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3,778Chapter 5: Letters From Home

A/N: Hwyla: You are correct about Kettleburn, but my sleepy brain honestly just remembered Hagrid in the position thanks to the holes in the first movies. Good catch.

That being said: Onward.

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Chapter 5: Letters from Home

My Darling Daughter,

You have done your family proud in being Sorted into the Slytherin House at Hogwarts. It gratifies me to know that you have kept with the traditions of the Black family, unlike your most rebellious and aggravating twin, who seems concerned only in his biting his thumb at our family at every possible opportunity.

Your cousin, Narcissa, should be the same house as you. As I recall the witch is four years your senior. I have not spoken with Cygnus and Druella recently, as they are currently travelling abroad, but I am sure the two of you will meet soon. Do send her and her parents my regards.

Regulus sends his affection and thanks for the scarf sent in the middle of the night. The boy refuses to take it off, even inside the house, and I fear you have created a horrible monster in your younger brother.

Kreacher wished to send you a few batches of your favourite cookies. I will be sending them in smaller batches as to not overburden the owls with the entirety of the horde of baked goods all at once.

I expect great things from you, daughter. Do not let us down.

Your mother,

Walburga Black (Seal of the House of Black)

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Dear Hermione,

Ah, my young phoenix, have you spread your wings now that you have been sorted properly into the Slytherin House? Your mother was greatly pleased that you were sorted as befits our family history, and it was the that which tempered her wrath upon discovering that your twin was sorted into Gryffindor.

I believe you will have a wonderful time while at Hogwarts. In a few years you will allowed to visit the small village of Hogsmeade on weekends, and I'm sure you will love the quaint little shops that mark its streets.

If you will forgive your concerned father, I would ask you to humour me in the keeping an eye on your wayward twin. He is reckless and angry that our family history stains his reputation to stand on his own. I fear this will only make the relationship with his mother even more strained, but I hope your accomplishments distract her anger and tears and keep her from breaking more of the family's three hundred year old China. I have become quite adept at repair charms, my phoenix. You would be proud of me. I blame the 11 years repairing the stuffed animal heads you so defiantly ripped off their shoulders when the bedtime stories did not agree with your delicate sensibilities.

I am proud of you, my young chick. I look forward to tales of your exploits when you come home for Winter Break.

Your father,

Orion Black (His seal, the belt of Orion)

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Hermione?" A voice came just before a wavy head of blond hair followed shortly after. "It's your cousin, Narcissa."

"Hello," Hermione answered blearily. She folded up the letters that had arrived on her duvet before she had been awake. Her hurried parcel to Regulus must have caused her little brother to blab the news as he ran around the house with a Slytherin scarf wrapped around his neck. The image amused her. She absently fed Sagacity a frog leg from the jar on the bed-side table, and the owl hooted in gratitude, clinging to her shoulder and sharing his warmth by leaning against her head.

"I didn't get to meet up with you last night during the feast," Narcissa said cheerfully. "Are you settled in all right?"

Hermione nodded.

"Parents already send owls?" Narcissa said with a grin. "My parents did the same my first year. They buried my mattress in bonbons."

"Bonbons?" Hermione asked with a giggle.

"Looks like you got cookies," Narcissa chuckled, pointing to the open box of cookies.

Hermione pushed the box towards her. "Help yourself. I don't have that many people to share them with, and apparently Kreacher made a lot."

"That house-elf must adore you," Narcissa cooed. "My older sister Bella… she had a bad row with a few of our house-elves when she was younger. To this day, they bring her food at the barest minimum of quality."

Hermione's eyes widened, not so much at the story, but the sudden realisation that she was now blood related to what would most likely be the wife of Lucius Malfoy and the insane witch named Bellatrix Lestrange.

"You look panicked, Hermione," Narcissa said. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, thanks," Hermione stammered.

"However did you manage it?" Narcissa asked.

"Manage what?" Hermione asked.

"Manage to be named Hermione instead of a constellation?" Narcissa asked.

Hermione blushed. "Father says it was because they messed up my birth certificate and put my middle name first. By the time they realised it, it had already been sealed in magic."

Narcissa laughed whole-heartedly. "That's quite a story. I'm sure your mother was fit to be tied."

"Father thought it was hilarious… well when not in public," Hermione answered.

Narcissa grinned. "We're in the same House both in name and at school. I'm sure you'll love it here. I'm across the hall, second bed on the left. Feel free to come see me if you need any help with anything, okay? I'm sure His Majesty Malfoy has already told you you can go to him if you have any concerns as well." Narcissa grinned at her.

Hermione nodded and grinned.

"He's a bit too concerned with his duties as Prefect," Narcissa complained. "He's been guiding all the first years around like baby ducks at my parent's summer cottage."

Hermione looked down, suppressing a giggle.

"How did you manage not to have any dorm-mates?" Narcissa boggled. "You're so lucky! I sleep next to Ashlee and Cherrill, and they both snore like Kneazle with a cold. Imogen, on the other hand, she talks in her sleep. She spits out Arithmancy equations when she's asleep."

