Title: The Black Star
Author: AileenDickinson
Summary: His godfather is dead and Harry decides that it's time to cut the strings from the old twinkle eyed puppeteer, start revealing his secrets and live his life as he wanted to. There's a new star in the Black tapestry. Independent! Smart! Powerful! Harry - Character bashing- slash-
Pairings: Harry/Draco
Genre: Romance, Adventure
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Warnings: There will be Character bashing, mainly Dumbledore/Ron/Hermione/Ginny/Molly Bashing!
Slash pairing(s ?) . Don't like, don't read.
Author Notes: First of all, I would like to remind you that I'm Italian and there is a possibility that you will find spelling mistakes or the occasional wrong word, I will do my best to write correctly and double check.
Now, onto the story, I know that many love the old headmaster but personally I don't like him very much. Dumbledore will not be evil, but the greater good often makes him lose contact with reality and forget the difference between people and pawns, and the fact that everybody looks up to him like he can do no wrong does not help. Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Molly are another matter.
For those who follow my other story, Love of Legend, I'd like to say that I did not abandon the story. I found a bit of a writer's block, maybe it's because I have too many things I want to write about and no idea how to. I hope that maybe writing something else for awhile will help me.
§The Black Star §
-Chapter 34-
"This is where we separate. We will take care of our business and regroup in a couple of days"
Everyone nodded and when the shimmering of the dome cracked and vanished they all appareted away. The one who spoke turned towards his companion before holding out his arms for the two children. A few moments later they were gone too.
The Hogwarts express was bursting with children as usual but some of its passengers were more jittery than usual and they were not first years either.
The youngest Weasley children, Ron and Ginny, along with their friend Hermione had been looking for Harry everywhere. First on the platform and then they searched all the train, every single compartment but no sign of Harry whatsoever.
They were ready to tear their hair out from frustration. They had so many plans for that attention seeking bastard and if they didn't find him all would be useless.
Hermione planned all summer for ways to make Harry understand that they were really his 'friends', to convince him to give back their money and her books, she even helped Ginny with her love potion so she could marry the scrawny git!
What would she do if he wasn't in the great all for the feast? What would professor Dumbledore think?!
In all her preparations she had failed to follow the newspapers and always tuned out when the adults were speaking so she had no idea that her idol was now residing in a not so comfortable cell in Azkaban prison, nor that Harry could very well destroy her life if she tried anything just like he did for the esteemed old wizard.
Meanwhile in Potter Manor Harry and Draco were sorting the last minute paperwork that Bloodfang sent them. They had a few things to do at the bank but that could wait for a couple of days. Right now they had to help the kids get used to the new home.
Harry had commissioned with the help of the goblins for the reconstruction of his family manor. It had been done following the original plans with only a few modernizations. The family portraits had been moved from the vault to the portraits hall were the new generation of Potter-Blacks could interact with them. James and Lily's portraits were instead put in the family room where they could enjoy their grandchildren and have conversation with their son and son in law on daily basis.
So far Alex and Lyra were liking the manor and absolutely loved their new bedrooms, they didn't have to worry about Orion still since he was barely four months old.
Sitting the papers aside he wondered how the rest of his family was doing. Some of them had relatives to meet and issues to resolve that could be quite problematic, he was confident tough that they would call him if they were in need of help.
His husband too will have to deal with such things and he hoped it would not hurt him too much. He couldn't stand the thought of his most precious person in any kind of pain.
"You worry too much 'Ry" Draco whispered wrapping his arms around his shoulders from behind.
"I know I do but I can't help it" he replied taking one of the pale hands and kissing the back of it.
"I'll just have to take your mind off it than" the blond smirked tugging his husband on his feet and leading the way to the master bedroom.
Blaise appareted his husband and daughter to his family villa. Neville didn't want to deal with his grandmother right away so they decided to stay here since it wasn't much used.
His mother usually resided in her husbands home during her short marriages and he had many good memories of the place. He was also sure that Neville would love the gardens and the greenhouses.
