When Bellatrix Black arrived at Hogwarts she was not sorted into Slytherin like everyone expected and unintentionally started a trend within the Black Family that will have far-reaching consequences. One-Shot AU

Author's Note – Just a little one-shot that came into my mind. Likely never continue but it was a fun idea to play around with

The Black Legacy

Members of the most Ancient and Noble Black family were always sorted into Slytherin. This was not a bold statement it was a fact. For generations upon generation the children of the Black family were sorted into Slytherin and most often married those who were also sorted within the Slytherin house.

In the September of 1962 Bellatrix Black boarded the train to Hogwarts, present was her parents along with her two younger sisters, Andromeda and Narcissa, and even her Uncle and Aunt had come with her cousins Sirius and Regulus.

Bellatrix was the oldest of the newer generation of Black's to go to Hogwarts, there were no tears for her farewell, as their station in life demanded they would always be dignified in public. And the older generation were sure they knew where Bellatrix's place in Hogwarts would be.

However there was one important turning point for Bellatrix as she boarded the train. She had set out to find her friend Petunia Parkinson who her mother had introduced to her the year before as a possible friend being a distant cousin of hers. But she overheard her speak cruelly about being told to stick close to Bellatrix, even though she did not like her, as her younger sister was Sirius' age and her family wanted an in with the heir of Black as early as possible

Suddenly introduced to the more petty side of pureblood alliances and friendships, Bellatrix instead found herself an empty compartment and willed her not to cry as a daughter of the House of Black.

It was then her compartment door was slammed over a girl literally stumbled into her with a "Terribly sorry though this compartment was empty, I say are you quite alright?"

That was how Bellatrix met Annabella Bones, "Call me Bella" within moments she had learnt her whole life story. She was distantly related to the main house of Bones, she was a half-blood having a muggle mother (Bellatrix was horrified at first but after the Parkinson incident, quickly shoved that aside for fascination). Her father met her mother at the circus where she once performed as an acrobat and amateur magician, and has shown Annabella some of her muggle illusion tricks.

She had messy red pigtails, a smudged nose, a muggle mother and an honest smile as she happily chatted to Bellatrix for nearly half an hour before asking "Hey I never got your name?"

Bellatrix gave a small smile and answered "Bellatrix Black"

Annabella gave a big grin, no recognition or dishonesty in her eyes and said "Well I can't nickname you Bella as that what people call me, but Bellatrix is a mouthful, I'll call you Bells instead. We can be Bella and Bells. What house you want to be in, I'm going to be a badger, I'm sure"

It was the start of a lifelong friendship

The first journey to Hogwarts was truly magical, even for someone who had grown up with magic every day in their life. She along with Annabella scrambled into a small boat with two others and were off across the lake. In the waiting hall of Hogwarts Bellatrix proudly stood with Annabella who was practically bouncing with excitement, and ignoring the confused and superior looks Parkinson and the other Slytherin bound girls were giving her.

Going alphabetical Bellatrix was called before Annabella who gave her hand a gentle squeeze before she made her way to the small stool in the front of the hall.

"You have ambition to be great" the hat whispered into her head "But are fiercely loyal to those that earn it from you, what do you want child?"

She thought about Parkinson's cruelly overheard words and superior look (a slight she will never forget) but she also thought of Annabella's honest grin (A smile she will never forget)

The hat chuckled and told her "I worry for those that hurt your friends you will do well in… HUFFLEPUFF!"

The was silence from the house of snake, confused looks from a lot of the purebloods from all houses, who knew of the house of Black's dark reputation, a thought going through many of the teachers heads.

But the majority of the Hufflepuff's welcomed their newest member with cheers and claps, that Bellatrix did not notice the stir she had caused, and happily welcomed Annabella minutes later.

The next morning she received a stern letter from her parents, a disgrace, Blacks are always snakes, her aunt Walburga had to be stopped from sending a howler, and there will be words when she returns for the holidays.