Hermione practically spit out the bit of cookie she was eating, quickly covering up her mouth in an effort to be polite.

"What's your first class after breakfast?"

"Transfiguration," Hermione said.

"Ugh, with that strict bat of a professor, McGonagall," Narcissa scoffed. "She doesn't let you get away at anything. I think it's because we're Slytherin and she's Gryffindor."

Hermione frowned. Minerva did support her House in many ways, but she had always been fair. She even took points from her own House when they committed rule-breaking.

"You know," Narcissa confessed, "My parents were always so isolationist. I'm angry that we never got to meet before this. Turns out my cousin had to turn eleven and get Sorted into Hogwarts before I get to sit down and have a conversation."

"Technically you're standing," Hermione said dryly, arching a brow.

"Oh hush," Narcissa groaned. "Don't tell me you're going to be one of those girls that picks on me for technicalities of the English language."

Hermione smirked. There was something oddly cathartic about correcting Narcissa over technicalities. Take that, Draco Malfoy.

"Bellatrix would pick on me all the time," Narcissa sighed. "She said it was given right as my older sister."

"Sounds like a piece of work, that one," Hermione said and meant it.

Narcissa nodded. "She's the one that got Andromeda in trouble so many times over the stupidest things. Like not wearing a long enough dress in public, showing the ankles, things like that. Every time she could. Have you met Andromeda yet? She's in her sixth year. Almost out of this place."

Hermione shook her head in negative. Part of her wondered where the chatty little know-it-all had gone. She was doing a lot of head nodding and shaking instead of talking Narcissa's ears off.

Narcissa ran her hand in her hair. "I worry about Andromeda, to be honest. Bella is going to drive her to do something drastic. I don't know what, but I can see it in her eyes. The hatred… Bella loves to pick at wounds… and she doesn't know when to stop."

Hermione tilted her head. Bellatrix apparently had issues long before Azkaban was on the table. It didn't really surprise her, but she filed it away in her brain for future reference all the same.

Hermione boggled how her own brain was dealing with her predicament. She wondered how she be so calm sitting in the Slytherin House dormitories, chatting it up with Narcissa possible the future Malfoy, accept the fact that Lucius was looking out for her like some wayward bodyguard, and actually be okay with it.

Hermione Granger would be tearing out her bushy hair, but whatever she had become, seemed to be more accepting under the situation. The future Lucius had committed horrible crimes against Muggle borns under the banner of the Dark Lord. The future Narcissus would support him up until her son was danger and miraculously cover for Harry Potter during the final battle… all for the love of her son. All these thoughts swirled around in her mind, fluctuating in and out of her mind in various states of clarity.

Hermione smiled at Narcissa, offering her another cookie before closing the box to carry it with her. Sagacity clung to her shoulder, making it known that she wasn't going anywhere without him.

"You're a bit heavy, you know," Hermione told the owl. "Why couldn't I have gotten a screech owl?"

Sagacity hooted in her ear indignantly, causing Hermione to grin.

"He's beautiful," Narcissa cooed.

"His name is Sagacity," Hermione said pleasantly. "He likes to be scratched right here." She scratched the area behind his ear tufts.

Narcissa carefully scratched the owl on the head, gaining a soft hoot of pleasure. "He must adore you. My family's House owl just ignores us most of the time unless it's time to deliver something. He laid open Bella's finger once because she poked him."

"I see a trend," Hermione chuckled.

"She's a bit special, my older sister," Narcissa said with a grin. "I need to go wake up the girls for breakfast. See you there?"

"Probably," Hermione said with a smirk. "Unless I'm overcome by wrackspurts."

Narcissa made an odd face at her.

Hermione snorted. "Long story." She stood, steadying herself as Sagacity gripped her shoulder with half clenched claws. "See you later, Narcissa," she said as she shuffled out of the room.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Argh, my lungs," Hermione protested, as Sagacity perched his entire four kilo weight on her ribcage. Hermione wheezed and failed to dislodge the eagle owl from her chest. He was, undoubtedly, huge and a prime specimen of health. "You are cutting off my air."

Hoot.

"Oh thanks for that," Hermione laid her head back on the couch she was sprawled on.

Despite the one-sided conversation, Hermione felt the bond between herself and Sagacity growing steadily. The familiar bond was something special. Technically, Hogwarts encouraged their students to bring familiars, but few of the animals brought to Hogwarts were true familiars. Crookshanks, with whom she was undoubtedly close, had been a highly intelligent friend and ally, but the half-Kneazle had not formed the actual familiar bond with her. She could never sense where he was or pick up on his feelings. She could only glean what he deigned to give her, and there were many occasions when Crooks had done exactly the opposite of what she had wanted to do, such as not eat Fred and George's extendable ears.

She had highly suspected the Hedwig had been bonded to Harry as his familiar. The owl's love for Harry had ended only with her death, and Harry's haunted expression when he thought after her sacrifice seemed to point to a far deeper bond than friendship. Had she survived that battle, it was very likely that the owl would have lived as long as Harry, her life-force tied to the messy haired wizard until the day he passed into the next world.

