Disclaimer: I do not own anything that J.K owns, I only own Lacerta and those that I bring in.

Please don't leave flames, they burn like crazy :-). I love your reviews and I love to see what you think of my work so I'll leave that to you.


Summary: Bellatrix had a child that no one besides Rabastan and Rodolphus knew about, but because of some desperate move to get away from aurors they had to leave their child in the care of muggles. Now eleven years later we follow the life of Lacerta Black and her journey at discovering friends, enemies and most of all the love of her parents.

Chapter 8 – End of the year

The end of the school year rolled around quicker than anyone could imagine, to most it felt as though they had just started the school year the previous day, to others it was a long awaited end. To Octavia it was the scariest possibility imaginable, she would not see Hogwarts again after this day and she would only see her friends when she had holidays.

"Another year gone, the house cup needs awarding, in fourth place, Hufflepuff with 357 points. In third place Gryffindor with 398 points, in second place Slytherin with 401 points and our winners this year are Ravenclaw with 412 points. Well done Ravenclaw." The Great Hall erupted into cheers and applauding, Slytherin was happy that they were second but still slightly sad by the fact that they had lost again.

"Let the feast begin." With a small clap of his hands Albus Dumbledore smiled and sat down, glancing along the Hall looking at all the students. He had heard of the incident involving Octavia and Dorea and had been disheartened when he had heard that Dorea had agreed to some point with Lacerta's actions, he was worried about her circle of friends and the estrangement between her and Harry.

He watched as Dorea spoke happily with Lucy and Lacerta, but noticed their estrangement toward Octavia. Harry was chatting away with Ron, Dean and Seamus and he noticed that the youngest Weasley, Ginny, was also part of their discussion. He only hoped that the two Potter children would be friends once more.

Lucy was happily talking about their holiday plans and she couldn't wait to see Leonid again, he had been writing everyday just to say hello and to see if she was enjoying her time at school. She couldn't wait for Dorea to give her emancipation forms to her muggle relative's, she had received them the day before and she had also received forms to be signed by a blood relative from the Ministry the same day.

"I can't wait to get out of that dump, do you think Aunt Cissa will sign them for me?" Dorea looked at Lucy and she grinned.

"Of course she will, your family." Dorea's answering grin was what caused Lacerta to look up from her breakfast.

"Here now, what's got you smiling like a Cheshire cat?" Dorea giggled.

"I'm going to be giving my muggle relative's the forms to sign tonight when we get back. I sent Aunt Cissa an owl earlier asking if she'd witness, I'm waiting for her reply." Lacerta smiled at her and they both looked down the table. Lacerta caught Lycoris' eye and she waved him over, Dorea spotted Octavia sitting by herself at the very far end of the table pushing her food around her plate. She was still angry with her, but she wanted her to sit with them one last time before she went off to Durmstrang the following year.

"Listen I'm going to get Octavia, is that alright with you?" they nodded and she briskly walked down to Octavia.

"Via? Uh, would you – er – like to join us?" Octavia looked up at Dorea and for the first time Dorea noticed she had dark shadows beneath her eyes and they were bloodshot and blank.

"You still talking to me then?" Octavia said in a dead and hoarse voice as though she'd been screaming herself sick.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Octavia's expression changed so fast Dorea thought she'd imagined it. Before Dorea could fully comprehend what had happened she found herself in a strangle hold on the floor of the Great Hall.

"Have you forgotten what you said to me already, huh Dorea?" Dorea's eyes were streaming and she was clawing at Octavia's hands as her lungs tried to collect the air they so desperately needed.

"Well? Have you?" She felt her head hit the ground as Octavia lifted her up slightly before shoving her back down in a shaking form. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage and her vision started to blur and turn black at the edges from lack of oxygen.

Harry sat in frozen shock as he saw his sister being strangled and shaken while Octavia shouted at her. He didn't realise what he was doing until he felt himself tackle Octavia to the ground. She shrieked and let go of Dorea but she started beating her fists against his chest. He stood up and looked down at her, she was sobbing on the floor holding her stomach. He turned around and faced his sister who was sucking in lung full's of air with tears streaming down her cheeks as her two best friends held her to their chests in a comforting and protective manner.

When Dorea had calmed down a little she stood up shakily and made her way over to a still sobbing Octavia. She leant down onto her knees and pulled her friend toward her and she held her while she sobbed. She rocked her back and forth for a while, but felt a pair of hands grab her arms and she saw another pair pull Octavia up. Lucy had made to get Octavia, but Lycoris had picked her up into his arms and with every student and professor watching in silent shock he along with the other three girls walked out of the Great Hall.

Octavia was sitting out in the courtyard speaking with Dorea in hushed whispers. Lycoris was holding Lacerta in a loving embrace. He lifted her chin up so that he could kiss her forehead when he noticed something glint in her right eye.

