Gringotts

"Hermione, come on, Mother and Father are waiting by the floo."

"I'm coming, Draco, have patience." She finished putting her hair up as was appropriate for a young witch of her status. She had spent many lessons with her tutors to make sure she didn't miss a single strand of hair. By now she could do her hair with her eyes closed and be confident it was perfect. Exiting her room, she practically ran into Draco.

"We shouldn't keep Mother and Father waiting any longer." Hermione was pulling Draco by the hand, passing portraits and expensive decor until they reached the floo room.

"Are you ready to go to Diagon Alley children?" Lucius Malfoy was standing by the fireplace in an emerald green set of robes with dark velvet lining.

"Yes Father." They chorused.

"Hermione, dear, you will come with me to Gringotts while Draco attends to your Mother."

"Of course Father." Hermione knew better than to ask questions. It was never a good idea to ask Lucius Malfoy something he did not offer to reveal.

Stepping into the floo, they were whisked into the fireplace of Borgin and Burkes. Only common folk entered through the Leaky Cauldron. Walking into Diagon Alley, it was crowded with witches and wizards getting ready for September 1st. This would be one of the largest groups to attend Hogwarts since the War. Lucius took Hermione by the hand and started making their way to Gringotts while Narcissa and Draco went to Madam Malkins. As Hermion walked through Diagon Alley, people moved out of the way, bowing and nodding as was appropriate to her status as one of the wealthiest and most ancient houses in the wizarding world. Her father led them through the doors of Gringotts, ignoring the goblins holding open the doors. Walking to the nearest teller Lucius began "We need to speak to the Malfoy account manager."

"This way sir." The goblin hopped off of its' high stool to lead them to one of the many doorways lining the adjoining hallway. Knocking three times the goblin stepped aside, motioning the two purebloods through.

"Mr. Malfoy, to what business do we need to attend today?" Said Lockjaw, the Malfoy account manager.

"I would like an inheritance done for my daughter."

At that the goblin was removing parchment and a dagger from his desk drawers. Hermione knew she was her parents' daughter. Afterall, only the Malfoys had hair this light. She kept all of this to herself knowing that to question her father in front of others would earn her a week's worth of house chores. The Malfoys didnt believe in corporal punishment so sent their children to do tasks they deemed only fit for house elves. While her parents would be mad at her, the house elves would be furious and give her smaller portions of dessert for taking away their jobs. She hated making the elves mad at her.

"Come forward young one." Lockjaw interrupted her thoughts.

Stepping forward Hermione held out her palm as the goblin indicated. As her palm was cut just enough to bleed she watched as it fell onto the parchment. As words started forming she didn't even notice that her father healed her palm. The only thing she could focus on was a third name above hers.

Tom Marvolo Riddle (Lord Voldemort, You-Know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, The Dark Lord)

It was quiet for a moment before the goblin stated in a no nonsense tone, "Seeing as you are the only heir of Tom Riddle, you are named the heir to Slytherin. Would Miss Malfoy be accepting her heir ring today?"

She looked to her father who nodded at the goblin. As the goblin left to retrieve the heir ring from the slytherin vault Hermione spoke. "What does this mean Father?" For she knew the goblins could not be fooled so the parchment must be accurate.

"The Dark Lord blessed you with a single drop of his blood the night of your adoption ritual. You are his legacy as well as ours young Hermione. Do not be afraid. When we are ready to reveal your heir status, you will hold even more power than the Malfoy name has given us."

"Of course father. I will do my best to live up to the prestige my heir status demands."

Lockjaw reentered the office with a small ring box in hand. He placed it on the desk and gestured for Hermione to take it. Stepping back up to the desk, Hermione reached for the ring. As her hand came closer to the box, she felt power and warmth surge to meet her fingertips. Placing the ring on her fingers had her gripping the desk for falling to her knees would see her back in tolerance lessons. The amount of magic that flowed through her body from the heir ring was like nothing she had ever felt before. As her vision cleared and she regained control the goblin spoke for the first time since returning.

"Miss Slytherin, it has been an honor to return the Slytherin name to the wizarding world. Because the Slytherin vaults were dormant for so long the previous account manager has been reassigned. I would like to offer my services to be your account manager."

Her father nodded so she agreed to the goblins terms.

Lucius took a step forward, "We would like for this to stay quiet Lockjaw."

"Of course Mr. Malfoy." Lockjaw had no qualms about staying silent as he was now account manager of one of the most sought after vaults in all of Gringotts.

Exiting the bank was a quiet affair as Hermione thought about her new status. She had been raised to stories of the Dark Lord's ideals. She hated to think what her life would have been like without the Muggleborn Relocation Act. She couldn't imagine not flying on a broom with her brother or coloring with the house eleves when she was younger. She idolized the Dark Lord and felt great honor to be chosen to be his heir. Because Draco held the Malfoy name first, he would be the Malfoy heir even though Hermione was the eldest. Now she understood why she had been made to attend Draco's lordship lessons. She would make her parents proud, all of them.

Meeting up with Draco and her mother, Hermione pushed the event to the back of her mind. It was time to enter Olivanders to be matched with a wand. As the four entered the dusty shop, Olivander spoke from behind a towering shelf of wands.

"Ah, young Malfoys. What a pleasure." This was said with slight distaste. Some wizarding folk just don't understand how important they were. Hermione and Draco both let out matching sneers. They refused to talk to someone who saw no problem with filth. By the state of his shop, they could tell his disgusting behavior came from more than just his love for muggleborns. Olivander had been known to offer discounts to muggleborn children before the MRA. Draco stepped up to the counter first. It was his third wand that saw him matched.

"Ten inches, hawthorn and unicorn hair core." Olivander said no more as Draco dusted his clothing off and made his way to their parents.

Hermione stepped onto the stool in front of the counter yet Olivander paused.

"Miss Malfoy, adopted a week before Halloween in 1981."

"Enough." Lucius sneered. It was considered extremely rude to bring up the adoption of a pureblood.

Seemingly cowed for now, Olivander began gathering wands for Hermione to try. It took all of her self control to not attempt to curse the wandmaker for his statement as she was trying wands. She would simply call it a bad match and leave the blame to Olivander himself for giving her such a bad wand in the first place. However just as she was seriously debating the movement a beautiful warmth made its way through the wand Hermione was holding. She felt safe, protected, and so very powerful with this wand.

"Nine inches three quarters ebony wood with dragon heartstring."

Smiling to herself as her parents led them out of the shop, Hermione couldn't wait for Hogwarts. She would learn the required spells and potions, she would also begin stretching her political influence. Her father always said that political power could never be gained too early. She would take Hogwarts by storm and leave her enemies wondering how they never saw her coming.