Okay, so, I'm warning everyone right now that I am not a big fan of this chapter and how it flows or how short it is. This isn't the first edit; my computer deleted that one and I had to restart. This one doesn't flow nearly as flawlessly as the previous edit and I even contemplated re-doing it AGAIN. But it's been a month since the first chapter and I wanted to give you guys something.

Now, on to other things. I do not have a regular posting schedule. This may upset some of you but I just don't have a lot of time to write frequently. I am currently battling through some mental health issues and writing and drawing are therapeutic for me. It is for this reason that I won't force myself to write more; because I don't want to feel like this is a chore.

With the depressing stuff said, I asked you guys for potential pairings for Holly. So far we have:

Blaise: 1

Theo: 1

Make sure you comment any potential pairing; I don't plan to add romance for a few chapters but I can start to subtly include it if I have a clear pairing in mind. I don't mind multiple partners for Holly so don't be shy to comment multiple names and we will see who had the most in... say... five or six chapters?

Love you guys xx

When she awoke the next morning, Holly was surprised, and a little creeped out, to see a pretty floral dress and expensive looking Mary Janes laid out for her to wear. She hadn't even heard anyone come into her room, which did not bode well for her with the amount of trouble she seemed to get into every year.

Still, Holly tried not to think too much about it and, before getting dressed, decided to take in her… room.

It was bigger than she had initially thought. It had its own little kitchen nook where a mini fridge was filled with magically purified water and milk and cream for the thoroughly stocked tea in the cupboards. Said cupboards also contained a very expensive looking tea set that Holly was almost too scared to touch.

She left the little nook and continued into what could only be the living room. A large, black sofa and two black armchairs were decorated with emerald, green cushions. Any other Gryffindor would have protested the amount of green present, but Holly had always loved the colour.

Seeing the clock on the mantle, Holly cursed, running over to the dress and shoes she scooped them up and rushed into the ensuite bathroom. She had a moment to gape at the marvel floor and marvel tub before she jumped into the fancy shower. It didn't take her long to shower, she was used to the short showers Petunia would allow her to have once a week. She was dressed and her hair was as neat as it would ever get, so not very neat at all, before she rushed from her room, the door closing with a magically silenced slam.

Holly got to the end of her sixth hallway before she finally admitted to herself that she was lost and had called for Lucy who had happily led her to the dining room from the previous night.

Inside, Sirius and Lady Black were already seated. Sirius was happily digging into the full English breakfast that had been laid out before him; only sparing his Goddaughter a glance before he went back to stuffing his face.

Holly sat in her seat from the previous night before she lifted the silver lid to reveal her own English breakfast. A nutrient potion was beside her goblet of pumpkin juice and Holly happily dug into her own meal as Lady Black began to speak.

"Our guests will be arriving shortly," she told them both, "you will both be seen to by the healers before we will sit down with the Goblins in control of the Black and Potter vaults. Afterwards, Holly, I will be introducing you to your private tutors who will teach you everything you have been kept in the dark about when it comes to the wizarding world. I have it on good authority that you unknowingly made any enemy of your cousin in your first year and have since made several social faux pas' since than too."

Holly choked on the mouthful of eggs she had been in the process of eating when her grandmother had spoken. She looked at the older witch with wide eyes before they shot to her godfather who was focusing on his own breakfast a little too hard.

"Cousin?" she rasped when she finally managed to swallow the eggs she had been eating.

"Hm," Lady Black hummed, "Draco Malfoy. It was during my research into your lives that I came across your first-year interactions. You refused his offer of friendship?"

"Malfoy's a prat," she grumbled, bowing her head when her grandmother glared at her, "he called 'Mione a Mudblood in second year and keeps preaching to anyone who'll listen that he's so great because he's a rich Pureblood."

