Deep within the Malfoy Mansion, Leah Malfoy was walking purposely down a hallway with messenger trailing behind her. His footsteps were the only sounds in the entire hallway, for hers were unheard. Since young, she had been trained to move silently, gracefully and quickly. Thus the messenger's loud and hurried footsteps were of a great annoyance to her heightened sense of hearing.
"Keep that noise up and I'll make sure you will join Nagini on the ground for the rest of your pathetic life." Her voice was soft and even, but the threat was crystal clear. She never stopped walking as she said it, nor turned her head around. It was as though she hadn't said anything at all, much less threatened a man to his death.
A sharp intake of breath behind her and the noise noticeably lessened. Just then, her ears picked up another set of footsteps. Nearly silent, but it was very close, enough for her to hear. Only one person walked like that. She inwardly smiled, but again like she had been trained since young, her expression remained unreadable.
"Aren't you going to say that you missed me?" an amused voice came from a figure that caught up and was now walking in tandem with her.
"What creature was you turned into this year? A flobber-worm?" Once again, there was no indication that she noticed the figure walking right beside her. Her eyes remained looking in front, walking forward purposefully in the same speed and grace. However, if one listened closely enough, the humour in her voice was detectable.
Draco Malfoy chuckled and shook his head. "I missed you too, Leah." He kept up with her effortlessly, not bothering to turn to look at her either.
"Is that an indirect way of saying yes? Or were you turned into something even more disgusting?"
"No, it's my direct way of saying that I missed my little sister." He replied in a teasing voice. "Besides, even if I was turned into a creature, I'll still be as bloody gorgeous as I am now."
Leah's chest tightened momentarily at the words "little sister". However, she ignored that reaction and instead allowed herself to let out a sound of disbelief at Draco's egoistic comment.
"Shut up, Malfoy."
The messenger who was trailing behind them rushed forward to open the heavy doors to the chambers.
"You shut up, Malfoy." Draco retorted. A smirk flashed on his face before disappearing as the both of them stepped into the chambers together.
The doors closed behind them as they strode forwards together. With grace characterised by only the Malfoys, they knelt down and bowed their heads.
"Master." Their voices chorused perfectly to greet the figure seated in front of them.
"Ah, the Malfoy siblings," a high, cold voice rang out within the silence of the chamber. Lord Voldemort sat on his throne-like seat, fingering his wand with his long, white fingers. His gaunt snakelike face twisted into a smile as his scarlet eyes looked down at the two teenagers kneeling in front of him.
"Draco must have just arrived from Hogwarts, haven't you?"
"Yes, Master. The messenger informed me of your order as soon as I arrived. I came here immediately." Draco replied smoothly, his head still bowed down.
"Good, you know that you cannot keep me waiting. Although I can't say the same for you, Leah…" His voice trailed off, clearly waiting for an explanation.
"Master, I was in the midst of combat training. I could not be excused." Leah explained. If she was afraid of offending the Dark Lord by keeping him waiting, there was no sign.
"I see. I trust it is blind combat today? How was the fight record?"
"Yes Master, it was blind combat. Five minutes and twenty seconds, a new record." Leah felt a rush of satisfaction at beating her record once again. "Against six men. Three armed, three wands."
"You are improving, Leah." Voldemort's pleasure was evident in his voice.
Leah felt another rush of satisfaction and pride at her master's compliment. She looked up at the man draped in black robes, sitting in the throne. "It would not have been possible without your grooming, Master." She allowed a small smile to grace her features.
It was true. If it was not for Malfoy family and her Master, she would have died a long time ago. She would not be what she was now, the second child of the Malfoy family nor the favourite of the dark lord. She couldn't remember anything, but she was told by her parents that they had found her abandoned and crying in one of the streets in the muggle world, weak and dying. Coincidentally, they discovered that she was of wizarding blood. Thus, they had decided to adopt her. As part of the Malfoy family, she gained status, wealth, education, family, training and personal attention from Lord Voldemort. Draco and she had been groomed by him personally and many other trainers to impart skills and knowledge of different fields.
Voldemort had recognised the great potential in her and had ordered her to continue training outside Hogwarts. Thus when she turned eleven, she did not turn up in Hogwarts, but had instead been going through various martial arts training, language and arts lessons, combat sessions and magical coaching from the dark lord himself and many others.
