"My Lord, I have grievous news. Frank Longbottom lives no more,"
Arthur looked up from polishing his wand with a pained look on his face. "Are you certain?"
"The Owl that reached us had tidings from King Sirius' own hands," Molly replied.
Arthur looked back down to his wand again. He had loved Frank as if he were his own son or brother. He had loved them all. Sirius Black, Frank Longbottom and the, then, Crown Prince James Potter had all been fostered at the burrow and had been like elder brothers to his own sons. It pained him that he had outlived two of his own wards.
"And your sister?" Arthur inquired.
"She's safe," Molly told him. "She returned from Hogwarts with Neville after Frank's death,"
"A blessing," Arthur said. He trusted the Malfoy's as far as a blind man could see. The High seat of Hogwarts was a pit full of vipers that was best avoided.
Molly hesitated. "There's further news my Lord. The King rides north,"
Arthur looked up in surprise and a feeling of growing worry. He hadn't seen Sirius in fifteen years. Not since Lily had died and brought them together in their grief. If the King was riding north after all these years..."Does he come with the Queen?" Arthur asked instead.
"The Queen and her brother and most of the court," Molly's words only worsened his fears.
"Damn them all!" Arthur cursed.
"Arthur, you must be careful with your words when the queen," Molly chided him.
"I know," he said with a resigned shrug.
"Should I send out word to Billius?" Molly asked.
Arthur frowned. "I'm loathe to disturb Billius…but he'll want to be here. Ask Percy to send an Owl immediately."
"The wildlings?"
"What else?" Arthur shrugged. Yet, he did not truly believe it himself. The Weasleys, as the ruling house of Gryffindor, had powers in the matters of recruitment and punishment concerned with the Order of Phoenix. The Order was an ancient organization tasked with the protection of the Four Kingdoms from things had lay in wait in the frigid wastes of the North. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his creatures of the dark hadn't been seen for centuries though and the purpose of the Order had changed to look at more petty matters. But something had changed. He could feel it in his bones and it was not a good feeling.
"I don't like any of this Molly," Arthur sighed. "Frank dying, Sirius riding north, problems with the Order…It all feels wrong. It's a sign…"
"You're over thinking it Arthur," Molly chided him again. She did that a lot.
"I hope you're right Molly," Arthur said as he grasped Molly's hands in his own. "I hope you're right but I fear the signs!"
OoO
Visitors poured into the main yard of the Burrow with black snake banner of House Black fluttering in the winds above their heads. Arthur recognized several men and women as they streamed through the gates. Lucius Malfoy, the man who had slain the last Potter King, with his blond hair rippling in the wind. The Queen, Narcissa Black, entered on foot with her children looking as beautiful as the day she had married Sirius. And finally, the king, emerged on a huge warhorse. Sirius leapt of the horse and moved towards the welcoming party.
Arthur bent his knee. "The Burrow is yours, your grace,"
Sirius pulled him up and embraced him. "Ah, Arthur, you look the same as you did fifteen years ago," Sirius bellowed. "Only you have more children I see."
Arthur wished he could say the same for Sirius. Fifteen years had made him almost unrecognizable. The tall, freakishly strong and handsome youth that had claimed the High seat of Hogwarts was no longer the same. There were dark circles under his eyes and a thick beard covered most of his lower face. He had grown thick in the waist and looked tired from the long journey. He had looked every inch the King fifteen years ago but now…Sirius greeted each of his children before hugging Molly.
"It's been a long time," Arthur said.
"Too long," Sirius complained. "Had I known the journey would be so damn long, I would have never have come,"
"My king, we should take a rest after the long journey," The Queen spoke for the first time.
"Take me to her Arthur," Sirius said, ignoring Narcissa.
Arthur nodded and led the way to the Burrow graveyard. "What happened to Frank?"
"A fever took him," Sirius replied. "One moment he was fine and then he was dead….I loved the man."
"We both did,"
"Arthur," the king turned towards him. "I need you at Hogwarts not up here in the North where you are of no bloody use to anyone."
"Your grace, my place is here at the Burrow,"
"Damn it Arthur," Sirius replied. "I'm talking to you as a friend not your king. You helped me win the kingdom, now help me rule it. The Malfoys are all around me at Hogwarts. They are bloody everywhere. My wife is cold, so cold and my son…I need you Arthur. Together we'll make it a good rule again. I would name you the hand of the King!"
Arthur had feared from the moment Molly had first brought the news. "I'll have to talk it over with Molly," Arthur replied.
"Very well," Sirius resumed his walk. "We'll marry your daughter to my son and unite our houses like it was meant to."
Arthur said nothing at that. He would need to talk over things with Molly and time wasn't a luxury. Sirius had never been a patient man. The throne hadn't changed that. They stopped in front of one of the newer graves. Lily's grave. A life like bust of Lily had been placed at the head of it. She looked beautiful even carved in stone.
Sirius gently caressed the bust. "I kill James every night," Sirius admitted. "And then I weep for both of them. For the woman I loved and lost and for a man who was more of a brother to me than my own blood. Lily was betrothed to me! She loved me!"