"Yes, well, the education, or lack thereof, of young Mr Malfoy is of little concern to me," she replied, "however, you are a part of the wizarding world and, as such, there are certain rules that must be followed to succeed. Think of it as a game," she continued when Holly gave her a confused glance, "in every game there are the rules that everyone must follow to progress. However," she smirked, "there are also the rules that no one focuses on; and those are the rules we can exploit to get what we want.

"You were blessed Holly," she continued, "born as a woman we are seen as nothing more than a future wife and mother. No one pays us much mind and we are seen as the weaker sex."

"Is this supposed to be motivating?" Sirius questioned sarcastically.

"Informative actually," Lady Black sniffed, "as women, we are practically invisible. It is for this reason that we are so dangerous. Our society likes to think it is run by men, but men are so easily manipulated by the women they so often think themselves above. Bat your eyelashes and stroke their ego and suddenly they're doing what you want and thinking it was their own idea."

Sirius and Holly were gaping at the older witch who was smirking subtly as she took a sip of her goblet.

"It is for this reason that you will also be tutored in the age-old art of seduction," Lady Black announced as if she were merely talking about the weather.

"You can't be serious!" Sirius yelled, palms slapping the table as he glared at Lady Black, "she's not even fourteen yet and you want to turn her into some kind of harlot?"

"Contrary to what your generation believes, Sirius Black, seduction does not have to be about sex," Lady Black scolded, "in fact, it's quite the opposite. It's literal meaning means to persuade to disobedience or disloyalty. Something, or someone, that attracts or charms. Temptation. Can you see why seduction is so easy for a woman? Far easier than if a man tries to do it.

"Now," she continued, delicately wiping her mouth with her napkin, "if you are both done, we should greet our guests in the drawing room."

That seemed to be a que for Sirius who got up and walked around the table until he was standing behind Lady Black. She watched, wide-eyed, as Sirius pulled out Lady Black's chair and waited for her to stand and take a step to the left before he slid the chair back under the table. Holly was still gaping at him when he repeated the action with her chair. He smirked at the look she was sending him as she slowly stood and stepped away from the chair so that he could slide it back under the table as he had done with the previous one.

"Contrary to popular opinion, pup, I do remember all the etiquette lessons that were drilled into me growing up," he snickered as she continued to gape at him like some kind of fish out of water. His hand on the base of her back urged her forward as they followed Lady Black out of the dining hall, "just never really had a reason to use them. No one outside of Pureblood families really stick to tradition anymore. Hell, even Charlus and Dorea had your old man take etiquette lessons until he was sixteen; you should have seen how surprised your mum was when they went on their first date and James actually acted like the gentleman she never suspected he could be."

Holly smiled at the carefree laugh that fell from Sirius' lips as he reminisced about her parents. She loved hearing about her parents, but it was nothing compared to the feelings she got by seeing just how happy they had made others. Sirius and Remus looked twenty years younger whenever they told her about her mum and dad. It was like, in that moment, they had really gone back in time to their time at Hogwarts, when they were young and carefree, not having to worry about Voldemort and his Death Eaters coming after them.

Her smile fell away as her thoughts darkened; her eyes darkened to match her thoughts. Voldemort hadn't tried anything last year but that didn't mean his presence wasn't always in the back of her mind. She found her thoughts constantly drifting towards the psychotic wizard that had been the one to orphan her before she was even old enough to remember anything about her parents.

For some reason, Voldemort had decided that Holly was a threat and, for the life of her, Holly couldn't figure out why the hell that was. It wasn't like she was a powerful witch; hell, she had trouble casting most spells without Hermione walking her through them painstakingly slowly. She wasn't very good at potions and her DADA, transfiguration, charms, and arithmancy skills were lacking at best. Holly was good at flying, but she couldn't exactly defeat Voldemort with a broom.

She did even know why she had to be the one to defeat him. She was thirteen, soon to be fourteen, and he had been around since before her parents were born. He was said to rival Dumbledore in power and that made Holly feel inadequate and scared. She wasn't stupid; she knew that a war was coming. She knew that Dumbledore, even though he had not said anything, wanted her to fight in it. In fact, Holly had the sneaking suspicion in the back of her mind, a suspicion she tried to ignore at all times, that Dumbledore expected her to die in the oncoming war.

