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.

Language Note: "I'm speaking a different language"

Black family Etiquette : Note as someone pointed out in the Black family tree (I have a lovely copy of it) how technically Narcissa and Andromeda are not Alya's Aunts, you are correct. However, in many families including my own, it is common to call older cousins, usually those near our parents age Aunt and Uncle. Members of the Black family do the same.

Sorry for the late update, as usual work has been keeping me busy.

A special thanks to djkauf/Missy Mousey for beta. If you have the time, I would love to hear from you. Thanks to all for reading!

"The best of us and the worst of us." Alya murmured as she watched two Patronus fly by heading towards the oncoming darkness.

Already the Dementor's presence could be felt in the bookstore. As Alya watched Bella swaying back and forth, she noted that the soldier too appeared to be adversely affected. However, of all the people in the room, she knew she should be hearing her mother's screaming but she was not.

"Like before." Alya whispered stepping through the wards, ignoring the protests around her before looking down the Alley towards Gringotts. Watching the darkness rise over the bank like some horrific tsunami, the young Witch knew what she needed to do.

With a look of utter contempt, she pointed her wand at the closest Dementor and shouted. "Φως του Απόλλωνα"

From it, a bright lance of light, struck the creature in the face. No explosion, no screams, all it left was a tattered cloak which fell to the street below.

No one truly knew the origins of the creatures known as Dementors. Some believed them to be the souls of those who once lived in Atlantis, while others thought they were an actual physical form of despair and fear. Non-magicals could still feel their influence in the deserted Death Camps of Europe and the deepest cells of the Coliseum in Rome.

After the Great Fire in London, the wizard community noticed an increase in the creature's population and through the use of old rituals made a pact. The creatures would guard the Wizarding fortress Azkaban and in turn feast on the poor souls who were sent there.

With the guards in place, the Ministry made sure that everyone knew that other than the Patronus, there was no magic that could harm a Dementor. Like with many proclamations coming from that August body, the claim was false. Although a good amount of magic had been lost with the fall of the Ancient Roman wizarding community, such magics of course still existed.

Suddenly Alya felt Bella slip behind her, shielding her Head of House from the stray spell sent her way. Afterwards, the Prophet would report how the two Witches bravely stood back to back against fearful odds.

Two, three, four more Dementors fell to the magic called 'Apollo's Lance', the same spell used by Greek Wizards facing the scores of Persian Magnus who herded Dementors in front of their armies. However, like those brave Greeks, she soon found herself unable to cope with the large amount of deadly creatures that were now making their way down Diagon Alley.

What to do? She could slip back into the store. The wards should hold for a time, at least until the Aurors finished with the Death Eaters. Still, even at their best, only a handful of Aurors could cast the complicated Patronus charm.

It was then, Alya realized Voldemort's plan. Tom planned to sacrifice his own troops who were now holed up behind hastily created defenses. Pinned down by a large number of Aurors, whose numbers were still increasing, they would simply wait for the Dementors to do their job. Unfortunately for them, the creatures weren't too picky on what souls they devoured.

As Alya destroyed her ninth Dementor, she made a decision. Harry Potter's Patronus, at least to those who knew him was well known. He had even heard rumors about it in school. So, casting it now might or might not reveal her old identity.

The consequences of not acting however were dire. The Ministry could not afford to lose even a third of those Aurors who fought at the end of the Alley. Even then, she couldn't just simply walk away. It wasn't in her nature.

She also knew the Dementors were wrong, an affront to magic itself. That feeling reached down into her bones, in her very soul. She had felt this before when surrounded by Dementors during her 3rd year when she protected her father and herself. For someone who had been adversely affected by them, Harry should have succumbed to their aura when he faced them. He did not and managed to banish over a hundred of them.

Harry didn't understand the feeling, however Alya did and let that feeling her fuel her magic. Damn the consequences let none look down on a member of the Black family again when it came to protecting the realm

"Expecto Patronum!"

Alya had mixed feelings about any change to her Patronus. Remus had mentioned it in passing. Although she felt as if losing another piece of her old life, she actually hoped it might be a Grim; however the creature that appeared took her by surprise.

The glowing white creature that stood in front of her protecting her mistress appeared to be a large cat. A large cat with wings, and as one of the Dementors got too close it leaped forward bringing it to the ground.

"Holy Shit!" The dark hair witch shouted as she watched her Patronus literally maul the cloaked creature.

With an evil grin on her face, Alya turned around and grabbed Bella by the hand. "Come on."

The older witch looked at her niece in surprise. "What?"

"Let's go hunt some Dementors."

~o~O~o~

"So does that mean Saturday is off?" Tonks grinned.

Alya couldn't help herself but chuckle while playing with a small locket in her hand. If she wanted anonymity driving off a hoard of Dementors after killing of a score of them didn't help. But she knew that would never be her fate.

The raven haired witch remembered a discussion she had with Tonks just the other day. How Harry Potter most deepest desire was to be normal. He wanted to be just Harry, nothing more. However, that was a pipe dream as it easily allowed others to decide his fate. In truth that desire was as dangerous as the reflection from the Mirror of Erased.

