Author's Note: Special thanks to booklover19a!
Chapter 2: Malfoy Manor
They were standing in front of a very fancy, posh mansion, Kim realized. These people they were with must be rich. Diamond and Kim exchanged nervous glances as the man took out his wand and waved it so that the fence opened inwards on itself.
"I'm so sorry," said the woman as they lead the girls towards the manor. "We didn't introduce ourselves. My name is Astoria, and that's my husband Draco and my son Scorpio."
The white haired boy turned around but didn't say much.
If Kim wasn't going to introduce herself Diamond did.
"Was Emanuel you're professor at Hogwarts?" Astoria asked.
The girls nodded. "And Donovan," Kim added. "He's my uncle."
"Ah," Draco said. "So you're an Umbridge."
Kim shook her head. "Banks," she explained. "It's my mother's side."
Draco suddenly stopped his pace and turned around to look at Kim more closely now that they were in the porchlight.
"Kimberly Banks?" he asked.
Kim was startled and taken by surprise by Draco's sudden interest in her.
"What is it dear?" asked Astoria.
"Astoria this is Kimberly," Draco said, excitedly now. "My cousin's daughter. You
remember Harold don't you?"
"Oh yes," said Astoria. "I remember you saying he and his wife had decided to live like muggles because of how outraged your father became. Wasn't it because all of his children were squibs though? That's why you never went to visit her."
"All my siblings are squibs," said Kim, still confused. "I'm not though."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "If you're a witch that means the vow still stands."
"Daddy what vow?" asked Scorpio.
"Twelve years ago," said Draco. "My cousin made me his fourth daughter's godfather."
Kim stood there in awe. She couldn't believe it. How could she have just stumbled across her godfather? There couldn't be that much of a coincidence, surely there must be a mistake.
"I don't know why I didn't receive word that you were a witch," said Draco as he welcomed the girls into his home. "I would have had you over for dinner sooner."
The manor was exquisite. As they entered into the foyer, Kim caught glances of white marble columns, glossy black stone floors and embellished furniture. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and portraits of the family aligned on the walls. If Draco truly was her godfather, she definitely didn't mind knowing someone who had a house like this.
"Scorpio it's late dear," said his mother as she kissed his white blonde head. "Go upstairs and get yourself ready for bed."
Scorpio groaned but did as his mother told him and reluctantly began to climb the carpeted grand staircase.
"Kim and Diamond can I get you two anything to drink?" she asked.
"Water's fine," said Diamond.
As Astoria left, Draco, Kim and Diamond took a seat in the reception room to the left of the foyer. Draco took out his nearly wand and pointed it at the fan above them so that it started circulating. He also took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing the tattoo Kim had grown all too familiar seeing. Immediately she tensed and she could feel Diamond's muscles contract beside her as well.
"You're one of them," Diamond so much as whispered as she and Kim slowly inched away from the man.
Draco looked surprised by the girl's reaction and rolled down his sleeves again, as if he'd forgotten the dark mark was etched there.
"Was," he corrected. "A long time ago. It was just something people did," he explained.
"At least, it ran in the Malfoy family. Kim surely your dad showed you his."
Kim was shocked and wanted to yell at him for even suggesting the idea that her father was a death eater but the idea almost made sense. She'd never seen her dad in anything but long sleeves.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," said Draco. "My cousin and I were tricked and forced into joining. We both believed it would be some great adventure, that we'd become royalty among the muggles, but we were wrong. Still, the mark stains."
"Why was it at the wedding if it wasn't you who cast it?" asked Diamond.
"Honestly I don't know," said Mr. Malfoy. "The symbol didn't just represent Voldemort and his followers you know. It was a symbol dating back to when the Chamber of Secrets opened for the first time. First conjured by Salazar Slytherin himself. It could be anyone trying to stir up some trouble."
"But you don't think anyone was actual, you know, um killed?" Diamond gulped.
A crease appeared in Mr. Malfoy's forehead but before he could respond, Mrs. Malfoy appeared and handed her a glass of water.
"Shall we get the floo powder then?" she asked.
"I'm sure everything will be alright, ministry officials will be dealing with it as we
speak," said Draco as they all stood up and made their way towards the chimney.
"Here you go girls," Mrs. Malfoy said as she let Diamond and Kim each take a fistful of floo powder.
"Oh Kim, I almost forgot," said Draco going over to a box he had sitting on the mantle. "I gave this to you as a baby, but your father had me take it back when they were destroying all the wizarding items in the house."
Draco handed Kim box with a gold ring inside of it. It wasn't like a wedding ring or an engagement ring you might give a girl. This ring was gleaming gold and had the head of a lion on the top of it.
"It was my other cousin's husband's ring and I came across it after they died," Draco explained. "They were the brave ones, actually fighting for the right side. I just thought it was pretty and wanted you to have it when you grew up."
"Wow, thank you," was all Kim could manage.
She slipped the ring on and all of a sudden felt a surge of panic take over her. Like she wasn't suppose to be here in this house. The feeling soon passed and she managed another smile to hide her distress.
"We'll have you over for a proper dinner soon," said Mrs. Malfoy as she waved goodbye.
Then Kim and Diamond shouted their address very loudly and clearly and threw the floo powder down in a shower of green smoke.
Coughing and spluttering, Kim and Diamond shot through the chimney back in Diamond's house. As they dusted themselves off they looked around to see the bored faces of leather clad, sketchy looking men Kim had never seen before, staring at them. Of course this was normal at Diamond's house so they tried to slip by the strangers with as little noise as possible and make their way back upstairs where they would most likely hide out until the men left. Back inside Diamond's cramped bedroom, Diamond's insisted she get to look at Kim's new ring.
"I think whoever owned it must have been in Gryffindor," Kim said as she slipped the ring off and showed it to Diamond.
"Kim look!" she said as she examined the ring properly in the light.
"What is it?" asked Kim.
Kim held the ring up as well and looked to the inside where there was a small cursive inscription that was hard to read at first. They were initials, she realized. The letters, read RJL.
"A mister RJL from Gryffindor house," said Kim as she slipped the ring on again. "I wonder who it could be."