Chapter 5
“What was Hogwarts like?” Ronald Weasley stared at his goddaughter. A Mini Mione with Malfoy’s face. She was 11 years old, and if things hadn’t gone to hell, she'd have gotten her Hogwarts letter.
“Hogwarts was the best place ever! While your mum spent hours in the Library, Harry and I would head to the great hall for the best meals ever.”
The little girl laughed. Ron’s appetite was legendary even now. Selena sighed, a sad smile on her face.
“I wish I could go.” Hogwarts was now the Salazar Slytherin School of Magic, and only families from the Sacred 28 in good standing with Voldemort could attend.
“I’d bet you’d be in Gryffindor like us.” He said, hugging Selena.
“No, I'd be in Slytherin like every Malfoy before me.”
“Yeah, I’d reckon you're probably right.”
“That wouldn’t be anything to be proud of.” Molly's voice was like steel.
“Mum.”
“Sorry, Mrs. Weasley.” Selena didn’t know what she was apologizing for, but something about the older woman made her feel sorry.
“Selena.”
Selena woke up with a start. Molly Weasley's stern eyes invaded her dream.
“Young Mistress! Pip is to be taking you to Master Lucius when you wake.”
She nodded, pulling off the covers and heading to the bathroom.
“Alright, tell him I’ll be there soon.”
Lucius sat at his desk, rereading the letter that had just arrived.
“He will return. Be prepared.”
After the mess at the World Cup, there was nothing else. The instructions were in the Dark Lord's hand: “Remind them who we are.” No one was supposed to get hurt, yet Párkinson took the muggles.
“You wanted to see me?” Selena walked into the study.
“Yes, I spoke to Dumbledore. I will take you to Hogwarts today and have you sorted. It's going to be a busy term.
She stepped into the floo with Lucius beside her as he called for the headmaster's office.
“WOW.” Hey, eyes scanned the room.
“Hello.” Selena waved at who she assumed was Dumbledor. The four heads of the house were there as well. Although she knew the future, Snape and Professor McGonagall's gaze was curious.
“You must be the young Miss Malfoy Lucius was telling me about. These are the four heads of the house at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor house. Professor Snape, the head of Slytherin House. Professor Sprout, the head of Hufflepuff House, and last but not least, Professor Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw. ”
“It's a pleasure to meet you, all,” Selena said.
Lucius told her when he wrote to Dumbledore about her that her education had been with private tutors. “A distant Malfoy relation from France. Your parents had you learn privately until you showed exceptional magic. The tutors can only do so much.”
“Well, Let's get you sorted.” He walked over to a shelf where the legendary sorting hat rested.
“What is Albus?” it asks as he picks it up, walking back to her and pointing at an empty stool.
“I have a student for you, " Dumbledore said, placing the hat on her head.
“What is this? How interesting. A powerful witch, yet blood does not lie. Gryffindor!” The hat yelled.
“Wha—" Lucious's shock was written all over his face. Selena looked over to where Professor McGonagall stood, giving her a soft smile.
“A Malfoy in Gryffindor, how interesting Lucius. I've seen your private tutor remarks. I will have you also paired with a fellow Gryffindor fourth-year in case you require extra assistance.”
“I'll choose the best one, Albus.” Professor McGonagall said.
“See that you do. Let go.” Selena said nothing as they walked to the headmaster's floo and called out to the Manor.
“I feel like you're upset with me,” Selena said as they came out of the floo.
“Not now, follow me.”
Walking to his study from the floo made Selena anxious. Until she saw Narcissa waiting for them; in their short time together, Narcissa was a comfort to Selena.
“Draco?”
“Out with Theo and Balise. They said they had more things to get before the train tomorrow. How did it go?”
Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.
“Go on, then tell your grandmother what you've done.”
“I didn't do anything.”
“So I take it not Slytherin?” Narcissa laughed.
“This is not funny. The Dark Lord is returning, and our fate is in the hands of Gryffindors! That bloody hat sits on her head, claims the blood does not lie, and places her in Gryffindor. What about our blood? There has never been a Malfoy in any other house since its founding!”
“Well. That's alright, and the red will be a lovely contrast to your hair.”
“I'll be close to my mum,” she said as Lucius ranted. Narcissa smiled in understanding.
“Does the headmaster know about you?” Narcissa asked.
Selena shook her head. After the events of the World Cup, Selena explained to Lucius that he had to remain loyal to the Dark Lord. Dumbledore couldn't be trusted. If he found out who Selena was, he would try to manipulate her presence for his needs.
“Well, let's go see about changing the colors of your school robes.” Narcissa led the girl out as Lucius poured himself a drink of fire whisky
Platform 9 ¾ was busy, families sending their children off to Hogwarts. It was everything Selena dreamed of.
“Be well, my Darlings, don’t forget to write.” Narcissa fussed over both of them while Draco felt annoyed by the attention. Selena loved the attention of a mother figure.
“We will.” Selena nodded, hugging her.
“Sel, come on! Before all the good compartments are taken!” Draco tugged at her sleeve.
She waved at them and quickly followed Draco. Theo, Balise, Vincent, and Greg were sitting and eating snacks. Selena had met them a few times over the summer. They were nice enough, but she knew that in a few years, they would be Death Eaters. The bulk of the tea in the ride went without much incident.
“I'm going to change,” Selena said, getting up. As she did, she dropped her robes.
