Unity & Perseverance

The Potter's Arrive

A/N: Here's Chapter 1! I know it starts at a weird plot point, where we don't really know who Amelia and Dorea are, but I promise it gets loads better.

Tonight was the night that Harry and Amelia were to finally be arriving at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Ever since she bade them farewell at the end of fourth year, Dorea felt empty without her partners in crime alongside her. She certainly couldn't think of any good pranks to pull without them (although last night at dinner she successfully managed to slip a mild love potion into Mundungus's drink which, for a good half hour, made him declare that he had an undying love for Mad-Eye Moody. She wasn't going to forget Moody's looks of terror, anger and shouting anytime soon.)

Her father also seemed to be missing his godchildren. Even though he was delighted that he was finally getting to be a father to Dorea, she could tell that he just needed Harry and Amelia to be there with them, to complete the nice little family they were going to be.

Dorea Black looked at the clock in her bedroom (which she shared with Hermione and Ginny) very impatiently. Harry and Amelia were due to arrive by dinner, - however, there was a serious Order meeting going on downstairs which wasn't going to be ending for a while, which meant that dinner could be anytime between half six or eight, which she would rather gouge her eyes out than wait for. She was slightly hungry as well - she had only consumed a sandwich and a half for lunch as they seemed to be the regular lunch-time option, and she wasn't ungrateful at all, she was just bored of having them for the past four days on the bounce.

Ginny entered the room then. "Cheer up, Dorea, they won't be too long."
Dorea smiled slightly. "I'm so going to stampede at them when they arrive," she chuckled. "And when they do, be prepared, because we're going to liven this dull house up by pranking left right and centre."
Ginny grinned. "Finally! Although I have to say, you slipping Dung a love potion was the funniest thing I've ever witnessed. Fred and George were very impressed."
"My pleasure," Dorea laughed again. "I think I should slip one into my Dad's drink next, and have him proclaim his love for.. Hmm, I don't know, my uncle Moony?"
Ginny clapped her hands together and laughed at the thought. "Oh Merlin, yes! I would love to see that!"
"Moony won't know what's hit him." Dorea couldn't wait to carry this out.
It was then that Hermione entered. She seemed to be carrying a very large and heavy-looking ledger book. "Oh hey, Dorea, I don't really know if your Dad would like me finding this, but I found this book in the Library. It's got a bit of everything, - Gringotts records, duplicated letters, receipts from a whole bunch of stores, and photographs. If you turn to the seventieth page you'll find a hilarious picture of your Dad."

Dorea took the book from her and sat it down next to her on her bed, with Ginny and Hermione sitting down either side of her to get a look at it as well. She turned to page seventy and instantly laughed. The photo Hermione was referring to was a moving picture of who Dorea knew instantly was her dad. He was about six or seven years old, with a mop of unruly and curly black hair. This was obviously taken when he was actually treated like a son by his mother and father, not like a piece of dirt. He was wearing a dress belonging to a little girl that was far too big and long for him, and was posing, but when another young girl with blonde hair came into view and started chasing him, he ran away.
"Who do you think that is?" Ginny asked, referring to the girl chasing him in the picture.
Dorea knew instantly. "Narcissa Malfoy."
Hermione looked shocked. "You're related to the Malfoy's?!"
"All the pure blood families are related in some way," Ginny explained. "Did you know that your Dad is my dad's second cousin twice removed, Dorea? My family are only distantly related to the Malfoy's through a marriage some good hundred years ago, but we're related."
"Draco's mum is a Black by birth," Dorea knew her family tree like the back of her hand. "Her mother was a sister to my grandfather, so that's why they were close as children as they were always invited round. In fact, Tonks's mum is a sister to Narcissa as well, although she was banished for marrying Tonk's dad, Ted Tonks, whose a Muggleborn."
"Gosh, you learn something new everyday!" Hermione gasped, clearly trying to take all the information in.