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.

Across the channel, Wadi'ah Kartel sat taking notes while reading a scroll written in Pārsīg, or Middle Persian. Even with most of it missing, most likely destroyed in the fires accidentally set by Alexander the Great's troops; it gave some insight into what the Persian Magi thought of the Greek Wizard, Herpo the Foul.

"Man was a menace." She grumbled before setting the document aside, to pick up another written in Latin.

"I hope you're not talking about me, Habbi*." Razim, her husband, entered the room looking a little worse for wear. Leaning over the chair, he kissed his wife warmly in greeting.

"Things went well?"

The old man shrugged. "As we feared, Fhri doesn't know much, and what he does know comes from what he had read in the Chronicles of Nona."

Wadi'ah frowned, looking over her own rare copy of the fifteenth-century book written by a Bulgarian witch. "Doesn't sound very promising."

"True, but we knew this was not exactly his area of expertise. However, he was very impressed with your apprentice. From what she wrote, he was able to give us three names of those who might be willing to help or at least have what we are looking for."

Wadi'ah took the list from her husband. At the top was a well-known name from the Vatican, the second a Vampire, of all people. But it was the third name, an Italian Witch that wasn't all surprising.

Once a famous healer, Orebella Grimaldi, daughter of the House of Este, had been labeled Dark after evidence had been unearthed about her many her experiments during World War II. Although most of the victims had been pro-Grindelwald or Nazi supporters, many were not.

"Is Fhri in actual contact with her?"

"He's a friend of the Este family."

Wadi'ah sighed not happy with the involvement of the Dark Witch, but due to the nature of what they were looking for perhaps, it was for the best.

"I'll speak with Alya. I imagine that her family has had dealings with them as well. Hopefully, someone will be able to pass on a message to Grimaldi."

"Speaking of your apprentice, how is she doing?"

"Much better, ready to head back to school." The older witch said with a frown.

Alya had been lucky; there was a reason why many rituals were banned. For some of them because of their very nature, while others, because if not done correctly, were often fatal.

"Wouldn't hurt her to stay at home for another week; she's a stubborn one."

Razim hid a smile, knowing better than to laugh. The two witches had a lot in common.

-* my beloved

~o~O~o~

A few days later, Luna and Hermione found their friend standing at the edge of Black Lake, watching the giant squid playing with a group of mermaids. Before Alya could even open her mouth in greetings, she found the bushy-haired girl in her arms. It had been an exhausting week for all of them.

After Alya had collapsed, it was surprisingly Neville who started handing out orders. He understood finding four Gryffindor’s standing around an unconscious Queen of Slytherin would not end well. Ron and Ginny quickly returned to their common room while Hermione, at Luna's insistence, went to find Professor Sinclair. The blonde refused, at the threat of wand point to allow Madam Pomphrey to look at Alya.

Moments later, the Professor, along with Andromeda Tonks, arrived. Neville and Hermione were then asked to leave, but Luna remained, claiming where her girlfriend goes, she goes.

That had been a week ago, with a story that the Head of House Black was away due to some important family matters. Luna returned to school soon after, calmly stating that Alya was doing well and complaining of being confined to her bed.

All Ginny, Ron, and Neville knew were that their new friend had an unforeseen reaction to some mind magic that she had encountered over the summer. Hermione, however, had to wait for the real explanation for her friend's collapse.

"Follow me."

The raven-haired witch then led them to a small clearing in which a picnic had been set up. As the three girls sat in comfortable silence, Alya started to place an assortment of sandwiches on the blanket.

After making sure the privacy wards were intact, she pulled out a green vial. "Sorry, have to take one of these with each meal."

"Here, I know you like egg salad." Hermione gave a forced smile.

"Thanks." Alya took the offered sandwich before downing the potion. "Merlin, that's nasty. Alright, I know I sound like a broken record, but let's begin at the Department of Mysteries."

It took no time at all, however, for Hermione to interrupt the narrative to start asking questions.

"So, the statue you touched wasn't a Horcrux?"

"No, it wasn't," Alya replied while finishing off the other half of her sandwich.

