Hidden In The Shadows Part 1- Harry Potter Story

And Back Again

Estella turned and examined Ron, she closed her eyes, desperately hoping the spell would work. "Reneverate."

He sat up with a gasp, eyes darting wildly. "Blimey, what happened?"

Hermione looked at Estella strangely before turning to Ron. "Harry went to go find Snape. We've got to find Dumbledore."

The trio darted back the way they came, the girls helping to support Ron's weight a bit. Estella stopped before the key room and grabbed the broomstick, running out the doors right as the keys attacked.

"Good thinking," Hermione panted. The three stood looking up at the Devil's Snare above.

"I don't think the broom will hold all three of us," Estella's whisper was barely audible. She shook herself and handed the broom to Hermione. "I'll cast lumos so the Devil's Snare doesn't bother you. Take Ron and find Dumbledore, then go to the hospital wing."

Hermione looked stubborn. "I'm not leaving you."

"Hermione, you know you need to," Estella raised an eyebrow. "You know I'll be fine, Slytherin cunning remember?"

Hermione shook her head before she enveloped her friend in a hug. "We'll be back."

Ron looked pale. "As soon as we can."

Estella raised her wand as her friends mounted the broom. "LUMOS SOLEM." The Devil's Snare shriveled back, leaving an opening for her friends to fly through and out of sight. Estella collapsed and waited. There was not much else she could do. She desperately wanted to find Harry and make sure he was alright, but if Voldemort was really down there, she couldn't risk being seen. If he found out Bellatrix's daughter was still alive.. Estella shuddered. No one knew besides her parents.

After a while, Estella looked up from where she had been resting and, too her shock, Albus Dumbledore stood looking at her curiously. She scrambled up. "You've got to find Harry sir, quickly."

The headmaster simply nodded and disappeared quickly into the next room. Estella began to pace anxiously, twiddling her wand between her fingers. Finally, footsteps were heard and she almost collapsed at the sight of Harry laying limply in Dumbledore's arms. She rushed forward. "Is he.."

"Mr. Potter is still alive," Dumbledore peered at her over his glasses. "But he requires immediate attention. Take my arm."

Estella nodded numbly and grasped onto his robes before they disappeared with a pop.

"Penny!" Estella stood blinking in the hospital wing as her parents stood in front of her. Amelie Blackwood pulled her into an embrace.

"We got word you were gone and.." her mother's eyes darkened. She looked up at Professor Dumbledore. "May we speak to her privately?"

Madame Pomfrey bustled forward from where she had been tending to Harry. "You will do no such thing. Your daughter has injuries that need to be healed and.."

"We are perfectly capable of healing them on our own," Albert put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "If you'll excuse us."

Estella was still trying to process everything that had happened as she was numbly led from the room. The instant they were out of sight, Amelie gripped her hand painfully and the family disapparated with a pop.

"Hogwarts has too many ears," Albert explained as he poured himself a brandy in his living room.

Amelie looked at Estella fiercely. "What are you thinking?"

Estella raised her head shakily. "What?" she sighed, feeling drained.

Her mother hissed. "I told you not to be making friends with the Gryffindors and you go around and befriend HARRY POTTER of all people. Do you realize the target you have placed on your back? I have spent YEARS trying to keep you safe and for what? For you to stupidly throw it away the first chance you get?" Amelie paused. "And then you decide to pretend to be the hero. Go down a forbidden corridor with your noble little friends, into the hands of the Dark Lord himself." At her daughter's furrowed brow she clenched her eyes. "I knew you wouldn't understand." With a fierce movement, she ripped up her sleeve and Estella gasped. There on her pale skin shone the Dark Mark. The snake seemed to move as it wound out of the skull's mouth menacingly.

"You're.. a.. a Death Eater." The words fell from the small girl's lips.

Amelie sat down on the sofa and downed the glass of wine Albert handed her. "Your father and I both are. How do you think we got a hold of you?" She narrowed her eyes. "I've taught you to block your mind well enough for you to know the full story." She ran a thin finger along the desk. "Bellatrix and I were best friends from the start. Even though my family's ancestry had been ruined by my muggleborn grandmother, we were still accepted in many social circles," her eyes darkened. "At least somewhat. When the Dark Lord rose to power, my family knew they needed to protect themselves, especially with the connections they had, so they pledged their allegiance to him." Amelie paused. "Bellatrix and I took our vows at 16. Right away Bella loved it, she adored the thrill it brought. I however was more hesitant, but I knew that there was no other choice besides death. Several years passed," Estella's adoptive mother began to get a faraway look in her eyes. "Bellatrix has been engaged to Rodolphus since a young age and they got married quickly. She wasn't happy though, she always had an infatuation with the Dark Lord. Still she became pregnant and had you, she kept you hidden from the Dark Lord." Amelie snorted. "Maybe the only wise thing she ever did. Yet he always found out everything with all his ruthless ways. There was a prophecy." Amelie looked at Estella, who was in shock. "You already know this, but it marked you as a target. The Dark Lord was afraid that between you and the Potter boy, he would be destroyed. He went after the Potters first," Amelie paused once again, downing a shot of whiskey. "It did not go as planned and he was defeated for the time being. Bellatrix was furious, she blamed herself and.." Amelie looked down. "She blamed you. Despite it all, she could never harm you so there was a set up. Several Death Eaters came to the house and made it look like they killed you for revenge." Amelie sighed. "I was your godmother and so I took you in, we made a plan and you were to be my daughter. After that Bella disappeared, she took her anger out on the Longbottoms. Now she's been in Azkaban for the last 11 years."

Estella sat on the hard sofa, unsure of how to respond. "Wow.. I.."

Amelie seemed to pull herself from the memories with a shake. Albert sat beside her stiffly while Amelie fixed Estella with a sharp gaze. "Now you see why you cannot befriend Harry Potter or those Gryffindors. No matter what happens, your destiny is much darker than theirs is and they will never know the evil you will experience." Amelie sighed. "Some are meant to be heroes Estella, others must do what they can in the dark."