The Arrival Of A Hogwarts Letter

August 16th 1990: Tom's Private Study

"We need to keep her safe Severus, protect her from the meddling of that idiotic old fool!" Tom's voice was filled with worry, concerned for the safety of his only child, and his heiress.

"I know my Lord. The only thing that I could do, would be to change her last name in the Book Of Names? We could make her a Black. Make her Sirius' long lost daughter? No one need know the truth?" Severus racked his brain for any other option. His hatred for Sirius black was intense, and he felt incredibly guilty that his god daughter would have to pretend to be the daughter of that bastard. Unless he could find another option.

"I know your hatred for the Blood-Traitor is intense Sev, but it's the only option we can come up with. Lyra's true heritage would be protected. And lets face it, even at 11, she's quite the deceiver, if anyone could fool that incompetent arse, it would be her. You've trained her well in that art Sev. She'll do you proud!

August 25th 1990: Riddle Manor

"DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" Lyra came flying through the halls to the dining room, her waist length ebony curls flying out behind her. "Daddy, look it's arrived!" She beamed up at her father as she handed him a letter addressed to her, with the Hogwarts official seal on the back.

"I told you it would my dear, now, why don't you come sit down and have some breakfast. Your mother and I have some things we need to explain to you, that are incredibly important."

Once Lyra was perched happily on her chair at her father's right hand side, opposite her mother, her father began to read through the letter.

"Right, well everything seems to be in order, we can go shopping for you clothes and equipment later this morning, but first we need to talk. Now it's very important that the staff and students at Hogwarts don't know that you're my daughter. Especially the Headmaster. The headmaster is leading people against me, and if he knows you're my daughter, he may do awful things to you and try to get you to join his side. Whilst at school you will pretend to be Lyra Black. Your father is Sirius Black, and you don't know your mother; as she died giving birth to you. Her Will stated you were to be given to her sister and brother-in-law should anything happen to her. That's who Bella and I will pretend to be. Does all of this make sense my little voodoo doll?" Lyra smiled up at her parents, she loved the peculiar names of affection they gave her. She understood that it was a dangerous time to be a Riddle, and that she had to ensure no one knew the truth.

"I will ensure no one finds out who I really am Dad, my secret will be safe. I'm assuming you're going to glamour yourselves so we can go shopping?"

"Yes sweetheart, we'll look similar, but not obviously ourselves. Now if you finish up your breakfast and get dressed, we can head off to Knockturn alley and get what you need." Bellatrix replied. She couldn't wait to take her daughter shopping again. It felt like it had been years since they had gone, when in reality it had only been a week.

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An hour later and the Riddle family were ready to go shopping, Bella and Tom's glamours were in place. As Bella was a Death Eater, when she apparated she left a trail of black smoke. Unable to maintain the glamour and focus on disapparating normally instead, they decided flooing was the best option.

"Right sweetie, same place as usual okay?" Lyra nodded up to her mother in response, stepped into the fire grate in the entrance hall and loudly said 'The White Wyvern'. Seconds later she was gracefully stepping out of the fireplace into the pub in Knockturn Alley. A few seconds behind her were her parents. "Right let's get your uniform out of the way, then we can get all your equipment. So let's head to Twilfit and Tattings first!"

Bella led the way to the clothing shop and gracefully glided through the door, the rest of her family behind her. An alarm went off behind the counter and Mr Tatting stepped out from the back room with a concerned look on his face.

"That alarm signals that you're wearing glamours, I won't serve anyone wearing glamours. So show yourselves!"

"Relax Kellar! It's me.." Bella said, as she waved her wand over her face to momentarily reveal her true identity. "I can't exactly walk around looking like myself! You know they still think I tortured the Longbottoms. Oh, and it's The Dark Lord standing next to me, so watch who you're talking to! And I'm sure you recognise Lyra, we were only here a week ago."

"I..I..I'm sorry my Lord, Lady and Mistress. I have to be careful because aurors keep trying to slink in and get information from me. That's why the alarm was installed. I have to be careful to protect my loyalty to you." He stumbled over his words in fear of the renowned Riddle wrath.

"It's fine, you'll pay for your rudeness at the next meet. Now, we need the Hogwarts 1st year uniform bundle. If Twilfit gets her measured, we'll be on our way. You can have the clothes delivered to the manor." She carefully chucked a small pouch of money onto the counter to pay for the clothes. There was more money than necessary inside, but it paid for the silence of the shop owners, concerning this visit.

Just then Ms Twilfit walked in from the back room and stared at the three customers blankly.

