Chapter 12
Azalea stood frozen as her magic continued with the ritual of the Blood Feud. Each additional magic user's taste of magic flashed through her. As it stood she had ten additional magic cores for the ritual to feed off of. She was shocked as she could feel even Draco's distinct core added to her own. Each added blood heightening the malevolence of the blood oath even more.
She took a deep breath when she felt it latch onto who was now House Potter's enemy as well as House Black's and Longbottom's. Now every single magical allied house to her own would know that magic has accepted the validity of the oath. There was no going back now, not unless magic has deemed that he has redeemed himself.
She was so lost in thought about what would happen now that she didn't notice Augusta come up behind her until she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Looking up into the older woman's face she was hit with a realization. She wasn't alone or without guidance anymore. She finally had an adult that she could turn to now for guidance, several in fact. She sagged against Augusta, leaning into her for support due to how taxing it was for her magic to travel across vast distances and through wards.
"You did good, Azalea. Let's get you and Nelda home so you can rest before Arcturus comes bursting down my door. I can explain more about what just happened to you while Daisy whips up hot cocoa." Augusta murmured soothingly. Azalea nodded into her side tiredly as she yawned.
"Pip, can you take us to the floo please." Azalea mumbled.
"Yous be leaving Mistress?" The House elf asked sadly while staring up at her with watery eyes.
"Yea Pip I'm under Augusta's care until I reach maturity or become emancipated. I'll be sure to visit though." Azalea said reassuringly. "Do you think you set up four rooms though? One for me and three others for my friends Theo, Daphne, and Nelda. Also can you and all of the others make sure that everything is people-ready for me?" Azalea asked the elf and smiled when she saw the joy it brought to Pip's eyes.
"Thank you Mistress wes be getting to it!" Pip squeaked happily. She finally had a Mistress again as she couldn't wait for new tasks to be given to her. She grabbed onto Azalea's hand and Augusta's sleeve before popping them down to Nelda at the end of the hallway. Augusta laid a firm hand onto Nelda's shoulder and they were off once again.
They appeared in a giant entry way that led into a room with an obsidian fireplace tall enough that a seven foot man can fit comfortably inside. The floor was an equally black marble with a soft black fur throw rug in front of the fire. The walls were done in a rich burgundy color with dark cherry wood trim. Above the fireplace sat a wooden shield with the Potter crest carved and painted pristinely onto it with two broadswords made of mithril crossing underneath. There was a bowl carved out of quartz sitting on a rich cherry wood table that sat to the right side of the fireplace as well as a sitting area to the left with a black leather camel back couch and two black leather club chairs on either side of a cherrywood coffee table.
Nelda was the first to floo to the manor with Augusta following her not even a second later. Azalea looked around the room one last time before her attention was drawn to a painting next to the Floo place. There was a portrait of an older man who when he noticed that she was studying him smiled down at her softly.
"Hello young one." His soothing baritone voice rumbled out.
"Hello there sir." Azalea's soft voice lilted back.
"Who are you if you don't mind me asking, young one." The man who could only be a Potter asked.
"I am Azalea Dorea Potter, daughter of James and Lily Potter. I am the current Lady Potter, sir." She spoke demurely as she shifted her weight to her left nervously.
"Well dear girl I am Emric Potter son of Kaiser Potter and father to Izekiel Potter. Since it seems as if you are the holder of our grimoire then did anyone tell you to turn to page 57." He asked slyly.
"No sir, no one told me. What's on page 57, sir?" She asked now, more intrigued than nervous.
"Just a potion that all Potters must know. I created it in my twenties out of love for my son. It has kept our family strong since then and it is the reason that the Potters don't have any known squibs." He told her proudly.
"Really! What does your potion do if you don't mind me asking?" She asked in excitement.
"It heals any damage to the magical core and pathways. A squib is essentially a witch or wizard born with a damaged magical core or pathway so it takes the blood of a healthy Potter witch or wizard and uses the magic in the blood along with the ingredients and patches up the damaged areas. The older the squib the more painful it is though. Also due to using the blood of a Potter if you use it on a squib not of our family then they become blood adopted into the Potter family essentially giving them a third parent." He explained to his youngest descendant.
