Edited 5/8/2019
This took altogether very little time to write out, although I've been toying with all these ideas for months so it's not really that surprising, anyway enjoy and REVIEW!
Harry sat back in his beach chair watching his sisters play in the surf with a casual eye, ever since Lillith's revelation their family had become closer then they had ever been before; it was as if a complex machine had a malfunctioning part that no one noticed until the point it began working again. The changes were dramatic and if he was to be honest with himself he loved them, he'd taken to ignoring his fool twin over the years and she'd done the same to him and so he had felt no shame of it thinking she was completely hopeless.
Sure Lillith had always been beautiful, and it had seemed she'd use that beauty for her personal gain all her life rather than make something of herself, just another near pure-blood princess to hang off some overweight lords arm. Now, well, he met the bikini clad ravenettes eyes as she was splashing Iris and she gave him a wink before getting tackled into the surf, chuckling to himself he shook his head as Uncle Sirius sat next to him. Harry glanced over and winced before looking back out to sea,
"Really Padfoot, was the bright pink banana hammock necessary?"
His godfather chuckled as he sipped from his fruity and likely incredibly alcoholic drink, "You know it, the ladies love the view."
Uncle Remus sat at Harry's other side as he quirked an incredulous brow, "Seriously Sirius? I thought you'd be more inclined to hide your inadequacies rather than put them on display."
Sirius' indignant 'OY!' was lost in the laughter of mum and dad who were sitting in the shade of a parasol behind them.
"He's got you there Padfoot," James snarked as he watched Lillith try to toss Iris into a wave only for the redhead to grab her bathing suits straps dragging her down with her.
James smiled happily as Lily lay her head in his lap, "This is nice...I just wish...I just wish she hadn't felt it necessary to play a part for so many years," the Lady Potter said in a sad tone, Remus glanced over his shoulder at the pair before turning his attention back to his 'nieces.'
"I'm not entirely sure she isn't still, don't get me wrong I like this version of her much more, she's shown me some of what she actually knows in the past week and she's damn near auror level at some things. Mostly explosion and fires spells...I'm going to blame Bellatrix for that one..."
Sirius snorted as he finished his drink and began picking the booze soaked pieces of fruit from the glass, "Yes yes blame your wife for teaching teenage girls how to blow shit up, still..." He turned to see Lilliths flailing hands pop up from the surf as a cackling Iris rode on her shoulders, "Still...it was such an abrupt change and well...does it make me a bad godfather that I don't miss the old her in the slightest?"
Harry spoke up at that with a smirk on his face, "No, the witch underneath the mask is brilliant, its...its like having a true equal, it's like she knows what I'm thinking before I say it, always has a quip on hand, and the looks she gives us when she thinks we're not paying attention..."
Lily 'mmhmm'd' to that. "Longing, she looks at us like she's been suffering being alone for years and now that she's allowed herself to be closer she's afraid it will go away..."
James nodded very slowly before making up his mind, "Well, we'll just have to show her that we're not going anywhere and that we approve of who she really is, although schools going to be a pain for her."
Harry didn't respond to that at first thinking it over a moment, eventually he said, "I think...I think if she can take the same oath she did for us in the Great Hall at least eighty percent of her worries will disappear at once, on personal levels yeah...I really can't imagine how that's going to fly. Sure she'll have Iris this year but she'll just be a firsty, and I'll of course be there for her but since she's not wearing the mask do you lot honestly think she's even going to pretend to be tolerant of Lavender and Parvati much less still play BFF's?"
Sirius and Remus exchanged dark glances and shook their heads in the negative, James remained silent but Lily just smiled, "Don't sell her short yet dear, she's pulled the wool over every person in her life's eyes for four years, I'm sure she has something up her sleeve."
Hours later Lillith lay sprawled out on her beach towel soaking in the setting sun as she still marveled at the splendor of the Black family private island, it was honestly a hell of a birthday present if she had any say in it. A week in the tropics with her family...heh...family..., although with that pleasant thought she began contemplating school, her bodies former renter associated with what the Dark Lady would have charitably referred to as cannon fodder. That really didn't pique her interest in the slightest but the stupid slut had burned so many bridges she wasn't sure how to mend them, or even if they could be.
It was with these thoughts that Iris plopped down next to her grinning widely, the creepily perceptive little redhead sprawled out using Lillith's extended arm as a pillow. As they absorbed the wonderful dying sunlight her sister eventually asked,
"Are you real? You aren't going away are you? This isn't some trick and I'm going to wake up in the morning and the old you will be back?"
Lifting her sunglasses she met the piercing hazel gaze and than flashed a winning smile that had the petite girl grinning back, "I'm real, this is real and I'm not going anywhere...well aside from Hogwarts, still trying to figure out how I'm going to play that one..."
