Hi guys! Welcome to my first ever Dramione/Harry Potter story! I'm so excited for this story and I have such great plans for it. Just a blanket warning: This story is a twisted canon of the Harry Potter universe. I've changed so many things and that's just how its going to be. Therefore this story is a Dark Hermione, Harry, Sirius and Remus, Pro Voldemort story. It's Anti Dumbledore and Anti Weasleys. If you don't like that, then please don't bother reading this story. Or read it and give it a try. Please don't send me flame reviews saying about how everything is OOC and I've changed too much and blah blah. I've given you the warning. If you don't like it, don't read it. However, for those of you more open minded readers, I do hope you enjoy the ride I'm about to take you on. Without further ado, I give you Hermione Black: The Snake Queen

Blanket disclaimer for the entire story: I don't own Harry Potter, those rights go to J.K. Rowling. I've just taken her wonderful universe and twisted it. The plot and some characters however, do belong to me.

Prologue

April 1947

A twenty-year-old Tom Riddle stood in the middle of Borgin and Burkes, dressed in a simple black suit, a crisp black shirt and polished black shoes; his entire ensemble contrasting wonderfully against his pale skin. His hair was brushed to the side, reminiscent of how he wore it when he was still Head Boy at Hogwarts, more than a year ago. His dark brown eyes were watching the patrons of Knockturn Alley through the window, as they wandered about. He stared for what felt like an hour before becoming bored; he turned away and began taking inventory of the shop. His eyes raked over the various items sprawled about the shop, Hand of Glory, human bones, a cursed necklace, pack of bloody cards before he was distracted by the door opening; turning around to greet the client, the greeting on his lips died as he took in the appearance of the customer, drawing a sharp breath.

Unlike their usual shoppers, she was young and looked to be no older than twenty. Her hair hung in long, soft curls, reaching the middle of the waist and the brightest shade of blonde he'd ever laid his eyes on. She was lightly tanned; her eyes, currently staring into his, were the colour of liquid honey and sparkled with mischief as her pink, slightly pouty lips were pulled into a smirk. She was beautiful. A sentiment he'd never thought of before. She entered the shop gracefully, breaking eye contact and perusing the various items that were lying about. However, her eyes kept flicking back towards him, her smirk growing wider. He snapped out of his daze and cleared his throat, before walking up to her. She turned around and gazed up at him from under her long lashes. She was short, barely reaching the top of his chest.

"Can I help you Miss…?" Tom asked looking for a surname, his voice deep as he turned on his charm, he frowned slightly as her smirk widened.

"Nott"

"Nott? Are you related to Grayson Nott by any chance?" Tom inquired, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Gray is my cousin from my father's side. How do you know him?" She questioned.

"Grayson was a friend, we attended Hogwarts together and we were both in Slytherin" Tom explained, the girl nodding before seeming to remember what she came into the shop for.

"Ah. I see. Anyway, I'm looking for some human bones. Preferably male" She replied, Tom's eyes widening slightly.

"Human bones are only ever required for the Dark Arts Miss Nott" Tom stated simply.

"Indeed, that's why I'm here. In Borgin and Burkes. A shop known to deal in Dark Artefacts." She stated slowly, her voice taking a teasing tone, "Do you have what I'm looking for?" She questioned, cocking her head to side, exposing her long neck.

"Certainly. Follow me" Tom said, as he spun on his heels before wandering further into the shop, the girl following behind him.

"So what is it you do here? Surely you don't run this shop by yourself"

"I'm an assistant. I mainly collect items from our patrons. Mr. Borgin runs the shop, he had to pop out today due to business however," Tom replied before stopping at a counter with the bones.

"Excellent. How much?" She asked as she picked up a bone, inspecting it before shaking her head slightly and picking up another one.

"50 galleons, Miss Nott." Tom said simply.

"50 galleons?! That is preposterous!" She snapped, causing Tom to raise his eyebrow at her.

"Items for the Dark Arts are rarely cheap, Miss Nott" Tom stated, watching her in interest as she pursed her lips before continuing her perusal of the items.

"Hmm. You make a fair point. And having you call me Miss Nott is getting tiring. My name is Clara. Clara Rosalie Nott" She said, introducing herself with a slight curtsey. A frown marred Tom's face. He didn't need her name; he doubted he'd ever see her again. Although, he may run into her every now and then considering she was related to Nott.

"Right. May I inquire as to why you need human bones?" Tom asked, intrigued by her purchase.

"I'm creating a very specific potion and require them. I'm unable to describe the use of the potion however as it's effect aren't exactly ethical" She declared quietly, her voice a hushed whisper.

"Creating a potion? How is that possible? It's unheard off for anyone other than a Potions Master to create them. You don't look to be older than twenty and therefore are entirely too young to be a Potions Mistress. And quite frankly I'd remember if someone as young as me was smart enough to create a potion from scratch attended Hogwarts. Especially if they were a Nott. Grayson wouldn't let anyone forget such a feat," Tom said in bewilderment, watching as her lips formed a smirk once again.

"I'm not a Potions Mistress, no. I'm also only eighteen years old. And I didn't attend Hogwarts; I attended Beauxbatons. While my father is British, my mother is French and insisted I go there you see, that's why you've never heard of me. I'm proud to say I was their best witch. Graduated top of my class in every subject this year" Clara replied, her smirk widening. Tom's face remained unchanged, however, he was impressed. She was smart, and if she was related to Nott, then she was a pureblood too, something he could definitely appreciate. It helped that she was utterly radiant to him, for some unknown reason.

"Interesting. I, myself, graduated top of my class last year. Best student Hogwarts has ever seen apparently" Tom boasted, watching as realisation dawned on the girl.

"Tom Riddle?" She questioned, a grin forming on her face, Tom nodding with a smirk of his own. He basked in the recognition, she must have heard of him, even in France.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Did you want to purchase the bones?" Tom asked, gesturing to the items on the counter. Her smirk returned as her eyes glistened with mischievousness.

"No, not really. I've already got the male bones needed for my potions," She answered causing Tom to frown in confusion. "I didn't come in to buy the bones. I entered for a whole other reason. You see, I was passing the store and looked into the window and just happened to see something I liked" Clara continued, her eyelids dropping slightly, her voice taking a husky tone as she stared straight at him.