"So it uses the magic in the potion to bind the damaged areas?" She asked to clarify.
"Yes exactly! I made it for my son who was a squib. Arthuria couldn't have any more children after Izekiel and I wouldn't have children with anyone but my wife so the only logical option was to fix my son's core after all our side of the family had a duty to keep the Peverell blood from dying out. Plus my wife was the last descendant of Mordred Pendragon so even if she denounced her family we still have the royal magical line running through the Potters now as well." He said excited in the beginning but towards the end he was nonchalant as if he didn't just say she was related to royalty.
"I see. So it's safe to give it to people not related to you, right?" She asked after a few minutes of staring blankly at her many times great grandfather.
"Yes. As long as they don't mind joining the Potter family as well as keeping the secrets of our family they can take the potion. Though it does hurt since it is fixing something that normally can't be fixed. Now it's best to be on your way. No need to keep the people you came with waiting, young one." He said fondly. Not many of the Potters before her had ever really stopped to talk to him. In fact they never seemed to have time for him but this young girl had stopped to listen and respond.
"Thank you honoured ancestor, for your time." Azalea spoke with a slight smile.
"Just call me grandpa dear, there is no need to be so formal." Emric said.
"Grandpa let the poor girl leave!" Another portrait called out from the other side of the room.
"Hush up Abraham nobody asked you. You can call me Lord Potter." He grumbled at the younger portrait.
"But she can call you grandpa, why can't I?" The other man asked indignantly.
"Because she is cute, you're not." Emric called back with a wink to Azalea.
"Bye grandpa I'll see you soon hopefully." She told him as she reached into the pot holding the floo powder. She threw it down and stepped through into the Longbottom manor.
As soon as she came out of the floo Augusta spelled off the soot and led them into the dinning area where lunch was already waiting. The elves had prepared a hearty Shepherd's pie with tea and scones.
Azalea ate quietly pondering everything that she had learned today. She had finally learned something that only family was allowed to know. She honestly couldn't wait to crack open the Grimoire and learn more. She could feel her magic brush up against the magic of the book. It really felt comforting as if she was surrounded by warmth.
"Arcturus will be here soon, dear. Would you like to wait in the blue room and read before he arrives." Augusta asked as she watched Azalea stroke the Grimoire.
"Yes please Nan. If you don't mind." Azalea chirped excitedly while trying not to bounce in her seat. At Augusta nod she scurried off. She clambered into one of the club chairs and curled up, leaning against one of the chair's arms. Azalea looked down when she felt a nudge to see that Herne had padded into the room and laid down resting his head on the seat cushion of the chair. She reached down and scratched behind his ears before turning her attention back to the book. She stroked the cover of the book again before gently opening it.
To whom might have picked up this book, beware for you have picked up an Item of the Potters
If you are of Potter blood then you have nothing to worry about but to any not of my blood then this book will drive you into blind madness.
Take heed.
She tilted her head at the first page's warning. 'There must be a lot of protections placed upon this book for there to be a disclaimer.' She thought to herself before flipping the page.
My name is Linfed from Stinchcombe. My wife Ayleth has gifted to me this journal and I have since fourth enchanted it to continuously add in more pages so it will never end. I hope to pass this to my oldest child Hardwin when I feel that it is time.
In this book I will be writing down every potion and spell that I create and encourage those who follow to write theirs down as well.
It is mid fall and Samhain is soon to be upon us thus we must harvest the turnips that my wife and I must carve as well as prepare the wards to keep out fae and spirits alike. Though admittedly I am still not used to these Celtic traditions yet compared to my parents Northern Netherlands Germanic traditions.
For anyone not knowing this the Potter family as we have taken to being called comes from the Netherlands. We left the motherland to come up to west England for a better life. After leaving the Netherlands my two sisters and I scattered into different directions. They went on to marry into well of families. I myself have settled in a town named Stinchcombe where I met my lovely wife Ayleth De Vere who has borne me seven children. She is a first generation witch from lower Normandy who fled in fear of being put on trial.
