Huge thanks to laraceleste (I'm so happy you enjoyed the old story, I hope you like this one just as much!) and Guest (thank you so much for your kind review, it made my day!) for reviewing the first chapter and to everyone who favorited/followed. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It's the last of the first year chapters, next chapter will be up hopefully this weekend from Remus' POV going into their 7th year. I'm planning on posting about once a week on the weekend, but this one is on the shorter side so I thought I'd get it out to you guys early. Enjoy!

Previously on Above All Others: Messalina Lucien, perfect pureblood daughter of a wealthy family, is sorted into Gryffindor, much to her dismay. Knowing she's already facing hot water with her family for not being a Gryffindor, she tries to keep her head down but Lily Evans wants to be friends and the Prewett twins stand up for her in the Common Room.

It was Messalina's friendships with Lily and the Prewett twins that sealed her fate. She had avoided writing her parents since the silence following her hurried 'I don't know what happened, this is a mistake. Please tell me what to do' that she had sent covered in tears on the first day of classes. The lack of a response from her parents had her on edge, constantly waiting for her family's eagle owl to show up with a Howler declaring she was unfit to attend Hogwarts and would be returning to Lucien Manor to be tutored through school as she had been as a child or that she was being disinherited. Her cousin's sneers in the corridors and laughter on the few times she tried to talk to him earlier in the year told her he knew something she didn't, and that he couldn't wait for her to know whatever it was so he could mock her. Doubtlessly, her parents had told him something she wasn't supposed to know yet (most likely her father as the two were inseparable) and it was eating him alive having to keep it in. None of the older Slytherins she was acquainted with would look at her, with the exceptions of Bellatrix who always looked on the brink of cursing her and Andromeda who offered sympathetic smiles when no one else was looking. But Bellatrix's friends were still capable of talking her out of outright attacking her, though Messalina doubted it would last for long, and Andromeda always seemed to be in a rush.

And so, on a crisp October morning, when the black eagle owl appeared during breakfast with a letter addressed to her, Messalina was not surprised. She had expected her heart to race and for that all too familiar feeling of lightheadedness to reappear, but she felt nothing but almost a cool indifference. Like something she had been waiting for for years had come and she was relieved to have it finally present itself. The bandaid was going to be ripped off, what that meant she didn't know but Lily said it a lot, so Messalina assumed it was a Muggle expression.

"What is it Lina?" Fabian, or at least she thought it was Fabian she didn't quite have their differences down yet, asked. He looked up from his breakfast of what looked like fifty pieces of bacon and ten scrambled eggs, concern apparent on his freckled face. Messalina had never received mail before and it seemed the twins were holding their breath, waiting for it to explode or a Howler to start shrieking.

"A letter from my parents," she replied, pushing her plate away and ripping open the parchment. The owl, content that it had delivered its message and evidently not expecting a response, flew back to the Slytherin table where it had come from and narrowly missed clipping Severus Snape who had gotten up rather abruptly.

"Are you sure you want to read it here?" Gideon asked from beside her, glancing over at the Slytherin table. Messalina followed his gaze and saw her cousin and half of the table looking back at her. Antonin looked triumphant, a letter already opened in his hand, and Messalina realized dully that she had been right about what the letter would contain. Disownment. Abandonment. There was no feeling of pride or satisfaction for having figured out what her parents were going to do. The flood of emotions she had anticipated did not come, but her mouth did suddenly feel as dry as the desert and her hands shook a bit.

"Yes." She ripped open the parchment, staring at her cousin across the room. He must have expected a dramatic reaction for he elbowed Rowle in the stomach and gestured towards the Gryffindor table when Rowle did not immediately stop eating his breakfast to gawk as well. She wondered how her cousin was feeling about the matter. He had lived with them the last two years since his parents had been taken to Azkaban and had spent every moment he was at the Manor torturing her, turning Christmas and summer breaks into nightmares. He'd been so jealous of her and now everything she had was going to be taken away and given to him. He ought to feel grateful to her, but she knew his hate of her was nothing but amplified since she had been sorted in Gryffindor. A Lucien for a cousin helped him with his status as the Russian Dolohovs were not a well-known wizarding family but they were well-respected in Britain for their association to other families and so he had tolerated her, but now she was bringing him shame. She was a stain on his reputation, perhaps not more than Sirius Black was on his cousins, but Sirius didn't live with Antonin for several years. Messalina mused that this should be the happiest day of Antonin's life and yet he looked rather upset she was still seated and calm. He was a handsome boy afterall, with light blonde hair and strikingly blue eyes, but in this moment his features were twisted and he looked as ugly as an angry veela. It ought to have been the worst day of her life and yet she felt nothing aside from a gratitude to her friends and the Sorting Hat. Making sure to throw a small smile at her cousin, Messalina faced the inevitable.

