"It's almost dinner time." Lupin says that evening.

     "Alright Lupin." Hermione says.

     Ursa goes over to her bag and opens it. She reaches in and starts to pull something out before pausing. "I should ask first." She thinks out loud.

     "Ask what?" Ginny questions.

     "I don't think you can answer but Sirius should." Ursa leaves the room and goes downstairs. She finds Sirius in the dining room. "Sirius?"

     "Yes?" Sirius questions.

     "Do I need to get ready for dinner or just wash my hands?"

     "Just wash your hands."

     "That's what I thought. Thanks." Ursa runs back upstairs.

     "What did she mean?" Tonks asks. "What's the difference?"

     "Her family changes clothes and looks nice for dinner." Sirius replies.

     "Alright don't need to get ready." Ursa thinks out loud again. "Just need to wash my hands."

     "There's a difference?" Ginny asks.

     "The high class, the rich Wizarding families, still change and look nice for dinner. I hate it. I hate it so much. One of the many reasons I love Hogwarts. I don't have to dress up. I enjoy being able to have my hair down and not having to wear makeup if I don't want to. And pants. I love being able to wear pants without getting eye rolled at or comments made."

      "You have a lot of rules at home don't you?"

     "You have no idea."

     After dinner, Ursa roams the halls. She finds Kreacher speaking to Walburga's portrait. "Oh Mistress, Kreacher forgot to tell you Miss Ursa is here." He exclaims when he sees Ursa.

     "Ursa Malfoy?" Walburga's portrait questions.

     Ursa steps in front of the portrait. "Yes ma'am." Ursa says.

     "My, my you have grown. How long has it been since I last saw you?"

     "I believe ten years. I was five when you passed and I am fifteen now. I'll be sixteen in about two weeks."

     "Fifteen almost sixteen! Almost a proper lady!" The portrait looks her up and down. "Not dressing like one I see."

     "Sadly the people here said I should dress like this. Normally I do dress like a proper lady."

     "Are you with the scum that befouls the house of my father?" The portrait asks angrily.

     "No ma'am. I thought the place to be abandoned after you passing. Imagine my surprise when I found the place to be full of dirty blood and blood-traitors instead.

     "Why is it you are here if you are not with them?"

     "I angered my mother to the point she was going to let Aunt Bellatrix punish me, until Draco and I went back to school. She escaped from Azkaban last month. She became much more sadistic there which fueled her Dark Arts magic. I left early this morning and came here, expecting it to be abandoned, except for Kreacher. They are letting me stay as long as I help them clean. Apparently my extensive Dark Arts knowledge is useful to them. I do not know. I am dreading having to help that filth but I do not have another place to go where my parents will not find me."

     "I am disappointed that you are helping them."

     "I am disappointed with myself too ma'am."

     "I am glad to hear you have continued the Black tradition of Dark Arts."

     "I am very experienced. As you may recall I was sent to the States. I had no friends there and taught myself in my free time."

     "Good. Good."

     "Hey Ursa-" Hermione starts.

     "How dare you interrupt our conversation you filthy Mudblood?!" Walburga's portrait exclaims. "Can you not see your superiors are speaking?!"

     "Oh be quiet!" Hermione snaps. "The adults want to go over the plan for tomorrow's cleaning with you."

     Ursa sighs in fake annoyance and rolls her eyes. "Fine, tell the filth I will be down in a moment." Ursa says without turning. "Never interrupt us again. Learn your place. Now shoo." Ursa shoos Hermione with her hand and Hermione looks at Ursa with shock before going downstairs. "I apologize for the interruption. I guess I should go help them."

     "I am glad to see you are treating them properly despite helping them." Walburga's portrait says.

     "Thank you ma'am. Would you like me to close the curtains?"

     "Please." Ursa nods and closes the curtains.

     "Kreacher come with me please." Ursa says before going down the stairs and Kreacher follows. Ursa kneels down to Kreacher's height at the bottom of the stairs. "I know you know that I am friends with some of the people here and tolerant of blood. You are not to tell anyone of this, including your mistress's portrait. Understand?"

     "Yes Miss Ursa." Kreacher replies. "Kreacher lives to serve the Noble House of Black."

     "Thank you Kreacher. That is all." Ursa stands and walks to the dining room door. She takes a deep breath before walking in. Everyone is staring at her in various degrees of anger and confusion. "Before anyone starts yelling at me, it was just an act. I have enough problems right now without a portrait yelling at me. Kreacher has already been told not to tell her or anyone that I am friends with some of you and tolerant of blood. I am sorry for what I said Hermione but I didn't say that word."

     "What word?" Mr Weasley asks.

     "She promised to never say Mudblood again after she called me it once and she is taking it extremely seriously." Hermione says. "I forgave her for it."

     "Why?"

     "Because I was with my father and needed her to go away. It would have been suspicious if I said anything else."