Alya had come to that conclusion soon after accepting the ring that made her the head of House Black. If she wanted her own life, she would have to dictate it on her own terms. If it placed her in the public eye, so be it.

"No, we still need to do it."

"When is your meeting with the Boss?"

Once the Dementors were defeated, it didn't take long for the remaining Death Eaters to be captured. However, if Alya wanted to simply sneak away that wasn't going to happen.

"Before I leave to Hogwarts, Amelie wants to speak with me again about today. Most likely the Minister is going to be showing up as well."

Alya already had done an impromptu lesson on how to cast Apollo's Lance with several of the Auror's on site. She had claimed that she had recently discovered it which everyone believed as she was already well known for researching old magics. She also imagined from listening to the Aurors that they planned on wiping out the rest of the Dementors when they had a chance.

"I think only the four of you going is unwise." Andromeda replied somewhat coldly as she sipped a cup of hot cocoa. After dealing the Dementors, the group had gone home and made an impromptu chocolate party.

"At least she is no longer yelling at me." Alya thought to herself.

Head of House or not, having her niece walk through the safety of the wards to face a hoard of Dementors didn't sit too well with her. Actually most of her family had something to say about it. Oddly enough, Alya felt happy about the whole thing. It was a strange feeling to have family who actually cared about her well-being.

"I agree, can't leave my two favorite cousins unprotected."

"I'll join you, and Ill check with Capella and Aries to see if anyone else wants to volunteer." Bella said.

Alya nodded then looked up a Luna entered the room carrying a large book. "Your Patronus is a Thalocian."

"A what?" Ted asked.

"An Egyptian shape-shifting cat."

"Well that explains everything." Tonks murmured.

Luna only smiled before popping a chocolate covered strawberry in her mouth.

Alya looked a little confused as she said. "I have a hair of one in my wand but that shouldn't dictate the shape of my Patronus."

Ted Tonks frowned. "Maybe it was the other way around."

"I guess. No matter, it's not the strangest thing to happen to me. What else, Luna?"

"Well they were also considered neither Light nor Dark, however some believed them to be something akin to a Grim. While others gave them offerings hoping it would intercede with the gods."

"A Grim sounds familiar."

Alya just smiled at Tonks.

"Shape shifting cats, fine. Egyptian gods, really can't say I'm surprised." Hermione grumbled then unhappily pointed to the locked in Alya's hand. "However, what in the world was that?"

After returning to 12 Grimmauld Place after the fiasco of the Black family visit to Diagon Alley, she had been drawn upstairs. Inside one of the closets she found the locket. With a horrified shout, she drew her wand and cast a spell. It had burned through the ghastly magic of the locket like a hot knife through butter. Afterwards, she realized she had just cast a form of soul magic and worse, she had a feeling, almost a memory that she had done it before.

Since her transformation and the ill-fated fight inside the Ministry, beyond the physical, the raven haired witch knew she had changed. After being around the magic saturated temple on Malta her magic had grown, the Dementors aura left their mark on her as well. She could feel it and in truth, it made her afraid.

Alya began slowly as she continued to look at the seemly innocuous piece of jewelry. "The magic that once imbued the locket goes by a few names, Duch Askolak, phylactery, soul shard-"

"It's a fucken Horcrux." Bella hissed angrily.

"Whose?" Narcissa whispered fearfully.

"Tom's." Alya looked at her aunts, not at all surprised to find Narcissa and Andi looking ill. The rest of the people in the room just looked confused.

"What's a Horcrux?"

"It's an object in which a piece of one's soul is hidden for the purpose of creating an anchor to this life, so if they die, they would be able to be brought back to life." A not very happy Andromeda explained. "However, the ritual to create one is one of the darkest. You must be willing to sacrifice an innocent and have no remorse for their death."

Hermione looked a little sick but asked. "So does that mean Voldemort's immortal?"

"Not anymore." Tonks smiled as she pointed to the locked. "Alya destroyed the Horcrux, right?"

Alya nodded but for some reason she didn't appear to be particularly pleased. "However, this isn't the first one I have comes across."

She then went over what happened to Harry during this second year at Hogwarts with meeting Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets.

"Sweet Morgana." Narcissa whispered, to think that Lucius set such a creature upon Hogwarts. Worse, she also had a Horcrux in her home the whole time. "He made two of them."

"Three." Luna spoke up in an airy voice however; Alya could tell she too was bothered by the discussion. "At least three."

"Or seven." Hermione shivered.

"Then he is an idiot." Alya laughed.

The whole room then turned towards the raven haired witch in confusion. Seeing their faces, Alya explained. "Essentially magic is part of our very being, our soul, right."

"So splitting it, he has less of a soul, so therefore less magic?"

Alya smiled at her uncle. "Actually, one's soul is infinite. Half of infinity is still – "

"Infinity. Hermione promptly answered.

"Correct, each piece is still part of the whole. However, it's not meant to be split. It's damaged, so yes, splitting ones soul does lessen ones magic. In the past Dark Wizards were willing to sacrifice part of their magic to gain immortality. However, doing the ritual more than once is simply stupid. Frankly, I can't see how he remains sane."

