DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and Co are owned by the ever fabulous JK Rowling. The only thing I own is Phoenix and various other originals you see running around.

CHAPTER THREE

"My Heart Is Where You're Found"

Fred's POV

For a moment, I didn't know where I was. Silky red sheets, purple walls and a portrait of a witch watching me curiously, this definitely wasn't the room I shared with George. It wasn't until I looked to my side and saw Phoenix, still asleep that I remembered.

This was her room.

I'd stayed in Nix's room.

Eff.

I'd kissed her.

Effing Eff.

I almost told her I loved her.

Bloody effing hell!

I'm not entirely sure when it happened but I know when I first realized. She was talking to Finnigan and I realized I minded. Never mind the fact that Finn's been in love with Katie Bell since anyone could remember, at the time it didn't matter. Nix was talking to a boy that wasn't me. For all I knew, they could be planning on running away together. They weren't though. They were planning a study session. Sounded like a date though.

I suppose I should have caught on before then. She's never felt like a sister to me. George always included her when he was talking about our family members, Ron refers to her as his sister and Ginny constantly had to be reminded that they weren't actually related when she was younger. To the others she was Phoenix Weasley. To me she was Phoenix McKinnon. If she was ever going to be a Weasley, it'd be when we get married.

…not that I thought about that.

"Nix! Mum wants you up and in the drawing room after breakfast. The curtains loaded with doxies and there's a nest of dead puffskeins under the sofa. Oh, have you seen Fred?"

I froze, sure George was about to open the door and catch me. Not that we'd done anything wrong. He'd never let me hear the end of it though.

"Nix?"

Damn. He was still there. And Nix was still asleep.

"I'll be down in a minute!" I said, pitching my voice higher to try and sound like her. "And no, I don't know where Fred is."

"Alright. I'll keep looking."

I lay there, waiting for his footsteps to fade down the hallway before sighing. I heard muffled laughter from my side and glared at Phoenix.

"Oh, so now you decide to wake up," I said, poking her.

She swatted my hand away. "I don't sound like that, you git."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I couldn't have him walk in here, could I?"

She looked up at me curiously. "I dunno. It wouldn't have mattered much would it?"

I shrugged. It was times like these that showed how oblivious she was to how I felt about her. I didn't know whether to be pleased or disappointed.

Both. Always both.

"Guess we should get going down to breakfast before mum starts looking for us," I said after a moment. She nodded, stretching.

I climbed out of bed, looking at the dresser for my wand before remembering that I hadn't brought it with me last night. Looks like I wouldn't be apparating back to my room. At least everyone would be in the kitchen, I thought while hurrying back to my room.

Sirius' POV

Fred didn't see me. Why would he? He was so distracted looking in the open for people that he forgot to check the shadows. Moony was the same way. Probably why Prongs and I always managed to get the drop on him.

As her father, I should be lecturing the boy who snuck out of my daughter's room but I couldn't. How many times had I snuck into the girl's dorms to visit a girl? More than I could count, and I didn't even have noble intentions like he did.

I wasn't a stranger to nightmares. Losing my loved ones, reliving my years in the cell, endless dreams of chasing James and Lily only to have them slip away at the last second. I'd had them for years so it wasn't hard to recognize someone else in the same position. I'd just been headed to bed when I heard it through the door.

"Nix! No. Let her go. Take me instead."

It was like seventh year all over again. James used to have nightmares about Voldemort getting Lily all the time. He'd wake up screaming her name, and then he'd have to go check to make sure she was still alive. Sure enough, the door opened a moment later and Fred snuck down the hall. He hesitated before opening the door, probably trying to decide what to say if he woke her up. But then she screamed and it was the push he needed. He went into her room and shut the door.

As her father, I should've been the one to check on her. What could I say though? How could I comfort someone else when I was so broken myself? No, it would be better for them both if I just let them be. I'd check on her later. And he looked at her... he looked at her the way I used to look at Marly.

I checked on her a few hours before dawn. He was still there. Her hands gripped the front of his shirt like she'd never let go. His arms wrapped around her like a barrier between her in the world. It was how you slept when you aware of how little time you had. James and Lily, Fred and Phoenix, Me and Marly… Not anymore. Never again.

Fred stepped out into the hall, finally noticing me at the head of the staircase.

"Sirius…didn't realize you were awake. I thought everyone was eating breakfast."

"Ate early," I replied. I'd forgotten how enjoyable it was to watch someone squirm. It reminded me of the time James and I had caught Remus sneaking out of Doe's dorm one morning.

Phoenix came into the hall and froze when she saw us talking. "H-Hey dad… why aren't you eating with the others?"

I smirked. "Ate early, like I told Fred here. Been sitting in the hallway for a bit, trying to avoid Kreacher." A lie, but it was too easy. Their faces went pale and I looked innocently at them. "Why aren't you two downstairs?"

"Got a late start-"

"Couldn't find my wand –"

"-and then I couldn't find my wand-"

"-plus I woke up late."

I raised my eyebrow. "You both lost your wands and woke up late? Merlin, that's ironic." They gave each other another look, and then hurried down the stairs.

"Well Molly wants us-"

"-very soon too, so we should go-"

"-and eat breakfast now. We'll talk later dad!"