He leaned toward her with an expression of confusion on his face. He tilted her head to the left and then to the right and each time there was the same glint.

"Lyc? Lyc, what's the matter?" she asked him. He looked completely puzzled by the glint and called Lucy over to look as well.

"Lucy, what do you make of this?" Lucy did what Lycoris did and watched as her eye glinted.

"Wow. That's weird." Lycoris nodded and called Octavia and Dorea over. By now they had all seen it and Lacerta was started to get extremely upset with her friends ignoring her.

"Would someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Lycoris cleared his throat and looked to the others. Octavia was inspecting Lacerta's eye when she remembered the warning Hector had given her.

"Holy Morgana!" She gasped.

"What?" Lucy said.

"You've delved in the Dark Arts haven't you?" Lacerta looked around before nodding.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Octavia pulled out the note from Hector, that she kept in her pocket and let Lucy and Lacerta read it.

"Merlin's beard! You can't be serious?" Lucy shouted.

"Shush will you. Just look at her right eye, its true!" Octavia nearly yelled.

"But, but … It only glints that's a coincidence. Isn't it?" Lucy said quietly. Octavia shook her head.

"No. I think we might have a small problem here. Thankfully she has black eyes so it won't be too noticeable but what of the diamond gem she had in her stone? Will the pupil change or not? That's what I don't get." Octavia said to everyone, by now Dorea and Lycoris had been filled in on what they did.

"So what you're saying is, if Lacerta continues to learn the Arts she'll have a jewel-like eye? Will she still be able to see or not?" Lycoris sounded upset and Octavia hadn't any clue on what would happen.

"Lycoris, you're missing the point, her eye is already the jewel and she hasn't complained about her vision so of course she can still see." Octavia said. Lucy was watching the clouds and was lost in thought as was Dorea, but Lacerta was a little confused.

"What will happen now? If anyone see's the glinting in my eye what in the world are they going to think?" Octavia shrugged but Lycoris turned to her.

"Lacerta, it doesn't matter what others think, your friends and family will still love you, I will still love you, but now I definitely know that you are more precious than any gem stone in the world." He smiled and her cheeks turned a deep pink.

"Awe, that's such a sweet thing to say, Lycoris." Lucy said fanning her face with her hand.

Harry, Ron, Dean and Seamus were working on there Potions essay's when Harry sat up.

"Lets go say hello to Hagrid, a small break won't hurt." They all nodded save for Seamus.

"I'm going to finish, I have detention tonight so, you lot go a head, I'll see you later." They nodded and left the common room. Along the way down they saw a lot of students out in the sunshine, but six students stood out from the others.

"Look at that, they're all smiling about something." Ron mumbled. When they arrived at Hagrid's hut they knocked on Hagrid's door and when the half-giant opened the door, they saw that he looked rather down in the dumps.

"What's up Hagrid?" Hagrid looked at his tea and then to Harry.

"Well, it's the en' of the yer an' you lot will be leavin' tomorrow and I won' be seein' yeh till nex' yer." Ron smiled.

"Oh come on Hagrid, we'll be around next year, before you know it we'll be back and sitting here again soon." Ron said still smiling. Harry and Dean nodded their heads in agreement.

"True, suppose ye'll wan' teh head on back to the castle then?" Harry nodded. They had to do some last minute things before their potions class started after lunch.

Lacerta was sitting in the Room of Requirement with Dorea watching as the training dummy's wheeled around them.

"Confringo" Dorea whispered and with a wave and flick the dummy was engulfed in flames.

"Nicely done Dorea, now try without saying anything." Dorea nodded and waited for another target to move into her sight. With a wave and flick the next dummy was also engulfed in flames.

"Well done. Now let's try our entire range of spells we've been learning over the past few weeks. Just keep going until we're almost collapsing from exhaustion. We'll start with whispering the spells and then we'll do non-verbal." Dorea agreed and with a smile the two girls got to work.

"Confringo, Diffindo, Duro, Defodio, Expulso, Flagrate, Incendio, Reducto, Sectumsempra." Dorea and Lacerta continued to fire spells, hexes, curses and jinxes at all of their targets and when they started to tire, Dorea spotted a rat running across the floor and without hesitation she fired off a curse that Lacerta had been wanting to try for quite some time.

"Avada Kedavra." Lacerta chuckled as the rat was blasted by the green jet of the killing curse.

"Well, you beat me to that one Rea, I must admit I'm slightly jealous of that." Dorea merely laughed along with Lacerta.

"Why not wish for small some rats, the Room will provide and we can practice the Cruciatus and Imperious curses for a while and then we can do the killing curse, what do you say?" Lacerta grinned and that's what the two of them did for the next two hours. They had a free period before lunch and they used that time and lunch time to perfect the three Unforgivables.