Tom was absolutely sure she meant him.

And Merlin, was he damned.

31st December 1959

Tom wandered around Nott Manor before exiting onto one of the many balconies overlooking the rose gardens of the house. The manor was beautiful, no Malfoy Manor, but it had a charm of its own. It was dark, considering it was about to hit midnight soon and the gardens were lit up with the glow of hundreds of floating lights. If he were anyone else, he'd consider it romantic. However, he was Tom Riddle, Heir of Slytherin and such sentiments were far beneath him. He heard the door to the balcony open, and the telltale sound of heels. He fingered the item in his pocket before taking a deep breath.

"Darling, what are you doing out here? The party is in your honour, you shouldn't be out here in the cold by yourself" Clara's sweet voice came from behind him. Tom turned around and let out a rare, genuine smile that only his girlfriend, of five years now, had the privilege of viewing. He held out his hand for hers before pulling her closer to him so her back was against his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist as they looked at the gardens.

"Abraxas' stories about his latest conquest were boring me and considering it is still my birthday, I think I'm allowed to do as I please" Tom said softly, Clara rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"That Abraxas. I'd be surprised if he ever settles down. Did you know him and Orion both placed bets on who would be able to finally bed, and I'm quoting here, 'that prude Walburga'. Honestly, she's Orion's cousin and betrothed. You'd think they'd have some more respect," Clara admonished, Tom making a noncommittal sound as she continued ranting.

"And Gray is no better! He told Orion that he should at least try and win her before their marriage so he knows how good she is in bed. As if she's some prize for them to own. Honestly, I have half the mind to smack some sense into those boys. If I ever heard him speak about me like that, he wouldn't ever be able to have children again," Clara berated, finishing her rant with a stomp of her foot.

"I can assure you my love, if any of them speak about you like that they'd find themselves on the end of one of my Crucio's before they can finish their sentence" Tom drawled, squeezing her in reassurance, causing her to turn her head and smile wickedly at him.

"Now, now darling. You know what you do to me when you speak of the Dark Arts" Clara said huskily, turning in his arms and peppering soft kisses along his neck. Tom groaned before pulling away slightly, not wanting to get distracted by the tempting little witch.

"Not now love" Tom said, smiling fondly as he watched a pout form on her lips. He placed a hand on her neck, pulling her in for a soft kiss. Clara let out a small squeak before melting into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. Tom pulled away after a couple of moments, his hand moving to her cheek, his thumb brushing against her soft skin. He took in the sight of his witch.

She was still as breath taking as she'd been the first day he met her in Borgin and Burkes all those years ago. He was correct in his assumptions, over the years, due to Grayson Nott, he'd repeatedly met Clara over and over again. Eventually, she accomplished in teaching him something no one had ever taught him before. She managed to teach him and help him understand the concept of unconditional love. Something he was sorely lacking as he grew up. It wasn't easy. There were many a time throughout the years that he'd upset her without meaning to and she'd threaten to leave him. However, they'd always return to each other. He wouldn't let anyone else have her. She was his, now and forever.

Sure her beauty was stunning, but it was her brain and magic that had him captured. She was smart enough to rival him, and a Dark Witch to the core. Her bloodline after all, was as powerful as his. Her mother, Amelia Granger was a direct descendant of Morgan le Fay herself, the first ever dark witch to be recorded in history. Morgana's bloodline gave birth to wizards and witches that all inherited her enormous magic core, her exceptional skill at transfiguration and healing and her proficiency to the Dark Arts. It was as if every single one of her descendants were drawn to the calling of the Dark Arts and Tom was grateful. He loved it when Clara used her magic; the natural dark twinge to it drove him crazy. It hadn't been hard to fall in love with her at all. You know, after he actually learned to love. He was naturally attracted to power and as far as she was concerned, she was power. And she was his.

He pulled the ring from his pocket, showing it to her. It was a platinum band in the shape of a snake, the head meeting in the middle. The eyes were two green emeralds and in the mouth, between the fangs was a glistening diamond. He really couldn't have found anything more Slytherin, but it was the only ring he'd ever even think of presenting to his future bride.

"Marry me" Tom stated. He wasn't asking. He knew the answer.

"Yes" was her simple reply as he slipped on the ring. Tom's heart burst with happiness but considering he was still Tom Riddle, he merely let out a small smile before bending down and pulling her in for another kiss.

15th November 1961

Tom Riddle sat in the Babineaux Hospital waiting room, his head in his hands as he awaited the news of his wife. He jumped to his feet when the nurse exited with a smile on her face, beckoning him to enter the room. Tom gulped, wiping his sweaty palms on his trousers before fixing his hair and entering the room. His dark eyes softened, as he took in the sight of his wife, her bright blonde hair in a messy bun, some of the tresses matted again her forehead, drenched in sweat. Her skin was flushed pink and her eyes were full of exhaustion but he could he joy, pride and most of all love as she gazed at him, a happy smile on her face. Tom walked over to her, perching himself on the edge of the bed next to her, he placed a kiss on the temple of her head before turning his head to look at the small bundle in his wife's arms.

A daughter.

He had a daughter. She was a tiny thing, pink and pudgy. Her skin was pale like his, with only a slight hint of colour that she'd obviously inherited from her mother. Her hair was thin and scarce but dark brown, almost black; she'd also inherited his high cheekbones and his nose and lips. It was her eyes however, that he loved most about her. She had her mother's eyes. Two pools of liquid gols stared back at him and he'd decided then and there, that he'd never love anyone more than he loved his daughter. He'd give her the world whether she asked for it or not and he wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who displeased her in any way.

"Are you displeased?" Clara asked, her voice quiet as she turned back to look at her daughter. Tom frowned in confusion, his head snapping to look at his wife.

"Displeased? Why on earth would I be displeased?" Tom questioned.

"We didn't ask the healers about the gender because we wanted to be surprised. But, I know you wanted a son. Another Heir of Slytherin" Clara said as she pulled her daughter closer to her. Tom shook his head before placing another kiss on his wife's forehead.

