So warning, I am playing with canon and ages so Delphini Lestrange is still younger than Harry but she was born in 1980. She can speak Parseltongue and Nagini has bonded to her and is not infected with the horcrux of an insane evil dark lord. This with her being raised by Andromeda and Ted has made her a far better witch. That being said, yes this is a Harry/ Delphi story where Delphi turns out decent and good. Though romance will not be in the cards until much, much later for them age-wise. They are only thirteen and eleven here!
Chapter Three: A Good Family:
Delphi (and that was her full name don't press it) Lestrange Tonks smiled at her refection. She was not a full metamorphmagus like her sister Polly a name she had called her sister since she was tiny but she could change her hair. She had tried white with blue tips but decided that purple was the best now she was done with primary school. At school she had kept her hair a simple brown and no-one ever discovered her secret, well all but her best friend Hermione Granger. Sure Hermione could be bossy at times and such but Delphi helped her to not be so bossy. Delphi stopped smiling, she was going to Hogwarts and not as a Tonks, she was going at Delphi Lestrange the daughter of Rudolfus and Bellatrix Lestrange, due to a few rituals by her grandfather before he died no-one would ever know the truth, not even the evil dark lord.
"Now that color suits you." Nymphadora (call me that and regret it) "Polly" Tonks said walking in. "You are going to do so well at Hogwarts."
"I am scared, I mean my parents, they were evil!" Delphi said.
"I know, but you are not, we raised you not to be." Polly replied.
"What of my dark thoughts?" Delphi asked.
"We all have those but you don't want to do anything right?" Polly asked.
"No, I really don't, I am going to get into Gryffindor, I have to." Delphi said.
"And you will, look Harry Potter is in Hogwarts, sure he has a few problems but everyone see him for who he is, he took a oath." Polly said.
"I want to do that, show people I refuse to be evil!" Delphi said.
"Good, now you need to get dressed for the zoo, and no talking to the snakes! Not there, you can talk to Nagini here, she is so sweet." Polly said "never knew one could learn to speak Parseltongue."
Delphi was going to keep her hair purple, Polly always kept hers pink and the clothes she wore, they covered every bit of her but her head neck and hands but they were a riot! Delphi was going to dress a bit more conservative, doc Martin™ boots, green leggings, a ruffled skirt in purple with a matching crop top, under that crop top was a long sleeved tee shirt that covered what the crop top did not in white. Delphi liked to stay covered up as she was always so cold and so even in summer she was layered warmly. She walked over to where Nagini was resting in a nest of blankets.
"I am going to the zoo." Delphi said.
"Good, have fun, you are still taking me to Hogwarts?" Nagini asked.
"Yes, you really knew the headmaster?" Delphi asked, "and are trapped in your form now so you can't change back?"
"Yes, I can catch up with an old friend." Nagini said, "he can speak and understand."
"Oh good, well you need anything before I head out?" Delphi asked.
"No, thank you." Nagini said.
Delphi headed out to where her parents were and they all piled into an avocado green VW microbus. Polly drove and was a very good driver and soon they were at the zoo. They paid and went in and had a good time looking at all the animals. They were headed to see the tigers when Delphi ran into a boy and looked up. She saw a tanned boy with green eyes and messy black hair smiling at her. She felt butterflies in her stomach and stammered out an apology. Polly came up and saw she had run into Harry Potter. He seemed smitten, she was going to have a bit of fun now. They looked so cute there and would be so cute together!
"Oh Harry there you are, this is my younger sister Delphi!" Polly said.
"As in Delphi Lestrange." Delphi said.
"Harry Potter, well met, so your parents too?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I am not going to be like them I remember my grandfather, he was kind and good." Delphi replied.
"Mine too, so you are taking after Randolph Lestrange then?" Murel asked walking up, "he was a fine man, damn shame what his sons turned too, well you need to bring the Lestrange name back to where it needs to be."
"I shall." Delphi said.
"Make the oath at Hogwarts." Harry said then at Delphi's look, "you want to make a good impression."
"Oath." Delphi said slowly, "oh! Yes I can do that!"
Polly realized that that moment was not a good time to tease her younger sister. Later but not at that moment. Instead she followed the two children (she was an adult training to be an Auror don't' you know) to keep them safe of course. She saw they got along very well and wondered if they would get together later. They were of course much too young, sure witches and wizards married young but not that young!
What was refreshing was that Randolph Lestrange was taking after ancient parts of the family when he brought Delphi into his family. Long ago the Lestranges were known for be very progressive abet still pro purebloods. Women could inherit if there were no male heirs to do so and one of the sons would be the heir to the Lestrange name. That had changed in the past four hundred years but now Delphi was following ancient customs of the family that had began in France but did not cross over into England. The day went on and at the end Harry wanted to spend more time with her.