"Let us not also forget, as a homunculus part of his magic is needed to keep him alive as well." Bellatrix pointed out.

"Wait, does that mean Voldemort isn't even human?" Ted asked.

Bella nodded. "His body was destroyed in 1981. Right now he is nothing more than a magical construct."

"A freaken powerful magical construct." Tonks grumbled.

"True, however and others have spoken about it in whispers that he is not the same man. He is quite different from the charismatic Wizard Lucius first introduced me to." Narcissa appeared to be lost in thought "He was such a good looking man, and very cultured. He could dominate a room even without magic. Now, he is more a monster than a man."

"Not too surprising. Damaging one's soul probably had something to do with that." Luna smiled sadly.

"So what now?" Tonks asked. "I mean do we start searching for his third or Merlin's balls, more of these things?"

"Nymphadora, language." Andromeda admonished her daughter. "Perhaps Alya, this is something larger than House Black can handle."

Alya nodded. "I agree, although I don't doubt that between our family and our allies we could manage, however it seems rather foolish not to contact those who might have decades more knowledge and experience in dealing with such things."

"You're thinking about the Unspeakables."

"In part, Hermione. I do have other resources as well." Alya turned to the others. "This information however comes under Black family secret, so that means Luna, Hermione I need your oaths. We have to keep it this one a heavily guarded secret, we cannot let Voldemort or his followers know that we are aware that he created these things."

The two girls looked at one another and nodded.

Afterwards as the group tried to decompress from the events of the day, Alya sat back lost in thought. Tom as a homunculus too had weakness they might be able to exploit but his sheer power and knowledge still made him a formidable foe. However, she also knew that the Horcrux ritual had slipped into obscurity for a reason. She just needed to remember why.

~o~O~o~

"I'm happy to see you're taking your studies seriously." Hermione smiled as she passed an advanced charms book to her best friend.

"And to think it only took me turning into a girl." Alya grumbled then with a smile, passed a runic alphabet book back to the bushy haired witch. "Read the next three chapters before we meet again."

"You're giving me homework." Hermione asked, somewhat amused.

"Of course, but you don't have to call me Professor Black if you don't want to." Alya grinned cheekily.

"So has anything more happened with?"

Alya shook her head. "We had a meeting with Amelie; she has a cousin who is an Unspeakable. So Aunt Andi and Narcissa will be handling it from that end. Although the others weren't happy I brought Fleur into this, she is assisting me with a few contacts that we both know."

Suddenly Alya felt two small arms wrap around her waist. "Enough of that, I know you haven't wanted to talk about it. Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"Hey I've been better." Then with a sigh, Alya fell back happily into Luna's embrace. Turning her head she kissed her girlfriend on the check before stating "OK, your right. I'm somewhat terrified."

For Alya, Hogwarts brought up both good and bad memories. She had considered it her first home and although she still felt that way, her sixth year would be totally different. Although she had accepted that she would be female for the rest of her life, she wasn't sure if she was ready to live as one in a dorm. And let's not forget, having to deal her old but now opposite sex.

She could deal with those who wanted to get close to her because of being head of House Black; however it was the rest of them that made her squirm well remembering the discussions that went on about the fairer sex in the boy's dorm. Thankfully Bella took her aside and taught her some lovely spells that were especially helpful in dealing with boys who didn't understand the word 'No'.

"So what house do you think you will be in? Going to follow Tonks into Hufflepuff?""

Alya smiled as Luna slid onto her lap. "Wouldn't be a terrible thing but really not sure, although I'm a little concerned that the hat won't resort me or something like that."

"You don't want to be in Gryffindor?" Hermione asked looking a little offended.

"I knew it; you just want to share a dorm with Alya so you can share her clothes, especially her pretty knickers."

Hermione made a face. "I don't think anyone shares underwear, Luna."

The blonde haired witch looked looked surprised. "Really, I don't normally wear any so I figured that's why I was never asked."

Alya tried not to giggle at the look on Hermione's face as she continued to explain. "No, it's just that I'm not that person anymore. Ignore the whole gender change; I'm no longer that brash Gryffindor who runs head long into things without thinking them through."

"What about Diagon Alley?"

Alya shrugged. "I actually knew what I was doing, however I didn't say that nature is still not part of me. However, I would prefer to look at such things from different angles and then decide upon the best approach."

"Sounds like a Ravenclaw."

Luna shook her head. "Slytherin, you need to listen to how Alya talks now. Not at what she is saying but what she is not saying."

"Not really sure I want to be sorted into Slytherin, beyond the junior Death Eaters; there is really too much baggage to deal with."

"Wouldn't they leave you alone?"

Alya shrugged. "Perhaps, although the only good thing being sorted into Slytherin would be that I wouldn't have to deal with Malfoy. No, I think Ravenclaw would be better."

Luna just smiled. "That would be lovely; however, if you end up with the snakes there are some hot looking girls in their dorm. Just to let you know, I don't mind sharing."

Alya took one look at Hermione's face and finally couldn't help herself as she broke out in giggles, goddess how she loved the blonde haired witch.