Arthur remained silent. Fifteen years had done nothing to dampen Sirius' bitterness. But he hadn't the heart to tell Sirius the truth. Lily had been fond of Sirius, laughed at his jokes and accepted the betrothal but she had never loved him. Not truly. Sirius had waged war on the Potters and the rebellion had only ended with Lucius Malfoy killing the last Potter King. James had been slain by Sirius in a legendary duel that had lasted for hours. It was said, that knights from both sides stopped fighting to witness the duel. After James' death the royalists had surrendered. But before he and Sirius could get to Hogwarts, the Malfoys had sacked the city and the castle, butchering Arianna and her two children. James' children, Arthur thought, filled with rising contempt towards the Malfoys. He had gone alone to fetch Lily back only to find her dead on his arrival. The thought still gave him nightmares and sleepless nights. The Why of James' actions eluded him even after all these years? Why had Lily gone with him? Why had James, the so very dutiful crown prince abandoned his own wife and children? The Kingdom had paid its price in blood and corpses for their action.
"She's gone Sirius,' Arthur said. "She's gone."
OoO
The fire crackled merrily in the room radiating warmth but it did nothing to warm Arthur's thoughts. "You need to take the job," Molly repeated.
"I don't want to," Arthur insisted. "Hogwarts is a pit of snakes that I can do without. I told Sirius and Frank to sweep them out when he took the throne. He didn't listen. Now, their influence has festered and snakes slither across the very halls of Hogwarts. I would be lost there."
"The King will take offense Arthur,"
"He'll understand. I know him Molly. He'll rant and rave for a few days but he'll never do anything to harm any of us,"
"You're lying to yourself Arthur," Molly said, sitting up. "You knew the boy Sirius Black, not the king he has come to be. He's not the same boy anymore. He's lived through a war where he killed his best friend. He'll take it for a slight if you refuse him after he has come all the way North."
Arthur could scarcely deny the wisdom in Molly's words but he still had a grain of defiance left in him. But a hurried knock interrupted their talk. Molly covered herself with a gown before Arthur beckoned for the knocker to come in. It was Maester Percy. Percy was in charge of the Owlery and in the training of all his boys in using their wand and swords. He could almost have passes for a Weasley with his red hair and blue eyes and perhaps he did have some Weasley ancestry at some point. Arthur liked him. Scarcely older than his boys he tempered their eagerness and occasional recklessness with caution and a great deal of patience.
Arthur frowned "Did I not say I was not to be disturbed?"
Percy bowed. "I would not have come if I didn't think the matter was urgent, my Lord," Percy removed a parchment from one of his numerous pockets. "This was kept on my table when I was out in the yard. It has seal of House Longbottom on it."
"My sister?" Molly said questioningly and reached out to take the letter from Percy. Arthur watched as Molly's face turned ashen as her eyes swept over the parchment. "What is it Molly?" Arthur asked.
"Alice says Frank was murdered," Molly said in a soft whisper.
"Murdered? By who?"
"The Malfoys. Queen's men."
Arthur immediately turned to Percy. "I won't have any word of what went on here spread outside of this room," Percy nodded before Arthur dismissed him.
Molly clutched his hand. "Arthur you must get to the bottom this. Why would the Queen murder Frank? And if they are capable of that how much do they dare? Sirius' life could be at risk."
The last bit of defiance fizzled out as Arthur realized he had no other choice. He owed that much to both Sirius and Frank. Arthur steeled himself for what he was about to say.
"Ginevra will come with me to Hogwarts. She will learn about the Southern customs while I take measure of the boy. It's possible that the boy does not take after his mother and may make for a suitable consort for Ginevra. You will stay here with our sons and help Bill rule the Gryffindors in my stead."
"You cannot mean to go without me Arthur," Molly replied, a pained expression on her face.
"I do," Arthur said firmly. "The Malfoys will surround me at Hogwarts. I daren't give them more hostages than necessary and rest assured that's exactly what we would be. You're all safer here, much safer,"
"But—"
"I'm not changing my mind Molly," Arthur said firmly putting an arm around her. "If the gods are good you can come to Hogwarts once I get to the bottom of this and root the Malfoy's out,"
"And if they are not?" Molly retorted sharply.
"What has to happen will happen Molly," Arthur replied. "No use fretting about it. I'll take care of Ginny,"
"She's excited about the betrothal," Molly said. "Our daughter, the future queen,"
"Tell her to keep her excitement in check," Arthur said warningly. "I'm not marrying her to him until I've sorted everything out and then only if I can take him away from his mother's grasp,"
"Ginny can take care of herself," Molly said.
"That she can," Arthur said fondly. Having five older brothers had toughened her up but that did not stop him from worrying. Nothing could prepare her for the dirty politics in the capital. He wasn't sure if he himself was ready for it.