“What's this?” asked Pansy, picking up her Gryffindor tie.
“Oh, Lucius had me sorted before the start of term, so I wouldn't have to do it with the first years.”
“Red! The hat put you in Gryffindor!”
“Pans! It's not that serious.” Selena said, taking the tie from her.
“Wow. A Malfoy in red. I never thought I'd see the day,” said Blaise as Theo and Draco kept quiet. She had told them about her sorting when she got back to the Manor.
“I'm Going to change,” Selena huffed, leaving the compartment. Once she was done, she opened the door and crashed into someone as she walked out.
“Sorry,” Selena said, looking at Harry Potter, his green eyes curious.
“No, it's my fault—um, sorry you are?” he asked, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his shirt.
“Oh, um-”
“Selena!” Draco’s voice held a bit of anger as he called her.
“Coming! Selena Malfoy.” She said as she walked away towards Draco.
“Why were you walking to him?” Draco hissed as they walked back to their compartment.
“I bumped into him coming out of the loo.”
“Who?” asked Theo.
“Potter.”
“Oh, Draco, get over it. I'm in Gryffindor anyway. I’m sure it won't be my first time talking to him.”
Draco sat down with a huff, crossing his arms. The last hour of the train ride went quietly. Meeting Harry Potter hadn't been what she expected; now, she had to figure out how to keep him alive. As they made their way to the castle, she marveled at what it looked like. In her time, Hogwarts was a crumbling ghost of its former self.
The great hall was beautifully decorated. She followed the other students dressed in red colors to a table without saying much of anything to Draco. No one looked at her as she ate.
“Hello.” she heard a timid voice next to her.
“Hello.”
“I'm Neville, Neville Longbottom.” She offered her his hand.
“Selena Malfoy.”
At the sound of her name, the chatter around them got quiet. She knew that, as Malfoy, she would cause a stir. She didn’t realize how much of a stir.
“You’re related to Draco?” Asked another student.
“Yes, but don’t hold that against me. He's a prat.”
“Hear, hear!” Selena recognized the booming voice of her godfather, Harry Potter, beside him. With that, her acceptance at the table was cemented, just in time for the headmaster to announce the Triwizard tournament, along with Drumstrang and Beauxbatons. The students were dismissed to their houses once it was all said and done.
“Miss Malfoy.” Professor McGonagall called her over.
“Good to see you again, Professor.”
“I told your uncle I would find you a student mentor if you need extra assistance. Ah, Miss Granger, this is Miss Malfoy. I was telling you about mentoring a fellow student this term.”
“Miss Malfoy, I expect you to behave better than your cousin.” Selena nodded as Mcgonagall walked away, leaving them.
“I’m just letting you know I’m muggle-born, and if that bothers you, you can let Professor McGonagall know.” Her head was held high as if asking Selena to have a problem with her blood status.
“I don't care. My side of the family is a little less… Prejudice.”
“Good. I'm usually in the library after dinner if you need anything.”
Selena nodded, dumb-struck, unsure if this would complicate her plan.
When Professor McGonagall asked Hermione to mentor a new fourth-year, she didn't think it would be this easy. As the first few weeks of the term went on, she realized Selena Malfoy was not only a bright student; she was also very kind. It didn't take long for her to become popular in a way Hermione slightly envied. Then there was Malfoy; he would meet Selena in front of the library when they finished studying, claiming to be a gentleman and walk her to the Gryffindor tower, which meant she walked with them. Mostly, he ignored her, telling Selena about his day.
“Granger?” he called out after Selena had gone in. Hermione had dropped her books. She was picking them up when Malfoy called her name. When she didn’t say anything, he cleared his throat, looking for words.
“I just wanted to know how Sel was doing. Mother wrote, "Sel is very vague about how she's adjusting.”
“Oh.” She had never seen this side of Malfoy. He cared about his cousin.
“She's doing well. Her tutors did a great job keeping her studies up to date. Give her some time, and she might top our scores.” She could feel the heat on her face as she spoke.
“I’ll let mother know, thanks, Granger.”
“Um, Malfoy. My book.”
She chuckled at the red hue his cheeks took on as he handed it back to her. Their fingers slightly brushed, sending an electric shock through her. They looked at each other, unsure of what to say.
“Night Granger.” He said as he ran off.
Later in bed, she wondered what on earth had gotten into Malfoy. He had not been totally evil to her; maybe it had to do with Selena.
“The age line can’t be broken,” Selena said as she sat between Hermione and Harry, listening to Fred and George make their plans.
“We’ll see about that.” They both said, uncorking vials of some potion they cooked up.
They slowly transformed it into their older versions and went for the goblet, only to be thrown back out by the age line.
Harry's name would be called out of the goblet, and the events leading to the resurrection of the Dark Lord would begin.
She watched Professor Dumbledor enter, followed by Madame Maxime and Igor Kakaroff. Selena tuned out most of Dumbledor's speech, yet she held her breath as soon as the names began to be called.
“Harry Potter!” he yelled as the entire castle became quiet. The prefects led them out while they figured out what to do.
“Do you think he did it on purpose?” Ask Ron, following them back to the common room.
“Why would he?” responded Selena
“He couldn't have. The age line wouldn't have let him,” Hermione added.
Selena said nothing, knowing she would have to let this year's events happen.