Atlas Malfoy and how history repeats itself

Part 24

"How did it go Hagrid?" Hermione asks, "The hearing?"
"I said how Buckbeak was a good hippogriff. But then Lucius Malfoy, well, he said Buckbeak was an awful creature. And now... Now buckbeaks been sentenced to death."

I take off walking back to the castle at that news. Hermione races after me, calling my name. I ignore her for as long as I can, fighting back tears, until it all comes crashing down. Just as I reach the steps into the main area, I fall to my knees, sobbing. Hermione sits next to me and I sob, "What is wrong with my family?"
I can't bring myself to look at her as she says, "Atti, you aren't like them-"
"They are my blood Hermione. I am them. I am Bellatrix. I am Narcissa. I am Lucius. I am all of them, while not being enough for any of them."
Hermione is silent for a second before saying, "You'll never have to face Bellatrix."
I look at her solemnly and she splutters, "You- I must be misunderstanding- why- how? You can't actually mean..."
"I think they will come back," I sob, "I don't think anyone is safe. I think if Bellatrix comes out of Azkaban, she'll kill me."
Hermione helps me to bed, and I fall asleep almost immediately.

The next morning, I can't get my hair to go right at all, to the point where teachers are doubling glancing at me. Hermione walks with me to the great hall.
"It's not that bad..." She says, trying to mask the fear in her voice.
"Hermione!" I whinge, "I look like Bellatrix."
And I do. I can see Draco gawping at me, and Ginny comes opposite me. She says, "Are you okay? I mean, you look a little..."
I glare up at her and she grimaces a little. Not a single pure blood or even half blood has been able to look at me without wincing. I don't blame them. I look like my crazy stupid murderer aunt. I eat slowly and I hear Severus's voice.
"Bel- Atlas."
I look up to him and he says, "I would recommend changing you hair."
Hermione groans as I yell, "THANKS FOR THE ADVICE SIR? I'VE TRIE-"
A howler lands onto the table in front of me and I sigh. Ron pulls away and it springs to life, yelling in my father's voice.
"A METAMORPHMAGUS? IN THE NOBLE HOUSE WE LIVE IN, I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO TRY AND BE NORMAL. YOU ARE A FREAK. A FREAK. I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE DISAPPOINTED IN SOMEONE. I HOPE YOU FIGURE THIS OUT. YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME HOME. YOU CAN FIND A NEW LAST NAME."
I gawp at the envelope, which has ripped itself up, and burst into ugly sobbing. Hermione drags me to the common room, followed by McGonigal.

She sits me down on the sofa opposite the fireplace, where I curl into a ball and sob, "New last name? I'm Atlas Malfoy. I'm Atlas Malfoy. I'm Atlas Malfoy."
McGonigal holds me hands and says, "Darling, we will figure this out, okay? Your father will regret sending that-"
Severus and Draco burst into the common room, and Severus snaps, "He will not be regretting this. I'd like Draco to say what his genius suggestion was."
Severus throws Draco forwards, and the sarcasm is dangerously obvious. Draco mutters something, to which Severus shoves him again. Draco says, "Just change your name to Lestrange or Black or something..."
"How would that help?" I scream, throwing the closest book at his head. He ducks, leaving it to slam into the wall. Hermione starts pulling books out and with everyone word, I throw a new one.
"YOU. THINK. I. WANT. TO. BE. ASSOICATED. WITH. YOU."
Him and Snape race out the room and McGonigal says, "Well... That could have its benefits. I mean, you would still be in the family by name."
"I don't want to be."
"And you have nobody else's Last name to take." She adds. I say, "Someone will let me take their last name. Someone has to. Please."
"It isn't my choice. Hermione, give us some time."
Hermione nods and rushes out the room. I sob into McGonigal's arms and she doesn't say anything. She just lets me cry.

Once I've run out of energy to cry, McGonigal takes me to Dumbledore's office, where Molly and mum are stood. I burst into tears again, but this time mum is there for me. Molly lingers to the back and Professor Dumbledore says, "Well, I think we all know why we are here."
I nod and Mum retorts, "I shall be letting Lucius know that Atlas is keeping her last name. She is my daughter, and I did not miss out on giving her my maiden name for her to be forced to take it. Don't worry. She will be Atlas Black by the end of this week."
"Well," Dumbledore says, "Molly here had another suggestion."
"What if we made Malfoy her middle name, and she took the name of Weasley."
"I'd rather her be Atlas Black." Mum says, bowing her head.
"I understand, Narcissa." Molly says, smiling.
"She'll be Atlas Black by the end of the week, then."
"I don't want to be here for this conversation." I say, standing up and racing to Hagrid's hut.

Before I can get there, I see Hermione running off in an entirely different direction. I follow her to the whomping willow, where I scream at the sight of Ron being dragged off by a dog. I follow him, through a hallway and into a dusty old room. Ron is on a sofa, groaning in pain. He is also bleeding, and that is one thing I can fix.

I bend down to his leg, and rip off part of my robes to make a make shift bandage. He is repeating something, increasing in loudness.
"Ronald," I snap, "You have to speak up."
"It's him." He winces as I tighten the bandage.
"Ronald, stop. I've already just found out my last name is getting changed to black, so I would really rather you use names."
"It's him... Atlas, you need to run."
"RON!" I yell, making him jump, "JUST SAY THE STUPID NAME."
"IT IS SIRIUS BLACK."