"But, from what you told me, it sounded exactly like the diary you spoke from the Chamber."

"It's quite different, the Jwwme-meeu ritual allowed someone to 'willingly' store their knowledge, without tearing apart their soul, so future generations may benefit. It's a gift of love while a Horcrux is created with-"

"Hate," Luna said after popping a grape into her mouth. "And fear and for its victim terror. Herpo the Foul took something beautiful and corrupted it because the berk was afraid of death."

Although Alya could see Hermione still had questions, she still felt sorry for not telling the whole truth; the situation was much more complex, and while something did happen, it was most definitely for the better. Perhaps Alya wasn't exactly the same person, but for the first time in her life, she felt whole.

"So what happened in the Room of Requirement?'

"According to my Aunt, the collapse was caused by Mentisfragoric damage, something which occurs in victims of mental assaults or from a miscast Obliviate Charm. Although, in my case, the Legilimens attack came from the inside."

'So, the nose bleeds." Hermione nodded in understanding but then looked at her best friend concerned. "Wait, so all of that knowledge was actually harming you?"

"Not anymore, and it wasn't all that bad."

"Alya, you passed out bleeding from your nose, and we couldn't wake you up. And then you tell me you have brain damage, how much worse can that get?" Hermione raised her voice, sounding a little hysterical.

Alya cringed. "As I said, it wasn't as bad as one might think. And my magic had repaired most of it anyway."

"Should have happened earlier," Luna didn't look particularly pleased, although she already knew what had happened. "As usual fortune smiled upon our little High Priestess here. Somehow she managed to use the container without the ritual, which should have been impossible."

"Not the first time I did something impossible, and I'm not a priestess." Alya rolled her eyes. "We think some combination of my mother's protection, my own magic and that it was crafted specifically for a Witch of the Black family that kept me from well—"

"Dying," Luna grumbled. "Which you almost did anyway."

"Happens every year, luv, I've gotten used to it." Alya laughed but stopped as neither of her friends appeared to like her joke.

"Sorry."

"You better be, you scared the shit out of me." The blonde-haired Ravenclaw looked fierce.

Reaching over, Alya kissed her girlfriend briefly.

"I agree with Luna. We had no idea what to do. Thank goodness Neville kept a level head."

"He's changed a lot too; remember him from the first year when he tried to stop us from going after the Stone."

Hermione gave a small smile. "I do." She then frowned. "Don't change the subject, when the six of us entered the Ministry, you weren't a girl yet. So how did that help?"

"That's debatable," Luna replied. "Alya didn't get an inheritance test until this summer, who knows what it would have said beforehand."

"Too bad, I might even have been able to sneak into the girl's dorms before this year."

"Alya." Hermione admonished her friend.

"Still trying to get into Hermione's knickers." Luna grinned.

"Didn't you say that you're - ah – it didn't work correctly?" The Gryffindor witch couldn't help but blush. "I mean – you know what I mean."

"So that's what you remember. Well, it's not as if anyone explained to me how those –things- should work." Alya couldn't help but giggle. "Anyway, even if I had been male, it's unlikely I would have gone through normal male puberty anyway because of the Durselys."

"Sorry?"

"Why? There were adults at my primary school and even here that should have noticed."

"And if they did, most likely they were told not to say anything," Luna grumbled.

Hermione looked upset as she had looked up to many of those people.

"I'm not saying it's been easy but could have been much worse. Even though I couldn't readily access the knowledge, I was probably more comfortable with this new body than I should have been."

"Still it's hard to believe that the small knobby knee boy I've known for years was actually a -”

"A sexy goddess." Luna grinned.

"Right, not what I was going to say but fine." Hermione giggled. "But you still haven't told us how you knew of the Diadem or the Locket for that matter?"

"That's because Alya's a High Priestess of Imentet."

"Lu," Alya whined.

"The Egyptian goddess of death and the afterlife?"

"The same, but don't forget rebirth and graveyards as well," Luna cackled with glee as she moved out of the way as her girlfriend tried to grab her.

Both girls thought Alya looked rather cute, trying not to pout. "Whatever, most likely the ability comes from family magic through the Hui line."

