Well granted the first was a pilot chapter... this is chapter one... just establishing relationships, drama comes later. BTW and this is a big btw and you should heed it because i don't want to be flamed for it later, even though Draco is only about a month older than Halyn he views himself as her older brother nothing more, nothing less, k? good. just making sure.

Disclaimer: not mine yadda yadda though i do claim my characters and such.

Review and all that jazz.

The house was silent as the Aurors taped it off from the public, which made it easier for Lucius to get in after the raid. He picked up the pile of cloak that used to be his master, knowing full well what had happened and how to get him back. Little did he know that such a simple retrieval mission would turn into something much greater.

As he leaned down to close the door a squeak bounced off the walls. Stopping dead in his tracks he turned around deliberately slow and whipped out his wand expecting an attack. Surveying the room, he found no signs of an attacker. Turning around, he heard the squeak once more.

"Show yourself!" he barked, earning a short squeak from the corner of the room. Slowly advancing towards the corner of the bed he awaited another squeak. As soon as it came he locked in on its source and came face to face the bright emerald eyes of a baby girl. Tightening her grip on the pink bunny in her arms, it emitted a squeak. "They left Potter behind?"

"There were two babes born that night." A voice hissed from a darkened corner of the room.

"My Lord," Lucius bowed, "How fare you?"

"Not well Lucius, but 'tis only a matter of time." The faint ghost of his lord's figure responded. "Your wife has recently born child has she not?"

"Yes, my Lord." Lucius said from his bowed position.

"Take this child and keep it till my return. I trust you will follow my orders Lucius. Keep to that no harm come to her, or face the consequences."

"Yes, my Lord." Lucius said straightening out his back.

"Lucius I am weak, but trust that this is not the last time you will see me."

"Yes, my Lord."

"And find yourself a new phrase."

"Ye- I will my Lord." And with that the faint form faded through the wall. Lucius once again looked down and met the big blinking confused eyes of the three month old. "Won't Narcissa be happy." He monologued sarcastically. The baby just blinked at him. "Wonderful, just bloody wonderful." He said apparating home.

The pop of apparition resounded in the grand entrance hall followed soon after by the rapid click of heels on marble.

"Lucius! You're home!" Narcissa cooed bounding down the entrance steps. No one could deny she had been dramatically happier since the birth of her son. The tragedy of her arranged marriage to Lucius Malfoy had frozen her heart to the core and sent the young woman into a deep depression. Not even the glow of pregnancy could hide her sickly complexion. But the day Draco was born; a smile crept onto her ghostly face. And since that day, it hadn't left and she finally begun to act her age.

"Yes Narcissa."

"You're not hu- what's that?" She asked finally noticing the crib.

"A baby."

"Lucius! You promised!" Tears had already started forming in her eyes. "You promised you wouldn't cheat, a- and you go out and have a baby?!? Lucius this is low, even for you!"

"Not mine." He responded shortly.

"Oh…" she wiped the tears from her eyes, "well then whose is it?"

"Potter."

"Potters? They had a baby?"

"Two."

"Twins," Leaning to look into the crib she asked, "But how do you have her and why is there only one?"

"The Potters are dead. The Aurors forgot this one." Narcissa's eyes got wide and her mouth formed an 'o'. Silence filled the hall. She looked back down.

"She's beautiful; I've always wanted a girl… Not that I don't love Draco." She cooed, picking up the baby and cradling her in her arms. "What's her name?" She asked looking back up."

"Look Narcissa, I don't know, I'm tired, and I'm going to go rest. Goodnight." He said turning around and walking away, trumpeted away by the squeak of a bunny.

"More like good morning." Narcissa pouted. "Well, I wasn't expecting to be a mother again so soon but." She giggled taking the baby upstairs.

And from that day on, she became Halyn Lillian Riddle, and lived with the Malfoys happily ever after…(well now that wouldn't be an interesting story now would it? ) … until.

