Author's Note:

The chapter title Fallout is turning out to be longer than I had originally anticipated because I want to show more plot development than I usually do. I've decided to cut this chapter into multiple chapter/parts. So far, there will be three parts to this chapter that covers the immediate fallout of Harry's return to the Wizarding world and takes place immediately after the last chapter and will show(roughly) a twelve-hour time span.

Trigger Warnings for domestic abuse.

Ch. 10 The Fallout Part 1

The current Lord Malfoy appeared in a black cloud of smoke at the gates to his family's estate. The creaky gates opened allowing him entrance. The white stone gravel under his feat crunched under the heel of his expensive boot.

The large black oak doors opened to allow the master of the house entrance into the grand house. A +pop+ signaled the arrival of a trembling house-elf. Lucious took of his traveling cloak and hat threw it at his servant.

"Is the dark lord here?" he questioned the trembling elf.

"Yes, master Malfoy," the elf voice squeaked with fear. "The dark one is in the master's study."

"Very well," Lucius sneered at his help. "Be off with you."

Lucius straightened his shoulders and strode pridefully through his family's ancestral home for the last thousand years. As he went along the gallery, portraits of his ancestors watched him with rapt attention. Reaching the closed door to his own study, he sneered, 'this is my house…I am it's lord, no door should be closed to me here, yet I have to announce myself and wait to be granted entrance like a schoolboy.'

Nevertheless, his raised fist met the heavy oak doors in a quick succession of raps. Lucius waited patiently to be let in by the lord he had pledged his life and family to. The doors swung open, and the Malfoy lord steeled his nerves.

Lucius passed by the sad excuse for a wizard, Peter Pettigrew, who had been the one to open the door as he entered the room to find, the pale, nose less, dark wizard, cloaked in black robes sitting in a high-backed leather chair in front of the white marble fireplace baring the coat of arms for House Malfoy carved into the mantles center. Nagini, the master's, reptilian familiar was curled up by the roaring fire warming itself.

Lucius knelt before his master, daring not to look at the red eyed wizard. He waited in bated silence as the wizard finished reading a passage in the large tome in his lap. The sound of the heavy book snapping closed caused a shiver of nerves to pass down Lucius's spine.

"What news have you brought me from the ministry, Lucius," The Malfoy Lord suppressed shiver at the hissed words.

The platinum blonde wizard feared reaction from his master but spoke without delay. "Master…I have grave news, mi 'lord…" he dared not to raise his eyes to meet the blood red gaze of the dark and moody wizard.

"Don't delay, Lucius…" hissed the violent man.

"Yes, mi 'lord," Lucius prepared himself for his lord's wrath.

"I have news that Harry Potter is alive and well, mi 'lord." Lucius shuddered in fear.

"What!" hissed the angry wizard.

"I'm afraid I saw him with my own eyes, mi 'Lord. In the Wizengamot chambers, he appeared, with Dumbledore's phoenix…"

Voldemort grabbed the Malfoy lord's chin roughly forcing the blonde wizard to look him in the eyes.

"Let me see these events for myself, Lucius," Voldemort hissed, leaving the man with little warning before he forced his way into the man's mind.

Lucius in a bid to stop the pain, brought the memories of the Wizengamot session to the forefront of his mind. Voldemort bruised the pale wizards jaw as he viewed the memories with fury. Disgusted with what he saw he shoved the wizard away, leaving him trembling on the expensive carpet.

Voldemort stood roughly from his chair. The tome clattered to the carpeted floor. He began to pace the length of the large office.

"How? How? Is it possible for brat to still be alive? No one should be able to survive two killing curses." Voldemort paused in his steps, "yet Potter did so…but on top of that he aged twenty years and apparently grown in magical power…"

Turning, Voldemort hissed, "Summon the inner circle, Pettigrew, I wanted them assembled here in one hour."

The meek wizard trembled as he replied, "Yes, master, at once," before he scurried away.

Voldemort could feel his anger boiling over and needed a release. He waved his wand slamming the heavy oaked door. Lucius watched as the dark lord turned his menacing gaze on him.