"Well now we can do them non-verbally, so let's get to our next class before we get a detention." Lacerta said while putting her school robes back on.

The last day of school was upon all the students, they had packed all their trunks and were sitting in the Great Hall for the end of year feast.

"Now the house cup needs awarding, with 243 points Hufflepuff, with 290 points Ravenclaw. Slytherin with 398 points and our house cup winners with 402 points Gryffindor." The hall except the Slytherins applauded the Gryffindors on their victory.

"I don't know why we actually bother anymore." Allison Avery a sixth year girl who sat a few places away from Lucy and company stated.

"That's not the sort of attitude we need Avery." Spat Lucy. Allison looked down the table and leveled a glare at Lucy.

"Oh yeah and what's it to you Malfoy?" Lacerta rolled her eyes at Allison.

"Well, it's the likes of you who don't try and get us any points, if you had a more positive stance you'd help us win the bloody cup at the end of the year." Allison continued to glare at Lucy, but kept quiet.

"Ha-ha, look at this, a little fourth year has silenced 'ol Avery. Nice one Malfoy." A few others nodded.

"Hmm, we have a new celebrity in our house." Octavia said smiling. Dorea nodded and smiled at Lucy who was preening at the attention she had suddenly gotten. Everyone had started to depart from the Hall and were walking to the carriages. Lucy, Dorea, Octavia and Lacerta strode down the path toward the carriages and were quietly talking amongst themselves.

"Well the muggles are going to be signing my emancipation forms and I'll be a free girl. Are we still on for the two week get together, Lucy?" Lucy nodded.

"Oh yes, we have loads to do before Via is shipped off to Durmstrang." They all nodded. Once they got onto the train, the four of them walked along the carriages in search of a free compartment. They found one with a student who was on their own, opening the compartment door they filed into it and sat down. Not long after did they finally notice that it was Allison Avery sitting in the compartment.

"Well, well, well, what have we here, girls?" Lucy said grinning.

"Looks like fresh meat, to me." Lacerta quipped. Allison turned her head and glared at them all.

"Don't push your luck girls." She stated lowly.

"You hear this; she thinks that we are afraid of her, what a joke." Dorea said smiling.

"I'm warning you, don't start what you obviously can not finish." She growled out.

"Such big words for someone of your standing, what do you say we teach Avery here a lesson in respect?" Lacerta menacingly whispered. The shutters on the compartment window closed as did the ones on the door. Allison actually edged back into her chair slightly.

"Did you ward the compartment?" Dorea questioned Lacerta.

"Yip, I did. No one is coming in or out of this compartment; we won't be bothered at all." Lacerta replied.

"Good, now show us what you've learned so far Rea." Lucy smiled.

"Sure thing my dear cousin. Crucio." Allison never saw it coming, she screamed and screamed. No one heard anything or saw anything so it was all a waste when she pleaded for help.

"Please, please, stop." She begged tears falling down her cheeks. Octavia placed a hand on Dorea's shoulder.

"Enough, you'll land up doing damage if you don't stop now." Dorea released Allison and watched as the girl scooted as far away from them as she could given the small space.

"Now, are you going to disrespect the house of Black, Lestrange or Malfoy again Avery or shall I take out my frustrations on you?" Lucy growled. Allison shook her head.

"N-no I won't disrespect you, I p-promise." Lucy nodded. They left all their protections in place.

The train came to a stop at King's Cross and all the students met up with their families and friends. Harry and Dorea Potter met up with their relative's and once again Harry was treated ill by their uncle. They arrived at Privet Drive and left Harry to bring in his stuff as Dorea took hers up to the room.

"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, I want to ask you if you'd please sign these forms?" Vernon and Petunia looked at the emancipation forms and then to Dorea.

"Is this really what you want?" She nodded and they looked to each other.

"Alright, we'll sign them. When will it be finalised?" Dorea smiled.

"As soon as you've signed them, I'm legally able to leave." They nodded and sign the documents.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" She jumped up and unexpectedly hugged them both. Harry had just finished taking his trunk up the stairs and had come down, he walked in on Dorea hugging Petunia and he felt a burning hatred start a fire in the pit of his stomach and it slowly weaved its way towards his heart.

Octavia saw Stela waiting for her and she quickly rushed over to her. They greeted each other with the usual kiss on the cheek.

"Hello Octavia how was the school year?" Stela asked.

"It was okay, my friends and I had our fights but we got over them. How have you been?" Stela was smiling.

"I've been well; I have some news for you though." Octavia looked up at her and tilted her head to the side.

"Well, what is it?" By this point they had reached the fire grate and had each taken a pinch of floo powder.

"Meliflua Manor"

Stela said. Octavia rolled her eyes and stepped into the grate after Stela.

"Meliflua Manor"

Octavia was swallowed by the green flames and she reappeared in the living room of her home. Stela was smiling widely.

