Dark grey clouds rolled in over a large secluded manor, preparing for a heavy storm. Two cloaked figures -- two young girls -- trudged along the street, approaching the majestic, dark manor. They were solemn and quiet, walking side-by-side in the middle of the street.

“This the place?” asked the younger of the two. The older girl nodded.

“Malfoy Manor,” whispered the older girl, glancing up at the house. They walked up to the large cast-iron gate that surrounded the entire property. The figures pushed through the gate and walked up the cobblestone path that led to the large double doors. With the black hoods of their cloaks still over their heads, the older girl rapped on the door with her knuckles.

After a moment, the doors opened and the two girls beheld an ugly little creature with bulging eyes and bat-like ears. He wore a ratty old pillowcase with holes for his arms and head. His wide eyes peered up at the two girls.

“Yes, madams? How may Dobby assist you?” the house elf asked.

“We are searching for Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy,” the older one said.

The house elf bowed. “Ah, of course. I shall fetch Master and Mistress Malfoy for you. Please come in. You may wait in the foyer for them both,” said Dobby. He escorted the two girls inside, the double doors closing behind them on their own.

Dobby offered the girls a seat on one of the dark emerald sofas where they removed their hoods and waited for him to retrieve Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy.

Both girls were very pale, the younger one was almost dangerously skinny, the older one was slender, but not emaciated like the other. The younger girl had long blonde hair, reaching her elbow, fringes cut across her forehead diagonally. The older girl had shorter brown hair, cascading just past her shoulders. She also had bangs slanting down her forehead, but, while her companion’s was blonde, hers were brown. The blonde had bright hazel eyes, while the brunette bore dark chocolate ones.

“Here they are, sir,” Dobby said, motioning to the young girls who looked up to see two tall majestic figures behind Dobby. They were both dressed in black; Mr. Malfoy sporting a walking stick with the head of a silver snake at the top. Mrs. Malfoy eyed both girls with suspicion, her beautiful face stern.

“Very well, Dobby. Back to your chores,” ordered Mr. Malfoy, smacking the house elf across his back, forcefully, with the end of his walking stick. The house elf yelped and ran away out of the room.

“Who might you be?” asked Mr. Malfoy, turning back to the two girls. “And why have you beckoned to us?” The brunette stood, and the blonde followed. Suddenly, the older girl bowed.

“I am Stella Rayne,” said the young brunette. “This here is my sister, Casey.” The blonde girl bowed at the sound of her name. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy exchanged glances of curiosity.

“Rayne, did you say?” asked Mr. Malfoy.

“Indeed, sir,” Casey answered, nodding.

“Surely you’ve heard of us,” said Stella, “of our surname.”

“We have,” Mrs. Malfoy responded, her head held high. “Why have you come to us, daughters of Ezekiel and Thaya Rayne, I presume?”

“Yes,” answered Stella. “Our parents were once Ezekiel and Thaya.”

“Were?” asked Mr. Malfoy with confusion.

“Perhaps it would be best if we sit down, sir,” suggested Casey. “Our story is not a pleasant one.”

“Very well,” agreed Mr. Malfoy, and he and his wife settled on the emerald sofa across from Stella and Casey, who sat down once again. Mrs. Malfoy crossed her ankles and folded her hands in her lap, while Mr. Malfoy crossed his legs, resting his walking stick against his thigh. “Proceed in telling your story, then.”

“Right,” Stella nodded. “We are aware that you were close with our parents, am I correct?”

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy nodded. “Yes, we went to school together,” Mrs. Malfoy said, “and remained close, since our families were both prominent pure-bloods.”

Casey nodded. “Then it brings us much grief to inform you that our parents have perished in a fire that was impossible to extinguish. Somebody cursed our home. We’ve just barely made it out unharmed.”

Mr. Malfoy widened his eyes, while his wife gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.

“Thaya … and Ezekiel …? No, but that’s impossible; they were well versed in the Dark Arts,” Mrs. Malfoy said. “They should have known how to counter the curse. Why does this not affect you?” she added when she noticed the two girls were not breaking down in tears, as usual young children would if their parents were dead.

Stella shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid not. They tried all they could, but could not manage to put the fire out. Besides, our parents told us to not dwell on the past. It was heartbreaking, watching them burn, but there was nothing neither my sister nor I could do.” Mrs. Malfoy narrowed her eyes at the lack of concern emanating from the girls.

“So why come here to deliver us this news?” asked Mr. Malfoy, his grey eyes looking down at his shoes, before meeting her brown eyes again.

“Before my mother was swallowed by the flames, she muttered two words to me: the Malfoy’s. They wanted us in your care,” she said.

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy looked taken aback with such news. They were expected to take in these children? Adopt these children? Raise them?