I grinned, watching them practically tumble down the stairs in their efforts to get away. Buckbeak kicked the door to my mother's room impatiently and I sighed. "I'm coming. Hold your hippogriffs."

Phoenix's POV

"You don't think he knew, do you?" Fred asked anxiously.

I shook my head. "No. I'm sure he would have said something if he did." I didn't know why he seemed so anxious for people not to know. It's not like it was a big deal. Then again… it was like saying You-Know-Who vs. Voldemort: the more he acted like it was a secret, the more I wanted to hide it.

We ate breakfast quickly, and then hurried up into the drawing room. George eyed us suspiciously and I blushed slightly, remembering his search for his twin earlier. Would he be able to figure it out? Molly directed us to take a can of Doxycide and tie a rag around our faces, which we did. Then we started spraying. Almost immediately the doxies started flying out, attempting to fight us.

It was a fairly uneventful activity, until one of the doxies managed to worm his way into my hair. I covered my face as everyone sprayed it until it was knocked out, and then spent a good five minutes trying to untangle it from my hair. Eventually I got it out and Fred pocketed it.

"You guys are crazy, you know that right? Molly could catch you," I whispered, as we went back to spraying the curtains.

"Nah. She's not going to check our pockets." Fred rolled his eyes when I raised an eyebrow. "Again. She's not going to check our pockets again."

I rolled my eyes and went back to work. We didn't finish until after lunchtime. Sighing, we all took seats around the room. Molly in an armchair (once she moved the bag of dead rats dad must have left when he stopped in), Harry and Ron on the windowsill, Hermione and Ginny on one of the sofas, Fred and I on the other, and George on the writing desk, which was still wobbling from the boggart.

"After lunch we can work on those." Molly pointed toward the glass-fronted cabinets on either side of the mantel. They were filled with various Black family heirlooms and mementos: daggers, claws, a coiled snakeskin, antique silver books and a crystal bottle filled with blood.

"We're not throwing them away are we?"

Molly looked a little confused. "Of course. No one wants these things anymore –" the look on my face must have given away my feelings. "-except for you, so let us know which things you would like to keep while we're cleaning." I nodded, satisfied with that. For all I knew, there wouldn't be anything in the cabinet that I wanted but at least I could see for myself.

The doorbell rang and we all looked at Molly.

"Stay here," she said firmly, grabbing the bag of rats. "I'll bring up sandwiches."

We all were disappointed for a moment, hoping to see who was at the door. Her expression told us we better not try to listen though, so we stayed in our seats. When Molly left the room, I stood up and went over to a portrait frame on the wall.

"Orion? D'you think you could tell us who is at the door?" I asked the painted picture of my great-great-uncle. He nodded sullenly, and then walked out of his portrait. He came back a few moments later.

"It's that ratty haired thief, with a stack of cauldrons he undoubtedly stole, asking to store them here," Orion sniffed. "The company your father keeps. How disgraceful." I thanked him, and then went back over to the others who no longer looked as interested.

"Just Dung with cauldrons? Not worth a go with the ears then," George said, kicking the writing desk as it gave a particularly rough shake.

The ears weren't needed anyway, as a moment later; Molly's screams were heard up the staircase.

"WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!"

"I love hearing mum shouting at someone else," Fred said, opening the door a bit to let her voice come through more clearly.

"It's a pleasant change," George agreed.

"-COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE, AS IF WE HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT –"

"They're letting her go on too long," George said, shaking his head.

"Yeah. You gotta head her off before she builds up too much steam and goes on for hours. Oh dear, there goes Walburga." I sighed. "Not getting it this time. Every time she sees me she tries to marry me off to some pureblood or other." For some reason, Fred looked at me pointedly when I said that, but I shrugged.

George got up to shut the door but before he could do so, Kreacher slipped into the room, acting like he didn't see the others as he usually did. He did however, bow to me before taking up his usual mumbling. It would be comical if it weren't for the fact that I thought he might honestly be mad.

"…smells like a drain and a criminal to boot. She's no better, nasty blood traitor with her numerous brats messing up mistresses house. Oh my poor mistress. If she knew the scum that lived in her house, oh the shame. Mudbloods and traitors and werewolves and thieves, Mudbloods and traitors and werewolves and thieves!" He started hissing the last part as if it was a chant. Creepy little thing.

"Hullo Kreacher," Fred said loudly, closing the door.

Kreacher's eyes went wide and he jumped as if he was surprised. It was hard to tell if it was sarcastic or if he was just insane. "Kreacher did not see the young master," he said, bowing slightly. "Nasty little blood traitor," he mumbled.

"What was that Kreacher?" George said, eyebrow raised.

"Kreacher said nothing," he replied, bowing to George now. "Oh and there's it's twin…. unnatural little beasts," he hissed, adding a slight shudder. I snorted.

"And there's the Mudblood, standing there as if she belongs, oh if mistress knew…. There's a new boy," he spotted Harry suddenly and started circling him slowly, almost like an animal circling their prey. "What he is doing here, Kreacher doesn't know. Why he's here, Kreacher doesn't know…"

"That's Harry, Kreacher," Hermione said tentatively, trying to be nice to him as always. "Harry Potter."

Kreacher's eyes went wide. "The Mudblood is talking to Kreacher as though she is my friend," he hissed, his voice lower and quicker than before. "If Mistress saw me in such company-"

"Don't call her a Mudblood!" Ron and Ginny yelled.

