Hyacinth was having the worst summer holiday since she started Hogwarts. Granted, she was about to start her third year at Hogwarts, but her relatives have been terrible. More so than usual. They seem to have taken every opportunity to demoralize her parents, not seeming to care that her parents were murdered by a madman. Two wonderful people gave their lives so that Cin could have a chance at life. She was on the verge of exploding in anger, and her magic was getting harder to control. She was thinking about leaving when a familiar black owl flew inside the room landing next to Hedwig. Chaos belonged to Leo Malfoy, the older twin brother to her schoolyard enemy Draco Malfoy.

She didn't want Draco as an enemy, but he seemed to go out of his way to make life difficult for her while at Hogwarts. She knew why that was. She was better with her studies than he was, and she was always first to master her spells.

She has always been good at school. Ever since she decided to stop holding back her intellect to make Dudley look smarter than her. Well, that didn't last long. Mr. Wolfie sat her down and told her he couldn't help her with her home life, but he would with her studies. He made her understand that if Cin continued holding back, it would only hurt her opportunities later in life.

She didn't understand why, but Cin trusted him. He seemed very familiar to her for some reason. But she has always trusted her instincts, so knew she could trust this man. It seemed after he started teaching her, the Dursleys started ignoring her, and she understood why when she started Hogwarts. She must be under a Notice-Me-Not spell. She knew he was a wizard, but she wouldn't say anything.

Anyway, Cin has been friends with Leo since Samhain of their first year at Hogwarts when he saw her break down in tears after escaping the feast that year. She couldn't understand how people could celebrate the murder of her parents, let alone the end of Voldemort's terror. Evil or not, he was still a person. Leo helped her understand that people weren't trying to be dismissive of her pain or what she lost; he had explained about the war, and while Cin understood that Voldemort caused everyone's pain, that still did not give them the right to celebrate someone's death or disappearance.

Leo explained both sides of the conflict, and Cin concluded that both sides were wrong. Magic was magic. It was about intent. All magic could be used for evil. Leo also explained that the pureblood and magically raised half-bloods hated muggleborns. It had nothing to do with their blood, but everything to do with them wanting to change everything in the magical world. Cin understood that. It would be like if someone came into France, and started telling them how to run their country. It wasn't right.

Later that year during Yule, Cin had discovered the Mirror of Desire, and she saw her parents. Leo found her standing transfixed in front of the mirror and convinced her not to look into it again. All wixen, light or dark knew that it was a dark object. It was known to drive people crazy. Now, many people assume Cin's best friends were Hermione and Ron, but after they like many others decided to believe that she was a dark witch because of a talent she has, the role of her best friend was Heir Leo Nicholas Malfoy. He cemented himself into her heart when he helped her when she needed it without asking for anything but to keep an open mind.

After Leo convinced her that looking into that mirror wasn't good for her, and in turn told her to get in touch with her account manager and see about getting some personal belongings that had belonged to her parents before they died. She hasn't had the opportunity to do that yet, but that would change before school started.

Leo was the most important person in her life, and that wasn't something she was going to change. Hyacinth could care less about what family he came from or his magic affliction. Hell, she was a grey witch, as she got herself tested when she went to Gringotts because she wanted to know why she was having trouble with performing light spells. Aside from that, her wand felt off. It was like she connected with part of it but couldn't bond with the entire wand.

She just hasn't had the time to get another wand that suited her just yet.

Cin was brought out of her thoughts when Chaos gently pecked her hand. Chaos knew his wizard wouldn't like it if he pecked her hard enough to leave a mark. He held out his leg, and as soon as she freed her letter and package, Chaos flew over to his lovely mate Hedwig. It was rare when two familiars of a witch or wizard mated especially if the witch or wizard in question were soul-bonded like Leo and Hyacinth, but it wasn't unheard of. Cin shook her head at the two lovesick owls and opened her letter.

Dearest Hyacinth,

Happy birthday, Ebony. Now, I know you don't like it when anyone purchases anything extravagant for you, but since you are now a witch of thirteen years of age, it is time for you to receive your birthright. Now, it is a tradition going back hundreds of years that wizards and witches get a top-of-the-line school truck, so you cannot argue against it. It is a seven-compartment trunk. It has three basic compartments, like the normal school trunk. Then it has a fourth compartment, which is a potion lab, I know you are fantastic with potion-making without Snape breathing down your neck, so now you have all the equipment you'll ever need to brew and create to your heart's content. The fifth compartment is a library that holds up to 100,000 books, and the sixth compartment is an apartment, it has a living/dining room, a kitchen, a bedroom, an office, and a bathroom. You can change anything about it. The last compartment is a three-acre garden with both magical and mundane plants and trees. I know you love being outside, so now you have that option anytime you like. It is powered by runes so you don't have to worry about being without sunshine, and you don't have to worry about if your plants will die if they don't get the water they need.

