Hidden in Darkness

Dawn over the vast sands of the desert always captivated the small girl standing at her balcony. Her large group of rooms over looked a beautiful oasis, as green as her almond shaped eyes, and then faded into the large expanse of desert sands beyond. The cool early morning breeze played with her long white hair and over her bronze/coffee skin. Her small feet were bare, comfortably situated on the white marble, underneath a flowing white cotton gown. The halter-type straps were hidden under an ancient Egyptian collar, decorated with gems and gold. Up and down the girl's arms were bangles and armbands, so it looked like the poor child was dripping in gold and jewels. A smile graced her lips as the pale sunlight glimmered on other gems woven into small braids in her long hair.

"My lady, milady!" A young servant girl rushed through the door in her bedroom to find her charge awake and fully dressed. Princess Elektra Marie Cleopatra Kalila El-Ashmauy Ptolemy, Crown Princess of the Magic Kingdom of Egypt, gave a sigh and an unnerving stare to the poor servant girl.

"You know as well as I do that you are not supposed to dress yourself." The girls snapped, rushing over to make sure every fold, gem and strand of hair was in place. The maid sat the princess down and redid the girl's hair with a tap of her wand, creating a style of halfway pulled back soft curls as Elektra quietly bid good morning to her pet lioness, Malak.

"You're done, milady." The maid announced, allowing Elektra to climb to her feet.

"Thank you, Muna." Elektra said quietly. The maid blushed and bowed her head.

"I couldn't have your step-mother chastise me or you in court. You are welcome milady. Don't forget your veil!" Muna said modestly then changed her tone to make sure the young woman remembered. Elektra sighed again and placed the sheer white veil over her hair and face, so none of the courtiers could get a clear view of her.

"Very nice, milady... now, to the Pharisee' court." Muna complimented, then opened the door for her lady to step out. The beautiful door closed behind her, causing Malak to lay down and lazily bat the rug, waiting for her mistress to return.

'Ok... no... I don't wanna be sick...' These words floated across the mind of a little girl as she flung the duvet over her head. Her white blonde hair was a mess, different from her normal soft waves. Her face was pale and slightly pointed though not as much as her twin brother's. Thick blond lashes surrounded her blue/gray eyes and her light eyebrows were barely visible.

The thick door to her room opened and someone slipped in, shutting the door behind them.

"Snark off." She snapped wearily. She was in no mood to talk to anyone.

"Fine Druci... I'll take my news elsewhere..." Drucilla Malfoy shot out of her bed, dumping her dark green duvet over the side as she scrambled to her brother, Draco Malfoy. Halfway from her bed to Draco, her legs gave way, depositing her on the stone floor in her white nightgown. Draco sighed, and picked his sister up, helping her back into bed.

"What news?" Drucilla begged as her settled her duvet back over her and took a seat next to her. His silence was only broken by the storm raging outside and the popping and crackling of Drucilla's fire.

"I'm going to Hogwarts." he finally spilled, looking at his lap. Drucilla smiled.

"That's great Draco! Now I don't have to worry about Pansy and Millicent..."

"The only reason Father let me go is because Mum insisted."

"So, what else is new... Mum always pulls a power-play on Father..."

"It's going to be so different... I'm not going to be able to see you all the time..." Draco looked hard at his sister, who gave him a stare back.

"We'll manage... As long as I don't have to put up with those bloody prats Crabbe and Goyal any more than I have to." Draco chucked and kissed his sister on the forehead, and left the room as quietly as he came in. Drucilla watched him leave, then rolled over and covered her head again.

'I'm not gonna be your sister for long if you keep being so possesive.'

Athens was a beautiful city... as long as you weren't considered a street rat. Some considered the small blonde girl and idiot for doing the harder, lower paying jobs instead of the other ones she was pretty enough to do. She normally quipped back that she was perfectly capable of living off honest money, thank-you-very-much, and would rather not stoop to their level.

Her golden hair was dirty and messy from lack of having any hygiene products whatsoever. Her scrawny, bony body was tanned slightly under a layer of muck that would not leave her body until one of the local hotel owners got some pity for her, and also desperate for an extra hand, where they would hand her over to the maids. The maids normally had a field day, and the little girl would be cleaned up and look amazingly pretty.

Today was one of those days, when she was being chased all over the city to fill a spot as the hotel owner's daughter, one roll that she would not portray, unless forced.

Currently she was sitting on a pile of trash, meditating, when a person approached her.

"Excuse me, are you Crystalline Remi?" The person was a woman, British by her accent. She had long charcoal black hair, and wore sunglasses over her pale face and eyes. In her hand was a cane with intricate handle.

"Who wants ta know?" Crystalline replied, making sure to sound impish and countyish. The woman just laughed, which annoyed Crystalline.

"I have a message for you, and a request from someone you know." The woman said, tilting her head.

"If it's from George, I already told him, I won't..." The woman raised a hand, quieting Crystalline. She smiled and handed an envelope and a piece of paper to the girl. Crystalline cautiously took them both, reading the note first:

My dearest Daughter:

Congradulations on reaching the age of 11. I understand that if this note gets to you, your mother and I are most likely dead, unless your mother or I is staring over your shoulder. It is our fondest wish that you will accompany this young woman to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where you will find your heritage.

Your Loving Father:
Xavier Remi

Crystalline looked up to the woman in confusion.

"So what do I do? Don't schools like this cost money?" The woman smiled infuriatingly again.

"Your parents left you a large sum of money when they died." The woman reached out a hand to help Crystalline from the trash. Nevertheless, Crystalline wasn't ready to leave the pile that most people had considered her to be a part of for so many years.

"So who are you? And why are you wearing those ridiculously dark sunglasses?" The woman laughed at her again.

"My name is Selene Hasset, and I wear these 'ridiculously dark sunglasses' because I'm blind." Selene laughed, pulling off her glasses to reveal milky blue/white eyes surrounded by thick, dark lashes.

"Remind me to never underestimate you." Crystalline said dryly, taking Selene's hand.

Well another chapter done! And man, that was a doozy.

So you have met Crystalline, Drucilla, Elektra and Lilac. Mirial doesn't count because she wasn't fully awake when she was talking.

Disclaimer: I own everyone except the original Malfoy family. And man, Crystalline is a brat in this chapter.