"Expecto Patronum!"
Harry stared in dismay at the faint mist that his wand produced, unwilling to believe that a spell could be so hard for him to grasp. Having grown used to mastering new spells at an incredible rate, the last four weeks of practicing the Patronus Charm had been frustrating beyond belief. Swearing quietly, he waved away the ineffective mist, he really needed to learn this charm.
Madam Bones had informed him about Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban prison and the consequent threat of dementors as soon as he arrived at Bones Manor, giving him all the motivation, he needed to learn it.
He had originally wanted to learn it as a means to communicate, but she had given him a far more important reason, defending himself and possibly his friends against a creature that was as far he could tell, immune to all other spells.
He cycled through various erotic memories but the mist stayed the same, baffling him completely. Madam Bones explaining that it was an Auror level spell mattered little to him, it simply should not be this difficult.
Besides his abysmal progress with the Patronus Charm his time at Bones Manor had otherwise been very productive. As expected, Mistress Andromeda had instantly gotten him started on German, French and Ancient Runes, all at the same time.
He thought she was insane at first, before he realized he was actually understanding their lessons with ease, making her almost giddy with pleasure. It was clear she intended to squeeze every drop of potential out of his Slytherin gift.
Madam Bones also set aside some dueling practice for him every single day, something he greatly appreciated. She still utterly trounced him when she wanted to, but Harry made some slight advances in silent casting which pleased him.
Madam Bones' stern suggestion of whispering his spells instead of shouting them out like a moron had helped that aspect a lot. He barely needed to mouth Protego anymore to summon a shield, something that had impressed her to no end.
Harry was far from pleased when she sent a spell at it though, instantly shattering it. It was progress yes, but his silent spells were mere shadows of his vocal ones. He knew he needed better mental focus to overcome the lack of intent that silent casting usually caused, yet it was incredibly difficult.
What he had kept a secret from everyone was his own little practice he did in his room, summoning and banishing his wand using nothing but his hand. Ever since summoning the diary in the Chamber of Secrets he had been fascinated with the thought of wandless magic and couldn't stop playing with it.
It was crude, highly wasteful and fairly inaccurate, yet Harry still found the concept mesmerizing. He knew from the way the magic flailed when he didn't use his wand that wandless magic could never be used for any sort of precision work, yet he still practiced it every evening. After all, you never knew when you might need a hidden trump card.
XXX
"Come on birthday boy, it's time we got going!"
Susan's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he sent her a triumphant grin, glad that they were finally moving. It was the thirty first of July and his thirteenth birthday, a day he had been looking forward to all summer. Today would be the day he took a significant step towards independence, the mere thought making his magic hum in pleasure. Glancing at the clock he frowned.
"It's only half past ten, the will reading isn't until two o'clock?"
Susan rolled her eyes before linking arms with him and dragging him towards the door.
"Yes, which gives us several hours to celebrate your birthday in Diagon Alley. Hannah should be here any minute."
"Oh."
He was honestly pretty speechless, still so unused to people wanting to celebrate his birthday. After being ignored or mocked at the Dursley's the concept was still strange for him. Seeing Susan look at him in question he quickly hid his hesitation behind a smile.
"Sure, sounds good."
Her quirked eyebrow let him know she wasn't buying whatever he was selling, but she still followed it up with a smile, letting the matter go for now. He grumbled slightly at that; he knew his Occlumency was improving but for some reason it seemed to have absolutely no effect on deceiving his girls.
Honestly though, going to Diagon Alley early did sound like a good idea as Mistress Andromeda had organized for the Potter Will to be read later in the day. With the girls keeping him occupied he'd have a better chance of passing the time instead of glancing at the clock every two minutes.
Speaking of the devil the fireplace flashed green before a blonde young teen skipped through, scanning the room before settling on them. Almost faster than he could comprehend she had caught them both in a tight hug. He chuckled before returning the hug, hearing Susan giggle as well.
"Glad to be back from your vacation Hannah?"
She scrunched up her nose cutely.
"Vacation! Hah! Only my mother would consider running around Italy on a month long shopping spree a vacation!"
She released them with a huff, only now bothering to shake away some of the ash from the fire place. Susan grumbled at her soot covered front, rubbing her hands over bosom in an effort to remove it.
"Gee thanks."
Harry barely paid attention to their bickering anymore, instead choosing to admire the two girls. Hermione's influence on them was obvious, after they had seen his eyes stray to her jeans clad bottom more than once they had promptly poached the girl and gone on a massive shopping spree.
