My Child

Chapter 7

"Sunny?" Charlus called with all the authority he had to his person. Still shaken to the core that Arcturus was soul bound to his wife. This wasn't done with arranged marriages. Soul bounding spoke or true love, the desire to never live a day without the other. Sharing magic, and your very life force for neither could live without the other. He was shaken, he must confess, especially considering Orion had been all but forced to marry Walburga. Perhaps there was more to it than he knew, or even Dorea knew.

"What can Sunny do for Master?" Sunny appeared before her Master, as always, keen and eager to serve. So, very happy that the family was expanding and she had a little one to take care of again.

"Is Melania Black alive?" Charlus commanded.

"Sunny doesn't know, Master Charlus, I am a Potter House-elf," Sunny entirely too anxious at disappointing her Master. Fingers twitching just a little, as if she wanted to wring her hands together.

"It's true, you'll need one bound to the Black family," Marius commented quietly, trying to remain unheard and unseen.

"And good luck finding one, Walburga took great pride in beheading them if they displeased her." Dorea answered, she might not have had much to do with the Black family after she married her husband but she still had her ways of getting information. "There may be one or two left alive, if we're lucky, but I am afraid I don't know their names."

"Serpens!" Arcturus called out, try as he may, he couldn't keep the desperation out of his voice. He could barely feel his wife, he was terrified that something had happened to her. It was clear a lot of time had passed since he was incapacitated. The panic crawling up his throat, he had never experienced before. Desolation swept through him at the loss, and he knew nothing short of death would have kept the House-elf away. "Serpens!" he called again, the edge of desperation tinging his voice.

"He would have been able to get through the wards," Charlus said cautiously, "I am afraid he must be gone from this world."

"Lyra!" Arcturus called, shifting restlessly in his seat, his desire to remain entirely impassive nowhere to be seen in the light of not knowing where his wife was or her state of health. As the seconds ticked by, and not a single answer his heart sank. "Taurus?"

Still nothing, the room deeply uncomfortably silent except for Arcturus' desperate voice calling for aid from his House-elves in a bid to find out his wife's location and health status.

"Cepheus! Grus! Ursa! Aquarius!" nothing, not a single stir.

"Cousin Arcturus it's okay, we'll get in touch with the law enforcement and find her, I promise." Dorea crouched beside Arcturus and squeezed his hands in comfort. She had no idea how to, considering they were 'dead' to the world, but she'd find a way, they always did. The Black and Potters were always the most devious of families.

"Kreacher!" Arcturus gave one last attempt, his shoulders slumped, as tiredness began to set in. Far sooner than Thorfinn indicated. Which shouldn't be surprising really, someone's emotional state did half come into the equivalence.

To the surprise of them all, a disgusting ratty House-elf appeared before them.

"Master Black," the House-elf said, staring at the wizard stunned, he'd thought only Lady Black and nasty disowned son was left.

"Where is my wife?" Arcturus rasped out, he looked and sounded ill, but his magic made sure to portray he wasn't as gone yet as people would wish.

The House-elf was naturally unaware that the 'magic' Arcturus was exuding was dwindling due to tiredness.

"The Lady Black be in Cornwall, in the MacMillian estate," the House-elf told Arcturus after gleaning her location through the wards.

"Well, that makes things a tad bit difficult," Dorea said, getting to her feet, her husband helping her automatically. She gave him a grateful smile, she wasn't as young as she used to be, and such tasks were not to be undertaken lightly. "Who is Lord MacMillian at the moment, I do know there was a dedication to Pippa MacMillian who passed away just after the birth announcement of Ernest MacMillian."

Charlus grimaced, "Honestly that family, Melania was the only one that wasn't as prejudice against anything remotely dark." Which meant they treated his wife with contempt, just because she came from a 'dark family' Merlin only knows how they were now. They were all Hufflepuff's and meant to be loyal but Melania was the only one that knew the meaning of the word.

"Oh, Violet isn't too bad, she's extremely smart and neutral, she's not as biased as her father-in-law, hopefully she raises Ernest the same way." Dorea reassured Charlus, she'd known Violet before all this went down.

"Bring me my wife!" Arcturus commanded, grey eyes flashing furiously, he would not take no for an answer. Luckily though, House-elves were able to come and go from estates, which included Kreacher. "Do not delay!"

Before Charlus or Dorea could caution Arcturus or the House-elf, it was away.

"Oh dear," Dorea said, sitting on the chair, clearly overwhelmed.

"You need some rest," Charlus told Arcturus, "Shall we put you back to bed?" by the we, he meant the House-elf Sunny or Shaw. Hoping that he would agree, he needed to reassure his wife that everything was alright.