My life's passion is growing plants to experiment with potions. So far I have created five different healing potions and I am working on a sixth currently.
I am starting to get old now though. I have reached the age of 35 summers and my oldest boy, Hardwin is already a man at 16. He will be married next fall after his lady love, Iolanthe turns 15 herself. My wife is helping her sew her wedding dress as Iolanthe's mother passed away two years ago of dysentery. They had met when we sent our son on an errand to Godric's Hollow and he came back telling tales of an incredibly beautiful lady with straight black hair and enchanting eyes the colour of sapphires.
I have bought the two of them a manor in Worcestershire with the money I make brewing potions and it cost me 120 pounds which is more than what I make in a year but it had a courtyard and a garden in the back. Perfect for a family.
On another more troubling news there was a dragon spotted about a day's travel from here. It seems to be descending from the sky every fourth day but it has yet to attack. It seems to be surveying the area. If only there were parselmouths nearby so we can ask what it wants. Nothing ever good happens when dragons search for things they can't get to but the Slytherin house is now deceased in the male line and the women have all faded into obscurity. The same happened to house Serpens, Scalean, and Ophidian. House le Fay could be called but they are quirky at best and insane at worst, not worth the risk.
P. 2
Bone healing potion
(Skele-gro)
1 Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
3 Puffer-fish.
5 Scarab beetles.
1 Fanged Geranium.
1 arm bone.
1 red spider
Put cauldron on high
Chop the cabbage finely and dump it into the cauldron.
Chop pufferfish into three inch pieces and stir it in once clockwise
Ground scarab beetles with a pestle and mortar add it to the cauldron
Stir six times counter clockwise
Dice the fanged geranium and lower the heat to turn the potion purple.
Finely grind down the arm bone and stir it in five times clockwise and twice counter clockwise.
Drop in one red spider and let it sit for ten minutes on low heat.
Once the potion turns red, bottle it. Its shelf life is two years.
P. 3
Pepper up potion
1 Bicorn horn
2 Mandrake root
4 Jewelweed
Put cauldron on medium high heat
Grind down the Bicorn horn and dump it in.
Dice the mandrake root finely and stir it it counter clockwise three times
Lower heat to medium low
Cut jewelweed down the middle and into three inch sections and dump it in
Stir it clockwise ten times.
Turn heat down to low and let simmer until it turns red.
Stir once counterclockwise and twice clockwise
Once it turns red, bottle it. It has a shelf life for three years.
P. 4
Azalea jumped at the sound of a knock on the doorway. She had been so zoned into her Grimoire that she didn't notice Nelda calling her name.
"Azalea, Lord Black is here, it's time to greet him. How are you feeling now that you have something to help you learn about your family?" Nelda spoke softly.
"It's great Nel. There is so much to learn from these pages. Did you know that my ancestors come from Northern Netherlands where the Germanic tribes lived. And Linfred who was the first Potter in the twelfth century bought the manor for his first born son as a wedding present. His wife Ayleth Le Vere gave him seven kids! Seven! Can you imagine how chaotic that must have been?" Azalea rambled happily as she hoisted herself out of the chair to skip over to her friend.
"I see, that's great Aza! I'm happy so for you." Nelda said with a soft smile.
Azalea shifted and felt Herne come up to her side. She let her left hand fall to land gently on the wolf's head to start stroking the ears. She sighed out and closed her eyes before tilting her head to one side as the sound of Macha's roar echoed through the halls and opened her eyes to see Arcturus rushing into the room while warding the room closed.
"Augusta told me to keep both of you with me. It seems as if the headmaster decided to drop by unannounced so she will be sending him on his way." Arcturus said in a frustrated tone.
At that both girls felt a shiver run down their spines. Their main enemy seemed to have found her.
"Will you protect us grandpa Arcturus?" Azalea asked pleadingly.