"So you want to hear the news?" Octavia looked at her with a half hearted glare.

"Today would be nice Stela." She grumbled.

"Well, I've become a permanent resident here at the Manor." Octavia's jaw dropped.

Lucy, Draco and Lacerta were looking for Lucius and Narcissa but they could not see them anywhere so they decided to just floo home instead. Once they had arrived home, Draco ordered a house elf to take his trunk to his room, once he'd done that he left the girls on their own.

"Well we might as well get ourselves unpacked and we should start our preparations for Octavia's farewell from Hogwarts." Lucy said. Not to long after her sentence had died, there was an audible Smackand a shout of pain.

"If you ever do what you did to Draco again, I won't hesitate to kill you Lacerta Cassiopeia Elladora Black Lestrange!" Narcissa screamed. Lacerta turned to face Narcissa and Lucy noticed four long scratches on her cheek where her mother had slapped her cousin.

"Now, now Narcissa calm down. Lacerta won't do it again, she knows better than that and besides Draco sent a letter telling us what had happened and he had admitted to his crime and of course stated that he deserved it. You read it yourself." Narcissa looked ashamed and quickly pulled Lacerta into a fierce hug.

"I'm sorry my darling, I did not mean it." Lacerta nodded and wrapped her arms around her aunt's slim waist.

"I have some news Lacerta." Lucius said from his position near the fireplace.

Dorea had left her trunk packed and had said goodbye to everyone including her brother.

"I'll see you at school yeah?" She said politely. He only nodded in response. She looked like she wanted to hug him but he turned his back on her and walked away not even noticing the few tears that made a trail down her face.

"Where will you stay?" Vernon asked.

"At a wizards inn, it's called the Leaky Cauldron the rooms are above a small bar. I'll be fine with everything, my cousins will pop by to see how I am and I'll join them on vacation soon as well." Vernon nodded and bid her farewell. Harry wouldn't see his sister until they started school or were in Diagon Alley together.

Dorea made her way out to the street and raised her wand; she could hear the blearing horn of the Knight Bus before she even saw it. It arrived with a slight bang and she jolted back a few steps.

She saw a young man standing with his ticket box at the rear of the bus. He peered down at her with a crooked smile and she could easily see that his skin was in bad condition along with all of his teeth, he was also older than her by a few years.

"I'm Stan Shunpike and I will be your conductor for the evening. Where to?" Dorea sneered at him as she had been taught too by her cousin Lucy.

"The Leaky Cauldron and I could care less as to whom youare." She growled. He ignored her and brought her trunk up the stairs. Once she'd been dropped off in front of the Leaky Cauldron she made her way to Tom the inn keeper.

"Hello miss…" Tom looked at her with a friendly smile.

"Miss Potter. I wish to board here until further notice, how much will it cost?" She said with her nose lifted ever so slightly.

"It'll be 6 Galleons a night as I presume you won't be here all day only in the evening's right?" She nodded and he continued.

"Right you'll be in Room 12 upstairs two floors up third floor to the right, it faces Diagon Alley. Is that all?" She handed him 84 Galleons, he looked surprised.

"It'll cover the first two weeks that I am here, we'll continue like this until further notice." He nodded.

"Listen Miss Potter, have you got permission to be here or not?" he didn't mean to come off as been rude, but it did and Dorea took great offence to it.

"It is none of your bloody business at all; you'll do well to remember that." She spat. He looked taken aback and he quickly apologised and let her go.

Octavia was sitting down next to Stela who was currently sipping at her tea. Octavia was still in a state of shock.


"So tell me." Octavia had said. "I'm going to be living here permanently." Stela replied with a smile. "Really?" Stela nodded. "May I ask why?" Stela placed her hands on Octavia's shoulders and guided her to the parlour. "Your father has expressed that you have no new proposals and you will be starting at Durmstrang soon you'll need to look like the pureblood that you need to be. His words not mine." Octavia sat down on the leather couch and stared at Stela in shock. "You're kidding, but why has he asked you to stay here? Is it so you can teach me things I already know or teach me things my mother was too teach me?" Stela looked down and gave a sad sigh. "I'm here to be your guide; I have to show you things your mother would have shown you and teach you the things that she would have taught you." Octavia looked at Stela as though she had grown another head.

~Flashback Ends~

"It will be alright, I promise Via." Stela murmured. Octavia mearly nodded before standing up and turning to Stela. She bowed her head in a submissive manner and spoke to Stela. "May I be excused?" Stela was shocked. "What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Stela nearly shouted. Octavia lowered to her knees and this made Stela start shouting for Octavia's father. "Alexander! Come here!" They heard his thundering footsteps and he came into view, his hair was undone and he was not at all decent. "Ce? Ce se întâmplă? Ce e Stela greşit?" He spoke in a rush, his arm was directing his wand in all directions, his eyes had an edge to them, but he noticed that Octavia had gone into a completely submissive state. -What? What's happening? What's wrong Stela?-

"Octavia, Ce faci tu? Ridică-te acum!" He shouted. -Octavia, what are you doing? Get up now!-

"Why is she like that, what is she doing?" Stela asked in shock. Octavia had gotten to her feet when her father had shouted at her.