I stepped forward, figuring it would be best to calm this before it got out of hand. They didn't view Kreacher the same way I did. "Kreacher, don't use that word."

Kreacher turned to me, giving me a low bow and a smile that was creepier than it should have been. "Yes Mistress Phoenix, of course Mistress Phoenix."

Hermione whispered to me. "He doesn't know what he's saying, he's not right in his mind." She looked over at the others, hoping they weren't listening. "Don't punish him."

I shook my head and whispered back. "Oh, he's definitely not right in the head. I'm not going to punish him though, not unless he keeps doing it. You've got to break him in slowly. He's been cooped up her with Old Lady Black's portrait for too long. You can't erase years of training in a month."

"What are you doing in here, anyway Kreacher?" Fred asked.

"Kreacher is…cleaning."

"A likely story," Dad's voice came from the doorway. When Kreacher saw him, he flung himself to the floor in a strained bow. It wasn't willing or pleased like the ones he gave me. It was more forced. No surprise. Kreacher and Dad definitely didn't like each other.

"Get up," Dad waved his hand. "Now, what are you up to?"

"Kreacher is cleaning," he repeated, giving me furtive looks. "Kreacher lives to serve the noble and most ancient house of Black-"

"-and it's getting blacker every day, it's filthy," Dad answered.

"Master always liked his little joke," Kreacher bowed again, then started hissing once more, "Master was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother's heart-"

"My mother didn't have a heart," Dad snapped. "She kept herself alive out of pure spite and doses of evil."

Kreacher gave him a loathing look, but bowed again. "Whatever Master says."

I decided I should step in before things got out of hand. "Kreacher, what are you doing in here?" He turned to me and bowed.

"Kreacher is cleaning," he said, before casting his eyes on the tapestry in the corner of the room. "Mistress would never forgive Kreacher if the tapestry wee thrown out, seven centuries it's been in the family, Kreacher must save it, Kreacher will not let them destroy it-"

"I thought it'd be that," Dad glared at the tapestry. "She'll have put another Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of it, I don't doubt, but if I can get rid of it, I certainly will."

"You most certainly will not," I put my hands on my hips. "I haven't decided if I want it or not."

Dad gave me a half-smile, "you're just like your mother. She wouldn't have wanted to throw anything out either." He sighed. "Guess I lose this one as well. The tapestry stays then. Now Kreacher, get out."

Kreacher bowed deeply to me, then gave Dad a look of deep disgust and loathing as he shuffled out.

"Comes back from Azkaban, ordering Kreacher around. Oh, mistress is most displeased. She swore he was no son of hers and now he's back. They say he's a murder-"

"Keep mumbling and I will be a murderer!" Dad said, slamming the door shut behind Kreacher.

"Sirius, he's not right in the head," Hermione tried as always. "I don't think he realizes we can hear him."

"He's been alone too long," Dad said, "taking mad orders from that portrait and talking to himself, but he was always a foul little-"

"You could set him free," Hermione suggested. I shook my head.

"He knows too much."

"Anyway, the shock would kill him," Dad added. He walked over to the tapestry and we all followed.

It was ancient and faded, spots of it worn away from doxy bites. Large words at the top read:

THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK

"TOUJOURS PUR"

"You're not on here," Harry said to Sirius.

"I used to be there," Dad pointed to a small, round hole. "My sweet mother blasted me off after I ran away from home. Kreacher's quite fond of muttering the story under his breath."

I knelt down, looking closer at the bottom of the tapestry. "Hey! Did you see this?" I pointed belong the hole that marked his old place. There was a thread slowly snaking its way down, circling an empty spot. You could see a partially started letter P underneath the circle. "Is this going to be me?"

Dad knelt down as well to look closer. "I suspect so. The tapestry creates itself. I suspect your place will be completed after the results of your hearing in a few days."

Harry looked at me curiously. "You have a hearing as well?"

I stood up straight. "Yeah. I go in front of the Bloodline Validation Committee to get added to the Black line."

"Lunch." We turned to see Molly come in the room, a tray of sandwiches, cake and butterbeer balanced on the tip of her wand. We all – minus Harry and Dad – moved back to our seats to eat. Fred gave me a curious look as we say down a moment later, our plates loaded with food and our glasses perched precariously between us on the couch.

"The Weasleys and the Blacks are related?" He asked after a moment.

I nodded. "Along with the Weasleys and the McKinnons, the Potters and the McKinnons, the Weasleys and the Potters, you get the idea. All pureblood families are related in some way."

He frowned. "How closely related are we?" He sounded somewhat worried about the answer.

"Not very," I said, taking a sip of butterbeer. "We'd be third cousins once removed, I suppose. That doesn't really count as anything in the Ministry, except with the Bloodline committee and any of the pro-pureblood committees. No, we're not closely related at all." I thought back to my Black Family book. "Though it's not like it matters much. Walburga married her cousin to keep the bloodline pure."

Fred choked on a bit of cake and George thumped him on the back, grinning. I laughed.

"Calm down there, Fred. We don't have to get married."

He gave George a dirty look, and then went back to his food, suspiciously quiet for the rest of the meal.

