Hey everyone,
And another one from DZ2. Just reading this challenge gave me Goosebumps and I started writing it as soon as I read its ending. It's incredible, it's funny, it has a twist no one could have ever imagined and it makes for one very funny change in the Cannonverse; Sirius accepting other members of the Black line.
See yah,
Venquine1990
Challenge #20
Black Petals
Harry's POV
People jostled us as we moved towards the gateway back into the Muggleworld, a place I had been able to forget its existence of for the better part of the last year and that I preferably never return to, seeing who I will be seeing there. Still, instead of focusing on that, do I focus on my trolley and on the other students talking.
Some of them call out to me and say: "Bye, Harry!""See you, Potter!" To which Ron comments: "Still famous, I see." And while I can clearly hear the longing in his voice, do I try not to shake my head at him as last Christmas should have made it clear to who I thought was my best friend that I hate my fame before I say:
"Not where I'm going, I promise you." But Ron seems not to take my warning for what it is, probably because he and his family barely venture into the Muggle world and when we pass it, is the first thing I see not my uncle and his so-called family, but instead of that do I see Ron's mother and his little sister, who also spots me and says:
"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!" This makes me sigh and part of me doubt whether or not I really will be able to enjoy myself if I get the chance to visit the Weasleys and while Ron seems a little put out that his younger sister seems happier to see me than him, do we still move over to the two, Mrs. Weasley speaking:
"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." To which I think: "Tell that to half the Hogwarts population, if you could." But I keep my pessimistic thoughts to myself, that is until the woman asks: "Busy year?" And while part of me wonders how much she knows of our life-threatening adventures, do I just simple answer:
"Very." And just when I have thanked the woman for her kind Christmas gifts and she comments on it that she had no trouble with it, do I hear the one voice I don't want to hear for another 2 if possible 3 dozen years asking loudly: "Ready, are you?" And while I want to raise my eyebrow at him in disbelief, does Mrs. Weasley say:
"You must be Harry's family." And for some reason do I see a strange gleam of happy glee shine in the woman's eyes as she looks at my uncle, who grunts and says: "In a manner of speaking." But before he can continue, does a new voice enter the picture, this one strong in tone, yet soft in tune and timber as it says:
"That manner being none at all, I assume." And when we all turn to the source of the voice, do my eyes widen in shock as I see Draco Malfoy standing on the Muggle side of the station with two people who I can only assume are his parents, his mother having been the one to have spoken as she stands before her son and husband.
Shocked that the Pureblood Prince of Slytherin would willingly enter one of the busiest locations in the Muggle world known to Britain, do I notice that while Hermione shares my shock, the Weasleys are instead having looks on their faces that are a mix between fear for something I can't understand and quite a bit of rage.
The woman then continues and says: "My apologies that it took so long to contact you, Harrison, I just didn't believe that my husband or I would be the right people to guide you to where you truly belong. Unfortunately, does it seem that we taught our son a few wrong lessons as he has gained an arrogant temper we did not expect of him."
And while I feel shocked that the woman would publiclly reprimand her son like that, do I feel curious about some of the words she spoke and says: "Mrs. Malfoy, your son offered to teach me who to befriend and now you're saying you want to guide me to where I truly belong. What are both of you talking about exactly?"
The woman smiles at my politeness and then Uncle Vernon ruins it as he says: "Just forget what she said, you freak and stop wasting our time. Get that freaky stuff of yours and come on." But the words she said earlier ring through my mind and while I again gather my Gryffindor courage together, do I glare at him and say:
"No." The man stopping while he wants to turn on his axis and looking at me in shock as I say: "Mrs. Malfoy says that you are in no matter of speaking related to me and I never accepted you as family anyway. If she knows something about my family that makes it so I don't have to go with you then I will listen to her."
The man's eyes are wide and strangely enough so are those of the Weasleys, the strange fear I saw in their eyes earlier now even more prominent, but only in the eyes of Ron and Mrs. Weasley, while the twins seem to take note of this as well and look between me, the three Malfoys and their mother and younger brother in confusion.
