Chapter Three:
Stella had received another howler from her mum for receiving so many detentions so quickly and Stella had let it play in the Great Hall, not really caring as she ate her breakfast. Fred and George went looking for her before dinner that night, wanting to make sure she was alright after the howler. She told them everything that had happened, including about the Ravenclaws, and they had congratulated her on receiving so many detentions so quickly, telling her they were proud. The two Ravenclaws ended up in the hospital wing for three days for some unknown reason, but Fred and George had sent her a wink the very next day.
Her new robes came in Wednesday morning, a note from Narcissa telling Stella that she hoped she liked them. Stella decided to write the woman back, thanking her and telling her she'd like to meet her. Molly wrote a few days later, angrily asking Stella why Narcissa Malfoy wanted to see Stella over Christmas break. Stella told her mum about the heir ring that she needed to claim before her twelfth birthday and about the robes that had been gifted to her, stating that they were a late birthday gift from Narcissa.
'We are family after all.'
Stella thought about not including that line, but she was feeling a bit petty after how her mum had been treating her since she'd been placed in Slytherin. Percy had continued glaring at her every chance he got but Stella just ignored him, walking with Draco, Blaise, and Theodore to and from classes. She studied hard for her classes, going into depth for her essays and practicing the spells until she was blue in the face, making sure she had them all down before the class period.
Detentions were more like study sessions for Stella. She would write her essays in front of Snape, smirking every time he told her to add something to an essay. He also looked over her potions notes, adding a few of his own that she had missed before she'd write it all down in her potions book. Ginny had better appreciate all of her efforts since she would be receiving the books next year.
Daphne insisted on Stella receiving a few etiquette lessons once Stella had new robes. She made Stella walk through the common room, forcing her to stand straight and balance the book on her head. She told Stella to keep her elbows off of the table when they all ate before showing her where silverware was supposed to be placed on the tables. Stella received the books on her family history, reading through them in her spare time and getting so wrapped up in what she was reading that Tracy had to drag her to Astronomy. Draco began quizzing her on the family tree while they played chess, also teaching her more strategies to try using on Ron.
Ron had been a bit stand-offish after Transfiguration before hearing about Stella having been attacked. Had the older boys not already been in the hospital wing, Stella worried he may have tried to fist fight them. He began walking with Stella to the classes that they shared, Harry tagging along and giving Stella a smile before asking how she was every time he saw her.
Stella had rolled her eyes during flying lessons, smirking when her broom came up to her when she'd told it to, shocking Ron from where he stood across from her before his broom hit him in the face, causing Stella and Harry to laugh.
"Shut up," he told them both.
Stella couldn't help but smirk when Granger's broom ignored her. She rolled her eyes when Draco talked badly about Neville, ready to speak up when Harry did instead. The two flew above them and Stella debated flying up with them when Draco came back down, Harry flying after the Remembrall, catching it before joining the class again. McGonagall appeared then, pulling Harry out of class. He received a gift two weeks later, Stella staring in confusion before Ron waved her over to the table.
"Is that a broom?" Stella asked, voice low. "First-years aren't allowed one."
"Harry's the new seeker," Ron whispered back, looking excited.
"Are you telling me that Draco got detention for flying on his broom when he wasn't supposed to but Harry got on the Quidditch team as a first year?" Stella asked, voice flat.
"Yeah but Malfoy's a git," Ron shrugged and Stella sighed before looking to Harry, seeing his bright smile.
"Congrats, Harry," she told him, giving him a smile.
"Thanks," he smiled back and Stella went back to her table.
"What was that about?" Blaise asked her.
"Nothing important," Stella shrugged. "Is there any pudding?"
Halloween was upon them and Stella felt terrible. She was tired and done with working so hard just for Granger to get all of the points. She'd gotten every spell before her, every assignment perfect, and somehow Granger was still top of their class. She'd read one of her charms essays and scoffed, annoyed once more by the favoritism. She hadn't even mentioned the wand movements in her essay and why they were so important, instead only talking about the pronunciation. Stella continued though, answering questions in every class and working hard to be ahead of as many students as possible.
