Disclaimer: I own nothing, all of it belong to J.K Rowling, I am just playing in her sandbox for a while.

Authors Note: AU: Its not my first fanfic but its my first Harry Potter, so I hope you enjoy it. The story starts at the end of the 5th Book.

Far off in the Mediterranean Sea, some fifty miles south of Sicily, three large islands are known as the Maltese archipelago. The largest, Malta, often played a significant role in world history as great powers rose from around its shores. From the Phoenicians, to the Moors, to the Knights of Saint John and the English, all have laid claim to the island.

On the far west of the island, south of the small village of Mgarr, three robed figures worked their way through the remains of a bronze age Megalithic Temple. The youngest of the three, Alya Black watched with some amusement as her Aunt Narcissa flirted with their guide

Since the discovery of the slave contract known as the Abd-sihr, used to control Bellatrix, the Head of House Black had been busy. After speaking with both Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, Alya managed to set up a number of meetings with several powerful Gringotts cure-breakers.

Unfortunately, none of them had enough experience to break the blood binding. However, every one of them agreed, she would also need the assistance of a powerful ritualist as well as a curse breaker. Two names stood out, Wadi’ah and Razim Kartal, legendary cure-breakers who had recently retired to the island of Malta.

With several letters of introduction in hand, Alya immediately made plans for an international Portkey much to the distress of those who could not drop everything to follow her.

To everyone’s surprise, Alya invited Narcissa to join her as all three Tonks insisted she shouldn’t go alone. Andromeda had actually taken Alya aside afterwards to thank her for inviting her younger sister.

Although she didn’t show it, Narcissa had been quite despondent with everything that had happened to her in the past week and wasn’t quite sure of her position inside the House. .

“Perhaps you can lend me a hand, Savas.” Narcissa asked their guide sweetly, causing Alya to snort. Admittedly, the well-built, dark haired man who had introduced himself as the grandson of the famed cure-breakers was ruggedly handsome.

Oh, Alya had not changed her mind in that she still preferred the company of women, so to speak. However, much to her confusion, since the change, she discovered a newfound appreciation for the male form.

Stepping past the two, she grinned at her Aunt who returned it with a small smile of her own. “These ruins are amazing.”

“Indeed, Milady Black, they have stood since before the time of the Romans.” Motioning the two women forward, he continued. “The Phoenicians worshipped the goddess Kathirat on this very spot.”

“Kathirat?”

“She was the goddess of marriage and pregnancy.” Alya found herself somehow answering.

The older man looked surprised, and slipped into Arabic. “William said you were knowledgeable.”

Alya only nodded but gave a concerned look towards her Aunt, who had suddenly stopped to look at the remains of a once beautiful statue. Since the disillusion of her Aunt’s marriage, Alya knew Narcissa felt as if that whole part of her life had been a lie. She had married Lucius through the manipulation of her mother and father.

She had married into the Malfoy’s over the summer of her sixth year, never going back to Hogwarts to finish her NEWTs. Like many woman of her generation, she expected to have many children and take care of the Household.

Unfortunately, like many pureblood Witches, Narcissa had trouble conceiving. Finally, after several miscarriages Draco was born. The only good thing that had come out of it was her son Draco.

Now, Narcissa, being familiar with her own parents’ marriage understood that it might not be a marriage full of romance, however, after Draco was born; he more or less ignored her.

It also didn’t take too long to see that Lucius Malfoy was a vile thing, willing to prostitute himself for power. When the Dark Lord appeared once more, the man had even offered his own wife as a plaything.

“Aunt Cissy.” Alya walked over and touching Narcissa on the arm.

“Oh sorry, I was just admiring the stonework.”

With an understanding smile, she slipped her arm into her Aunt’s and led her away towards a small house overlooking the crystal blue water.

The dwelling’s appearance was much like the island itself, a combination of various cultures that gave off an aura of timelessness. As the group entered the home, Alya could feel her senses assaulted, from the salt air of the sea to the heavy fragrance of numerous hanging garlands of dried herbs that lined the walls.

In the back of the room, covering several tables, were numerous parchments and miscellaneous items one might find while walking the site. The list included broken pottery shards, a rusted spear point, and several stones used for grinding flour.

In the center of the front parlor, a man and a woman waited patiently, seemingly not in the least bit out of place in the dwelling.

The man looked ancient, with deep brown skin like dried leather, the after effects of working in the desert sun for almost a century, but he had warm eyes and a welcoming smile.

Dressed in a blue-toned, traditional Maltese peasant dress with matching apron and white head scarf, the old woman looked ethereal. Her hair and skin matched the white head scarf, but it was her crystal blue eyes that grabbed Alya’s attention.