"From your reaction, I wonder if it's why your Uncle Regulus acted the way and he did and why your father didn't like staying at his parent's house."

"Perhaps, I know it made me rather uncomfortable. But you were asking why now? I believe the whole process started to become worse after I discovered the first Horcrux. Although we're guessing, it's not the first time something like that happened, so perhaps it made me more susceptible."

"When?" Hermione asked, not liking what she had heard so far.

"Snape," Luna spat out the name.

"What does Professor Snape have to do with anything?" Hermione asked, shocked at Luna's reaction.

Alya shrugged. "Because of our dear Professor's abysmal method in teaching me Occlumency, there might have already been some issues. Add Voldemort being in my head, and Snape mucking around no one's really surprised."

"So sitting in the room with the second Horcrux just made it worse."

"To complicate it further, memories of what happened in the Ministry also surfaced." Luna pointed out.

"Because we met with those who were also there."

"Exactly, but I'm fine now, really, everything's healed." Alya insisted. "I just need to take a few more potions and I'm good to go."

Hermione made a face, knowing of her stubborn friend's ability to understate her injuries. "What did you do with the diadem anyway? Did you destroy it?"

"No." Before she could object, Alya raised her hand. "Sorry, what we are going to do with it needs to remain a secret. Trust me it's in a safe place."

"Fine."

"Thanks." Alya then turned towards Luna. "You do know if you continue with this High Priestess thing; I'm going to have to spank you."

The blonde squealed in delight before jumping into Alya's lap. "Oh goodie, I'll bring the butterscotch pudding."

For the rest of the afternoon, the three sat, enjoying their time together. They understood because of Alya's unique position within Slytherin, finding alone time might be difficult. Add to the fact, her cousin and several seventh-year girls would most likely not allow her to be alone, just complicated the issue.

As Hermione and Alya walked arm and arm together, followed by Luna, who was wading up to her calves in the Black Lake, they spoke about plans for the rest of the school year.

Hermione still had questions; unfortunately, Alya didn't have answers for some things. Suddenly, she stopped almost caused the two of them to fall to the ground.

"You're not going to tell them, are you? I mean Ginny, Ron, and Neville."

Alya looked at her girlfriend for a moment, who gave an unhelpful shrug.

"No."

"Why, you were so sure before, why change your mind now?"

"I was never that sure, actually." Alya then smiled sadly before answering. "It's all because of guilt, which I had become rather obsessed with as Harry. When this came up, I actually thought I had moved on, but apparently not."

"Guilt?" Hermione looked confused.

"Of course, for my parent's death, because I had somehow upset the Dursleys wonderful life by taking me in. Sirius ending up in Azkaban and for his death. For Cedric's death and because of the prophecy, for every person who had ever died at the hands of Riddle."

"But none of it's your fault."

"Doesn't matter. Worse, many were quick to take advantage of that little quirk in personality; Voldemort, Dumbledore, the Durselys, and even to a lesser extent, Molly Weasley."

"Mrs. Weasley wouldn't manipulate you."

Luna laughed. "She's a mother, of course, she would."

"I'm sure it was never malicious, Hermione, but I allowed it to happen because I felt guilty for the Weasleys taking me in and spending money on me, which they didn't have."

"But, that's normal for parents to do that for their children's friends."

"Perhaps, but those feelings continued to rule my actions."

Alya frowned; she should have stuck up for her father more when they were at Grimmauld Place. Although she was fond of the woman she overstepped the bounds of a house guest numerous times.

"Is that why you told us, because of guilt?" Hermione asked.

"Please, there is no comparison to the two of you and my relationship with the others. You're my best friend, my sister in all but blood and Luna-." Alya looked upon the petite blonde with great affection before laughing.

"Now looking back, it's all rather petty. See, I felt guilty because Neville and Ginny followed me into the Department of Mysteries. And Ron, mainly because he was my first friend even if we weren't really that close anymore."

"Those are valid reasons."

"Not really, but its better this way."

Hermione nodded a little, sadly. "Perhaps you will change your mind in the future."