“However,” Stella continued, “my sister and I have talked our situation over on our way here and we’ve decided that, if you were to agree to take us in, we’d rather not be adopted as your children. We are the daughters of Ezekiel and Thaya Rayne, and it will always remain that way. We Raynes live strongly to our name, as you should very well know.”

“Then how would you expect us to take care of you if we do not adopt you as our children?” asked Mr. Malfoy, agitated. These young girls were asking for quite a bit, he thought. They had to be no older than twelve. The way they spoke, how they acted, it was so mature for their age. And making such decisions … he was flabbergasted.

Stella grinned. “Let us live underneath your roof. My letter for Hogwarts has already arrived, and my sister shall be joining me in a couple of years. You shall serve us as our guardian, but not as our parents,” she instructed. Mrs. Malfoy looked at her husband with wide eyes. She, too, was shocked by the maturity of the young girl. And, had Stella said that she’d just received her letter for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Why, that made her no older than eleven!

“You’ve just received your letter, have you?” asked Mrs. Malfoy.

Stella nodded. “Yes ma’am. Just last night, before the fire.”

“That would make her Draco’s age, dear,” Mrs. Malfoy informed her husband. “He’d have someone to attend school with.”

“Now Narcissa, surely you’re not considering letting these children stay with us,” Mr. Malfoy argued.

“They are the daughters of Ezekiel and Thaya. They come from one of the oldest pure-blood families in history, Lucius. We can’t just deny their children a rightful home, especially when they’ve got no where else to go,” Mrs. Malfoy insisted.

“Shame your sister and her husband were captured while the Dark Lord was high in reign,” Casey piped, glancing at Mrs. Malfoy. Her eyebrows narrowed and looked away shamefully. “They would have been our second option.”

“Rodolphus and Bella would never have taken in two little girls,” Mr. Malfoy sneered.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. They would second guess turning us away,” Stella said surely. Mr. Malfoy rolled his eyes at her confidence.

“You clearly do not know the Lestranges if you believe they’d take in a couple of kids,” he said.

“Either way, they are no longer an option and, alas, that leaves us no where to go,” sighed Stella. “Unless there are some remaining Blacks …”

“There are none,” Mrs. Malfoy cut in.

“Ah, of course, because young Regulus was murdered and Sirius has betrayed the true heritage of his family, running with Muggles and blood-traitors alike,” Stella said. “Perhaps the Yaxleys, then?” She turned to ask her younger sister.

“You’re barking mad if you think Yaxley will let you live with him,” Mr. Malfoy burst out.

“Lucius, let these children stay,” Mrs. Malfoy pleaded. “Ezekiel and Thaya wanted us to watch over their children. Do you realize how much of an honour this is, Ezekiel and his family being so close to the Dark Lord?”

“Yes, I realize that, Narcissa,” Mr. Malfoy hissed back. “But we’ve got our own family to worry about. What about Draco? He starts school in just a couple of days. And all of our Dark possessions -- I’m just waiting for the time the Ministry comes and searches the manor for such artefacts -- I have to prepare myself for when that day comes so I can hide everything before I’m sacked. They already suspect me of still following the Dark Lord, I cannot be caught again. And now, just when things are getting stressful, the Raynes perish in a fire and leave us with their children? What about us, Narcissa? Didn’t they think about how we’d feel about this?”

“If it’s too much for you then we’ll just walk on over to the Yaxleys,” offered Casey.

“Quiet, will you?” Mr. Malfoy snapped at her with cold, grey eyes. He turned back to his wife, finding her eyebrows narrowed.

“What harm can they do?” she asked icily. “They don’t even want us to parent them. We are just supposed to serve as their guardian, give them a roof to live under, and then they will be off to Hogwarts. They won’t even be here most of their lives. They’ll be away at school, and then, once they turn seventeen, they will be out as adults.”

“We do plan on leaving once Stella has turned seventeen and has completed school,” Casey mentioned. Mr. Malfoy eyed her sharply and then sighed in defeat, gripping his walking stick.

“Fine,” he growled, “but you will need to support yourselves, especially with your Hogwarts supplies.”

Mrs. Malfoy widened her eyes with protest, but Stella and Casey agreed.

“Our parents left us their fortune at Gringotts,” informed Stella. “We will be able to manage.”

“And you, Narcissa, will be the one mentioning this to Draco. I don’t know how he’ll react to having permanent guests in the house, considering he is an only child.”

“We intend on taking no attention away from your only son,” said Stella. “Like we said before, we only need a guardian for law purposes, and a roof to shelter us. This is, after all, my parents’ last wish.”

“Though,” added Casey, “we cannot deny that we’d rather stay with friends of our family than at an orphanage.” She shuddered.