     "What did you tell my mother?" Sirius asks.

     "The running away part and coming here. I told her you are letting me stay as long as I help clean because my Dark Arts knowledge is useful. She also thinks I am disappointed and disgusted with myself for doing it and that I treat you 'properly.'"

     "Why were you talking to her in the first place?"

     "Kreacher was actually speaking to her and saw me walking down the hall. He told her I was here so I stopped."

     "That nutter talks to a portrait?" Ron asks.

     "He's not a nutter Ron-" Hermione starts.

     "His life's ambition is to have his head cut off and stuck up on a plaque like his mother!"

     "Ah yes, the tradition Elladora started." Ursa says.

     "Hermione still hasn't given up on spew."

     "It's not 'spew'!" Ursa and Hermione say at the same time.

     "It's the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, and it's not just me." Hermione says. "There's Ursa. And Dumbledore says we should be kind to Kreacher."

***

     That night, Ursa can't sleep due to nightmares and goes into the drawing room with her sheet music. She sits at the piano and writes for awhile before getting bored. She stands and looks at the Black Family Tree tapestry. "I haven't seen this thing in years." Ursa says to herself as she slowly traces her lineage. "Seems like nothing's changed." Ursa reaches her and Draco. "I take it back Dray and I look older." Ursa chuckles as she looks at Draco and Hermione silently walks in. "Dray looks funny. I'm surprised I'm still on here. I thought Walburga would have blasted me off."

     "Why?" Hermione asks.

     Ursa jumps and spins around. "You scared me. For being sent away. Kreacher."

     Kreacher apparates into the room. "Yes Miss Ursa?" He asks.

     "Did your mistress ever speak of blasting me off the tapestry?"

     "Yes. Miss Cissy convinced my mistress to leave Miss Ursa. Kreacher remembers Miss Cissy saying Miss Ursa was sent away for her safety."

     "My safety? What is that supposed to mean?"

     "Kreacher does not know. Mistress sent Kreacher to get tea. Kreacher heard Miss Cissy mention Mr Malfoy."

     "Which Mr Malfoy? There were two alive then."

     "Miss Ursa's grandfather."

     "Thank you Kreacher. That is all."

     "Kreacher lives to serve the Noble House of Black." Kreacher says as he bows and leaves.

     "He listens to you?!" Hermione exclaims. "And he's nice!"

     "Of course he does." Ursa replies. "I am a Black. As long as you are a proper pureblood and nice to him, he's nice to you."

     "Who was the other person he mentioned? And how are you a Black?"

     "Miss Cissy? She's my mother. Sirius is my first cousin remember. My mother's maiden name is Black. What are you doing in here?"

     "I noticed you weren't in bed and wanted to check on you."

     "I'm fine. I just can't sleep because of nightmares."

     "Is there anything I can do to help?"

     "No but thanks."

     "Alright. I'm going back to bed." Ursa nods and Hermione leaves.

     "Kreacher?" Ursa says and Kreacher apparates in again.

     "Yes Miss Ursa?" Kreacher questions.

     "Do you have any stories about my mother or aunt?"

     "Kreacher believes he does."

     "I can't sleep." Ursa sits on the couch. "Could you tell me one?"

     "Of course Miss Ursa." Kreacher starts his story and Ursa falls asleep during it. He covers her with a blanket after he finishes.

***

     Sirius is the one to find her in the morning. He gently shakes her awake. "Hm?" Ursa grumbles.

     "What are you doing in here?" Sirius asks.

     "I couldn't sleep. I guess I fell asleep during Kreacher's story." Ursa smiles softly as she notices the blanket. "He must have put a blanket on me."

     "Was Kreacher bothering you?"

     "No. I asked him to tell me a story about my mother because I couldn't sleep. Stories are one of the things that helps me deal with nightmares."

     "About the graveyard?"

     "And the States. I was... it was not a good situation."

     "I understand that."

     "That doesn't surprise me. I never got the feeling Walburga was a good mother. She didn't seem to like that my mother brought Draco and I with her to visit."

     Sirius laughs. "She was not. She never wanted children but your grandmother didn't have a boy so she had to. So would you happen to be 'Little Bear?'"

     "Where'd you hear that?"

     "Bellatrix's insane rambling. She would rant about how Voldemort would come for her and she would see her 'little bear and little dragon again.'" Ursa smiles softly.

     "Those are her nicknames for Draco and me. I was her favorite person and she was mine. It broke me when she was arrested."

     "Dumbledore told us what happened in the office with Crouch. I think her faith in Voldemort and her love for you and your brother are the only reasons she didn't go completely insane."

     "And her love for my mother. Of course now she hates me because I refuse to join the Dark Lord."

     "Come on. Breakfast should be ready." Ursa nods and follows Sirius downstairs. She sits and eats.

     "It feels weird eating in my pajamas." Ursa says.

