Lucius, Bella, and Harry arrived in the dungeons of Riddle Manor and made their way to a chamber with an elegant long table, several maps plastered to the stone walls, and a number of candles scattered about to keep the room dimly lit. It looked as though the meeting room was used for planning raids and battles, yet Bella noticed that she had never before seen the room. It was in a secluded wing of the dungeons that she wasn't even aware existed.
"Sit," Lucius drawled at Bellatrix as he put Harry down in the middle of the table.
Bellatrix, not accustomed to taking orders from anyone but her lord, hesitated for a moment but decided it was best to listen to what the man had to say before snapping at him. After all, she was still in utter shock and thought herself to be in no state to be making any decisions. Lucius, on the other hand, had just murdered an inner circle death eater in cold blood. As always, he looked as though he had a plan. The Malfoy elder was displaying the type of ruthless cunning that had helped establish himself among the political elite in wizarding society, keeping an eye open for opportunity in even the darkest of times.
Once they were both seated he cast a glance at the child and spoke, "Beautiful child, isn't he, Bella?"
"Filthy half-blood!" Bellatrix screeched in a low, unfeminine tone. It was all she could muster at the moment, not sure whether to kill the boy or jump across the table and strangle Lucius for daring to call the slayer of her master 'beautiful.' First and foremost though, she was itching to know what the brat was doing with them.
"Now, now. We aren't even aware of his mother's origins. Always presumed a mudblood of course, with her muggle up bringing...but if I were a betting man, and I am, I would put my galleons elsewhere. " Lucius paused and then stated, "He is one of us, after all," finishing with a rather sly expression. He wanted to start from square one with Bella, which ran much deeper than quelling her concerns about the boy's blood purity. He wanted to remind her that he knew that the boy who was responsible for the dark lord's fall had the Black's family blood running in his veins, which rendered him a dark blooded wizard.
Bella was caught off guard by how Lucius began their conversation. The boy had just killed the dark lord and he was talking about his lineage! 'What in Slytherin's name is going on?' she thought to herself, 'and what does he mean that he is one of us? Was Dolohov right? Had Lucius gone mad?' She couldn't understand - Lucius Malfoy always had a plan.
Lucius was surprised it was taking her so long until finally it her like a bludger in the kidney. It was obvious. Her head shot up at once.
"Lucius, y-you wouldn't?" she asked desperately. She trembled for a moment before her impulsive rage instantly took over as she stood up, whipped out her wand and roared, "I SHOULD HAVE MADE YOU TAKE THE OATH THE SEC-"
Bellatrix was quickly interrupted by Lucius' wicked laugh, with his wand still in his holster. He soon recovered though and began explaining himself before she could curse him.
"Calm yourself Bella," Lucius began in an aristocratic manner, pausing for a moment before continuing in a sincere voice, "I was never intending to use that information against you. I was merely implying that you should be proud, my dear."
Bellatrix erupted, "Proud! PROUD! That my own blood should be responsible for the fall of the dark lord? Do you know what this means! If anyone finds out Lucius...my f-family," Bellatrix began to mutter under her breath. She couldn't bear to see her family put to shame, or worse killed off. It was one of the few things Bellatrix cared for in life. It wasn't that she necessarily cared for everyone in her family - far from it -, but she held her family name in great esteem and couldn't stand to see it ruined among the dark.
Immediately, Lucius interrupted her train of thought. "Follow my lead and you will not have to worry about such things."
It wasn't a question or a command; instead Lucius spoke the sentiment as if it were a statement of fact. He had an air of confidence surrounding him that didn't seem possible at such a time. Lord Voldemort's body lay only a few feet away, which they were barely able to grab hold of under the burning rubble and plaster before vanishing.
Bellatrix, still in a state of panic, knew she didn't have many options. She pondered what was now to become of the dark for a few moments and then looked at Lucius and noticed a glint of determination in his eyes. He wasn't panicking; he was already scheming and seemingly had everything under control. Having no one else to turn to, she gazed at him and nodded, encouraging him to continue on.