"Crucio!" hissed Voldemort as he watched as the spell struck the blonde lord sending him into a fit o painful spasms and screams.

Scene Change…Meanwhile…

After leaving the Ministry, Harry had come straight to Gringotts for the scheduled meeting with the Black family account manager, Gornuk. Now, he sat in the goblin's office with a seemingly endless pile of parchment sat before Harry as he perused the account figures and legal contracts. However, it was the two contracts in front of him that was the reason for the meeting.

Gornuk had come across the two marriage contracts that formed the betrothal and marriage for both Bellatrix Black and Narcissa Black to Rodulphus Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy. These contracts that bound the Black, Lestrange and Malfoy families together in marriage.

"It's awfully restrictive, Gornuk," Harry said as he read over the contracts and made note of the signees.

The wizard could also detect the heavy presence of magic fused with the parchment, but the signatures that concerned him the most were those written in blood. The use of such a quill with blood for ink wasn't necessary to make the contract binding the standard magical contract would see that enforcement by both signee parties would comply to the terms stated in said contract.

However, the use of blood as ink to sign one's name would link one's magical signature to the paper, therefore, binding in blood and magic, the signee would be forced to follower the terms of the contract to the letter or risk losing their magic and possibly their life. At least with ink the signee would be free to interrupt the contract however they wanted within reason and not have to worry about the consequence to life and magic.

The fact that both Narcissa and Bellatrix had signed in blood was very disconcerting, but the fact that Cygnus Black and Druella Black had also signed in blood was also worrisome. Though right now Harry found himself in a unique position at being disgusted with the barbaric use of betrothal and marriage contracts and feeling sympathy and compassion for the mother of his schoolyard bully and her deranged sister.

On top of the usual charms placed into the parchment that magical contracts were written on. Harry could detect the added use of compulsion and loyalty charms laced into the parchment that targeted both Black sisters, but Bellatrix's add an added loyalty charm that would also make her loyal to the witness who signed the document.

Harry frowned when he read the name of the witness…Tom Marvolo Riddle.

"I can see you are at conflict with yourself, Lord Black," Gornuk spoke as he observed the wizard.

Harry snorted and shook his head. "That is putting it mildly, Senior Account Manager, Gornuk."

"I feel for both women because no woman should be considered the property of anyone, but herself," Harry sighed, "But I also know that Narcissa raised a sniveling coward and a bully. While Bellatrix is a deranged lunatic who gets off on torturing people."

Gornuk appraised his client calculatedly. "This may be the case now, but it wasn't always, Lord Black. Both Narcissa and Bellatrix were talented and powerful witches. Both had fire in their souls with dreams that they each wished to accomplish. Many a time the previous Lord Black would regal me with their exploits…

…I fear he would be turning in his grave if he had any idea that these contracts existed." Gornuk leaned forward in his seat. Placing his elbows on the desk, his beady eyes twinkled. "Yes, Arcturus Black, would have dissolved these contracts in a heartbeat. He never believed that Rodulphus Lestrange or Lucius Malfoy were good matches for his granddaughters. He believed both wizards were weak and lack the brains to think for themselves; instead, clinging to the coattails of their fathers and then to any wizard who could offer them power and prestige."

Harry caught onto the clever goblin, he nodded, "You think I should break the contracts and dissolve the marriages."

The goblin shrugged and showed a toothy grin. "It's not my place to suggest anything, Lord Black…" he paused, "besides such a thing would not be an easy thing to do; especially, given how much time has passed since the contracts were signed."

"How so, Gornuk," Harry was curious to know, but a sense of dread filled him too.

"I know you noticed the use of a blood quill to sign their names and by using that quill they signees became bound by blood and magic to follow the terms of the contract to the letter." Harry leaned forward showing he was listening.

Knowing he had the lord's attention in full, he continued, "I had the goblin nation's top wizarding legal experts to see first if the contract could be broken without any repercussions." Gornuk paused, "They agreed that the contract could be declared dissolved for a number of reasons and penalties incurred by House Lestrange and House Malfoy, but the most pressing reason would be on the grounds that neither wizard produced a male heir to carry on the Black family name…"

"But Draco…" Gornuk cut off his protest.