"Yes dear one. No one shall pass me to get to you. Now since we are here together how about we discuss what happened today." Arcturus spoke softly in a silken tone.
"First here." Azalea said while shoving the gift she bought earlier in the day at him. She faintly blushed and looked down then back up at him through her eyelashes.
"Thank you dear." He said while neatly unwrapping the paper from around the item and felt his face soften into a warm smile. He immediately clasped the chain onto his belt loops and replaced his older pocket watch with his new one that his grand niece bought him. It was perfect for him and the smile that lit her face at the immediate acceptance of her gift made the moment even sweeter. He bent down and dropped a kiss to her forehead while wrapping an arm around her upper back in a warm hug.
"I'm glad you like it Grandpa." She said happily with tears in her eyes that she wouldn't let fall. "So you want to know what happened today, right? Do you mean the blood feud?" She asked to change the subject.
"Yes little lady, I mean the blood feud." Arcturus said with his arm still around her.
"I went to Potter manor after I picked up the Grimoire from Gringotts. The first thing I did was cross out any name on the ward entry list that I didn't know or trust before adding names to it that I do trust. I then took control of the wards. After that my house elf informed me that my grandfather's portrait wanted to speak to me so the elf transported me to the portrait hall where the Lord Potters reside. I told him about my life thus far and he counseled me to invoke the blood feud. I am not aware of all the names who also invoked blood feud with me though I am now aware of the feel of their magic. Dumbledore put me in an abusive family, he put a blocker on my core and magical abilities, and he slipped me potions without my consent to turn me against Theo and Slytherins in general. And I have a sneaking suspicion that he stole from me. I plan to have the Potter's vaults audited before I go back to Hogwarts though I don't know how long it will take for the audit to finish. How many galleons should I take out before my account gets put on pause to investigate, do you think?" She spoke calmly for the most part though you could hear the icey anger in her voice at Dumbledore for his daring to try and separate her from Theo.
"Dear, you don't need to take out anymore galleons. You are the Black heiress, there isn't any need for you to worry about money. If you need something or want something all you need to do is ask and you shall receive. Let me take care of the expenses." Arcturus told her softly. She was but a child and in his opinion no eleven year old girl should have to worry about needing to buy her own things when he had perfectly good money to spoil her with.
"Thank you grandpa, I really appreciate that. Are you sure it's okay though?" She asked shyly, still not used to adults wanting to help her.
"Yes my dear. I promise it's okay. Now I wanted to talk to you as well as give you and your friends a gift each." He told the girl while pulling out four individually wrapped rectangle objects and passing it to the two girls. "Go on now, open it." He encouraged them softly.
The two girls tore into the wrapping to pull out two almost identical blue leather journals. Each book had their initials in an effortlessly elaborate calligraphy. Azalea's was embroidered in a rich red 'A.D.P-B' and Nelda's being a rich evergreen 'N.A.L.' Both also had the Celtic shield carved into it. Each page looked as if the edges were dipped into Liquid gold.
"They're connected to the other three. It's called a four way journal. It's less popular than a two way journal but you seemed to have three incredibly close friends. Now to make it private so only you can read it, swipe a drop of blood on the inside of the front cover. You'll know it's done by the appearance of an animal that is most like you on the cover." Arcturus revealed to the girls.
"Thank you grandpa!" Azalea squealed as she flung herself at the older man.
"Thank you Lord Black!" Nelda chirped happily.
"Now dear, you can call me uncle Arcturus. There is no need to be so formal after all you have Black blood flowing through you as well, even if you look like your grandmother." Arcturus told the girl as he engulfed Azalea into a warm hug.
"Then thank you uncle Arcturus." Nelda replied shyly.
Both girls took out their respective blades, Azalea with her mithril blade and Nelda with her own throwing knife. They nicked their thumbs and swiped it over the back of the cover causing the two books to let out a soft flash of light. On Azalea's cover a honey badger prowled across the cover only to curl up underneath her initials. Nelda's on the other hand had a large bear lumber over to plop underneath her own initials.