“Come in; come in, welcome to our home.” Savas pulled the group inside. “Let me introduce you to my parents Razim and Wadi’ah Kartal.”

Razim surprised Narcissa by immediately taking her by the hand. Speaking in a cultured English voice, he said. “Bill told me a little about you Blacks but he never mentioned your beauty.”

“Quit flirting with the guests, old man.” The older woman growled behind her husband.

Alya couldn’t help but giggle.

“You speak Coptic don’t you, girl?” Wadi’ah stepped forward as if already knowing the answer.

Startled, Alya only nodded in reply, only now realizing that the older woman wasn’t speaking in Arabic. Taken by the hand, she felt an almost electrical shock go through her as the old woman looked deeply into her eyes. For a moment, she became lost in that crystal blue vastness, then those stern almost McGonagall looking eyes became warm.

“Come child, you and I will speak.” Wadi’ah spoke in the ancient language of the Nile before turning to her son to command in heavily accented English. “Go down to the harbor, your cousins boats should be coming in. Get some nice fish for tonight.”

After taking a long flight of stairs from the back of the cottage, Alya found herself standing in the middle of a small ritual site. A large round white marble slab with seven waist high blue and white stone pillars stood on top of a small escarpment overlooking the ocean.

“Can you feel it, Alya?” Wadi’ah stood off to the side as the young girl started to walk around ancient ritual circle.

Closing her eyes, she nodded. Reaching up Alya felt something pushing and pulling at her.

“She’s like you, Habibi*?” Razim soon joined them, taking his wife by the hand and kissing her palm.

“Aunt Narcissa?”

“Don’t worry, she joined my son, they will return shortly.” The old curse-breaker smiled at his wife before taking a seat on the stairs outside of the ritual circle.

“Tell me what you see?”

Opening her eyes, Alya murmured in wonder. “It’s like a rainbow, so many colors.” Somehow, she could almost feel the magic that seemed to be pouring out of the very stones.

Wadi’ah nodded. “This old site is rich with magic, generations of witch and wizards, priests and priestess have used this very spot for many rituals.”

“Can you see the wards, Alya?” Razim asked.

“No.” Alya said then stopped herself and then replied in a surprised voice. “Yes, around your home, right?”

Fascinated she moved across the ritual site, but did not leave the marble circle.

Wadi’ah gave a half smile. “Who is your Sax? Not your Aunt obviously. Your mother perhaps?”

Alya lowered her arms and turned around. “You mean my teacher? I go to Hogwarts to learn magic.”

“No child, one does not learn the mysteries from a teacher much less a book. It must come from one’s own blood. “

The older woman looked at her husband who shrugged. “Does she not have the gift, could you be wrong?”

“Please, husband.” The ancient witch rolled her eyes. “I knew it as soon as the child walked through the wards. Tell me, my dear, how you gained the Ma‘riqah. Is it not passed down from generation to generation?”

“I don’t know.” Alya said truthfully.

Taking a seat, she told the pair of her experiences inside the Department of Mysteries, how she entered the artifact room and then her sudden appearance inside the Death Room. They spoke for a while of her sudden knowledge and what it might mean.

“Truly a mystery, however, I can tell that you are one of us.” Wadi’ah helped Alya up, holding her hands once more and felt as if their magic swirled around one another in a joyful embrace.

Narcissa Black could not believe she was actually flirting with a man some ten years younger than her. Although she had no illusions that it would go further, she couldn’t help but feel better about herself when the man happily reciprocated the playful banter.

They had just Apparated back from the fishing village of Marsaxlokk but because of the strange magics guarding the old temple, she found herself once more walking through the old ruins towards the small cottage overlooking the sea.

“Auntie, you’re back.”

Narcissa greeted the others as she entered the home, surprised to find Alya dressed in a similar Maltese outfit like the one worn by the older woman named Wadi’ah.

After unshrinking the groceries, consisting of a number of vegetables but also octopus and swordfish, Savan stood back to inspect Alya’s outfit. “You look good, Milady. My little sister’s clothing agrees with you.”

“Please call me Alya, and thank you.”

“Have you spoken about---” Narcissa began but was stopped by Wadi’ah.

“Dinner first, business later.” The older woman explained as she set down a small plate of bebbux, mollusks cooked in red wine.

While dining on Qarnit bit-tewm (Octopus and garlic) and Pixxispad (friend swordfish), Narcissa watched as her new Head of House easily interacted with the famous cure-breakers. Amazed as the conversation flowed back and forth during the dinner, although mostly spoken in English for Narcissa’s benefit; Alya easily understood the conversation even when the older couple tended to switch to different languages.