Iris went quiet smiling in contentment and eventually added, "I just finished my occulumancy training with Aunt Bella, she says I'm a natural just like mum, so if you want a sounding board..."
Smirking Lillith pushed her sunglasses up her nose and stared at the darkening sky a bit before responding.
"Well, obviously someone is running around polyjuicing themselves to look like me and sleeping with half the school, so I figure rather than wait for an investigation that will be largely useless I'll just plant a massive supply of the potion with a few locks of my hair in my enemies trunks. When I draw attention to myself and prove I'm still a virgin, hopefully with an oath rather than an examination I'll point out someone may want to check the Slytherin boys dorms for illicit potions..." Iris sat up and stared at her in bare wide eyed shock, after roughly thirty seconds Lillith was afraid that she broke her little sister when she burst into giggles.
"Hehehe! Oh my goddess you've really been hiding your devious side haven't you? How will you get it into their trunks?"
Smirking as the girl seemed to grow more comfortable to her 'sisters' true nature the ravenette went into further detail, "Simple really, no one expects house elves to be devious, they just see servants and nothing more when they're really truly clever little guys. I already asked Blinky and she's willing to plant the potions on the train ride into Hogsmeade. No one will suspect her and she's not required to tell anyone about it because it was a request not an order," as Iris began snickering there was clapping behind the girls who both sat up to look over their shoulders.
Letting the glasses slide down her nose she looked over them to view the amused smiles of her brother and godfather, "You...you are such a bloody Slytherin in lions clothing," Harry gasped out between laughs, Lillith was about to panic when Sirius shook his hand and head laughing as well.
"Don't worry don't worry we won't tell anyone, but you realize that polyjuice isn't just illegal at school it's illegal with the ministry, framing up people you don't like is well and good but you could get them expelled or worse."
Now, the Dark Lady Anachain would have shrugged and said "And?", but young supposedly innocent Lillith Potter didn't have that luxury, luckily she'd already had this part planned out.
"Why I'm targeting Pure-Blood heirs, Malfoy, Nott, Goyle, Crabbe, Parkinson, people who've made our lives needlessly difficult and helped spread the rumors about myself. Their parents will protect them from the authorities, their reputations though? Eh, not my concern." Sirius gave her an appraising look while Harry crossed his toned arms across his chest shaking his head in amusement.
Iris though grabbed her hand looking at her with awe, "Please master teach me your ways!"
Now openly laughing at her little sisters antics Lillith eventually calmed down and patted her on the head affectionately, "Don't worry Grasshopper Sensei will guide you in the ways of the trouble making rogue, but now its starting to get dark why don't we all head inside for dinner?"
The others nodded and Lillith stood brushing sand off herself before helping Iris up, the redhead ran ahead of her siblings to catch up with Padfoot as Harry hooked his arm through hers escorting her to the beach house.
"So this is the devious mind you've been keeping from me all these years hmm?" He asked with honest respect in his eyes, pushing her sunglasses up onto her forehead she leaned her head on the taller teens shoulder as they walked through the still warm sand.
"Yuppers, this is the real Lillith, schemer, plotter, closet pyromaniac, and over all epitome of awesomeness," she let out a sound a startled cat would as Harry playfully flicked her nose.
"Good to see the arrogance wasn't feigned."
She snorted at that while releasing his arm while dramatically flinging her hair back, giving him a saucy wink she drawled out, "Well after all if you've got it, flaunt it."
Rolling his eyes he retook her arm and they entered the house with easy smiles on their faces, parting ways Lillith hit the room she was sharing with Iris and threw on an AC/DC t-shirt and a pair of cutoff jean shorts. Entering the dining room as Aunt Bella and Mum finished setting the table she sat next to Iris who gave her a happy grin. Lillith eyed the happily smiling people surrounding her, all family who had either died or never existed in her own universe, suddenly feeling overwhelmed she dropped her head so no one could see the tears in her eyes.
"I'm home..." she whispered, unaware that the entire room had heard her, or that they saw the tear drops falling on her plate, no one said a word about it as they shared pleased knowing looks and began dishing out the meal.
As the weekend came to an end the now thoroughly rested family took a portkey that deposited them all off at 12 Grimmauld Place, before the Lupins could floo home Bellatrix pulled Lillith to the side. Eyeing the young woman a moment the slightly batty witch grinned as she dipped her hand into her bag and pulled out a wand, it was polished to a lustrous sheen, the dark wood reflecting the morning light.
"This young Lillith has been in the Black family for over a thousand years, our family founder used it till the day she died and passed it on to her daughter, it's been sitting in the Black Vault for centuries, so color me startled that the bloody thing flew at my head when I made a withdrawal last week."
Gulping Lillith took the offered wand and felt pure power pulse up her arm as bright violet fire sprayed from its tip, turning her wide eyed gaze to her Aunt the older witch gave her a knowing smirk.