"We will be at school together, even if we are in different houses." Delphi said.
"You still are trying for Gryffindor?" Harry asked.
"Yes, my best friend Hermione Granger is dead set on it, so I need to be with her." Delphi replied.
"That sort of loyalty is what my house is known for." Harry grinned, "but I am sure you can ask nicely for that house."
"I intend to!" Delphi said grinning.
With that she headed home and soon her letter came with her name on it, she was grateful her grandfather changed her name to what it was now. Delphi Lestrange sounded far better than Delphini Riddle-Lestrange. She was the dark lord's biological daughter, or had been, but certain rituals that really were not dark as long as the head of the family agreed had been done. She now had no trace of that evil dark lord in her, accept for her ability to speak to snakes. She was sending Nagini ahead as the headmaster had heard about her and had been a friend of hers so long ago.
Dumbledore was delighted to have an old friend at Hogwarts even if she was trapped as a snake. Severus less so, oh he liked snakes well enough, he was head of Slytherin but what she said to him got him to blush as she still had human desires. He had learned to speak Parseltongue as any good potions master who could learn the language did. This was to harvest venom from willing snakes as that made better potions. Nagini was more than happy, a bit too happy to assist him.
"You are handsome, I would like to share a dungeon with you." Nagini said.
"That is enough." Dumbledore said trying to hide his amusement, "you are not here to torment the poor boy."
"I have a woman to warm my bed already." Severus said, "she is Charity Burbage and teaches muggle studies, we are wed."
"Oh, any hatchlings?"
"Not yet, but in time perhaps." Severus said, "you lived with the Lestrange girl?"
"Delphi, yes, she is good and light, like her ancestors were, before they went dark and bad. Lestrange was known for feats of magic rare and wonderful and strange, it is how they got the family name" Nagini said.
"There are rumors as to who her father really is." Severus said.
"And they are only rumors." Dumbledore replied, "even if he were her father I would let her come, no she is the daughter of the house of Lestrange and that is all."
"Very well, I will watch over her the best I can." Severus said.
With that he left and pondered on not only Delphi but on one Harry Potter. He was not like his parents, at all. He was smart and kind but he was also good. He had made the oaths his very first night and when he did any pranks they were funny for all involved and he included himself, so if everyone in the great hall ended up different colors so did he as did Fred and George. He was fair and loyal and not one to give into anger, it did seem sometimes that he over compensated but who could blame him? His parents had been evil in what they did after all.
All too soon summer ended, and Harry had another summer of lessons, of playing and friendship. He was taller now and stronger but still very much a boy. He had a long time before he started to grow up into a young man. He got on the train and found Fred and George with their youngest brother Ron. A brother in new robes as his older brothers working made sure he had new robes. He did have his brother Bill's old school trunk and books for all seven years. He had his own wand and right now a smudge of dirt on his nose. Delphi boarded with a bushy haired girl and Harry kindly found a compartment for them with Ron and Neville, he was sure they all would be Gryffindor before the night was over.
Harry was right and he smiled as Delphi settled into her new house. She had friends already so he was not very worried, he dished up food and ate well of what was offered, and this year a lot more than ever before. It was as if a switch had been flipped and now he was very hungry all the time, he found himself eating far more than ever and realized he was going through changes and the food was needed. He saw Fred and George eating nearly as much as he was and yes, their brother too. But he had to and at least he was doing so with the manners Murel drilled into him. Harry loved her so much and found another sweet but strict woman in his life that cared so much about him.
The next morning the school was abuzz about what had happened in the Gryffindor common room, it was not just Delphi that took the oath to never go evil nor betray anyone. Every single first year followed her lead, but then Harry thought, that was Gryffindor for you. One did something brave they all followed. Fred and George had done their oath last year but very few did, it was a big oath and one that came with death if one broke it. Still parents could not get upset too much at their children for what they did to refuse evil. There was the annoying Draco Malfoy here too, raised by his grandfather he was still stuck up and all but he was at least not worshiping the dark lord like his parents had. They were dead for it and Draco never once mentioned them.
Something happened that first week that would show the whole school that Delphi was not to be messed with. She had been taught shield spells and a few others before she came to Hogwarts by her sister. She found she had to use them that first week against Pansy Parkinson, Theo Nott and Millicent Blustrode. They had thought they could attack a "blood traitor scum" like Delphi but found out quickly she knew far more than they did. Harry saw the whole thing in the hall, the Slytherins cast the first spells but Delphi shielded. Then she cast and her spells hit at once. They were color changing spells and they turned the three students bright orange with purple hair.
