KEYnotes: The Blacks aren't just purebloods, they are a dark family. Also, I am making Voldemort more powerful than he was in the books, i.e. he can do more the unforgivables.

Harris/Bellatrix: Currently Bella is minor and I have plotted this in a way where it will not be a codependent/stockholm syndrome before they get together. So basically, don't expect anything steamy between them until midway through the second act.

Thank you, Nauze!

Chapter 7 - Misinformed Assumptions

Narcissa nearly spat her tea.

Sirius, the dog, smiled at her innocently.

Lifting a napkin to her lips, she swallowed and recomposed herself before asking, "Say again, dear cousin."

Sirius grinned, "Going to choke on your venom, Cissa Darling?"

She scowled at him, "You timed that."

He smirked, "Of course I did."

If she wasn't in a public teashop, one of her favourites tucked in on Baker's Street with the most divine tea and pastries, she would have hexed him into the next century.

"My eldest sister is nothing to jest about, Siri," she hissed, "Harris Black is nothing but a bastard child he isn't a legitimate heir."

"Oh please," Sirius snorted, "He's a Black through and through with enough power to stand up to your husbands Master. He's more Head of House Black than Luci is Head of House Malfoy. Tell me, Cissa, how is your son's inheritance doing now that the Dark Lord is using you as his cash cow."

She sniffed at him, but admitted, "All of my dowry and ever gallon Lucius set aside rests in my father's vault."

Sirius smirked, "Black money, then. You realize if he takes that he'll be beholden to the Head of House Black and the House of Malfoy will be a token title only. The Malfoys don't even have a seat on the Wizengamot."

"Just because I am a woman," Narcissa said with all dignity she could and not let the spite of her heart leak through, "I don't see why my titles aren't as important as my husbands."

Sirius smiled, and that, for all the mockery he made of their family and drama and chaos he swept around him, she had always loved her cousin.

Sirius Black never thought a witch was less than a wizard, not in any way. As she had been raised to believe he would one day be their Head of House, she had always been grateful.

Had she ever needed her marriage absolved, not that she would ever lightly deal with that public scandal, Sirius would have done so without question.

Well, maybe one; A quick burial or a slow death for ex-husband?

"Our fathers really weren't all that bad, were they?" Sirius mused.

She sighed, thinking of their mothers and then setting it aside. She had never been able to count on her father to save her, no more than Sirius had been able to count on Uncle Orion to save him from his gem of a mother, however; "They had their moments. Now, are you going to explain to me what exactly the Bastard Heir did to my sister?"

Sirius tutted at her, "Wait until you meet him. But he charms you right out of your heals."

She wrinkled her nose, "I heard of the comment he made to Lucius-"

"When he relieved him from being a seat warmer?" Sirius cut her off, "That was amusing."
"Sirius, I am losing my patience."

He smiled at her, batting his eyes as he said, "Your tea is getting cold."

"Sirius," she warned, voice going lower.

"Apparently, when Harris cleared me, on the list of recompense for wrongful imprisonment without a trial, he managed to clear Bellatrix's name as well."

Narcissa let that sink in fully, "She's been free for how long?"

"Since the end of summer. Apparently, he also divorced her from Lestrange. She is a Black once more and Harris's ward. He also swindled the Lestrange vaults as his own. And before you ask, no, no one has seen either of them since then."

She sighed, "She is broken, Siri, no one can fix her."

"I know," he said, all the humour drained from his face, "Her sell was beside mine you know. I heard-" He sighed, "There was a lot of stone between us, but she always stayed pressed against the corner closest to mine."

Narcissa's heart hurt for him. And for Bella?

Bella was the one who needed to be in St. Mungo's, after Andromeda left, there was no hope for her.

"She's going to kill him," Narcissa stated.

"I know," Sirius said again.

"And then the Dark Lord will have her again."

"I know."

"We need to find her first," Narcissa with ice overcoming her words. As long as she got there before the Dark Lord did she could make up some excuse.

"I know."

"We'll need to end this."

End her.

Andromeda hadn't been strong enough to do it and Narcissa hadn't understood she needed to until it was far too late.

Sirius looked down into his own forgotten tea and sighed, "I know."

Bella blinked up at the sky, the blazing sun and-

Harris ruffled her hair and she squawked as he chastised, "Don't look up into the sun."

She growled, "Don't mess up my hair."

He raised a dark brow at her, "Why not? I'm the one who brushes it. Honestly if you just let me cut it-"

"No!" she almost bellowed.

He laughed as he walked into the field of flowers, she picked up her skirts to follow, calling behind him, "Where are we?"

He glanced back at her, "Italy."

She scowled, unable to appearate she wouldn't be able to get to anyone she knew from here.

When they got to a spot Harris seemed to like he waved his wand and the basket opened up, a blanket unfolding, he could feel the magic he used as if it was her own.

Bella gritted her teeth not liking the reminder of how it had felt with Andr-her all those years ago.

She would have sneered at this actual picnic but she liked Harry's cooking too well to complain about it.