"She was sent to live with her grandparents in Russia when she was small and her grandmother taught her to always bow her head when asking to be excused, she only does this to her parents, grandparents and husband. She is doing this to you because you have become her mother figure." Alexander said to Stela. Octavia was still bowing her head.

"Which grandparents?" Alexander looked at Stela and huffed.

"Her mothers." He walked out of the door and left the two women alone.

"Octavia, please don't do that." Stela asked quietly.

"I can not, I will always do this as it is tradition. May I please be excused?" Stela sighed and returned to her tea.

"Yes, you may." With that Octavia turned and strode out of the parlour.

Lacerta and Lucy were using the old Malfoy dungeons to practice their Unforgivables in private, Lucius had readily agreed for them to practice.

"I say we use the stupid rats in here to practice the Cruciatus and Killing Curses." Lucy said looking around in disgust. They got to work and soon were to tired to continue, walking up to the main floor they found Draco racing past them in a pair of swimming shorts.

"Hey, where's our invite?" Lucy yelled at him. He stopped turned around and looked at her for a few seconds.

"You don't need to be invited, you do live here, and you do remember this little fact don't you?" Lacerta rolled her eyes at him but Lucy stuck her tongue out.

"Oh very mature Lucy, I'm sure mother would whole heartedly agree." He bowed and then continued on his journey out the back door.

"He's such a prat." Lucy mumbled as she walked up the stairs to get to her room where she got into her swimming wear. Lacerta had also gone to change and had decided to plait her hair. She found Lucy waiting out in the hall and they soon followed in Draco's footsteps and found the rest of their family sitting at the waters edge.

Lucius was reading a book beneath an orchid tree and Narcissa was lying out in the sun next to the small lake that they used to swim in. Lacerta grabbed her hat and lay down next to her aunt, Lucy decided to test the water with Draco and soon she was enjoying the wonderful summery day along with everyone else.

After relaxing for the day Lucius gathered his travelling robes and was standing in the entrance hall waiting for Lacerta. She came down minutes later with her hair still in a plait; she was wearing her dark blue travelling cloak and had her hands in their gloves.

"You ready" She nodded her head and they apparated out of Malfoy Manor. They arrived at the boat house and were quite surprised to see that Kingsley Shacklebolt had a young woman with dark blue hair standing next to him with a huge grin plastered to her face.

"Mister Shacklebolt and Miss Tonks, pleasure. This is Lacerta, my niece. Lacerta this is Auror Tonks." Lacerta looked at Tonks with a questioningly look before it dawned on her.

"Oh, you're the blood traitor's offspring. Well it's a real pleasure to meet you cousin." Lacerta said with heavy sarcasm. Tonks' grin fell from her face and was replaced with a glare. Lacerta levelled her glare with her own.

"Now, now, that's enough." Lucius said to them both.

"Shall we?" Kinsley said slightly bored. They nodded and proceeded toward Azkaban. Once they had signed in they began the long and treacherous journey to the top floor.

"Same as last time Miss Lestrange." Lacerta growled.

"It's Miss Black." Kingsley nodded.

"Mrs Lestrange, you have a visitor. Step forward arms extended." They heard chains clinking along the stone floor and they eventually saw clawed fingers come through the bars of the cell door.

"Who's come to visit 'ol Bella?" Kingsley glanced to Lacerta and motioned for her to step forward.

"Mummy, it's me." Bellatrix's face split into a wide grin and she quickly stepped all the way into the light.

"Oh my darling, it's been what two years?" Lacerta shook her head.

"No, mummy, it's been four years. I'm going to be in 5th year soon along with Lucy. Octavia's going to Durmstrang; her father decided that it was a burden for her to go to Hogwarts when Durmstrang was right there." She glanced over her shoulder and found the place was empty.

"They've given us some privacy dear, you're older now." Bellatrix said smiling.

"Well, I got some news for you, I've been practising my Arts, I'm proficient in the Cruciatus and Killing Curses but the Imperious is a little to much for me. Lucy and Dorea have been practising as well and oh have a good look at my right eye." Bellatrix looked confused but looked anyway, when Lacerta tilted her head to the left, that's when she saw the glinting.

"What is that?" Lacerta smiled.

"Octavia got these really cool gems…" After telling her mother the story, she let her have a look at her eye once again.

"Well I dear say that it suits you, my darling." Lacerta beamed at the appraisal.

"You'll never guess my other news." Bellatrix looked at Lacerta and shrugged.

