Authors note: I would just like to say that I make no profit from these stories and that the only characters that I can lay claim to are my original ones. Severus and the rest of the Hogwarts crew is the sole domain of the great J.K. Rowling, I would like to thank her for allowing people like me to play with her toys and if she ever needs someone to watch Severus Snape for a few days I'm more than willing to help her out.
Prologue
I sit at the long banquet table fiddling with my napkin out of sheer boredom. My silver eyes scan the table and land on my grandfather talking to Lucius Malfoy, Oh great I thought to myself, What hare-brained scheme does my Grandfather have now to further integrate me into the pure-blood community now that I was one year closer to coming of age? If it wasn't for his very annoying wife Narcissa sitting next to him I'd accuse Grandfather of trying to start marriage negotiations with Malfoy. I reach for my wineglass and raise it in silent thanks to whatever deity had seen fit to spare me that fate. I take a sip of the deep red wine before muttering, "I think I'd rather be at that damned Halloween ball at school then here."
"That's not something I'd ever thought I would hear coming from your mouth, sis." a voice says from behind me.
I turn and watch my brother take the seat next to me, "You know how much I hate these pure- blood functions, Dylan. They are stuffy and boring and all the goddess- damned my family can be traced back to 'Lord So and Say and Lady Who- Ha' just really gets on my nerves."
"Lord So and Say? Lady Who - Ha?" My brother grins at me. "I think you've spent way to much time in Slug's dungeons, Drucilla. The potion fumes seem to be clouding your sarcastic comebacks."
"Actually, I'd say it was being taken from said dungeon today, having this.....horrible," I say motioning to the pink dress I'm wearing, "creation called a dress thrust upon me and being told that for my 16th birthday I was to be put on display for all of Grandfathers cronies to oh and aw over that seems to be clouding it."
"Silly me, when I heard Gramps talking about tonight I could have sworn he said that he had planned a birthday dinner for us here at home. I don't remember anything about being put on display in there."
"Then you weren't listening close enough." I say before breaking up into laughter. "I take it I'm over- reacting a bit?"
"Uh huh." Dylan says reaching for my wine and taking a sip. "You see, Dru.......Getting away from books and potions and school is a good thing for normal social development."
"And I suppose this normal social development of yours involves living Quidditch obsessively to the point of getting sub-standard grades on your O.W.L’s?" I lightly tease my twin brother.
"Hey, I'm planning on making a living with my 'Quidditch Obsession' as you so delicately put it, sister dear."
"You mean just like I'm planning on making a living from my books and potions and school, dear brother."
"You've seriously decided on becoming a teacher?" Dylan asks in disbelief.
I reach over and take my wine back from him, "I've advanced past everyone in our potions class, been helping Slughorn as an 'unofficial teachers' assistant for 2 years now and even run his first year class once or twice this term. He says I have a rare and unique understanding of potions and the young students mind. He's already written me several letters of recommendation to the other wizarding schools and is planning on talking to Dumbledore about writing letters of recommendation as well."
"How you can be happy planning on making a living being cooped up inside with some of those....things that we have to work with in that class is beyond me."
"Blame the fact I love to learn and am happiest discovering something new."
"Damn sorting hat!"
I laugh at my brother, "Why may I ask, damn sorting hat?"
"Because we could really use someone like you in Slytherin......But no...The damn hat had to make you a Ravenclaw."
"You want to know a secret?" I ask leaning over towards Dylan.
"What?"
"I almost was a Slytherin like you but at the last minute the hat changed its mind."
"Again I'm forced to repeat myself; Damn sorting hat."
I can't help but laugh again before taking a sip of my drink, "Last I saw Slytherin had its fair share of brains in Marina Roxburgh."
"Ah, yes your main competition for Head Girl and all that brainy nonsense."
"Also known as that bitch prefect."
"Funny, she has the same nick name for you." My brother teases me, "Tell, me Dru....what was it that led to the feud between the two of you anyway?" He asks turning serious for a moment.
"Honestly Dylan, it's been so many years I can't remember but all I know is that fuel keeps getting added to the fire all the time."
"One of these days, Dru one of you is going to have to cave and be the first one to extend an olive branch."
"When hell freezes over."
"Dru, would it kill you to soften your attitude towards her? I'm sure that if you make the first move towards peace, Marina would go for it. She's just as tired of the fighting as you are."
"Then why does she try to hex or curse me whenever possible? That little trollop had the nerve to try and sabotage my Defense against the Dark Arts final and then try to imply that 'The freak must not know what she's doing'. Your precious Marina is nothing more then a money grubbing tart."
My brothers eyes darken slightly, "Drucilla Anastasia Riddle if you think I will put up with this attitude towards Marina when--"
I stand up so quickly I knock over my chair, "Excuse me, Dylan.....I find myself in dire need of some fresh air."
