The Blackest Blood
Title: The Blackest Blood
Genre: Drama/Friendship, AU
Rating: K+
Pairings: James Potter/Lily Evans, Sirius Black/OFC
Summary: AU. He was their Heir, the future of the House of Black and the brightest constellation among them - if only he embraced his birthright. Sirius was determined to be the antithesis of everything the House of Black desires him to be and so far, it has been working. But, as Sirius draws closer to his magical majority and the expectations of him taking his place as the Heir Black increases, he discovers his family is a lot more committed to his being a Black than he wished to be. The House of Black does not take lightly to rebellion nor failure, and the plan they've put into motion to recapture Sirius from the influence of the Light will sure to restore order to their Ancient and Most Noble House - even if it is at the expense of the entire Wizarding World, if need be. James and Sirius friendship fic.
Chapter One: A Black Risk
April 1976
Sirius Black arrived at King's Cross at half-past nine and the moment he felt enough Muggles had steered clear of the gate – he rushed through the invisible barrier that brought him directly to Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
A light fog was filling the crisp, morning air and this far ahead of departure, there was nobody on the Platform other than a few house-elves who were assigned to clean the Platform and prepare it for another school departure. A couple of particularly overzealous house-elves came up to him and enthusiastically asked if there was anything they could do for young Master, but he irritably shooed them away. He didn't want to be distracted and he didn't want attention drawn to him as he waited for the Merchant's Apprentice to arrive.
Sirius wanted to see the exact moment the Apprentice arrived and be able to observe him for a few moments, before revealing himself and making their introduction. His own arrival at least fifteen minutes before their agreed-upon meeting time should give him plenty of time to see the Apprentice arrive, plenty of time to get at least a marginal understanding of the obscure stranger with whom he'd sought out to carry out this illicit and risky task –
"But, unfortunately, little Black, you must arrive a littler earlier than a quarter before our meeting, if you want to get a step ahead of a Merchant's Apprentice."
Sirius could have leapt a foot in the air, as badly startled as he was by the quiet, smoke-hoarsened voice that came directly from behind him. He spun around sharply, his wand coming out in the same swift motion – but, Sirius could see nothing but the somewhat sooty pillar that he had been lingering by. He frowned, his magic reaching out and sensing that this was a Disillusionment Charm that had been modified, but he hadn't the slightest clue as to what a countercharm might be. He seriously doubted a simple Revalis would do the trick – not with a Merchant's Apprentice.
"You're absolutely correct, little Black. I'm standing right here beside you, but you won't come to see me until I want you to." The disembodied voice snickered with malicious glee. "Deeply frustrating Merchant Magic is, innit?"
Sirius glared viciously, feeling both foolish and exposed as his hoarfrost-gray eyes searched the empty air around him, futilely. "Stop that. Whatever you're doing to read my mind, stop it – or, we can just void the whole Inquiry, right this second, if you insist on dishonorably encroaching on my mind."
The Merchant's Apprentice snickered, again. "Nobody is reading your mind, little Black. What a Mudblooded turn of phrase! You're a son of one of the purest Houses of Magic, you know better than to think the mind is a book to be opened and read at your leisure. But, I am a Merchant's Apprentice – and I do have my own ways of knowing what's inside your mind without ever intruding upon your mental space. Not that I care to know what's inside that ridiculously reckless mind of yours, child."
"We're not here for you to tell me what you think of me or my mind, thanks." Sirius replied, coldly. He was irritated at having been made a fool of, and his ire was only increasing the longer he was made to talk with an empty swath of air. He glared at the empty space where he knew the Apprentice was standing, contentedly invisible, and declared: "I am here to secure the purchase and permanent ownership, rights of use, and sole possession of the requested goods in my Inquiry, for which I am prepared to trade the agreed upon sum of Galleons, in exchange for your permanent relinquishment of your ownership, rights to use, and sole possession of the requested goods in my Inquiry, henceforth and forevermore."
A pulse of magic crackled through the crisp morning air between them and by the furious gasp of the Apprentice, Sirius knew the Sealing of the Inquiry had been enacted.