"Nonsense. She is the Heir to Slytherin. She's beautiful" came his reply and Clara beamed at him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I love you Tom" Clara said and Tom squeezed her shoulder. He still wasn't comfortable with the sentimentalities but his wife knew that and never expected him to say it back. It just made it all the more special when he did utter those words to her.

"Have you thought of any names?" He inquired, Clara nodding her head.

"Arielle Selene Riddle"

January 1979

"PREGNANT?" Tom yelled in shock, as he looked at his daughter, who was staring at him resolutely, one of her hands clasped in her boyfriend's hand. His eyes snapped to the boy, his gaze cold as he glared daggers at the boy. Regulus Arcturus Black was the youngest son of Orion and Walburga Black, two of his most loyal supporters. The boy, unlike his blood traitor brother, was the perfect Black. A proud Slytherin, ambitious and cunning and most of all, believed in the pureblood supremacy that his parents spouted.

"I'm pregnant and Regulus is the father," Arielle said once more. Clara sat beside Tom, taking in the sight of her daughter and Regulus, who was staring at the floor as if it had all the answers he needed.

"You cannot be pregnant young lady. You're seventeen years old! You're still at Hogwarts! You're haven't even finished your N.E.W.T.S yet and you're Head Girl! How did this happ–WAIT, YOU LET HIM INTO THE HEADS ROOM?" Tom screamed, Arielle turning her head away as she flushed in embarrassment.

"Darling, calm down and stop yelling, the stress won't be good for the baby," Clara said, placing her hand on her husband's arm before pulling him back down to the sofa, placing her hand on his knee.

"Dad please, I know it's not ideal but I'm only a few weeks along. I'll be out of Hogwarts in a few months and I'll be able to finish my N.E.W.T.S. Dumbledore believes I'm a muggleborn and a Granger, he doesn't know that you're my father. Besides no one knows about Regulus and I anyway. We've kept it quiet, no one will suspect anything because of the bagginess of the robes and then when I leave Hogwarts, Reggie and I will get married in France. We can live there for a while, I can give birth quietly. No one will be any wiser" Arielle stated, Tom's gaze remained hard and Arielle took in a deep breath before turning away slightly.

"I know this isn't what you expected but what's happened has happened. I'm not giving up my child and I love Regulus. I'm sorry I disappointed you," She continued quietly, shrinking slightly. Regulus squeezed her hand in comfort but refused to move. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself and have Tom Crucio or even worse, Avada him. Tom's gaze softened slightly before he stood up and walked over to his daughter. He wrapped his arms around her, his heart breaking at the sight of her flinching slightly.

"Arielle, I could never be disappointed in you. I was just shocked and then worried about what would happen to you with Dumbledore being around. You're my daughter and you know I only want the best for you" Tom said softly, Arielle letting go off Regulus in order to wrap her arms around her father.

"I love you Daddy" Arielle said as she pulled away, kissing her father on the cheek. Tom turned to Regulus; his eyes still cold at the boy who managed to defile his daughter.

"Black. You better treat my daughter right. If I find her displeased in any way, I will bathe these walls with your blood. Do you understand?" Tom threatened, Regulus stood up straight, looking at Tom defiantly before nodding.

"I love your daughter sir, more than I ever thought someone could love another. I'll do everything in my power to keep her happy and safe. You have my word" Regulus said resolutely, Tom nodding.

"Good."

19th September 1979

Tom found himself in a similar situation once again. He was in the Babineaux Hospital waiting room once again. However this time, his wife was sitting beside him, holding his hand as his son-in-law paced back and forth in front of the door. They were waiting for their daughter to finish giving birth. Regulus had been in the room with Arielle, until he was kicked out of the room for yelling at the healers. He really hated seeing his wife in pain. The healer exited the room and greeted the family, Tom and Clara standing up gracefully before following their son-in-law into the room. Arielle beamed at them, proudly showing off her new-born baby girl.

"Oh darling, I'm so proud of you. She is gorgeous," Clara gushed, cooing at the child.

"Congratulations" Tom said, shaking Regulus' hand before turning to look at the baby. A smile crept onto his face as he reminisced the day his own daughter was born, almost eighteen years ago. Arielle smiled at her father before passing her daughter over to him. Tom carefully cradled the baby in his hands. She was beautiful. She had a head full of dark curls, pale skin, a button nose and Cupid's bow lips. Somehow, his daughter's genes had won out against the Black genes, and instead of grey eyes like Regulus, she'd inherited the golden orangey coloured eyes. Tom was secretly happy; he'd fallen in love with those eyes three times over now. She may have looked exactly like Regulus, but he'd take the small victories.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" Clara asked, her daughter and son-in-law nodding.

"Hermione Andromeda Persephone Black" Regulus introduced, Tom smiling at the little child. All the names suited her perfectly. Persephone was the Queen of the Underworld in Greek Mythology. They'd obviously followed the Black tradition of naming children after the stars in Andromeda, although from what he could recall in Astronomy, Andromeda was a galaxy and translated to 'Ruler of Men', which he didn't doubt she would be, and Hermione was said to be the most beautiful Princess of all time. Yes. There couldn't be a finer name for his granddaughter.

28th September 1979

"Tom, I see I have found you at last" Dumbledore said, aiming his wand at the younger wizard. Tom stood up swiftly, pulling out his own wand and aiming it at the white haired wizard.

"Dumbledore, how did you get in here? My blood wards shouldn't have let you in" Tom said, fear coursing through him.

"I broke through them. Took a mighty long time, they were quite strong but still no match for me. Who would have thought that you'd be living here at Riddle Manor? It looks a lot nicer, now that you've done it up again" Dumbledore said, staring intently at Tom.

"Why are you here?" Tom growled out.

"You know exactly why Tom. You're a danger," Dumbledore said simply, Tom letting out a burst of sarcastic laughter.

"Me? A danger? I may have my ideals, I may dislike mudbloods and yes, muggles are beneath me. But even I wouldn't do what you did. Tell me, how is your wonderful plan going along? Oh don't look at me like that. I've known about you and Grindelwald for a while now" Tom spat back, Dumbledore glaring at the wizard.