The envelope was completely stuffed, and she should have known immediately that it wasn't several pieces of parchment because it was not firm but rather it shifted under her fingers. Ashes fell into her lap as she pulled the letter out, the smell of burnt wallpaper filling the immediate area and she wrinkled her nose. Her family was nothing if not theatrical afterall - drama ran in her blood. She paused, sifting through the ash when she realized there was still a scrap of wallpaper that was still semi-legible in the pile. It was from the family tree in the grand dining room of Lucien Manor, one of her parents' favorite talking points when they had guests over. It was a massive undertaking that covered all four walls of the room and showcased every single Lucien born since the 1400s when their records began. Her father liked to point out that they were most likely pure beyond that date, but the records had been destroyed or ill-kept because of the Muggles. Every Lucien that had not been blasted off had married another pureblood, and even the handful of non-Slytherins married Slytherins and had Slytherin children. Every time Messalina sat in the grand dining room, she felt hundreds of eyes were looking at her from almost every direction, pale faces looking haughtily at those seated around the table.

The scrap in her hand was from her portion of the tree and she remembered her mother screaming at her for not sitting rim-rod straight in the chair as the portrait was drawn, saying family members for years would be looking at her face on the wall and talking about who she was and who she married and what her kids did and that slouching would embarrass them all. Yelena Lucien had been right - people would be talking about who she was for years. Messalina's face might be blasted off the tree, but the giant black mark would sit directly above her father at the head of the table. She would bet her life savings, which she was thinking amounted to the small purse in her trunk her mother had given for mail orders, that guests would never truly be able to ignore the massive black spot that was her lasting impression on the Lucien legacy. She wondered if Antonin would be placed on the wall and snorted at the thought of her father frowning as a Dolohov was placed on the Lucien wall. Maybe they'd legally adopt him, as it wasn't as though his parents could care for him from Azkaban, and that could be his reason for being on the wall. Nonetheless, a Dolohov on the wall would bother Licorous Lucien more than he would say, especially because Messalina knew he considered the British and French better than the Russians. She wondered if he blamed his Gryffindor daughter on his wife.

The piece of wallpaper in her hand was nearly illegible with each corner scorched and it was covered in soot marks, but she could make out 'Messa' in ornate cursive writing. It was all that was left of her five hour portrait session that had ended with her in tears because her mother had declared she thought Messalina didn't have what it took to be a perfect pureblood wife if she couldn't even sit still. Well, turns out Yelena was right about that too. Messalina dropped the scrap of paper on the table, picked up the letter, and opened it.

Messalina Oksana Lucien,

Due to your recent House placement and subsequent choices in companionship, you are hereby disowned and disinherited. The Dolohov family's position on the Unsullied Eleven and the Lucien status on the Sacred Twenty Eight will not be placed in jeopardy by your foolhardy and selfish actions. This family has worked tirelessly to develop a solution in which all parties could benefit; however, your insistence in befriending Mudbloods and Blood-Traitors has cast significant doubt on your judgement and character in polite society.

Your actions are nothing short of a disgrace to this family and there is no chance at remediation. The Gringotts account in your name has been emptied and reabsorbed into Antonin's account as is fitting his new status as our heir. Respectable society has shunned you and the shadow of doubt you have cast over this family requires significant work to be resolved. As a result, all communications between you and the Lucien and Dolohov families are forbidden and will remain unanswered.