Lucius understood and once again continued in a soft and calculating manner, "A turning point in the war has come and decisions must be made, Bella. The dark lord has fallen... it is true, but we cannot allow the dark to go with him. It is only a matter of time before the ministry discovers his fall, as it cannot be concealed forever. When this happens, many of us will be hunted down like animals and be given to the dementors. Our homes will be raided, many of our possessions will be destroyed, and a countless number of bloodlines will finally be put to an end. Only Merlin knows what filth our children will be sent to," Lucius started to shiver at this. He had not thought about his newborn, Draco, or what was to become of their bloodline if something were to happen to him and Narcissa. Where would he be sent? Though it was unlikely that a Malfoy would be unable to escape prison, the thought of his family being torn apart was impossible to bear. Furthermore, Lucius knew the ministry would surely stomp out as many bloodlines as humanely possible and that if the dark was to have any chance at survival, he would somehow have to save far more than his own family. His eyes were fixated in space for a brief instant before he briskly regained his confidence and continued to speak.
"I haven't spent my entire life in the political arena for nothing," his eyes glancing back over to Bella's reassuringly, "I believe I have enough influence with the minister and within the several committees I head to save some of us. Perhaps the ministry will even spare some of our closer friends from the dementors and have them sent to Nurmengard, but it will cost a great deal in both fortune and influence, Bella. Our contributions will only go so far and unfortunately...I do not have an endless supply of personal debt."
Bellatrix looked as if she understood as he carried on, "We have very little time. Perhaps a year...maybe two at the very most before the ministry realizes," he stopped and glanced over at Voldemort's body, swallowing the knot in his throat after a moment before continuing, "realizes our lord's fall. Hundreds of dark blooded families will be in danger, and frankly... most of them are likely to suffer at the ministry's hand, and you can be assured that Dumbledore!" he spat with fury "will do everything in his power to snuff us out of existence! However..." he began to calm himself and again regained his aristocratic composure, "if we act wisely, we may be able to save the dark from total destruction. It is possible that select bloodlines could be saved with enough influence. Understand?"
Bella nodded slowly and it looked as though she was beginning to catch on a little bit.
"Clearly," he continued with distaste "we have suffered a great loss, but we cannot sit here and wallow in misery. If we plan on saving the dark bloodlines from destruction, we must make the best of it." He paused once more before adopting the most sincere tone he could manage. "Your great-grandfather Cygnus Black and I will both have much to say in the matter, as we each head the two wealthiest families in wizarding England."
Cygnus Black was quite a bit older than Dumbledore himself and many believed he would soon pass away. He remained neutral in the war as best he could, though inevitably funded the dark's cause when left little choice in the matter. It was impossible for men of his station to remain neutral, as Lord Voldemort wouldn't accept it. Still, he associated with many light wizards and held a number of differing views than his dark blooded companions. He was much like Sirius, but when it truly mattered he backed down from his principles. He was a light wizard at heart that believed he could better serve the community from a position of power, and comfort of course. Yet, at this point in his life he cared for little more than the safety and well being of what little family he had left. Sirius' mother had already disowned him before the war and Regulus had died just a few years later. Furthermore, his own son Pollux Black and grandson Cygnus Jr. had also been killed during the war. In all, there were no male heirs left to carry on the Black family name and this was greatly disturbing to Cygnus. The war had come at a great cost to The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
From Lucius' perspective they would be in charge of 'purifying' the dark bloodlines of wizarding England. This wasn't what he preferred as they were already greatly outnumbered, but when the ministry realized that Lord Voldemort had fallen he knew that they - along with the Order - would slaughter and incarcerate as many followers of Voldemort's as they could find.
By the climax of the war the vast majority of dark wizarding families in England were supporters of the dark lord, rendering the defeat of Lord Voldemort as the fall of the first 'domino' within a long, winding chain. This was a legitimate opportunity for the light to annihilate the dark almost entirely within England.
Almost...
Between the Malfoys and the Blacks, there was enough influence - both within the political realm and within their vaults at Gringotts - to save the dark from total domination. Even if they could only save a couple handfuls of bloodlines from the clutches of the ministry and the Order, Lucius wanted to ensure they were the most powerful bloodlines available. He saw a reincarnation within the grim forecast of the dark, a new start with more powerful heirs and perhaps...an even more powerful leader someday in the future. From what Lucius witnessed at Godric's Hollow, it wasn't overreaching to suggest that the boy might behold such power. Not only had the child displayed a type of magic that he had never seen or heard of before, but he also had survived the killing curse. There had been a countless number of sacrifices in wizarding history, but never hd any type of magic saved someone from such a curse - not to mention a mere infant.