They appeared right into the entrance hall thanks to the fact that he was the one controlling all the wards belonging to the Zabini and any acquired property of his mother.
Immediately he turned to the left, his body shielding his husband and his daughter from a possible danger.
"Lookie, lokkie who's there. The dark lord will be pleased to know that I killed a little traitor" a man sneered emerging from the shadows.
Before he could answer, preferably with a well placed curse, his mother appeared from the stairs.
"Blaise, you came back I see." She said, not a hint of emotion in her voice.
"Mother. I see number 9 is still alive. Are you losing your touch perhaps?" he mocked them not moving an inch from his position.
"Don't be rude. I am still your mother." She snapped "And who is there that your hiding? Your last conquest? I wonder how long will he last.. just like your other little whores"
Neville for his part wasn't worried, he knew that Blaise could take the man out in a second and his mother couldn't harm him as stated from the marriage contract she signed with his father. He was although astonished at the way she addressed him, without an inch of love, she didn't even notice how her son had changed during the summer.
He felt guilty now. He had been worrying about his grandmother all the time while his husband had his problems too but never complained about it.
He was awakened from his thoughts by Blaise who chuckled lowly.
"You can say all the shit you want about me, mother" he said, not looking up from the ground "But no one, and I mean it. NO ONE! Insults or threatens my husband and gets away with it. Not even you. Do I make myself clear?" he spoke with a dark voice and glared at her, making her shiver in fear from the power showed by her son.
"And you" he said turning towards number 9 "Stupefy!" and he fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, not even having the time to register he was being attacked.
"What do you think you are doing?" she yelled, running down the stairs.
"Stay out of it" he ordered "Lorry! I want you to firecall Minister Bones. Tell her I have a marked death eater restrained in my home and to send a few aurors to collect him"
The little elf nodded before going quickly to obey.
The woman couldn't believe her eyes. Who was this man and what happened to her son? The boy who ignored everything that she did and never spoke out to her?
Who was the man at his side and.. was that a child in his arms?
The roaring of the fire alerted the three of the arrival of the aurors, led by the minister herself.
"Lord Zabini, what is the problem?" she addressed directly to him, ignoring the other woman completely much to her astonishment.
"Madam Bones. I found this man in my home upon arrival. He is a marked death eater and threatened my life" Blaise answered smoothly.
One of the auror went to confirm and after seeing the dark mark nodded to his superiors.
"Isn't he your mother's husband?" one of the trainees asked without thinking.
"If my mother decides to associate herself with such scum is not my problem. And if she were to remember correctly she doesn't own any money or properties under her name. This is my home and she brought that man without my consent or permission, as such I am entitled to deal with the situation as I see fit"
"Lord Zabini is of course right and you" Amelia said motioning to the trainee "should learn to mind your business"
The still unconscious man was bound and taken to the ministry holding cells awaiting for trial in a matter of minutes by the aurors while Amelia stayed behind with one of them acting as guard.
"Madam Zabini, I would suggest to choose your acquaintances better next time. As it is, you will be summoned by the DMLE for questioning tomorrow." The minister said coldly to the woman. She didn't like those like her, gave a bad name to women.
With that she nodded curtly to Blaise and Neville before departing.
"What is the meaning of this?" the woman yelled, finally coming out of her stupor.
"Do not raise your voice with me!" the Italian man snapped, angry that she had woken Rose who was now whimpering softly in her papa's arms, who was trying to lull her back to sleep.
"And who are those!" she demanded pointing a manicured finger towards the two.
"Enough!" he ordered taking an intimidating tone of voice "You will be confined to you room for the night and until the aurors demand your presence. After that, if you are released you will be stripped of the Zabini name and privileges. I suggest you to enjoy your last night sleeping in a comfortable bed and start thinking where you're going to stay from tomorrow. I hope for you that number 9 didn't spoil all of his moneys for Voldemort"
Blaise then snapped his fingers and an elf came to take care of his mother making sure she wouldn't be able to leave her rooms without his permission.
His shoulders sagged as she vanished, that was not how he imagined the first night home with his family.