Arcturus vehemently shook his head, no, he was not going to bed before he had news of his wife. All the while his hand was rubbing steadily on his sternum, he wanted his wife, he needed to see her. "How…how long?" changing the subject, glancing at Dorea to see her looking drained, tired, it was not a good look on her at all.

"It's 1985," Charlus informed him, rubbing his eyes, it was very rude to act so plebian but he felt very much in tune with his wife at the moment. It was clear they would be repeating themselves too, but considering he'd just woken up, he prayed to Merlin it wasn't too often and he wasn't suffering from any mind altering ailments.

One did not discuss monetary issues with family or outside of it. However, he feared he might not have a choice, between him, his wife and now Arcturus, Harry and Melania? All of them needing medical attention? Healers were not cheap, especially one kept on retainer. They didn't have property room to grow their own produce, he was awfully anxious. He hated feeling like he'd failed his wife, she shouldn't have to worry about such things, unfortunately, there wasn't enough investment money coming in to cover their medical needs.

"Do you know what happened to you?" Dorea asked, glancing at her brother who remained silent, determined to ignore what was going on. She felt a pang of hurt, feeling awful for forcing her brother into this. She'd been so callous only thinking of herself.

"What do you mean? Is it not been deduced?" Arcturus found himself rousing a little more hearing that. He had been attacked he knew that much, he'd just been about to go to the Ministry, then he could imprecisely recall falling and then nothing. "Nobody has been arrested?" aghast, how could the Ministry let someone who attacked him go unchecked? Unchallenged?

"There have been no arrests," Charlus replied, "The Ministry is a mockery of what it once was, Arcturus. The sheer amount of blackmail and self-serving idiocy that accounts for most of the Witches and Warlocks is too many to count. Treason, sedation, the filthy disgusting cowards, I can barely stand acknowledging that I'm British." So ashamed he was of the Ministry, even the Wizengamot was rife with it. Money was more important than truth, even more so than magic, and wasn't that just mind-blowingly difficult to acknowledge?

"It's unfortunately true, we've got ourselves a Minister that keeps writing to Dumbledore seeking aid on what to do. Many laws have been passed, more and more getting outlawed and family seats becoming defunct. The government is unravelling fast." Dorea admitted, "They're committing the ultimate sin, and are not taking their roles seriously. There are a few, I'll admit, but unfortunately, those few that try cannot remove the corruption that runs rampant."

Arcturus narrowed his eyes, displeased with what he was hearing, before he could ask any questions a pop heralded the arrival of Kreacher and Melania Black just as thin and skeletal as her husband and very much unconscious.

"Melania!" Arcturus attempted to get up to go to his wife – who was floating in mid-air on a stretcher the house-elf had conjured – but he wasn't able to stand. The second he attempted so, his hands gave way and his legs shook to the extent he felt like he was at deaths door. He just lacked any energy whatsoever.

"Shaw?" Dorea called out; she needed a moment to herself.

"What can Shaw do for Mistress Dorea?" Shaw asked.

"Prepare a second bed next to Arcturus' for his wife, Melania, make them as comfortable as possible," Dorea stated firmly, "If you need Sunny's help, then do it."

"I…" Arcturus begun to say.

"You will do as your told, you are in my home," Dorea declared firmly, giving Arcturus a look to stop him fussing. If she hadn't been married into the Potter family and if Arcturus was still Lord, she would never have spoken to him thusly. The stress of everything was making her less well-mannered than her usual demeanour. "And you need rest." She added with a little softness, feeling guilty for her rudeness.

Arcturus straightened, wanting to feel offended, wanted to feel a lot of things. He had never been spoken to like that before, least of all by his family. Unfortunately, he felt himself sag, the strain of trying to remain upright becoming too much for his body to bear. He'd never admit it, but he was grateful for the House-elf aiding him to bed. Even if he hadn't marginally gotten any of his questions answered.

He stared at his unconscious wife – alarmed by her stillness, even in sleep his wife had been constantly on the move – until his eyes closed, his body more than ready for sleep and rest.

"Dorea," Charlus said, moving closer to his wife, and gently wrapping her in his arms. "Everything is going to be alright, don't worry." Worry was the only thing that could be possibly causing his wife to act uncharitably. He'd never seen her on the very edge before.

"Don't worry? Not only is Harry going to be on long term potions for his health…but we have Arcturus to take care of and not to mention Melania, for Merlin only knows how long!" Dorea fretted, "We need help, perhaps we should consider bringing Walburga into it. She wouldn't dare say no where is concerned Arcturus and Melania." She totally would say no, but Dorea was at her wits end. She detested the idea of asking Walburga, the witch was…oh, she hated her simply put.