"Uncle Lucius received a few proposal letters for me and none of them were any good, I was at school and noticed a boy who's going to be a sixth year and we started to hang out, anyway he asked to court me and I accepted, next thing I have a letter from Aunty telling me that I have another proposal and I instantly asked her who it was and it was from the boy I'm currently engaged too." She was grinning as was Bellatrix.

"So who is it?" Bellatrix asked leaning her forehead against the bars.

"It's Lycoris Yaxley." Bellatrix smiled and congratulated her daughter.

"He's a good one then? He treating you well? You've not done anything have you?" Lacerta answered all the questions with a yes, yes and no, earning her a smile of approval.

"Lacerta dear, I was informed that your father as become rather ill." She didn't know how to put it, but Lacerta beat her to the punch.

"I know mummy, he's a werewolf now, but I have hope that he'll be alright once he's out of this dump." Bellatrix nodded and noticed Kingsley was returning.

"They're back darling, say bye-bye to me and you can go." Lacerta kissed her mother on her cheeks and gave her a hug the same as the first time they met.

"I love you mummy, don't forget that." Bellatrix smiled.

"I love you too, my love. I will see you again yeah?" Lacerta shrugged.

"I'm not sure if I'll be allowed to, but I'm hoping I will be." With one last wave they disappeared from Bellatrix's view.

Lucy and Narcissa were chatting away and hadn't noticed Draco hurrying passed his arms holding a bundle of blankets.

"It looks as though Leonid will be busy for quite a while before he even starts to think about coming to stay here for your wedding plans. I know you'll only marry him after you complete school, but I wish to have all the plans done and ready for the time." Narcissa was saying.

"We'll start the preparations now and when Leonid can make it. So we'll start with the place you wish to get married." Lucy looked thoughtful for a moment. They were seated at Narcissa's desk in her study and had all sorts of magazines on designs and dresses.

"Well obviously I wish to be married here at home, but if Leonid wishes to marry in Russia at his home, I won't argue." Narcissa was nodding while her quil was hurriedly moving across the piece of parchment before her.

"What about your cousins, will they be by your side or do you wish to stand alone?" Lucy looked at Narcissa with her eyebrow raised. Narcissa smirked at her daughter and continued to write on the parchment.

"Of course they'll be there with you. Now what colour theme do you want?" Lucy looked thoughtful while Narcissa continued to write away.

"Well it must be when it snows and it always snows in December here so I wish for the colours to be Blue, Silver and White. The Blue must have a silver trim to whatever will be used and white will be used on its own." Narcissa was smiling at this point.

"That sounds wonderful, I can not wait to start with those colour themes. How do you want your hair?" There was a thump from upstairs and it was followed by a curse before a continuous thump-thump could be heard as Draco ran across the hall.

"Draco dear, what are you doing up there?" Narcissa asked, her voice magically louder than usual.

"Nothing, I just tripped over my trunk." Draco shouted back.

"To answer your question mum, I want my hair to be in a French twist and I wish for it to be dusted with blue and silver." Narcissa put her quil in the ink pot and then placed the tip onto the parchment once again and started writing. They continued like this for another hour and half still completely unaware of what Draco was really up to.

Draco, Lucy and Lacerta were all standing in the parlour arguing over where they would go for lunch.

"I still say we should head to Knockturn." Lucy mumbled.

"I don't want to go into that Alley, Lucy. Lacerta please come on, you can't expect me to go into there." Lacerta looked at him and smirked.

"Oh but I do, it's where we're safest and besides Dorea will be meeting us there." Draco sighed and nodded.

"Alright." They all clipped the travelling cloaks onto their robes before they each took a pinch of floo powder. One by one the three cousins went up in green flames. They arrived in the Leaky Cauldron and were greeted by Dorea.

"Morning you lot." She hugged Lucy and Lacerta and then kissed Draco's cheek.

"Morning Dorea, you ready?" She nodded and all four young teenagers left the pub and entered Diagon Alley. The sun was glaring down upon the people in the Alley, it was quite hot, but it was manageable. Dorea and Lacerta went to Flourish and Blotts to find some books on etiquette. Lucy and Draco went to Florean Fortescue's they ordered four small bowls of fudge sundaes.

"Are you sure that Knockturn is a good place for lunch Lucy?" Draco asked after a mouthful of ice cream. Lucy nodded and continued to eat her sundae, Lacerta and Dorea arrived at the parlour a few moments later hands empty.

"I take it they shrunk it down for you?" The two girls nodded their heads.

Knockturn Alley was a creepy and dank place to be, but three young girls found comfort in even the darkest of places, Draco was whimpering at every turn they took. Lucy was talking lightly with Dorea while Lacerta lead the way to the very same café they'd been at when they had killed the old beggar woman. They arrived and were seated outside, Lucy had ordered a grilled salmon, Dorea had ordered veal. Draco and Lacerta had ordered slow grilled steak, they had pumpkin juice and butterbeer along with their meal and they enjoyed just spending time together.