The result was a variety of tight muggle clothes that seemed to hug every curve. Case and point being the beige tank top that currently barely contained Susan's magnificent chest, her rubbing hands making it jiggle in ways that captivated his eyes. Looking over at Hannah, he watched her rub the dirt from her hip hugging jeans, her small hands dancing over her thighs.
"Harry."
He snapped his eyes over to Hannah's grinning face, spotting a light blush on Susan's face as well. He forcibly cleared his throat.
"What's up?"
"Shouldn't that be my question?"
Her comment made him cough in surprise before he grinned in return.
"So, sue me, not even my eyes are immune to such beauty on display."
Hannah's cheeks pinked slightly before she grabbed his other hand and marched them towards the fireplace.
"Come on Casanova, we have a birthday to celebrate."
XXX
Stepping through the floo into the Leaky Cauldron, Harry had to forcibly suppress a groan as most of the patrons instantly recognized him. He would have preferred to wear muggle clothes like the girls to remain inconspicuous, but with the will reading coming up he had to wear his dark red Potter robes, which thanks to Mistress Andromeda were practically designed to catch the eye.
Luckily the girls quickly flanked him, forcing away some of the over eager witches with small scowls on their face. After enduring a multitude of handshakes and congratulations with a fixed smile on his face, they were finally able to exit the pub and reach the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley. Slipping his hands around the girls' waists he gave them an affectionate squeeze.
"Thank you for that, didn't expect the pub to be so full this early."
Hannah gave him a playful grin before dramatically wiping her forehead.
"Such great pains we have to suffer through just because we're friends with a celebrity."
He just snorted in response; leaving his hands where they were. Somehow it just felt so right, so comfortable to walk around with his girls like this. He wouldn't have minded Hermione tagging along though; he hadn't really spoken to her since their eventful train ride.
Nothing he could do about that matter though; she was spending the summer in France with her parents. Thinking about her made his cheeks flush slightly, her actions on the train had fueled more than one of his fantasies, the feel of her slightly coarser tongue dancing over his...
"That's so cool!"
The small crowd gathering outside of the Quidditch store caught his attention and he turned the girls towards it. Susan snorted quietly.
"The first place he chooses is the Quidditch store, should we pretend to be surprised Hannah?" "No, he's such an incurable romantic; he knows just what a girl wants."
He responded by pinching their sides, getting a small squeal before admiring the broom that was gathering so much attention. His eyes glassed over slightly as he read the incredible promised speeds being proudly displayed on a fact sheet underneath the wooden work of art.
"The Firebolt..."
"Is he drooling Susan?"
He closed his mouth, resisting the urge to wipe his mouth before sending a scowl at a grinning Hannah. It was with some reluctance that he finally allowed them to lead him away from the window. He was tempted to buy the broom but couldn't really honestly justify the cost.
He knew he was filthy rich, but he also knew his Nimbus 2001 was more than enough to fulfil its task. Showing wealth was one thing, but flaunting it by buying an almost professional class broom for a school Quidditch game was a bit over the top.
.
The rest of the day passed in a comfortable haze, Harry simply enjoying the company while they walked around the alley gathering their school supplies and dipping into random stores when the mood hit them.
Before he knew it the clock was a quarter to two and he had to bid the girls goodbye and head towards Gringotts to meet Mistress Andromeda. To his surprise he got two good luck kisses on his cheeks from both of them. His Occlumency did nothing to contain his slight blush, something which made Hannah grin as he quickly excused himself and trotted towards the imposing bank.
"Harry."
Recognizing the voice, he turned in slight surprise towards Mistress Andromeda who was also walking towards the bank. He was surprised at how early she was, she was usually punctual to the minute, coming this early meant he wasn't the only one with slight nerves.
"Mistress Andromeda."
He kept his voice low so no one could overhear him, getting a small hug from her.
"Hello Harry, are you ready?"
He nodded, making her smile encouragingly at him before leading them into the bank. Not bothering with any queues, she stepped right up to a grumpy looking teller.
"Harry Potter and Andromeda Tonks for the Potter will reading."
The goblin glanced at Harry who nodded in return, making the goblin ring a bell to summon someone to lead them to the Potter manager. He knew why the goblin had asked for his confirmation, if Harry had indicated otherwise then Mistress Andromeda would have been barred from the meeting, it was after all a Potter will reading.
