Family Secrets

A/N: I've decided to try and write this story. It's been running around in my head for a while now, but I've set it after OotP so there will be spoilers in it. I don't know how it will work out but if you like it, please review.

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It was the third week of summer holidays after fifth year, when it all started. I was in my bedroom reading some new textbooks that Professor McGonagall gave me to read and learn over the holidays. I heard the phone ring but didn't bother to get to my feet to answer it. It was never for me, seeing as though the majority of my friends don't even know how to use a telephone. I heard mum answer it downstairs and then promptly forgot all about it when I became ingrossed in learning how to do the charm to change an animagus back into its original form. I swore that Wormtail would not get away next time.

All of a sudden my mother burst into my room.

"Hermione, pack some clothes quickly," she said, while hurrying around my room, grabbing clothes out of my closet and throwing them on my bed.

"Mum, what's happening, who was on the phone?" I asked starting to get worried; I'd never seen my mother in a mood like this before. She always seems so unflappable.

"Mya, just pack. I'll explain on the plane."

"Plane? Where are we going?"

"Mya!"

"Okay, okay, I'll stop asking questions as soon as you tell me where we're going." I needed to know what to pack, didn't I?

"Italy," Mum said while leaving the room.

Italy. My mum's Italian, but she left there when she was twenty-two. I've never been there myself. I've been to about twenty other European countries, but never to Italy. Mum always said no. I don't know why, it's where my parents meet and fell in love, but they've never been back.

So I packed and two hours later we were on a plane to Rome. My dad was still at work and would be catching a plane after work to join us. I wanted to know what the big rush was.

"Mum, we're on the plane now, want to tell me what's going on?" I asked getting annoyed at being kept in the dark.

"I got word that your grandfather was killed."

"Your father. But you told me all your family was already dead."

" I lied," she stated simply.

"Why would you lie to me about that?" I couldn't believe it, I had family she didn't even bother to tell me about, "Do I have any other family members walking around I should know about. You know, aunts, uncles, cousins."

"No, it was just Alexander."

"Then who called you, to tell you he was dead."

"His advisors."

"Why..." I was about to ask why he needed advisors when she cut me off.

"Look Hermione, I've talked to my father a grand total of once since I left Italy. He disowned me you see, when I chose your father over the man he had picked out for me. Now, please, can you wait until we get to our destination before you ask any more questions? I'll explain everything there."

First she says she'll tell me on the plane, now she tells me she'll tell me when we get to our destination. I have this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that what's happening has everything to do with me.

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We arrived at the hotel at 11.45 pm that night. Mum made a call to someone, probably the advisors, then told me to get freshened up, they would be here soon to see me. That just confirmed my theory that what's happening has something to do with me. But before I could ask any questions my mother raised her hand to shush me.

"Later," she said.

So I went and had a shower like I was told to, all the time, my mind working overtime, trying to figure out why they needed to see me. The only reasonable explanation that I could think of was that my grandfather was rich and he left me some inheritance. Later I found out to a certain extent I was right.

When I was finished I came back out to the main room to find three men there with my mother. As soon as I entered the room they all turned toward me. I felt like a bug under a microscope by the way they were looking at me, three pairs of eyes assessing me. After a couple of minutes one smiled and walked toward me, arm outstretched.

"Hello, my name is Luka Pedoni," he said shaking my hand, "And these gentlemen are Paulo and Nicolas Mardrid. It's a pleasure to meet you.

"You too," I responded.

"Please sit down, I'll order us some tea," my mother said, being the gracious hostess that she always is.

" No Elana, we're fine. We need to get down to business," One of the men said, Paulo I think.

" Now I know your wondering what's going on and before we tell you I want you to do something," Luka said. I liked him, he seemed much nicer than the other two.

"What?" I asked looking at my mother. She nodded encouragingly.

"We wish for you to try on this ring," he says then holds out his hand. On his palm is a plain gold ring with a capital M stamped on the front with diamonds. It was a mans ring it wasn't going to fit me and I told them so but all they said was "Just try."

So I did. And in that second my life changed forever.