Pumpkins floated above their head and bats flew in circles, diving down every so often. Stella gave Theodore a sleepy smile as she sat beside him, eating a bit of chicken before resting her head on Draco's shoulder. He looked at her in confusion before rolling his eyes and allowing it.
"You need to take a break," Theodore told her.
"I am. Right now," she defended, eyes drooping.
"I don't mean taking a nap on your cousin's shoulder. I mean an actual break. You look as if a breeze could make you drop," Theodore told her.
"No. I have a point to prove," Stella told him, sitting up and continuing to eat when Professor Quirrell ran in.
"Troll! In the dungeons! Troll!" he yelled before stopping. "Just thought you ought to know."
Screaming began when he fell over and Dumbledore demanded everyone to calm.
"Prefects will lead the students back to their dormitories," he stated and everyone began moving then.
"Shouldn't we stay here?" Stella asked her classmates. "Our dormitory is in the dungeons. Where the troll is."
"He doesn't care if a few Slytherins get killed by a troll," Blaise stated, pulling Stella out of her seat. "Come on."
Stella groaned as she followed after him. They quietly made their way to their dorms, getting there in one piece. Stella decided that sleep was more important and went to bed, falling asleep the moment her head hit her pillow. The next morning, she ran into the great hall, going straight to the Gryffindor table and punching Ron in the arm.
"Ow!" he complained.
"What were you thinking?" she demanded. "You went after a troll?"
"Hermione didn't know there was a troll in the school," Ron defended.
"Idiot," Stella stated before walking away, wondering when Granger had become Hermione to her brother.
'The Malfoys would like for you to join them at Christmas. I do not approve but they are your birth family. If that is who you want to spend your holiday with rather than your brothers, one of which you let put himself in danger, then that is up to you. Dad will be quite disappointed by you joining them, though. You know how he feels about the Malfoys.'
November brought colder weather and the start of the Quidditch season. Stella felt the anger leaving her the more she spoke to Harry, his excitement contagious. On the first Saturday of the month, Stella wondered over to the Gryffindor table, wanting to wish him luck and noticing he wasn't eating.
"Just a bit of toast," Granger tried but Harry wasn't having it.
"I'm not hungry."
"Harry, you need your strength," a boy with an Irish accent spoke up. "Seekers are always the ones getting clobbered by the other team."
"Helpful," Stella rolled her eyes.
"Thanks, Seamus," Harry stated, watching as the boy piled ketchup onto his potatoes.
"Nerves, right?" Stella asked, forcing Ron to scoot down so Stella could be beside Harry.
"Yeah," he nodded, voice dropping slightly.
"Do you like blackberry jam?" she asked him, grabbing a piece of toast and putting a bit of the jam on it.
"Yeah," Harry nodded.
"If you don't eat, you'll throw up," Stella told him, placing the toast on his plate. "Drink some water as well. As unhelpful as he is, Seamus is right and the Slytherins play dirty. You need to be careful out there."
"Are you talking badly about your own house?" Harry questioned.
"Only about the captain of our team," Stella corrected. "I don't like him. He's rude."
"Is someone bothering you, Stella?" Ron asked, puffing his chest out.
"I can handle myself," Stella smirked, waving Ron off before looking to Harry again, raising her brow and looking down at the toast before looking at him again.
Harry sighed before picking up the toast, taking a bite and chewing it slowly.
"Good luck, Harry," Stella smiled, satisfied that Harry was eating something.
Stella kissed Harry's cheek before she joined the snakes for breakfast. She was decked out in green and silver, supporting her house. Once at the pitch, she noticed most of the students routing for Gryffindor, a few Hufflepuffs seeming to be sporting red and green, looking a bit like Christmas had come a bit early. She spotted a banner that said "Potter for President" with a lion that flashed different colors in the high rafters across from her. Draco passed her a pair of binoculars so she could actually see what was happening once the game started, his own binoculars on a string around his neck.
