AN: As promised, this is the fanfiction that won the voting for when I hit 75 fanfictions. I honestly cannot believe I have written so many and I love that you all love what I write!
I do plan to do this again when I hit fanfic #100. I'll put up voting when the time gets closer.
The prompt that got picked for this one is: Arranged Marriage/Marriage Contract.
I hope you enjoy this! I look forward to writing it.
And like always, I don't own anything, all rights go to their rightful creators!
~NicoDiAngeloLover7
Writ in Stone – Chapter 1 (How it All Began)
One would probably find this sight odd if they were to come across it. But that didn't mean that it actually was.
James and Lily Potter were currently in the company of Callum Flint and his wife, Ciara.
They were in the home of James and Lily at the moment. Though Lily and Ciara had gone into the other room to chat while their husbands talked. Harry was in Lily's arms while Marcus followed after his mother.
Most would assume that the Flints were dark, which to an extent they were. But that didn't mean that they would snivel and lower themselves to a Half Blood. They had more self-respect than that.
They were very aware of the backgrounds of the so-called Lord Voldemort. Callum's grandfather had gone to Hogwarts when he had just been Tom Riddle. He had a portrait of him in his halls. Odhran Flint had recounted the tale that he had been nothing but a mudblood when he first entered Slytherin House. But it had been revealed that he was descended from the Slytherin line. But that still made him a half blood pretending to be a pureblood.
And just like his grandfather, Odhran, he was not a fool. He knew that the ideals of Voldemort's were ludicrous and would only deal in their deaths. Bringing the fight towards the muggles would only bring them closer to their discovery. Then there were also rumors that this Dark Lord was insane, and he believed it. Their numbers were already so few as it was, they didn't need another war onto of them and decrease it even more.
Though he didn't hide on how much he disliked mudbloods. No respect for who they are and what they represent. But he placed most of that blame onto Dumbledore. Hogwarts used to be known for their academic excellence and courses. It had all gone into disarray because of that old fool.
Maybe one day that could be all changed, but that day was not today.
But no, it wasn't too surprising to see Callum and Ciara in the Potters' home. They had always been welcomed guests to them. A friendship that lasted throughout Hogwarts and into their adult years.
"We're both neutral, James. You know that! I am not doing this for HIS sake, I never have. But you need to look at the bigger picture, this affects Harry too!"
James sighed, "but is this really the answer?"
"You know that Harry is required to have a betrothal contract, he is the Potter Heir. You can't avoid this. And this will provide him with additional protection. You won't even have to change his godparents, he'll just have two additional magical guardians if needed," Callum said.
"Harry is going to hate me when he is older…" James mumbled.
"Did you hate your parents when you found out," Callum brought up.
James shook his head, "it was easily breakable. They said it was just for protection and wouldn't have to worry about a partner until I was ready."
"And it will be the same with Harry. I wasn't betrothed to Ciara either, as you remember."
James nodded; Callum had been very against who his initial betrothed was. Not like it mattered now. Though he still felt perplexed. They were in the middle of a war, was this really the best time?
They already had the prophecy over their heads. Was really Harry the one that was meant to destroy Voldemort? He wasn't even a few months old yet. But had noticed that Dumbledore had been putting a lot into that prophecy.
Both James and Lily had both been Gryffindors, but that didn't mean they actually trusted Dumbledore. Some things were just not adding up. But that didn't mean they trusted Voldemort either; he was trying to kill them after all.
"You'll need to meet me here tomorrow, Callum. Don't forget to bring Marcus," James finally decided.
Marcus Flint was Callum and Ciara's only child, their son.
Callum nodded as Lily and Ciara rejoined them.
Ciara gave him an intense look before he nodded. She gave a breath of relief. She could remember when Callum had first breached the topic of asking James and Lily to having little Harry betrothed to their Marcus. Just like they would offer their protection to him, James and Lily would do the same. Marcus was still only two years old; he wouldn't be able to be told until he was older.
They may be neutral but that did not mean that their family was well liked. Just like the Potters were targets of the Dark Lord, the Flints were too. Though she knew that this supposed prophecy made it worse for James and Lily. She knew that they were holding strong for their son, just like she was.