Licorous Abraxas and Yelena Antonia Lucien

"Are you okay?" Fabian asked, watching her face very carefully as she handed the letter to him. If there was one thing she had come to love about her new friends, it was that they were so attentive. She had never felt ignored or rejected since that first day. She considered herself lucky to have friends she could talk to and know they'd listen to her not to gain anything but to help her. She'd certainly never felt that at home. And if she had to be disowned to get it, she thought she might've gotten the better end of the deal.

"I think I know where I get my flair for the dramatic from," she said, brushing the ash off her robes and pocketing the slip of wallpaper that hadn't been destroyed. She could just picture her parents' house elf Yorky on his knees in his filthy pillowcase, scraping the ashes of the wallpaper into a pile to pour into the envelope and leaving the 'Messa' in here for her. He would've been punished if her parents had realized it - there was certainly no way that they had meant for it to be included in the soot. Her heart went out to the elf, he had been a bright spot in her life at the Manor.

"You should come live with us," Fabian said suddenly, a smile growing on his freckled face. She loved seeing their genuine smiles and the way they wore their hearts on their sleeves. It was so refreshing after years of aloofness. "Mum keeps complaining about being outnumbered and living in a house filled with testosterone now that Molly's left."

"I wouldn't dream of imposing on your family - you've done enough for me," Messalina said, beyond flattered with the thought though. "I've got a great uncle that's a squib - they didn't disown him but he doesn't associate with the family. I bet he'd take me in, my father always said he had poor judgement."

"You're not going to live with a total stranger," Fabian said, staring at her incredulously. The idea clearly offended him. "You'll come live with us and that'll be that. Don't be ridiculous."

"Give me that letter, I want to know what's going on." Gideon grumbled under his breath about being left out of the loop and snatched the letter out of Fabian's hand. Messalina spared a glance at the Slytherin table, noting with great satisfaction that the vein in her cousin's forehead looked like it might burst at any second.

"I can't believe how slow of a reader you are, it's honestly embarrassing," Fabian teased as Gideon raced to catch up, murmuring the letter's contents under his breath. "Can't believe my own twin is illiterate."

"Would you shut your trap for two seconds?" Gideon asked, pursing his lips and giving his twin the stink eye before turning back to the letter in his hands.

"I don't know that he's capable," Messalina replied, laughing as she dodged a muffin Fabian launched at her head. As one of the Gryffindor's newly appointed beaters, his aim at such close range was weak and she told him as much, leading him to throw a second muffin at her, hitting her in the forehead and leaving a blueberry stain she had to work at to rub off.

"How come he's not getting the same treatment?" Gideon asked as he finished reading through the letter, gesturing to further down the table. Sirius Black was surrounded by his constant gang of friends and was laughing so obnoxiously at something Remus Lupin said that he sprayed bits of scrambled eggs across the entire table. Now that's a proper pureblood, Messalina thought.

"He's a boy," Messalina said, rolling her eyes. "He'd be carrying their name on if he married - I'd be carrying on another family's name instead. He'd have to marry someone like that bullish Emmeline Bulstrode who would whip their children into perfect pureblood shape. Plus, he has a little brother who can easily replace him at any time whereas Antonin doesn't have the same status as a little brother of mine would've had. And the Luciens and Dolohovs are among the strictest pureblood familes - Above All Others and Nothing if not Pure aren't exactly mottos that speak to flexibility. The Dolohovs lack the political capital in Britain that the Luciens have, making Antonin their heir preserves their reputation and ensures he'll get a better match. I'm guessing Magdalena Burke, she's a second child from a family that goes back as far as mine."

"How do you keep this straight in your head?"

"That was all my life was before I came here," she sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sure if you asked me a question about your brother-in-law's family tree I could answer it. The Weasleys are still on the Sacred Twenty Eight so I had to learn about them, even if they don't fit the ideals."

"Well you can tell Arthur all about his family tree when you move in with us," Gideon said matter-of-factly as though daring her to go against him. "Because that's going to happen whether you want it to or not."

"Your parents would never allow it, I'm a stranger!"

"I'd hope we would know Samuel and Gwen better than you would, Lina, and I am telling you they wouldn't mind."