------------------------------------- Christmas Eve 6 years later ---------------------------------

"Halyn! Draco! Time for lunch!" Agnes, their personal maid, called from the bottom of the entrance hall steps.

"Coming Aggie!" The two called whilst bounding down the stairs hand in hand.

"Are you two all washed up?" She asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes Aggie." They replied having gone through this numerous times before.

"Alright, lunch it is then." She said taking Draco's hand and leading both of them into the dining room.

"Good afternoon you two," Narcissa said with a bright smile.

"Hi mum" Draco said brightly.

"Hi Auntie Cissa," Halyn replied skipping up to her seat. Narcissa smiled at Halyn's sunny disposition. After the long initial period it took her to find her place in the family, Halyn had become a more extroverted child: skipping around, smiling, and finally expressing herself in full sentences. Yet, despite it all, Draco and Halyn had been inseparable: constantly walking around hand in hand, with the occasional interpretation from Draco of Halyn's mumbling to English.

"What have you been up to today?"

"We were in the library and then we took our books to the jungle room, but the pages got wet so we went to my room." Draco answered.

"But Aggie says that we can go play in the snow after lunch." Halyn countered whilst Draco nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright but be careful, I wouldn't want either of you to catch cold." She said starting her lunch. The dining room was silent for almost a minute before Halyn gasped at her sudden epiphany.

"Draco, Draco it's almost Christmas, can you believe it?" Halyn exclaimed waving her little spoon around.

"Halyn, watch your spoon."

"Sorry Aunt Cissa." Narcissa nodded. "But can you believe it?" she giggled, "Tomorrow, we'll be opening presents under the tree. I can't wait till you see my present." She said hopping up and down.

"Me too. I picked it out special with mum." He said smiling into his food, whilst Halyn just giggled happily swirling her mashed potatoes. The meal continued with joyous conversations of Christmas day and what each was hoping to get.

"Oh Agnes! The children are done with their lunches now." Narcissa called at the end of lunch.

"Yes madam," Agnes said, bowing and taking a hand from each child and leading them out of the room.

"Bye Auntie Cissa."

"Bye mum."

"Hey Aggie, can we go outside and play in the snow?" Halyn said looking up expectantly.

"Yeah, can we Aggie?" Draco pleaded.

"Oh fine… but you have to get bundled. It's mighty cold out there." Agnes wrapped both kids in about ten layers of clothes before realizing that they could barely move. She found a more reasonable balance of clothing, bundled herself up and led the children outside by their monogramed scarves. Halyn instantly ran out into the middle of the gated area of the backyard closest to the house. She stuck her tongue and spun around trying to catch several snowflakes at a time.

"Come on Draco!" She started running back towards Draco and Agnes, but ended up landing in a pile of snow.

"Are you ok?" Draco chuckled helping Halyn up.

"Not funny." Halyn pouted trying to brush snow off of her auburn curls with her equally snowy gloves.

"Yeah, it is." Halyn simply stuck her tongue out at him.

"You know what's funny?" She asked with a smirk pulling at her lips.

"No…" He replied slowly backing up.

"This!" She said throwing a handful of snow at him and running away.

"Not faaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiir!" Draco exclaimed chasing Halyn with a snowball. She screamed running around in circles in the yard. After a while she just flopped down in the snow. Draco dropped his snowball and joined her. "Why'd you stop?" He said turning towards her.

"Tired." She answered staring up at the sky.

"You'll catch cold if you stay there too long." He said getting up and staring at the ginger halo floating on the crisp white snow.

"Okay" Halyn said getting up and following Draco back inside.

"Lets get you two changed. Your mother wants you two dressed for Christmas eve supper early. And if you two promised to be good, you can have hot cocoa."

"Thanks Aggie." Halyn smiled.

"Thanks Aggie" Draco mimicked in a high-pitched whine. Halyn glared icily at his jest. "Ha-ha your face is almost as red as your hair."