Charlus closed his eyes, feeling like an utter failure, his wife was so worried she was reacting badly. He should be able to provide for her, Merlin he almost wished for the days where they travelled extensively, with no responsibilities or painful memories. His little Leo.

Dorea worried, yes, but the thing was, Charlus and Dorea wouldn't think of selling their precious heirlooms or items to bring in more money. It was the ultimate shame to do so, it showed the world that you were struggling to make ends meet. Neither of them wished to do so, even if they went under a pseudonym. Knowing they had to was enough, even if the rest of the wider wizarding public never found out.

To ask Arcturus for help would be even worse, even though the pair of them were needing a lot of potions which they had to pay for. This didn't include the healer fees either, which likely was going to remove the majority of their monthly expenditure. He needed to make a few more investments stat, but he'd already taken two risky investments that had failed spectacularly. Unfortunately, that was a risk you take when you invest. It wasn't something he could do this month; they'd need to wait until they could afford any loss that may occur.

"We're going to be just fine," Charlus promised, perhaps he should sell some of his shares of stock, the Brennan wasn't doing as well as he hoped. That would help, once they had everything Harry would need, and Arcturus and Melania recovered, they'd recover fully.

"May I suggest an idea?" Marius asked, causing Dorea to spasm in her husbands hold, jerking a little clearly frazzled.

"Marius, I am sorry," she said, straightening up, how could she have forgotten her brother was here? She'd assumed he would have made his way to the living room to wait on her taking him home.

"What's the idea?" Charlus asked in idle curiosity, at this point he would consider anything if it helped ease the strain his wife was currently experiencing. He felt like a damn failure, but this was not a fleeting emotion as of late, no it was a constant companion now.

"Dorea always wanted to be a designer; did you know that?" Marius asked, chuckling when Dorea flushed floridly.

"Now why haven't you told me this?" Charlus asked amazed, honestly, multiple decades of marriage and he didn't know this information?

"Oh, it was nothing," Dorea said, laughing a little as she shook her head, oh the memories that statement brought.

"Nothing? She got into the cupboard with the curtains and cut designs out, dressing up." Marius told them, "I kept the blue 'suit' she created for me, it's one of the few items I kept of the magical world." He confessed.

"Oh, you didn't!" Dorea gaped, stunned beyond belief over what she was hearing.

"I did," Marius said dryly, he'd almost thrown it away actually, if he was entirely honest. Fortunately, he couldn't bring himself to do it, Dorea had always been his favourite sibling. "Use your designs, the Potter name would have your designs flying off the shelves." And as a Black, Dorea would have no qualms about using her name to further her career, she wasn't that thoughtless.

"To do so would be to come out of hiding," Charlus said cautiously, "Which I don't want to do until we have secured custody of young Harry." Proper custody and not just custody in the muggle world. Which they couldn't gain Magical Guardianship unless they found Lily and James will. For all they knew, Dumbledore had actually destroyed their wills and they would never gain custody. They knew they wouldn't be able to fight and win against Dumbledore.

"Who says anything about it being solely in the magical world? Why not one or both? The muggle and magical world?" Marius stated firmly, leaning forward, "I would gladly be the financial backer, have a contract created, if it doesn't take off, you'll lose nothing, if it takes off, I get forty percent as a silent partner."

The yearning Dorea felt surprised her immensely. Times were changing, witches were going out and having careers now and families. They could have both, or having a career before settling down to have a child, most times it took at least a decade to successfully have a child, there were exceptions of course.

"Dorea?" Charlus asked, peering down at his wife, he could practically feel the desire radiating off her. She wanted this, he could tell, why had she never told him? He'd never given her any fear of him, of not being able to tell him everything. It surprisingly hurt actually, that she hadn't told him quite a significant part of her childhood. Cass had never mentioned it in passing either, nor had Pollux. Marius was the only sibling of Dorea's still alive; one had died of illness and the other an accident.

"One of us really should be with Harry when he wakes," Dorea said fretfully, she needed a moment to herself. "I'm fine," she added, squeezing her husbands' hand as she stood, she was lying through her teeth and her husband new it too.

"Dorea, he won't wake for a while," Charlus stood, as his wife made to leave the sun room.

"I know, I…just need a moment," Dorea said with a turmulent smile, "Could you see to it that Marius gets home safely, please?" kissing her brother on the cheek, squeezing his shoulders as always so grateful that he was in her life. He'd braved something that he abhorred just for her, and she'd never know how to repay him.

