Ladysavay –Personally, I find it uninteresting when authors reveal everything on the first page. If you still have any interest in this story, please PM me with the things you find unclear and I will either address them in another PM/the next chapter or I will edit the chapters themselves.
Red Furry Demon – Thanks a lot and sorry for the wait! Please tell me which parts you find confusing so I can edit them.
TIGGRAIN – Well, yes, that's pretty much it with the James/Lily relationship. I haven't really decided on Bella's personality yet, but I've got some elements down. But the Blacks definitely won't talk about her because of how she's destroyed the family name. I will try to fit Dumbledore's back story into this, but I can't promise anything. Thanks a lot for reviewing!
.Blood – Thank you so much! I will try to show a bit more of the characters' thoughts. I quite like Moody as a character and I was really disappointed at the minor part he got in the books. Again, thanks a lot for the review!
CHAPER FOUR: THE RAM AND THE DRAGON
Days passed very quickly with the Blacks. Harry would study under Arcturus's seemingly all-seeing, watchful eye every morning and in the evenings Dora taught him how to play Quidditch. She was painfully clumsy, but surprisingly adept at the famous Wizarding sport.
Finally, the day of the dinner party had come and everyone seemed to dread the presence of one woman – Walburga Black.
"She actually tricked her own cousin into marrying her," Dora told Harry with wide eyes during one of their lessons. "Mum says she's horrible, but I'm not supposed to tell you that 'cause she's still your relative and Mum's not going to –,"
"I got it," Harry said, laughing. Dora could talk for hours. And she often did when there was no one to stop her.
"Come," Dora said. "It's nearly noon. Mum will want to check you over before the dinner."
Harry made a face. What was so important about that dinner party? It seemed like a huge affair in the Black estate. Not daring to give his thoughts voice, he followed Dora to the manor house, where the two young Blacks were greeted by a scowling Cassiopeia.
"Harry, go change into something more... presentable. Dora, you cannot possibly show yourself with this thing you like to call hair. You will switch to your natural appearance."
Dora scowled at her. She hated her natural appearance. It wasn't that she thought she was unattractive, but she looked just like her relatives and it upset her more than she let on. She hated it when her mother's eyes stared back at her from the mirror. She wanted to run when she flashed her friends her Aunt Bella's famous smile. It made her feel as though no matter how much Muggleborn blood she had in her veins, she was still a Black. She was condemned to the darkness and the insanity that overtook most Blacks and led them to early, painful, gruesome deaths. And there was nothing she could do about it.
Harry ran a hand through his hair. It was still the same jet black colour it had been before, but now it was thinner and longer. It fell to his shoulders and framed his face rather than sticking up like a crow's nest.
Arcturus snickered when he passed by him and Cassiopeia. "Walburga's going to love his hair," he told Cassiopeia, amused. "Remember how short she made Reg cut it?"
Cassiopeia's lips twitched at the memory. "Poor dear," she said. "He looked terrible."
Harry quickly ran upstairs to changed into formal robes. "Why is this party such a big deal?" he asked Mr Moody once he had left his room. He had switched, on Cassiopeia's orders, from a simple black robe to very formal blue dress robes that made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
"Every family has their dinner parties, Harry, which each and every member of the family, disowned or not, is forced to attend. It is what shows that a family is still wealthy enough to provide lavish feasts for all its members, that everyone has the money for expensive, dressy clothing and that they still stand allied and united."
"So it's just for show?" Harry asked, furrowing his brow. This sounded a lot like when Uncle Vernon would purchase cars he could barely afford and admire them in front of the neighbours. It disgusted him.
"Partly," Mr Moody said, thrusting his cane onto the ground and spinning it by the handle. "The other families know who can or cannot afford such parties. Having one is sending a message. One family telling the others that they're still as wealthy, powerful and strong as they were the previous year and the year before that and every other year up to then."
"I see," Harry muttered.
Mr Moody patted his shoulder. "You'd best get going, lad. They're going to be waiting for you."
Harry looked up at him. "You're not coming?"
Mr Moody chuckled. "I can't stand this lot unless I pour a bottle of wine down my throat and that's hardly acceptable at a dinner party, don't you say? I'll be out, lad. I've got business to attend to."
Harry bid him goodbye and descended the stairs, hurriedly running his hand through his hair in an attempt to make it look more presentable. Lord Black gave him a sharp tap with his wand.
"Keep your head up," he ground out.
