the last great american dynasty--h.p.

chapter one.

Outside the window of the bedroom in the tallest tower of Malfoy Manor, a young woman with bright pink hair hovered on a broomstick. She murmured an incantation and flicked her wand just so, and the latch popped open with a satisfying click. Inside, a girl with bright blonde hair leapt to her feet, trying to disguise how she had obviously been sitting by the window waiting for her rescuer for hours. An owl hooted at her movement, and she swatted in the direction of the sound, a shushing noise following the gesture.

The pink-haired girl flashed a grin upon catching sight of her target. "Wotcher, Sage!" she said, waving happily. The young girl gave a tiny wave in return, folding her arms in front of her chest so she looked even smaller and thinner than she already was. "You all packed and ready to go?"

Sage shifted her owl's cage so it rested on the windowsill as she vaulted out and onto the back of the broomstick, which bounced a little. "I've been packed for weeks now, Dora!" she groaned. "It's taken all I've got in me not to write to you every day and beg you to tell me when you're coming."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "You know I couldn't have told you anyway, there's too much of a chance my dear aunt and uncle would've found the letter and you'd never have gotten out of here." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Besides, haven't you always adored surprises, little Sagitta?"

Sage's eyes went big, and she shook her head as she grabbed the handle of her owl's cage and swung it into her lap. The owl let out an indignant hoot and flapped her wings, trying to retain her balance. The spectacled markings on her face somehow made her look more judgmental as she fixed her eyes on Sage. "Oh, shut it, Persephone," Sage muttered, adjusting her grip so her arms were wrapped around the cage. "I'll let you out in a moment, okay?" Mollified, Persephone made no further noise. "And as for the surprise thing, I have no idea who you're thinking of, but it isn't me."

Tonks shrugged. "Don't have a clue, then." She was about to fly off when Sage tapped her shoulder and pointed toward her trunk, which remained on the sill. "Oh. My bad," she said, swishing and flicking her wand as she whispered, "Wingardium leviosa!" and the trunk floated out toward them.

As the manor faded into the horizon, Sage couldn't help but give a great sigh of relief, drawing her cousin's attention toward her. "Thanks for this," she said, and somehow those three words expressed everything she was feeling.

"Hey, I'm sick and tired of living by myself. You're just lucky I have spare room in my house," Tonks said, nudging Sage with her elbow so hard she nearly tumbled off the broom. "And I've sort of made it my life's mission to irritate the 'Noble and Most Ancient House of Black' in any shape, form, or fashion, now they've all up and sided with You-Know-Who. Stealing one of the Malfoy children right out from under her parents' noses? Absolutely flawless addition to the plan."

There was a touch of sadness to Sage's laugh. "If you really wanted to irritate them, you should've grabbed Draco instead. I think my parents would've had a fit if they found out their precious golden child had been snatched."

Tonks wrinkled her nose. "Oh, but who wants to hang out with him anyway? You're far more entertaining to be around. At least you won't insult me or my parents."

"Well, I'm glad at least someone thinks so."

They flew in silence for a moment before Tonks, obviously uncomfortable with the atmosphere, said, "You ready to start your fourth year?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Sage answered. "I'm curious to see who our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is this year." She gasped, struck by an idea. "Maybe it'll be the real Mad-Eye Moody!"

Tonks shook her head. "I doubt it. With You-Know-Who back, he's got too much to worry about without adding a teaching gig."

Sage huffed, folding her arms. "I wish Professor Lupin would come back. I learned loads from him, and he always had chocolate to make me feel better when Draco and his friends made me feel bad about myself."