The Ministry will not be able to detect any magic, so feel free to use as much magic as you'd like. The truck is charmed against elemental damage, theft, and feather light, and no one will be able to move it when you are inside, and no one will be able to open it, as I know you don't like the fact that Granger and Weasley help themselves to your belongings without your knowledge or permission, so this will stop that. Now, the second and third gifts are from my parents and Draco, so you will have to open them yourself because they would not tell me what it was. Onto serious matters.

Sirius Black broke out of Azkaban, and everyone seems to think that he is after you and that he betrayed your family all those years ago, but please, don't jump to conclusions. There is something not right about that story. Write to the DMLE and request the trial transcripts, and you'll find something surprising. I will not tell you more than that because you need to make this decision on your own without outside influences.

I know you do not like living with your muggle relatives, so call the Knight Bus, and book a room at the Leaky Cauldron. I do not like the fact that you are stuck in the muggle world when you belong in our world.

Well, I will see you on the train, Ebony. Until then.

Sincerely,

Heir Leo Nicholas Malfoy

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Malfoy

"Chaos, are you waiting for a response?" she asked after she was done reading the letter. He shook his head before nuzzling Hedwig and flew off into the night. "Hedwig, we will leave as soon as I open the packages, and get everything together," she spoke gently to Hedwig, knowing that her dearest familiar was missing her mate, but she refused to leave Cin for any length of time.

Hedwig was more of a mother hen than a familiar, but Cin wouldn't have her any other way.

Cin resized the trunk to its normal size and placed her belongings inside leaving the cut-off rags from the Dursleys, as she was planning on getting everything, she needed herself as soon as she knew what was in her vault. She wasn't going to be one of those brainless twits who spent everything she had in her vault and hoped for the best. She wanted to organize the stunning trunk, but she didn't have the time yet. The truck was made of walnut, the color of Mahogany with soft yellow golden clasps marking each compartment. It was gorgeous.

Her initials were engraved in elegant calligraphy with vines, lilies, and roses running alongside the borders of the trunk.

Cin beamed ear to ear when she opened the last package, and three large items resized along with two smaller boxes in the shape of a book. She knew Cissy had been planning something for a while now since she had learned of Hyacinth's unfortunate living situation. She was curious about what Lord Malfoy and Draco had gotten her since they never had a nice thing to say to her or she to them.

The first was a large and narrow soft yellow golden-colored wooden box. She opened the lid, which slid to the side, and discovered several layers of compartments, all full of beautiful and expensive-looking makeup, hair, manicure, and pedicure tools.

She carefully slid aside different compartments until she found seven in total. Blushers and liquid and powder foundations as well as concealers, primers, and base powders and liquids in one compartment, while another was filled with eye shadows in cream, powder, matt, and shimmer format in every color imaginable, some not even found in muggle brands. There was a selection of different colored mascara, with different-sized brushes to allow for different lash lengths and volumes. She even found eye pencils, liquid eyeliners, and false eyelashes in another compartment.

She shook her head at the sight of a third compartment filled with brushes and applicators in every shape and size. A fourth compartment had lipsticks, and glosses, with liquid and pencil liners of every color imaginable. A fifth compartment had nail polishes, nail files, buffers, clippers, and other manicure and pedicure tools, along with acrylic nails in all lengths, sizes, and shapes. A sixth compartment held hair tools, such as hair dryers, and irons to provide every curl imaginable, along with removable applicators to crimp and straighten hair. The final and seventh compartments held hairbrushes and combs, dividers, and grips in all shapes and sizes.

At the sight of all this, Cin knew magic held the box together, an extension charm for example to make it bigger, deeper, and wider on the inside than the outside led one to believe. Makeup, manicure, pedicure, and hair set for all beauty needs any witch could ever possibly need or even want right at her fingertips.