The first to arrive were the Malfoys. Lucius introduced Harry to his wife Narcissa and their son Draco. Draco's regarded Harry with curiosity. "Sirius Black never had a son."
"So we thought, Draco," Lucius said. "The boy was kidnapped at birth."
Technically, that was a lie, but no one had to know, Lucius thought. Especially his son, who couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut for over two seconds.
Draco's eyes widened. "Really?" he asked. "Who's your mother?"
Harry's head snapped up and he looked at Lucius worriedly. What was he supposed to say? Everyone thought his mother had been married to James Potter. Who was the woman Sirius Black had fallen in love with at school?
"We will speak about his parentage later," Lucius said quietly. "Let us sit."
"What's your name again?" Draco asked him. "Sorry, I wasn't listening to Father."
Harry's face scrunched up. He knew he was supposed to give his whole name, but it wasn't something he particularly wanted to do. Still, Lord Black had instructed him to always introduce himself by that name. "Hadrian Aries," he said curtly. "But I'd rather you call me Harry."
Draco nodded in understanding and sat across him. Soon, the guests had all appeared, including the infamous Walburga Black. Harry could already see why everyone disliked her. She was tall and thin and her wide dark eyes protruded from her sallow, sunken face. Her greying black hair was tied in a bun and her bony fingers were wrapped tightly around a long, thin wand. Needless to say, she wasn't the most attractive woman to have graced the earth.
She sat on the left of Lord Black, while Pollux sat on the right. Arcturus clapped his hands and the table was instantly covered in plates and bowls of lavish foods.
"Isn't this lovely?" Walburga said at some point. "Soon we're going to have two new little Slytherins in the family." She sneered slightly. "Although I am not so certain as to what to expect of my grandson."
Arcturus smiled mirthlessly. "Frankly, Walburga, it matters very little to me what you do or do not expect of the boy. I am Lord Black. I set the rules and I allow children of Black blood to get Sorted in houses other than Slytherin."
She sneered at him. "I do not know why I thought you would be a worthy lord, Arcturus. If my husband were here –,"
"He would have agreed with me. Now be silent before I am forced to banish you from the estate."
Harry noticed Aunt Andy was practically glowing with content. Lady Malfoy turned to her sister and offered her a stiff smile. "It's been a while, Andromeda."
The air seemed to grow colder. Draco and Harry exchanged looks while the two sisters stared at each other.
"Indeed, it has," Aunt Andy said quietly. "Sixteen years if my memories do not deceive me."
Lady Malfoy closed her eyes for a brief moment. "I am sorry, Andromeda. I never meant for it to happen. I had to do it; you don't understand."
"No," Andromeda said icily. "I do not. Please, do enlighten me."
Lady Malfoy did not reply immediately. "I was foolish, Andromeda," she said finally. Her voice was too quiet for anyone else to hear. "I was a coward."
Harry struggled to hear what they were talking about. He could hear faint whispering over Walburga's yells, but they weren't all clear.
"I am not like you. I am not like Sirius or even Bella. You lived for passion, for love and freedom. I struggled to keep my family alive, away from the hands of the Dark Lord."
"You told them our whereabouts," Andromeda hissed. Her eyes flashed furiously. "They came this close to killing my daughter." Her voice cracked at the end.
Harry tried to put the pieces together. Aunt Andy had been disowned and living with her husband. They had had a daughter. And what had happened next? Had Lady Malfoy told Voldemort where to find the Tonks family? Had she meant for Dora to be killed?
...Disowned for loving rather than lusting...
...Brave rather than ambitious...
...We care more about blood than we do about love...
Aunt Andy's words echoed in Harry's mind. This was it. She had supposedly embarrassed the family by falling for a Muggleborn, so Lady Malfoy had turned her back on her sister. Harry tried to ignore the rest of the conversation. It frightened and confused him.
Instead, he turned to a man with grey hair who was staring at Walburga, torn between amusement and fury.
"Sir?" Harry asked quietly. "What – What's going to happen if I don't get into Slytherin?"
The man's expression softened as he turned to Harry. "You were my nephew's son, eh?" he said after a long pause.
"Sir?"
"Sirius's boy," the man said. "I'm Cygnus Black; Walburga is my sister. And she can't do anything to you if you displease her. Arcturus is a good man, Aries. He has half the mind not to let her near you if you happen to end up in some other house."
