The Order discovered he was missing from his home just as he left the country with a woman he should hate.
It wasn't even a guard who noticed, but the crew that was supposed to deliver him to safety as the wards fell. They left in despair, and untold worry. It was a quiet trip, and the news soon scattered across the country.
The Boy-Who-Lived, missing. On the anniversary of his birth, no less.
Fear took the country, everyone wondering where You Know Who would strike next. At the same time, Harry Potter found himself in France.
He had stopped at Gringotts and filled a never-ending bag full of galleons. He had innumerable amounts, given the Potter's had long since been some of the richest families. His grandfather Fleaumont had created the Sleakeazy Hair potion that was not only a pretty penny, but widely used. Potters also were the original inventors of Pepper up and Skelegro, and they still earned royalties to the day.
His godfather had also named him as the next Earl of Blackmoor with his death. He had more money than any other wizard in the world.
Taking over the Black mantle also made him aware that the woman following him around the world was his cousin, as well as his godfather's killer. Not to mention Sirius's close cousin.
Harry blinked thoughtfully as he stirred his tea. He was on a balcony in a large hotel penthouse, with Bellatrix close by.
He turned to look at her, and she continued sitting quietly in the next room, just inside.
"Come here." he said quietly.
She walked over quickly and slid into a chair opposite him.
"You killed Sirius." he stated. More to say it out loud than an accusation. She obviously was aware.
"Yes." she agreed anyway.
He sipped his tea quietly. It was good, though he should have known with the price tag on it.
"You seem less deranged." he remarked.
"Azkaban left its mark. My Lord has removed it." she replied calmly.
It was night and day, though Harry could easily see the glimmer of madness that she still held. Harry changed topics.
"Why blood purity?" he asked curiously.
Bellatrix replied, "Blood purity is about the bloodline. the Black's are known for their Metamorphmagus talents, and they have been seen more in Purebloods than any others. It is believed that you are stronger for having taken homage to the magical strength of your parents. It is well known that witches become slightly weaker, magically, after birth. This leads to the idea that Mudbloods have to be taking magic from Pureblood witches."
"That doesn't sound reasonable." Harry mused. "Muggles wouldn't be able to force that. Maybe they are Squib lines, and the mother is simply a squib with just enough magic to birth a magical?" he asked.
"It's a possibility." Bellatrix agreed good-naturedly. "I never cared much. I follow the Dark Lord for the chance to curse and fight."
Harry nodded, Bellatrix didn't seem like she would care much for anything outside of fighting. She seemed to use the terms out of familiarity and insult, rather than vehemence.
"Why Voldemort?" he asked.
"I was in an arranged marriage. The Lestranges. They are rather into each other, and I was barely a trophy wife. They followed the Dark Lord, and I decided to back him too."
"You know he is a half-blood?" Harry asked.
Bellatrix quirked an eyebrow. "Really? How curious." she said benignly. "Like I said, it doesn't matter much to me, but Cissy would find it repulsive."
"Cissy?" Harry asked curiously.
"My sister, Narcissa Malfoy. She was a Black too. She was always a bigger believer of blood purity than me."
Harry nodded carelessly. He changed the subject again. "So metamorphmagi huh? Any other big family blood traits?" he asked.
"They weren't particularly only for one family. For example, metamorphs were just more common in the Blacks, but there were other families with one or two. But yes, there are a few. Scamander was always known for magical creatures talent. Trelawney's have Seer's blood. Potters were inventors and potioneers. Slytherin was Parselmouths. Gryffindors could call the Sword."
Harry blinked slowly and set his tea down. "That's a lot of information." he muttered. "I know Voldemort was always able to interact with creatures quite well." he said.
Bellatrix nodded. "That's a common trait." she replied.
"I don't know much about metamorphmagi besides that Tonks was one." he said.
"Nymphadora, you mean?" Bellatrix asked. Harry nodded. "They usually exhibit some body changes as they grow. If they practice they can manipulate everything they wish."
Harry thought about Tonks before remembering an incident when he was young. "I remember growing my hair out when my aunt cut it one day. Next day it was same as normal."
Bellatrix smiled, and Harry could see that she displayed her sanity with her excitement. "That is a sign. There aren't hair growth charms, so it wasn't normal magic. Have you ever had a haircut before?"
Harry shook his head. "That was the only time." he said.
Bellatrix clasped her hands in delight. "That proves it! If you hadn't cut your hair before now, it would be longer than mine. You are a metamorphmagus." she said. "The only downside is that you cannot become an Animagus. They aren't compatible magics. Mostly because a fully trained metamorphmagus can become anything they want, so animagus training is a waste."
Harry nodded, tugging at his hair thoughtfully. "I've called the Sword of Gryffindor before." he added.
"Try it then." was all she said.
He thought belatedly about the sword he had seen exactly twice, and yelped when it cluttered in his hand. It was still a Goblin silver sword, with a gold handle encrusted with rubies.
"You would have been quite a fight." Bellatrix cooed.
Harry shivered. Her voice was sing-songy and maddening. She was out of her mind when it came to fighting. It was astonishing that she could even slightly act like a normal human being.
He realized he was still holding a long sword in his hand, and set it on the table to his left. He took another sip of tea to center himself.
His mind was thankfully blank, and he realized he was still shocked at the sudden removal of his godfather's life.
He sighed and leaned back. The sun was setting and he could see the first glittering stars in the sky. Bellatrix fell into silence across from him, her submissive tendencies outside of combat leaving her incapable of continuing a one sided conversation.
He breathed deeply, thinking about the man behind his turmoil. He frowned and stared into the sky for a long time. His tea cooled, forgotten on the table next to a poisoned sword and across from an insane witch. She had tried to kill him not weeks ago, and he had wanted to kill her just as much.
Tears came to his eyes, but they never fell. Bellatrix continued sitting across from him. Silent and unmoving, a frown adorning her face.
It seemed like no time at all, and an eternity, before Harry Potter sighed and stood up. He slammed his hands onto the table and enjoyed the pins and needles he felt in his hands.
He smiled and looked Bellatrix Lestrange in her eyes. She looked at him in confusion.
"Wanna play kissing cousins?" he asked with mirth.
She blinked in amazement, and her jaw dropped. "Wha?" she breathed in confusion.
"I have considered it in depth and have discovered how I'm going to move past this. I'm going to tell Voldemort that I fucked his follower, and Rodolphus that I fucked his wife. Sirius would be proud."
Harry had a playful smirk on his face. Bellatrix snorted. "I don't think either of them would care." she said.
His grin stretched wide. "Then I'll tell Draco I fucked his Aunt, and Dumbledore that I fucked Voldemort's most faithful follower."
Her laugh was loud and genuine, and Harry could see that she was a beautiful woman, if he could move past the crazy bitch part of her personality.
"Not to mention how proud Sirius would be. I doubt he could have an issue. He probably would have shagged you if you weren't so closely related." Harry remarked.
"I always liked Sirius. Not much one for heroics, myself, but he was so much more fun than Cissy or Rom. I always teased him." she remarked.
"I doubt he liked you so much. He was resentful of his family too much to see any good. I've decided not to worry about it."
"Oh?" Bellatrix asked. "Is ickle Potter not scared of big bad Bella?" she asked in her sing song manner.
Harry sidled up to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "It sounds like someone is admitting to being a naughty girl." he whispered in her ear.
She shuddered and blushed faintly.
"Potter is going to act like a big man, eh?" she said sultrily. "Maybe I should show him what a big man does?"
Harry wasn't the type to back down.