A soft kiss to his lips made him look up from the floor to his husband who was smiling softly.
"Don't worry too much" he whispered, trying not to wake the sleeping Rose "Think of it as warm up for the meeting with my gran. She's one scary woman"
He chuckled at that, leave it to Neville to try and minimize what happened.
The next days a multitude of articles came out in regards of their lives and their achievements. Amelia has promised that no one would see their certificates or other personal information while they were inside the dome but now she couldn't hold them back anymore.
Thankfully it wasn't Skeeter who found the information but another serious reporter.
The news of their marriages and the birth of their children was now public knowledge and the masses couldn't wait for interviews or photos of the couples, while some people didn't know if believe it was true or just a some made up news the paper created taking advantage of the disappearance of the ones involved.
The paper made a big deal out of it not only because some of them, in particular Harry, had left behind numerous heartbroken fans and suitors, but mainly because all of them came from an ancient and noble family.
Their newts results also made the papers, the highest scores ever surpassing even Dumbledore and Tom Riddle. The achievement of their chosen masteries was also widely publicized.
Voldemort was enraged when he read the paper. He was losing more and more support and followers every day because of that brat. His death eaters at the ministry had all been arrested and shipped to Azkaban, where they had bound their magic forever rendering them useless to his cause even if he was to make them escape!
Losing followers meant losing money too and recruiting was becoming impossible with the problems caused by the new minister Bones.
The idiot Lucius too, he had to lose his lordship and money to his brat along with the Black money too and the Lestrange. He should have kept a tighter leash on his spawn and that would have never happened.
But no! The Malfoy brat went and married.. MARRIED that damned Potter of all people!
They even took away from his grasp possible recruits like Nott and Zabini, even the Greengrass girl was useful to his cause. Her father was going to contract her with one of his man and that would have meant the girl's family vaults into his possession.
He needed a plan to end this once and for all, and he needed it now. He couldn't afford to lay low and lose all his followers anymore, he needed to strike and win this war.
Hogwarts students had been scared and worried the night before when no one could find Harry Potter. The members of the DA (renamed Defence Association to keep the initials) had looked anywhere for him and were afraid that he wouldn't come back because of what Dumbledore and his pets did to him.
The other houses too had made up their minds during the summer and most of the Ravens and Badgers had decided to put their trust in Potter and follow him. More than half of the snakes were instead convinced to deny the Dark Lord when they read how Malfoy had defied his own parents.
As a result of that the Weasleys and Granger were treated like the plague by the whole school, and it was only the second day of term.
When the papers arrived they couldn't believe their eyes. While they now had the confirmation that Harry wouldn't return, since he had his Newts and mastery, everything else was surreal.
When and why did he marry Malfoy? And the kids? How could they be four already when Harry himself was sixteen? Was it even true or just a big lie? Questions seemed to pop up every second.
Hermione seemed to be stupefied for the fact that she was staring blankly at the paper without blinking, Ron had been cursed to silence and petrified as soon as his started one of his rants and Ginny was having a nervous breakdown because of the news that her Harry was married to someone else, to a man.
Meanwhile the Potter-Black family was having a pleasant day in muggle London away from the craziness of the magical world.
Harry and Draco had decided to take the kids to the zoo so they could have some fun. They enjoyed it very much, often associating the animals they saw with the animagus forms of their parents or uncles and aunts.
At the end of their visit Alex was adamant that he wanted a pet snake once he found out that he could talk to the reptiles much like his father did when he was eleven. Lyra too could understand them but she held no love for the scaly things, she preferred furry and cuddly animals.
Draco felt like pouting. Why could everyone talk to snakes but him? As a parent he already knew that ability of theirs would give him many a headache in the years to come. It was like a secret language no one knew, only they didn't need to invent it. The childlike part of him instead, was a bit jealous they could do such a cool thing and he couldn't. Maybe he could invent a potion 'and with a little of Harry's blood… '
Harry could see that a little part of Draco's mind was analyzing ways to avoid buying the children a snake and he didn't know what else. He had already conceded that they could have a puppy the next year with Harry, anything else would have to wait for them to be ten at least. And only if they didn't give him grey hairs. He felt like laughing when Draco added the last part but refrained seeing the serious expression on his face.