"Now make sure both Theodore and Daphne get theirs when you see them okay?" Arcturus said as he passed over two more wrapped journals.
"Oh, grandpa! I know someone who might be able to train me and Nelda in the basics of self defense and weaponry!" Azalea told Arcturus with a brilliant smile.
He could only raise an eyebrow in response to such enthusiasm coming from the small child in his arms. "And who is that my dear." He asked curiously.
"Her name is Eir Rowle. She is a retired royal marine who taught me old Norse to pass the time. She also was the one to teach me manners, not that I was ever able to practice them at the Dursleys." She chirped out happily. She wanted her aunty to be with her now that she was free. Unbidden a thought of what her ancestor Emric had told her earlier crossed her mind.
"Rowle you say? What does she look like?" Arcturus inquired.
"Well she has long pale blonde hair always done up with elaborate braids. She said it was part of her culture. She also has ice blue eyes and stands at an imposing height. I would say she is around the same height as Nan, around 5'9 or 5'10 but unlike Nan she is more muscular, not as lithe. I would say that she is a tiger compared to Nan being a Lynx. It feels as if she exudes raw physical power but she isn't a witch. That much I could feel. She is like a Valkyrie of old or a shield maiden." She rambled. She knew that Eir could be intimidating to others who don't know her. She wanted to describe her the best that she could so that she seemed like the best possible person for the job. Which to Azalea she was. "Nelda believes that she is a squib but she has treated me like I was somebody, like I was a person and not an unwanted delinquent." She finished.
"Will you be meeting her in person soon?" He asked gently while stroking her hair back.
"I don't know yet. I plan to send her a letter tonight. I wanted to bring it up to you first to get your approval. I know you said you'd teach me but I would like to learn the basics from her. She is einn jǫru-fægir, a warrior. She had seen fólcvíg, or war. She has witnessed sá dreyrugr jǫrð or the bloodstained ground and has risen above it victorious but wounded. She is a just and fair woman." She said slipping into Norse when trying to describe her as best as she could.
"Then I will give my approval but I want to meet her as well." He told the girl sternly. Honestly though if she found someone to teach her and her friends the basics then who was he to get in her way. This could show him if she has as good a sense about people as he believes that she does.
Azalea nodded firmly. "þökk afi." She uttered out shyly, leaning into him while glancing at Herne. (Thanks grandpa).
Arcturus cocked his head to the side as he watched his sister's granddaughter. She was definitely interesting, that's for sure. Each time he sees her he is taken aback by how much she looked like Dorea but she acts so much like Charlus.
She stayed more in the back and watched instead of getting right in the forefront. She also seemed to instinctively connect to certain types of people that seemed to end up helping her in some way. She exudes charisma without even an effort. And it pulled people into her sphere of gravitation. She also seemed to have a strong reaction to injustice if she is willing to spark a blood feud. Her strong minded willfulness was definitely a Potter trait.
She definitely did not act like her father James at all. She wasn't spoiled or arrogant. Azalea was well mannered and more a wallflower than an attention seeker like James was. She also isn't as prejudiced as her father was either. She didn't care if you came from a dark family or she wouldn't be as close as she was to young Theo or even himself. It was refreshing to be honest.
He heard a bang outside of the door and let out a sigh as he tightened his arms protectively around the small girl. He could still hear Augusta snipping at the old fool who came here uninvited along with Nelda's familiar growling at him.
"Now dears, tell me about this plan that you concocted to poison the old fool." Arcturus murmured softly to both girls.
"We believe that daffodil stems would work best as it is more mild and most likely won't cause death but we don't know how to administer it without him noticing it." Nelda supplied first with a proud look in her eyes with Azalea nodding enthusiastically into his shoulder as he had yet to let go of the hug he had pulled her into.
He picked up Azalea as if she weighed nothing and walked over to one of the walls and slid down to sit with one knee bent and the other straight out as Azalea was tucked into his side with one arm wrapped around her shoulder. He raised his other hand to gesture Nelda closer to him. As soon as she was in reach he snagged her wrist and tugged her into his other side, wrapping his free arm around her as well.