Dylan opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it as I walked past him and headed towards the French doors that led out to the garden. I quickly slip outside and take a deep breath as the cool October air hits my skin, reaching up to my hair I start taking out the pins holding it in place and run my fingers through my shoulder length light brown hair letting it fall loose out of the constrictive bun I had been wearing it in all night. I walk over to the marble bench that stood under the weeping willow tree and sat down, a soft rustling sound from the leaves above me let me know that I wasn't as alone as I thought I was. I look up and watch the coal black snake in the branches above me slowly reveal itself, it flickers its serpents tongue out of its mouth testing the air while slowly making its way closer to me. I quickly look around the garden to make sure I was alone before raising my arm up to the snake for it to climb onto, the sleek black body coils around my arm and tightens slightly letting me know that the creature is displeased. I bring my other hand over and gently caress the head of the snake; I look into her cold unforgiving black eyes and smile.
"Grandfather kick you out of the stillroom again, my regal Beauty?" I ask her before she moves up my arm and settles in around my neck and shoulders.
I....wasssss.....jussssst....trying........to.....get......warm.
"In Grandfathers favorite robes?"
They......were.......ssssssssoft......and.......warm.......by.........the.......fire.
"You are so spoiled." I chuckle as she nuzzles the side of my face with her head showing affection and seeking warmth at the same time.
I......misssssssed........you.
"I missed you too, Beauty."
The snake and I sat like that for a few minutes in comfortable silence, Beauty and I had been close for almost 10 years now. I still remember the day that I had saved her from my Grandmothers wand and also discovered I had the rare ability to communicate with snakes, the day ten years ago that I found out that I had the inherited gift of being a parselmouth.
**********
"Remember Drucilla, when you pull the mandrake make sure you have a firm grip on the base of the stem or you could ruin the usability of the entire plant."
"Yes, Grams." I smiled up at my Grandmother as I adjust my earmuffs before my 6 year old hands reach around the base of the plant and started pulling. She chuckles as I let out a small yelp and fall backwards onto my butt, the tears start welling up in my eyes but are quickly forgotten when I look over see the two foot high black cobra standing on its tail with its hood raised.
"Don't move." My Grandmother commands and raises her wand towards the snake.
I look into the black eyes of the creature and say the first thing that comes into my head, "You're pretty. What's your name?"
"I...don't....have.....one."
"Well, you're beautiful so your name should be Beauty."
"I.....like.....it.....What'sssssss.....your.....name?"
"My name's Drucilla." I look towards my Grandmother who is staring at me in shock with her wand still raised. "She likes the name Beauty. Can I keep her?"
"You....You can understand the snake?" She asks me in shock.
"Uh huh." I said turning back towards the snake that was now slowly lowering its hood while just watching me. "Do you want to live with me in my room?"
"Issssssss.....it......warm?"
"Uh huh and we can make you a nice warm cozy bed or you can sleep in my bed with me."
"I'd.......like........that."
"Drucilla Anastasia Ives slowly stand up and back away from the snake. I have to get rid of it." My Grandmother softly commanded me.
Tears start welling up in my eyes as I look back at Grams, "But I like her....She's nice and friendly and wants to sleep in my room with me."
"Do what I say, Drucilla. Now."
"No!" I yell and hold out my arm to the snake who quickly coils around my small wrist and stares at my Grandmother. "She likes me and I like her. I'm keeping her."
"That is a Black Queen Cobra, Drucilla. They are extremely vicious and deadly; one drop of venom can render an adult male paralyzed for weeks."
I turn back to the snake and ask, "Are you going to bite me?"
"No...."
"Do you promise not to bite anyone else in the house?"
"Yessssssss....."
I turn back to Grams, "She promises not to bite me or anyone else in the house. Please can I keep her? Pretty please with sugar and cherries on top?"
"We can't."
"Please Grams? Beauty won't hurt anybody. I promise." I giggle as the snake moves up my arm and goes to gently settle in around my neck and shoulders, "Beauty that tickles!"
*********
The soft crack of a twig being stepped on breaks me out of my reprieve, I feel Beauty's body tense up slightly as I stand up and look around. I don't see anyone but the tense body and raised hood of the snake around my shoulders tells me otherwise.
"Hello? Is anybody there?" I ask inwardly cursing myself for leaving my wand in my room upstairs.
“You really should learn to keep your wand on you at all times. I thought I had taught you better than that." a familiar voice comes from the shadows by the doors leading back into the house.
"No one would be stupid enough to attack me here in my own families’ garden with my grandfather only a few yards away." I grin and reach up to softly touch Beauty's head, after a few strokes of my fingers she lowers her hood and settles back onto my shoulders.
"Never underestimate the stupidity of a desperate man, Drucilla."
"And who would be desperate enough to want to see me?" I ask as I reach up and remove the snake from my shoulders and gently place her on the marble bench where I had been sitting up until a few moments ago.