Mrs. Malfoy nodded. “Then it is settled. We will gladly take in Ezekiel and Thaya’s daughters for safekeeping.”

“And only for safekeeping,” sniffed Mr. Malfoy, rising to his feet with his walking stick. Mrs. Malfoy stood at his side, while Stella and Casey rose to their feet as well and nodded.

“Settled indeed. My regal parents smile at you both from above, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy,” said Stella as she and her sister bowed to their new guardians.

The train screeched a high-pitched squeal and suddenly started moving out of the train station towards the Hogwarts castle. Stella and Casey made their way to the back of the train, to the Slytherin compartments, dragging their trunks and receiving stares of amazement. The Rayne sisters had grown quite attractive through their years, which also increased their popularity. However, they weren’t popular with all of the students at their school, and the stares of amazement weren’t all because they were adored. They were in Slytherin, and the Slytherin students were still hated by the rest of the school. But because Stella and Casey were blessed with prodigious beauty, their names came up in quite a few conversations.

Now, Stella was sixteen and in her sixth year, and Casey was fourteen and in her fourth year. They could remember the day they had lost their parents in that relentless fire and walked to the Malfoys’ manor. They remembered clearly the night that they had presented their news to the Malfoys and how they had taken the sisters in. Though Lucius Malfoy had been skeptical about the whole situation -- about having two young girls living with his family, especially with a son already -- the sisters knew that he would come around. They knew Mr. Malfoy was much too loyal to Ezekiel Rayne and his wife.

Ezekiel Rayne and Thaya Maviah Rayne attended Hogwarts with Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black Malfoy. The couple had been wealthy, well-known, and had been dubbed Head Boy and Girl in their seventh year. They’d been a year older than Lucius and Narcissa but were in Slytherin with the Malfoys and therefore got along quickly, especially with their similar views on magic and bloodlines.

Stella slid open the door to enter the Slytherin compartments, dragging her trunk behind her, Casey on her tail. Stony-faced Slytherins looked up to wave or smile at them when they passed. The Rayne sisters were popular and definitely well-liked by anyone Slytherin.

Draco Malfoy had already boarded the train, not bothering to wait for the girls who resided in his manor. He definitely hadn’t agreed with the situation and constantly insisted they leave, bullying his parents into throwing the girls out. He was supposed to be the only spoiled one. He was supposed to be the one receiving attention, and though the Rayne sisters hadn’t wanted the massive amounts attention Draco got from his parents, Lucius and Narcissa still paid quite a bit of attention to the girls. Lucius favoured Casey, and Narcissa favoured Stella, both for their vast knowledge of the Dark Arts and their yearning to learn more from them.

The Rayne sisters could spot Draco and his incredibly blonde hair a couple compartments away, talking secretively with his friends: Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson.

“You don’t suppose he’s talking about the Mark, do you?” asked Casey, a watchful eye on Draco.

“Knowing him, yes, he would be quick to boast,” replied Stella with a smirk. She wandered up the aisle and found an empty compartment across from Draco’s full one. His cold grey eyes gazed up at her and glared. Evidently, he still hated that the two of them lived in his house and stole his attention.

“If I’d known the Malfoys had a brat for a son I don’t think I would have agreed to stay with them,” snarled Casey, glaring back at him with hatred in her hazel eyes. Draco shook his head and continued on with whatever he was telling his friends. The two of them walked into the compartment and pushed their trunks up on the luggage rack before sitting down. Stella smoothed out her clingy black wool dress. Casey shut the door.

“Mother and Father wanted us in their care. You’d disrespect their wishes?” Stella asked.

“Of course not,” Casey prompted, “I just hate the boy’s attitude is all. Shame what Lucius has to put up with.”

“Well I suppose it’s a good thing he’s in Azkaban then, isn’t it?”

Casey narrowed her eyebrows and folded her arms. “It bloody well isn’t. How could a magnificent Death Eater like him have gotten caught during the Department of Mysteries incident?”

“He failed to cover up the mess he made, didn’t he? Now look what he’s done to the name of Malfoy. I bet the Dark Lord is granting Draco the position as a Death Eater to make up for his father. Lucius was one of the Dark Lord’s most loyal Death Eaters. Probably figures his son might live up to his father,” Stella said.

Casey smirked and looked out the compartment window at Draco. “Well we know that he isn’t the only one who’s taking the position as a Death Eater. Who would have thought that the Dark Lord would have allowed a fourteen-year-old to join his ranks?” She giggled menacingly while Stella also looked out the window, her brown eyes landing on Draco Malfoy.

Casey stopped giggling when a small third year Ravenclaw girl walked over to Draco’s compartment, trembling like she had been traumatized. Casey arched an eyebrow curiously.