Alya smiled before reaching for her best friend's arm as the three continued to head back towards the school. What she didn't tell them was that she had a plan for the future of her other self, something that would finally free her from the 'Boy Who Lived.'

~o~O~o~

Alya would be the first to admit, Albus Dumbledore was a genius. She never had a Transfiguration classes this interesting. However, it came as no surprise that he only taught fifth years on up, as a certain green-eyed boy would be in his 6th-year class. It was the absence of that same boy that made the old man a little too interested in her.

At the start of the summer, Alya had been terrified that the former Headmaster had actually been part of some conspiracy to change her into Harry Potter. That he had somehow convinced her parents to switch her sex due to the prophecy or for some other nefarious reason. Thankfully or not, the stupidly of using the ritual was placed directly on the shoulders of Sirius.

"Miss Black, if you could remain behind after class."

She shouldn't have been surprised to find the Professor standing in front of her desk, actually blocking off any chance of escape. He had been trying to corner her since her return to Hogwarts. The confrontation was a foregone conclusion, though, no matter how hard Alya tried to be someplace else.

"Of course, Professor." Alya smiled before returning to put her books away.

Both had been surprised to find that most of her fellow Slytherins remained standing at the other end of the room.

"Miss Black will be along in a moment if you will please head towards your next class."

With a nod from Alya, the room emptied, leaving only her cousin Talitha, who had not moved from her position at the back of the room.

"Miss Sinclair, if you would. I would like to speak with Miss Black in private."

"I'm her Custos," Alya's cousin explained and from her look wasn't about to leave.

Seeing that he wouldn't win this one, Dumbledore gave her a grandfatherly smile before turning to Alya. "Miss Black, I overheard that you requested a meeting of the other leaders of the Houses. I'm pleased that you're taking school unity to heart."

She shouldn't have been surprised that the former Headmaster knew of the meeting. Although it wasn't a secret, it had not been widely advertised.

"We of Slytherin have always been one to embrace tradition. As your aware such gatherings were quite common less than a hundred years ago. Unfortunately, it fell out of favor due to external and internal pressure."

"Ah, yes, blood purity has always been a disruptive influence in our society."

"I was actually thinking of former headmasters who wanted to control the agendas banned those meetings when the leaders refused to cooperate, but blood purity politics works just as well."

Dumbledore nodded and then asked. "So have you heard from Mr. Potter?"

"Not lately, I believe the last time we talked was during one of the summer Ministry dances."

"I see. He has stopped answering my letters."

"I'm sorry, but considering what he discovered over the summer, I hardly find him at fault, Professor."

Part of her felt bad as her former grandfather figure appeared to age before her eyes. Sadly enough, she didn't know if even that was the real, or was he trying to manipulate her feelings.

“I will be happy to apologize for any misdeeds, Miss Black. But I must meet with him, there are things he must know, and unfortunately, I do not have a lot of time."

"I don't understand, sir." Alya looked over to Talitha, who just shrugged.

"I would appreciate that you do not spread this around, considering that the new might benefit the enemies of the school."

"Although we might disagree on many things, Professor, I believe we have the same enemies, so as Head of House, I promise that my Custos nor I will pass along this information."

The former Headmaster nodded as the light from Alya's wand faded. "Thank you; to be blunt, I am dying."

"I'm terribly sorry, Professor." Said Alya truthfully, but of course it in no way changed her plans. "Does the Minister know? As you say, such information would benefit our enemies but if your passing were to occur without warning that would be just as bad."

Dumbledore realized that Alya Black was now asking as a member of the Wizengamot and Head of House Black. "I see your point, perhaps if you're willing to pass on a few things to Mr. Potter; a favor for a favor."

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement as long as you understand that Harry is in no way obligated to speak with you. Also, I will have your oath that you will immediately pass the knowledge of your illness to both Director Bones and Minister Abbott."

"Perhaps you can come to my office tonight?"

"Just call for my house elf Professor, I know you are acquainted with him. Kreacher will be more than happy to collect those belongings you mentioned. And the oath, sir, before I leave; I am running late already."

Even with the oath now given, Alya wanted to hex the old man. Even at the point of death, Dumbledore needed to have his own way.