Witch Way

Name suggested by Cateagle

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the recognizable characters, though I wish I did. They are all property of J.K. Rowling and her business associates, except for Lillian and the other characters I invented.

A/N: This is a sequel for Witch Daughter, as requested by some readers. It won't be updated as fast as that story was, as I'm frankly out of ideas about what my characters should do. Any suggestions are welcome. Rated M for later chapters.

September 2005

Chapter 1: On Hogwarts Express

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!"

"Bye Mr. and Mrs. Potter!"

Lillian, Andrew and Julius were still waving although they could no longer see anybody. The steam and the smoke were obscuring the view and a moment later the train entered a tunnel.

The three children sat down. Julius had managed to find an empty compartment for them, yet many children were still moving in the corridors, looking for their friends or just searching for a place to sit.

"Mom is always worried we may be late, so we always arrive too early." Julius explained, answering the un-asked question.

"Gr'ma made me come early as well, but I stayed to talk with Helen and then my parents. I should have looked for a compartment as well." Lillian sounded apologetic.

"It doesn't matter, as long as we are all together. Aren't you excited?" asked Andrew. He looked much smaller than his age and his excitement was catching.

"It's my third year, you know," answered Julius, "but this train is always fun."

"I'm excited," admitted Lillian. "I've already visited Hogwarts several times, but this time I'm going as a student and I'll have to be sorted into a house. Where would you like to be?" The question was directed at Andrew.

"I don't know. My brothers were Gryffindor, but they were really brave. I don't think Slytherin would be appropriate, but anything else should be fine…"

"I hope to be in Gryffindor, just like my parents, but Ravenclaw may be just as appropriate for me and I also have a friend in Hufflepuff, you know."

"Yes, we've already met Joanne. She seems to be nice, but too strict," commented Julius.

The compartment door was opened and a small blonde peeked in. "May I join you? I can find no empty compartment and I don't know anybody," she said. Lillian noticed a slight French accent.

Andrew seemed to have lost his tongue and Julius was looking at Lillian, as if to get her approval.

"There's room enough in here," Lillian shrugged.

"Oh, zank you!" said the girl. "I'm Dianna," she added, extending her hand towards Lillian.

"I'm Lillian, and these are my friends Andrew and Julius. Would you like us to help you with your luggage?"

"Zanks, but it is not necessary. My Maman has already taken care of it. I have only this with me," the girl said, pointing to her shoulder-bag.

"Are you French?"

"Not really. I was born in England, but my parents sent me to France, to stay with some distant relatives, shortly after I was born."

"Why would they do that? Don't they love you?"

"They sent me away because they loved me and didn't want to put me in danger. There was a great war some time after we were born, didn't you know?"

"Oh, I know about it. Mom sent me with my grandparents to Australia to keep us safe, but we came back once the war was over."

"My parents couldn't take me back. They lost almost everything during that war and couldn't give me what I was already getting with my relatives. Mom used to visit me at least once a month and my older brother visited a few times as well. Do you have any siblings?"

Lillian smiled. "Well, I have my brother James and my baby sister Rose. Then there's Teddy who lives with us and Helen, who's really my aunt but is four years younger than me."

"So, you are the eldest?"

"Yes, although I sometimes feel it is more of a burden than a privilege."

Dianna smiled. "I grew with four other children. Two were older than me, so I wouldn't know about being the eldest."

Julius was listening to the girls and Andrew seemed to finally come back to his senses, evidenced by the camera he started using, taking pictures of the two girls.

"Where would you like to be sorted?" asked Julius.

"My brother would like me to be in Slytherin, yet I would like anything but," answered Dianna.

"Why?"

"Well, I've heard some rumors that most Slytherins are cruel and selfish. I wouldn't like to spend seven years in such company and I hope I'm better than that!"

"But you say your brother was there…"

"Yes, he was there and my parents and grandparents as well, but I'm not proud of it at all."

"My father used to be the head of Slytherin house for many years", noted Julius quietly.

"Your father? What's his name?"

"He was called Severus Snape…"

"Snape? I've heard this name! Let me think…" Dianna looked pensive for a long moment and then brightened up. "Yes, he was potion master and spied against Voldemort. He was made Headmaster for awhile until he was killed by Voldemort's snake. He's got the Order of Merlin, first class for his deeds – I've read it all in 'Hogwarts – A History'."

"You've read that book? That's nice!" commented Lillian.

"Yes. I love to read about how Harry Potter fought against Voldemort and killed him…"

"Dad told me he didn't really kill him. Dad only tried to disarm Voldemort, and the wand turned in mid-air, sending Voldemort's curse back to him."

"Are you saying that Harry Potter is your father?" Dianna sounded very skeptical.

Lillian didn't have to answer. "Lord and Lady Potter are Lillian's parents," Andrew said proudly.

Dianna flopped down on the bench. "I didn't know he was so old. I thought he was the same age like my brother," she finally said.

"Oh, my parents are quite young – my Dad had his twenty fifth birthday last month. None of their friends have children my age."

"Twenty five – just like my brother…" murmured Dianna. She then looked at Lillian again. "I think we may be very distant relatives."

Lillian shrugged. "Mom says that most pure-blood wizard families are related to some extent, as they were too prejudiced to marry non-magical partners."

"That may be true, but the relatives who took me in are descendants of the same family the Potters came from."

This picked Lillian's interest. "Dad had never had a chance to learn about his ancestry. His parents were killed when he was just a baby and most of the family documents were destroyed. He only managed to trace four generations back before reaching a dead-end."

"Well, this is what I learned about that branch of the family: The Marquis De-Poitier had his youngest son sent as an ambassador to the English court, where the young man fell in love with one of the ladies and settled there. Some time later he was of great service to the king and was rewarded by becoming a Marquis himself, the first in the line of Potter. A few generations later, one of the children of De-Poitier was becoming enthralled with dark-magic. He started practicing it, to the dismay of his family, becoming a 'Malfoy' – a doer of wrong. He was banished from France and found asylum in a remote place in England. His descendents continued using dark magic. My father even supported Voldemort and is spending the rest of his life in prison for his deeds…"

"So – you are a Malfoy?" Lillian sounded quite surprised.

"Yes, but I'd rather be called De-Poitier, as I was called in France. I'm not proud of what my ancestors did and certainly not of my father and my brother – Draco."

"What about your mother?"

"She only cares about me and my brother. She would fight anybody who would threaten us, light or dark. She told me she helped your father during the last battle and he testified in her favor during her trial. You will see her soon – she is teaching at Hogwarts now."

Lillian was overwhelmed by what she had just heard, yet it made sense in a weird way. She could sense that Dianna was sincere and was telling the truth as she knew it. She also knew that her father would be delighted to find some more about his ancestry, yet being related to the Malfoys was not welcome news.

She examined the girl again. She noticed Dianna's aura – it was bright and wide, on par with her own, and had definite lines of red and gold in it. Her mind seemed to also be similar. She could sense an intense carving for knowledge, a lot of courage and blatant honesty, barely withheld by the French high-class manners.

Lillian smiled. "Well, it's about time to leave the past behind us and face the future together. Friends?" She held her hand to Dianna.

"Friends!" confirmed Dianna, pressing the offered hand tightly.

They spent the rest of the train ride getting to know each other. Joanne joined them during the afternoon and the five of them became good friends before they reached Hogsmead station.