Chapter 1 - The Letter
DISCLAIMER - All rights pertaining to the intellectual property that is Harry Potter belong to J.K Rowling. I own no part of it.
"Tempus..." Orion whispered
6:55:10
The numbers appeared on his arm, emitting a faint glow that illuminated the hallway. He moved silently and low to the ground. While it wasn't particularly early in the morning he had no intention of provoking the wrath of the Black women, they prized their sleep like a dragon prized its gold, and Orion knew well never to tickle a sleeping dragon.
"You would think they would be a little more excited considering today's the day" he grumbled as he waved away the spell. Orion couldn't do much without a wand, but enough lessons from his Aunt Cassiopeia and twice as many hexes to boot, he, Draco and Dora could conjure simple bits of magic. Things like a spark of a flame or a ball of light. While seemingly mundane the lessons weren't meant to teach them spells, that was left till Hogwarts. Rather they focused on how to control their magic, mainly by reading innumerable texts most much older than the children themselves and time spent mastering their Mindcraft. Contrary to popular muggle belief, magic didn't simply revolve around the clarity of one's incantation and the release of magical energy. Half the art revolved around the nature in which one moulded their mind to signal intent, depending on the school of magic these structures of thought would manifest in different ways, akin to different dialects of an overarching language. Identical at the foundation yet divergent in their nuances and intricacies. Such studies mainly revolved around long hours spent in meditation or refining one's mental faculties through exercises. Though quite insignificant in comparison to the real magic taught once one entered Hogwarts, it laid a foundation, and kept the Black children leaps and bounds ahead of their peers, most others were simply tutored in writing, arithmetic and etiquette.
He reached the end of the corridor and made his way down the stairs.
"Merlin! Could time go any slower?!" Orion spoke a bit louder than intended. He stops dead in his tracks as he heard grumbling down the hall. How his cousin could sleep in on a day as important as this he couldn't fathom.
Before he could continue he heard the sound of an apparition.
"Master appears to be in distress!"
He turned to see the vague shape of his favourite house elf.
"Its nothing Kreacher "He assuaged his magical servant.
He crouched down to get a better look at the house elf's face in the dark. He couldn't help but have a grin on his face.
"It's just that today's the day" He whispered unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.
Upon the old house elf's face materialised a smile.
"Yes, yes." He spoke with a knowing tone. "Master finally gets his letter from Hogwarts."
Kreacher was the oldest of the elves bonded to House Black. Born into the service of Orion's Grandfather, Kreacher served faithfully until his masters premature passing. It was custom for a House Elf to serve the next in line following the death of their master. However due to turbulent events in the family's history, both sons were indisposed thus leaving Kreacher to imprint on young Orion. They were thick as thieves. Such was the unique nature of the bond between Master and House elf. While a normal elf could certainly be trusted to serve the members of a House unreservedly, they were ultimately servants, servants incapable of much more than following orders. Personal House Elves on the other hand were known to develop a distinct character. One that has been attributed by wizarding scholars to the magical bond that existed between said elf and its master. As a result, they were much more personable and wizard- like developing a formidable reputation for going above and beyond for their master. Kreacher was no different.
"Kreacher has seen many a member of house Black in a similar state such as master the days before their letters arrived." The old elf croaked in amusement
" Your telling me Grandfather did the same thing?" Orion asked with a glint in his eye.
Orion's Grandfather and namesake was considered the picture of refinement and strong breeding during his life and his portrait most certainly carried on those traits. While Orion was no slouch, the constant corrections that were rattled off as he was walking past his portrait in a corridor or during a conversation in the drawing room was bothersome. So, any dirt Orion could get on his Grandfather's prized decorum was worth all the gold in Gringotts.
Kreacher responded with a similar glint in his eyes "I remember Master Orion was so excited he waited overnight up on the balcony of Grimmauld Place, hoping to intercept the owl early, it seemed reasonable until..." The wizened elf suddenly stopped, the smile on his face becoming more pronounced.
"Master made Kreacher promise not to tell you anymore embarrassing stories. "
Orion cursed. "Damn the old canvas was a step ahead. I guess the decorations made to his portrait last Samhain must have pushed him over the edge."