"Thanks," Stella smiled, bumping Draco's arm with her elbow. "Your mum wrote to mine about me coming for Christmas."
"Took long enough," Draco joked.
"Shut it," Stella rolled her eyes, smile on her face, having actually grown a bit fond of Narcissa now that she'd been writing her for over a month.
The teams came out and Madam Hooch blew her whistle, Flint and Wood shaking hands before the game began. The quaffle went into the air and they were off. Stella was watching the game carefully, listening as Fred and George's friend Lee commentated.
"And the quaffles taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too –"
"Jordan!" McGonagall's voice could be heard.
"Sorry, Professor. And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve. Back to Johnson and – no, the Slytherins have taken the quaffle. Slytherin captain Marcus Flint gains the quaffle and off he goes. Flint flying like an eagle up there. He's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the quaffle.
"That's chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there. Nice dive around Flint, off up the field and- OUCH- that must have hurt. Hit in the back of the head by a bludger. Quaffle taken by Slytherin. Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goalposts but he's blocked by a second bludger sent his way by Fred or George Weasley. Can't tell which."
"Fred," Stella stated and Draco snorted before they both focused on the game again.
"Nice play by the Gryffindor beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes. She's really flying. Dodges a speeding bludger, the goalposts are ahead. Come on now, Angelina. Keeper Bletchley dives, misses. GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"
Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins, Stella included. Stella saw Harry do a few loops in the air to celebrate and couldn't stop the small smile that appeared on her face before she looked back to the game.
"Slytherin in possession. Chaser Pucey ducks two bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the – wait a moment- was that the snitch?"
A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear. Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the snitch. All the chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.
"Idiots," Stella scoffed. "They shouldn't stop to watch. They should be trying to get more points."
Harry was faster than Higgs. He could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead. He put on an extra spurt of speed and…
WHAM!
A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below. Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life. Stella grabbed Blaise's arm, worry filling her as she watched Harry get a handle of his broom again, a slow breath leaving her before she released Blaise, sending him an apologetic look that he answered with an amused smirk.
"Foul!" the Gryffindors screamed.
Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goalposts for Gryffindor. In all the confusion, the snitch had disappeared. Stella rolled her eyes as Lee Jordan had a hard time keeping his opinion to himself.
"So, after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating…"
"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.
"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"
"Jordan, I am warning you…"
"All right. All right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."
The game continued and Lee continue his commentating but Stella was staring at Harry in confusion, watching as he jerked back and forth. She tapped Draco's arm before pointing towards Harry.
"What's he doing?" Draco asked, seeming confused.
"I don't think it's him," Stella whispered, looking towards the school staff and rushing off to get help.
She had to push through the crown, hearing that Slytherin had scored but hearing more that people were finally noticing Harry. She reached the teacher box, breathing heavily as she grabbed McGonagall's attention and pointed up to Harry.
"Oh, Merlin," McGonagall whispered.
"You're on fire!" a professor that Stella didn't know yelled to Snape.
Snape knocked a few of the other professors over, Quirrell included, to stomp out his cloak. He looked up at the air and Stella followed his eyes, seeing Harry righting himself on his broom.
"Oh, thank Merlin," Stella sighed out before heading back to her seat.
She got there just in time to see Harry and Higgs chasing the snitch, Higgs pulling up and Harry waiting a moment longer before doing the same, his feet just barely scratching across the ground in the process. He slowly stood on his broom, hand outstretched before he stepped too far along the handle and tipped forward. He seemed as if he were about to throw up and Stella groaned, knowing she should have made sure Harry ate more. Instead of throwing up, the snitch popped out of Harry's mouth and he held it up high above his head, a triumphant smile on his face.
Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy to sixty.