Stammering a bit Lillith asked, "I'm...I'm sorry why give it to me?"
Turning to leave Bellatrix glanced over her shoulder looking serious for once, "It was the day of the twenty-ninth, I found the coincidence interesting, you're going to do great things young woman, but make sure to always protect those you love, and I do know you love them, tata I have to prepare for next terms DADA course work. Apparently the ministry frowned on Moody casting the imperius on students so they're watching me a bit too closely for my liking."
With that she was gone, Lillith jammed the wand into her travel bag and walked to the parlor lost in thought, did Aunt Bella know? Did she suspect? Or was she as much of an agent of chaos as Lillith herself was and just wanted to see the fireworks? With these thoughts she entered the room just as her family was about to floo home to Potter Manor, Harry smiled fondly towards her as he offered his hands to both his sisters.
"There you are, come on lets head home and unpack, maybe I can call a few friends over and we can have a pickup game of quiditch, err...that is if you'd like to play sister?" Smirking she allowed him to lead them to the floo, as they entered the green flames the amused sisters kept their clumsy brother from pulling his usual antics of flying out of the fireplace in a tumble, giving the pair a thankful smile he let their hands go as Lillith sauntered to her rooms.
"Dear brother you're about to find out why I never signed up for the team."
Exchanging a confused look with Iris the siblings followed their sister as Harry asked, "And why's that Lils?"
She nearly stumbled with the new pet name, hiding how pleased it made her she once again feigned arrogance, "Because Har-bear I'm the best seeker Gryffindor has ever seen, couldn't make you look bad in front of your fangirls now could I?"
As she opened the door to her room she threw the pair a mischievous grin and wink before closing it behind her. After a few moments Iris spoke up, "Har-bear...hehe...gonna remember that one."
Looking up at her now somewhat contrite brother he was mollified by her wide grin, "I don't care how it happened, what caused it, or what it'll cost us in the end, I never want to lose this Lillith."
Stroking his chin slowly Harry nodded slowly, "Me too little flower, me too..."
It only took Harry an hour or two to call several of his friends over, Hermione was as always a bit taciturn not wanting to deal with Lillith but she seemed oddly enthused when he mentioned how much she had changed in the past week. Thankfully all his friends had floo connections so it took less than ten minutes for the group to gather.
Ron approached with Fred, George, and Ginny behind him, throwing an arm around Harry his redheaded brother from another mother cheekily quipped, "About time you got some sun Harry, you were looking as pale as Malfoy there for awhile!"
Smirking at his best friend he shook the twins hands and gave Ginny a hug causing her to squeak and blush, then soon there was another flair of green fire as Hermione and Luna entered the room. Luna dreamily waved to the group and it said something about the nature of their relationship that he didn't find it necessary to comment on the tag board 3-D glasses perched on her nose.
Hermione as always greeted them all with affection, except for Ron, she coolly and politely said hello but she had never forgiven him for nearly getting her killed first year, ever since the troll incident and resulting head trauma she'd been much less open with strangers or nearly as active in class.
"Hello Harry Potter, hello Iris Potter, where is Lillith Potter?" Luna asked as she began poking at something hovering around Ginny's head that only she could see, the collection of redheads all grimaced at the mention of Harry's dull witted twin but were stopped from replying by an amused drawl.
"Well good to see you lot too, I suppose you haven't explained the particulars of our situation to the gingers yet, or the long term ramifications?" The Weaselys looked confused as they took in the sight of the ravenette in well worn form fitting quiditch gear leaning lazily against the door frame.
Ron leaned in to whisper into Harry's ear, "Why does she sound...smart?" Snorting Harry barely saw the folded snitch fly across the room pegging Ron in the head, he yelped as the group turned back to Lillith who gave them an innocent 'What?' look. Sighing Harry and Iris took turns explaining Lillith's ruse, Ginny and Fred looked impressed, Hermione looked shocked, Luna looked like Luna, and George and Ron looked confused and worried.
George coughed a bit and looked very awkward, "Um...I...I really don't know how to put this gently...umm...Lillith you and I kind of shagged last year, what does that mean?"
Ron nodded numbly as well, Lillith's siblings looked murderous at the idea that their friends thought they'd had sex with their sister but Lillith for her part let out a musical and sad laugh.
"Boys, I'm not too sorry to say I took a magical oath on my virginity, I have no idea who you two shagged but it wasn't me, I will say I smelled polyjuice potion on a few of the Slytherin blokes last year but I really couldn't do anything about it since I was playing my part."
The two redheads looked ill at that, Ron spoke up first obviously not wanting to hear the answers to the coming questions, "How do you know what polyjuice potion smells like?"
Shrugging she jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards the manors labs, "Mum's made the stuff for the ministry since we were little, trust me you can't forget the smell of ass and mud that stuff gives off."