Suddenly reminded of his current objective, he walked as speedily as possible toward his intended destination repeatedly whispering the incantation.
"Tempus!"
6:59:15
"Kreacher its almost here!" Orion shouted losing all pretence of maintaining silence.
He ran up to the window unlatching it as he shouted again
"Tempus!"
6:59:55
"Here it comes Kreacher!"
5
4
3
2
1
...
...
...
There was no letter to be seen.
"Where in Helga's name is it?" he questioned out loud.
"It couldn't be late could it? No... Hogwarts mail is never late" The Black heir started pacing back and forth in front of the open window.
"Maybe it was the wards!" He thought "The black wards were notorious for being the strongest in Magical Britain."
"What if you only get one chance to get the letter!" He ruminated
"What if they think that i don't want to go to Hogwarts!"
"Kreacher! Go wake Aunt Andromeda! It's an emergency" he shouted in a panic.
"Master... "Kreacher spoke up looking at the window behind Orion's shoulder.
"Now!" Orion boomed.
Kreacher apparated away
He continued pacing "This is terrible! What am I go-"The scion of House Black's ramblings were interrupted by a live projectile impacting with his head.
"OWWW!"
The owl unable to free its talons from the boy's long hair started hooting and flapping its wings in terror.
"GET OFF!" The young heir shouted trying to grab at the bird, however further action was interrupted by the last voice he wanted to hear at that moment.
"What is going on here!"
"Dragons balls..." Orion muttered raising his eyes in trepidation to face the voices origin.
His action was rewarded with the sight of two women. One staring furiously while the other wore the eerily accurate expression of a monkey trying its best not to laugh.
"uhhhh Hi Auntie" Orion stuttered
With the most innocent tone he was capable of emitting he continued "I was just waiting for the letters to arrive..."
"So, you felt you had to tackle the owl to the ground and roll about the floor like a dog, did you?" His aunt responded with a tone of resignation.
"It wasn't my fault the bloody thing caught me unawares and has got its damn talons stuck in my hair" He complained, hoping to justify his current state.
Andromeda Black was not impressed by the young man's explanation and her daughter Nymphadora judging by her current state, rolling around the floor laughing much to Orion's dismay, it was clear she wasn't either.
"Language Orion" The mother of two sighed insufferably.
"And Nymphadora get off the floor, its unbecoming"
The young girl immediately hopped off the floor her hair morphing into a fiery red
"Don't call me Nymphadora" She whined.
Andromeda simply rolled her eyes, signalling the repetitive nature of the conversation in question.
"It's your name, no matter how much you refuse to accept it as such. Learn to be proud of it."
The young girl's hair dulled to a sulky green matching the expression on her face.
"One must always listen to their mother Nymphadora" Orion spoke with glee relishing the glare she sent his way.
The lady of the house then turned to Orion who was still trying to untangle the owl from his hair.
"And you young man. Her voice becoming once again stern "Kreacher apparating into my room shouting emergency is not the way I expect nor would ever prefer to wake up."
"Now stand still" as she moved to remove the owl from the lad's cranium.
While his Aunt Andromeda untangled the distressed owl from his hair muttering about the Black family madness setting in, Orion spotted two letters on the floor
"They're here!" He shouted
Dora's eyes snapped to where Orion was pointing and ran to them.
"yes finally!" she said in excitement picking them up and passing Orion his own.
"Let's read them together" she said finally reflecting the excitement Orion felt at that moment.
They both opened the letter with a haste that was only dampened by the fear of potentially damaging the precious letters.
They both read aloud.
"Dear Master/Miss Black. We are pleased to inform you, you have been accepted into Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" They finished with a cheer.
It was Andromeda's turn to smile brightly, her eyes going misty.
"Congratulations you two..." She said softly.
"It seems like only yesterday you two were in diapers and now your off to Hogwarts." She said enveloping them in a hug.
Orion returned it in full force.
Orion loved Andromeda dearly. Despite him calling her aunt, she was the closest thing he had to a mother and she loved and cared for him as if he were her own son. He guessed he shouldn't have expected otherwise, after all, to the Blacks family matters most.
"Don't worry Aunt Andromeda it's not like we aren't gonna be around forever. We will be around for Yule and Summer." Orion spoke consolingly though the effect was slightly ruined due to his voice being muffled by his aunt's shoulder.