Stella spent the first half of Christmas break at the castle, throwing snowballs with her brothers and Harry. She received a box of fudge from her mother but couldn't find her sweater anywhere. She looked around in confusion, unable to find the item before heading up to the Gryffindor common room, giving the portrait the password which George had given her the day before. She found Fred, George, and Percy already up, looking through their gifts.
"Is my sweater in here?" she asked them.
"I haven't seen it," Fred shook his head.
"Me, either," George told her.
"Ask Ron," Percy told her.
Stella got the directions from Fred before going to Ron's dorm room, smiling when she saw Harry pulling a Weasley sweater over his head. Ron smiled when he saw Stella.
"Did my sweater get brought here?" she asked Ron. "I can't find it."
"I don't have it," Ron shook his head and Harry shook his as well.
"Huh," Stella sighed. "Maybe it got lost in the mail."
"Do you want to borrow mine?"
"No," Stella shook her head to Harry with a soft smile. "Thank you. I need to get a small bag packed. I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Do you have to go with the Malfoys?" Ron groaned.
"It's just for a night," Stella rolled her eyes. "Stay out of trouble while I'm gone. Mum'll blame me if something happens to you."
She spent the day with her brothers and Harry, the two pulling apart a Christmas cracker. Stella placed the tiara that had come out on Harry's head, declaring him the Christmas Princess. He'd laughed before placing the crown on Ron's head instead. The next day, Professor Snape led Stella down to Hogsmeade where Narcissa was waiting for her.
"Oh. You look like Reggie once did," Narcissa told her.
"Who?" Stella asked. "I don't remember a Reggie in the books you sent me."
"He was known as Celeste, originally," Narcissa explained. "Before he took his potions and became Regulus."
Narcissa told Stella the story of Regulus Black being born a girl and becoming a boy in his fourth year. After lunch in The Three Broomsticks, Narcissa side-along apparated Stella to Malfoy manor.
"Lucius won't be able to join us while you're here," Narcissa told her. "He had some business to attend to out of town. We'll be sure you meet him soon, though. I'm told you've made friends with Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. They're coming over for dinner tonight. We'll go to Gringotts tomorrow."
"Thank you," Stella smiled up at her before following her into the large manor.
Stella stared around in wonder as she was led through the manor and to the room she would be staying the night in. Stella thanked her before placing her bag down. Draco ran into her room a few minutes later, more excited than she'd ever seen him. The two played outside for a while, flying through the air before throwing snowballs at one another. Theodore and Blaise appeared at some point, Blaise and Stella teaming up against the other two as they continued the snowball fight.
They were called in for dinner and Stella met Blaise's mother, Rose Zabini.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Stella told her.
"You as well," Rose smiled. "Blaise and Theodore spoke very highly of you. You're second in your class, yes?"
"Only because the teachers are bias," Draco spoke up, clearly upset.
"I am taking Stella to Gringotts tomorrow to get her heir ring," Narcissa told Rose and the two exchanged conspiratory smiles.
Stella caught the look and felt a bit of unease creeping in on her. She spent the rest of the night with Draco, Theodore and Blaise, the three camping out in the living room for the night. They tossed popcorn into each other's mouths, laughing and playing Exploding Snaps until Blaise had to go to his mother to regrow his eyebrows. They fell asleep, all four curled around one another.
The next morning, Rose took the three boys to her home while Narcissa dressed Stella in something a bit more formal before taking her hand apparating them to the Leaky Cauldron. They walked hand-in-hand to Gringotts, Stella not noticing Rita Skeeter writing away in the corner or the picture that she'd taken of the two.
"Miss Stella Black is here to claim her heir ring," Narcissa spoke to a goblin.
"Ah," the goblin nodded. "One moment, please."
Another goblin approached them and Stella gave the goblin a smile.
"This way," he told them, leading them to a private room. "Now, Miss Black, we've been trying to reach you for a few years now. Is there a reason that you and your guardians didn't respond to our letters?"
"I never saw the letters," Stella shook her head, confused. "Did you send them to the Weasley's burrow?"