Such an enigma, at times the pureblood princess, the Head of House Black reminiscent of her uncle Orion, the other times she slipped into this very friendly young woman playing the room with her obvious charisma.

“How do you like the Pastizzi, Narcissa?” Savan asked while pouring her a cup of the traditional Maltese spiced coffee.

“Excellent.” She stopped herself from stuffing a second diamond-shaped pastry into her mouth.

“I was told by my mother that Alya made them.” With a smile, he too took another from the plate before tearing it into small bite size chunks.

“Really?” Leaning over she looked at her the young girl who was currently laughing at some joke the old curse breaker had told her.

“You can cook, Alya?”

For a moment, Narcissa watched as a shadow passed over the young girls eyes. “Since I was little.”

Wondering what might have caused the shadow but could see that see that she enjoyed speaking about the food Wadi’ah and she made for dinner, Narcissa asked. “Perhaps you can show me how.”

Alya smile was back when she said. “I’d love to.”

After coffee and dessert with everything put away, Razim cast several complicated secrecy wards around the kitchen. “William told me a little of what you need. I will say, my wife and I have been had some success in breaking blood contracts.”

Reaching into her bag, Alya set down the document for the pair to study. The two waved their wands in complicated motions as they cast numerous archaic diagnostic spells. It only took moments, for them to stop and look at one another.

Wadi’ah frowned unhappily. “Unfortunately, not all have been successful as it totally depends on the rituals used to create the contract. I’m sorry, Alya, we cannot break this contract.”

“I think William was confused about what I needed.” Alya looked at her Aunt who tried not to look upset at the news. “I already know the ritual; I just have no experience in doing it. I’m afraid that I would do more harm than good.”

All three cure-breakers looked surprised.

“The Abd-sihr has always been one of the more commonly used because it takes very little skill to create and due to that fact; how to dissolve it has been lost in time.” Razim sat back, a smile forming on his face. “You know, Habibi, your friends at the Veela Convocation will want to know of this.”

“Why would the Veela care?”

“Most of the contracts my wife and I have come across are for Veela’s who have been abducted by their families.”

Alya turned to her Aunt. “I’m not surprised. I have been told that slavers normally use blood rituals on captured Veela’s so they will submit to their masters.”

“That’s not exactly common knowledge.” Savan gave the young girl a penetrating look.

Alya shrugged “My friend, Fleur Delacour explained it to me before we left. She also suggested that we come to speak with the two of you because of her grandmother’s recommendations.” Alya replied.

“Fleur Delacour she was one of the Tri-Wizard champions, correct.” Razim asked and then to his wife. “She must then be speaking of Odette.”

“Odette Voclian, a formidable Witch. I will send an owl tonight and see if I can arrange a meeting.” Wadi’ah commented before running her hands over the document, her eyes filled with disgust. “We will need at least at least three who have had experience with the Abd-sihr.”

“Three but seven would be better.” Alya agreed.

Razim could help but laugh. “Little one, if what you say is true; that you can truly destroy the Abd-sihr, and if your friend’s grandmother is truly Odette Voclian, you will trouble keeping them away.”

*my beloved

---

Near the small town of Ottery St Catchpole, located in Devon, England, three young women suddenly appeared on the outskirts of a small wooded area.

“That was a bit unsettling.” A bushy-haired brunet swayed while holding on to a taller pink haired woman.

“You get used to it, Hermione.”

The young Gryffindor looked around a bit before asking the smallest of the three girls. “So you’re telling me now, you’re a priestess?”

“No I’m not a priestess.” Alya rolled her eyes good naturally before they all started walking towards a large pond. “As I told you before, Wadi’ah’s family used to be priests and priestesses on the island.”
“
But you have the same powers.”

“No, not really, we’re similar but not the same. I’m a little different.”

“We’ve noticed that, luv.” Tonks grinned.

“Shush you.”

Hermione stopped, placing her hands on her hips. She was more than a little worried for her friend who seemed to have gained quite a bit of unexplained knowledge since her transformation. “Explain.”

Alya couldn’t help but giggle. “Alright, according to Wadi’ah certain family members go through some sort of blood-ritual before they reach the age of eleven.”

“Surprised it hasn’t been outlawed.” Tonks commented.

“Malta is a little more open about such things than England. Although, I imagine it would be covered as family spells.” Alya said.

“So what does this ritual do?”