"That's not true." They argued on their way up the stairs.

"Yeah especially your nose."

"Draco stop teasing-," Halyn sneezed almost falling backwards. "Oh dear, he is right, your nose is bright red. Let's get you by the fire as soon as possible. Draco, shower up and wait for me, I'll be there in a second."

"Can't I put on my suit by myself?"

"You know its complicated Draco, but do what you can." Aggie said sending him off.

"Come on Halyn, get washed up." Agnes had already turned on the water in the small shower and left Halyn to shower. When Halyn came back out, Agnes was ready with stockings, layers, several dresses and shoes. In the end, she was dressed in a small red velour dress with a small snowflake appliqué on the bottom. Agnes had also felt the need to ornament her with a petticoat, and small pearl jewelry. "Okay now, you sit here and I'll send in Draco as soon as he's ready."

"Okay." Halyn sat by the fire watching the flames dance and lap at the edges of their cage. A house elf passed by with the hot chocolate they were promised, which was still too hot. Minutes passed until:

"I hate suits." Draco spat as he stomped into the room.

"Yeah well I have to wear all of this." She said pointing to the pile of poof formerly known as her skirt.

"It's a tie then," Draco said plopping down right next to her on the carpet and picking up a cup of hot cocoa.

"It's hot." She warned at the last minute causing him to almost spill the drink all over his suit.

"Thaaaanks." He said glaring, she shrugged it off.

"Hey draco, what do you want for Christmas?"

"I don't know really… another broom I guess so that we don't have to share mine."

"You know Auntie Cissa doesn't want me to be on a broom…"

"Yeah well still… I'm bored, and the cocoa is still too hot."

"Wanna go open presents?"

"You know we can't open presents till tomorrow."

"But if we ask really nicely…" she said blinking excessively.

"Fine, we can try." He tried but Halyn was already running down the stairs, "Hey wait up!!" he yelled running after her.

"Auntie Cissa!! Auntie Cissa!!" she yelled spinning around in the large entrance hall.

"Oh dear lord Halyn, what's wrong?" Narcissa questioned almost running out of the library.

"Nothing." Halyn said putting on an innocent face. Narcissa sighed.

"Then why were you yelling." She said already exasperated.

"Draco wants to know if we can open presents early." At the mention of his name draco's head shot up.

"I never-," Halyn shook her head at him.

"Absolutely not. We always open presents Christmas day, no exceptions."

"But Auntie Cissa." She whined.

"No buts Halyn."

"Auntie Cissa.."

"No Halyn."

"Auntiiiieee…" She pouted opening her eyes wide and letting the bright entrance hall lights reflect on the emerald of her iris.

"Oh fine, but just one." Narcissa sighed once more and walked back into the library, "Children…"

"Yay!" She said jumping up and down.

"Wow…"

"What?"

"Nothing never mind, lets go open presents!" He said running off first this time.

"Hey! I get to open first!!! I asked!" Halyn's whine echoed throughout the entrance hall stopping Draco in his tracks.

"Oh fine!" He said holding he door open for her.

"Thanks… Alden." She said sticking her tongue out at him. Draco's face contorted in confusion.

"My middle name isn't Alden."

"Edison?"

"Nope."

"Iris?"

"Iris?"

"Iris."

"Um… no. I don't have a middle name Lillian."

"I like my middle name."

"Well then you can be Iris."

"And you can be Ayden."

"Wasn't it Alden?"

"Nope now it's Ayden. It's prettier." Draco made a face but accepted the new nickname. Halyn giggled and hopped about the Christmas tree. "Which one? Which one?"

"Open mine first." Halyn stopped her skipping and smiled back at him.

"Okay. But only if you open my present first too." She said ducking underneath the Christmas tree and pulling out a long box wrapped haphazardly in purple wrapping paper and green ribbon. She giggled at the presents appearance and muttered a brief "sowy".