"June, could you be so kind as to take the measurements of our Dark Mistress, for her 1st years uniform please?" He stressed the words dark mistress, praying that his business partner caught on to who this family were. From the audible gulp that June gave, it was clear that she had indeed caught on.

"Of course, would you like to follow me Mistress Riddle? We'll get you measured nice and quickly so you can continue on with your shopping. Are you looking forward to attending Hogwarts?" She prayed that the small talk would appease her Lord and Lady, and show that she was being respectful of the young girl who was clearly superior to her.

"I am indeed, I pray that from now on you will be silent of my last name, for I have to pretend to be Lyra Black, that is what you shall refer to me as from now on, or you will put me in danger! Now carry on with your job and we shall be out of your hair in no time." June nodded eagerly up at her Mistress and got on with the job at hand.

Twenty minutes later and Lyra had been measured properly, all her robes had been ordered with an expensive black satin lining that would prevent them being uncomfortable on Lyra's skin.

"Right, that's your uniform sorted, let's sort out your potions supplies next, as 'The gleaming Gytrash' is close by." She grabbed hold of Lyra's hand and they were off to get her equipment. Ten minutes later and all her potions supplies and equipment were safely on their way back to Riddle Manor. "Right we still need to get your telescope, so let's go to 'The Starry Prophesier' and get it there."

After getting the telescope, they headed to 'The Spiny Serpent', the last shop in Knockturn Alley that could get them something off the list, after that they'd have to head to Diagon Alley, which the little family had been putting off.

In the Spiny Serpent, they got Lyra a black kitten named Onyx who followed Lyra all over the shop, it was clear to all in the shop that this was her familiar. Lyra struggled to find an owl that she could connect with, until she came across a stunning Goshawk. It squawked at her and flew down to her shoulder from its perch, where it started to rub its head against her cheek.

"Do you think they'll have an issue with my Owl being a Hawk? Do they even need to know?"

"I don't see why they would, after all you clearly have two familiars; Onyx and this little beauty, what are you going to name her?" Tom smiled at his daughter, during school he hadn't had an Owl either. He'd had a Kestrel named Artimus, that'd been his familiar.

"Umm, how about...? Morrigan? The Goddess of war seems appropriate. We can call her Ori for short?" Lyra giggled as Ori nudged her cheek affectionately, clearly pleased with her new name. After the family purchased the two familiars and all the necessary items that would go with them, Lyra summoned her personal House Elf 'Tula' and told her to take the items and Onyx back to the manor. She wanted to keep Ori on her shoulder for the time being.

"Right, unfortunately we have to head to Diagon Alley, we can't get the other few items down here. Let's nip into Florian's for something to eat first though, I don't know about you, but all this shopping is making me hungry, and it's half twelve now anyway." Bella suggested.

After their lunch, they proceeded on to Flourish and Blotts for her books and then headed to Ollivanders for her wand. Up until then, she'd been using a wand her mother had 'procured' from somewhere.

After trying out about ten wands, they were all getting rather agitated. Especially Mr Ollivander who's shop was slowly being destroyed by the clearly powerful witch.

"How about the beautiful wand in that glass case over there?" Bella asked the Wand Maker.

"Nope, I'm afraid that wand has been reserved for Harry Potter, after all, it should stand to reason that his wand matched the one of the monster he defeated as a child."

"Well in that case what harm could it do to try it? If it does indeed fit Potter, then it won't work for Lyra will it?" Bella challenged. She had a cunning suspicion that the wand was perfect for her daughter.

"Oh, I guess you're right, here you go Miss Black, try this one, although it won't work."He stated smugly. Much to his shock, the wand did indeed work, perfectly. Purple sparks and stars shot out the end of the wand the minute it was placed in her hand. "Well that's interesting, maybe I was wrong?"

"Evidently, and to think we could have been standing here all day had you refused!" Bella was certainly not impressed with the wand maker at all.

They paid Ollivander and quickly headed down a dark alley off of Knockturn alley. Both Bella and Tom dropped their glamours so they could concentrate on apparating normally rather than in black smoke. Lyra was clutched in Tom's arms so she could side along apparate.

With a soft pop they were gone.

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A/N - Sorry for the long wait but I've been working on my main story - The Mistress of Malfoy Manor, and forgot that I hadn't uploaded this chapter. It's been sat, completed for at least 2 months!

Disclaimer! - All the shops mentioned in this chapter, don't belong to me, they're property of J.K.R. And yes there really is a pub in Knockturn Alley called The White Wyvern, I do my research :3 I do an awful LOT of research if the truth be told.

Hope you enjoy it, and I'll be working on the next chapter today.

Much love
Az
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