"Maybe you are right. But you're still a danger to me. You've always been clever and powerful. Too powerful for just some orphan boy. So I did some digging. The Heir to Slytherin. Who would have guessed? Tom Riddle, not even born in the Wizarding world, the heir to one of the most prominent and powerful bloodlines. But that's not even the worst part. You're married to someone from the Le Fay bloodline. Descended from Morgana herself. That is too much power. If you had a child, they would be detrimental to me and my plans. No, you must both be eliminated" Dumbledore said and Tom's blood ran cold.

"You will not touch my wife" Tom said, thanking his lucky stars Clara was out shopping with Arielle for baby stuff, and that Dumbledore had no idea about his daughter.

"I'm sorry Tom, but neither of you can be allowed to live" Dumbledore said, and just as he was about to fire a spell, two apparition pops sounded. Tom's heart clenched in fear as his wife and daughter came into view. They took in the scene in front of them before whipping out their wands, aiming them at Dumbledore.

"Tom, what is going on?" Clara asked, wondering how Dumbledore was in their home.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing here? Oh. Oh I see. You did have a child after all, then didn't you Tom. I've always wondered how a muggleborn witch could end up in Slytherin. It's very rare you see. Very well. None of you can live. Avada Kedavra" Dumbledore said before firing off the curse suddenly. Clara's eyes widened and before Tom could react, Arielle was hit with the curse, dropping to the floor with a thud.

"NO! ARIELLE" Tom screamed, almost dropping to his knees as he stared at his daughter.

"No" Clara whispered, she fought the grief before turning to Dumbledore, her eyes glistening with tears.

"You will pay! What right do you have to come into my home and murder my child?! She was barely eighteen years old. CONFRINGO!" Clara screamed, sending the curse towards Dumbledore. The old wizard simply raised a shield, bouncing the curse off.

"She was a threat. A child who is part of both the Le Fay and Slytherin lineage cannot be allowed to live. Reducto" Dumbledore spelled, Clara barely managed to throw up a shield, but the force of the spell sent her backwards.

"Fynd Ignis" Tom spelled; the Fiendfyre erupted out of his wand, the dark fire turning into a snake. Clara used the distraction in order to get back on her feet, Tom ending the curse as he saw his wife get up. The two quickly fired spell after spell at Dumbledore, trying to break through his Protego. Clara and Tom skirted around Dumbledore until they were back together, near the body of their daughter.

"We need to get out of here," Clara said, narrowly dodging a spell as she fired one of her own.

"I'll cover us, grab Arielle and we'll apparate to you know where" Tom said, Clara nodding. Tom threw up a strong Protego. Dumbledore's eyes widened as he realised what they were doing. As soon as Clara turned to apparate, Dumbledore fired one last Confringo, hitting her square in the back before they disappeared out of his sight. Clara ignored the pain, keeping her mind clear so they wouldn't get splinched. They arrived with a loud pop in Grimmauld Place, Regulus bounding down the stairs, Kreacher following him with Hermione in his arms.

"What is- NO!" Regulus said as he ran to his wife, holding her body tightly as he broke into sobs.

"Kreacher take Hermione back to her room!" Regulus yelled, Kreacher nodding quickly before leaving with a pop.

"No! NO! CLARA PLEASE NO" Tom cried, tears pooling into his eyes as he held gripped his wife, trying to ignore the blood pouring out of her.

"We'll get you to St. Mungo's please just hold on" Tom sobbed, Clara reaching up a hand and gripping his hand, shaking her head. Tom simply cried harder, she was so cold.

"Tom, it's no use. I… I'm not going to make it" Clara said softly, staring into Tom's dark brown eyes. Tom shook his head angrily, refusing to believe her.

"No! If I can get you to St. Mungo's they can help" Tom cried as he moved to lift her up, Clara lifted her hand and touched his cheek, Tom leaning into it.

"I'm descended from Morgana le Fay darling. Members of my bloodline are the most talented healers. If I can't heal myself, neither can they" Clara said softly, tears pooling in her own eyes. Tom knew she was right. There was too much blood, and a massive hole in her back. He sobbed louder, removing the hand from his cheek and kissing her palm.

"These years with you have been wonderful. I'm glad I entered Borgin and Burkes all those years ago. I'm glad I met you. Darling, I love you, so much. Never forget that," Clara whispered, her hand dropping slightly as Tom clutched it tightly.

"Please don't leave me. I love you" Tom whimpered, Clara took a shuddering breath before smiling brightly at him. Tom felt her hand go slack and let out an anguished roar. Before breaking into another fit of sobs. Regulus angrily wiped away the tears before crawling over to Tom; he clasped his father-in-law on the shoulder. Tom turned to him before pulling him in for a one armed hug.

"Dumbledore will pay dearly" Tom swore, Regulus nodded as the sat there for a while. The two had finally stopped crying and were just sitting in silence, until it was broken by a loud wail. The two men slowly got up before making their way upstairs and into Hermione's room. She was sitting in her crib, wailing as Kreacher tried to calm her down to no avail.

"Thank you Kreacher" Regulus said, dismissing the house elf.

"It's okay Princess, daddy is here now" Regulus said, shushing her quietly before picking her up. He stared into his daughter's yellow eyes, his eyes welling with tears as he was reminded that his wife and mother-in-law were now both dead. He brought her to his chest, clutching her tightly to him, pressing kisses on her small head.

"He killed Clara cause he knew she was descended from Morgana. He killed Arielle because she was descended from both Slytherin and Morgana. The Black family are one of the most influential, powerful and magically talented families ever to have existed. He will stop at nothing to kill Hermione. He can never know about her," Tom said, Regulus nodding in agreement.

"I will have Kreacher destroy all evidence that Arielle was her mother. We kept our marriage quiet and Dumbledore had no idea we were together when he were at Hogwarts. I wont hide Hermione though. She is a Black and I am proud of her. I'll say I quietly married a French witch during the Winter Holidays and Hermione was conceived on our Wedding Night. We can say she died in childbirth. Kreacher… Kreacher can forge the documents" Regulus planned, putting Hermione back in her crib as he did so, Tom nodding in response.

