Chapter 52: Not The Obligatory Diagon Ally Back to School Shopping Trip Chapter That Everybody Hates

A Few Weeks Later

"So, what do you think?" Her mother asked.

"I don't look like myself anymore," Hermione Granger or as she was now known as Jane Lupin said and she guessed that was the point as she looked at her reflection at the medical spa she had been residing at for the past few weeks where she had been transformed into Jane Lupin.

Her hair was now long and completely straight. It took her a long time to decide what color to change her hair to. Both blonde and red seemed wrong for different reasons.

She ended up going with the lesser of two evils which was blonde. To be specific, she went with a honey blonde. There was no way she could go platinum for obvious reasons and she just couldn't go red for even more reasons. The color contrasted sharply with her eyes which had been permanently altered to an aquamarine color of all things. With her teeth reduced, her face shape and features changed, and the fact that she had undergone another growth spurt that was assisted by the spa, she no longer resembled the Rat of Gryffindor.

She almost looked like one of the popular girls, though she knew she'd never be the popular type. She felt like such a poser in her new designer robes of all things that she was wearing since none of her old clothes fit anymore.

A part of her hated the fact that she had resulted to cosmetic procedures of all things but…well, she wouldn't have to deal with them as Hermione Granger again.

"I'm no longer me," she said not even recognizing herself in her reflection not used to how poised she—no, Jane—looked. She wasn't used to how she filled out her robes either as Jane.

"Isn't that the point," Her mother said with a sad smile.

She was Jane Lupin now.

Jane Lupin.

It was weird getting used to that new name of hers, but in a way it was a fresh start. She still hated the fact she had to go back to that school.

Mummy was trying to get her out, but for now she was stuck. At least the school administrators were more than willing to let her use her new name and be re-sorted with no one knowing of her past.

"I still can't believe I have to go back," She frowned grimacing as she still didn't recognize herself in the mirror and probably never would as Jane.

She wondered if Harry would recognize her. She missed Bern lots. They had wrote some, but it wasn't the same thing.

He'd be the only good thing about that school.

She shuddered.

They won't know…she thought.

Jane looks nothing like me.

Even though Jane was her by all intents and purposes. No finite would get rid of any of the cosmetic procedures that had been done to her. Procedures she knew the school paid for as part of a settlement for one of the various lawsuits Mummy had filed against them.

"I'm never going to get used to calling you Jane," Mummy said shaking her head.

"Well, hopefully it will only be a short-term thing." Hermione said even though she knew both the name change and the physical changes done to her were permanent. They had made both of them sign so many things before they even began prodding on her.

"Ted said it could take a while for the case to even be heard in court," Her mother warned her. "And Remus said that Harry's dad is having difficulty finding tutors with the required credentials."

Hermione winced. She knew as rich as Sirius Black was, he shouldn't be having issues finding a tutors for Harry. She really hoped it meant she wouldn't be stuck there a whole year.

"You'll let me know if anything goes wrong." Her mother said.

"If I get sorted into Gryffindor again I swear I am going to leave regardless." Hermione said.

Mummy laughed. "I bet you'd burn the sorting hat right there and then."

"I might," she said. "I do know a couple of fire spells. Not that they were in the curriculum."

Mummy rolled her eyes. "Well, Jane, are you ready to meet the world?"

"I seriously can't believe Albus hired the peacock to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Sirius told Bellatrix as they looked at the boys' school supply list.

Looked might've been too big of a world. They were more or less enjoying some alone time together this morning since her morning sickness hadn't been as bad as it normally was.

"I can't believe Vacationing with Veela isn't on the list." She said as she took a sip of her tea.

"You should sue," he joked as he played with her breasts.

They were fantastic. She had to order new bras recently and had whined about it though he secretly knew she liked the fact that he seemed more enamored with them as of late. Not that she was wearing any bra at the moment. No, she was completely naked and if it was up to him she'd be that way all the time.

She glared at him and swatted him away though he saw her smirk. "It's probably not out yet. I'm sure there will be pages about my lilac eyes."

"Did he ever try to get back in contact with you?"

She laughed. "No. Though he'd probably have a coronary if he knew who I really was or that his lilac eyed princess was married to you and having your babies yet again."

They had done a simple civil ceremony not that long after they had returned from Austria. She was his again, not that the bond had ever been broken, but legally speaking as Claire Du Pres she was just as much as his wife as she had been as Bellatrix.

"I'll be sure to rub it in his nose if he annoys me when I'm forced to dine with him." He grimaced thinking of his new job.