George closed his eyes and gathered himself before asking, "And who did you smell it on?"
She hmm'd a moment before replying, "Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle for sure, I thought I smelled some on Flint but I tried to avoid him at all costs, creepy bloke that one."
Both George and Ron yelled, "Excuse me!" as they ran for the wash room.
Internally Lillith was cackling with glee 'Dance puppets dance!' The rest of the gathering looked about sheepishly as they allowed Iris to herd them outside, Hermione hung back and watched Lillith confidently follow the group with an amused smirk on her face. Brown eyes narrowing Hermione took up the rear and did what she did best, observe a situation and process the gathered information before coming to a conclusion; the others may not realize it but this was not the Lillith they'd had to suffer under for the past four years and to the bushy haired brunette, that meant hope.
After George and Ron suitably recovered and received a chastising from Iris and Harry for trying to sleep with their sister the game took off in earnest, Fred, Luna, Ginny, and Lillith on one team, George, Ron, Harry, and Iris on the other, as always Hermione played referee having no desire to get knocked off a broom twenty meters off the ground. After a few intense games the collective agreement was that Lillith was Harry's equal as seeker, which actually made the group ecstatic, Gryffindor had suffered a lack of auxiliaries for over a decade so having a backup seeker was seen as a positive, Lillith just shrugged at the praise but accepted it regardless.
Exhausted Lillith bade the group farewell and trudged off to her rooms, now that she was alone she could finally take a look at the wand Aunt Bellatrix had given her, she wasn't even sure what it was made of, perhaps she could hit Ollivander's before the term started? Shrugging she had shucked off the quiditch gear and was down to her knickers when the door slammed open, caught completely flatfooted her assailant grasped her by the throat and pushed her against the wall.
Gasping as a wand was jammed under her chin she met the cold brown gaze of Hermione Granger, "Who. Are. You."
She stated this in a cold dead tone, gulping she stared at the brunette wide eyed before something clicked, "La-Lady Ravenclaw?"
Hermione's eyes widened to the size of saucers as tears began to fall, trembling now she dropped her wand and stammered, "L-La-Lady Slytherin?"
Grin widening to massive levels the two friends pulled each other into a tight embrace, Hermione was shuddering and sobbing into Lillith's bare shoulder who was double checking that the door was closed, constant vigilance after all.
"It's been so hard Lilly, it's been so hard watching that slut with your face prance about. I...I had no idea how much longer I could stand it, I have no idea how you're finally here but thank the Goddess you are."
Stroking the full bodied mane of her friends hair Lillith wryly opined that it was probably best that she and Hermione had never ended up in bed together as her oath would have grossly backfired, soothing the shorter witch Lillith guided her to the bed and bade her to sit down.
Throwing on a somewhat clean robe Lillith sat next to her grinning widely, "Well you first, how did you get here?"
Her gaze showed the fierce determination that had made her the Dark Lady's right hand and top general but it faded away as she rolled said eyes and collapsed on the bed.
"First year, Ronald Weasely insulted the Hermione Granger of this universe sending her into tears, she...she died, horrible concussion, brain dead, her soul had moved on, after they healed her body I woke up here with a massive headache and no idea what to do. Imagine my shock when I realized I was a Gryffindor, but your brother, well...Harry's special, he waited beside me the entire time I was in recovery, we became best friends after he 'Saved' me, although I have to restrain myself from hurting Ronald on a daily basis."
Nodding sadly Lillith mirrored her actions as she plopped beside her friend, "The former renter of this fine form drown herself...over a boy...Dean...Thomas I think?"
Hermione arced a brow at that than snorted, "I need to send him a gift basket than, you have no idea how insufferable that bodies original tenant was, so what do we do now?"
Lillith hmm'd a bit before pulling Hermione into another hug then stood up, "Honestly, lets just get out of Hogwarts and worry about the whole world domination thing after graduation, it didn't work out last time and in this world I have a huge brilliant, alive family, plus we have no idea if this Dumbledore is a Dark Lord or not."
Hermione shook her head as she also stood making for the door, "No I've looked into it, he's a good man, incredibly overworked and spends a bit too much time looking at the bigger picture but he means well, hell he nearly had the Triwizard Tournament permanently cancelled but that idiot Fudge vetoed him after it was postponed last year so guess what we get to deal with?"
Groaning she cupped her face in her hands, that meant Voldemort was coming after her family this year, and he'd have an agent put her Harry's name in the cup to resurrect himself. Processing that quickly she met the now smirking brunettes eyes, "Horcruxes?"
With that Hermione stuck four fingers out, "Journal, Diadem, Locket, Ring," grinning in return Lillith allowed herself to cackle a bit, the school year couldn't start soon enough, after all the Dark Lady takes care of her own.