"Lord Black, you're late"

Ezekiel managed to suppress the urge to respond and kneeled in front of the Queen. He kept his eyes on the floor because even with his sunglasses on and using all he knew of Occlumency to keep his emotions from appearing, it would be crystal clear how much he hated that woman.

She wasn't a wizard. She wasn't a Muggle. She was not a magical creature.

And he HAD to bow to her.

"I'm most ashamed of my lateness, Your Highness. I made haste to meet you as soon as I received your summoning, however my magic is yet to recover. Please excuse me."

"We are not interested in your excuses, Lord Black. We've received news that you're currently holding the Heir of one of The Ancient and Most Noble Houses. Is this true?" The Queen asked sternly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. As you can see I've brought him with me, as instructed on your orders. Please meet Harry Po..." Ezekiel looked at his sides but Harry was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until he heard the noise behind him that he shifted and saw Harry kneeling behind him. "...tter."

"Is that so? Lord Potter, rise."

Harry was a shacking mess, but he got up as the Queen had ordered.

"It's alright, Harry." The Queen assured him, her tone changed to a more motherly tone, much for Ezekiel's confusion. "Please come here, I want to take a look at you."

Harry looked nervously at Ezekiel, who nodded at the boy. He approached to the throne and for their surprise, the Queen came down her throne to him and studied his face.

"You look so much like your father." She mused. "Except the eyes, you have your mother's"

"You knew my parents...Your Majesty?" He asked surprised.

"I knew your father, he served the Crown well. Harry, I am sorry for your loss." She said as she moved the hair from his forehead. Harry looked at the floor, clearly uncomfortable.

Keep your fucking hands of him, you idiot. Ezekiel almost shouted at her. He knew Harry was self conscious about his scar.

"I'm sorry, it was rude of me. I've heard so much about you, Harry, too many stories from the Minister to a letter sent by the Supreme Mugwump." Dumbledore, fuck. Ezekiel thought. She placed her hands on Harry's shoulders "Let me assure you, you're as safe in this palace as you'll ever been. We have much to discuss, you and I. "

"Leave." She told Ezekiel without even looking at him.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid that I can't do that. Harry Potter is under my protection. We're family under the eyes of Magic."

"Is that so?" The Queen asked suspiciously.

"Yes!" Harry nodded smiling. "We're cousins."

"I see... very well. Lord Black can wait outside while we speak then." This time she actually moved her gaze to look at him. Seeing how Harry regarded the man she decided to address him politely. "Lord Black, please wait outside while I speak with Lord Potter."

Ezekiel wanted to refuse, but he knew that it was a battle that he couldn't win. The oath he had to take in order to become a Lord bounded him to the Crown's every wish.

Just another gift from his ancestors.

"As you wish, Your Majesty." He bowed to her and promptly left the room. The wooden doors closed behind him.

He hated this, truly he did.

Harry didn't knew how to speak to royalty, something Ezekiel hadn't even considered to teach him yet. He had no idea what he could tell her, nor did he knew how she'd react.

The woman in that room could make Ezekiel betray his vows and return him to his uncles and there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

No, there was one thing. There was the thing that roamed in the back of his mind. But if he started using it like that, he knew he'd start using it for everything else and that was a downward spiral that he had no intention of taking.

He shook his head and started pacing again. There were many ways this could end, but no matter how much Ezekiel thought, none of those possibilities led to a happy ending.

And just what the hell did the Potter House did for the Royal Family? He wanted to scream. His family had served the Crown for centuries and they'd never, not once, mentioned another servant like them.

Then again, there was the very plausible chance that they were a different kind of servant. Said the voice of reason in his mind. For some reason, it sounded like Dora. Yet it didn't explain anything. The uninformed must improve their deficit or die. Right now, Ezekiel had no idea on how to do so, all he could do was pace around the room.

It would be a four hours later that the butler would request his presence. emRequest/em. Something was clearly wrong. No one had ever requested anything from him, not in the Buckingham Palace. Ever.

He approached the throne room and saw Harry was sitting in a chair near the windows. Apparently the Queen had made the staff bring a table and a couple of chairs. There was food and beverages. They had brunch, while Ezekiel had a near panic attack. Or that would be what they tried to do, if not for the fact that Harry was looking as pale as a ghost, looking at the floor. Somehow she had managed to revert Harry back to when he first spoke to him.

God he hated that woman.

Speaking of which, where was she?

"Lord Black" oh, there she was, Ezekiel noted, where else could she be other than her throne? Ezekiel turned to the Queen and was surprised, she looked different too.

She was emlivid/em.

"Ezekiel Artemis Black, Lord of The Ancient and Most Noble House Of Black, I, Elizabeth The Second, Queen of England command you. Answer my questions and be true, lie to me and die where you stand!"

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Ezekiel knelt in front of her, and looked at the floor again

"Your glasses, take them off."

"...Your Highness?"

"You've heard me, Lord Black. I want to see your eyes when you answer to me." She pointed at Ezekiel's face. "The sunglasses, off. I will not repeat myself."

Ezekiel did as was told, even looking at the Queen. The surprise didn't end at that. The Queen of England was looking at him straight into his eyes.