He had absolutely no plans of doing something so foolish though, he knew how greedy the goblins were, he wouldn't sign a single paper or agree to any verbal agreements without talking it over with her first. He wasn't stupid and had read a fair amount of legalese thanks to Mistress Narcissa, yet he still knew that fooling him was far easier than fooling Mistress Andromeda. His meeting with the goblins last summer had given him a healthy sense of distrust for the creatures.
They followed the second goblin deeper into Gringotts before arriving at a door marked Potter Estates, Bloodtooth. A knock and grunted "enter" later they walked into the small office, spotting an old grizzled goblin with a slight bit of grey in his hair shuffling through some papers. Knowing it was his time to speak, Harry walked up to the desk.
"Good day, my name is Harry James Potter and I am here to claim my Lordship over the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter."
The goblin raised an eyebrow before replying.
"I am Bloodtooth, manager for the Potter estates. I was expecting you to show up today."
He pushed over a stack of documents to Harry before indicating the seats. Harry was slightly disgruntled at the way the goblin flat out ignored Mistress Andromeda, but Mistress Narcissa's teachings had taught him to expect it.
Only their client mattered because they meant profits, they could care less about anyone else. He started reading through the papers, handing them over to her as soon as he was done with each page. On the last page was a spot to sign. The goblin continued working on his papers while Harry waited for Mistress Andromeda to finish perusing the papers. After almost a full hour she placed them in front of him and nodded, making him exhale softly.
"Quill."
The goblin grunted, pushing over an ornate quill that glinted with red and a small trace of magic. Recognizing it was a blood quill he nonetheless picked it up, hesitating a moment before signing his name with a flourish. The familiar glow of blue surrounded the stack of papers before it split into two, one copy for him and one for Gringotts. Bloodtooth bared his teeth slightly, a sign he was pleased. As he should be, Harry thought, activating the Potter accounts again meant profits for everyone involved.
Reaching into his drawer Bloodtooth pulled out a small box that seemed to practically hum with magic. Opening it he presented the Potter ring, pushing the box over to Harry. He had expected some large gaudy thing, but was pleasantly surprised by the golden ring displaying the Potter lion on a dark red shield, standing guard over the familiar capital P. Swallowing nervously Harry reached over, plucking the ring from the box.
He felt the Potter family magic coursing through the metal, not surprising as these rings were some of the most heavily enchanted objects in the magical world. Impossible to forge, impossible to wear if not worthy, some of them even lethal to enemies. Bolstering his courage, he slipped the ring on his finger, the magical metal feeling warm against his skin, staring expectantly at the thing. After a minute of waiting, he glanced at Bloodtooth in question.
"That's it?"
"Of course. It's a ring that belongs to your family, what were you expecting? Fireworks?"
The goblin scoffed at the thought, making Harry color slightly. He had in fact been expecting something special, which in retrospect was pretty silly; the rings were a status symbol, important in the Wizarding world yes, but hardly anything more than that. Clearing his throat slightly to rid him of his embarrassment Harry spoke up.
"Very well, as my first order I want any and all magical and muggle guardians removed from my person, as well as any contracts or obligations pushed upon my person without my personal approval."
Bloodtooth grunted in acknowledgement.
"Will take a day or so but is easily achieved."
"Good. Once that is done, I wish to appoint Andromeda Tonks as my guardian as well as my votes holder for the Wizengamot."
Having a guardian stung him a bit, but he knew it was necessary for a multitude of reasons. As a thirteen-year-old without a guardian he was susceptible to a variety of political schemes, like Lucius Malfoy suddenly declaring to the Wizengamot that he was not fit to take care of himself and should be placed under his care. Anyone under the age of seventeen and without his NEWTs was generally considered a child in the Wizarding world, calling himself a Lord and attempting to protest would be met with mostly humor.
There was also the simple fact that he couldn't even touch his votes unless he had an adult wizard or which hold them for him. The thought of a Hogwarts student being allowed into the Wizengamot chamber was ridiculous at best; the magical world was far too steeped in tradition to even consider that. Even if he managed to force himself in there, not a single person would take him seriously, most would consider him brash and arrogant for doing it in the first place.
No, having Mistress Andromeda as his guardian gave him the most freedom and power out of all the options, not to mention the most protection. Harry knew quite well the reputation the Black women had in the political world, now that Andromeda had both his economic and political backing there were few that would openly move against him.
"Will be done."
Now that her position had been made clear, Mistress Andromeda spoke for the first time during the meeting.
"Goblin, I want any and all wills pertaining to my charge unsealed and read right now."