The days seemed to fly by, even with all of the boring cleaning we were doing. The drawing room took three days to decontaminate but once we were done, you wouldn't even recognize it. The hardwood floors gleamed from the long-lasting polishing potion, the doxy holes in the tapestry had been repaired and the glass in the cabinets gleamed, their contents also washed and polished and put back on display. (All except for a large, ornate locket, which I kept for myself.) Dad was pretty adamant about throwing things out but I'd gotten him to change his mind. Once Kreacher saw that we weren't tossing the heirlooms, even he kicked in to help, an odd sight really.

After the drawing room, we moved to the dining room on the ground level. Dad put up another fight but once again, I got my way. The silver and china were cleaned and polished, the table was repaired and the photographs that I didn't wish to keep around were given to Kreacher. You should have seen the look on his face. He was absolutely thrilled. He didn't even toss around insults for the rest of the day.

I also got to know Dad even better. We talked while cleaning, and he told us stories about he and his friends during their Hogwarts days. At night, after the others went to sleep, I stayed in the kitchen for a little bit, and he answered the harder questions, mainly my questions about the first war and his and mum's parts in it. We got closer, and I was happy.

Something hovered over me though. My hearing was coming up, the day after Harry's ironically. Harry and I both started getting quieter and quieter as time passed, though not around the others. No, they didn't seem to understand. Harry was worried he'd lose the only home and family he'd ever known. I was worried I wouldn't be able to claim mine.

But time manages to pass, especially when you don't want it to, and before we knew it, Harry's day had arrived. Dumbledore forbade dad from going to Harry's hearing and he was mad, but when he was also forbidden to come to mine he became thoroughly pissed.

"She is my daughter!" I was a little shocked that he spoke so angrily to the headmaster, but I saw his point.

"And you are wanted by the ministry. It wouldn't do to have you walking right into their building." Dumbledore was calm as always, but he had a stern look in his eyes. Dad kept pushing however.

"There are ways to hide my identity," he said desperately. I wasn't holding on to any hope though. Everyone could tell what the answer would be.

"I understand your desire to accompany your daughter to her hearing, but that is my final decision."

He left shortly after that and Dad fell into a sulk. Knowing he wouldn't be interested in our usual late night chats, I went up to bed.

"Delia," I addressed the portrait on the wall, once I had gotten dressed for bed. "Do you know what Bloodline Registry Hearings are like?"

She nodded. "Oh yes. One of my portraits hangs in their chambers. I've seen quite a few of the hearings. You aren't worried, are you dear?"

I nodded, sitting on the edge of my bed. "What are they like?"

"Well, you start out by identifying yourself, and your registered family. In your case, that would be your mother. They'll ask you a few questions, of course, but they're simple so nothing to worry about there. As you're registering for the most ancient bloodline, they'll want to be sure you are who you claim to be, so there will be a few tests. They are simple as well, so nothing to worry about dear. You're a Black and you will be recognized as such."

I nodded, and then climbed under the blanket. It seemed like only a minute later that I woke up. Delia's confidence in me seemed to have helped, I didn't even remember falling asleep. I went down to the kitchen. Dad, Lupin, Tonks, Molly and Arthur were sitting around the table, probably waiting for Harry.

"Harry not up yet?" I asked, taking a seat next to Lupin.

"Not yet," Molly said, her tone worried. "Maybe I should go and wake him-"

"No need, Mrs. Weasley." Harry came into the kitchen, looking nervous.

"Breakfast, dear," Molly insisted, hurrying over to the fire to start cooking.

Harry sat in the chair next to Tonks, and I shot him a sympathetic smile. I didn't bother trying to tell him it would all be okay, he didn't want to hear it. I understood. There was no way to know what would happen.

"You'll be fine dear," Molly said, setting a plate of toast in front of him. Harry grimaced at me, then picked up his toast. A few minutes later, he and Arthur left for the ministry. Tonks, Lupin, Molly, Dad and I all sat there, looking at each other. It was going to be a long wait.

"I knew it!" Ron shouted, when Harry told us the good news. "You always get away with things!"

"Honestly Ronald, of course he would get cleared," Hermione scolded, still looking rather anxious. "There was no case against you Harry, none at all…"

"Everyone seems rather relieved, considering you all thought I'd get off," Harry grinned.

Fred, George and Ginny were dancing around the table, singing, "he got off, he got off, he got off."

I grinned at Harry, relieved for him, and also feeling a little better about my own hearing. Harry was cleared and the ministry hated him at the moment. I had proof, blood proof, that I was a Black heir. My hearing was bound to go well.

We all crowded around the kitchen table, piling food onto our plates and talking happily. Harry's victory had cheered us all up…well, not all of us. I noticed dad lurking in the shadows, a disappointed look on his face. He was probably hoping Harry would be expelled and he'd come here to live with him. I saw the way dad looked at him; it was like James had come back from the dead. As much as I envied Harry and my dad's relationship, I couldn't resent them for it. Harry had the father figure he always wanted and Dad had his best friend back. If I were in his position, I'd want the same.

Once dinner was done, I went up to the drawing room, looking at the tapestry. It was interesting, the way the different families were linked. The McKinnons were on there multiple times, though none too closely related to dad's branch of the family. The Potters, the Weasleys, the Malfoys, the Greengrasses, the Shacklebolts, the Dearborns…so many of my classmates were listed there.