I sigh softly as the figure approaches me, "Remus, we don't even know for sure if....he is my uncle, alright? All we have is some old photos and an old diary that Grams kept hidden for years."
"The diary that once belonged to Anastasia Black."
"Yes, Anastasia Black's diary but that doesn't prove that she was my mother. All it proves was that she somehow knew my Grandmother."
"Drucilla, when you first asked my help in locating your mother's family I told you that you may not like what you would find."
"Yes, you did but...Never mind." I sigh softly and look at a point past Remus's shoulder.
"I've gotten to know you and your brother quite well the past 5 years, Drucilla. There is never a 'never mind' with you."
I smile sadly as my eyes focus on him again, "I've been raised to believe that blood is everything. That family and your house is what make you who you are. All my life I've been the granddaughter of Shirley and David Ives.......To have that changed now....."
"It's not going to change anything, Drucilla."
"How can it not? If Anastasia Black is my mother that means that everything in the diary is true and my grandparents aren't even my grandparents. If it's true....that makes Dylan and I nothing more than bastards our own mother couldn't wait to get rid of, Remus."
"That's not true. I'm sure Anastasia had her reasons."
"Yes, she hated our father so much that she wanted all reminders of him gone. He doesn't even know we exist......Not that he'd even care I think. From what dear old Annie wrote her children were nothing more than a drunken mistake that she wanted to forget as soon as possible." I pause in my tirade to take a breath, "And after learning all that you want me to accept Sirius Black, a known blood traitor, as my Uncle?"
"He's not a blood traitor. He's a good person who just wants to get to know his sister's children."
"So, the stories going around Hogwarts about how he treated some of the other students that weren't part of his little circle are just horribly exaggerated? He didn't commonly hex and curse others who honestly didn't deserve it just because they were a little bit different?"
"Some of them are somewhat exaggerated, I'm sure. But yes, Sirius did have the habit of hexing and cursing others who would annoy him. I'm not saying that he was an angel, Drucilla but he is a good person."
I look into the eyes of Remus Lupin, "Remus, over the past few years you've become more than my Defense against the Dark Arts tutor.....You've become my dearest and closest friend. I think I would have gone insane after Grams death is it hadn't been for you and when I found the diary and read it.......Well, let's just say I wasn't in the best frame of mind."
He smiles, "Oh you mean being in such a rage that you almost burned down the house wasn't you at your best?"
I shake my head and my hair falls over my face as I chuckle, "Funny....Very funny."
He reaches over and tucks my hair behind one ear, "Just give Sirius five minutes of your time, 'Cilla. That's all he wants, five minutes to meet his niece."
"You know I remember a little bit about Sirius from my first few years at school, he was arrogant and conceited."
"Sounds like somebody else I know." Remus comments dryly.
"Even I'm not as bad as he was. I don't think I'm god’s gift to the world and see that everybody is reminded of the fact every five minutes. I don't think its right to torture people because they are different."
"He didn't torture people he just....There were just certain personality conflicts between him and a few of the other students."
"Students with personalities like mine from what I remember."
"Not personalities like yours Drucilla....Just similar."
I raise an eyebrow at the comment and remain silent as Remus runs his hand through his hair, "You're too stubborn for your own good, you know that 'Cilla?"
"It's been mentioned to me once or twice before."
He places both of his hands on my shoulders and looks at me for a moment before speaking, "I think once you get to know him you'd like him. Maybe even one day care for him just a little bit, but you won't know unless you give him and yourself that chance."
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"Not even as a personal favor to me? Please?"
"I'm sorry but not even for you, Remus." I say before pulling away and heading back towards the inside.
As I lay my hand on the doorknob to open it a sudden wave of dizziness hits me, I would have fallen if Remus hadn't come up behind me and caught me as I started to wavier.
"'Cilla? What's wrong?"
"I....don't.....know." I say as everything continues to spin in front of me.
Remus leads me back towards the bench under the tree, "Just sit down and take a few deep breathes."
An intense wave of pain shoots through my head as I hear a woman's voice begging, "Please, not my son!" I quickly turn away from Remus and vomit by the tree.
"Calm down, Drucilla. You have to calm down to get through this." he says running a hand over my back in soothing circles.
"Help her." I say through clenched teeth.
"Help who?"
"She's trying...to protect her son. Help her, Remus."
"There's nobody here, Drucilla."
I try to look at Remus but all I see is the woman begging with.....someone in a dark cloak and mask.... not to hurt her son. It was almost as if I was looking through someone else's eyes, I force myself to standup knowing I have to go help her when the cloaked figure pulls out a wand and utters the words of the killing curse. As the green light shoots from their wands tip a blinding white light and pain fill my head before a black oblivion overtakes me. The last thing I remember hearing before I passed out was a fiendish laugh that sent chills through my body.