“Well what’s going on now?” Casey asked. Stella looked at her sister, her eyebrows knitted together with curiosity.

“Do you know that girl?” asked Stella.

Casey nodded. “Yes. That’s Coraline Smidgen. What’s she giving to Zabini?”

Coraline had rapped on Draco’s compartment door with an envelope in her hand. Apparently, she had asked for Blaise Zabini because he stood up and grasped the envelope from her with a sneer. Shivering with the door closed on her, she anxiously ran out of the Slytherin compartments.

Stella and Casey watched curiously as Blaise Zabini, a tall, highly attractive, light-skinned black boy, tore open the envelope and unfolded a letter. He looked stricken by it and, after reading it many times through, quickly shoved it back in the envelope, sticking it inside his robes.

They could faintly hear Draco ask loudly what was inside the envelope. Blaise shrugged and replied that he was asked to come see a Professor Slughorn. Casey looked at Stella confused.

“Professor Slughorn? Since when has there been a Slughorn at the school?” she asked.

“Not sure. Perhaps he’s new,” Stella answered. “However, I am curious to know what Draco was telling his motley crew.”

“Maybe you can get something out of Zabini. You know how he’s always got his eye on you,” Casey suggested with a grin, nudging Stella in the side with her elbow. Stella laughed.

“Oh, really? Well, sounds good to me. Maybe it’ll make Ickle Drakiekins somewhat jealous?” She laughed out loud again, almost tilting her head back in a cackle.

“Well go on. Zabini’s coming out of the compartment. Oh look -- he’s out!” Casey hurriedly slid open the compartment door and pushed Stella. Blaise looked startled by her immediate outburst.

“Stella?” he asked curiously. “Everything all right?” He peered in back of her, only to find Casey waving behind the glass innocently.

“Blaise,” Stella said, smoothing out her dress again. She patted Blaise’s black robes, pulling some lint off them, just to seduce him. “I could ask you the same thing. I noticed that Ravenclaw girl come and deliver something to you. Mind telling me where the post came from?”

Blaise arched an eyebrow and grinned, tilting his chin high in the air. Stella knew all too well of Blaise’s vanity, he boasted just as much as Draco about his accomplishments.

“A Professor Slughorn wanted me to join him for a cup of tea,” he recited. “Did he give you an invitation, or were you hoping to come with me?” he added sultrily.

Stella grinned. “Don’t get your hopes up, Zabini,” she said, pushing him away as he was about to grab her waist, “I’m just a curious wanderer. Speaking of curiosity, I was also wondering what dear Draco was telling you back there.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper. “Anything concerning what happened over the summer?”

Blaise’s black eyebrows knitted together with suspicion. “About what? Stella, do you know something I don’t know?”

Stella glanced over Blaise’s shoulder and spotted Draco staring at the two of them inquisitively, his eyebrows narrowed. So, had Draco not been boasting about becoming a Death Eater over the summer or the mission he’d been given by the Dark Lord? Stella’s eyes wandered back to Blaise’s, and she smiled again.

“Nothing of the sort, love,” she replied. “Enjoy your cup of tea with Slughorn.” She turned back to her compartment, slid the door open, and walked inside, where an anxious Casey was waiting for her. Blaise Zabini, confused, yet utterly amused that he’d managed to get his hand on the popular Slytherin girl, walked off to his appointment.

“Took you long enough,” sighed Casey, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. “I was expecting you to kiss Zabini, the way you were leading him on.” Stella narrowed her eyebrows and rolled her eyes. “What have you found out?”

“Zabini’s off to some tea party with Slughorn,” Stella informed. “And apparently Draco’s told him nothing about the Dark Mark. Maybe he’s waiting for the right moment to tell him, not that there would be a right moment, would there?”

“Well, I’ll tell you one thing; he shouldn’t be boasting about his Mark. Imagine one of his friends blabbing to another, especially that Pansy Parkinson, the gossipmonger. If she’d gotten a hold of this news, she’d surely love to spill,” said Casey.

“I’m sure, but, as we all know, Parkinson’s quite fond of Draco and would surely do whatever he told her to do. No doubt he’d order her not to mention this to anyone,” Stella said.

“Still, no one can be trusted. Perhaps the Dark Lord was mistaken when he thought he could trust Draco. I highly doubt he will succeed at whatever the Dark Lord requested him to do.” Casey sniffed, the two of them gazing back at Draco and his crew.

“Well, if he does fail, we all know who the Dark Lord will choose to take over,” Stella said with a grin, eyeing her sister. “Youngest Death Eater in history,” she added.

Casey smiled proudly. “I’ll show the Dark Lord that Lucius Malfoy’s Dark Arts lessons were not put to waste.”

“If he fails,” Stella reminded.

“When he fails,” Casey corrected with a grim smile.