"Make sure he does it quickly. I won't lose anymore of my family to Dumbledore" Tom said, watching Hermione's chest rise and fall slowly as she fell back into a deep sleep. He reached a hand into her crib and stroked her head of hair softly, his eyes softening.

He'd keep her safe.

31st October, 1981

Regulus sat in the living room, surrounded by his friends and family. His cousins Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy sat on one of the sofas looking as regal as ever, Alexander Nott sat next to them, he was a tall wizard, with light brown hair and piercing blue eyes. On a separate sofa was Cameron Parkinson, a wizard who was considered neither tall nor short; simply average with bright green eyes and black hair and his wife Ophelia, a short woman with shoulder length red hair and cheerful brown eyes, along with Eleanora Zabini, a tall, curvy and very beautiful woman with long dark brown hair and soulful green eyes. On the last sofa were Nathaniel, a tall man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, and Cora Greengrass, a woman of average height with light blue eyes and bright blonde hair. Finally, resting on an armchair by the fireplace was Tom Riddle, his legs straight out in front of him.

They were in the middle of their post-dinner drinks; the children all sat on the carpet in the centre of the room. A six-month-old Draco had his cheek pressed to the floor, his eyes shut as he light snored. Daphne and Pansy, both at five months, were playing with a bunch of wooden blocks that had the alphabet on them. Theo, at twelve months was sitting quietly, watching everyone as he let out happy gurgles every now and then. A nine-month-old Blaise was also fast asleep, his head resting on Draco's back. Finally, Hermione, at thirteen months, was sat by her grandfather's armchair, a book in her hands as she turned the pages, babbling at the pictures.

The adult's happy murmurs were cut by the sudden sound of the crack of apparition. The adults immediately stood up, wands out before looking at each other uncertainly. No one who wasn't keyed into the wards was allowed to enter Grimmauld Place. The house was under the Fidelius Charm, with Tom Riddle as their secret keeper and he refused to divulge the location unless he trusted the person completely. Even then, the added protection of the blood wards shouldn't have let anyone in and only members of the Black family were allowed to apparate into the home. Whoever had apparated into the home, knew the location of Grimmauld and was a Black. However, the last person they expected to enter the living room was the man standing in the doorway, holding a baby boy tightly.

"SIRIUS!" Regulus exclaimed in shock, unsure of how or why his older brother was standing in the middle of his living room. Regulus could tell Sirius had been crying, his body was shaking, his face had tear stains and his eyes were bloodshot.

"What are you doing here Black?" Tom questioned, his eyes cold and narrow as he aimed his wand at the Sirius, his eyes darting to Hermione, who was watching with interest.

"Please! I don't mean any harm. I needed to get away… Dumbledore has done a terrible thing," Sirius said, at the sound of Dumbledore's name, Tom's eyes hardened further.

"How did you get here? Your name was blasted off the tapestry," Regulus said, his eyes also shifting to his daughter.

"It was blasted off, but I haven't been removed from the wards. Nor did our dear mother and father remove me from the will. I've been able to get into Grimmauld Place all these years. I didn't know where else to go that would have been protected" Sirius said. He watched as everyone lowered their wands slightly, however, a dark haired, pale skinned guy still had his wand trained on him, looking at him with cold eyes. He had no idea who the man was. As soon as he made eye contact with the man, he felt someone brush into his mind and before he knew it, the entire nights events were replayed in his head. Satisfied with what he saw, Tom left Sirius' head.

"A terrible thing indeed. We can trust him," Tom said, lowering his wand and taking his seat once again. Everyone else looked at each other before nodding, trusting their leader implicitly and putting their wands away.

"What?" Sirius asked, unsure of what just happened.

"Sirius, this is Tom Riddle, or as you know him Voldemort. He's a skilled Legilimens" Regulus introduced and Sirius stiffened before pulling out his own wand.

"Come now, Black. You know what you saw today. You know of Dumbledore's lies. Whatever he's told you about me isn't true," Tom said, ignoring Sirius' threatening display.

"My Lord, what happened? Why is Sirius here?" Narcissa asked, looking at her cousin wearily.

"I was on my way to James and Lily's house for dinner, when I got there Dumbledore" Sirius began, spitting out Dumbledore's name, "was already there. I was at the window and was about to enter when I heard James yelling. He seemed angry and before I knew it, Dumbledore had drawn his wand on James. I heard James mention something about a prophecy. Something about how Harry has something the Dark Lord does not, a power that can be used to defeat him. They began duelling, James telling Lily to run with Harry, one of their spells clashed and ricocheted however the backfire hit Harry. But Dumbledore bested James and then threw the killing curse to where he thought Lily was, it almost hit Harry but Lily jumped in front of it. Dumbledore took Harry and I followed them to Hogwarts. I couldn't tell anyone what I saw; no one would believe me. But I knew I had to get Harry away from him, and because I'm Harry's godfather, by Wizarding Law, there was nothing Dumbledore could do to stop me from taking him. I don't know what's happening, why would he kill them? We trusted him!" Sirius finished, screaming out his last sentence.

"Dumbledore killed the Potters?" Eleanora Zabini asked in surprise, she knew Dumbledore was a sly one and that unlike Tom, he lied and did things in an underhand way, but she hadn't expected this.

"He did it for a simple reason. Power" Tom said, Sirius looking at the man in question.

"You know more about this than I do. Why is this happening?" Sirius asked, as Tom went to speak, the older man was distracted by a little girl who looked very much like Regulus, the only differences were her lips and eyes. He watched in shock as Tom picked up the girl gently, placing her on his lap before letting her snuggle into his stomach. Sirius watched the girl close her eyes, drifting off into sleep. He had no idea that Voldemort, could be so human, he'd always imagined him as some sort of monster. Then again, with everything that had happened today, he wasn't even sure what to believe anymore.

"Is that her? My niece?" Sirius questioned, turning to Regulus. A year ago, the Black family released a statement into the Prophet about how Regulus had married a woman from France, which resulted in a daughter. Sadly, Regulus' wife passed away during childbirth. Sirius had been confused, as he'd had no idea about the wedding. But then again, he had been kicked out of the family.