It was such a bizarre occurrence that he couldn't help to blink in confusion. She didn't.

"I ask you now, did you knew Harry Potter before the day you appeared on his house?"

"No, Your Highness. I had only heard of him in the tales that were told about him." Ezekiel could feel the magic of the oath like a hand around his throat.

"What happened the day you met him?"

The monarch made Ezekiel relieve the entire day. No detail was spared, no though hidden. He hated the entire thing but she heard everything. If She found it unpleasant or disturbing, the Queen didn't show it. Ezekiel wanted to reach Harry, who had looked outside through the palace's windows but the orders of the Queen were absolute. He was stuck where he was standing, otherwise he'd die.

"I summoned you two days ago. Where were you?"

"We both were injured, Your Majesty. I had a medi-witch check us both and determined that we weren't in immediate danger, so we spent the night at my relatives. The very next day we took him to the best medical facility in magical England."

"Where you attacked a group of onlookers." She remarked.

"No, Your Majesty. After failing to get a Healer to treat him we"

"Failed, how?" She interrupted.

"We were received by the Head Healer Rowe. He betrayed his vows as a Healer and as a result lost his magic and fell into a comatose state."

"How did he betrayed his vows?"

"I'm afraid that it's not clear at the moment, Your Majesty."

"And after that?"

"A group of followers of Albus Dumbledore approached us. Me and my family were forced to defend ourselves."

"Your family. You're reffing to your cousin the Auror and your aunt, the medi-witch that performed the physical examination on Harry?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And who is this Albus Dumbledore?"

Aaand this was a very clear indication of why people didn't hear of the Queen in current policies. She didn't knew her own subjects or representatives.

"Albus Dumbledore is "Supreme Mugwump, Your Majesty. He is also this country's representative in the global stage. He's the one that usurped my place as Harry's Magical Guardian. Did he not sign the letter that he sent you?"

"He did not, it was an official letter passed by the office of your Minister."

"Your Majesty, Albus Dumbledore is one of the most famous people in my world. He was the one that rallied the forces of the Light to fight Lord Voldemort. His influence on the public cannot be measured"

"I was told that it was Cornelius Fudge who did that." Ezekiel shook his head at that. "And this Voldemore, or whatever he called himself, is he dead?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. He died the same night that he tried to killed Lord and Lady Potter, and tried to do the same to Harry."

"And that's why he has that scar." She finished. The Queen looked at Ezekiel with suspicion. "You've stood here before, Lord Black, have you not?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, a few years ago."

"Do you remember what you told me then?"

Just what the hell was she going for? He thought.

"I'm apologise, Your Highness. It was a rather complicated affair, could you perhaps..."

"You said that you'd be the last. The last of the House of Black. That you'd never have a child, yet I hear that you risked your life for a boy that you never knew, taking him in and making him a part of your family. You were quite adamant, almost defiant to me. What changed?"

Are you for real? was the only thing that crossed his mind. He was tempted to speak his mind but he decided to play along and act as if Harry could hear his every word. It usually helped to stop himself from saying something stupid if he pretended he was being watched.

"I don't hate children, truth be told I quite like them, but my refusal to leave descendancy doesn't mean that I'll sit idly while a man beats a child."

"Then why take in Harry Potter in? I've received a very detailed report of one Amelia Bones describing how you took an oath, one almost identical to the one you took in this very room at the time of your appointment as a Lord, to protect him. Harry himself has told me that you promised to give him a life full of luxury and as far away of his family, should he choose to." She added angrily. " Even though that would put you against the Crown. I shall choose to believe that you didn't knew of his position in my court, one that was decided centuries ago."

Okay, keep it cool, keep it cool, keep it cool, keep it cool, keep it cool, keep it co-FUCKING CENTURIES!? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THE HOUSE OF POTTER DOING WITH THE CROWN OF ENGLAND?!

"I confess Your Highness, that I was taken by surprise when I heard those news. If I may ask, what exactly emis/em the position of the House of Potter in Your Highness court?"

"The Lords of House Potter have been the Lord Protector for centuries. They are the Magical Lord Protectors of England, Scotland and Ireland"

Ezekiel thought he had a stroke when he hear that.

Lord Protector.

Lord-Fucking-Protector.

That title had different uses in the Muggle world. In the Magical one?

Harry Potter, should he choose to become a Lord, would be in charge of the Royal Family's safety. Also, he'd have the full support of the Crown of England to deal in matters on any level, should the Queen or King (but who the hell would ask him) were unavailable or if they decided to trust him the final decision. And that was only two of the powers at his disposal.

The Queen looked at Ezekiel as his defences fell faster than he could set them up again. He really didn't knew? It was quite a surprise in and on itself. When she heard that the son of James Potter had been taken by Lord Black, she almost called the oath and called for his death on the spot, if only he wasn't so necessary. Hearing the young boy's tale had left her furious but she really couldn't do anything. One move from her would affect both worlds, it was clear now that her own people had been telling her what she wanted to hear for quite some time now. There was nothing she couldn't do that one side nor the other wouldn't notice.