After a good lunch they went to do a bit of shopping, where Draco went totally crazy buying everything and anything nice he could find for all of them, especially the children.
Even though he now owned different properties and a family manor thanks to his claiming the Prince Lordship, Severus and Remus decided to take residence in one of the smaller cottages. They felt something more homey and smaller would suit them better, at least for the time being.
The small cottage still consisted of a big kitchen, dining room, living room, a library, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two studies and a potion laboratory. The grounds were also quite extensive.
At the moment Remus was making his way towards the living room where he had last seen his husband and daughter .
He couldn't help but smile at the scene that greeted him. Severus, the scary bat of the dungeons, was sleeping lying on the couch with the little bundle on his chest, arms curled protectively around Angie's body. The baby was awake and chewing on a tiny fist, blinking owlishly from the remains of sleep.
He loved how such a composed and supposedly cold man could be so gentle and affectionate with their daughter. He was a great father, even though he claimed to be rubbish at that.
Honestly, Severus never thought he would live enough to think about having kids, let alone finding someone who would be crazy enough to love a grumpy old man like him.
His relationship with the wolf had been a big surprise in his life, if not the best thing to happen to him. The man was the perfect match for him. While they both were headstrong, Remus had the patience and calm reason with him. He was also very smart and could challenge him and keep him on his toes when he needed it. The best thing about him though was his capacity to love and understand that he was not as demonstrative of his emotions. He never pushed him and let him take his time to do things.
Angelique was along with Remus the most precious person in his life. To think that a cold man like him could so unconditionally fall in love at first sight with the tiny being was astonishing. But it happened and he vowed to be a good father for her, to give her the love he never received from his.
Silently Remus walked to the couch and removed the baby from his arms, trying not to wake Severus. The man though was a war spy and his eyes sprang open as soon as he felt Angie moving.
"It's just me Sev. Angie is hungry" he said in a shooting voice. Even though his days as a spy were finished, memories were still too fresh and more often than not when woken abruptly the man was prone to curse first and speak later.
Severus nodded before sleep reclaimed him. Remus couldn't fault him though, he spent the night awake tending to the fussing baby while Remus had a much deserved night of rest.
Adjusting her in his arms he then gave her a kiss on a chubby cheek, making Angelique giggle and wave her arms.
"Let's go eat and then make some dinner for daddy, yes?" he said.
They're OUTTTTT! Finally! I was starting to think that those 8 years would never end XD
So, we saw how some of them settled after the dome and a little of what happened at Hogwarts, more will be shown in the next chapter ^-^
To answer some reviews:
Harry told the others of his 'dream' as soon as he recuperated from the extraction of the horcrux. They all know that Sirius is alive. Of course he is not on vacation on some tropical island, but still where he was last seen. Of course Harry & Co. planned something about him..
I doubt the removal of the horcrux gave Voldy a headache, I always thought it was strange how in the books he couldn't feel a piece of his soul being killed, but it suits my plans for now. So snake face is oblivious about it.
Also, some of you were confused by the age thing thinking that some of them hot older instead of deaging. They didn't get older.
For example Severus and Remus were 36 before entering the dome. After the 8 years under it they would be 44, but the potion made them 30. Another example. Dora entered at 23, she would be 31 but the potion made her 25.
So, some of them are a little older than when they entered but the potion made them younger, while others like Sev and Rem became younger than when they entered and de-aged more.
I hope I explained it better this time, but if you still have doubts feel free to ask ^-^
As always thank you everyone for adding my story to your favorites or alerts lists and for leaving a review!
On a last note.. I have another two chapters ready, but I find myself unable to write much lately because of family problems. I hope to either be able to write again in a few days or to have a good shouting match with my bitch of a cousin so I can just forget about her and go on with my life.. Anyway I will do my best to have a chapter ready for you every week, if not please have a little patience with me ^^