"This is Hermione Andromeda Persephone Black. My daughter and Tom's granddaughter" Regulus said and once again Sirius was shocked. Just as he was about to reply, Harry started twisting and turning in his arms, wanting to be put down.

"Place him with the other children" Ophelia Parkinson said, gesturing to all the children on the ground. Sirius looked at them in surprise, how had he missed the group of babbling toddlers? He placed Harry down carefully, he watched the boy sit quietly; unsure of what to do around the people he'd never met. Before Sirius could encourage him however, a boy with light brown hair and striking blue eyes crawled over to him with a toy. Sirius smiled as the child distracted Harry.

"Dumbledore was a prodigy. Even growing up, he was gifted with a talent in magic, there was only one person who could match him in a duel and that was Gellert Grindelwald. They fostered a friendship, despite Grindelwald going to Durmstrang. Eventually, Grindelwald was kicked out of his school for practicing the Dark Art. He returned to Godric's Hollow, where Dumbledore lived and they concocted a plan to expose Wizarding kind to the muggles. They wanted to make muggles subservient to them. The plan was for them to use both sides, Grindelwald would play the Dark Wizard and have blood supremacists follow him and Dumbledore would use the rest to follow him. They'd make a good team. And it worked for a while, Dumbledore, ever the puppet master, managed to control everything. He became a prominent figure in the ministry. However as the years continued, he grew restless and began resenting Grindelwald. He didn't like that the public referred to Grindelwald as Dumbledore's equal, the only man to be on par with his magical talent" Tom began his story, staring into the fire.

"In my seventh year, 1945, Dumbledore and Grindelwald had the biggest and most legendary duel to ever take place. Grindelwald had no idea where this was coming from, he felt betrayed and instead of pulling his shots, he fought Dumbledore with everything he had. I won't lie; it was an amazing duel, the power and magical talent was of mythical proportions. Ultimately though, Dumbledore won and Grindelwald was banished to his fortress Nurmengard. Originally built to imprison Dumbledore and Grindelwald's enemies, it became the prison that incarcerated Grindelwald. And Dumbledore was happy, he was back to being the greatest wizard of all time. However, he didn't anticipate me. Tom Marvolo Riddle, son of Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle; the Heir of Slytherin. The Slytherin line is very powerful; we're ambitious, cunning, intelligent, gifted with magical talent and drawn to power, we crave it. It's in our genes; and I was ambitious, I wanted power and I would do anything to get it. As is the Slytherin way. He wasn't happy that someone else was labelled a prodigy. Someone who was younger than him. Someone who was still learning, still growing. Someone who would eventually surpass him. He kept an eye on me, at that forsaken orphanage. He would visit me to keep tabs. He was threatened by me."

"I knew of his issues regarding me obviously, but I didn't know to what extent he'd go to get rid of me. I graduated from Hogwarts and got a job at Borgin and Burkes. I used my time there to learn more about the Dark Arts, to gain more power. It's also where I met my wife, Clara Rosalie Nott" Tom continued, choking out her name, grief lacing his voice. "Thirteen years later we were married and another two years later Clara gave me a daughter, my beautiful Arielle. Clara attended Beauxbatons under her mother's insistence, but we both wanted Arielle to attend Hogwarts. She was sorted into Slytherin, where else would the Heiress of Slytherin go? But in order to keep her from Dumbledore, she took Clara's mother's maiden name of Granger and pretended to be a muggleborn. It worked perfectly; Dumbledore has no clue. Arielle met Regulus, and over the years they fell in love. During the Winter Break of her seventh year though, she fell pregnant. She hid it well, no one knew of Regulus and Arielle's love affair anyway. As soon as they graduated, they wed each other. In the September of 1979, she gave birth to Hermione. Nine days later, Dumbledore managed to break into my home, Riddle Manor and murdered both my daughter and wife. Clara died in my arms, bleeding to death on the floor in this very house, and Regulus and I were left widowed, and Hermione was left without a mother"

"Why did he kill them?" Sirius questioned, his mind reeling with all the new information.

"You've heard of Morgan le Fay yes, the first ever Dark Witch recorded in history? My wife's bloodline is the direct descendant. Every witch and wizard born into that lineage is gifted with a powerful magical core, proficiency in the Dark Arts with talents in healing and transfiguration. My wife and daughter were no different. He knew they were a threat, but they were aligned to me, his other threat. Arielle was the biggest threat, an heir of Slytherin and Morgana. She would be powerful and she'd surpass Dumbledore, my wife and I in the blink of an eye. She couldn't be allowed to live. Surely you see the reason we kept Hermione's true ancestry hidden? The Black's are considered Wizarding royalty, and while not as powerful as the Gaunt or le Fay line, it is a family gifted in magical prowess. Hermione will be one of the most powerful witches to ever exist, if not the most powerful. Dumbledore won't hesitate to kill her and I refuse to let that man take anything else from me" Tom finished his story, stroking Hermione's hair softly, Sirius letting out a whistle.

"I understand where you're coming from, but I don't understand your hate towards the muggles and the terror you inflict on them. I don't understand the blood supremacy, considering you're a half-blood, it makes no sense. I understand you want power, but what is killing a few muggles going to achieve?" Sirius questioned, surprised when Tom let out a mirthless laugh.

"Listening to more stories from Dumbledore? You're right, I would be a hypocrite if I cared about blood supremacy if I was a half-blood. But I'm not a half blood. My father, Tom Riddle, while a loathsome man, who I didn't hesitate in killing, was not a muggle. He was a pureblood, from the Riddle family. It just so happened that it was a line of squibs, that's why people believe he's a muggle. However, I am a pureblood. Dumbledore twisted that around because you're right, a half-blood wanting blood supremacy is hypocritical. And that's exactly what Dumbledore is, a half-blood, born to a muggle-born mother and half-blood father who hates muggles and believes they should be subservient. I'm not going to lie to you Black, I don't like muggles and I dislike muggleborns. But I'm not an idiot. I know what would happen to our world if I committed mass genocide against muggles, and even I loathe spilling magical blood, whether they're mudbloods or half-bloods doesn't change that."

