I. Graduation

Disclaimer:  The usual blurbs of NOT MINE goes here, except the plot idea, of course, and some minor characters that will crop up that is from neither fandom's 'verse.

Summary:  Faith knew there was something different about her.  Now if only she could figure out what it was that sets her apart she'd be really happy.

PhoenixRae's Notes:  I am running out of ideas for all my WIP fics when I came across this challenge by linny (Challenge # 2927 - I'm a Lestrange?).  Again this will be another WIP, but hopefully a shorter one. :)

Chapter Notes:  I am messing around with the timelines here.  This chapter will be pre-Harry Potter and gang entering Hogwarts so don't be looking for them just yet.  Eventually the pace will be set up and Faith will befriend the adventurous threesome in future chapters.

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A Very Lestrange Relations
by PhoenixRae

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I.  Graduation

SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD FAITH BLACK stood alongside her fellow graduates at the ceremony held at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Today marked the end of the seven years she toiled at the wondrous castle hidden from Muggles who wouldn't know fig about what they'd do once they come across a witch or wizard.

Faith was an oddity amongst her fellow Slytherins.  In as much as she embodies the qualities befitting a true Slytherin, she had a knack for being a goody-goody when she least expected it to be.  No wonder poor Sorty -- that tattered old piece of brown witch hat put on each newbie student to Hogwarts at the beginning of every school year -- was confounded when it came to placing her.  A part of her delighted to be considered a Gryffindor; she'd do her older brother, Sirius, proud by becoming a part of the House he was a part of.  Then another part of her relished the fact that she had as much Slytherin in her as Gryffindor; she'd do Momma proud by following in the footsteps of every Black family that set foot at Hogwarts to study -- except for Sirius, of course, who ended up in Gryffindor.

Nevertheless, Sorty made his decision and placed her with the snotty, Muggle-hating Slytherins.

And Faith hated every single second of being a part of that House!  She made sure to go out of her way and prove to the other students that not all Slytherins were heartless rascals; she befriended a couple of Hufflepuffs, a single Ravenclaw and hardly any Gryffindors (the competition between the two Houses was far too much that none of the students from the other house bothered to go out of their damn way to accept the friendship she was offering).  But she made a couple of acquaintances during the few classes she had with them, but the extent of them 'knowing' each other ended as soon as they left the classroom.

Faith enjoyed the rest of the festivities.  She concentrated on what she was going to do now that she was done getting educated.  Maybe she'd go visit some relatives in America and stay with them.  She heard that a few Blacks moved to Boston and settled there; maybe that's where she'd go and bum a place to stay with family for a bit.  She was in touch with a cousin from there, and Hayley was more than enthused at the prospect of spending time with her cousin Faith from England.

You see, Hayley was born and raised in America and never once set foot in England.  Whether it had something to do with the 'feud' between her family and hers she doesn't know nor does she care.  Faith and Hayley met by chance when she visited America with Sirius a few years back.

Her older brother and his best friend, James Potter, decided to take a trip across the pond after graduating from Hogwarts.  When Faith heard of their plan, she made sure to get Sirius to take her with them.  Her brother wasn't too happy to be trotting halfway across the globe with his pesky nine-year-old sister along, but in the end her perseverance paid off.  She went with them to America, but she was left with Hayley's family in Boston once they got there.

"So Faith."

Faith was pulled back to the real world by the voice of Hogwart's Headmaster.  She smiled and looked up at the wizened wizard, something ominous hidden behind those half-moon specs of his gave Faith the wiggins, but she ignored it.  Professor Albus Dumbledore often unsettled her, but he had been one of the kindest people she'd ever come across with.

"Professor," she nodded.

"What are your plans now that you're done here?" he inquired.

"Oh, I figured I'll do a bit of traveling.  I have a cousin in Boston who'd be delighted to show me around her city," she informed the Headmaster.

"Ah," he nodded.  "Will you be accompanied by your brother?"

"Sirius?"  Faith's forehead creased to a frown.  "I don't think he'd want to go back to America after what he and James got themselves in to the last time we were there."

"So you'll be going alone."

"Yes.  Is that a problem?"

"Oh no.  No, no, no.  I'm just curious, that's all," the older man shrugged.

"I see."  No, Faith doesn't see.  She doesn't know why Professor Dumbledore had a sudden inkling to finding out what she had planned after Hogwarts.  Sure some of the professors were interested in finding out what their former students would be doing once they leave the school, but for the Headmaster himself to seek her out and inquire about her plans for this summer was...unusual.

"You just be careful, Faith Black," Professor Dumbledore said with a tinge of warning in his tone.  "Don't overdo it in America," he added before bidding her a good day.

Faith couldn't help but feel as though she'd been forewarned of an impending danger that loomed overhead.  She told him she'd be going to Boston, but when Professor Dumbledore bid her his warning, he generalized and said America.  Now what in tarnation was he alluding to?