"We did," the goblin nodded. "No matter. We can discuss everything now. You are the heiress to the most ancient and noble house of Black. That means, as Sirius Black is in Azkaban, you are in charge of the accounts and businesses associated with the Black family. We have been handling business affairs for you in your absence, but it is important that you familiarize yourself with everything for in the future. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir," Stella nodded.
The goblin smiled at the title.
"You may call me Bloodshire, Heir Black," he told her.
"Thank you, Bloodshire," Stella corrected herself. "You may call me Stella, if you wish."
Narcissa didn't seem thrilled but said nothing.
"To claim you heiress title, Heir Black, we will need a drop of your blood," Bloodshire told her, ignoring Stella's first name.
Stella held her hand out and a small needle pricked her finger, a drop falling onto a piece of paper. Bloodshire nodded, pulling out a small box and opening it. A ring with a family crest sat inside. Stella reached forward, taking the ring out a smiling down at it. She slipped it onto her finger, feeling magic washing over her. She gasped, sitting up straighter at the feeling before hearing a voice in her head.
"Stella?" the voice asked.
She gasped, looking around the room in confusion. Narcissa gave her a confused look and Stella apologized before looking to Bloodshire, who gave her a gentle smile.
"I have a question that has nothing to do with myself," Stella told Bloodshire.
"Alright," Bloodshire nodded.
"Is there a Potter ring that needs to be claimed?" she asked, sitting forward in her seat a bit.
"There is but I cannot discuss the heirship of another house to you," he told her.
"I know Harry Potter. He was raised by muggles and has no clue about his heirship," Stella told him.
"Hmm," Bloodshire thought her words over for a moment before calling for a goblin named Griphook. "Bring me a letter for the Potter heir. Heir Black will be hand delivering it for us."
Bloodshire looked to her when he said this and she nodded her agreeance. He nodded back and Griphook left to get the letter. Bloodshire turned back to her as they waited for Griphook's return.
"I have a list of the family businesses and vaults, along with how they have been handled by myself in your absence. I will give you some time to look over the paperwork and decide if you would like me to continue running the accounts until you are of age or if you would like to have a magical guardian take over the accounts for you in the meantime. I have a portfolio prepared for you," Bloodshire passed her a large, leather bound folder, which she took and left closed as Griphook returned.
"Here you are," Griphook passed the letter to Bloodshire, who passed the letter to Stella, along with the Potter portfolio.
"The Potter portfolio can only be opened by Heir Potter and the Black portfolio can only be opened by you. Both will appear blank to anyone else who tries to read them. The letter to Heir Potter cannot be opened by anyone other than him, either," Bloodshire explained, glancing at Narcissa as he spoke.
"Thank you both," Stella told them. "I really appreciate everything and for my heir ring."
"Of course," Bloodshire nodded. "If you have any questions, just write us. The hex that kept our letters from reaching you lifted the moment that your heir ring accepted you."
"I'll make sure that Harry gets here as soon as Summer begins," Stella promised, already thinking of different ways to get Harry to Gringotts before he returned to his muggle relatives.
"Thank you," Bloodshire nodded again. "Griphook will help you with anything else that you need today and show you out once you are done."
"Thank you," Stella said again.
Narcissa and Stella followed Griphook to Stella's vault that was left for her by her father, an allowance being paid from the main vault every month. Stella stared at the mountain of gold in front of her, accepting the coin bag from Griphook and tossing a few handfuls of gold into the bag before stepping out of the vault. Griphook locked the cell and gave Stella her key, which she then slipped into the coin bag as well.
Stella tried paying Narcissa back for the robes and she shook her head, reminding Stella that the robes were a gift before apparating them back to Malfoy manor. Draco returned in time for lunch, hugging Stella before Narcissa took Stella back to Hogsmeade, Professor Snape waiting for them. He led her back up to the school, staying silent until they passed the school wards.
"How was your visit?" he asked her in his monotone voice.