However, her trainings had always been kept a secret. Most people, including majority of the death eaters knew her as Leah Malfoy, the second child of Malfoy family. Only a select few and her teachers knew her true prowess. Deadly and powerful, her abilities could surpass many death eaters, much less people her age.
Draco, of course was not left out. He had been drilled the basics at a young age, and Severus Snape was in charge of training him in the various arts of magic and combat in the duration at Hogwarts. During the summer holidays, he would be put through rigorous sessions to catch up with Leah. After six years at Hogwarts, he was not as good as Leah but nevertheless powerful for his age. His abilities were not widely publicised but were more well-known than Leah's as it showed in his good results in Hogwarts. Thus, the two of them were known as the Malfoy siblings - favourites of the Dark Lord, among the death eaters that knew of them and their prowess.
"Tell me, Draco. How is our dear Potter doing?" Voldemort's voice turned even colder, if possible, at the mention of his enemy.
"Master, after the incident at the Ministry, he had been out of sorts. He barely reacts to anything now, even ignoring Weasley and the others." Draco reported. A smirk appeared on his handsome face. "I heard that he had even run out of his compartment to cry in a corner in the train earlier." Amusement was evident in his voice.
Voldemort let out a humourless laugh that rang out throughout the dark chamber. "Weak pathetic fool." he whispered in disgust. "This is what the all-so-powerful love had done to them." Voldemort spat out the word `love' like it was poison. "Crying in a corner... Weak fools."
His scarlet eyes focused on the two teenagers kneeling in front of him. "They say it is what makes them strong. But it is nothing but weakness. Their greatest weakness. The recent incident at the Ministry had proved it all. We would not have been able to lure Potter to the Ministry if not for this weakness." An evil smile crept up his white gaunt face. "And we shall exploit this weakness once again. I have come up with a plan which requires both of you, which is why I have called for you - to give you a very important mission."
Both teenagers looked up at their Master, ready and eager to receive instructions on their new mission. It was rare that they were involved in big missions as they were still young and lacked experience, despite their strong abilities.
"Leah, this year you shall go to Hogwarts. Although your abilities and magical knowledge should have surpassed what that school can teach you, but it is essential that you are at Hogwarts." Leah and Draco glanced at each other for a short moment before both turned to look at the Dark Lord in slight confusion.
"And you, Draco, will do everything to help her complete this mission. Prepare her and support her in whatever it takes." Voldemort's red eyes shifted to look at Leah intensely as he leaned forward in his throne. "You shall be the centre of my grand plan to deal the Light side the greatest blow they have ever received." His thin lips lifted into a slow and wicked smile.
"Your mission is to steal Harry Potter's heart."
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Maia looked out the night sky, her arms resting on the balcony railing. She looked as though in deep thought, frowning and shaking her head occasionally. She was in great confusion and uncertainty. She sighed and turned around to look into the room behind her. A girl laid asleep in the bed, a child she had brought up and loved as her own for the past thirteen years.
After that fateful day thirteen years ago in the depths of the Malfoy Mansion, the child had been placed in her care. Nothing was said about where she came from, all she was told was that her name was Leah Malfoy, the second child of the Malfoy family and she would be her second charge, after Draco Malfoy. Of course after what she had witnessed, she knew better. But she had kept all that knowledge to herself, knowing that it was dangerous to spread around. For the past thirteen years, she kept that secret, not even telling Leah her true identity even when she saw her master and mistress tell her a fake and sugar-coated story of how she came into the family. It wasn't safe for her to know the truth then, not yet. She knew that although the Malfoy family was associated with the Dark Lord, but it was one of the best families to be brought up in. She would be provided for as long as she remained the daughter of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.
Now she was sixteen, Maia wondered if the time had come. She knew that the child did not belong here, she has only become what she is right now because of her upbringing within the Malfoy family, but as her nanny, she knew her charge inside out. The child she saw thirteen years ago was still there.
It still wasn't safe for her to know the truth, but she knew the Light side was seeking her. Perhaps this was what fate had meant for… all she hoped was that she had done the right thing…
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"Wait, so you are going to Hogwarts this year?" Maia asked for the fifth time that day.
Leah looked at her pointedly from where she was sitting on the floor, stroking her golden retriever.
"Under a false identity and appearance?"
"Yes Maia." Leah said patiently, looking back down at her dog.