"So when will we collect our school supplies? The day we get our letters or sometime after?" Lucy questioned.

"I say the same day, you know get it over with." Lacerta nodded in agreement with Draco and Dorea. So it was settled they would get their stuff the same day their letters arrived.

"I was just thinking about that day you cursed me, Lacerta and I was wondering, what happened in Dumbledore's office?" Draco asked.

"Oh, there were two Aurors there and they had me under the truth serum. I got off with a warning, but if I ever did it again, I'd have a one way ticket to Azkaban." Draco's eyebrows shot up.

"For how long?" Lucy chuckled.

"Don't know. Why?" Draco just shrugged.

"Just wondering is all." They paid for their meal and strolled through the Alley for some time. About half way out of the Alley a man grabbed Lacerta by her hair and pulled her into a dark alcove.

"Unhand me you filthy scumbag." Lacerta kicked the man in his leg, but he wasn't having that. He smacked her so hard that she fell to the floor. He didn't see her foot coming at him until it connected with his chest sending him reeling backwards.

"I'm warning you, touch me again and it'll be the last thing you ever do." He growled and she turned around, the wrong thing she did. He lunged at her and tackled her to the ground, her face connected with the wall with a sickening crunch and she screamed in pain.

"Shu'd up!" he shouted smacking her again. He continued to hit her around the face, he even smashed her head into the wall, though he was about to feel the worst pain in his life and it wasn't going to be a broken bone pain, it was going to be a broken body pain.

"CRUCIO!" Lacerta screamed, his face lit up with the red light and he crumpled to the floor with yell. She held the curse on him for five minutes before she was once again tackled to the ground. She lashed out with her hands scratching and clawing at whoever was on top of her. She had blood streaming down her forehead and over her eyes, her broken nose was pouring blood, all together it was like a horror film. She managed to kick whoever it was that tackled her a second time off of her body, she sat up and pointed her wand at the person.

"Lacerta Cassiopeia Elladora Black Lestrange, you are hereby placed under arrest for the use of the Cruciatus curse." A deep voice said. She glanced in the direction of the man and growled.

"Leave me alone! Where are my cousins?" She saw three people step out from behind the man they had been magically bound.

"They were placed under arrest as well, now come along Miss Black." Two Aurors took Lacerta by her arms and physically dragged her out of Knockturn Alley and into Diagon Alley where a lot of people stood looking to see what was going on. There were many whispers and Lacerta only caught a few stray ones.

"Look at her face." Came a whisper that was followed by many gasps.

"Isn't that Lacerta Lestrange from school." A younger voice whispered. Lacerta turned to the crowd and growled at them all. She was brought into the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. There were reporters everywhere snapping pictures and writing on notepads so fast it looked as though smoke was rising from the parchments.

"Miss Lestrange, tell us what you did?"

"Miss Lestrange, what were you thinking when you used the Unforgivable?" Lacerta glared at them all and didn't utter a word.

"Mister Malfoy, why have you been bound, did you use the Unforgivables as well?"

"Miss Potter, tell us what happened in Knockturn Alley."

"Miss Malfoy, care to share?" The Aurors eventually lead the four teens out of the Atrium and into the lower levels of the Ministry where they were kept in holding cells, separated from one another.

"Mister and Miss Malfoy, step forward." Lucy stood up and stepped forward as instructed as did Draco.

"Follow me." They followed the man into a court room where only a few wizards and witches were seated. They were lead to two chairs and were once again bound by magic.

"You are here for an interrogation…" The Minister started.

"Where is our father? I won't answer anything until my father is here and neither will Draco." Lucy said heatedly.

"I'm here Lucy, answer the questions." Lucius stated from behind them.

"Did you Lucy Malfoy, use underage magic on a woman in Knockturn Alley?" Minister Fudge asked.

"Yes, I did. I was trying to defend my cousin." Lucy answered as politely as possible.

"Alright, I'm not going to do anything for this is your first offence, you are free to go." She was released from the binds; she stood up and went to her father.

"Draco Malfoy, same question." Draco sniffed.

"Yes, but like Lucy said we were defending our cousin." The Minister nodded and let him go. He asked for Dorea and motioned for the Malfoy children to leave. Dorea walked into the room and sat down and she too was bound. Lucius stood where he had during Lucy and Draco's questioning.

"Miss Potter, you have been legally emancipated from your muggle caretakers, but are still underage in the wizarding world. Did you perform magic in Knockturn Alley?" Dorea scowled.

"No, I did not, I must admit I lowered myself in a degrading manner and through a punch at a man in the Alley." The Minister chuckled.

"Feisty one you are my dear, alright you may go." Dorea followed Lucius out into the hall where they saw Narcissa along with Lucy and Draco.