She also knew that James and Lily didn't care about that their son would defeat Voldemort or not. They still looked at Harry as their son, something so precious that they would protect at all costs. He was only a few months old and it reminded her when Marcus was that old. He was adorable as Lily held him. Though she had to hold back a laugh as her Marcus peeked behind her leg. He had her dark hair and shared Callum's grey eyes.
Ciara could already tell that little Harry had Lily's bright eyes and would share James' dark hair. She knew that Lily was hoping that Harry wouldn't share in James' untamable hair. She had given up on taming it years ago.
It was the day after that both Potters and Flints had gone to Gringotts. Lily had young Harry in her arms while Ciara had Marcus in hers.
But since this was a betrothal contract between the houses Potter and Flint, they were required to have both of their account managers present. Adding the blood to the contract was easy enough and the wound was healed on their fingers quickly.
James' eyes quickly glanced over the betrothal contract.
On behalf of the houses Potter and Flint, we initiate this betrothal contract between Hadrian James Potter and Marcus Callum Flint. Until the age of maturity or by the untimely death of family, this contract cannot be null and void, even at the request of family. Upon the arranged date, shall this union be joined by the date of maturity.
There were more details further into the contract. James and Callum had agreed that if Harry and Marcus were fine with the contract and didn't want to break it. They could split their finances and that any children they had; a trust vault would be created on their birth. That is how both of them did it for Harry and Marcus. The trust vault would incur interest with every year as well deposit a certain amount from the Family vault into the trust. Though he wouldn't be able to touch the trust vault until he turned eleven. And they wouldn't be able to touch the Family vault until they were seventeen unless one of their parents were with them. Like his parents did, he wanted Harry to know how to spend his own money and budget. He wasn't going to be like the Malfoys and spend money just because he had it. At the rate they were going, they would wind up bankrupting themselves.
But if they so desired, Harry would just use the Potter vaults and Marcus could use the Flint vaults. He and Lily shared the vaults between them, there were no vaults that she didn't have access to. Any money they had made would go into their vaults. There was no, this was his money and that was hers.
That was when James signed the contract at the bottom of the parchment with a blood quill. Lily signed right besides his and then the Flints signed their own names.
The parchment briefly glowed blue before fading.
"Is there any further business I can help with?" Griphook asked, the Account Manager for the Potter vaults. Since it was Lord Potter that had requested the contract, he had asked the question. Juronk, was over the Flint's vaults. But since it involved the Flint's heir as well, he was present in the room.
"That will do it, Griphook. May your enemies blood drip at your feet," James said.
Griphook gave him a grin, "and may your gold always flow."
James and Lily told Sirius and Remus about the marriage contract a few days later after the trip to Gringotts.
Sirius had never really been a fan of Callum, but he never minded Ciara. Callum had been a Slytherin in Hogwarts where Ciara had been Ravenclaw. But he knew that both of them were friends of James and Lily. He could recall when his own mother had tried to set up a marriage contract, but his father had stopped her. He had never liked his parents but felt grateful for what Orion did. He knew that his mother had no love for him, never had. It was all for Regulus who was now dead. But he had run away while still in Hogwarts and never regretted it.
"Are you sure, James?" Sirius had asked.
"Callum wasn't wrong about where Harry is the heir, he does need to have a contract. He'll be able to break it if he needs to. There is no guarantee that he will even like Marcus when he's older. But I rather have him betrothed with Marcus as someone I can trust to protect him," James explained.
"He'll be in capable hands, Padfoot," Remus said.
"I still don't like it," Sirius muttered.
Remus rolled his eyes, trust Sirius to distrust it because of Callum. He didn't think he was that bad. He had even talked to him a few times while in Hogwarts. He may have been a Slytherin and Pureblood, but he wasn't that bad. He never cared that Remus was a Gryffindor and later a werewolf. Had even offered him help if he needed it. He had already given him several Wolfsbane Potion, something he brewed himself that Ciara helped him with.
He knew that the potion ingredients were expensive, but Callum had done it anyways. Normally he thought there would be some catch behind it, or he had brewed it so it would poison him. But he knew that Flint wasn't one to do that, he had no prejudice against werewolves. Greyback was another matter entirely, but Remus hated him as well. And he hated to admit it, they really did help.
So, Remus didn't hate that James had done a marriage contract between Harry and Callum's son, Marcus. He had seen Marcus a few times and he was an adorable child. Least he didn't hate it as much as Sirius seemed to. But he ignored him on that. But unlike Sirius, James was Lord Potter and he knew he would do anything to protect his family. And having Callum and his family behind them was a definite plus.