"Digging into the past?"

I turned to see Fred leaning against the doorframe. "Yeah. I'm trying to get a feel for my family before the hearing tomorrow."

He walked over to look at the tapestry with me. "Are you nervous?"

"Not anymore." I didn't have to go into any more explanation with him. Just like he and George had a bond that seemed to go beyond that of normal siblings, Fred and I had a bond as well, though nowhere near as strong. We often didn't need to explain our thoughts, as we could often tell what the other meant. When you know someone for that long, they start to become a part of you.

He touched the hole where Cedrella Black was once marked, his link to my family. "You know I'm your family too right?" He didn't look at me.

I nodded. "Of course. You and Molly and Arthur and them, you're my family too."

He shook his head. "No, it's different. Yeah, they're your family but it's not like me. I'll be your family again someday."

I frowned, not quite sure what he was talking about. "I don't understand."

He sighed. "It's clear why the sorting hat didn't put you in Ravenclaw."

I continued to frown at him, still confused but now a little offended. "Fred, what are you even talking about?"

He stuck his hands in his pocket. "Look, you'll figure it out eventually. Just don't take too long, yeah?" He took another look at the tapestry, and then walked out of the room.

I stared at the door. What on earth was that about? Had he suddenly gone mad? Maybe those sweets he and George kept testing were tainted. Or maybe a spell backfired. He wasn't making any sense at all. He'd be my family again someday? What did that even mean? I sighed, trying not to think too much about it, as it continued to puzzle me and no answers seemed to be coming from Fred anytime soon.

"Time to wake up dear," Molly's voice woke me the next morning.

How had time gone so fast? How could it be the day of my hearing? It seemed like only a second ago we were eating dinner, how could time have gone so fast? Nerves eclipsed my confidence from yesterday, and I quickly got dressed in an emerald dress that fell to my knees, the locket from the drawing room fastened around my neck. Delia nodded in approval. "That looks wonderful dear, you look like a Slytherin."

"That's the point, I suppose," I said, stepping into the hall. I walked over to dad's closed door and knocked.

"Go away!" He answered sullenly. I shook my head, smiling slightly, and then went down to the kitchen. Shockingly, Molly wasn't at the stove making breakfast. Kreacher was.

"Mistress, Kreacher has prepared your breakfast for you," he said, bowing before he placed a plate in front of an empty chair. It was filled with French toast, pancakes, scrambled egg whites and bacon.

"Thank you Kreacher," I said, taking my seat and looking curiously at the others. Lupin shrugged. Apparently he didn't know what was going on either. Molly looked furious at being made unnecessary. Arthur was reading the Daily Prophet, Tonks seemed to be asleep in her seat, and Kingsley was writing something on a piece of parchment.

"Kreacher knows that Mistress has important work today, and Mistress will need her strength. Would Mistress like tea or orange juice with her breakfast?"

"Orange juice please." He poured me a glass of juice and set it beside me, before moving to the door.

"Kreacher will be in the foyer, if mistress has need of him." He bowed, and then scurried out of the kitchen.

I turned to Lupin. "What was that about?"

He shrugged, and then picked up his tea, taking a sip. "I do not know. It seems however, that he is treating your future status as a Black as though it had already happened, and doubling his efforts to be a 'dutiful elf.'"

"You mean he's going to act like that all the time after today?" Having a house elf wait on you hand and foot seems like it'd be fun, but it could quickly get annoying, especially since I was so used to doing things on my own.

"Unless you order him not to," Lupin clarified.

"You should explain the plan to her," Kingsley said in his deep voice.

I looked at Lupin curiously, taking a bite of my eggs. "The plan?"

"Your story," Lupin explained. "They're going to want to know how you came to learn Sirius was your father. You're to say that I visited the burrow one day, and mentioned how much you looked like your mother. You then asked me if I knew your mother, and I proceeded to tell you that I used to friends with your mother. You asked me questions about our days at Hogwarts, and I told you that I had photo albums, if you'd like to see them. We came to Grimmauld place, a place Sirius had allowed me to enter when we were friends, and so I knew the location of it, and Kreacher saw you. The rest happened as it actually did. Can you remember that?"

I nodded. "Seems simple enough to understand"

"It is imperative that you do not mention anyone in the Order outside of the Weasleys and myself. I know you have been studying the Black family history and all of those books can be found at bookstores or in the Magical Archives, so anything you learned from them can be mentioned, should the opportunity arise."

I nodded. It all seemed fairly straightforward. Satisfied that I understood the plan, Lupin started talking to Arthur and I turned to my breakfast. I was nearly finished when Fred and George walked into the kitchen.

"Did you ask her about us coming with you?" George asked, stealing a piece of French toast off of my plate.

"Oh, not yet," I turned to Molly. "Molly, is it alright if Fred and George accompany me? For moral support I mean?"

She looked at Arthur who nodded. "They'd be a better choice than we would, Molly dear," Arthur told his wife. "As they're still children, the ministry hasn't had time to become prejudiced against them. If we went, our appearance could harm her case."

She looked back at me. "Well, alright," she said, coming over to give me a hug. "But bring them straight back when you're finished, alright? I don't trust them out on the streets."

I grinned. "Of course." I waved to Lupin and Arthur, then followed Fred and George up the stairs and over to the front door. We exited, careful to not attract attention from any passing muggles, and then started the walk to the port-key point assigned for this trip.

