Atlas Malfoy and how history repeats itself

Part 4

I wake up early and get changed into my robes pretty quickly, where I head down to the great hall. Draco is already sat there, and McGonigal comes over to me.
"Hello, Professor," I say, my voice wavering a little.
"Hello dear. Both your mother and father asked me to give you these letters. Well, your father asked Severus to give it to me to give it to you. Your mother just asked me to give it to you. May I ask how you are feeling?" She says, handing my two envelopes. I take them and say, "Thank you, professor. I'm okay. I mean, I probably wont be after reading my father's letter, but I suppose some things wont make me feel amazing."
"Yes, I suppose you are right," She says, smiling, "Well, I am aware that your father has been having conversations with the ministry and lucky enough for you, you wont be doing certain lessons. Your timetable is a little bit more difficult to figure out, but you'll be taking your O.W.L's in the summer of your third year and then if you want N.E.W.T's when people your age are taking O.W.L's. Complicated, but we are making it work. You have less lessons because of it and... and it'll be fine. Good luck, young Atlas."
"Thank you Miss.

I sit down at the bench and rip open my mothers envelope.
Dearest Atlas,

I hear you and Draco have been sorted into different houses. As I thought, you are not a Slytherin, which is not an issue for me. I knew since you were toddling round that you were not like your brother. Gryffindor has gained an extraordinary young witch. I think it is finally time you knew who Sirius Black was and why me and your father thought it necessary to keep his name away from you. Sirius Black, my cousin, was a Gryffindor. He ran away from home, and in general, was a sad young man around the family. However, he was an incredible wizard, until he killed those muggles. I personally believe his innocence, but you must never tell anyone. I love you darling.
I also know about your interesting bunch of friends. Harry Potter will be a brave young man like his parents, but be wary. If the Dark Lord returns, he is not going to spare you if you get in his way. Even your father and I had to be careful with who we associated ourselves with. Ron Weasley's mother and father seem very nice. His siblings do not seem bad either. I am sure that you two will be admirable people. And lastly, Hermione Granger. A young muggle born girl. Severus seems to have some anger pent up, and apparently she is not the best person to be around due to her smarts?
Be careful darling. You aren't a little baby girl anymore. You are Atlas Malfoy, and that name is yours to do as you please. Mein gefallener Engel.
Your mother,

Narcissa Malfoy

That nothing short of what I expected. Kindness and compassion. Mother's strong suits towards me. I tear open Father's letter.
Atlas Black,
I refuse to call you by Malfoy, for you are undeserving. I had high hopes for you. I expected so much from you and you have thrown it all away. Severus tells me you act like Sirius did, so you can take his name. You disgust me. Your friends are no better. Harry Potter, that child killed our master, of whom we serve. You do not get to prance around with him, like Sirius and James did. I then hear of Weasley. Weasley? A blood traitor? And then a mudblood. I feel physically sick knowing my daughter would do this to the family name. You are like Sirius. Potter is like James. That mudblood is like Pettigrew and Weasley will end up being like Lupin. I will never be proud of you.

Mes mots ne suffisent pas. Vous n'êtes pas assez.

Lucius Malfoy

That's expected. I mean, calling me Atlas Black felt like an extreme low. Hermione sits next to me, reading over my shoulder.
"What does that French say?"
"My words are not enough. You are not enough." I feel a tear roll down my eye, and then to make things worse, Draco walks over.
"Looks like Father's letter wasn't good. I bet Mother ripped into you. Well deserved, after all. And making friends with one of her kind? Repulsive."
He laughs and Hermione says, "What does that say? It looks like German?"
"My fallen angel. She used to call me that all the time. Father and I spoke French together, Mother and I speak German. Our conversations in German are nice, but Father's conversations in French still lack anything making them worthwhile. I mainly go on subconscious mode when Father talks."
"That sounds really hard for you."
"Well, it's not like you would know! Apparently most muggles only speak one language." I try to wipe my eyes, but mainly just wipe round the tear stains on my cheek.
"I only speak- wait do you mean all muggles only speak one language?"
I nod and she scoffs, "You actually mean that?"
"I mean, yeah, I mean, you'd think that with aeroplanes, muggles would've figured out a way to communicate. If they can't use owls... why are you looking at me like that?"
"Are witches usually this oblivious?"
"Well, I've actually never had the oblivio-"
"Just come with me."

We sit in the dorm, on Hermione's bed, where she says, "Do you know what a television is?"
"That's the muggle picture that tells a story!" I say, smiling.
"No, well, kind of. A telly is-"
"A telly?"
"A television? A telly? A TV? The TV box?" Hermione says, pulling slightly at her hair. I tilt my head for a second, before saying, "Wait... so a television and a cinema are two different things?"
"How- seriously- how- what? What are you- seriously? Out of everything- never?" She gasps, flopping back onto her bed after trying to get up, "You at least know the basics right?"
"What basics? Depends really."
"Well, obviously, ball point pens, headphones, phones. Basic things."
"What is a ball point pen? Is a phone a baby telly?"
"We'll be here a while."