Sagacity flopped on her chest, wings outspread. He smashed his face into her cheek and hooted. Hermione wrapped her arms around the huge owl, feeling the growing thrum of the owl's personality flowing into her. She felt his amusement at her predicament as well as his growing devotion.

Hermione ran her hand down the owl's velvet feathers, half closing her eyes.

"Can you breathe?" a male voice asked.

Hermione opened her eyes. "Somewhat," she answered. "Good morning, Severus."

The dark-haired wizard smirked at her. "He's as big as half your body," he commented.

"He's heavier," Hermione coughed.

Sagacity hooted loudly into her face.

"There are cookies in the box there," Hermione said, gesturing with her arm randomly. "Help yourself."

"Cookies… for breakfast?" Severus asked.

"I won't tell if you don't," Hermione chuckled. "Save one for Lily, though."

Severus opened the box and extracted a cookie. "Thank you," he said, nibbling on it.

"Did you want to go to breakfast?" Hermione asked, rolling up into a sitting position and transferring Sagacity to her shoulder.

"Cookies not enough?" Severus asked her.

"Never," Hermione grinned.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Breakfast was alive with chatter from the first years on how their first night was. Hermione and Severus sat at the end of the table doing their best to avoid the excited conversation.

Hermione passed Lily the box of leftover cookies from home, and Lily squealed in delight as she pushed her breakfast aside for the chocolate chip cookies.

Sirius and James made a pest of themselves trying to convince the red-haired witch to part with at least one of the extra cookies, but Lily glared at them, guarding the box fiercely.

Sirius narrowed his eyes as he looked at the familiar wrapped box and gave Hermione his best pouting face. He knew the box had come from home, and he knew there were tasty goods inside.

Hermione flicked a cookie up between her fingers, waving it as she idly forked her sausage, eating some and passing a bit off to Sagacity.

Sirius went down on his knees, shamelessly groveling at his sister's school robes, reciting Shakespeare about her beauty.

Hermione pshed, but set the cookie into his hands, after which her twin picked her up, swirled her around, planted a kiss upon her forehead, and scampered back to the Gryffindor table with his prize. James tried to convince Sirius to share, but Sirius was not in the mood to share his hard-won prize, and proceeded to devour it while his jealous Housemates watched. Eyes went to Lily and her prized box, but the red-headed witch narrowed her eyes at them, guarding her box from their envious gazes.

Severus stared at her with an expression poised between disbelief and pity. "Are you sure you share the same genetics?"

Hermione chuckled as she drank her juice. "Not always."

"Maybe he was adopted," Severus quipped, taking a bite out of his pancake.

Hermione snorted into her orange juice at the thought. The part of her that was Hermione Ankaa Black was laughing hysterically.

The owls came in with the morning mail shortly after Hermione and Severus had completely annihilated an entire plate of sausage links amongst themselves. They had made a pile of breakfast sandwiches using the biscuits, eggs, and sausage, and had almost succeeded in making them all disappear before Hermione confessed that she was stuffed and that her mother would surely yell at her for engaging in such unladylike eating mannerisms. She had nothing on the once and future Ronald Weasley's eating habits, but she'd practically inhaled half of a serving tray of sausage links. She blamed it on the stress of coming to Hogwarts. It sounded good in theory.

Hermione opened the wax seal on the letter that dropped in front of her, and she smirked the moment she realised who had sent it.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Dear Sis,

Thank you so much for the scarf! I love it. I'm wearing it now, and I refuse to take it off. Mother is furious because she says it is not appropriate breakfast attire. I say it looks just fine for breakfast, thank you!

Just as a warning. I'm sending this short and quick so you have a heads up… Mother is sending Sirius a howler. I can hear her yelling at the paper now. You might want to… hide under the table or something. As it is… I'm going to go hide in the wardrobe where the sound is muffled.

All my love,

Regulus (his seal, the Sickle)

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Hermione had just enough time to make a cut throat and flappy wing motion with her hands to Sirius when she spotted an owl coming in from afar.

Sirius bolted from the Great Hall, the owl chasing him to deliver his envelope. Curious glances and a few of pity once they saw what the owl was carrying went across the Great Hall.

Severus stared off to where Sirius had disappeared. "Are howlers that bad? I've heard about them, but thankfully, my family doesn't care enough to send letters of disappointment."

Hermione shook her head. "There are howlers… and then there are howlers from my mother," she said after a bit. "Hers don't stop screaming even after they burst into flames."

Severus' eyes went wide, and he swallowed hard. "I think I'll take my family's apathy."

Hermione's expression changed to sorrow. She touched Severus on the arm lightly. "Like Professor McGonagall said. We're you're family now, Severus, and the last thing I am going to be is apathetic to you."

Severus' black eyes were unsure, but he nodded to her.

"And if you want," Hermione said with mischief. "I can send you a howler to make you feel like a part of my family."

Severus' ears turned red.

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A/N: And now I'm off to complete a test and write a slew of diagnostic statements. Why? Because homework hates me so much. Wish me luck, folks!