"Besides, my plans for Wizarding society are to basically withdraw completely from the muggle world; more so than we already have. What I want is to nurture power, I want us to grow and expand. I want a world where knowledge and power is celebrated not feared, where people aren't held back by what is considered Dark and Light magic. I have no issues with muggleborns being part of that world, as long as they can prove their worth, prove that they would contribute to our society. Talented, intelligent muggleborns, such as Lily Potter, would have been freely welcome into this world. The ones who learn magic, use up our resources and then return to the muggle world are not welcome. That is my idea. Not the twisted ideologies Dumbledore has been feeding you" Tom said, staring directly at Sirius.

"But your Death Eaters. They do exist, I've fought them" Sirius said, Tom nodding.

"Indeed. You've noticed that my Death Eaters attacked have grown in frequency for the last year? I never cared for Dumbledore much; he was a fool. Our sides fought because we were in each other's way. However, the attacks against the Order increased in occurrences this year because Dumbledore took my wife and daughter from me. I'm human too Black, I'm allowed to grieve. It just so happened that my coping mechanism was throwing myself into this war Dumbledore created. It's a power struggle. Nonetheless, I have not and will not be attacking muggles. All those incidents are Dumbledore's doing, its just convenient for him to blame me. Besides, we can't exactly withdraw from the muggle world if we go around attacking them and exposing our magic now can we? My issue is with Dumbledore and his Order. I want power. Dumbledore just happens to stand in my way. And make no mistakes Black, I will do whatever I have to in order to gain that power" Tom replied.

"That's a lot to take in. Do you have any clue as to why he'd kill James and Lily though?" Sirius inquired, Tom shrugging.

"As if anyone has any idea to the workings going on in that old coot's head. I can ascertain a guess though. You mentioned a prophecy in which Harry Potter will be the only one able to defeat me?" Tom asked, Sirius nodding. "Hmmm. Dumbledore can't defeat me. We're equally powerful. However, if he could sacrifice Potter and have the boy kill me, he'd be the most powerful wizard once again. However, in order for that to occur, he'd need to manipulate Potter into doing what he wanted. I don't see that happening with James and Lily in the way. Therefore, he got rid of them. Besides, he's unlikely to want Potter to take away his glory; therefore he kills two birds with one stone. He gets Potter to fight me, we kill each other and he's left standing with no one in the way. I'll need the rest of that prophecy though, just so I know what's going on," Tom declared.

"You're not going to kill Harry are you?" Sirius questioned, Tom chuckling.

"I'd be an idiot to be threatened by a child, Black. I don't care if he can kill me; everyone dies at some point. As long as he doesn't get in my way and as long as I can create a better Wizarding world, I'll leave Potter alone" Tom promised, Sirius sighing in relief.

"With everything that you've told me… with everything that's happened. I don't want to go back to Dumbledore. I don't want to be a part of that anymore. I… I want to join you" Sirius said, clearing his throat. Everyone's jaw dropped at his declaration.

"Are you being serious?" Regulus asked.

"I'm not being serious, I am Sirius" Sirius replied, chuckling at his own joke and causing his little brother to roll his eyes. "Jokes aside though, yes I do want to join. You want to create a better Wizarding world and I'm all about that. Besides, I can't have Harry being under Dumbledore's thumb. So yes, I want to become a Death Eater" Sirius said resolutely.

"Fine by me. However, this gives me an opportune moment. I'm not going to mark you, Black. You're going to spy for me. You're going to pretend like nothing has changed, you know nothing of Dumbledore's betrayal. It will also be the easiest way for you to keep Potter safe. If you run away with Potter now, Dumbledore will know something is up and will follow you. Currently, he thinks you're on his side; let him believe that. Get close to him and eventually, we'll bring him down" Tom schemed, Sirius could applaud the ingenuity of the plan, it was sneaky and covert and positively Slytherin. He just wasn't sure how comfortable it would be to be around Dumbledore knowing everything he did now.

"I can see you're doubtful. But we need someone on the inside. Someone he trusts. You and eventually Potter will be a great way of doing this. He's going to try and manipulate you, instead manipulate him," Tom said and Sirius nodded. The older man made some very compelling points.

"Guess it works for me" Sirius replied, Tom letting out a small smirk.

After that night, Sirius moved into Grimmauld Place, in order to raise Harry with Hermione and Regulus. At first, the brothers' relationship was strained; it had been years since they'd lived together, their clashing personalities, views and the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry had done nothing but drive a wedge between the two. However, as the years progressed, their experience of fatherhood, along with living under the same roof helped them build a better relationship and soon enough, they were as thick as thieves. Sirius even managed to foster friendly relationships with the other parents, each of the children looking up to Sirius, who took great pleasure in training them to be Junior Marauders. After the night of James and Lily's murders, Sirius had confessed everything to Remus, who after viewing the memories of the night, as well as dosing Sirius with veritaserum, also joined the Death Eaters, helping Sirius spy on the order. To Sirius' chagrin, Snape had also defected with them, after hearing about Lily's death. His vow with Dumbledore had been broken, the old wizard had failed to keep Lily safe and with great sorrow, Snape turned on Dumbledore.

September 1982

"Seffy!" Harry, Draco and Nott cheered as they spotted their cousin coming down the stairs, carried by her father.

"Mione!" Pansy, Blaise, Daphne called as they too spotted their friend.

"Harry! Draco! Theo! Blaise! Pansy! Daphne!" Hermione said in excitement, struggling to get out of her father's arms so she could run up to him.

"Hermione, sweetheart calm down" Regulus said, as he put her down. He watched her run over to her friends before shaking his head.

"Seffy?" Cora Greengrass inquired, Tom shrugging his shoulders.

"They found out Persephone was one of her middle names, decided they liked that a lot more than Hermione, tried but couldn't pronounce it and decided to call her Seffy instead" Tom explained

"Although, only those three can call her that, they take offence when anyone else says it. Pansy, Blaise and Daphne settled on Mione" Remus continued, everyone nodding to his explanation.

"Nice of you to finally join us Reggie" Ophelia Parkinson said teasingly.

"Why were you so late?" Lucius questioned, handing the younger wizard a glass of firewhiskey.