Then Mrs. Malfoy speaks again and asks: "Harrison, what would you describe as three things a good leader should have?" And while the question confuses me, do I think deeply and say: "I'd say power, knowledge and – honor?" And then the memory of what Voldemort said about my mother resurfaces and I whisper:
"She didn't have to die. He – he gave her a choice and she refused." The woman seems startled, but nods nonetheless and says: "Exactly. Unfortunately you have good power and bad power. Power that you can use to keep yourself and those you care for strong and power that can make you destroy all that exists and breaths.
My sister, I'm sad to say, was raised by a family who followed the beliefs of the second, while my father, when he separated me from my two sisters, wanted her to learn the first form of power. He did not realize this mistake as my sister became close to who later became her husband and the love she felt for him blinded them both.
It was only when she was arrested, declared herself a follower of the Dark One and that we heard of what transpired with your family and the Dark One, that my father realized his mistake. As far as he was concerned only my part of his plan succeeded and so he became an avid presence in my and my family's life."
The story shocks and intrigues me and I ask: "I'm sorry to ask, Lady Malfoy, but what does any of this have to do with you claiming that Vernon Dursley has no relation to me?" The woman smiles again and says: "It concerns this fact, Harrison, because your mother – is my sister. Send to the Muggles by my father to learn of true honor."
This shocks me and then Ron shouts: "BULL-PLOP!" Shocking me into looking at him and he asks: "Why would any father want to do such a thing? What do Muggles know about Honor? Purebloods are the ones with Honor, so why –?" And Mrs. Malfoy snaps: "Because the Muggles had just learned what true honor means themselves."
This makes Hermione and me share a glance and the girl asks: "You – you mean the Second World War, don't you Mrs. Malfoy? The one that took place twenty years before Mrs. Potter was born." Mrs. Malfoy nods and says: "The lessons of that event were still fresh in the minds of the Muggles and that convinced my father to do so.
It was also fact that there was a growing amount of Purebloods that grew this sense of honor by making companionships and bonds with Muggleborns and Muggle raised witches and Wizards and my father had his eye for such a family, if only to help our Line remain Neutral as one of our members, Walburga, was making us look Dark."
"YOU ARE DARK!" Ron shouts, drawing the attention of some of the Muggles passing by and while Hermione and I quickly make sure to hide our magical stuff from public view, does Mr. Malfoy roll his eyes at my best friend's behavior and does Mrs. Malfoy say: "Not at that time, Mr. Weasley, and neither are we now.
Our Reputation is Dark, yes, but that is only thanks to my sister, who was placed where she didn't belong and who is still suffering the consequences. I know to this day that she was no avid supporter of the actions that happened all those years ago and unlike some do I know exactly why my sister let herself be incarcerated."
"Because she deserved it?" Mrs. Weasley snarls, but Mrs. Malfoy keeps her calm, sparing only a single glance in the direction of the slightly chubby woman before she turns back to me, her eyes searching mine with worry and care before she says: "No, to make certain that Harrison's godfather knew the truth of his nephew."
And there I end it!
Hearing that he has a Godfather makes Harry decide to go with the Malfoy's despite what the Weasleys try to tell him and while the Malfoys make sure to get Hermione to her parents safely, do they then take Harry to Malfoy Manor and does a summer Harry will never forget begin – but what surprises will that hold?
Hope you liked,
Venquine1990
Okay guys, this is a strange idea that came to me pretty recently, but I'd like to see what other might think of it as a Challenge, so here we go;
DZ2's 'Black Petals' Challenge
Plot: Narcissa and Bellatrix Black; two names that are infamous with darkness, but the third is a shock not only for Harry, but the world itself: LILY!