“Essentially it unlocks family knowledge and magic allowing for an accelerating rate of learning. Those who go through the ritual normally become caretakers of the island’s temples and shrines for a number of years after their schooling is complete.”

“So they gain knowledge of the wards and whatever rituals are needed to keep them charged?” Tonks asked.

“Well sort of, they wouldn’t be able to learn the rituals at all without it; however it doesn’t simply give them that knowledge. Just makes it possible to learn, still, it does help immensely with learning all sorts of magic, not just the family rituals. It’s as if they gained the knowledge of what their ancestors knew before them.”

“So if an ancestor spoke German, they would suddenly know how to speak the language.”

Alya frowned, and then looked away for a moment. “No, they still need to learn it from someone however the speed in which they learn it is much quicker than normal. I was told that Wadi’ah only went through two years of formal schooling.”

“So that’s how you understood French, I heard you speaking to Fleur.” Tonks raised an eyebrow. “How many languages do you now know, Alya?”

The raven-haired girl just mumbled something before walking away.

“Wait. but how did you suddenly start speaking Arabic without someone teaching it to you!” Hermione exclaimed.

“I know, Hermione.” Alya sighed. “It’s as I said, I’m different. Would it have been too much to ask for me to be normal for once?”

Seeing her best friend upset, Hermione instinctively reached over the hugged her. Before the transformation, Harry would have frozen if not actually fight it. Now, Alya just leaned into the embrace.

“Stupid hormones.” Alya gave a grateful smile as they separated but not before squeezing her friend’s hand. “I’m OK, thanks. Maybe we can research it or something. I’m sure there something inside in the Black Library or maybe Hogwarts that might help us.”

Stopping herself from jumping up and down, Hermione said. “Can I help?”

“Of course, you’re the first person I planned on asking.” Alya gave a half smile before turning away to continue their walk around the pond.

The other two girls just looked at one another for a moment.

Tonks walked up and wrapped an arm around, Alya. “You’re still upset about something, I can tell.”

Alya just shrugged. “Do you see Luna anywhere?”

As the raven-hair girl continued to wonder off, Hermione said. “Don’t worry; she said she would meet us by the pond.”

The three had Apparated outside the Weasley home wards to meet with Luna who had just returned from Sweden. Alya had Hermione send a polite invitation for them to meet to talk about Harry.

Afterwards, if things went well, Alya would to help Bill upgrade the wards before traveling to France to help destroy Bella’s contract.

“I hope she won’t hate me.” Alya looked around, wondering where her friend might be hiding.

“Don’t be silly, why would Luna hate you?”

“People haven’t needed much of a reason recently.” Before anyone could reply, Alya spied the quirky blonde wearing a light yellow summer dress pulled up almost to her thighs while standing in the murky water.

Noticing the other girls approaching, Luna smiled and waved. “Hello, Hermione.”

“Hello, Luna. Why are you walking around in the pond?”

She gave a dreamy eyed stare before answering. “Looking for Alvens, who are your friends?”

Alya knew behind those eyes lay a very intelligent mind that was currently taking in everything in front of her. “Hello Luna, as you might have guessed from Hermione’s note, my name is Alya Cassiopeia Black next to me is Nymphadora Tonks. I wanted to meet you so we can discuss Harry Potter.”

Everyone could see that grabbed her attention, as the young girl quickly walked out of the water and approached the group.

“Is he OK? I was very concerned with him and the end of the year. It must have been difficult for him with all of the Wrackspurts flying around his head.”

“Right, I’m still a little not sure how to explain all of this.” Alya nervously looked down.

“You’re doing just fine and Luna please call me Tonks.” With her shoulder, Dora pushed the raven-haired girl forward.

“First of all read this.” Handing Luna a slip of paper, she then began to tell of her transformation since returning from the Department of Mysteries.

Luna just stood there, staring at the paper while quietly listening to the story. At the end, she looked up and stared for a moment before jumping up, wrapping her legs around Alya’s waist, sending them both to the ground.”

At the apparent attack, Tonks reached for her wand; then stopped at the sight of the strange girl smothering Alya with kisses. Hermione too just stood there shocked, when finally, Luna leaned back, her legs still straddling the prone Head of House Black.

Looking down, she gave a warm smile. “Hi, Harry.”

Alya happily returned it. “Hi, Lu.

---

Authors Notes: A special thanks to djkauf for a little elvish editing. If you like the story please leave a Kudos, if you have the time I would love to hear from you. My Muse mugged me with this one, pretty much forced me to write it at pen-point :) Thanks to all for reading! - Elsbeth

PS Dont worry my other stories haven't been dropped, just taking a break