"Where is Lacerta?" Narcissa asked.

"She'll be placed on the stand in ten minutes. The whole Wizengamot will be there, it's her second offence. The old coot will be their as well, Draco will be called in along with Lucy and Dorea." Lucius said while placing his hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"Mr. Malfoy, you're presence is needed along with the three children please." The court scribe said. They followed him back into the room where they were greeted by a full room of people.

"Bring in Miss Lestrange." Cornelius Fudge motioned with his hand. Lacerta was brought in and bound tightly to the chair, she still had blood on her face but it was smeared after having rubbed it away from her eyes, her nose was still dripping as it hadn't been fixed.

"Case number 0753, Lacerta Cassiopeia Elladora Black Lestrange, charges against you, the use of the Cruciatus curse underage. You will answer all questions under the truth serum." The court scribe read.

"Administer the serum" Two Aurors stepped forward and placed a few drops of the serum onto her tongue.

"You are Lacerta Lestrange correct?" Fudge asked in a formal tone.


"You performed an Unforgivable in Knockturn Alley today correct?"

"Yes" "Have you ever performed an Unforgivable before today?" Minister Fudge looked slightly shocked at her answer.

"Yes" She replied.

"When?" Albus Dumbledore shifted.

"At Hogwarts on my cousin Draco Malfoy" The whole Wizengamot gasped.

"Draco Malfoy step forward." Draco hesitantly came forward.

"Is what Miss Lestrange said, true?" Draco cleared his throat.

"Yes, Minister." Cornelius nodded and Draco moved back.

"Are there any other witnesses?" Lucy stepped forward with Dorea.

"We were there along with the rest of the school." Cornelius turned to Albus.

"Is this true?" Albus nodded his head and looked at Lacerta.

"She was let off, as it was her first offence." Cornelius sighed.

"Administer the antidote." The same two Aurors gave her the antidote.

"Lacerta Lestrange, you are hereby sentenced to twenty years imprisonment for the use of an Unforgivable, your wand will be given to your guardians, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Case closed." Cornelius banged the gravel indicating the end of the session. Lacerta was given the chance to say her good byes before she would be hauled off to Azkaban.

"I'll see you guys when I'm out, you won't forget me will you?" Lacerta asked her three cousins.

"No, we won't forget you. We love you Lacerta, we'll try to visit you." Draco murmured. He hugged her tightly and then Dorea and Lucy gave her hugs as well. Lucius allowed her to hug him and she held him tightly.

"I'm sorry Uncle, I really am." She whispered. He patted her back and let her go. She grabbed Narcissa in a tight hold, Narcissa hugged her back fiercely.

"I love you Aunty Cissy." Lacerta buried her face in Narcissa's neck and let a few tears leak from her eyes. Narcissa kissed Lacerta's cheeks after cleaning her up and fixing her nose.

"I love you my darling. Try not to wallow in the sadness; you know what happens with the Dementors." Lacerta nodded and was taken away. Camera's flashed before her eyes, people's voices reached her ears, but she didn't hear them. She kept her eyes on her family and noticed that Lucy, Dorea and Narcissa kept dabbing at their eyes.

They pulled her close and apparated out of the Atrium and landed on the docking by the boat house. She shivered when they passed the Dementors, they had a woman lead her to a side door where she was stripped of her clothes and given an Azkaban prisoner's uniform. She was tattooed with her number 118 and then was taken to her cell on the top floor. She was led to a cell that was unbeknown to her Sirius Black's old cell and it was directly opposite to that of her mother.

"Looky here everyone, Black's old cell has been filled. Let's get to know our new cell mate." A man's voice said. Everyone cheered and waited for him to continue.

"So lovely to have you here, what's your name?" There was silence before Lacerta cleared her throat.

"Well? Come on out with it then." Her head snapped up to where her mother was kneeling, her head against her cell door.

"L-Lacerta!" Bellatrix shrieked.

"Hey mum." She said hesitantly.

"What are you doing here?" The whole ward listened closely to the conversation.

"I cast an Unforgivable on a man who beat me quite badly." Bellatrix let loose a stream of profanities.

"What did he do to you?" She said in a deadly whisper.

"He tackled me to the floor where I broke my nose and then he smacked me a lot before ramming me headfirst into a stone wall where it broke the skin causing me to bleed all over, I was a mess. I cast a pretty powerful Crucio on him though." She ended with a small smile.

"That's my girl. You shoulda killed him, but its best that you didn't, don't want you in here for life now do we?" Lacerta shook her head.

"So everyone, this is Lacerta Lestrange, my daughter." Bellatrix stated.

"Hey Lacerta" A few people shouted from further up the ward.

"Well, we best let you get comfy; the guards will be here soon." Bellatrix said with a shudder. It was the first of many days and nights that Lacerta would go through the most horrible torture.