"You little freak!" Pansy shrieked.
"Well, well what do we have here?" Snape said walking up glaring at the students coldly.
"Mr. Potter tell me what happened here?" Snape said.
"Parkinson, Nott and Blustrode attacked Lestrange and she blocked their spells and sent color changing spells back sir." Harry said.
"Yes, that is what I saw, ten points from Gryffindor for casting spells in the hall." Snape said getting his snake's to smirk but not for long, "and ten each from Slytherin for attacking a student in the halls. Oh and five to Gryffindor for a proper use of a shield charm and two for to Hufflepuff for telling the truth."
"That is not fair!" Blustrode said, "look what she did!"
"Yes, I am sure she could have learned far worse if she wanted." Snape said.
"I did not sir." Delphi said, "I vowed off hurting others, color changing charms don't hurt, not like what they wanted to do sir."
"She is a blood traitor bastard!" Nott said.
"I think a week solid of detention with Mr. Filch for each of you, Nott, Blustrode and Parkinson shall do, speak again and I will add a week for each word."
The three Slytherins fled, they had heard that their head of house was fair, but this was not fair at all! How could it be, he supported that abomination above them! Delphi should be with them not with Gryffindors and slumming with a mudblood to boot! Unfortunately they were living in a new world and one that did not take kindly to the kind of attitude that the had. They were slow learners and would cost Slytherin a lot of points for that attitude. Delphi hurried off and Harry was about to when he was stopped by Snape.
"I have something that belongs to you, your grandfather trusted me with it." Snape said, "come along then."
"Yes professor Snape sir." Harry replied.
He followed Snape to his office and stood before him until he was bid to sit. Snape called for tea and soon Harry had a cup prepared how he liked it, a splash of milk no sugar. He sipped at it wondering what Snape wanted to tell him. Snape had not been cruel to him or mean, but he was not exactly cuddly either. He had heard rumors that he was a steward or something of an ancient house. He nibbled at a biscuit and watched as Snape took out a small box.
"Your grandfather was a good man, and he knew his son was not as good as he should have been." Snape said, "due to a prank your father saved my life, a life debt was created. Your grandfather as head of house had it transferred to him. He paid for me to get my potions mastery."
"I am sorry for my father." Harry said.
"Don't be, your grandfather on your birth made you the heir to the Potter and Fleamont fortunes."
"I have neither." Harry said.
"What the ministry took, was your father's wealth, as you did not commit the crimes he did and you were the heir to the Potter and Fleamont families, your wealth could not be touched. You also could not be informed of it until after you turned thirteen."
"Okay fair enough sir, where does that leave me?"
"I was trusted with the house rings, your father never found this out or I would be dead and he would have had the rings."
"Don't' the goblins keep such things?" Harry asked.
"Sometimes, but sometimes things are done this way." Snape said thrusting the box at him, "as I owed your grandfather a life debt and could not, not that I would betray him as he was so good to me, I now give you the house rings to house Potter and Fleamont."
"So how does this work?" Harry asked opening the box.
"Same finger, they will merge until you have heirs and can pass on the rings." Snape replied.
"Wow, okay." Harry said putting them on.
"Now the oath that you take on the head of house Potter and Fleamont." Snape said handing him a slip of paper "Your full name is Harry James Fleamont Potter."
"Okay I Harry James Fleamont Potter do take on the headship of houses Potter and Fleamont. I swear to uphold and defend the realm of Queen Elizabeth II of house Winsor queen of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and the commonwealths. So swear I and so do I so help me God?"
"Good, very good!" Dumbledore appeared and Harry was not surprised to see him there, "I was hoping this day would come."
"Thank you headmaster, professor Snape, now what?"
"Well you are rather wealthy." Snape replied handing him a ledger.
"Okay house Potter a manor house, 1,000,000 galleons, house Fleamont 2,000,000 galleons a cottage and the rights to sleekeasy hair tonic, oh wow, and stocks in Apple, GMC Rolls Royce. I could do I lot of good with this."
"Spoke like your grandfather." Snape said, "which I am grateful for."
"As am I." Dumbledore said, "as am I."
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So yes, Harry is rich and I wanted to do things a bit differently in how he got the rings and the oath he had to take. It does explain why his father never was seen as worthy as the oaths for both house Potter and Fleamont require loyalty to the crown. Yes Nagini is going to help Snape and she now gets to be herself and back with an old friend.
Anyway, do review please!