"Miss Narcissa seems nice," Stella offered. "I met Miss Zabini, too."
"I see you have your heir ring now," Snape nodded towards her hand.
"Yes, sir," Stella smiled softly, looking at the ring again before thinking of Harry. "The goblins gave me a letter for Harry. Apparently his mail from them hasn't been reaching him. They said there was a hex on me, preventing my mail from reaching me. Do you think Harry has the same hex?"
"It is a possibility."
"Why would someone do that?" Stella asked more to herself than anything else.
Snape stayed quiet, thinking of a few people who wouldn't want the two of them getting their heirships. His thoughts turned to Lily and Snape decided that helping the boy get his ring wouldn't be too difficult of a task. In fact, it would only take a few minutes. If Stella gave Potter his letter and Snape took the boy right after he read it, they'd be back before dinner with no one the wiser for it.
"I shall escort you to the Gryffindor common room," Snape spoke up. "Potter will receive his letter and I shall take him to Gringotts myself."
"Really, sir?" Stella asked, smile brightening her face. "You'd do that?"
"I just said I would," Snape rolled his eyes, trying not to think of either of the Black brothers when he saw her but having a rather difficult time with it.
Snape gave the password to the portrait and allowed Stella in ahead of him.
"Where's Harry?" Stella asked the Weasley twins, who were staring at Snape in shock.
"In his room," Percy answered before freezing when he saw Snape.
"Thanks, Perce," Stella smiled, rushing passed him and heading up the stairs.
She knocked before entering, smiling brightly at Harry and Ron.
"This is for you," Stella told Harry, passing him the letter.
Harry frowned before opening it, reading it quickly.
"I'm an heir?" Harry asked, confused.
"You have to claim your ring before you turn twelve," Stella explained. "Professor Snape agreed to take you now so you can do it and then return. Here. This is also yours. Let the goblins explain it before you look at it though. It's some family business stuff. I haven't looked at mine yet."
"Okay," Harry shrugged, putting the letter on his bed before following Stella down the stairs. "When you say Snape…"
"Professor Snape."
"Professor Snape is taking me?" Harry trailed off when he saw Snape standing in the warmth of the Gryffindor common room. "Oh."
"Come, Potter. I wish to return before dinner," Snape rolled his eyes, leaving the common room.
Stella and Ron laughed as they watched Harry chase after Snape, trying not to get left behind.
"Let me see," Ron demanded, grabbing Stella's hand and staring at her ring. "Cool."
"What's that?" George asked, he and Fred moving to them.
"My heir ring, apparently," Stella shrugged before hearing the voice from before again.
"Stella Nova Black."
"Did any of you hear that?" Stella asked, looking around the room.
"Hear what?" Ron asked, looking confused.
"I keep hearing someone say my name. I heard it when I put the ring on and again just now," she explained.
"Maybe it's the ring," Fred joked but Stella stared down at it, chewing her lip before shrugging.
"Can I stay up here while I read everything Gringotts gave me?" she asked and the twins and Ron agreed immediately, all of them ignoring Percy as he tried to point out that Stella should get to her own common room.
'Heir Black,
I, Bloodshire, am you family's account manager. You, as heir, should be made aware of your family's alliances and accounts. With your heir ring, you will be able to hear the voice of the person with the family ring, i.e. your father. To respond to him, you just need to press on your ring and think what words you want him to hear.
Black Alliances, according to the head of the family, are as follows:
McKinnon Family
Potter Family
Lupin Family
Pettigrew Family
Weasley Family
Bones Family
Moody Family
Dumbledore Family
Meadows Family
Tonks Family
Lovegood Family
Zabini Family
If you would like to change alliances in your father's absence, please let us know. Businesses that the Black family owns are as follows:
GalleLoans
Moreton Dale Canning Factory
Qizilbash Quality Confectionary
Kwikspell Company
Ollivander's Wand Shop
Nintendo
Sanyo
Lush
We have been continuing the dealings of the Black family in the most profitable and humane ways possible and hope you continue to accept our guidance. The Black family also has shares in multiple companies and donates to different businesses yearly. They are as follows:
Madam Malkins Robes
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
London Pumpkins and Sons
Fujifilm
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
Durmstrang Institute for Young Witches and Wizards
We look forward to working with you in the future. May your coffers overflow and your enemies be slain.