"Now girls don't tell anyone I said this but a good thing to lace is his own personal lemon drop stash. The ones he offers to students tend to be laced with calming draught and truth serum. Also you could bribe one of the school elves to do it with a butter beer." Arcturus said lowly. He whipped his head up at the sound of knocking on the door.
"He is gone now, Arcturus. You can lower the wards now!" Augusta called out.
"Okay. Just stand back a little." Arcturus called back as he waved his hand and a shimmering light lowered from the door. Both girls took note of the fact that he seemed to be able to do warding wandless.
Augusta stroll in only to come to a stop at the sight of Arcturus on the ground with the two girls. She could only sigh out in exasperation. It seemed that no male Black could or would act their age.
"Well now that the old bastard has been run off finally after three hours I must inform you all that dinner will be ready soon. Arcturus, will you be joining us tonight?" Augusta asked while looking around the room with a glint in her eye.
"No, not tonight. I have a meeting with a young Solicitor named Isold Kaiser. She has agreed to look into Sirius' case. She has been dying to reopen any of Barty's old cases. She doesn't believe that he follows the laws that he upheld." He replied while pushing himself into a standing position. "I must be on my way now I fear. I will be back to visit when I can." With that said he dropped a kiss to both girls heads and to the back of Augusta's hand and flounced away.
"What's for dinner tonight Nan?" Nelda asked in a joyful tone.
"We're in luck tonight girls. It seems as if Herne got bored while we were gone and hunted down a stag so we are having venison stew in a mushroom gravy. To pair with such a rich meal they have given us mugs of hot cocoa." Augusta said as she clapped her hands once in excitement. This was a dish she herself had enjoyed as a little girl when her father went out hunting.
"Sounds delicious, Nan. When will it be done?" Azalea asked calmly, having basically recharged surrounded by her grandpa's magical aura.
"In half an hour dear. Why?" She asked in return.
"I want to write that letter to aunt Eir. If you would excuse me." She said with a short flourishing bow before she swept over to the desk on the other side of the room. She sat down and pulled out a golden eagle feather quill to write with and a piece of parchment. She took one last deep breath before releasing it and squaring her shoulders.
kœrr Eir Rowle
heil og sæl föðursystir Eir. Ek sjá sinn Hafmuniðr
stund þar wī síð mœta ok ek þiggja bréf á gā
á Hogwarts þar Skotland. Ek hyggja ykkr þekkja sá
einn ek em tala frá um ykkr eru þekkja sà nafn Longbottom eða Nott. Ek fá taka ǫrskots-helgr inni bý Longbottom. Ek á taka sà kostr á festa vápn skapt æn minn førra hyggiandi var at ek vilja ykkr á bjóða mér sō ek fœra ykkr uppi á minn félagi Nelda ær fœra ykkr uppi á hennar amma. munu ykkr fylgja gjarn á mœta oss í einn staðr þinn kjósa?
Elska
Azalea Potter
Translation via Norse to english dictionary so I hope it's correct.
(Dear Eir
Hello aunt Eir. I know it's been a while since we last met but I received a letter to go to Hogwarts in Scotland. I think you may know the one I'm talking about if you are familiar with the name Longbottom or Nott. I have been given sanctuary with the Longbottom family. I have been given the opportunity to learn weapon handling and my first thought was that I wanted you to teach me so I brought you up to my friend Nelda who told her grandmother Augusta. Would you be willing to meet us at a place of your choosing?
Love
Azalea potter)
She gently folded it before she stood and went to the window to open it and hold out her arm. Not even a minute later Hedwig appeared and landed gently onto her outstretched arm.
"Alright girl. I need you to deliver this to Eir Rolwe and await her response." She said while stroking one finger down Hedwig's neck.
With a hoot her first friend was off. The snowy owl disappeared within the dusky sky.
Azalea got up and made her way to the dining room. A warm filling meal was calling her name plus she needed to distract herself from fidgeting while waiting for aunt Eir's letter.