Bellatrix to the bemusement of her fellow housemates calmly set the letter alight with a candle dumped it in the nearby jug of milk and calmly asked a nearby older housemate to pass the scones. "You're friend terrifies me" Damocles Belby informed Annabella who was happily sitting beside him

Bellatrix classmates never called her Bells (as she glared at anyone but Annabella who dared) but she and Bella made several more friends within the house and several took to calling her Trix or Trixie which she resolved herself to live with.

Petunia Parkinson would call Annabella a filthy half-blood, Bellatrix would get detention for breaking her nose

For the next two years her parents would be constantly disapproving of all her actions, trying to encourage her to befriend the Slytherin's even though she was a badger. Things were starting to get tense, the Death Eaters were starting to make themselves known and a bigger rift was beginning to form in Hogwarts between the houses, especially the snakes.

Bellatrix couldn't care less, and while still considered scary was quickly becoming the favourite cousin to little Sirius and Regulus.

Two years after Bellatrix had entered Hogwarts, it was Andromeda's turn. Her parents made her promise she would be a Slytherin, to not follow her strong-willed older sister.

As the sisters boarded the train Bellatrix soon left to find her Hufflepuff friends and gave told her sister to go and find some people her age to talk to and not worry about what her parents told her to do. Andromeda remembered how happier her sister is whenever she went off to Hogwarts and how miserable she is when she has to come home. Andromeda took her sisters advice and went to sit down with some fellow students her were looking as scared as she felt.

Andromeda sat on a stool at the front of the hall as the ancient hat was placed on her head, it barely considered for a moment before shouting "GRYFFINDOR!" The house in red and gold clapped, and Bellatrix joined in with a grin.

According to a letter from Sirius that was gleefully sent to his cousin, his mother had to be bodily held down from sending a howler to the "blood-traitor"

If Bellatrix caused a scandal with her half-blood best friend Annabella Bones, It was nothing compared to the two muggle-born friends Andromeda made a fellow Gryffindor named Natalia Thewlis and one Ted Tonks a Hufflepuff.

Two years later a confident Narcissa practically glided to the sorting hat and was promptly sorted into Ravenclaw. Poor Cygnus and Druella were resigned to never having a perfect Slytherin heiress "Better a Raven than a Badger or Lion" Druella was once heard to have muttered.

Bellatrix had already graduated and moved out by the time it was Sirius' turn. When she graduated her parents had hinted that Romulus Lestrange was looking for a potential wife for his eldest son a fine pure-blood lad. Bellatrix packed up and moved in with Annabella who had an apartment in Diagon Alley and was working in Zonko's as she figured out what she wanted to do next, while Bellatrix entered the Auror academy and was finally putting her duelling skills to good use.

Walburga had always criticized her nieces, thinking their parents had been too soft on them. She was confident that her boys would be proper Black heirs. Sirius boarded the train to Hogwarts, quickly befriended James Potter and followed Andromeda into Gryffindor.

There was no one who could hold Walburga back to send a howler this time, and there was quite a spectacle the next day when Andy and Cissy helped him set in on fire. The event will be talked about for years, especially as James could not stop laughing. Safe to stay no one took much notice of Walburga's rant

The final Black heir came to Hogwarts the very next year in 1972, Regulus had a hellish year under his mother's care without Sirius there to attract her ire, and who was determined that Regulus would not be a blood-traitor like his brother and cousins.

When the hat was placed upon his head the voice mumbled into his ear "A sharp mind and a fierce loyalty to your family. I'm afraid you will not fit in with the Slytherin's but you are not meant to follow your brother ever. No you will find your way in…RAVENCLAW"

It had been over 20 years since there had been a Slytherin Black and Regulus was secretly relieved he was also breaking the rules.

By the time the five Black's had all graduated only one had yet to be disowned. Bellatrix was the first, for not only living with a half-blood and joining the Auror's but taking up her wand against the newly emerged Lord Voldemort and be a vocal opponent to his course.