"Do you think Harry will keep the contract, James?" Remus asked.
James shrugged, his eyes glancing over towards Lily. She was holding Harry, rocking him to sleep.
"It is very possible he will, I know I didn't. My parents had quickly done away with the contract and made a new one between me and Lily. That will be his decision though."
Remus nodded. He never had to have a marriage contract, but he knew two of his friends had. He didn't even know where Peter was at the moment. He said something about his mother, so he didn't push for information. He figured Peter would either stop by tonight or sometime later. Though he knew they would have to go into hiding soon.
Voldemort and his Death Eaters were killing more witches and wizards. And with James, Lily, and Harry being a prime target. It wasn't a good idea to feel so out and in the open. Sirius had already planned on going into hiding as well. He was the only Black that Voldemort wanted to kill and as James' best friend, they wanted to kill him as well.
Dumbledore had suggested a charm before, but James and Lily hadn't given him an answer. It was called the Fidelius Charm. It would be able hide their location and Voldemort would never be able to find them. He just hoped that it worked but they couldn't live their entire lives hiding.
Though it would be in the next few weeks that James and Lily agreed for Dumbledore to cast the Fidelius Charm. Sirius was supposed to be the Secret Keeper, but it had changed to Peter instead. They never realized that would be their fatal mistake that would end up in their deaths. That it would be almost a year later that Peter would reveal their location to Lord Voldemort and sign their deaths. Never knowing that Peter could have been a traitor. That Harry never got killed and the rebounding killing curse would strike Voldemort and leave him in spirit form for the next thirteen years. And it would end up having Harry orphaned and sent to Lily's sister's home. Where he would know nothing but abuse and neglect. And no word was ever breathed to Callum and Ciara about James and Lily's death.
They wouldn't know a word until they visited Godric's Hollow to find it destroyed. It had sunk into them on what had happen. Plus, the fact that now everyone was saying that Harry Potter vanquished the Dark Lord and being proclaimed the Boy-Who-Lived. It would be when they tried to locate Sirius that they found out he was in Azkaban. But no matter how they tried, they couldn't locate Harry Potter, the betrothed to their son.
But they didn't feel any gratitude or relief. Two of their friends were dead, their son missing, and one of them was sentenced to prison. They didn't even know what they could do to help Sirius, even though Callum and Ciara knew that Sirius wasn't responsible.
"Talk to Amelia," Ciara told her husband one night.
Marcus was three years old and was napping at the moment. Ciara was sitting beside Callum in their sitting area. Her eyes were sad, she had already shed tears earlier. She felt the loss of her friends heavily.
Callum nodded; his face was solemn. He still couldn't believe that Lily and James were really gone. But he didn't want to sit around and do nothing. He didn't even know who had taken Harry from Godric's Hollow. He couldn't find any magical signatures that weren't supposed to be there. But that only meant that someone knew how to cover their tracks. The only signatures he could find were James, Lily, Harry, and Sirius. That only told him that they had been there and how long ago. James and Lily had been murdered on All Hallows Eve.
He didn't even have any luck on finding Remus. He had sent a letter out weeks ago, but he hadn't heard anything yet. He just hoped that Remus was okay. But he knew who the real penetrator in this was. Peter.
There was no way it was Sirius, he had never been the Secret Keeper, no matter what the rumors said. They didn't know the truth. He had been there when the Fidelius Charm had been cast as a witness. Why he hadn't been contacted before they had sentenced Sirius, he wasn't sure. But he wanted answers and knew that his wife was correct. Amelia was the head of the DMLE and would have been over the case. Or rather she should have been… Maybe she would even have answers to where Harry Potter disappeared. He wasn't even two yet, there was no way he could have wandered off on his own. He knew someone took him, but who was the question…
It didn't matter if Sirius didn't like him or not. He was still James and Lily's best friend and he didn't deserve a life in Azkaban for something that wasn't his fault. And he had never hated Sirius, even if he had… Nobody deserved that, though he didn't know if Sirius was actually responsible for all those muggles death. He didn't believe he was, but he didn't know and that was the most frustrating part.
That in mind, he got ready to head to the Ministry. Maybe there he would actually get some answers. And he would not rest until he got them.