Bloodtooth bared his teeth again, this was an order he happily agreed with as it had a high probability to grant him further profits. Punching a button on his desk he spoke their garbled guttural language, getting a short answer in return. Only minutes later a harried looking goblin arrived in the room carrying a stack of papers. Bloodtooth picked up the first paper and started reading.
"The will of James and Lily Potter, sealed by order of the Supreme Mugwump Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, October 31st, 1981."
Harry hissed in anger; how long would this have stayed sealed if he hadn't asked? What gave that man the right to touch his parents will? He felt Mistress Andromeda place her hand on his shoulder, giving him a tight squeeze, reminding him that this was not a place for temper tantrums.
He quickly occluded his mind and listened to the droning of the goblin as he listed their assets and requests. He felt his anger return when no mention of the Dursley's existed in the section regarding his future guardians, yet he quickly cooled it when most of the other names listed were either dead or people he had never even met.
"To Remus Lupin, for taking care and teaching our child we leave..."
"Wait what? Who the fuck is Remus Lupin?"
A sharp pinch on his shoulder reminded him to watch his language, yet he was far too high-strung to pay attention to it right now.
The goblin looked annoyed at the interruption before replying.
"You have never met the man?"
"No, never even heard about him."
"Do you wish to object to the monetary amount being left to him?"
Harry ignored the glint of greed in Bloodtooth's eyes, this wasn't about money for him; this was about this man clearly ignoring his parents' wishes.
"Yes, he shouldn't be rewarded for taking care of me if I have never even met the man."
"Your objection is noted, unless Mister Lupin shows up and provides proof about his contact with you, his money will be withheld."
When the will went on to want to reward Sirius Black of all people, Harry swore loudly again before objecting, this time getting a far sharper pinch of his shoulder.
When the will reading ended Mistress Andromeda requested tea be brought to them before they continued? The same harried goblin brought a whole set to them, making her smile in appreciation as she smelled the fragrance. Pouring herself a cup she looked at Bloodtooth with a small grin.
"Now that Lord Potter has claimed his birthright he is legally recognized as an adult, thus any other wills pertaining to him should also be read now."
In response the goblin merely pulled out the next thick parchment, the Black crest easily visible on the surface. Mistress Andromeda's grin grew wider.
The will was fairly straight forward, something Mistress Andromeda said she expected from Sirius Black. He left small monetary amounts to various people before giving his title and complete wealth to his godson, one Harry James Potter.
By the time Bloodtooth dug up the Black ring Andromeda was practically humming in pleasure, sipping her tea as she watched her charge slip the intimidating Black crest on his finger. She stared at the black raven on the green background, a smaller version of their family crest, feeling a smile grow on her lips. The raven and the lion, both would be hers to command during the next Wizengamot session in early August. She still had one important matter to take care of though.
"Lord Black."
Harry looked up in surprise, realizing she was addressing him.
"I Andromeda Cassiopeia Tonks ask that you would grant my request to re-join the family of Black so that I might once again be a true Black daughter."
Harry felt his eyebrows practically reach his hairline as he stared at her in surprise.
"B-But what about Ted?"
He knew the man strongly disliked associating with the magical world and highly doubted he had any interest in joining the Black family. In fact, Harry didn't even want him to be a part of his family.
Andromeda gave him a sardonic grin.
"I divorced Ted during the spring. Oh, no need to look so surprised, we parted on quite good terms; this was something that had been coming for years. The only reason we stayed together was for little Nymphadora, but she is a grown woman now.
We married right after Hogwarts, we were young and we were dumb. Yet I cannot regret my decisions because they gave me my daughter. My marriage is however now over, so do you, Lord Black, accept this former daughter of the Black back into your house?"
He blinked at the onslaught of information before nodding; he honestly couldn't say he was that surprised at their divorce. They never even had a real magical marriage with oaths and mixing of magic, they had that muggle thing where you sign a few papers. Knowing what was expected of him he placed his wand against his palm.
"I Harry James Potter-Black, Head of the House Black, do accept you Andromeda Cassiopeia Black, formerly Tonks, back in to the House of Black. I also accept your daughter, Nymphadora Black, formerly Tonks, to the House of Black. So, mote it be."
Harry was surprised to feel his magic briefly mix with hers, the ring on his finger heating slightly as he spoke the words. The rush quickly disappeared and Mistress Andromeda had a huge smile on her face as she hugged him.
"Thank you."
"Any time."
He was honestly very happy now; she was really family for him now.