While Lucius wasn't powerful enough to sense magical auras (few were), he knew there was something special about this child as the prophecy foretold. As young as he was, he thought of the boy as a potential weapon for the dark, possibly even an heir to the dark lord himself if they could shape and mould into their own liking. Furthermore, he also saw the infant as a way of helping him achieve control in purifying the dark wizarding bloodlines of England. In this, he would need Cygnus' help, but he knew the old man would not be looking at the situation from the same perspective. He would not be eager to use his power and influence to save the prominent dark bloodlines of England, and as a result Lucius knew he would need leverage.
As far as the other dark wizarding families were concerned, few had the influence to circumvent the law. There were also individuals that no amount of fortune or intimidation could save, such as Greyback, Crouch Jr., or the late Dolohov among others. Bellatrix was on that list as well, but as far as Lucius knew, no one had identified her as the one responsible for the Longbottom's condition as of yet. He was optimistic that with the right amount money and the right amount of influence, and possibly the right insanity plea, he could get her off the hook – partially owing to the fact that she was indeed quite deranged.
After the long pause in which Bellatrix had become consumed with interest, Lucius decided to carry on.
"The magnitude of our station in the present predicament will ensure that we have a significant hand in reshaping the dark wizarding society of England. Many will flee and others will sacrifice everything they have to try and save themselves...Most will fail. The Ministry and the Order will be relentless, we can be assured of that. It is our responsibility, or should I say duty, to carry on the dark's cause. All in all," Lucius hesitated to find the right words before he concluded that it was time to be blunt about his intentions, "Your great-grandfather and I will have the power to control the destiny of the dark blooded families in England ... and will conceivably be able to determine those who will remain a part of it. However, Cygnus and I are not likely to see eye-to-eye in this. You know this as well as I do. The 'Potter' boy can be useful here -"
"What does the Potter child have anything-" Bella became furious again before she was interrupted.
"Because, Bella...the 'Potter' child is also a Black," he responded as if speaking to a four year old.
She froze in a heartbeat, "You swore-"
"Listen to me!" Lucius hissed in interruption. "No one will discover we have the boy! The boy is dead!"
Bellatrix rose from her chair and pointed at the child who was still under the trance Lucius had put him in, "Then who is this! And why is here! Why did Anth-"?
"This," Lucius began with a smirk "is Cyrus Rosier Black, son of Regulus Black... The last remaining heir to the Black family line."
Bellatrix's mouth hung wide open; she was beginning to understand what Lucius was up to - or at least part of what he was up to. Lucius needed Cygnus' cooperation if his grand plan was to succeed and the boy was his leverage. Bella had an impulse to follow Lucius on this. The Malfoy elder was sharp and cunning and she knew that he rarely failed in these types of political matters.
After taking a look at the child she inquired hesitantly, "How do you plan on using the boy?"
Lucius was glad she asked. He wasted no time and spoke rather casually considering the matters being discussed.
"There's only one thing that could possibly persuade Cygnus to side with a Malfoy on a matter such as this - an heir. When push comes to shove, Cygnus will remain loyal to the light without Lord Voldemort's presence. However, if I can gain custody of the child I would be in charge of his living arrangements. That would give me the power to negotiate with the man. He will be adamant that the boy grow up as a Black and under his supervision, not a Malfoy."
'Of course' Bellatrix mused to herself, 'cunning Lucius had a plan all along.' She knew that by pooling the Malfoy and Black resources they could ensure the survival of a number of powerful dark bloodlines. The ministry was as greedy as any institution in wizarding society and both the Malfoys and Blacks had more influence than anyone in the building. Bellatrix also knew that Lucius was right in regards to her great-grandfather's intentions, and though she was surprised to find herself agreeing with Lucius so readily it was obvious that they had very similar views. They were both dark supremacists through and through, they were devoted to the same cause, and both were motivated and attracted by power. This was a plan that she could adopt without many qualms once she thought about it, and Lucius was well aware of this.