"The plan worked brilliantly, if I do say so myself," George said, grinning as he took in the fresh air.

"Oh shut up dad," I rolled my eyes, even though he was right.

Last night, Fred and George had come into my room with my dad. I should have known then that something was up, and nothing good would come of it, but I was surprised. Their plan was relatively simple. Dad had bought some long-lasting polyjuice potion from Mundungus, and George had volunteered to stay behind, letting dad take his place. This morning, while I was eating breakfast, dad and George had taken the potions, each containing the other's hair. A simple switch of their wands, and the rest was easy after that.

"You know, I wouldn't have had to lie to everyone if Dumbledore had just allowed me to come with you." He had his head tilted back and he was breathing deeply as if he hadn't smelled fresh air in a long time. I suppose he hadn't.

"I suppose not."

"I got to say Nix, I agree with your dad," Fred said. "But we seemed to have thought of a good enough plan on our own."

I rolled my eyes. "I never said it wasn't a good plan."

We stepped into the designated alley, and then looked for the old skeleton key that was the port-key. Making sure we all were touching it, I touched my wand to my hand and said, "to the atrium."

There was the usual whirling feeling, and a moment later, we landed on our feet in the ministry. The port-key fell to the ground, vanishing, and we walked over to the visitor's desk.

"Phoenix McKinnon, here for a Bloodline Registration hearing," I told the wizard, handing him my wand.

He put it in a weird dish attached to a set of brass scales, and then read off the slip of paper it spit out. "Ten and a quarter inches, phoenix-feather core, been in use five years. Is that right?"

I nodded, and he gave me back my wand, and then proceeded to go through the drill with Fred and dad-as-George. After that was finished, we were directed to go to level one.

We got on one of the elevators, waiting until it hit the end of the line and a female voice announced "Level One, Department of Magical Affairs, including the Wizarding Examinations Authority, Apparition Assessment Headquarters and the Bloodline Registration Committee." We got out, and a witch walked up to us.

"Phoenix McKinnon," the witch said, not really asking a question.

"Phoenix Black," dad-as-George corrected.

"Phoenix McKinnon-Black," Fred said at the same time.

The witch looked as though she wanted to roll her eyes. "Follow me, Miss McKinnon."

I elbowed dad-as-George, then followed the witch down the hall. Portraits lined the hall, quite a few of which I recognized as they hung in Number 12. My ancestors winked at me, before resuming a dignified pose, and I smiled. This part of the ministry was decorated differently than the others. It was almost as if we had been transported to an elegant, pureblood mansion. It was clear who ran this department.

We came to a door and the witch opened it, stepping aside to let us enter before her. I looked around, impressed. It was like a large sitting room, a cluster of couches and armchairs in the center, rather than the courtroom I had been imagining. The witch directed me to an empty armchair at the head of the cluster, while Fred and dad-as-George were directed to a couch against the wall.

The other armchairs and sofas were already filled with witches, their ages ranging from mid-twenties up to a few that looked to be around Dumbledore's age. They were all wearing expensive looking dresses and robes, and they all looked at me with a raised eyebrow, as if they weren't sure what to make of me. I smiled at them. Politeness did wonders in a crowd like this.

"You are Phoenix McKinnon?" The beautiful witch directly across from me asked. She looked to be in her late thirties and something about her face seemed familiar. I nodded. "I am Genevieve Kelleen, I will be directing this hearing."

That explained it. She looked similar to one of my dorm mates, Sage Kelleen. Perhaps she was an aunt, or her mother.

"Please tell us how you came to learn you were a member of the Blacks."

I told them the story Lupin had told me, making sure I showed an adequate amount of disgust when talking about my father. They saw him as a murderer and a blood traitor, nothing more. I was playing by their rules.

When I was finished, the women exchanged glances and Ms. Kelleen spoke in low tones to a woman on her right.

"You can see," she said after a moment, "how we are rather cautious about your claims. The Black family is the oldest wizarding family still in existence and they have a sort of fame about them. We wouldn't want to mistakenly add you to the family, only to find out that your claim was not legitimate."

"There is the matter of the Black fortune. It is not a secret that the Black family has a substantial amount of gold to their name. One could see why someone would make up such a tale with so much money on the line," the witch on Ms. Kelleen right added.

I frowned slightly. "You think I'm lying?" This wasn't going well at all.

The witch shook her head. "Oh no, of course not. We think that you believe your story to be true. We simply think that it is entirely possible that someone may have planted that idea in your head. You live with the Weasley family, correct?"

I nodded slowly, not entirely sure where this was going.

"They do not have a lot of gold, is that correct?"

I frowned. "You think they put me up to this for the money?" I shook my head, trying to keep my temper in check. "I'm not doing this for the money. I'm doing this to earn my birthright. I don't even care about the money."

The witch didn't seem to believe me.

"I don't," I insisted. "I have McKinnon gold, anyway. I don't need the Black fortune."

A witch to my left laughed slightly. "My dear, no one needs the Black fortune but everyone wants it! There are many like yourself claiming to be a Black relative. How are we to know that your claims are true?"

"I am a Black," I answered, looking over at Fred and dad-as-George. They nodded encouragingly at me. "Daughter of Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon. Give me any test you need to prove that."