What followed was an hour of signing various papers, Harry's hand cramping at all the blood quill signatures he had to leave behind. Mistress Andromeda's inquiries into the matter with the Slytherin House was met with a dead end though, Bloodtooth told them no one could claim that Lordship unless they were seventeen and had completed their NEWTs, or alternatively, if they were married.
Apparently, no votes holder could ever vote for Slytherin House, only the Lord himself had the right to use that vote. Mistress Andromeda had glanced at him speculatively when the goblin mentioned marriage, sending a chill down his spine, he knew how strongly she approved of his friendship with both Hannah and Susan, both who also happened to be Heiresses of their Houses.
His shiver made her grin.
"Maybe not just yet."
He sent a glare at her which only made her smile wider, she quite enjoyed playing matchmaker.
Harry was quite surprised when Mistress Andromeda asked him to nullify Bellatrix's marriage before throwing her out of the family. Apparently, the dowry had been considerable and cancelling the marriage because of their various crimes allowed the House of Black to claim it all back.
Looking at the goblin he could almost see a spot of drool on his face as he stared at Mistress Andromeda, happily obliging with all her requests. Bloodtooth grinned toothily when he announced that because the House of Lestrange had used most of the dowry to fund the Wizarding war, they could claim their vaults as recompense.
Harry exhaled in relief when they finally left the gloomy bank, only to groan in disbelief as he watched Mistress Andromeda led them to a solicitor. He had forgotten about this part but knew it needed to be done, he was sending out notices demanding his just royalties for all the stories and figurines where his name had been used without his knowledge or permission.
Harry had originally wanted to sue every single one of them but Mistress Andromeda suggested keeping it quiet instead, as there was no point in stopping the series now, not to mention she didn't want to ruin the great PR work the stories had done for Harry. So instead of bankrupting the people responsible he demanded a ridiculous percentage of their past and current profits, a request Mistress Andromeda was certain they would oblige with, especially after today's happenings hit the Daily Prophet.
"It's going to be in the paper?"
She looked at him like he was idiot before nodding.
"Yeees, Gringotts is obliged to provide copies of all Lordships to the Ministry. Not to mention when I claim the votes in a few weeks it would be public knowledge either way."
He groaned in response, palming his face, knowing any dreams he had of a quiet third year had definitively evaporated. She just chuckled at his despair before leading them to an apparition point and dual apparating both of them to a gloomy street in what looked like a muggle neighbourhood. He looked at her in question, not recognizing any landmarks.
"You are technically Lord Black now, even if you do not wield all the responsibility that entails. You do however wield the family magic. We are currently standing outside twelve Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of the Black family."
Seeing him glance around in question she chuckled.
"Unlike the Potters or other notable families, the Blacks did not rely purely on powerful wards or strong castles to keep their enemies out, but also cunning, hence why it was hidden here. In order to see the house, you must focus on your ring, feel the family magic coursing through your veins and will the home to appear before you."
Harry did as he was told, focusing on the familiar heat on his finger while using his Occlumency to ignore everything except his fervent wish to have the house appear. A feeling of displaced magic washed over him and he opened his eyes, only to freeze in awe. Between the two clean muggle houses a third dirty one had appeared, seemingly popping out of thin air. He had read about something similar.
"Fidelius Charm?"
Mistress Andromeda smirked.
"No, Black wards. No one except a member of the House of Black and anyone they give permission to can see the house, let alone enter it. A Fidelius Charm would however be a similar replacement if for some reason the family magic stopped working, yet that would not only require an exceptionally strong wizard to cover the entire property, but also place the entire security on one man."
Harry followed her in through the front door, feeling a thick coating of magic roll over his skin as he stepped inside. He felt the hairs on his neck stand up at the sensation, she wasn't joking when she said this place was warded. A sudden screeching snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Intruders! Intruders! Who dares befoul the Noble House of Black! Kreacher! Assist me!"
Following the noise, they came to a portrait of an old woman with bloodshot eyes who was practically foaming at the mouth as she spotted them. Harry was surprised to note Mistress Andromeda had her wand out.
"Ah, Aunt Walburga. What a pleasure to know you are still the wretched hag you used to be."
The woman seemed stunned at being addressed in such a manner before she narrowed her eyes in recognition.
"You! Youuuu! Blood traitor! Low-life scum! Kreacher, throw them out of my house!"
An old elf, covered in filth and wearing rags showed up, seemingly ready to fulfil the portraits wishes.
"Stop."
