Chapter 1
What are those? I stare at the creatures as we walk past them. They're ugly. I probably shouldn't say that out loud, though, as they run this bank. It wouldn't be good to insult the things that will handle my money in the Wizarding World. McGonagall catches me looking at them. "They're goblins, Miss Granger," she whispers. As she deals with the goblins, I look around a little and end up bumping into someone.
"Watch where you're going, filthy Mudblood!" The boy shouted. I looked at him and he had to be Hogwarts age. What the fuck is a Mudblood? I felt magic flare and try to push me into submission but it was very weak. I let mine out and pushed back. I saw the boy cower before me. "I apologise. I didn't realise you weren't a Mudblood. I should've known better and I wasn't looking where I was going and I should've been. My mistake. Won't happen again. Sorry." He tried to slowly back away.
"Who are you?" The boy winced and stopped backing away.
"Archibald Travers. I prefer Archie." He held his hand out and I shook it.
"Hermione Granger. What's a Mudblood? Why did you think I was one and then change your mind?" He looked surprised at my questions.
"A Mudblood or Muggleborn is a wizard or witch with two Muggle parents (non-magic people). They're disgusting creatures who barely even know how to use their magic and try corrupting wizarding society with their Muggle beliefs. True Purebloods are superior to them. Half-breeds or Half-bloods are wizards with at least one magic parent but have a Muggle in their direct line who's a great-grandparent, grandparent or parent. There are two kinds of Purebloods. Both have no Muggles in their direct line closer than a great-great-grandparent."
"What are they?"
"The first is Blood Traitors. They believe Mudbloods, Half-breeds and Purebloods to be equal. They'd betray their own families for their beliefs. One of the most famous Blood Traitors that currently exists is Andromeda Black or Tonks I think her name is now. She was a member of The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. A very important, rich and upstanding house. She chose a Mudblood over her family. Her parents. Her two sisters. Her cousins (who she was apparently really close with). Blood Traitors are Purebloods that are corrupted by the Mudbloods."
"And the second kind?"
"The other kind of Pureblood is True Purebloods. These are Purebloods who stick to their beliefs and culture and aren't swayed by the Mudblood filth. Some Half-breeds believe in the True Pureblood way but not many. Most are swayed by their Muggle family. Either way, they're still not as good as us because of the Muggle in their blood. The wizard part isn't as strong and is diluted by the Muggle. That's why most Mudbloods never make it anywhere near a position of power. They aren't magically strong enough." Damn it! Everyone going to assume I'm a Mudblood!
"Wait... That doesn't explain why you thought I was a Mudblood and then changed your mind."
"I thought you were a Mudblood because you bumped into me and you looked surprised by the goblins. Like you'd never been here before. I realised you weren't when I felt your magic. No Mudblood could ever have magic that strong."
"I haven't been here before. I was raised by Muggles in the Muggle world." I saw Archie's face and got out my next sentence as fast as possible. "But they aren't actually my parents. They adopted me. I have no idea who my parents are." Archie looked like he was contemplating something.
"You could take a Heritage Test. The goblins will do it for you for 100 Galleons."
"I can't afford that. My Muggle guardians hate me. They'd never give me money. Let alone that much. That's about five hundred pounds in the Muggle world. To most Muggles, that's a lot of money." Archie thought for a second and then had a determined look on his face.
"I'll pay for it if I get to see your results after." So he wants to see how good of an ally I'd be if I'm from an important house like the Blacks? Is the test worth it? I could probably find a way to afford it over the next few years... But the way he looked when he thought I was a Mudblood... If I can't prove I'm not, then others will assume the same thing. I don't want anything ruining my chances of being a great and powerful witch. And, he'd be able to tell me about my family if he knew who they are...
"Deal." Archie took us to talk to a goblin, paid for the test and watched as the goblin took my blood and did the test. Once I got the results, Archie and I read over it and I saw Archie's face pale. I can't believe who my father is. I read over the results again to make sure I'm seeing this right. Other than my father, I have no idea who these people are.
NAME(S): HERMIONE ATHENA RIDDLE (ALSO KNOWN AS THE DARK PRINCESS AND HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER).
BLOOD STATUS: PUREBLOOD.
MOTHER: ATHENA FREYJA RIDDLE NEÉ FLINT (ALSO KNOWN AS THE DARK LADY).
FATHER: TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE (ALSO KNOWN AS THE DARK LORD, HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED AND LORD VOLDEMORT).
GODMOTHER(S): AMARYLLIS PANDORA PARKINSON NEÉ FAWLEY.
GODFATHER(S): PERCIVAL PETER PARKINSON.
AUNT(S): ALISANDRE REBECCA CRABBE NEÉ FLINT, EDWINA PENELOPE FLINT NEÉ BOLE.
UNCLE(S): ARIES MICHAEL FLINT, WILLIAM JACOB BOLE, VINCENT JENSON CRABBE, SR.
FIRST COUSIN(S): MARCUS ARIES FLINT, LUCIAN WILLIAM BOLE, VINCENT JENSON CRABBE, JR.
OTHER RELATIVE(S): JOCASTA MARIETTA FLINT, URSULA RACHEL BLACK NEÉ FLINT, TAYLOR ISABELLA CRABBE NEÉ FAWLEY.
PRIMARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH FATHER'S FAMILY): NONE.
PRIMARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH MOTHER'S FAMILY): NONE.
SECONDARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH FATHER'S FAMILY): SLYTHERIN, GAUNT.
SECONDARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH MOTHER'S FAMILY): RAVENCLAW.
TERTIARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH FATHER'S FAMILY): PEVERELL.
TERTIARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH MOTHER'S FAMILY): NONE.
QUATERNARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH FATHER'S FAMILY): NONE.
QUATERNARY HEIRSHIP(S) (THROUGH MOTHER'S FAMILY): FLINT.
"Do you know any of these people other than The Dark Lord?" I asked Archie.
"Yeah, actually. Marcus Flint is about to start his sixth year at Hogwarts and Lucian Bole is about to start his fourth year. Marcus and Lucian are both in Slytherin House with me. I'm about to start my last year at Hogwarts. Marcus is Slytherin's King and is going to appoint a new Prince or Princess to take his place in the first week of term. Everyone knows he's going to pick Draco Malfoy, though. You could knock him down a peg or two by taking his place by completing the challenge. Only true Hogwarts heirs are allowed to participate. Vincent Crabbe Jr. is about to start his first year. Everyone calls him Crabbe. Pansy Parkinson is about to start her first year too."
"What's the challenge? And what's Slytherin House?"
"Slytherin House is one of the four Hogwarts Houses, Miss Granger," McGonagall said. "I'm sure Mr Travers can tell you all about the four Houses as you seem to be getting along well. I need to go and guide another Muggleborn around Diagon Alley." She handed me a small, light pouch with some money in it. "Here is some money from the Hogwarts Muggleborn Fund. It should be enough for all your equipment with a little bit left over in case you see something you want in one of the shops. I'm sure Flourish and Blotts will have something you like." McGonagall left and I looked at the tiny amount of money that was in the pouch.
"You should claim your Heirships. It'll give you access to the vaults. You're the Heir of two Royal lines and two noble houses and the Peverells were also very well-off. You'd be able to get a lot more than equipment. You will get Heirship Rings for Slytherin, Gaunt, Ravenclaw and Peverell. The Gaunts were really poor before they were believed to die out so that vault probably won't have anything in it. You won't get an Heirship Ring for Flint as only Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Heirs get Heirship Rings but if your mom, uncle or cousin died, then you would be the Tertiary Heir of Flint and then you'd get a Flint Heirship Ring."
"How do I do that, Archie?"
"I'll help you claim your Heirships, then we'll go and get our stuff for the upcoming year while I explain the Hogwarts Houses and the challenge along with the Royal Hierarchy of each Hogwarts House and anything else you might need to know before you start at Hogwarts." He took us over to a goblin. "Miss Riddle would like to claim all of her Heirships." The goblin looked at me.
"Yes, I would." He performed another Heritage Test to make sure I was an Heir and then gave me three vault keys.
"Your father combined the Slytherin and Gaunt vaults when he was a teenager. It is now one vault for the two but each still has its Heirship Ring." He gave me three rings. "These are the Gaunt, Slytherin and Peverell Heirship Rings." He pointed at each as he named them. "Heirship Rings from the father's side of the family go on the left hand." I put the Gaunt Heirship Ring on the finger closest to my pinky finger. Then, I put my Peverell Heirship Ring on the next finger and the Slytherin Heirship Ring on my pointer finger. "This is the Ravenclaw Heirship Ring." I took it from him and put it on my pointer finger on my right hand. "Would you like to visit one of your vaults?"
"Yes, please." Archie, the goblin and I visited the Slytherin/Gaunt vault and I took about ten handfuls of Galleons and put them in a bottomless money pouch that the goblin sold to me (apparently only the one who owns it can take the money out). I gave Archie the money to pay him back for the Heritage Test (much to his complaints). When I was in the vault, all I could see were large mountains of Galleons, books, jewels and other valuables. I couldn't even see the end of the vault. It was massive. This is just one of the two Royal vaults I have access to. At least I never have to worry about money again. Archie and I left the vault and started to go around the shops to buy the stuff we need for the upcoming year. During this, Archie explained to me the four Hogwarts Houses. The only thing left on our list is my wand. As we waited every time Ollivander selected a new wand and I tried out different wands, Archie started explaining the challenge and Hogwarts Royal Hierarchy.
"Each Hogwarts House a person is Heir to allows that person to try the challenge. If you're Heir to the House you're Sorted into, then you have to complete the challenge the same day you're Sorted. If you're Heir to a different House, you have to go to that House's common room the day after your Sorting and complete the challenge. As you are Heir to two Houses, you will have a day between the challenges if you choose to become part of Slytherin and Ravenclaw's Royal Hierarchy. The challenge itself is when each year group selects one person from their year that they think is their best dueller. You then have to fight them all one-on-one. The first-year challenger first to the seventh-year challenger last. You have to win each one to move on to the next. You have to win all seven to be named Princess of that House. Once the King/Queen leaves the school, over the summer you automatically get promoted to Queen and have to select the new Prince/Princess within a week of getting back to school."
"So, how does the Royal Hierarchy work?"