The witches talked quietly amongst themselves for a moment, before turning back to me. "We are going to need to validate your claims," Ms. Kelleen said. She turned to the door where the witch who had led me here stood. "Fetch Mrs. Malfoy, Lisette."

The girl – Lisette – nodded, and then left the room. A few moments later, she came back with another woman. Narcissa Malfoy was my father's cousin and my first-cousin, once removed. She was a striking woman and was referred to as the Beautiful Black in her younger days. Even now though, she was still more beautiful than most of the women in the room. Good to know that I came from a very attractive gene pool.

"Ah, Narcissa. I am so pleased you were able to make it," Ms. Kelleen said, rising from her chair to greet her.

"But of course Genevieve, even if this matter did not affect me, I only wish to serve the ministry in any way I can," she looked at me, pausing for a moment, seeming not at all surprised to see me.

A seat was added to the left of Ms. Kelleen for Narcissa and once she was seated, she gazed at me for a few moments without speaking.

"Narcissa," Genevieve prompted after a minute or two of silence. "Is something wrong?"

"It's quite odd," Narcissa said slowly. "As though I'm looking at a portrait of myself in my younger days. Do you not see the uncanny resemblance?"

I relaxed slightly, flattered that even Narcissa thought I resembled her.

The witch on the right looked a little disappointed, but Genevieve nodded slightly as if she had been thinking the same thing. "Well that matter is settled then."

The witch on the right shook her head. "So the girl is a Black through Sirius. Does it even matter? Was he not disowned by his parents?"

Genevieve raised an eyebrow. "Violetta makes an interesting point. Is this true Narcissa?"

My cousin continued to look at me. "It is true," she answered. I opened my mouth to say something, but Narcissa continued. "However, Walburga did not complete any formal paperwork to the Bloodline Registry and had often stated she would have welcomed her son back, particularly after Regulus died. Sirius was disowned in words only, and so he is still a true Black, making Phoenix a Black as well."

I looked at her. Why was she helping me? She could have easily sat aside and done nothing. After all, her son was the one who would inherit the Black fortune if I my claims were denied. So what was she doing?

Genevieve looked at me for a moment, and then nodded slightly. "There is still the matter of the test," she said to Narcissa, who nodded.

"Phoenix, I need you to call on the Black family house elf, Kreacher."

I frowned slightly, and then nodded. "Kreacher, come here."

There was a cracking sound, and then Kreacher stood before me, in the center of the cluster.

"Yes Mistress Phoenix?"

Narcissa nodded to herself. "He is bound to serve the Black house and she is a Black, thus he recognizes her command. I see no reason to test her further."

"I am satisfied with the results of this test. Do you have any doubts, Violetta?" Genevieve asked. Violetta shook her head, a slight scowl on her face. Genevieve nodded and turned to look at the other witches. "Do any of you have any hesitations?" They all shook their heads, some looking eager, others glaring at me. Genevieve turned back to me. "Phoenix McKinnon, the committee has chosen to validate your claims as a Black heir. What is the name you would like added to the registry?"

I was ready for this question. After days of thought, I had come up with an answer that I thought fit me well. I was my mother's child, that was for certain, but I was my father's as well. To choose one over the other was unnecessary. "Phoenix McKinnon-Black, Ms. Kelleen."

She nodded, conjuring up a piece of parchment and quill. There was a moment of silence as she wrote, and I took the time to look over at the boys. Dad-as-George gave me a thumbs up and I grinned. Genevieve finished her writing and flicked her wand, vanishing the parchment and quill. "And so it shall be." She smiled at me. "Congratulations Miss McKinnon-Black. You may leave."

I thanked the witches for their time, and then followed Fred and dad-as-George out the door, Kreacher right behind me. We were nearly at the elevator when Narcissa stopped us. "Phoenix, may I have a moment?"

I nodded. "Fred, George, take Kreacher down to the Atrium. I'll meet you down there. Kreacher, go with them. No attitude, if you please." The house elf bowed, following them into the elevator I turned to my cousin. "Why did you help me?"

"I have no loyalty to your father, I won't deny it, but I have a loyalty to the Black family and that is you. I knew your mother when she was at school and she was a talented witch, almost rivaling myself in skill even though we were 4 years apart. Had she been sorted into Slytherin, we might have been friends." She looked at me for a moment. "You have been raised by the Weasleys, a fact that Pureblood Society will hold against you, but you don't seem to be tainted. You manipulated the committee quite easily." I opened my mouth to ask her how she knew this but she cut me off. "I was watching from a separate room."

I raised an eyebrow. "So what is it you want with me?"

She smiled slightly. "You seem to think very little of me. I suppose that is to be expected. I hope to change your opinion of me in time, as you are my family. The last of my family, in fact." She flicker of sadness crossed her eyes at that, and despite what I knew about her, I felt sympathetic. "The committee will be watching you, I hope you know, especially in these times. Your friends and adoptive family are not viewed highly in the eyes of the ministry, Phoenix, but if you were seen associating with the Malfoys, you could possibly remedy that."

I thought about how the Weasleys were treated as potential criminals and I considered her words. "But what do you get out of this?"

"Family, my dear, and a chance to change your mind about my family. And there is one other thing…"

"Yes?" I said, curious about what a Malfoy could want from me.

