Hopeless : Sirius Black's daughter Book 2

Malfoy Manor

I spent most of July over at the Clearwaters'. Grandma liked to moan about where she had gone wrong in raising her children. It was her favourite conversation.

"We had always wanted a girl but I had a difficult time giving birth to Rocky, hence the name, so we decided to adopt a little girl. She was only three months old but I saw that she was different, that she was my girl, she reminded me of my own grandmother somehow. I know now that it was because they were both witches. Maybe I spoiled her too much for being the only girl." she said. I could not understand why she was always this way over Rhine, so I asked Mrs Clearwater. 

"Rhine left this house as soon as she turned seventeen. The family never heard from her again until we saw her obituary on the paper. Her mother was heartbroken. We all were." she told me, looking sad.

On another day Grandma showed me a picture of Rhine at age eleven wearing her Hogwarts robes with her arm around a young Eleanor Clearwater who looked about thirteen.

"So they were good friends?" I asked.

"Oh yes, best friends for years. But as soon as Rhine found out what she was, she changed. Eleanor never gave up on her though. I was a bad mother." said Grandma

"No. Don't say that." I said.

"It's true. Look at how my children turned out. Roman is stoic, reserved and almost emotionless. He has difficulty in interacting with people, I thank the Lord that he has Eleanor. He resented Rhine because she hurt both me and Eleanor. Rocky is unstable, he can't settle down. He is thirty nine and hasn't got a wife or steady job! And Rhine? Dead. She told us that we were Muggles beneath her."The old woman moaned.

I couldn't believe that my mother would do that.

I also spent time with Ari and Louis. It turned out that Ari was a huge fan girl like me the only difference being that she obsessed over Muggle celebrities. In the end we both ended up warming to each other's taste in music. Lou was good with electric gadgets so we spent a lot of time arguing about magic and electronics. While Ari inherited her mother's high spirit and perky smile, Lou had that mysterious air that his father always exuded. But I liked the both of them.

On Harry's birthday, I cornered Ari into helping me bake a cake. It was really big because Harry was currently being forced to take Dudley's diet.

In August my Hogwarts letter arrived. As expected, my supplies this year costed way more than we could afford.

"Miley, I can talk to Dumbledore and you'll take the orphans fund-" uncle Remus started but I overrode him. 

"No. I'm not an orphan. My dad is rich! If he was here, I would want for nothing.  I'm not taking it!" I said.

Uncle Remus' face fell and I knew that I was being mean but I couldn't stop. "It's too late to write to him now Miley."

"I don't care, but I am not taking charity!"

"What is wrong with you? You sound like Rhine!"

"You make it sound like that is a bad thing!" I said storming off to write a letter.

Dear Draco

How are you? So is your dad's offer to pay for my school things still on?

Miley

I sent out Orion with the letter as I wrote to my dad, hoping that the letter would get to him in time.

Dear Sirius.

I received your last letter and I wonder where do you get those birds?? I mean, they are huge.

Our new house is great, I feel more free around here. I met Rhine's family and they are treating me like gold, they are honestly the best people in the world.