Chapter 1.
Chapter One
Helena imagined that the nerves she felt at this moment were also experienced by every other student going to Hogwarts tomorrow, the unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach as she listened to her cousin Draco ramble on about his excitement for it all. Deciding to return her attention to the conversation being had by the others the trail end of Draco's comments around the sorting ceremony were taking place.
“… And I’m certain I'll be placed into Slytherin. After all, Malfoys always are-". He commented with glee.
Narcissa smiled sweetly at Draco's excitement, remembering her own when she had left for Hogwarts.
“Now, dear, I'm sure you’ll both adore Slytherin—maybe the two of you will meet your special someone.” She teased lightly, laughing at both of the children’s looks of disgust, Lucius chuckling at his wife’s inclination to tease others.
“It’ll be an exciting day for the two of you. Do try not to stay up all night with excitement.” His voice had its usual authority laced in it but, Helena could notice his concern slipping through. He had never been difficult to read.
His voice cut through again. “Helena, are you excited? You’ve been awfully quiet.”
“I am, just a little nervous. It’ll be odd sleeping in a new place.” Both her adoptive parents gave her sympathetic looks, both chiming in with words of reassurance.
After a moment she spoke again. “But I’m sure it’ll be wonderful. I’m excited to make new friends.”
Her words seemed to settle the two adults, who looked slightly less concerned. The silence was soon filled with Draco once again rambling about his excitement and questions regarding the new school, having both been home-schooled, as was standard for most Pureblood families they were both desperate to gain some new friends, not just the ones from the supposedly ‘suitable’ wizarding families that Narcissa and Lucius were close too.
Helena thought quietly to herself about how it would be nice to finally have some friends who were girls. She was familiar with Pansy Parkinson, however, the two had little in common, leading to some slightly boring playdates over the years. Soon dinner came to an end, the house elves appeared to clear the food away, she always made a point to thank them, finding it strange that her family did not. Narcissa was always reminding her and Draco to have good manners after all. The four of them sat in the drawing room for some time, playing wizard chess with Lucius, who she always won against, it had always been odd to her how she seemingly could always guess his next move. Maybe he was just bad at the game, her cousin refused to play against her anymore, claiming she cheated.
Making her way to her room to look it over, taking in her packed cases that lay next to her bed. It was odd seeing the room so bare, but Narcissa had told her it was nice to have as many of her things as possible. Sliding into bed she relaxed, the plush duvet always a comfort to her, her small blue bear tucked safely into her arms, something she would never admit to, especially to Draco, her cousin, while her dearest friend, would have an absolute field day knowing she still slept with the bear. Albeit, it was all she had of her mother, whoever the woman was, she did not know. At some point a slight knock could be heard at the door, slipping from the tall bed she opened it to find Draco, who wordlessly shuffled into her bed, falling asleep instantly.
Falling into her blank slumber she awoke several hours later, someone else’s thoughts appearing in her mind, images of things she didn’t quite have to words to describe filled in thoughts, laying their awake for what felt like hours she couldn’t quite escape them, she knew they were not her own, she mused sometimes that they belonged to Lucius or Narcissa, deep down she was certain. Why she could see into their minds during their, what she assumed to be nightmares, was unclear to her and a question she hadn’t quite gained the bravery to ask yet.
The morning soon began to manoeuvre its way into her bedroom through the cracks in the curtain, Draco’s sleepy mumblings could be heard as he also woke. Several hours later breakfast had been had, and Narcissa had cast a spell to make sure the two of them had everything they would need. While Lucius had frantically looked through their things manually, worrying one of them would have forgotten something. The four of them were soon getting into the fireplace, the floo network one of the easiest ways of getting to Kings Cross station. Stepping out on the other side other students and their families were filling the platform, emotional goodbyes between children and parents could be heard and reds, blues, greens and yellows could be seen all over the place.
Lucius held her trunk for her, his hand guiding her to a quieter spot, with Narcissa and Draco close behind. The two blonde adults fussed over Draco and her for several minutes.
“Write to us as soon as you can, make use of that owl we got you!” Lucius told them both sternly. Lucius and Narcissa had bought them both individual pets for their eleventh birthdays and an owl to share while at Hogwarts. Her rat sat in her breast pocket, the soft animal's head peeking out the top. In unison the two children replied.
“We will.” A satisfied smile sat on Lucius’s face, as Narcissa smiled softly at the two.
“Now we have a final surprise for the two of you.” Pausing she pulled out two small black boxes from her pocket. Handing one to each of them, eagerness sat on both the children’s faces as they took them. Opening her own a silver and green necklace came into view, Slytherin colours, glancing at Draco she saw a silver and green ring.
Looking up she smiled, a thank you and ‘it’s beautiful’ making its way from her lips.
Narcissa smiled, her voice explaining that they were gifts that she and Lucius had received from their parents when they had gone to Hogwarts and that it only felt right to continue the tradition. Helena couldn’t help but grin, it was times like this she truly felt like a Malfoy, like she was actually their daughter, while in law she was. It was obvious to anyone that she wasn’t, her dark thick hair and while her skin was pale like theirs, it had an Olive tint to it, her dark green eyes were different to Draco and Lucius' pale blue and Narcissa’s deep brown.
She wasn’t their blood daughter, no, she was a Rosier.
Part of a family she barely knew, her father having been the last male heir before he died in the wizarding war. Sometimes she let herself bitterly hate him, angry that he had died for a cause when she was at home, needing to be cared for.
It made her hate the Dark Lord, but she quickly quietened those thoughts, knowing that Lucius and Narcissa had their loyalty there. Or had had their loyalty lay there. Silencing her thoughts she returned her focus to Lucius and Narcissa, smiling sweetly as they helped her and Draco onto the train, uttering goodbyes to them both.