"I have a proposition I would like you to consider, Miss McKinnon-Black."

"How did the hearing go?" Molly asked when we walked into the house later. Grandmother's curtains flew open but she wasn't shrieking. It was almost comical, to see both Walburga and Molly looking at me with the same look of concern.

"I'm a Black now," I said with a smile. Molly smiled, almost sadly, and I hugged her. "I'll always be a Weasley, Mama Molly." She hugged me tighter.

"Of course you're a Black!" Walburga's voice boomed down the hallway. "Those ministry fools couldn't deny my own granddaughter! Even if she was raised by blood-traitors."

I walked toward her portrait. "Grandmother," I said politely but forcefully. "Do not call them blood-traitors. They raised me and they are my family as well, and by extension, your family."

She looked a little surprise at my sudden scolding of her, and looked as if she would protest.

"No, dad told me about Regulus and how he changed his mind in the end. If you loved him, then you should be able to at least tolerate the Weasleys as they believe as he did in the end."

She continued to look a little slighted but nodded and closed her curtains. I rolled my eyes at Molly. "My family, what can you say?"

She laughed, and led me down in the kitchen where Lupin, Tonks, Arthur, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione were waiting.

"You a pureblood swot now?" Ron asked with a grin. I nodded.

"Did the hearing go well?" Lupin asked, passing a butterbeer to me.

I shrugged. "I suppose it went alright, all things considering. They seemed pretty adamant at denying my claims, but then Narcissa showed up and swung it for me."

The adults looked at each other, then at me, clearly surprised. "Narcissa Malfoy?" Molly asked, shocked.

I nodded. "Yeah. She said loyalty to the House of Black demanded it."

Dad (no longer under the potion), George and Fred walked into the kitchen, Kreacher at their heels.

"The twins just got me up to speed," Dad said with a grin. "Sorry I couldn't be there. What did my dearest cousin want?"

I looked down at my butterbeer. "Oh, she just said it would be beneficial to me if the last of the Blacks was seen in public with the Malfoys."

Everyone went silent for a moment.

"So they want you to publicly denounce the Weasleys," Dad said in a flat voice.

I shook my head. "No, she said it more like it was possible to rehabilitate their image, pardon my phrasing," I said the last bit to Molly and Arthur.

"I see," Lupin said after a moment. We all turned to look at him. "Narcissa knew that the only way to Phoenix was through her family. Clever of her, I wonder if Lucius knows she was planning to offer that."

Arthur shook his head. "As clever as it is, she isn't going to do it, is she?"

I opened my mouth to say 'no, of course not' but Lupin cut me off.

"Shouldn't she? Think of it this way, she'd be in the perfect position to give us any information they might pass to her."

We went silent for a moment, and then everyone looked at me, nodding to themselves. "You mean…I would be a spy? Isn't that dangerous?"

Tonks shook her head. "Not really. People tend to underestimate the young. Take me for example. A lot of the older aurors still underestimate my abilities, even though I've proven myself many times."

I looked over to dad. "What do you think?"

He shrugged. "Personally I couldn't stand being around that slimy git Lucius. But you'll get a chance that very few of us have. You'll be working for the order."

"Shouldn't Dumbledore have a say in this?" Hermione asked.

Lupin and Dad looked at each other, then shook their heads. "We've experienced that the more people that know about a plan, the more likely it is to go wrong." I guessed they were talking about Lily and James' hiding place.

Hermione didn't look too pleased at the idea.

"He might say no 'Mione," I said. "And I think…with the way this situation presented itself, I should be the one to decide whether or not I do this."

She frowned at me. "But Dumbledore is the leader of this."

I nodded. "I know that, but leaders fall Hermione. I've been reading the history books in the drawing room, and it's true. Leaders fall all of the time. The sides that continue to succeed after such a tragedy are the ones that know how to make good decisions without being directed."

"Hear, hear!" Dad and Tonks said.

Molly started to look a little dismayed at that and Arthur took her hand. "Molly dear, we're not overthrowing Dumbledore. We're just doing our part to help the war."

Lupin nodded. "If we're going to do this then, we need to keep it quiet. Only the people in this room are to know about the plan until Phoenix has gained enough information worth telling Dumbledore. Understood?"

We all nodded and I looked over at Fred and George. There was a certain excitement to this plan. We were finally doing something for the war.

After a large dinner cooked by Kreacher and Molly, we all went off to separate corners of the house to discuss the night's events. I went to my bedroom to change out of the dress, but Fred apparated in before I had the chance.

"You can avoid everyone else, but I know Narcissa said something else to you." He sat down in the armchair by the window, giving me a stern look.

I sighed and sat down on the bed. "I didn't want to worry anyone else about it, because it's not a big deal."

"She wanted something in return for your appearances with the Malfoys didn't she?"

I nodded. "Nothing too major. She wants to change my opinion of her and think of her as family rather

than the enemy."

Fred nodded to himself. "Why didn't you tell the others? That doesn't sound so…" He noticed the expression on my face. "That's not the only thing, is it?"

I shook my head, and then looked up at the bed canopy, taking a deep breath.

"She wants me to marry Draco."

Author's Note: Well, there's the hearing we've all been waiting for. I hope it sounded realistic enough. You might recognize some of the names as they're mostly canon.