The next morning, Hermione found herself gathering her luggages, her brother Lucius helping her while managing his own leather bags.
Alexandra and Abraxas Malfoy had attempted to keep the majority of Hermione's books, only to realise she started hiding the ones they took in Lucius bag instead. He seemed fine with it and even helped her a bit, but her parents weren't impressed. She understood why, but how could she help it!
"Hermione, dear, must you take so many books with you?" Her mother asked her as she opened her daughter's trunk and sorted through the novels. "Don't you think some of these may be too advanced for you? You don't need to know some of this until next year."
"Alexandra, you know how she is. The brightest in her year, she'll be." Her father pat her shoulder affectionately. "She'll be the smartest one." He smiled down at his daughter.
"Ah yes, of course." Alexandra hesitantly gave her daughter her book back. "But do make friends please. You won't find everything in the library." She told Hermione, hoping any deity above that her daughter wouldn't spend every waking hour of the day in the library.
"It's almost 10:30. We should be leaving for King's Cross right now." Abraxas informed the two siblings and his wife. "Pack your bags and grab your cloaks. We're apparating." Lucius helped Hermione pick up her luggage with a smile as Hermione grabbed the other suitcase. Reaching the apparition point and apparating with her mother, Lucius with her father, they popped out near the Platforms, and loaded their baggages onto trolleys to head to platform 9 3/4.
It did not take long for old chums of Lucius to show up and go through the platform together.
"Lucius! You didn't tell me that your baby sister was coming too!" A dark haired wizard with an accent surprised Hermione by poking her shoulder unexpectedly. The accent sent shivers down Hermione's back as she tried to keep herself from paling. It was one that she came to recognise and keep her guard around.
"Hermione, this is Antonin Do-"
"Dolohov." Hermione finished for her brother. "I've heard many things." She smiled at the wizard.
"Good things, I hope." The Russian wizard smiled slyly at the Malfoy girl.
"Of course." Replied Hermione.
"Malfoy!" The group turned and saw the Blacks approaching. Fred, Bellatrix and Andromeda all had their trolleys with them and were headed towards them.
Fred turned to tell his parents something before leaving the trolley with them and heading over to talk with Hermione.
"Who knew they'd be your siblings," Hermione tried not to laugh but it seemed to be really difficult to keep a straight face. "You started off with five brothers and a sister, now you've got 3 sisters and no brothers." She whispered and let out a snort.
"Ah, but you won't be laughing when you realise who you might be sharing a dorm with." Fred told her, pointed to his sister with the mess of black curls.
"No... That... That isn't Bellatrix, is it?" She looked almost hopeful that he tell her that it was someone else.
"That's Bellatrix alright." He confirmed her worst fears. "And it's not even the worse part." Hermione looked a bit horrified.
"What's worse?"
"You know George and I right? Twins?" she nodded slowly. "Same with her." Her face paled rather quickly before the colour drained back a few seconds later and she looked around anxiously. "Yep. I now have a twin sister It's the one and only..."
Hermione shot him a pitying look as they saw their respective parents approach them to then point to the train and the clock. "It's time children."
"Meet me on the train." Hermione told him. Lucius came by and pushed her gently in the direction of the train as Narcissa tackled Fred into yet another hug.
"Write me." she ordered him. "Don't forget!" she let him go and waved him off as he hopped onto the Hogwarts Express. Andromeda quickly followed behind and pushed him in, removing him from the line of sight of their younger sister.
"Lucius... I don't think your sister likes me very much." Antonin confessed to Lucius. "God, she looked at me as if she despised me."
"She's just shy around strangers, Antonin. Don't you worry." The blond Heir reassured him. "Just wait and see, she'll come around."
"I just wish she just naturally liked me, you know? She and Black were talking as if they knew each other for ages. Like best friends, you know?"
Lucius seemed to think about it for a moment. "She's just excited to finally have a friend her age. Mother and Father are always bringing older folks to the manor, so she doesn't see any other children her age."
"You think she'll be Slytherin?" Antonin asked him, taking a few sugar quills out of his pocket and handing some over to his friend.
"No doubt, Dolohov." Lucius laughed heartily. "She's a Malfoy after all!"
The two friends ate the sweets as the train moved forward through the country.
"Fred! Finally found you!" Hermione bounded into the compartment and closed the door behind her. She quickly took a seat on the opposing bench and swung her legs over onto the seat.
"Took you long enough." Fred said. "How are your oh-so-evil Slytherin parents and brother?"
"Fred, he's honestly not that bad," Hermione told him. She smiled as she remembered the night before and this morning. "And the last few hours, they've been really sweet! He's not all evil like he was with Voldemort. Mum and dad are too, Abraxas is a bit cold sometimes but it's to be expected."
"Cygnus and Druella are rather cold too. They told me good morning and proceeded to scold me." Fred said, scratching his black hair. "And I miss being ginger..." He mumbled sadly. "I really loved that hair and the freckles."
"That reminds me. How's being Bellatrix, Andy and Narcissa's brother going? You seem to get along well with them." Said Hermione. They're your sisters now, and Bellatrix is your twin, so I wonder how close you all are."
"Well, I got an interesting wake up the morning we arrived. Bellatrix jumped on me to wake me up. Narcissa tackled me in a hug and Andy rolled her eyes. I will qualify us as being 'close'." Fred made quotation marks with his fingers and grinned.
"They sound so..." She paused for a few moments to find the right word.
"Pure? Innocent? Angel-like?" Fred raised a dark brow and smirked. "I know. It feels off."
"In what way off?" Hermione asked curiously.
