The Malfoy Twins

The Malfoy twins had developed quite a reputation in their seventeen years.

Born to a famous mother and an infamous father, the two had been in the public eye since the moment of their conception, in an antechamber of the Hogwarts Great Hall during the five-year anniversary of the war, no less.

Lyra Malfoy was the spitting image of a Malfoy heir. Her pale hair and eyes were a reflection of her father's in a way that made her all too recognizable the moment she stepped into Hogwarts. The only sign of her mother in her appearance were the freckles that dusted her face, so faint they were barely noticeable unless one was up close.

Leo Malfoy was the perfect mix of his parents. His dark curls and eyes made so no one questioned who his mother was when he was, but his pointy features were as much a part of the Malfoy inheritance as the galleons in Gringotts.

Hermione insisted on their surnames being as they are, despite Draco's insistence that they hyphenate, or drop the Malfoy altogether. She thought it was important to not forget the past, but rather create a new future.

With the Golden Girl as a mother, everyone speculated that the twins would be placed in Gryffindor, but their parents knew differently. Hermione told her children of the Hat's consideration of placing her in Slytherin and warned them she believed that the Slytherin may be recessive.

The twins showed signs of high intelligence at an early age. Not wanting her children to be disconnected from their muggle heritage, Hermione insisted they be enrolled in muggle primary school. Draco compromised by sending them to an expensive private school near their London townhouse.

They met their paternal grandmother once briefly in their second year. Narcissa Malfoy was diagnosed with breast cancer and refused all Muggle treatments, so she went quickly. The twins entered her room in St. Mungo's and stayed for two minutes because when she asked Hermione to leave Draco grabbed his children and his wife and escorted them right to the Floo home. Narcissa died alone in her hospital room a week later, joining her husband who had died in Azkaban before the twins were born.

By third year they were tied at the top of their class with top marks in each subject, they made the decision to split their classes and stick with that so neither interfered with the other's ambitions. Leo pursued Herbology, Alchemy, and to his father's delight, Potions. Lyra was dedicated to Astronomy, Arithmancy, and to her mother's dismay, Divination.

Both were made prefect in their fifth year, then Lyra Head Girl and Leo Quidditch Captain in their seventh. They were aware of the things that were said about them behind their backs. That their father had bought their positions, with his role on the Board of Governors. That their Mother being Minister for Magic forced the teachers to give them top marks lest they lose their livelihoods.

They knew how they affected their classmates. Lyra's study groups and willingness to help others made it so she had a collection of favours she could cash in at a moment's notice. Leo's ability to charm the pants off any witch or wizard with a flash of the Malfoy smirk or a blink of the Granger's eyes kept him out of trouble for the mischief he managed.

The Malfoys were also aware of how people feared them. Not for their father's dark past or their family's powerful connections, but for being Hermione Granger's children. The children of Ronald Weasley were adored, the children of Harry Potter were venerated, but the children of Hermione Granger were feared. Everyone heard the never confirmed rumours of Minister Granger keeping a reporter in a jar, of permanently scarring a classmate with the word sneak across their forehead, of Polyjuicing herself as Bellatrix Lestrange not long after being crucioed by her.

They heard the comments about their father. That he was still a Death Eater. That he had imperioed their mother into being with him. That he should have stayed in Azkaban. But they saw the way their father acted. The way he would shake uncontrollably if he was in a room too cold. The way he secluded himself to only their home and his lab where he developed potions for St. Mungo's. The way he remained statuesque in public, a background character in their mother's political career, softening his stony mask whenever Hermione so much as breathed in his direction.

By the time they graduated Hogwarts everyone in the Wizarding world expected great things from Lyra and Leo Malfoy. Hermione led their commencement as Minister and crushed her children into embarrassing hugs when handing them their diplomas. A photo of the event made the front page of the Daily Prophet with the heading "Minister Granger too soft to lead?", an article in contradiction of the one run a week before, criticizing her "cold, distant" parenting style.

Leo trained under his father and helped in making potions for St. Mungo's while he earned his mastery, with the intention of taking the post of Potions Professor once Slughorn finally retires after countless attempts.

Lyra, fascinated with her mother's experience using a time-turner, interned with the Department of Mysteries, focusing her research in predicting the future using Arithmancy.

The Malfoy twins, with their father's cunning, their mother's daring, their parent's bravery, their parent's ambition.

They were quite a pair.