Lord Black on the other hand, would be hated regardless of what he did, he should be used to it by now. He could also protect him, if that oath was true. She owed James Potter to make sure his son would be safe and sound. Sure, he was a bit of a prat at times but he had been a good man and a loyal one as well. She had lost her right hand that night eight years ago.

If what Harry had told her was true, if Ezekiel Black was indeed acting on his best interests, then Harry Potter would be even better protected than even her. Sheem had/em to be sure. She had read what her ancestors had written about the Black Family Magic and she knew that it could be used to destroy the oath the Black family had given. She'd have to see it in his eyes. Ezekiel Black would have to convince Her that he was the best option for Harry Potter.

"Would you be taking Harry to the ancestral home of the Black family?"

"I...I don't know."

"You don't know? What happened to the man that promised a scared boy protection from those who'd seek to harm him?"

"And I will." Ezekiel assured her. "But... The Lord Protector... I promised Harry that he'd have a choice. Would you force him?"

"To take the role his family have carried for centuries? No. "She shook her head. "I believe that it's as you have said, he'll have to decide for himself. If he were forced to do so it could hurt him even more. I don't like to say this but your choice was the most appropriate. He'll have to choose his future on his own, but I shall give you both a deadline, he must make his choice on the day he's recognized as an adult by the laws of magical Britain."

"Your Highness, I promised to him that he'd be able to choose his schooling on his eleventh birthday." Ezekiel confessed.

"I won't make you break that promise then, Lord Black. If he's to choose, then he shall have all the options available. It's the least that he deserves." She watched as Ezekiel bowed to her.

"Your Highness, may I... be allowed to speak to him? I fear for his estate of mind" Ezekiel got a small nod as a response and darted to Harry.

Elizabeth was quite curious about how he'd deal with Harry. She had to ask Harry every detail about his circumstances, she needed to make sense of the reports that had flooded her table for the last two days. She was ashamed of how Harry looked by the end of her interrogation but it had been necessary. Unavoidable. It still left a painful feeling in her heart.

She saw Ezekiel approach Harry. How softly he spoke, how he kept his distance to avoid startling the boy. How he consoled him and assured him of his safety and finally, hugged him. She'd never had guessed that he had it in him, kindness that is. It had surprised her when he declared the end of his family. Apparently it was something he had decided while he studied abroad and personally, she was in favor of it. That family emhad/em to disappear, regardless of what it may happen to the country. She was sure she'd be able to negotiate treaties and alliances with other countries before she died.

Seeing him with Harry had reminded her that, even after all they had done, the Black family was still made of people, horrible, nightmare-inducing people but people nonetheless. She had seen Ezekiel once, presented by his grandfather as the pride of the Black Family. It was easy to see why, even as a child he could scare a room full of security agents without uttering a single word. He had enjoyed it, smirking at them as if he were superior to them. He couldn't be older than four years old at that time. It had terrified her to her very core. She hadn't thought much of him until he returned to pledge his service to the Crown. The man that had taken that taken a knee at her looked completely different than the small boy who she saw all those years ago. She was informed of the fate of his father and grandparents, it took longer for her staff to find him and was surprised of where he had ended up. She learned of an outcast of the Black family and what she was apparently trying to accomplish with her newfound nephew. She didn't envy the task ahead of her and seeing him on his appointment as a Lord, looking as his grandfather had before him, she just assumed that his aunt had failed. He was just another Lord of the Ancient and Most Noble House Of Black.

Perhaps she had been wrong all those years ago, she though seeing him trying to comfort Harry. Perhaps not. All that mattered at the moment was Harry. As unjust it was that boy would face several tough decisions very early in his life and he'd need all the help he could get. She saw Harry rise up from his chair after a couple of minutes and walk to her, Ezekiel following closely. The kid looked a bit better but it was clear he wanted nothing more than to leave.

"Harry, I hope you can forgive me. I had no desire to pain you, there were things that I needed to know."

"It's fine..."Ezekiel's elbowed Harry gently in the arm. "Your Highness."

"Lord Black" She looked at Ezekiel again. "I'll ask you again, will you take the Potter heir to the Black's ancestral home?"

Ezekiel though his answer for a while before responding.

"No." Ezekiel ignored Harrys disenharted look and continued. "I shall take Harry Potter there, for I am his Magical Guardian. I will provide him with a home, a family, nourishment and education for him to live the way he sees fit. I shall not influence his choice at his eleventh birthday. His life is his own"

"Very well" She nodded and changed to a more formal tone. "That's all We will require of you. Provided that Harry Potter learns all he needs to know from both worlds, We shall not oppose your guardianship. You may leave." She gestured the door, which opened for them.

Ezekiel took Harry's shoulder and after bowing to her, they both left the room.

"Harry, we're going back to the Tonk's house." Ezekiel told him. "I'll leave you with them for a while, I need to go back home and key you in, okay?"

"Okay."

They left the palace and with a loud CRACK! disappeared from the Queen's view, who had followed their path through one of the windows.

She'd pray for both of them safety tonight.

I don't own Harry Potter, all characters except OC belong to J. K. Rowling.