"I still can't believe you're teaching."

"My goal is to have the shortest tenure there," he said. "I really have no desire to teach any kids other than our own."

"You've been helping Draco lots lately."

"He's more or less our own. Or will be after today."

It was hard to believe the blood adoption ceremony was going to be today. That Sirius would all be intents and purposes her late sister's father. Her twisted family tree was about to become even more twisted.

She put her hand on her own belly. Unlike her breasts, it hadn't grown much. It was still quite flat, though there was a slight curve to it that was starting to develop. Or at least she thought there was a slight curve, her husband still said it was still flat as a pancake and wanted her to eat more. The lay-ins in the morning had helped a lot. So far, she had been able to keep her pregnancy from her son. She and Sirius had both wanted to tell him…but both admittedly were still nervous. Even though the daily scans looked good and aside from the severe morning sickness everything was relatively on target to where she needed to be save for her being a bit underweight.

"I feel for the boy," Sirius said. "He reminds me a lot of myself at his age. Lost. It's helped he's backed off on Harry. Hopefully, it won't be too much of an adjustment for both of them."

The boys weren't friends by any means though they had become more civil to each other since Cissy's death. They might've even bonded a little when they took them to see a quidditch match the other day.

Harry later told her he had vaguely remembered flying before with Draco of all things.

"He threw someone's remembrall." He said, "I tried to catch it. And I caught it. They named me seeker. I can't even imagine doing that…"

He was hesitant about doing a lot of things as the result of the accident. The mind healer had mentioned that to Sirius. In a way Bella was glad after the troll incident of all things. She still had nightmares even thinking about what happened. She had almost lost him that night.

And for what? Who knows? Dumbledore had been able to hide whatever scheme it was and now her baby boy was being forced to attend that school again.

She hoped that law was overturned or at the very least Siri could find the necessary tutors so they could pull him out again by winter break.

She wondered if Gil even had a mastery in defense as she pointed out to Siri.

"It would be something to look into for sure," He said as he continued to play with her breasts. " Ugh, apparently they made Snivelus deputy headmaster."

"Seriously, you're calling him Snivelus again?"

"He's a creep." He said. "I never liked the way he looked at you."

She rolled her eyes. "He only cared about that harpy…"

"Aren't you going to cry my name, Lestrange?" He laughed. "Maybe I should have you curse yourself again until you do."

He was on top of her. She remembered flinching from all the pain barely noticing what he was doing to her. She could still smell him though. An awful mix of body odor and cologne.

She wanted to scream but she couldn't.

"Not so much of a proud bitch now are you, whore." Snape snapped before entering her.

She ran to the toilet.

Mercifully, Sirius only thought it was morning sickness.

"More tea?"

She shook her head. She didn't want to tell Sirius what she just remembered. All she wanted was a shower. She had to, needed to get clean.

She knew he knew about the dark lord touching her and did not fault her for it, but it wasn't something she liked to talk about. And she did not want him to know what she had just remembered Snape doing to her and she was sure other pet Death Eaters had done as well.

If he knew she knew he'd kill him. He had always hated the guy and it wouldn't take much to get him to go full Black on him. And the last thing she wanted was her husband in prison again.

Still though, Snivelus would pay at one point. She'd never ever get the stink off.

"Bella…" He said when she got out holding out her favorite bathrobe out for her.

"I'm fine, Siri." She lied.

He shook his head. "You're not. You have that look on your face."

The same look he got whenever he thought about the past. Both of them knew there was only so much that either of them wanted to discuss. It was one of the reasons they both were technically still patients here even after all these months.

"I have a mind healing appointment later today," she said though she knew what her therapist would say. She heard it every week.

"Good," He said. "If you…"

She shook her head. "I don't really want to tell you about my time with the dark lord."

He grimaced. He had seen some of it. "What brought it on this time?"

Snivellus. But she didn't tell him that instead she shrugged. "Who knows? Do you mind carrying me back to bed. I'm exhausted. And I want to be ready for the ceremony this evening. Ugh, I'll have to wear real clothes."

"Such a tragedy," He said though both of them knew neither of them were in the mood.

Something had upset her. It was pretty clear she was having flashbacks to when she was raped. He knew the look only so well now.

At first he thought it was flashbacks to Azkaban, but he soon realized whenever she took a long shower like she did today she was remembering what the dark lord did to her.

He would've killed the bastard if he was still alive. He only saw a few of her memories that day but he knew enough. Knew that she had been tortured. Usually there were specific things that triggered it though, he just couldn't figure what triggered it this morning when one minute he was playing with her breasts and the next she ran to the shower as fast as she could.