"Draco Malfoy is the first-born son of Lucius and Narcissa therefore he only has claim to the title of Lord Malfoy after his father passes." Gornuk said, "Per the contract stipulation, Lucius was to sire a second son with Narcissa and that sone would be the next Lord Black…only if Bellatrix failed to produce a second male child with Rodulphus and as we know no child has been born alive to Bellatrix."

"And the other reasons you spoke of are…" Harry prompted trying to move the conversation away from the idea of Bellatrix ever producing any children.

"The other reason would include the loss of standing in the wizarding community…mainly the association with dark lord Voldemort and the conviction for torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom that resulted in Lord and Lady Lestrange and Rabastan Lestrange being sentenced to life in prison."

"But Lucius escaped justice by claiming the imperious curse defense…" Harry said.

"He may have escaped a prison sentence but the damage to House Malfoy's reputation could be argued to be significant enough to violate the contract…but the best reason is still the failure to produce an heir for House Black. This left Arcturus with no viable heir because Sirius, should have inherited the title, but could not because of being in prison. Sirius, younger brother, was marked as having died within a year of leaving Hogwarts…This opened the door for Arcturus to name you're his heir because of your distant blood relation to the Black's through his cousin, Dorea Potter nee Black, the mother to James Potter and that makes her your grandmother. Of course, this would have been avoided if Narcissa had born another male child before you reached seventeen, but alas it didn't"

Gornuk gave a toothy wide toothy grin delighted with the news he was fixing to share. "Both House Malfoy and House Lestrange will forfeit any properties, business stocks, or money used for a marriage dowry. Plus added interest."

Gornuk rummaged through the pile of parchment looking for parchment with the final figures. "Ah! Found it..." the goblin quipped.

He checked the figures. "The penalties and interest would financially devastate House Malfoy and House Lestrange," Gornuk eagerly announced, "Such a damaging blow for them and for Voldemort both Houses were the largest donors to the dark wizards' coffers during the first blood war."

Harry couldn't help being eager to strike a blow to Voldemort's war effort. "How do I break the contract, Gornuk," he said after a moment.

Gornuk paused, "That isn't as easy, Lord Black, the goblin charm masters reviewed the document, and they feel, at least, in Lady Lestrange's case that the double use of mind controlling and loyalty charms resulted in her current poor mental state…" tapping his fingers together.

"That's a nice way to say she's bat shit crazy," quipped Harry.

"Yes," Gornuk said, "Exactly…

"The compulsion and loyalty charms, basically, made Bellatrix a slave to two masters. This caused a war within her mind that was exasperated using the blood quill to sign her name…to put it simply Bellatrix was bound by blood and magic to obey both wizards every command or loose her magic and die…"

Harry closed his eye, breathing slowly he suppressed his magic rage. "Will she still be guilty of torturing the Longbottom's?"

"No, any mind healer and charms master could testify on her behalf that Bellatrix couldn't be held responsible because of the charms were basically acted as a reinforced imperious curse on pepper up potion." Gornuk informed him.

A sigh escaped Harry, he opened his eye and focused on Gornuk. "Then, what is the problem with dissolving the contract in Bellatrix case?"

"The problem arises, Lord Black, with the fact that doing so could kill her." Harry raised his eyebrow at this recalling what he had learned from his magical teachers.

"Unless, Bellatrix has a new 'master' to transfer the magic of the forced bonds to," Harry sighed the idea of being bound to the insane witch.

"Yes," Gornuk agreed, "But it doesn't need to be a permanent situation."

Harry's interest peaked. Seeing he had his client's attention. "The goblin Charm masters and healers believe that a temporary transfer of the bond to a more powerful wizard who has no intention of manipulating or using Bellatrix would help to stabilize her mentally to allow for healing mentally and physically. Though the healers recommend that Bellatrix be under the supervision of a mind healer for the duration of the time that the bond is active and possibly for longer given that she will need to learn to live with what she was forced to do."