"Plus they keep yelling at us for destroying stuff around the house because we're bored," Fabian groaned. "And if you're there you can keep us in line."

"Fine! You can ask your parents, but if I sense even an ounce of hesitance in their response I'm writing my great uncle!" Messalina cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation. It seemed unfathomable for the twins not to get what they wanted, they certainly knew what to say to make their opinion seem the only logical one. They were impossible. But it was a kind of impossibility. They never twisted her feelings or thoughts into doing anything she didn't want to do, they just got her to drop her fears and inhibitions. It was a different kind of coercion than she was used to. The twins grinned at each other and Messalina knew they were having a conversation in their heads about how they had won their argument. Rolling her eyes, Messalina shoved the letter into her bag and got up from the bench. "I have to go to class, I'll see you boys later."

She was grateful the boys had not yet memorized her schedule as she took the longest route to Transfiguration as she could think of. She had to duck into the bathrooms a few times on her journey to wipe a few stray tears from her eyes and blow her nose, but the grief she had expected did not strike. Instead, an immense relief was washing over her. No more fear of her mother using the Cruciatus curse on her for knocking up a vase that could've been fixed with the flick of a wand. She'd never have to run from her father or cousin, listening to them yell about how imperfect she was. No more being hit with a cane for not sitting perfectly still during a portrait sitting or slapped for falling asleep at a dinner party when she was in the middle of a scrofungulus flare up and ought to have been on bedrest. Her time at Hogwarts had told her that what happened to her at Lucien Manor was not typical, not even for some of the other pureblood families. And she was determined to make the best of what had happened and to never feel as helpless as she had after being sorted. And if being free of her family meant giving up one of the largest vaults in Gringotts, she was willing to do it.

"Lina!" A girl's voice called as Messalina walked down the final corridor to the classroom, and she turned around to see Lily Evans weighted down by a bulging bag hurrying towards her, looking harassed. Her red hair was falling out its jaunty ponytail and she was breathing hard. Just as Messalina started to look around to see if some gang of older Slytherin students were chasing her and prepared to grab her wand, she heard a group of all-too familiar voices. The first year Gryffindor boys had declared themselves the Marauders the second week of school and become an inseparable little club. James Potter had decided he was in love with Lily since she had yelled at him after the sorting and seemed to enjoy telling the girl that every time he was in so much as the same room as her. Lily approached rapidly, grabbing Messalina's arm and dragging her down the corridor with her. "As soon as I figure out how to hex someone, that Potter is dead!"

Messalina agreed with her - the boy was going from annoying to downright obnoxious. Him and Black together was a constant whirlwind of pranks and teasing of others, particularly the Slytherins, and she imagined it would only get worse when they knew magic that could back up their words. At least if Lily was there to balance him out perhaps Potter would be taken down a peg or two. Lily led Messalina inside the Transfiguration classroom to their seats in the first row, continuing on about how the Marauders were a bunch of prats who were getting to be insufferable and how dare they be in the same House as her because it wasn't fair she was going to be tortured for the next seven years. When they finally sat down, Lily let down a loud huff before turning in her seat and looking at Messalina with sudden concern.

"Oh Merlin, I can't believe I didn't ask you about what that letter was about this morning! I'm sorry, Potter and company had me in such a mood. Are you okay? What was it?" Lily said all of this quietly, seeming aware that Grace Caldwell was leaning forward in her seat and gesturing for girl sitting beside her to do the same. The pair of Hufflepuffs were notorious gossipers already despite it only being the second month of school and Lily gave Caldwell a dirty look before putting her hand on Messalina's and whispering, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'll fill you in after class," she replied, glad Professor McGonagall entered just at that moment so she didn't have to worry about Caldwell trying to find a juicy bit of gossip to spread around the school. She was perhaps happier, though, to see that Lily relaxed and gave her a reassuring smile before squeezing her hand and sitting up straighter at the professor began to talk. She might've been a penniless and technically alone family-wise eleven year old, but she was fairly certain she was happier than anyone in her family at least judging by the disappointed look on Antonin's face at breakfast. Being sorted into Gryffindor wasn't such a bad thing she thought before turning her attention to Professor McGonagall's lesson on turning a match into a needle.