Oratory magic was the only acceptable vibration of magic to use for an Inquiry, but it was a slippery magic, easily able to be influenced and altered by someone who was studied in how to manipulate its malleable vibration. Sirius had practiced the spellcrafting of the Sealing for several hours the day before, wanting to ensure that there was no flaw in the contract that oratory magic would form for Magic to accept and enforce. If the scorching, poisonous glare that the Apprentice gave him as his illusion dissolved and he became visible, Sirius had not only wielded the oratory magic successfully – he had gained the upper hand from the painstaking, intentional force of the magic's vibration.
"Hail, Heir Black," the Apprentice greeted with open hostility. "I make myself known to you as Caradoc Dearborn, Apprentice of the Unseen Market, a student of Merchant Magic and its might."
Sirius narrowed his eyes, noting the use of oratory magic woven into his introduction. The spoken word was a powerful branch of magic that only saw continued use in the social circles of the aristocracy, the pureblood of the Ancient Houses who still practiced the Old Ways and allowed magic to embody their every moment. Over the centuries, due to the capricious nature of oratory magic, it had become considered Dark and socially unacceptable to so freely use oratory magic – it to easily trapped people into fates that they would have avoided, if they'd been more careful and intentional with their words. It also allowed one to be deceptive in plain sight, a skill with oratory magic allowing someone to hoodwink and deceive with a handful of words.
The Apprentice had said he was making himself known to Sirius as Caradoc Dearborn – not that Caradoc Dearborn was who he was or even a legitimate person.
A twinge of unease snaked through Sirius as one of his worst fears about this venture were confirmed.
When he'd made the Inquiry with the Unseen Market, in search of the rare and powerful cauldrons he so desperately needed to acquire a count of three, Sirius had made sure to thoroughly research the Apprentice whom he'd been informed would be his Procurer. He had found the time to look through the Hogwarts Alumnus archives, the most accessible and thorough resource on any wizard or witch who'd passed through Britain's most-attended magical institute. He'd gone back as far as a century in search of the name of Caradoc Dearborn – and he hadn't been able to find a single student record that carried the name of Dearborn, the first clue that he should be weary of the unseen and unknown Apprentice that was his contracted Procurer. It had been worrying, certainly, but not any true cause for apprehension – there plenty of Wizarding children who hadn't attended Hogwarts, despite having received an invitation. The apprehension only came after he'd followed a hunch and consulted the Birth Records, the flawlessly accurate record of every live birth known by the magic of the Census Quill and discovered that nobody had a record of Caradoc Dearborn because there was no Caradoc Dearborn.
Sirius had tried not to panic at the realization that he'd forged a powerful magical contract with a person who was moving under an Unplottable Identity, reasoning that perhaps his search had not gone back far enough in the past.
But, the wizard who stood before him with open hostility, who was supposed to be Caradoc Dearborn, only looked only a few years removed from the Trace. A century worth of combing through Wizarding census records had been more than generous, as it seemed, but had still provided no clue as to who this person was before him. All Sirius knew was that he had just angered and outwitted a Merchant's Apprentice and it was his fiercest hope that the Apprentice wasn't interested in anything more than the fulfillment of the Inquiry.
The Merchants of the Unseen Market and their jackal-like Apprentices were known for their taste for violence as much as they were for their extraordinary ability to acquire and sell the rarest of treasures Magic had to offer.
"I suppose I should have given a bit more consideration to the nephew of Alphard Black." Dearborn said bitterly. His pitch-black eyes narrowed as he looked Sirius up and down with contempt. "I thought something was odd about you seeking out my Master and his collection, instead of the skills of your Master Uncle. Certainly, you wouldn't have had to pay through the nose in Galleons, if you had. But, now I understand. Your Master Uncle would have never given you a triad of antimony-blended cauldrons up without retaining at least one aspect of access to it, despite whomever had ownership. You're rather clever to use a randomly selected Apprentice to manipulate, instead of taking the risk with your Master Uncle."
Sirius gave Dearborn a smile that was as sharp as shattering glass. "I'm not certain what lead you to believe I was stupid. When at any point in our contact have I ever given you the impression that I was anything less than brilliant, mate?"
Dearborn blinked and titled his head, a viperous smile coming to his face. "I said you were clever, little Black. I'd never go as far as to say you're brilliant. For, if you were half as brilliant as you think you are, you wouldn't have neglected one of the most important parts of a Procurer's Contract."
A cinch of brittle fear briefly stole his breath at Dearborn's words.