"Hermione refused to get dressed, all she wanted to do was open her presents. I had to bribe her with extra presents" Regulus said, Alexander Nott letting out a booming laugh before clapping him on his back.

"I see my baby cousin has you wrapped completely around her finger" Alex teased, Regulus shaking his head.

"It's just Black Baby Syndrome. Cissy, Bella and Andy had the exact same Princess complex. She'll grow out of it eventually," Sirius said, Narcissa blushing bright red.

"Sirius dear, do keep quiet" Narcissa threatened, causing the man to hold up his hands in surrender, chuckling quietly to himself.

"Actually, I think I agree with Sirius there. It does seem to be a Black trait, considering Draco is equally spoiled" Eleanora Zabini snickered to Remus, raising her glass of Elven Wine in order to hide her smirk.

"It then follows that it's a Black trait to completely enable and dote on their children too," Cameron Parkinson said, joining his friends in teasing Regulus. Narcissa and Regulus blushed bright red, Sirius just joining in on the laughter.

March, 1983

Tom apparated into Grimmauld without a sound, he could hear the Black brothers speaking in the kitchen and made his way through the house, towards the sound. He took in the sight in front of him with astonishment, confusion and a slight hint of amusement. An empty bowl was lying on the floor, it's contents, which looked to be mushrooms and Brussels sprouts, were currently all over Regulus' chest. Sirius sat next to him; his head shaking in exasperation with his 'I told you so' look on his face. Harry was giggling at his uncle while Hermione sat with her arms crossed, her features furrowed in irritation. Tom cleared his throat, alerting his family of his present. Everyone's eyes turned to him, Hermione and Harry beaming at him, the former's anger disappearing as soon as she saw him.

"Grandpa!" Harry and Hermione cheered, Tom entering the kitchen and placing a kiss on Hermione's head before ruffling Harry's already unkempt hair.

"So, what's happening here?" Tom asked, gesturing to the mess in the kitchen.

"Reggie tried to feed Hermione mushrooms and sprouts, but she was having none of it, so she pushed the bowl and it fell all over him. I did try telling him she wouldn't eat them, but he didn't listen" Sirius explained, Regulus sighing.

"Hermione veggies are good for you" Regulus admonished, Hermione pouting as she blew a stray black curl out of her face.

"They taste yucky daddy" Hermione replied, Regulus sighing in defeat once again. Hermione cheered as she continued happily eating her spaghetti.

"Honestly Regulus, you need to learn to be firm with Hermione, or she's going to walk all over you" Tom chided, Regulus raising an eyebrow at him.

"Are you honestly telling me I need to be more firm with her? You're the one who bought her a fully furnished playhouse that she could live in just because she really wanted one and looked sad when you passed it in Diagon Alley" Regulus snapped, Tom at least had the audacity to look guilty as he turned his head.

"Please, we both know you'd have done the same Regulus. Neither of you can help spoiling either Harry or Hermione. They're both going to grow up spoiled completely rotten" Sirius said, causing both of them to snort.

"As if you're any better. You bought them both the most expensive children broom's before they were even released" Tom said.

"Hey! They need to learn to fly so they can be great Quidditch players!" Sirius argued, defending himself.

"Let's just agree to disagree" Tom said, ending the argument.

August 1987

"Hermione, Princess, please just tell me what's wrong" Sirius said, looking earnestly at his niece. Hermione just shook her head, looking away as her eyes filled with tears, her bottom lip quivering.

"Sirius? What's going on?" Regulus called as he entered Hermione's room, dressed in his pyjamas, Harry following behind him, rubbing his bright green eyes. He looked at the room in shock, everything was a completely mess. Hermione's books were strewn all over the floor, the curtains were in tatters and there were pieces of glass surrounding her.

"I'm not entirely sure. I was in the kitchen getting a late night snack, I heard a scream, rushed in here and everything was a mess," Sirius explained and at his words Hermione let out a wail, tears streaming down her face as she bawled.

"Seffy!" Harry exclaimed in alarm, he pushed past Regulus' legs as he ran to her bed, quickly climbing up and throwing his arms around the smaller girl. Hermione turned and cried into Harry's shoulder, the boy petting her back soothingly.

"Sweetheart?" Regulus asked, kneeling down next to Sirius as he looked at his daughter. Hermione looked at her father from Harry's shoulder before throwing her arms around his neck and clutching onto his nightshirt.

"I'm sorry daddy! I didn't mean to do it, I promise!" Hermione cried, Regulus patting her back soothingly.

"Shhhh, it's okay. Just tell daddy what happened" Regulus said, Hermione stifling her sobs.

"I had a bad dream and I woke up and screamed and then everything started flying!" Hermione said and realisation dawned on Regulus and Sirius' face.

"Hermione, it's okay. It was just some accidental magic. No one blames you" Sirius said softly and Hermione looked at him with doubt in her eyes.

"Sirius is right darling, it's okay. With just a bit of magic" Regulus said, waving his wand about, watching as things cleared themselves up, "everything is fixed. See? No harm done. Now get some sleep," Regulus said, Hermione nodding.

"Alright champ, let's get you into bed too," Sirius said, Harry shaking his head, refusing to follow his godfather.

"I wanna sleep here," Harry said, crawling under the covers with Hermione. He threw one arm around her, Hermione snuggling into his warmth.

"Come on Sirius, let's just leave them here. They're already fast asleep," Regulus said, Sirius nodded, exiting the room and making his way to his own room. Regulus turned back to the children, watching them with a smile on his face. Their heads were pressed toward, their black hair melding together, Harry keeping his arm tightly around Hermione.

"Night kiddos" He whispered, flicking the lights of with his wand before shutting Hermione's bedroom door.

THAT'S IT FOR THE PROLOGUE GUYS! This story will follow the year 1, year 2, and so on story lines, however, they'll have been twisted around. I doubt all my chapters are going to be 10k long. I do usually strive for 5k+ chapters tho. I'm not sure when I'll be posting the next chapter, but hopefully it's sometime soon, but it all depends on my timetable.

Please let me know what you think of my story in the reviews!

Nelly xo