Harry nodded slightly. "Sir, my name is –,"
"Harry Potter," the man said. "I don't think so. Our magic goes beyond any spell or enchantment wizards can think of. Our family trees change themselves according to the Blacks that are born and die. It says under my nephew's name that there is a boy – an heir – by the name of Aries Black."
Harry shrugged slightly. "I'm not changing my name."
Cygnus's eyes flashed and Harry knew he had gone too far. He had noticed the changes in his behaviour, but he had no idea what to do to stop them.
"I do not recall asking you," Cygnus said quietly. "Your name is Aries Hadrian Black, son of Sirius Black III and heir to the Black fortune."
Harry glared back rebelliously. He had lived his entire life believing his father had been James Potter. His name was Harry Potter. They couldn't take that away from him. It wasn't fair!
"I do believe, Sir," Harry began through gritted teeth, "that you reversed the order of my name. I am Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter. I am by no means a Black."
Cygnus smirked. "Is that so? Well, boy, meet me in the third floor drawing room after the dinner party. We will see just how much Potter blood you've got."
Harry sighed and nodded once. He turned back to Draco, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "I don't think you should have argued with Grandfather," he said quietly.
Harry shrugged. "What's he going to do to me? His sister is already out for my blood. What the bloody hell's the matter with you lot anyway? Is there not a single sane person in this house besides Aunt Andromeda?"
Draco scowled at him. "There's nothing wrong with us," he said sneering.
Harry sneered back. He blinked; where had that come from? He had never done such foul gestures in his life. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough time to contemplate the reason behind his actions, for a loud yell was heard from near the head of the table.
"YOU WILL NOT BESMIRCH MY NAME IN THIS MANNER!" Walburga screeched. Her sickly skin had turned red. Whether with fury or from excessive wine, Harry wasn't certain.
Lord Black stood up abruptly. "We will discuss this matter elsewhere, Walburga. This is neither the time nor the place."
"YOU'RE DESTROYING MY HOME!" she yelled, pounding the table with her fist.
A man with greying hair and dark grey eyes rose from his seat. "Be silent, sister. I will not allow you to ruin their lives like you ruined your son's."
Walburga turned to him, her protruding, bug-like eyes furious. "Do not mention that filthy traitor," she said in a deceptively calm voice.
"Why should I not?" the man demanded. "Have you so suddenly forgotten about a boy who was tortured for having enough conscience not to follow this biased, monstrous madhouse you call family?! Have you no shame? You tortured him for years, you took his home away, you ruined his life, you could have broken him out of prison but you didn't." He kicked his chair away and stalked to the fireplace. "Now I remember very bloody well why I denounced your blood."
And Alphard Black disappeared into the green flames. An awkward pause followed.
"Well," Ignatius said. "I can't say I wasn't expecting this." He turned to Walburga. "Clearly, my lord father wishes to keep the Sorting in this family diverse."
Walburga sneered at him. "How dare you show your face here? How dare you speak to me like this, blood traitor?" She picked up her goblet of wine and threw it at him.
Ignatius chuckled and ducked it. The goblet crashed in the nearest wall and wine spilled all over. "Is this how we're going to play tonight?" he asked mockingly.
Soon, as it happened in ever Black dinner, plates and goblets and knives were flying around. Arcturus, who looked distinctly amused, took his plate in his hands and continued eating, glancing from Ignatius to Walburga to Pollux to Cassiopeia.
Lucius, Narcissa and Andromeda grabbed Harry, Dora and Draco and left the diner. Lucius cursed his relatives under his breath.
"Every time," Andromeda added. "Every time we go through this because someone can't keep his mouth shut."
The Malfoy couple looked at each other and began checking the two boys for injuries while Andromeda checked her daughter. Harry cringed away from Lady Malfoy's touch. There was something in her icy blue eyes that made him wish for as little contact with her as possible.
"Stand still," she said quietly. "Did anyone hurt you?"
Harry mutely shook his head. Then, remembering Lord Black hated nonverbal answers, he glanced up at Lady Malfoy. "No, Lady Malfoy. I was not injured."
Her lips twitched upward. "Draco," she said, turning to her son. "Why don't you go upstairs with Dora and Aries and talk until it's time to leave?"
Harry groaned softly. "They're all going to call me that now, aren't they?" he asked Andromeda.
She smiled at him. "As they should. I know it's sudden, but you can't go out calling yourself Harry Potter. You have no idea what they'd do to you, my boy..."