-Bloodshire'
Stella looked through the ledgers for the next three hours until Harry returned, seeming rather elated.
"Stella!" he yelled, rushing over and jumping onto the couch beside her. "That was awesome!"
"It's very cool," Stella agreed, still feeling the family magic flowing through her. "I wonder if the feeling will ever settle."
"I hope not," Harry shook his head, looking down at the rings on his fingers.
"How many rings did you get?" Stella asked with a laugh.
"Three, apparently. This one's the Potter one, this one is Gaunt, and this one is Peverell," he explained. "I have a few more but they said I need to be seventeen for those ones? I don't know."
"I don't know two of those names," Stella shook her head. "We can go look in the library if you want?"
"Not today," he shook his head. "Maybe once classes start again?"
"Okay," Stella shrugged. "Are they heir rings? They're bigger than mine."
Harry shook his head. "Head of family rings."
"I'm sorry," Stella flinched slightly, thinking of her letter from Gringotts.
She needed to do more research on Sirius Black. After dinner, Stella snuck into the library, grabbing every book that pertained to Sirius Black and began reading through them. She ended up falling asleep surrounded by books, waking up and rubbing her eyes before reading a bit more before heading down to breakfast. She yawned as she sat between Harry and Fred, laying her head on Fred's arm.
"Why do you look exhausted?" Fred asked curiously.
"Fell asleep in the library," Stella admitted. "I was reading up on… something."
"Something?" Fred smirked, staring down at her.
"It's a secret for now," she told him with a shrug.
Stella ate quickly before retreating to the Slytherin common room. She laid in her bed, fiddling with her ring before closing her eyes.
"Are you Sirius Black?"
"You can hear me?"
"I can now. I just got my ring yesterday."
"You have your ring…"
"Are you Sirius Black?"
"I am."
Stella released her ring now that she had confirmed for herself that Sirius Black was speaking to her. She debated tossing the ring but left it alone, knowing Draco would tell his mum that Stella wasn't wearing her ring. She decided not to speak to Sirius Black again and wondering if there was a way to block his thoughts.
"I am Sirius Orion Black the third. My wife is Marlenne Prudence Black. My daughter is Stella Nova Black. My best friends are James Fleamont Potter, Lily Marie Evans-Potter, Remus John Lupin, Dorcas Rebel Meadows, and Frank Cornelius Johnathon Longbottom. Harry James Potter is my godson. Stella is with Molly Weasley. It was the rat. I am Sirius Orion Black the third…"
The words were on a loop every time Stella touched the ring. She was sure it was his way of trying to stay sane but it was still a bit annoying to hear the words at random, as if he were fiddling with the ring at random. She wrote down his words on the first page in a journal that Molly had bought her before the school year had begun. She hadn't actually used it yet, but she planned on writing notes on the ledgers she'd received now that she had them.
She spent the last week of the Christmas break in different spots in the castle, writing in the journal and rolling her eyes whenever Sirius Black's voice would appear in her head. After studying the ledgers while sitting on a stone window sill in a tower to a classroom that she didn't have access to yet, Sirius's words changed.
"Stella Nova. Stella Nova. New Star. The star that will save the Black name. A bright light in the darkness. My little Stella Nova. I am Sirius Orion Black the third…"
Stella wrote Sirius' new words on the same page as his old ones, chewing her lip and deciding to head to the library. She finally found a different news article that included his name in such fine print it was almost invisible.
'Sirius Black, the heir to the Black family, has been sentenced to sixteen life sentences in Azkaban. Redacted. The Daily Prophet would like to make a formally apology for the misprint. Sirius Black was not sentenced to any amount of time in Azkaban, as he received no trial.'