The other box was the same, except it was large and wide, and it was a royal purple with soft yellow golden lilies engraved on it. It was filled with perfumes, moisturizers, bubble baths, luffas, towels, washcloths, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, razors, shaving creams, bath oils, bath bombs, bath pillows, face cleansers and scrubs, toners and steamers, masks, and lip scrubs and balms.

The last large box was the same size as the others, but it was a silvery grey with navy blue stars and constellations. She has always had a fondness for the stars and constellations for some reason. She had a connection that she couldn't understand, but she was thankful for it. Little did she know, she would soon find out. The compartments were filled with every piece of jewelry you could find. There was room to spare also. She loved it all.

The last package had an outfit and heels. Cin had confided in Cissy, letting her know that she enjoyed the more conservative clothing, yet beautiful and stylish, and thankfully, she kept to that style. It was a nude and black dress, with black pumps and a Birkin Bag. She paired it with a jeweled bangle bracelet and a layered necklace. Cin usually didn't wear designer brands, but she was coming to understand that she was the last of a Noble and Ancient bloodline, so there were certain appearances that she needed to keep up.

She was planning on a big shopping trip today, so she knew that her handbag was charmed with a weightless charm and an extension on it, and she was going to need it. Besides, a witch always carried everything on them because they never knew if they would need something or not.

Smiling, Cin opened Lord Malfoy's gift, and she was stunned. It was a Grimoire. The cover was something she had designed. Leo was the only person who knew about it, so she knew it must have taken a leap of faith for Leo to show his father something she designed. Cin was touched that Lord Malfoy had done this for her. Opening it, an envelope fell into her lap. Opening it, she was stunned as she read.

Heiress Hyacinth Iolanthe Lysandra Potter,

I do not know if Leo has told you or not, but my family and I are not loyal to a madman who calls himself a Lord. I know this is hard to believe, but my father offered myself and my family up to Voldemort so he wouldn't kill my mother and sister. They were sent into hiding in France, but other than that, we don't know where they are. Thank Merlin, our family tapestry says they are still among the living.

I'm hoping to get myself and my family away from Voldemort, but until then, I am sorry for the actions that I will no doubt perform to keep my family safe. I hope you understand why I take the actions I do.

Onto another matter, I'm sure Leo has told you a great deal about our world, so I'm sure that you know this is your personal Grimoire. I saw a design on Leo's desk, and I knew it was yours once I saw the file labeled Ebony's Designs. I had to swear a vow to get the true name of such an artist. Leo is very protective of you, and I hope the two of you remain friends for years to come.

Point your wand at the Grimoire, and it will register your magical signature, and no one else may read it.

Lord Lucius Abraxas Malfoy

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Malfoy

Hyacinth was stunned into silence. She always thought that Lord Malfoy was a Death Eater because of the way he behaved. But to learn that his actions are a direct result of protecting his family, she couldn't help but admire and respect him for doing everything in his power to protect his family. There is nothing more admirable than that.

She moved on to the next gift, and she saw that it was a collection of some of the most beautiful quills she had ever seen.

Dear Hyacinth,

I am sorry for my actions in school, but in truth, I'm not used to anyone but my brother outshining me. I hope that we can be friends this year and so on. Maybe you can help me with my studies. I do not know if you know this, but for the last two summers, I have been grounded because of how bad my grades are. I'm hoping to change that.

Maybe a study group?

These quills are for your Grimoire. My father designed it for you, and I know from also watching you to get you in trouble that you favor these colors. They are charmed to never dull, and they are ever-lasting ink, so you will not have to owl order so much ink any longer during the year as I have witnessed you ordering them at least once a week.

I hope to talk with you on better terms than the previous years.

Heir Draco Lucius Malfoy (My father isn't like the other Lords. He named both my brother and me heirs when we were born).

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Malfoy

Cin shook her head. It seemed she was wrong about Draco and Lord Malfoy, but in this case, she was more than happy to be wrong. She knew it was important to Leo that she get along with his family and she was more than happy to let the past rest.

Not wanting to be in this wretched house any longer than she had to, Cin dressed and did her hair in a fishtail braid with her bangs framing her face. After she was ready, Cin put the Malfoy family's gifts inside her new and improved trunk, and she put Hedwig's cage inside, along with her old school trunk, grabbed her wand, placed the now shrunken trunk inside her purse, and walked downstairs, and out the door.

Hyacinth didn't know where she would be if she hadn't made such a great friend in her first year, but she was very thankful.