It wasn't like she wanted to think badly of her headmaster and the man who had been so kind to her since she had started Hogwarts. However, Holly's instincts had been finely tuned by years of 'Holly Hunting' and it screamed at her that there was just something about Dumbledore that could not be trusted. That wasn't to say that she trusted Voldemort. If anything, Holly was finding it harder and harder to trust people the more she assimilated herself into the wizarding world.

The magical world was far more dangerous that her muggle family had ever been. There, Holly knew what was expected of her and what her relatives thought of her. In the magical world, people adored her one minute for something she couldn't even remember and then hated her in the next breath for something she couldn't control. She had no doubt that, had it not been for her small circle of loved ones, Holly would have given in to the tempting darkness that always lingered in her soul like an old friend.

It was the same darkness that had gotten a kick out of the fear everyone had shown her in second year when they thought she was the heir of Slytherin. The same darkness that had her heart racing in excitement every time her life was placed in mortal danger. Holly wouldn't tell anyone just how liberating those moments were; nor would she tell them just how much she craved them. Craved the darkness that caressed her mind every now and then; a reminder that it was still there and most likely always would be.

Their arrival at the drawing room brought Holly from her thoughts and she looked up in time to see a room full of strangers all looking at her and her godfather. Even Sirius seemed uncomfortable with the scrutiny, but Holly could tell that he was doing a better job at hiding it than she was.

"Thank you for waiting," Lady Black announced, drawing every eye in the room to her. She didn't apologise for keeping them waiting and yet, Holly didn't see an annoyed expression in the room. If anything, the Medi-wizards were smiling at the woman and the goblins seemed to be salivating at the sight of her. There were three other occupants of the room, but their faces were kept carefully blank.

"Lady Black," one of the Medi-wizards began, bowing to the older witch, "as always, it is a pleasure to be in your company."

"The pleasure is mine, Fredrick," Lady Black replied with a subtle tilt of her head, "we will begin with you and Thomas. You all know Lord Sirius Black and Lady Holly Potter," she continued, waving her hand delicately in their direction, "my grandchildren have been left to suffer whilst the magical world benefits off their sacrifices. The extent of this suffering has only recently come to light for me, and actions are being put in place to rectify past events.

"As such, they will need a full medical. Both are malnourished and Holly has an extensive history of abuse at the hands of her muggle family," Lady Potter announced, making Holly shuffled nervously as every gaze returned to her, "of course, none of you will be able to tell anyone outside of this room any of this. You were all made to take a wizarding oath of silence.

"Whilst Fredrick and Thomas are performing the necessary medical checks, I will be discussing further plans with the rest of you," Lady Black informed them, "Thomas, you will be seeing to Sirius. Holly will be with Fredrick. Lucy will take you both to the medical wing; you will find everything you need there. I want a full report upon your return."

"Yes, Lady Black," Fredrick and Thomas replied, bowing towards the woman before they left the room with Holly and Sirius in tow, Lucy already waiting for them outside of the room as the door closed with a gentle click.

"How long have you known my grandmother, Mister Fredrick?" Holly asked as the older wizard came around the curtain once she had assured him she was changed into the hospital robes.

"Lady Black knew my mother," Fredrick replied with a soft smile as he urged Holly to lay back on the bed, the girl doing so hesitantly, "she was there for my birth and named me at my mother's insistence. It's not uncommon for lesser Pureblood families to seek out Matriarchs of more powerful families to be present for childbirth and to name a newborn child. Lady Black is the most powerful Matriarch in wizarding Britain and, as such, many families would seek her out to name their children."