He had wondered at first if something was wrong with the babies.

Mercifully, so far other than severe morning sickness, being a bit underweight, and exhaustion her pregnancy had been fairly uneventful.

Which was what needed to be happen. He really was annoyed he'd be teaching school while she'd be here and he couldn't watch her all day. Of course, he'd be commuting back and forth. He still was annoyed that he had been roped into babysitting his former house. He doubted his son would even be sorted in there now even though he was a Gryffindor a year ago.

"This reading list is ridiculous," Harry said coming into the kitchen area where Sirius was currently brewing some anti-nausea tea. At least the boy hadn't figured out what the tea he made for his mother each day was. Given how observant Harry had been of Cissy's pregnancy, he and Bella had been extra careful to hide hers. It helped that Harry had been pretty upset about Cissy. As awful as that sounded. "Gilderoy Lockhart. The guy who wrote terrible books on yetis. Do I really have this school?"
"It's only for a few months," he said. "Ted is working on the lawsuit now and expediting our citizenship here. I'm also seeing if I can find you some tutors."

Harry groaned. "Even Draco doesn't want to go back now."

"I'm shocked you two are actually talking to each other now."

"He hasn't been as big of a prick since Aunt Cissy…"

Sirius nodded. Draco had grown up a little. Unfortunately, it took something like Cissy's death to do it. He still remembered the way the boy looked when he saw what remained of that village.

It was pretty horrifying how the entire place was burned to nothing. Just a pile of ashes. Some of them undoubtedly his cousin.

She really hadn't deserved to die that way. Especially knowing those babies she had been so desperate to protect were now gone as well.

"Are you ready for the ceremony today?" He asked.

"It's not me who has to be ready." He said with a shrug clearly indifferent that he was about to get a brother.

Draco frowned as he looked at what he had to admit now was his bedroom. It had been almost a month since Mother had died. School would be starting in a few days. And today, well, today was his last day as a Malfoy. Or as a Malfoy bastard.

He looked at himself in the mirror wondering what features would change after the ceremony. His hair undoubtedly for one thing and probably a lot of other things, he was the spitting image of Lucius.

How he had loved that until a few months ago.

He sighed heavily as he thought about Mother.

They hadn't had a funeral much like when Aunt Bella had died. He knew they weren't having one because of him. At least not until the adoption was finalized. They were all afraid of what Lucius would try to do.

He had attempted to write to Draco a couple of times since Mother's death.

He didn't bother responding.

He didn't want to respond.

He kept thinking of those photos. He kept thinking about how Mother said he hurt her. Those were some of the last words she said to him and he called her a liar.

It was one of many reasons he had decided to go ahead with the blood adoption today. He was nervous about it and decided to try to take his mind off by looking at his books. Of course, his eyes went to his first year Transfiguration text.

He was not looking forward to repeating the class. Cousin Sirius had started tutoring him a bit since they got back from seeing…well, seeing where Mother had perished. But he was still so far behind. The only thing that made him feel somewhat better was he knew that that hag McGonagall wasn't going to be teaching the subject. Instead, Sirius would. He had found that odd since there was no reason his soon to be father needed to be teaching with all the Black money. That and he knew he was a healer not a teacher.

He figured it had something to do with the new education laws. Laws he was sure Lucius had pushed through, that Draco had begged him to push through at the beginning of the summer. He was such a fuck up.

"I see everyone looks enthusiastic about school," Claire said coming into the room with a cup of hot chocolate for him.

He grimaced. "They are going to make fun of me."

"I doubt Sirius will allow that." His soon to be stepmom had said. They had gotten married spontaneously after they had returned from Austria. He wasn't surprised really. They had already acted like they were married anyway. What he was surprised about was how well Harry took it. He didn't seem enthused about it earlier this summer before Mother had passed, but something had changed.

Not that he talked much to his cousin.

They were civil to each other now, but after how he treated him earlier this summer, Harry usually avoided him. Which was fine by Draco. He wasn't exactly good company either. He was glad Granger had left as well, he doubt he impressed her any with how he was acting. Not that it mattered, she seemed to be enamored with Harry.

Not that the idiot noticed. Or at least he didn't think he did.

Claire stroked his hair absentmindedly. Mother used to do that. She sort of smelt oddly enough like Mother as well. Her wondered if they used a similar perfume. "Siri says you've improved now that you're taking your studies more seriously."

Draco shrugged. "Sort of hard when you're a firstie failure."

He winced saying that.