OoO
Ron exited the din and stifling heat of the welcome feast inside the Burrow. The cool night breeze gently lashed at his face as he walked around the courtyard until he saw who he was looking for. His Uncle Billius looked into the distance as he smoked his pipe. He had been named after his uncle though he seldom saw him for long stretches. He had joined the Order before he had been born and visits to the Burrow had been few and far between.
"What's up lad?" his uncle clapped him on his back.
"When are you going back Uncle?" Ron asked.
"In a week's time," he replied. "Plenty of work to be done there!"
"I want to come with you," Ron told him.
"You want to join the order?" Uncle Billius asked.
"Yeah, I do," Ron replied.
"No, you don't Ron," he said and ruffled his hair in a way Ron did not like. "You don't know what you'd be giving up for the rest of your life if you joined he order."
"I know I'd be giving up my family," Ron replied. Not that it mattered too much. He had four of his brothers in front of him in the line of succession to the Burrow and any children they might have. It wasn't going to make much of a difference as far as he could see.
"And women," Uncle Billius said. "Have you ever had a woman boy?"
Ron bristled at the word boy. He was fifteen and a man grown but he couldn't help his face turning red which was all his uncle needed.
"Like I said, you don't know what you'd be giving up. You'll never marry a girl, never hold a child of your own," Uncle Billius said. "No one in the Order could care less what your name is. You give your name up the day you join the Order. No one is going to treat you any differently because you're a Weasley. The Order is going nowhere boy. It will still be there in a few years. Go have fun and if you still want to join the Order a few years later, no one's going to stop you."
"I don't care about any of that," Ron said adamantly. "I don't want Children and I don't want any women. There's great honor in joining the Order and that's where I want to be,"
"Have it your way then," Uncle Billius sighed. "We can never have too many at the Order. Wizards like you are always welcomed there. I'll have a word with your father tonight. Merlin knows what he'll think."
"Thanks Uncle," Ron replied and embraced his uncle.
"Well, you won't be thanking me when you reach that place," Uncle Billius replied gruffly. "Now, go on back inside and have fun. There will be none of that where you'll be going."
OoO
Ginny's eyes swept around the room but as was the case for most of the night, they eventually settled on her betrothed. Draco Malfoy was handsome, there was no doubting that. His blonde hair and grey eyes attracted plenty of attention from the girls present at the welcome feast. All night she had seen her brothers giving him hard looks, well, except for Ron, she couldn't see him in the room. She shook her head at her brother's protectiveness. One bat bogey hex and she could have all of them writhing on the floor with pain.
Queen Ginevra. That had a nice ring to it, Ginny thought. She had never talked to Prince Draco, not yet, but if she was going to Hogwarts as father had said then time would not be an issue.
"He's beautiful isn't he?" Lucy said beside her. Lucy was the only female companion he had. They had grown up together in the halls of the Burrow and it was nice to have a girl to talk amidst a sea of boys.
"He is," Ginny replied, her cheeks colouring. "And he's mine,"
"Staring at the Prince are we," Fred piped in sitting next to her. "To tell you the truth dear Ginevra, he looks like an ugly snobbish brat,"
"Shh," Ginny said urgently and glared at Fred. "He's the crown prince you buffoon,"
"Don't expect me to bow and call you 'Your grace' if you ever become Queen," Fred replied. "You're haughty enough as it is so don't think I'll pander to you,"
"If I become Queen I'll have you and George put into dungeons," Ginny replied. "Where's Ron? I'd rather talk to him than you," she said changing the subject.
"Who knows," Fred said airily. "I wouldn't count on him though. 'Filthy Slytherin vampire' were the words he used I believe,"
Ginny swore under her breath before blushing as she met her mother's glare. When she looked around Fred was gone. She sighed. As much as she complained about her brothers, she would miss them. Going to the capital with only Lucy for company was going to get tiring very quickly.
OoO
"We shouldn't be doing this,"
"The King is away hunting. We're all alone,"
Narcissa's reply died in her throat as he started to thrust harder inside her. She groaned in sweet pleasure with the increase in pace. The slickness between her legs helped him move quicker and Narcissa felt the end drawing closer when she looked up. Her eyes widened in horror. A red headed boy was staring right at them his eyes as big as her own.
"STOP," she said roughly and hurriedly hiked her gown up. "Get him," she told Lucius. Lucius pulled his breeches up and hurried to the boy who tried to get away. Lucius caught him by the hand and looked back at her.
"He saw us," Narcissa said.
"Are you sure?" Lucius asked, hint of doubt in his voice. The Boy looked scared and his eyes could have scarcely gotten any bigger.
"He saw us!" Narcissa repeated. "If he tells anyone else…"
"He's a boy Cissy…" Lucius replied.
"If he lives, Sirius will kill our children," Narcissa said. "Do it for our children," she almost pleaded.
"The things I do for love," Lucius sighed and pushed the Weasley kid of the tower.
I'm a big fan of both the series' and I guess couldn't help wondering how HP would look in a GoT-like surrounding while not completely changing the way HP itself worked. And this is what I came up with! So, if you liked it and are intrigued then a review with your feedback (positive or negative) would be smashing!