Stella shook her head in confusion. How had he not received a trial? The only other article she'd found was the same one that Narcissa had sent her about him blowing up a street and killing thirteen muggles and a wizard. She wondered who the other two life sentences would be for before sighing and finding Madam Pince approaching her.
"Madam? Is there a way to copy a page from an old news article?" she asked curiously.
Pince nodded, waving her wand and copying the page that Stella was pointing to and giving Stella the copy.
"I am closing for the night," Pince told her. "Time to go."
"Thank you, madam," Stella nodded, gathering her belongings and heading down to the dungeons.
She stayed awake for a few more hours, the article sticking out of the journal slightly with the article Narcissa had sent her. She ignored both articles as she continued working through ledgers and deciding that the goblins were doing just fine with everything. She wrote a letter to Bloodshire, setting it aside to dry over night before she would send it in the morning. She laid down and nightmares of her father's face laughing at her like in the article haunted her. The night before her classmates were to return, Harry came looking for her.
"What's wrong?" she asked him as he dragged her down a hall.
"I have something to show you," he told her. "Hold on."
Harry tossed a cloak over the two of them and held his finger to his lips, telling her to remain silent and follow him. They ended up in an empty room on the first floor before Harry pulled the cloak off of the two of them. She rolled her eyes as Harry dragged her in front of the mirror, making her stand in the center.
"I know what I look like, Harry," Stella joked.
"Just look. Please?" he asked her.
Stella sighed before turning to the mirror, staring at it. She focused on the frame first, noting the words that seemed to be in a different language: 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.' It was gold and floor length, a design that reminded Stella of a window on the top leading to the reflection. Finally she looked at her reflection… except it wasn't her reflection. She was there but so was a woman that Stella didn't recognize but Stella just knew in her heart was her mother.
Stella gasped in shock before stepping forward slowly, fingers brushing against the mirror carefully. Her mother smiled back, looking so happy and proud. Sirius Black was there as well, looking much more put together than Stella had seen of him so far. He laughed at Stella's expression and not the laugh she'd had nightmares of, but a happy laugh that made his whole body shake and his face light up. His arm was around her mother's waist, holding her close.
The Weasley's were there as well, Molly looking at her with so much love, as if Stella had never been sorted into Slytherin. In fact, Stella wasn't wearing Slytherin robes. Her tie was red and gold, that of a Gryffindor. She didn't want to be a Gryffindor. Stella didn't mind being a Slytherin, so why was she dressed as a Gryffindor?
She looked at the words again and she realized what they meant. They were backwards, like a reflection. 'I show not your reflection but your heart's desire.' Stella wanted a family that accepted her and she wouldn't get that acceptance as a Slytherin.
"Why did you show me this?" Stella asked Harry, unable to tear her eyes away from her father, the only person remaining in the mirror with her now.
He touched his ring, smiling softly at Stella with shining grey eyes that matched hers. She touched her own ring without thinking about it.
"Dad?" she spoke in her head, sounding a bit broken.
"My new star," Sirius spoke back, breaking Stella away from the trance that the mirror had pulled her into.
"Why did you show me this?" Stella asked Harry again, turning to him with tears in her eyes.
"What did you see?" Harry asked, seeming confused. "Ron saw himself as Quidditch Captain and winning the house cup."
"And you? What did you see?" Stella asked.
"My family," Harry whispered, realization dawning on his face. "Do you see yours?"
"Yes," Stella nodded, looking at the mirror again to find Sirius still staring at her, pride in his eyes. "I see my father."
Harry took Stella back to the dungeons under his cloak, telling her about the anonymous gift as they went. She hugged Harry before going into her common room, the two children who didn't know what their mother's looked like until the mirror showed them holding one another for a moment before separating. Stella fell asleep, listening as Sirius called out to her for a few hours before going back to his normal routine again.