"To seduce Harry Potter?" The large dog snorted as it laid on the floor, enjoying Leah's stroking.
"Can we not use that word?" Leah did not bother looking up.
"Well, I suppose it makes sense." Maia looked up at the ceiling, explaining to no one in particular." There isn't any other girl who can do the job, and you have been dying to go to Hogwarts anywa-"
"That is not true." Hermione looked up sharply.
"You and I know that it is very true." Maia retorted, before speaking in a gentler voice. "You want to be where Draco is; I know very well how you feel-"
"Maia," She interrupted softly, "you don't want to continue that sentence."
"There's nothing wrong! He's not your real brother anyw-"
"Maia, please." Leah looked away from her nanny, onto the floor.
Maia relented. "I'm just saying that this mission could be a good thing. You've had little chance to really socialize with people your age anyway. This could be the perfect time!" She exclaimed.
"What could be the perfect time?" A masculine voice came through the door, which opened to reveal Maia's other charge.
"Draco, you're back!" her face broke into a large smile. She crossed the room and looked up. "And you've grown even taller!"
"And more gorgeous too!" He stepped forward to hug Maia, his own face wearing a smile of his own. "Hi, Maia." He whispered into her hair. He looked down and nodded at the golden retriever who had padded over. "Hey Ash."
"Ah, still having the ego problem." Maia broke away from the embrace. "But yes, you have grown more handsome." She looked at him fondly. Draco shot a smug look at Leah. Leah raised an eyebrow in response.
Maia laughed at her two charges. "What took you so long anyway?" She asked Draco. "Leah was back ages ago."
His face darkened for a moment. "Master had something else to talk to me about." He broke into another smile. "But it's nothing much, don't worry. So what's could be the perfect time?" He looked at the two women in the room.
"I was saying that it was a good chance for Leah to socialise with people her age, now that she'll be joining you in Hogwarts, whether it is for a mission or not." She looked at Draco sternly. "You better take care of her now!"
Draco laughed. "When have I done any other thing to my little sister?" He grinned playfully before becoming more serious. "But it won't be easy, Leah. You know Potter and I are enemies. We can't be seen associated, or the mission would definitely fail."
Leah simply nodded silently from where she was. Maia looked sympathetically at her, knowing how she felt.
"Well, let's not dally away the time!" Maia exclaimed loudly. She hustled over to Leah and quickly sat her on the bed, whipping out her wand. "Let us decide on her new appearance and identity, starting with the name."
Leah looked on helplessly as Draco leaned against the bedpost grinning at the scene before him. What they did not know was Maia's inner turmoil as she paced the few steps in front of the bed. Finally she decided and stopped right in front of Leah.
"Alright, your name shall be Hermione. Hermione Granger." She said firmly, looking down at her. It was the first time she had said that name out loud. She nodded once, making it clear that there was no argument.
Leah sat motionless for a moment, before nodding unsuspectingly. "It's nice. Hermione Granger it is."
Draco shook his head and muttered "That was quick." Both women ignored his comment.
"Right, now as for your background……" Maia trailed off for a moment. The version that she knew was false anyway and no one knew of Leah being adopted too. "It can stay the same, just exclude the part about the Malfoy family and that you were home-schooled instead."
Leah opened her mouth to say something, but Maia went on. "The identity is settled. On to the appearance." She nodded to herself, as her two charges simply looked on; one in helplessness, the other in amusement.
She waved her wand, and whispered "Finite Incantatem", unheard by the two teenagers as Leah was casting a silencing spell on Draco at the same time to stop his laughter.
Leah's blond hair began move in a wave-like movement beginning from the roots of her hair. Straight blond hair turned into loose honey brown strands that flowed past her shoulders, slightly bushy. Leah looked very different with the new hairstyle; it gave her a new aura. It was no longer very aloof and stern, except for her face expression, but more feminine and gentle.
Looking at her own reflection, she frowned slightly and moved her wand. Before she said any incantation though, Draco interrupted. "Don't you do anything to your hair. It looks good, I like it."
Leah looked at him, lips slightly parted to say something. But she remained silent, and slowly lowered her wand, turning her gaze back to her reflection in the mirror. Maia and Draco turned to look into the mirror too.
"There we have it - Hermione Granger."
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Author's Note: I know Asher (Hermione's dog) should be dead by now after 13 years... but it's fiction after all. (shrug)
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