"And Narcissa won't need any such help?" Harry queried.

"No, Narcissa only had to contend with the one loyalty charm to contend with and should be alright."

Harry nodded in understanding. "I will take the contracts with me and any notes with recommendations for the goblin's that consulted on the specifics of the magics in the contracts. I'd also like to see that each of them is compensated for their time. So, if you would double their normal fee and see that they have my gratitude."

"Of course, Lord Black, I'll see that it done promptly," Sat about making notes as about the meeting.

"If that is all we have to discuss, Gornuk, I'll be in touch as to what my plans are regarding Narcissa and Bellatrix marriages," Harry said as he gathered his things.

"Very well, Lord Black, I will be awaiting instructions," Gornuk said as he showed his client out.

Scene Change

+ Crack! +

The bedroom door was thrown open by blonde headed teen.

"Father, stop it," the teen cried as he ran to shield his mother, she lay batter and bruised on the floor of her bedroom.

"Get out of the way, Draco!" the Malfoy Lord huffed in rage.

"I won't," Draco said, standing up to his father. "I won't let you her mother anymore."

+ Crack! +

Draco's head snapped to the side, but he stood his ground.

In a full rage overtook the Malfoy lord as he took his anger at being humiliated and beaten by the dark lord earlier in the day and again as he dished out his rage at Potter being alive on his followers at the meeting earlier in the evening.

It was this scene that Harry found when Fawkes deposited him in the manor. Harry had returned home from his meetings and had changed into casual attire, poured himself a tumbler of Irish whiskey and begun to look over the contracts when the Black house ring alerted him to the immediate danger one of its members was facing. Harry wasted no time, having Fawkes flame travel him through the formidable manor wards.

The scene caused violent rage to fill him at the site of Lucius Malfoy standing over his battered and bleeding son as he tried to shield his unconscious mother. Harry let his magic react to the seen as Lucius was thrown into the opposite wall. Draco watched as a tall dark head wizard with an eye patch approached his father as the man tried to stand up.

Lucius struggled to stand…searching for his missing wand still. His eyes widened at realizing who his attacker was… "Potter!" he growled, "How did you get in here?" a musical trill filled the room.

"Of course, phoenix fire travel…" Draco was confused by his father's outburst but upon closer inspection his boyhood rival.

"Potter, please, save my mother!" he cried.

Harry turned his head to see Draco cradling his bleeding and unconscious mother. He turned his heart went out to his schoolyard nemesis. The teen clearly cared for his mother.

With a snap decision, Harry turned his attention back to the Malfoy lord. "I'll deal with you some other time, Malfoy," he growled.

A wave of his hand sent the Malfoy lord into an unconscious state watching him slump down the wall. He moved to the distraught boy and his mother. Running a few scans, he assessed the situation as critical.

"Draco, listen to me," the blonde teen in the eyes. "I will be taking your mother with me. She WON'T be returning here EVER. Do you understand?"

Draco nodded his head as he whispered. "Yes."

Harry put his hand behind Draco's head in gentle almost fatherly gesture. "I want you to come with me too, Draco. For your own safety…" Harry said pleading, "and for your mother's peace of mind come with us."

Draco looked to his unconscious father with disgust. The older he got the more he came to resent the man. He had always treated his mother like a trophy in front of others but when they were alone, he would beat her. Draco had tried to protect when he was younger, but she would often order Dobby, their house elf before Harry had freed him to keep Draco away from his father's wrath while his mother suffered the worst his father dealt her.

His decision was an easy one. "I want to go with you and mother," his instinctive magic telling him that Harry would protect them both.

"Alright," Harry gave Draco a reassuring smile.

Harry scooped Narcissa into his arms as he stood. He held her close in a bridle style. "Hold onto my arm Draco."

Draco grabbed a hold of his arm. "Fawkes!" Harry called as the phoenix flew over a happy musical trill feeling Draco's heart with hope that everything would be better fir him and his mother.

The phoenix landed on Harry's shoulder and the trio flashed away in flash of fire.

Stay tuned for The Fallout Part 2