The elf froze in surprise under Mistress Andromeda's command, both his and the portrait's eyes bulging. Andromeda's smile was vicious as she watched them both, her dark eyes glinting in the sparse light that made it through the windows.
"A living Black's word always supersedes a dead one."
Walburga's eyes widened in outrage as she understood; her screeching voice grating on their ears.
"Lies! Deceit! Throw them out now Kreacher! Get rid of that filth!"
Andromeda merely stared at the twitching elf with some amusement; she knew what a twisted being it was. Years of being poisoned by the Black dogma had driven the thing mad, yet she knew it took amusement in causing pain to anyone it deemed unworthy. She had no sympathy for the creature.
"Kreacher, remove this painting from the wall and burn it."
Kreacher stared at her for a second before toppling over on the ground, clearly dead. Andromeda nodded, she expected something like this. The elf had wanted to disobey her and the elf bond had instantly robbed the being of its magic. Seeing as it was a magical creature this also meant the loss of its life.
Brandishing her wand, she quickly incinerated the elf and vanished the ashes, leaving no trace behind. Turning to the still screeching painting she considered the warding tied to frame for a second before making her decision, tracing her wand around the whole thing.
She started humming softly as she cut through the wall, Walburga Black had been the very definition of a pureblood bigot and she had once told Andromeda she would gut her half-blood child if she ever laid eyes on her.
Walburga never realized she would have been the one gutted the second Andromeda laid eyes on her, threatening her child was a certain way to end up without a head. Seeing as she could never get rid of the living woman Andromeda had to take her satisfaction in destroying her painting, the legacy of a hateful woman.
With a loud crash the whole wall toppled over, the warding and sticking charm on the painting doing little to prevent it. Harry swallowed nervously and stayed quiet as he watched his Mistress work around the painting, humming a soft tune while her eyes were carved out of steel.
He didn't have to be a genius to realize there was some serious bad blood between those two. He stared as she picked up the wide painting and carried it to the huge fireplace that dominated the first floor living room.
Even the painting seemed to realize what was about to happen, the loud screeching stopping for a second. A thirsty smile appeared on Mistress Andromeda's lips as she started shoving the painting into the fireplace.
"Oh Aunt Walburga, no need to stop for my sake. After all, you never saw reason to close your mouth in the past. What was it you said about little Nymphadora? That she was a degenerate half-breed that should be disposed of?"
Hearing that Harry decided to step entirely out of the room, he knew she was beyond pissed now. The painting started wailing again, but there was a tinge of desperation in the sound now; a certain knowledge in her voice that there would be absolutely no mercy to be had here.
Mistress Andromeda stepped away from the fireplace before levelling her wand at Walburga Black's face. The painting quieted and an almost eerie silence passed over the house before Andromeda's ruby red lips parted in a sensual smile.
"Fiendfyre."
The almost whispered spell was accompanied with a huge roaring and billowing flame that shot of her wand and engulfed the entire fireplace, eating through the warding covering the wooden frame like it was ice left on a hot stove. Harry stared in awe at the black tinted flames that seemed to dance over every surface, seemingly trying to escape the narrow space at any cost.
He had read about Fiendfyre and knew what it was. Dark flames. Bewitched flames. Cursed fire. Fire that eats through anything and cannot be extinguished by any means, the only way to control it was to overpower it. He stared at the melting painting, Walburga's wails of agony having long since quieted before noticing the way the iron itself surrounding the fireplace was starting to glow.
The whole room felt like a furnace and he saw sweat running down Mistress Andromeda's face as she struggled with her wand. He saw shapes in the black, red and yellow flames, faces and animals, demons and beasts, all of them hungrily grasping any sentient being they could reach. After what felt like an eternity the flames finally tapered off and died, Mistress Andromeda slumping to her knee as she forced the last of the fire into submission.
Harry quickly grabbed her and helped her over to the sofa, yet her eyes were glued to the ashes still lingering in the fireplace. She smiled again, this time lacking the viciousness she had displayed earlier before turning to him.
"Do you know why I am here, why I did what I did?"
"Revenge, Mistress…?"
She chuckled slightly before nodding.
"Partially, yet that is not the only reason. No, this house holds many memories, some good with my sisters, some terrible with the rest of my family. No, I am here because this will be my home now."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise before she continued.
"The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black is going to rise again, stronger than ever. Different as well. It will all start here; I will buy a few house elves and practically level this entire building and rebuild it from the bottom. By the time you graduate from Hogwarts, all will know of the House of Black and all will either respect it or fear it. That I swear... my Lord Black."