Andromeda was next for marrying a muggleborn, her and Ted did not take long to become engaged and a couple of years later welcomed Nymphadora Natalia Black into the world.

Sirius did not take long to follow his cousin into the Auror corps and became a public member of the Order of the Phoenix fighting alongside his best friends James, Lily, Remus and Peter.

Regulus also followed his brother and cousin and fought against Lord Voldemort.

Narcissa did not take up a wand but fought from another front, she did marry a pure-blood, her childhood sweetheart Lucius Malfoy. But she made it quite clear she would never support Lord Voldemort, that none of her family would wear the mark. It was not a major difference in Voldemort's plans, but he did not have the Malfoy money behind him.

Lucius was often scandalised by his wife's family, but he truly did love her, and unlike the rest of her family she was the perfect pure-blood wife, he even often forgot she was a Ravenclaw at times (he very pointedly ignored that a lot of his money was invested by his wife, that she tricked him and many of his associates into agreeing with her without them realising. Narcissa Malfoy had the intelligence of a Raven but out of all the Blacks she was the one that was nearly considered for Slytherin)

Some things didn't change however. The Potter's still defied the Dark Lord three times, they still went into hiding with their infant son and Pettigrew still betrayed them that resulted in their deaths that fateful Halloween night.

Dumbledore would still attempt to place Harry with the Dursley's but this time he was up against the combined might of the Black Family. Regulus quickly called for a trail for his brother, and with not only the House of Black but also the influence of the Malfoy family, Sirius was quickly freed from Azkaban, and several law enforcers, such as Bartemius Crouch, were quickly retired in a very public trial and backlash.

It took a bit longer to gain custody of Harry again, Dumbledore was determined that Harry be raised by the Dursley's and more importantly away from the House of Black. However he had little support on that front after all they all fought against Voldemort and it's not like any of them were even in Slytherin.

Harry was only at the Dursley's for a few months before he was again with his godfather.

Harry had a happy childhood, along with his large family, his Aunt Bellatrix and Aunt Bella, the oddest couple he ever met, and who were cool simply because they lived above a joke shop.

His Aunt Andy who daughter Tonks could change her appearance and was like an older sister to him.

His Aunt Cissy and Uncle Lucius who seemed so elegant compared to his more chaotic family but whose son Draco was fun to fly against.

When Harry went to Hogwarts in 1991 while excited, was upset to leave his family who he would miss very much. They were nearly all there, Ted and Andy to see Tonks off, Cissy and Lucius with Draco, even Bellatrix and Bella had come, as well as Uncle Regulus with little Leo attached to his hip (Regulus following the trend of scandalising the older Black generation had taken a muggleborn Gryffindor wife named Laci Moorcroft, so far they had Leo who was six, four year old twins Ariel and Lyra and new born Rigel)

Uncle Remus was there telling him to be good while Uncle Sirius was informing him that he wanted him to have a detention by Christmas, much to Remus chagrin. However Sirius would also take him aside and whisper that his parents would have been proud and to let the hat do its job and sort him where he is meant to go. With one final hug Harry boarded the train to Hogwarts.

Leo would chase after the train waving at his cousins until it was out of sight

Harry still befriended Ron but he had Draco with him, and Tonks who nipped in quickly and summoned Trevor the toad for Neville, which resulted in him and Hermione joining them in their compartment.

When the subject of houses would come up Harry would shrug and say with his family it obviously doesn't matter.

Hermione and Neville would go to Gryffindor

Draco like his mother would be a Ravenclaw

Ron would break generations of Weasley tradition and go to Hufflepuff

Harry, to the shock and distress of many would go to Slytherin (Dumbledore knew he was right, Snape was horrified)

The five would be become best friends and Harry would receive only letters of congratulations from his extended family. He was the first Slytherin Potter for generations, he saw himself as only continuing the Black Tradition, and after all he was an honorary Black