Raised by the Dementors

Number 12 Grimmauld place

"Kreacher?" I said with uncertainty. A loud pop echoed across the room as the ugliest creature I had ever seen appeared in front of me. Bellatrix was right, human traits were barely visible in house-elves. 

" A new mistress, I see. Who might you be, girl?" His voice reflected his appearance and attitude, bitter and old and worn out. He sounded like Azkaban guards, but not.. evil. Just incredibly unlikeable. 

"Well Kreacher, my name is Gemini Black, the daughter of your mistress Narcissa. I was not around for the first ten years of my life, but I have... escaped my prison. And now I plan to keep the Black legacy alive for a little longer."

The elf looked overjoyed as he spoke again.

"Ah yes, I do remember how the Blacks felt when they read the Prophet years ago and saw what had happened to you. Mistress Narcissa was one of my favorites and I'm glad you are here now. At such a young age, you have inherited her charm. Though you remind me of more past masters and mistresses of mine, who were rather interesting themselves. Anyhow, Kreacher is glad to serve the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

"Thank you Kreacher, now I think this house needs to go back to its old glory, the architecture and furniture are beautiful and I wouldn't want them to rot. While I clean myself up, could you go get some food? And then you can start cleaning the house from the top floor down. I want it spotless, got it? It would be a shame for a family as pure as mine to have their sacred home look like an abandoned ruin." I internally cringed at myself, though part of me did agree with that statement. I was all that remained of this family, goddamnit! I couldn't live in the trash, I'd been there for way too long. And now that I am out of the trash, I'll never go back. No more prison, no more treatment, no more dementors. 

"As you wish, young mistress Gemini."

And he was gone with a pop. 

If you ignored the state of Number 12 Grimmauld place, you could even refer to it as beautiful. The rooms were expertly decorated and the furniture was masterfully crafted, more complex and elegant than anything I'd ever seen. I was mesmerized by its beauty. Most of the things in the house I had only seen in sketches or dreams, so the real stuff was different from my imagination. The chairs, the desks, the jewels scattered about. They were all so... real. The one room without furniture was the one that contained the family tree tapestry, where I was surprised to see my face. Well, half of it, since the other half had been cut up. At least it wasn't as bad as Sirius and aunt Andromeda's faces though, since theirs must have been completely burnt off when they were disowned. Had I been disowned? Technically, no, since I never committed a crime. But technically yes since I was thought dead and was no longer a Malfoy? Family and politics were weird.

While glancing at the countless names and portraits, something caught my attention. At the corner of the room were two oddly placed curtains, tied together with a thin ribbon. They seemed to be covering something. It could have been a trap, or a human skull, or just a window. But no, it was a moving portrait of a woman staring at herself in the mirror. Familiarity spread across my face as I studied her features as if I had seen her before. And I had. Many times, in Sirius's sketches of his family. This was Walburga Black, and her portrait was now staring at me with a glare that was more intimidating than an angry Bellatrix. "Who are you? And why have you invaded the residence of my Ancestors of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black?!" 

I had a feeling that if she could have thrown her mirror at me, she would have. Okay, Gemini, deep breaths, social interaction with a portrait shouldn't be too challenging. Right? Right?!

"Well, my name is Gemini and I'm Narcissa's daughter ma'am. She helped me escape Azkaban after 10 years of taking my father's punishment. Since I am the last of our blood, she sent me here to keep the legacy of this clan alive for a little longer. It's a pleasure to meet you?" The woman's eyes seemed to widen in surprise and realization, putting down her mirror to get a closer look at me. I felt embarrassed to be looking like I did when meeting one of my relatives. I thought she'd probably be angry, but that wasn't the case. Her voice softened along with her usually sharp features.