Dorea didn't wait for her husband to reply, knowing he would do it. Marius wouldn't remain overnight. He would prefer to go home, and come back later, even now his pureblood upbringing still influencing him well into adulthood. She never said anything about it though.

Opening the door to what was more a ward than a bedroom, to find three people sleeping. Padding into the room, she sat the chair beside Harry's bed. Oh, she so badly wanted to kill the Dursley's, unfortunately, she couldn't do that…but there was nothing against making it look like an accident. It was what the Imperius curse was for after all. There was no way to detect if someone had been under the Imperius curse, it was why criminals liked to use it as their defence.

She wanted a family so badly, it hurt so much, why couldn't her little Leo have lived? Why did the likes of the Weasleys have seven children they couldn't even afford and she couldn't keep her son? It wasn't fair, it wasn't right, sighing softly, she smiled as she brushed her hand over Harry's face. She'd keep trying, quite a few witches had become mothers later in life, even Harry's grandmother, Euphemia, she was twelve years older than Fleamont. They'd had James very late in life, and regretfully hadn't lived to see their grandchild.

She'd been raised in a bustling family, no privacy and not always getting to do what she wanted. When she married Charlus she'd been ecstatic being able to do whatever she liked and not be bothered. Her future had been her own, and she and Charlus had travelled all over the world. It was only as she got older, she begun to miss the hustle and bustle of a large family, and being unable to give Charlus a family she felt like the ultimate failure.

She missed her brother – despite the fact he was an asshole he was a Black male heir – and her sister. The only Black family she'd been close to after she married was Sirius, who unfortunately followed James and became too enamoured with Dumbledore. Now look where they were, both of them dead at twenty-one. Sirius wasn't in the ground, but it was only a matter of time, he was never going to be released, he'd die in Azkaban and it broke her heart. She should have tried harder to ensure they weren't infatuated by Dumbledore. Something, anything would have been better than nothing.

Dorea startled a little when a muggle envelope landed in his lap, and her husband's hands dropped to her shoulders. "Do you want to go back to bed for an hour? Have a proper rest?" Charlus murmured lovingly into his wife's hair before kissing her crown.

Dorea clutched her husband's hands, closing her eyes, "We'll get through this, we've been through far worse."

"We have," Charlus agreed, "I just wish James had taken a stauncher approach in ensuring his child was taken care of." They knew James will have put them on the list of caretakers to provide for his son, James had known they were alive but just in hiding. Yet they couldn't find anything, and the goblins would have initiated the will and ensured all their legacies were taken care of and everything they wanted to see done, complete. Including ensuring Harry was placed in the arms of whomever Lily had given guardianship over to.

How he hated Dumbledore.

The booklets fell out of the package and into Dorea's lap, and information about embryo transfer and IVF stared at her. Her breathing hitched when she noticed a date and a willing participant, a Muggleborn witch, who'd already successfully gave birth to two children of her own. Oh, her magnificent brother…he must have realised she was ready to try again. It felt like she was betraying Leo in a way, but having Harry here even for such a short time…awoke her desire to be a mother again something fierce.

There was no guarantee it would work, her luck lately, it wouldn't. plus, such procedure wouldn't be free, it would likely cost more than they could comfortably afford at the moment.

"What is it?" Charlus asked, not reading her private mail even if it had slid out of the envelope.

Dorea shook her head, sliding it back inside, "Later," she promised, she didn't want to get into it right now. Not when she was remaining vigilant beside Harry's bed. "I can't help but worry that his magic may have been affected despite Thorfinn's word." He knew it wasn't so, Thorfinn new better and he was the best healer due to his natural healing abilities.

They had no idea it would be a frequent happenstance, over the years. For Harry was far more powerful than their limited imagination could perceive.

Fortunately, he had never anything to fear surrounded as he was with the Black family and the power they have to bear.

A/N – I know it's strange writing about struggling with money into a story, it's a reality not a story especially these days. I read (when I can) and write to get my head out of the worries I (and likely a lot of you) face on a daily basis however, it will be different soon enough 😊 as different as it is to write into it, well, it would be understandable if it was the Weasley's 😉 but it's not, so soon 😊 what do you guys think of me removing Dumbledore from the story before Harry leaves for Hogwarts? Or will we go abroad and return in time for Hogwarts? Following the potters wishes? I'm really stuck on either, I think I surprised you all by Dumbledore being destroyed quite so soon in The Contract (soon when we were nearly a hundred chapters in ha!) but living elsewhere they could just as easily too but that means no taking care of the justice system which is broken right now. R&R please!