Rules: Grey or Dark Harry
Andromeda can still be related to the Blacks, but she CANNOT be the third sister
As her nephew, Narcissa asks Draco to 'keep an eye' on Harry, but their first meeting ruins that request
Harry MUST discover the truth about his Mother at some time AFTER the Sorting/1st Year
When he learns the truth, Harry must also be protected/assisted by the Malfoys regardless of how they are towards one another
Sirius DOES NOT know the truth when he went to Azkaban, but finds out from Bellatrix or when he escapes
If Harry goes Dark, he MUST choose to join Tom and avenge what happened to his Mother as he blames the Light for her death
How Lily left the Blacks and was brought up as Lily Evans is up to you, but the Light MUST have something to do with it
Despite being a revealed-Pureblood, Harry MUST remain friends or associates with Hermione
As a Black, Harry is recognised as an heir/child of Slytherin's Line, which explains his Parseltongue power
After Harry learns the truth, Draco MUST do what he can to remain close friends and allies with his cousin
All pairings are welcome EXCEPT Slash and Harmony
Guidelines: Harry is also Tom's son as Lily learned the truth beforehand*
Dobby knows Harry is a Black and therefore does NOT try to get Harry expelled
If Harry is Dark, Lucius trains Harry in the Arts personally
(Somehow) Bellatrix is free and becomes a second Mother to Harry
(Somehow) Lily is actually ALIVE
Metamorphmagus-Harry
Harry is NOT a Horcrux, but survived through some other means
Severus actually knows the truth and, after Harry learns it, he tries to help him
Forbidden: Light Harry
Dumbledore-allied Harry
Harry, Lucius and Draco remaining adversaries
Slash
Harry/Hermione, but also Hermione Bashing; she either sides with him or becomes a neutral party
Sirius against Harry
Other than that it's up to you...
*If this point confuses some people, then I suggest that you go and read A Different Life by Tiro as it's one of the best stories with this particular theme
Okay, I just realized something.
In the rules it states that Lily being Lily Evans has to be because of something the Light did, but in my tale it's because the father of the three sisters wants his daughters to learn the three traits that he believes a good leader is to have. Now it might sound like the Light has nothing to do with it, but hear me out.
Lord Black discovers that the Ministers and Hogwarts Headmasters of the last century or so all have a fatal flaw that (in)directly effect the students, their education, Wizarding Britain, their relations with the other countries. Etc. He decides that he's had enough of these so called White-Leaders and then his daughters are born.
In each of them Lord Black sees something that he thinks makes his daugther a princess amongst the wizarding kind and as his last, Lily, is born, does the man envision what it would be like if his daughters – and later their kids – were to take over the world and return the balance between Light and Darkness.
Then, a year after Lily is born, Albus Dumbledore takes over as Headmaster and because Lord Black has already heard many a shady tale about the man – especially how he got to the abilities he showed as a student – does he feel that he can't keep his daughters close for fear of them all being targeted at the same time.
He sends each of them away, bar Narcissa, yet while he raises her, does he feel himself losing control and sight of his other two daughters, receiving only reports that state how Bellatrix is learning to cast powerful spells, how Lily is learning of the mistakes of the Muggles, how they are doing their intended job.
He does not know that these reports are false, send to him by Dumbledore or that Dumbledore has a hand in both how the Lestranges treat Bellatrix or how Lily forgets more and more about her actual heritage, growing an arrogance that Dumbledore takes off his own persona in order to make sure Lily becomes his best weapon.
Yet when the Potter Heir falls for the young Evans girl, does Albus retreat, knowing he doesn't have enough power publicly to go against a line as influential as the Potters and when Harry is born, does Albus decide that he can make the whole gameplan play out a second time, thus faking the prophesy and everything else.
Personally I like this little twist and turn history line to the story and I hope you do too as it proves that Lord Black was right when he send his daughters away, even if doing so is exactly what caused all of the problems in the first place. Either way, Harry goes with the Malfoys, hears this actual tale and decides to turn Neutral himself.
The rest is still to be decided,
Venquine1990