Dora nodded vigorously trying to blink back her own tears as her hair cycled through a variety of colours.
Orion silently chuckled "guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" he thought.
Orion knew more than anyone that there was more to Dora than met the eye. While the cheery almost euphoric personality she exuded was certainly her, she had another side as well. One that as long as Orion knew her she couldn't convey to most except a rare few like him. More usually she tended to simply morph instead. While Orion knew it wasn't exactly healthy he had no leg to stand on because he considered himself worse in that regard, at least she had the hair.
Andromeda ruffled his hair fondly.
"Don't get into too much trouble. I don't want to hear news of the school being burnt down in the prophet" she said in a mocking tone that held just a hint of genuine concern. The boy was still a Black after all.
"Don't worry you will know way before the Prophet gets a hold of it" Orion said flashing her a cheeky smile.
It was immediate. Andromeda went as pale as a ghost. Her eyes cold as ice, her posture rigid like stone. It was only for a second, but Orion caught the flash of immense pain in her face.
It was gone in a heartbeat.
The Lady Black then returned a dangerous smile worthy of the family name and one Orion was sure would have made Godric Gryffindor himself run with his tail between his legs.
"I wouldn't be too excited, after all it would be you explaining to your Great Grandfather why the scion of house Black wouldn't be graduating Hogwarts"
Orion gave her a mostly mock shudder.
"Now go get ready you two, we are going over to Grimmauld Place. I am sure the rest of the family would love to give you their regards."
"Will Draco be there?" Orion asked knowing all too well his cousin was just as excited as he was.
"Yes, the whole family will be there" she replied as she sent the dishevelled owl that was now sitting on their window perch, off on its way.
The two children complied and set off for their rooms.
As Orion walked up to his room clutching his letter he mused on the look his aunt gave him. He knew she didn't mean to show it, but he had received enough looks like that from the rest of his family to know what it meant.
He knew it was because he reminded them of him.
"The man famed for betraying his friends". He laughed bitterly.
"The bastard that ruined my family's name".
"The monster that murdered my mother"
"My father Sirius Black" he finally whispered with a hatred that did not belong in a voice so young.
Yet Orion felt it justified as even after all these years imprisoned in Azkaban, the man still found ways to haunt him, like the bogeyman who haunts the minds of children when they sleep, causing him and his family unimaginable pain. Orion hoped the dementors lived up to their reputation. He deserved every bit of pain he caused us tenfold.
Orion now stood still in the middle of the corridor, immersed in his dark thoughts.
"Even that wouldn't be enough" he mentally cursed. "It won't be enough until I find out."
"Why?" he whispered
"Then I will kill the filthy blood traitor myself!" He silently vowed not for the first time in his life.
His thoughts were ceased by a wary voice.
"Orion…"
He turned to see his Nymphadora looking at him with her hair a dark dull blue and a deeply concerned expression on her face.
"You okay?" she said, "You looked… trouble."
Orion couldn't help but smile. He thought it thoughtful of his cousin to describe the iron mask of a face he tended to wear when his mind was conquered by such thoughts in such a delicate manner.
He simply wrapped his hands around her shoulders.
"It's nothing dear cousin" he grinned maliciously.
"Just thinking of all the different ways that we are going to torture dear Ronald once we get to Hogwarts." He said in a sickly-sweet voice.
Nymphadora's hair retained her usual hot pink as she snorted and returned the malicious smile.
They both laughed
"Now let us go forth!" Orion announced in an overly grandiose fashion.
"Grimmauld Place Awaits!"
Authors note
Whew! That rewrite took longer than expected. Hopefully its not as much of a disaster to read as last time. At the least its more consistent with the latter chapters. It's a bit more than a simple translation into third person. I rewrote some parts here and added some more stuff there so hopefully for you lovely people who have already read the previous chapter, its worth the reread. I am off on a road trip for a few days so I'm not sure what that will do for my progress on the next chapter. Hopefully I will find some peace and quiet amongst it all to work on it. Anyway, as always, I hope you enjoy the chapter, please feel free to comment and or ask questions and I shall be happy to respond within reason. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a splendid new year.