Sirius concentrated on keeping his face as neutral as possible, as he narrowed his eyes in vicious doubt. He had spent most of the previous term in correspondence with his Uncle Alphard, rooting out whatever tips and tricks and knowledge about making an Inquiry to the Unseen Market, selecting an offer from the Merchants who were interested in fulfilling his Inquiry, and creating a Procurer's Contract that would bind himself and the Merchant to an agreement that Magic would oversee the fulfillment of. Alphard had not been as open and forthcoming as Sirius had hoped. But, nevertheless, the nuggets of knowledge and information that Alphard had been willing to share had been more he would have gotten through his own research and he had been confident that direct instruction from a Master Merchant such as his uncle would be enough to get him through this with as little risk as possible.
The predatory smile that Dearborn was offering him seemed to be suggesting that he'd been wrong to have such confidence.
"I didn't forget anything, Dearborn." Sirius declared. "You'll find that I'm not as easy to manipulate as many of your other clients are, I'm sure. You can't rattle me into distraction by making me doubt myself. I know what I'm doing, for as you noted only moments ago, I am the blooded nephew of Alphard Black, Master Merchant of the Unseen Market for decades, so far."
Dearborn's smile hardened. "Master Alphard might be an unparalleled Master Merchant, little Black, and you'll never find me speaking ill of his prowess or power. But, you are not your Master Uncle, child. Your adorably sloppy contract-crafting says as much – and, may well even suggest that your Master Uncle isn't even aware of your pursuit, for I can't see him allowing the Heir of his House to go about making such obvious mistakes."
Sirius felt the unmistakable itch of Dark Magic beginning to crawl over his skin, as Dearborn spoke. The scent of burnt, rotting cloves that Dark Magic carried, the suffocating, overly hot vibration that crawled up inside of him and irritated his own Magic, was a familiar vibration of Magic that he knew and was raised in – but, hated more deeply than he could express. Dark Magic was a freely used Magic in the Unseen Market, neither welcomed nor forbidden, but simply an acknowledged presence, and clearly, Dearborn was well versed in it to be able to wield it without the visible use of a wand.
"I didn't make any mistakes, Dearborn," Sirius said fiercely. Dark Magic swirled in the air between them, making him feel as though he was breathing in spices and making his chest feel tight. "My contract-crafting was flawless. It was clever, as you said yourself. You were outwitted by a schoolboy and you'll have to answer to your Master for it, so just accept that and let's move forward with the fulfillment of the Inquiry, if you will."
"Your contract-crafting was flawed, little Black, because while you have everything in place for an impenetrable, flawless transfer of ownership, you neglected the details of the exchange of requested goods. Due to your neglect to state when and where and for how long this exchange will be carried out, this clause defaults to me to fulfill – meaning you'll get your requested goods, but on my time and on my terms and in my territory."
Sirius felt himself pale as the spice-hot vibration of Dark Magic seemed to rush over him like a wave, becoming thicker and thicker as Dearborn came closer and closer.
"I'm due on the Express in less than two hours!" Sirius announced, hoping he did not sound as afraid as he suddenly was. "I'm expected on the train and if I'm not there, people will notice. I'm the Heir Black of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, as you know. There is nothing you can do to me that you'll get away with unscathed."
Dearborn laughed with dark glee. "Nobody is going to anything to you, child. There is nothing I can gain from harming an arrogant, reckless little schoolboy and nothing I wish to bring down on myself by harming the Heir Black. I give you my word as a Merchant's Apprentice that you will arrive at Hogwarts unharmed and in one piece, before your first class in the morning – which is when you'll truly be expected by, if you aren't to arouse notice."
"No, I'm expected on the Hogwarts Express." Sirius insisted and instantly took several steps backwards, as Dearborn reached for him in a sudden, viperous swipe. "It's required that students travel to Hogwarts on the train and if I'm not there, it will be noticed."
"It isn't mandatory to arrive nor depart Hogwarts from the Hogwarts Express. It is an optional service to the Wizarding public, provided by our government for the convenience of our citizenry, and I know this, because I'm only a few years removed from Hogwarts myself."