"I know you regret saying that to Harry."

"I was a brat," He said. "I was so mad at her."

"Your mother," she clarified.

He nodded. "She…she was so different. And it seemed like she over me and Lucius and was moving on with Lupin of all people. I knew she took a liking to Harry and I just…"

"It's okay," she said letting him cry.

"He hates me now."

"I doubt Harry hates you," she said though he didn't quite believe her. He knew she didn't quite believe her. "You two are going to be brothers after all."

Brothers he would have a brother. It of stung considering until a few weeks ago he thought he was going to have sisters. Sisters that were now dead.

"I made a bad impression."

"That you did, but we can all grow from our mistakes, Draco."

"I…I'm going to try."

"That's all you can do."

He shook a little bit when he entered the chamber for the adoption ceremony at Gringotts later that day as his soon to be father painted the necessary ruins on his body. It was only the two of them. The rest of the family was waiting in the antechamber. Waiting him to become Draco Black.

He always found Ancient Ruins fascinating he had been excited abut learning about them in the third year. He wondered if he'd still be excited about learning about them. He knew he should. It wasn't like a blood adoption changed your personality.

"You can still change your mind if you want," His soon to be father said.

Draco shook his head.

"No," He said. "No, I'm ready to be Draco Black. Really, be Draco Black."

Sirius nodded as they proceeded with the ritual as he plead loyalty to the Black family renouncing any claim he might've had to the Malfoy family. Not that he had any as a bastard.

For months after he was declared a bastard he had wanted to find a way to fit back within the Malfoy family and now he was more or less rejecting any rights and heritage he may have for the Black family. Not that magic even really viewed him as a Malfoy since his parents bond was irrevocably broken. He knew because of this any ties to the Malfoy family that he normally had with a blood adoption would be completely gone.

He shuddered as he drank the potion filled with his blood and Sirius's before getting in the tub as his body started to feel the effects of the potion before he was totally submerged in the liquid.

And then it was done.

When he woke up he was no longer Draco Malfoy.

He was the same yet different.

He looked down at his hands. The first thing he noticed was that there was actual color to them. Yes, they were pale but not as pale. They were also smaller. Considerably smaller. Had he shrunk?

"How long?" He asked, noticing his voice sounded a bit different. His old voice had changed earlier this year. Apparently, his new body had yet to hit puberty yet.

Great. Just freaking great. That was just what he needed.

"About an hour," His cousin…no, his new father said.

He didn't think he could call him father though. That just seemed wrong. His former cousin handed him the mirror and Draco looked at himself. He was no longer a Malfoy that was for sure. He could oddly enough see a lot of Mother in him now. More than ever. Unfortunately, as he had suspected he looked younger now, even younger than he did last year. Like a freaking little boy.

He would for sure be the shortest in his year now. The least developed. That would be a change since he had usually been one of the taller boys in the past.

"You look more like her than me," Uncle Sirius said.

"My hair," He said. Though he remembered mother naturally had dark hair as well. His hair wasn't silky smooth like Uncle Sirius or Harry's was it had a bit of the curl that mother hated so much. His eyes were like hers now as well as his mouth. Or how mother used to look. He frowned thinking about how much shorter and slighter he had become.

"Your Mother was the shortest Black." Sirius said with a shrug. "Before…"

"I don't want to be short." He frowned, "Or so freaking skinny. I'm the same size as I was when I was like eight."

"Your mother wasn't that short," Sirius said. "And I suspect you'll have a growth spurt eventually, though new robes will be in order for your new body. Your mother and Aunt Andi were the same way when they were your age. They looked like they were about ten until they hit the age of fifteen. Both your aunt and your mum shot up like a foot overnight it seemed. I think it's a Roiser trait."

"But Harry…"

Harry was the tallest boy in his year and did not look like he was eight .

Sirius shrugged. "Harry's mother developed quicker like me. On the plus side, you no longer look like you're smelling dung all the time."

Draco glared at him.

"Instead, you just have the Black glare." His new father said. "And the hair too."

"Which somehow you and Harry lucked out on."

"Genetics are a crazy thing, Draco. Besides, I thought you'd be happy you took after Cissy."

"I am, but it's sort of…"

"Painful, I know." His new father said.

"I don't know what to call you…" Draco found himself saying.

"Sirius is fine," He said. "Though if you want to call me something else…"

The boy nodded. Sirius would work for now. He then began to get dressed in his shrunken robes so he could introduce himself to his family as Draco Black.

Chapter 53 Preview: It's the first day of the new term of Hogwarts.