"Here." Draco said handing her a neat little box wrapped in green paper and a spruce pink ribbon. No sooner had the box exchanged hands, that the door to the sitting room exploded revealing several men and women formally known as the order.

"There she is." One pointed out, turning the whole group's attention to Halyn, who in turn hid behind Draco.

"Leave her alone." Draco attempted to growl. An old man came forward from the group.

"Draco, I think it would be wise for you to let us take Halyn. You know she belongs with her family."

"We are her family!"

"Draco…"

"No! I'm not letting you take Halyn!"

"Draco I know you want her to stay here but she has to be with her real family-"

"But, but they're-,"

"They are, but there are others. She needs to come with us and we're not leaving without her." Dumbledore finished on a stern tone.

"No…" Draco attempted, his voice wavering and his eyes glossing up. "No. Halyn stays."

"I'm sorry it had to be this way then." Dumbledore said pulling out his wand. Draco's eyes widened and he ducked down to shield Halyn from the blast. And yet slowly she was being slowly pulled out of his reach. As he opened his eyes, he saw the struggling levitating form that was his little sister floating towards the man at the door.

"Halyn!" He yelled out as the pop resounded in the room and she was gone.

Silence ruled for only a couple seconds until the adults in the house revived and realized the situation at hand. Narcissa awakened to the dawning realization that neither Draco nor Halyn was in the vicinity. "The children!" she screamed running out of the library still in a half daze from the rather recent stunning spell. The clicks of her heels rapidly alerted all staff of her current state of mind.

"Um...madam..." On servant spoke up shyly. Narcissa turned, flicking her silver hair around and narrowing her already fiercely intimidating eyes at the maid, who gave an involuntary shudder before stuttering out. "S- s- s- si-itti- ng r- roo- oom."

"What?" Narcissa snapped annoyedly.

"Sitting room." the servant squeaked out before running out of the room. Narcissa changed courses and headed towards the sitting room. Opening the door, the first thing her eyes landed on was Draco standing in the middle of the room staring at the floor clenching and unclenching his fists. Her expression softened.

"Draco... darling?" She said walking slowly over to his unresponsive form. "Darling whats wrong?" But before she could finish her sentence another realization dawned on her. "Draco where's-"

"She's gone! They took her! They took Halyn away and said she wasn't part of our family!" And for the first time she noticed his voice faltering and the cascade of tears pouring down his face. Never in her life had she seen Draco cry this way. He had always been the strong one out of the pair, who never faltered in the face of danger and never cried out in pain, who always looked after his little sister. And it broke Narcissa's heart in two to see her child in so much pain. The pain of not being able to fulfill his one responsibility, to protect Halyn.

"Draco it'll be alright, we'll get her back. We'll bring her back home, you'll see, she'll be home soon." But Draco did not respond, he simply walked out of the sitting room and back upstairs.

On the way to his room he stopped by the engraved H door that led to Halyn's room he saw the mess that had been made in the rushed packing of her things. And i the middle lay her little pink bunny. He walked over and picked it up earning a weak squeak in return. Feeling the drowning sense of abandonment, he left the room and headed towards his own, closing the door to hers. Sitting down, he mulled over his thoughts and Dumbledore's parting words: "I'm sorry we had to do this but this is for the best for both Halyn and you."

And for the next 10 years he pondered the thought. Wondered about it on a daily basis and wondered about it on the first day of school when all the first years had been sorted and only one Potter had been announced. Wondered about it in second year when no new transfers had come in and when Harry Potter had stared at him incredulously when he asked what had happened to his sister. Wondered about it third year every time a mess of auburn locks passed his way. Gave up around fourth year when he figured that she would have been either brought to school or at least made note of by now. Fell into his realization in fifth year and almost drowned in a pit of his own self-loathing on he train ride of his sixth year. For had it not been for a surprisingly random chain of events, he would have probably fallen into the pit and let himself drown, in this a most ophelian curse.

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