"You know how Bellatrix and Andromeda don't get along in the original timeline?" Hermione nodded as Fred continued. "They get along so well here. The're closer to each other than to Narcissa."
"And to think two of them become Death Eaters" Fred and Hermione tried to shake the thoughts out of their heads.
"I'll make one thing clear though." Fred started, catching Hermione off guard with his seriousness. "We're 11. Were just kids. Let's make the most of this and not worry about what's to come." As Hermione was about to counter, Fred continued. "We'll worry about that in a few years. It would be odd to see two 11 year olds worrying about the future. We're supposed to be ignorant of the dangers of the world and we're supposed to be innocent." She huffed and crossed her arms. "Hey, think about it. If Dumbles hears about two first years worrying about Death Eaters, he'll know something is off.'
"And it doesn't help that he's a legilimens." Fred eyes widened at her words.
"He's a Legilimens?!" Hermione nodded. "Even better reason not to pull attention to ourselves."
"Says the one who can't help but pull attention to himself every day." Hermione mumbled.
"Oi!"
"Tell me I'm wrong. I dare you."
"Fred look." Hermione pointed out of the window as the train came to a stop.
There stood Hogwarts in all its glory, stars glittering and the moon shining brightly overhead it's large towers and illuminated corridors.
They left their compartment, following all the other students. Fred and Hermione looked at each other, having both seen the Thestrals pulling the carriages. Neither thought they'd see them again in this time, but they were wrong.
The horses stood proudly, the grey skin and bones still as prominent as ever, some already pulling the carriages with students.
A few seventh years looked at the younger children curiously, seeing them staring at where the death horses were exactly. "Excuse me. One of the Gryffindors nudged Hermione.
"Oh yes?" Hermione smiled as she looked at the brunette.
"Can you see them?"
"See what?" Hermione thought quickly. "What's pulling the carriages?"
"Oh, I thought you could see them too." The seventh year looked relieved. "Those are Thestra-"
"First years! Over 'ere!" The loud gruff voice of Hagrid boomed out, waving over the two first years.
"Have fun at the sorting." The seventh year hopped onto one of the carriages as Hermione and Fred waved goodbye to them.
Approaching Hagrid, he led them to the small boats. "Freddie! I'm joining you!" Bellatrix hopped into the boat beside her twin brother as Andromeda followed, less excitedly and sat beside Hermione.
"Andromeda Black." The brown haired witch offered her hand to Hermione to shake.
"Hermione Malfoy." She smiled as shook her hand. Making conversation, Hermione really pulled out anything. "What house are you hoping for?"
"Slytherin. The whole family goes there. You?" she smiled kindly as the boats began being tugged out over the lake, some students staring in awe at the castle. Knowing Malfoys were traditionally in Slytherin, Hermione answered the same. "Ooh~ We might be roommates." The two continued talking avidly about the school, Andromeda even brought up Hogwarts a History, which Hermione was immediately hooked to the Middle Black daughter.
"The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.
The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points.
At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Minerva McGonagall finished with a smile, still using her authoritarian voice.
Fred and Hermione sniggered in the very back of the group quietly. "I guess she says the same thing every year."
"Fred stop it." Hermione tried to laugh, Professor McGonagall looking straight at them had shut them up pretty quickly.
The large doors opened and Professor McGonagall led them to the front, passed the four tables adorning the House banners. Hermione could see her brother sitting at the Slytherin table, and Fred could see his old parents Molly and Arthur sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table talking to each other.
Bellatrix and Andromeda were discussing the hat and the houses, Bellatrix throwing rude comments about Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, but saying Ravenclaw wasn't too bad, Andromeda being more neutral but showing favour for Slytherin.
Soon enough, the names began being called and the hat began its annual sorting.
"Annabelle Abbott!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Andromeda Black!" The hat debated for a few moments before shouting
"Slytherin!"
"Bellatrix Black!" The hat barely touched her head, just as it had Draco.
"Slytherin!"
"Frederick Black!" The hat stayed on his had for a long 3 minutes before the hat hesitantly shouted.
"Slytherin!"
"Lydia Clark!"
Gryffindor!
"Cecilia Cooke!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Antonin Dolohov!"
"Slytherin!"
"Henry MacMillan!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Hermione Malfoy!" Hermione hopped onto the stool as Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. The entire Great Hall watched in anticipation to see which house Miss Malfoy would enter. Bets between Slytherin and Ravenclaw were being decided by Lucius in his seat.
'Ah, you too have done this as well before. The same as Mr. Black, or should I say Mr. Weasley?' The hat's mumble was low, as to remain secretive. 'Perhaps I should put you back in Gryffindor You did well there. But you would also do well in Ravenclaw.'
'Slytherin.' Hermione told the hat in her head. 'Put me there. I want to be close to them.' The hat stayed quiet for a few moments before humming and shouting.
"Slytherin!" It seemed more like a hesitation as the hat was removed from her head and she ran to the Slytherin table, next to her brother, Fred and Dolohov.
"Rabastan Lestrange!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Kingsley Shacklebolt!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Alexander Smith!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Ted Tonks!"
"Hufflepuff"
"Anita Urquhart!"
"Slytherin!"
"Isabelle Yaxley!"
"Ravenclaw!"
The final student sat at her table, the Slytherins cheering the loudest for having the most new students.
In the year of 1966, the Slytherins had dominated the first years and became the largest house at Hogwarts, Hufflepuff taking second, Ravenclaw was third and Gryffindor sunk to the smallest house of the school, the first time in a dozen years. Horace Slughorn smiled at his new students while the other head of houses put on smiles to cover their slight disappointment about not having as many students as Slytherin.