Lorelei Black unwillingly returns to England within days of her father's release and is forced to put up with her cold, high strung aunt and uncle, her spoilt cousin and the students of Hogwarts who demonise her.
POA-
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It was a sunny August afternoon, and temperatures rose to almost 30°C in the city of Los Angeles. Lory had been invited to the beach to celebrate her friend Gina's 11th birthday. Gina was a Muggle or No Maj as Lory's American friend's would call her and so her parents had been rather surprised that Lory was able to arrive on such short notice.
Lory had been having quite a good time, helping out with watching the kids to ensure they didn't go to far out into the ocean. Then however, Gina's parents had come over and said that Lanie was here to take her away and that it is an emergency. Bewildered and slightly worried by the cryptic nature of her arrival, Lory bid goodbye to Gina before she was escorted away by her
Once Lory saw Lanie, she only became more concerned; Lanie was looking around rather nervously, her thick red hair in disarray as she had it in a loose and rather messy bun. The last time Lory remembered seeing Lanie look this distraught was a few weeks after Lory's tenth birthday when her mother had flat-lined.
The elder woman ushered her away into a rather shady alley, which reeked of foul odours of rotting food from the dumpsters nearby. After looking around for a few moments she got out her wand and moments later they were back in front of their bungalow which was situated far off from the small town below.
As Lanie tried to open the door her hands shook and she dropped the key. Before she could pick it up however, Lory did so and opened the door. Lanie smiled at Lory gratefully before entering rather hastily. Lory frowned when she saw the messy state of the house around her; usually the messiest part of the house would be Lory's room and she would often chastise Lory when she saw the state of it.
"What's wrong?" Lory asked, following her through to the living room. Lory then noticed the suitcase and duffel bag that she'd brought home from Illvermony, fully packed. "What's happening? Why are my bags packed?"
"You'll understand everything soon Lo...just trust me...I need to leave now. I love you, okay. I need you to trust me...okay...you have to go back to Britain to live with your uncle. I know its a big change. I'm sorry, but I have to go. Your uncle will collect you and that is who you'll spend the rest of your summer with..."
"But...why...what's happened?" Lory asked. "Why are you leaving? Why now? Where..."
"You're father's escaped from Azkaban, Lory." she cut off.
Lory was stunned to silence by those words and her eyes widened with disbelief. It had taken her a few minutes to recover from the revelation. She sat down on the sofa behind her and then said. "So..so what? If he's escaped why the hell are you sending me back there? I mean wouldn't it be unsafe?"
"I don't have a choice Lory..." she began.
"No! You always have a choice Lanie." Lory interrupted sharply. "Just tell me why you are sending me back? Where are you going?"
"I can't tell you that." she said. She didn't meet Lory's eyes when she said. "I can't tell you."
"I've lived here for the past six years. You are asking me to leave all the friends I've made and my life here behind indefinitely!" Lory shouted, she noticed Lanie flinch, and tried to calm herself before she finished. "I think I deserve to know why."
"Yes you do...but sometimes in life we don't get what we deserve." Lanie replied
Lory scoffed, Lanie knelt down in front of her and took her hand. "Lory...do you trust me?"
Lory looked at her and nodded. "Yeah, of course, I do."
"Well just trust me when I say that you'll understand what this is all about soon. We need to leave now. You're aunt and uncle are waiting for you."
"Who are they?" Lory asked. "Are they related to my mum?"
Lanie shook her head. "I...I would leave you with your mother's brother's family Lory, but the last time he saw her he said he didn't want anything to do with her. That was around twenty years ago."
"Then they are related to my...father's family...the Blacks." Lory said, she grimaced slightly, even calling him her father left a sour taste in her mouth.
"Yes, your aunt Narcissa is your father's first cousin. They are quite a prosperous family and so I'm sure you'll be safe with them. And Dumbledore will take care of you when you are at Hogwarts." she replied. Lory nodded. Lanie moved away and gathered the bags together. She waited for Lory to come over, but the fifteen year old remained seated and stared around her home, taking it in for one last time. "Come on Lory...we really do have to go."
Lory sighed and walked over to Lanie. She took hold of one of her suitcases after slinging the duffel bag over her shoulder and took Lanie's hand with her free one.
Moments later the surroundings of the warmly lit bungalow blurred away and they arrived in front of a large, rather forbidding looking manor house. The manor was surrounded by neatly trimmed bushes that bordered a a path that led to the building. The sky was much darker than it had been in New York, and only made the manor look more sinister.
In front of it stood three people. There was a man who regarded Lory stone faced as he looked from her to Lanie. He was tall and had long, pale, blonde hair. Next to him was an equally cold looking woman, who had darker hair near the roots, which faded into a palish blonde near the sides of her head. Between them was a sullen looking, boy around her age. He tried to steel his features and mask his feelings like his parents, but failed miserably.
Lory looked back at Lanie who gave the younger girl a nudge. Lory stepped forward towards them. Her suitcase's wheel clattered loudly against the cobblestones and the noise echoed eerily across the place.
"You take care of her Narcissa. She's a good kid, the best you can ask for." Lanie said.
"I know how to take care of a child, I've done it for the past fourteen years." the woman replied icily.
"You don't worry about her, I'm sure we can provide for her as much and more than you have been able to." the man said.
"Money isn't the only thing needed for someone to have a good home Lucius. You need love as well, and I can assure you that for the past five years, I have done everything I could to take care of her because I love her like my own child." Lanie said. "You turned your noses up at Lory and her mother all those years ago, so you understand my concern don't you?"
"Despite, the troubles we had with her mother, Lorelei is still a Black by blood and so she's family. We always look out for family Lanie, so don't worry, I'll take care of her." Narcissa replied. "And I appreciate Draco having an elder sister figure he can look up to. If she's as wonderful as you say she is then she must be an excellent witch."
"One of the best. Just like her mother." Lanie replied.
Lucius' nostrils flared at the comparison and he looked at Lanie with unmasked reproach. "We would invite you in Lanie, but considering you are in such a rush, I think it's time you go. It is getting late for us after all." he said.
Lanie nodded.
Before she could leave however, Lory rushed forward to her and hugged her tightly. She stayed there for a few minutes, almost refusing to let her go. She tried to hold back the tears, but a few escaped and she sniffled as she hugged the elder woman.
"Lory, come on...I have to go now." Lanie said gently, pushing Lory's dark hair behind her ears. She wiped the stray tears away with her knuckles.
"Will you write?" Lory asked.
Lanie shook her head. "I can't...at least for a few months Lo. It might be longer." She saw the dejected look on her face and added. "I'll write as soon as I can, okay. But I need to go now...so let go."
Lory stepped away reluctantly and within a blink of an eye Lanie disappeared, leaving the fifteen year old girl alone in front of Malfoy manor.
