you gave it to me anyway!"

"Don't be foolish Atria," Lucius hissed menacingly.

But she wasn't being foolish, if anything she was thinking clearly, a thought she didn't want to believe was true but she knew in her heart was. Her tears softly spilled over the edge, a feeling of clarity in her as she accepted the truth for the first time, "I mean nothing to you," she said softly.

He drew his wand quickly and pointed directly at the small photograph in his hands, "Incendio."

The old and wrinkled photo went up in flames as he let it go. It floated in the air before her as if a butterfly set free.

"No!" Atria cried reaching for it but it was too late, the old photo stood no chance and had burnt up in an instant against Lucius wrath. All she was able to grasp was some small pieces of flying ash. She leant against the bedpost as she slowly sank to the floor, she opened her palm slowly, maybe if she moved slowly enough it would heal and be back as it was, but it was no use. The black ash now rubbed into her skin, what was once her most precious treasure had turned to grime on her hands. She closed her eyes as more tears burnt hot paths down her face.

He crouched down in front of her as his hand reached out to move the hair out of her face, "Your mother was nothing," he said, his voice gentle and soothing, "you don't want to be like her."

Atria eyes travelled up away from her hands, she looked him dead in the eye, the ash in her hands burning into her flesh, an extinguished fire building back up further and further with detrimental force, "Don't say that about my mother."

Lucius' eyes turned harsh all false pretence of love and affection gone in a flash before her eyes, "You want to see your mother?" He said threateningly, "Come here."

Atria dove backwards as his hands reached out to grab her, "No," She said jumping on her feet quickly. She faced him, not feeling confident enough to turn her back on him as he moved menacingly closer.

"Come here!" he said again, moving quickly reaching for her arm, this time she was not fast enough to dodge as he latched on.

"Stop it!" she yelled trying to wrench her arm out of his hold, but it was no use. "Get off me," she cried grabbing hold of his wrist with her free arm, she dug her feet in the ground and dug her nails into his hands as she tried to pull him off.

He dragged her over to her vanity, the oval mirror shook with a thud as he threw her forward into the front of it so she could see her own reflection clearly. She tried to run, moving quickly but he was behind her in an instant pressing her into the hardwood, his body firm behind hers.

He pulled her head back by her long hair, she let out a yelp as she cried staring at her reflection, the girl in front of her looked pathetic, her face already bruising from the slap before, her eyes red and puffy.

"There she is," Lucius hissed in her ear, "right there, weak as she always was."

"Stop it," Atria cried her voice now coming out in pained sobs, She felt herself being pushed over the edge as the glass in the mirror began to fragment. She tried again to push her self away from it but it was no use.

"You don't need a photo to see her," he continued cruelly. He moved in closer, she could feel his lips brush her ear as he whispered softly, "This is probably how she looked before she died."

The mirror burst, glass shattering in front of them as Lucius flew backwards, her windows splintered sending a cascade of glass, glittering through the air. She didn't even feel the small shards that hit her face, chest and arms, her head was burning. She felt like she was on fire, as if anyone tried to touch her they would surely be left with a third-degree burn. Her hands stilled, wrapped around the edge of the vanity, she looked into her reflection which was now splintered with long cracks and missing glass. Her breath heaved up and down with desperation. What had she done?

She heard Lucius groan on the floor behind her as he began to lift himself up.

She did not hesitate, she ran towards her bedside table where she knew her wand was. She had to get out of there.

She grabbed her wand and ran to the door, but she didn't make it, her uncle had got to her before her finger could even brush the knob. He grabbed her and through her to floor wth a yelp, "NO!" she screamed as he pulled himself on top of her, her wand falling from her grip on the floor.

She cried and struggled to try and get out from underneath him. "GET OF ME!" She choked out a scream as his forearm pressed into her neck, his other hand busy. He was looking for something, his wand.

She began to panic. Not again.

Her hand fumbled at her side as she felt something large and pointy at her side, she wrapped her hand around the large shard of glass tightly, feeling her own hand slice open as she did, before plunging it into his shoulder.

He pushed himself off of her with a yell giving her the opportunity to lift her leg and kick him away. She dove for her wand, her hand tightened around it firmly. She was on her feet in a flash, running out the door as fast as she could not even looking behind her.

She ran to her uncle's office knowing the floo would be open.

She grabbed the powder from its jar on the mantel and quickly charged into the fireplace.

"ATRIA!" She heard a voice shout behind her.

"Diagon ally," she commanded. As the fire engulfed her, she looked up at Draco's shocked face but she didn't care. She was done.


It was quiet, Diagon ally during the day was a lively place but at night not so much, it was almost eleven, not very late but no more families were enjoying the festivities the street had to offer. She remembered a time like that, running around these streets as a young child, Draco at her side as Cissy tried to get them to slow down. More tears welled in her eyes at that thought, remembering the people she loved and who she thought loved her. She wiped those tears away though. She had to accept it, accept the fact that it was over, that she would never have that again.

She turned her face away as she passed a stranger, she looked a mess. Sher had caught a glimpse of her reflection in the shop's window when passing Madam Malkin's, a bruised cheek and bloodshot eyes as well as small scrapes from where the flying glass had grazed her face.

She would go to Remus, but she had no way to contact him, no owl. She couldn't risk asking anyone for help, for they would probably recognise her. And she could not risk the wrong people recognising her and taking her home. But she had to go now, no doubt Draco had told his father where she was going and he would be close behind.

Only one address was in her mind, a place where she knew someone would be there to help, someone she knew who cared and understood.

So when the night bus arrived and they asked her where she was going she told them, "Four privet drive."


Excited, I know I am.