Holly was silent, digesting the words just spoken to her. It was clear to anyone who felt Lady Black's presence that she was a powerful witch, but Holly had never really known how powerful. It was also the first time she was hearing about a Pureblood tradition. Ron, whilst a Pureblood, didn't follow any of their traditions and, when Holly and Hermione would ask about them, would state that they were antiquated and unnecessary. Hermione and Holly hadn't pursued the subject further; not wanting to anger or upset their friend.

They lulled into a relaxed silence that slowly mounted with tension as the diagnostic charm produced a scroll that started spelling all of her injuries and sicknesses, past and present, onto the warn parchment. Holly could feel Fredrick's mounting anger and horror as the scroll reached six feet. Then seven. When it finally stopped just shy of ten feet, Holly could hardly breath from the magical pressure filling the room.

It was only when Fredrick heard her pitiful little whimper that he came to a most shocking revelation. Holly Potter was a sensor; a very sensitive one at that apparently. It shouldn't have been surprising; several Potter's throughout history had been sensors, all very powerful in their own right. However, Holly was untrained, and he could only imagine how confused she was. Merlin, anyone else would have gone insane at the constant feedback, especially a muggle-raised sensor like Holly who had suddenly been thrusted into a magical world with no warning of what she was.

Still, he couldn't focus on that when he had work to do. Work which involved being the unlucky wizard that was going to have to give one very powerful witch a very lengthy list of injuries, both muggle and magical, that had been reigned upon her granddaughter.

The very thought made him want to Avada himself.

He had seen Lady Black angry once and the very thought of having to witness that made him want to crawl under a rock for the rest of his life. But, he had a job. A job that involved improving Holly's health.

Unbeknownst to the little witch, Fredrick had also done a magical trace on her to see if she was being influenced by any spells, charms, hexes, jinxes, curses, or potions. Suffice it to say, Lady Black was going to lose her carefully controlled temper.

There were so many spells on that poor child that Fredrick was surprised she wasn't a squib. The magic dampening spell alone was a death sentence for a growing witch's developing magical core. That wasn't taking into consideration that she was also being drugged with a strong loyalty and subjugation potion keyed into Albus Dumbledore's magical signature. It was old magic, usually used to keep a wife in line so that the husband could be unfaithful without repercussion; long before witches rights had made the vow of faithfulness necessary for both parties of a marriage. He hadn't seen it used on someone so young; he couldn't even begin to wonder why Dumbledore needed Holly to desire to submit to him. The very thought sent a disgusted shiver down his spine.

He pushed those emotions aside, especially now that he was aware that Holly could probably feel his unease.

"Well," he coughed, controlling his magic, and smiling softly as the young witch relaxed immediately, "we have a long road to recovery." He wouldn't lie to her, not with everything she had been through and everything she was about to go through. "However, recovery is entirely possible, and I don't see anything that can't be mended with magic," he told her cheerily, locking away his anger as he re-read the extensive list, "I'll write out a list of potions that I want you to take for the next few months and I will be visiting you daily for one-on-one healing sessions. Does this sound agreeable to you, Lady Potter?"

"Yes, Mister Fredrick," she answered automatically, and it made Fredrick frown.

Sure, he had hoped she would be agreeable to his suggestion but even Lady Black would have taken the time to think it over before agreeing. It was like the girl had had all free will beaten out of her; a concept that wasn't a far stretch when he took into consideration the list of injuries he had on the ten-foot parchment rolled neatly beside him. He made a mental not to inform Lady Black that a mind healer would be best for the young witch, if for nothing more than to try and get her to see that she had choices.

He managed a smile for the young witch, bowing politely before he excused himself. His face darkened as the door closed behind him softly. The vase beside him shattered before, with a lazy swipe of his hand, it repaired itself. Fredrick reigned in his magic until he could ask permission of Lady Black to use the training room to release his frustrations. For now, he needed to tell her what he had found.

As scared as he was to see her lose her temper, Fredrick also hoped he was there to witness her wrath on the people responsible for the suffering of that little girl.

A dark smile spread across his face as he imagined it, the Slytherin in him relishing in the impending chaos.