     "Why?" Ron asks. "Don't you at home?"

     Sirius and Ursa both chuckle. "Pajamas are not worn outside bedrooms." Sirius says.

     "It's like at Hogwarts." Ursa says. "We get dressed and ready for the day then go to breakfast."

     "Yep."

     After breakfast, Ursa helps Mrs Weasley with getting the dishes into the kitchen. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry for being rude to your family in Diagon Alley." Ursa says as she sets plates down.

     "It's alright dear." Mrs Weasley said. "Ron explained everything."

     "Are you sure?"

     "Yes. It's what your mum expected."

     "I also wanted to say that even Draco thought it was mean that you sent Hermione a tiny egg for Easter." Ursa crosses her arms.

     "Yes, Ron told me."

***

     "So you're Andromeda's daughter." Ursa says as she plops on the couch next to Tonks.

     "Yep." Tonks replies. "That makes me your cousin."

     "I guess it does. How is she, Andromeda? I sent her a letter before I left the States but I know she wouldn't send anything to the manor so I haven't heard from her in over a year."

     "She's doing well. She was glad you made it home safe when she saw you in the Prophet. She's asked me if I've seen or met you so she'll be glad to know I have and that you're doing decently."

     "Good. If she did ever send something to the manor my mother would have thrown it in the nearest fireplace."

     "What makes you think she didn't?"

     "Because I didn't get yelled at for talking to her. My mother definitely would be angry about that. If she knew I was here with all this 'dirty blood' and 'blood-traitors' I think she would have a heart attack." Ursa chuckles. "She's already angry at me because she found out I'm friends with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Said she was disgusted by me."

     "Is that why you left?"

     "No. Tired of being hexed by someone in the manor."

     "Well based off what the kids have said it wasn't Draco or your mum. So your dad?"

     "Not him."

     "Who then?"

     "Do you know what happened last month? What the Ministry is hiding."

     "I have no idea wh- Bellatrix Lestrange."

     "Yep. For refusing to join the Dark Lord."

     "So she's hiding out there?"

     "Most of the time. But don't tell anyone or try to go after her please. I took her down the day we met again. She was sneaking around the manor and we didn't know who the other was. We hadn't seen each other since I was two and I didn't... well I looked like this. No makeup and hair down. And my hair was blonde when she was arrested."

     "You took down Bellatrix Lestrange?" Tonk exclaims.

     "I mean she was fresh out of Azkaban so she was a little rusty. And two days ago, while fighting off my father too."

     "Damn I'm impressed."

     "Thank you."

     "Just so you know, Dumbledore told the Order about you. About what you can do and that you are powerful."

     "That would explain why I was allowed to stay. I can impress you more by saying I used mainly nonverbal spells."

     "Wow."

     "And then there's this." Ursa points her fingertips towards the wall. "Verdimillious." Green sparks shoots from Ursa's fingers and hits a lamp, causing it to break.

     "Oops." Tonks says before she repairs it.

     "I had seriously angered my mother and she was going to let Bellatrix punish me until we went back to school."

     "Come on Ursa." Ron says as he peeks his head into the living room. "Mum wants you in the drawing room with us."

     "Okay." Ursa stands and follows Ron and Harry upstairs. She sees Mrs Weasley and the other kids with cloths tied over their mouths and noses and the black liquid in a spray bottle. "Doxies?"

     "A bad infestation of them." Mrs Weasley says. "Never seen one this bad. What has that house-elf been doing for the last ten years?"

     Hermione shoots a glare at Mrs Weasley. "Kreacher is old, he probably couldn't manage-"

     "You'd be surprised what Kreacher could manage if he wanted." Sirius says as he walks in with a bloodstained bag of dead rats. Ursa looks at the bag in confusion. "Been feeding Buckbeak." Ursa nods and Sirius pits the bag of rats down on an armchair. "Pretty sure this desk is a boggart." Sirius looks in the keyhole of the shaking desk. "We should probably have Mad-Eye check first. Knowing my mother it could be something worse."

     "Probably a boggart." Ursa says. "I think I remember her or my mother telling me not to touch it. Always was a curious child."

     Downstairs the doorbell rings and Sirius groans as Walburga's portrait starts screaming. "I told them not to use the doorbell." Sirius says. "Ursa..."

     "I'll take care of your mother." Ursa chuckles before leaving the room with Sirius. She quickly calms Walburga enough to close the curtains and goes back to the drawing room.

     "How can you do that so easily?" Ginny asks.

     "She likes me." Ursa replies. "Alright let's deal with the doxies. Careful not the inhale any of the Doxycide. Most of its ingredients are poisonous.

     "Be careful all." Mrs Weasley says. "Doxies bite and their teeth are poisonous. I got a bottle of antidote here but I'd rather not use it." Cleaning the doxies out of the curtains takes all morning.