Sirius drew his wand on Dearborn, but it might as well have been a useless twig against the thunderous rush of Dark Magic that billowed up around them, vibrating an octave that Sirius had never seen or experienced before in his life. This was Dark Magic, that was for certain. But, there was a certain, foreign stench to the Darkness of this Magic that made him break out in gooseflesh despite the smoldering heat of the raw Magic engulfing him. Dearborn was speaking with an unshakeable smugness as more than a pulse of magic began charging the air between them.
"I am here to be your formal escort into the Unseen Market, where I will accept and agree to the terms you have set forth and fulfill the completion of the Inquiry. The Unseen Market will be the place where I shall deliver the permanent ownership, rights of use, and sole possession of the requested good in your Inquiry, for which I am prepared to accept the agreed upon sum of Galleons as compensation for permanent relinquishment of my ownership, rights of use, and sole possession of the requested goods in your Inquiry, henceforth and forevermore."
Sirius couldn't move or breathe for the space of an entire minute, as an electric charge of Magic that was deeper and more powerful than he had ever known swallowed him whole. The pulse of magic he had felt previously had not been the Sealing of a contract as he had thought it was – it had only been Magic registering the terms of the contract to that it would be used to Seal each party into the binding of a Contract. What Dearborn had just done had been the Sealing of the Inquiry in full and now, he and Dearborn were irrevocably obligated to see the terms fulfilled on threat of losing their own magic.
Dearborn came to stand alongside of him and pulled him as close as possible without his hold becoming an embrace, only seconds before Sirius was released from the moment of stasis, a chilling smile on his face.
Sirius began struggling as soon as he could move, trying to free his wand-arm so that he could do something to make Dearborn let him go – a Stinging Hex, a Stunner, a Reductor Curse that would truly break his hold. There was no telling where Dearborn was about to take him, no telling where he would be whisked off to and be held hostage until tomorrow morning. Only those who had been accepted by the ancient energy of the Unseen Market had knowledge of how to get there and for as much as he had gained and learned from his correspondence with Uncle Alphard, where he could find the Unseen Market had not been apart of that.
"Where are you taking me?" Sirius hissed as Dearborn began moving them forward, towards the strange rippling that had abruptly appeared upon the pillar they'd been standing in front of. He was angrier than he was afraid, for the moment, and useless sparks of black and red erupted from the tip of his neutralized wand. "You can't do this, Dearborn! Let me go at once!"
"Grandmother Magic disagrees that I can't do this, little Black – and that is who Sealed this contract and bound you to these terms, child. Magic that is older than even the earliest memories of our most ancient histories." Dearborn flicked his gloved fingers at the rippling of the pillar and Sirius was horrified to witness the ripple morphing into a wide, ragged tear in the air – a literal wound in the fabric of existence, which was leaking a thick, vicious, strange Magic. "You should have been a good little schoolboy and done your homework on what Magic you're dealing with when you make an Inquiry of the Unseen Market. Galleons have nothing on the price you're about to pay for your determination to be the proud owner of a triad of antimony-blended cauldrons, little Black."
Sirius didn't have time to dwell or be afraid of what Dearborn meant before the Dark wizard gave him a smile that gleamed like an unsheathed blade and yanked them forward into the raw, untamed portal of unknown Magic that would take them away to the Unseen Market.
His scream echoed unheard by anything other than a pair of startled house-elves, as the pillar stitched itself closed and the stench of Dark Magic lingered as the only evidence that Sirius and the Merchant's Apprentice had ever been present at all.
(Author's Note: The Blackest Blood is a wild, AU plot bunny that comes directly from a fandom discussion I was a part of years and years ago with a friend, speculating on why it was so easy for people to believe that Sirius had betrayed the Potters and was serving Voldemort. The injustice of Sirius being falsely imprisoned and framed overshadows that it was only possible because people genuinely and thoroughly believed that Sirius was capable a crime like that. Nobody questioned why he didn't receive a trial, because nobody doubted that he was guilty and deserved it. Not even Albus Dumbledore spoke a word in Sirius Black's defense – even though he went to great lengths to keep Snape out of prison and see him pardoned for his crimes as a Death Eater carrying the Dark Mark!
This begs the question of exactly what happened and what kind of person Sirius must have been leading up to Voldemort's first downfall – and thus, this fic was born. I'm going to have a lot of fun exploring my thoughts on Wizarding culture and politics, blood status, and magic, while getting down deep into all these statements and events we keep hearing about in the First Wizarding War but were never really explored in canon!)