She pierced him with her curious eyes and after being satisfied that Lucius was telling her the truth she asked coldly, "So what do you need me for then? It seems I'm of little use other than keeping my mouth shut."
"Not quite," Lucius replied quickly. "The boy's mother is your sister, Dorea Black. As you know she passed away only a couple of years ago in Moscow due to disease, where Regulus was stationed throughout parts of the war to recruit new members. Within a year everyone will be informed that Regulus had left his child in his cousin's custody… mine. I need you to address anyone that asks you of the boy and inform them that you were told of him in secrecy due to the chaotic times (many were born in secret during the war to protect their family, so this would not be a major shock to anyone). I would also like you to help hammer out the boy's living arrangements. Cygnus would sooner negotiate with a goblin than a Malfoy and I want to be sure that the boy is growing up under my supervision as well. We will share cust-"
Bella's eyebrows rose to her forehead and quickly interrupted, "What? Why in Merlin's name do you want to keep the half-breed filth? What further use do-"?
"That filth you refer to is responsible for our present scenario!" Lucius spat. "He slew the dark lord as an infant! He displayed magic we have never seen before!" He lowered his voice before plowing on, "If the prophecy is genuine, this boy could posses great power. Do you want the light to possess that power?"
Bellatrix looked insulted and snapped "Of course no-" but she couldn't finish before Lucius continued with his tirade.
"Then listen!" he went on in a hushed but urgent tone, "We witnessed a boy with great power tonight! A boy most likely suspected to be dead… as are his parents, and a boy with dark blood running in his veins. How many people, Bella, have had the opportunity to shape the potential leader of the dark's future to their liking? The order has both Dumbledore and Flamel alive and well, we cannot afford to waste any opportunities... and this boy is an opportunity! See it!" he hissed commandingly, "He is of your blood Bellatrix! Be proud of it!"
Bellatrix gaped at him as Lucius said it again - 'proud' - but she regarded him with sincerity this time. She was thinking, as much as she was devoted to her previous lord, a mere infant did indeed send him to his death. 'An infant...an infant that belongs to me... He is of my blood!' Bellatrix thought to herself as if she had only just found out. Her state of panic had resided since Voldemort's death and her senses were coming back to her now. Thoughts were racing through her mind.
'If Lucius is right... the boy could be powerful. And I doubt Lily Potter, the first charms master in a century was a mudblood anyway...she was only assumed one, wasn't she? The boy could very well be pure-' she snapped out her bigoted ramble at once and continued to herself in a more logical fashion, 'Still…If he is indeed anywhere near as powerful as the prophecy suggests the most Noble House of Black would be feared for generations!' she cackled to herself madly 'Lord Black'…It sounded so natural...
Lucius looked at her with an amused expression as she continued to stare into space, lost in her thoughts. What he would give to be a master of legillamency at times like this, he thought. From the looks of it, there was very little difference between the facial expressions of Harry - still under Lucius' trance - and Bella. He knew he had her on the hook. Power was the one thing that attracted and motivated Bellatrix Lestrange, and the boy exuded power.
"So do we have an agreement then? You will vouch that the boy is Dorea's child and assist me in negotiating with Cygnus?" Lucius asked calmly. He already knew what her answer would be, as her eyes were now on the child and looked as though she had just uncovered the Holy Grail.
A tiny sliver of maternity surfaced in Bella's soul as she turned to Lucius and responded dryly as if the question were rhetorical, "Of course Lucius... I'll help you; he is of my blood after all. Perhaps Sirius did do something right after all this time," she finished with a sweet touch and a crooked smile. She was starting to look forward to Harry's childhood. She could influence his life regardless of the outcome with Lucius and Cygnus. In regards to Lucius's talk of dwindling bloodlines though, she wasn't sure what to think. The light had always vastly outnumbered the dark and that disparity was only going to grow now. She didn't see a solution. 'Breed like rabbits?' she thought halfheartedly to herself in desperate humor. If the dark was in as much trouble as Lucius made it sound, which was probable, then their only chance in rising once again was to possess a power that the light could not match. It was a long shot, but the boy – the very one to bring upon their downfall - represented the only hope that they had.