The day was beautiful, the air warm and smelling like heated sweet grass. It was easy to forget her thoughts, her nightmares from the night before. She didn't have any memories like this, she never had days this peaceful or free.

She wasn't dead, but she wasn't ready to hear the reasons for why she had these freedoms now.

When they got to the desert she rolled her eyes at the chocolate cake, "Are you obsessed with chocolate?"

He smiled, "It makes you feel better."

She blinked at him, "Why do you care about how I feel?"

"Because you are family."

She stared at him, then looked away over the fields of flowers and wondered if anyone in her family other than her sisters had ever cared.

The rest of the day passed just as peacefully, though Harris allowed her to use her magic to transform the flowers and reshape the clouds.

Yes, it annoyed her that she needed permission to use her magic. But she had it explained to her many times how damaged her core was.

What was new to her was Harris allowing her to use his wand. Hers had been snapped, she knew, but for a wizard to give up his wand to her?

Sure, the bracelets that bond them together could allow him to stop her from magic against him, but still, to give up his wand…

It meant that in some small way he trusted her, and that brought her happiness, small but true. A normal person might not have recognized the small feeling, but it had been so many years since she could hold her own happiness close and not have the Dementors use it to steal bits of her away…

She didn't take it for granted, compartmentalizing everything else so she could relish this refuge that would surely end someday soon.

When they got back to her apartment, a white owl swooped down from one of the shelves, landing on Harris's shoulder, the joy on his face at the sight of her made her breath catch.

"Bella, this is my friend, Hedwig, the most beautiful and intelligent owl who ever was," he praised the bird.

Hedwig preened at the attention.

Bella carefully held her hand out to pet the owl, those amber eyes watched her closely but Hedwig allowed it, leaning into her touch. The white feathers were impossibly soft.

Harris took the message from the owl's leg before the owl hopped over to Bella's shoulder making her smile.

Harris read the message and said before looking up at her, "It's from your cousin, my brother, Sirius, and your sister, Narcissa, do you want to write to her?"

"You'll let me?"

He smiled sadly, "I am responsible for you, Bella, and you are healing, but you aren't my prisoner, you just need to heal before you can be on your own again."

She didn't tell him that she had never been on her own, instead, she said, "Yes, I would like to write to her."

She was worried that this might break this time of peace, nothing this good could last, but at the same time…

She missed Cissa.

Severus Snape was summoned in the afternoon the next day in the afternoon. As they waited for the others, Severus approached Lucius.

"Where is your wife?" he asked under his breath.

Lucius glanced at him sharply with a scowl, "With that hound of a cousin of hers."

Severus sighed in relief, "Good."

Lucius's brows shot up, "Why is my wife's absence a positive thing?"

"Because your sister-in-laws release from Azkaban should not fall on her shoulders to tell the Dark Lord."

Lucius's eyes went wide, "What!?"

Several members glanced their way, but all fell silent before asking a question as the Dark Lord came into the dining room and took his seat at the head of the table.

They all took their own seats after him, and the Dark Lord fluffed his own arse and not so subtly threatened everyone in the room.

The Dark Lord's voice lowered, "It appears that someone managed to invade the ministry and destroy every prophecy in the Department of Mysteries." His red gaze focused on Severus and his voice darkened further, "Did the Order have anything to do with it?"

"Not to my knowledge, My Lord," Severus said reverently, bowing his head to break eye contact.

He had a spare thought to wonder if it was Harris Black, the man seemed to be getting in the way of many of the Dark Lord's plans, but he had no proof of this.

"Then what news do you have for us?" the Dark Lord demanded, his temper shorter than normal.

Severus was secretly very, very glad that the prophecy that had ruined his life completely was destroyed, as he was also glad to have other news that wasn't necessarily terrible for the Dark Lord. "Bellatrix Black has been legally binding complete pardoned for her crimes and has been removed from Azkaban."

The entire room went unearthly still and Severus was treated to the rare sight of the Dark Lord looking completely dumbfounded.

"How?" the monster managed after several minutes had passed, the other Death Eaters hardly daring to breathe.

No one but her husband actually liked Bellatrix, she had taken far too much pleasure in carrying out the Dark Lord's punishments at the slightest mistake on their part.

Severus spoke without a shred of emotion, "In the recompensations Sirius Black's wrongful imprisonment, Harris Black managed to slip in a clause that would absolve Bellatrix Black of all her crimes and release her to his care as his ward."

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Friel Nott snarled.

Severus shook his head, "Not anymore. Harris Black as Head of House Black absolved the marriage between them."

"Under what right!?" Friel bit out.

Severus couldn't hold back an ironic twisting of his lips, "Coercion for criminal behaviour, essentially, all of Bellatrix's crimes are on Rodolphious's head."

Lucius exhaled sharply, "She is truly cleared then, a complete alibi."

Severus nodded, "Unless she is caught in a new crime, she is untouchable from the arms of the law."

Which was more than dangerous and more than stupid. Harris Black seemed about as intelligent as Harry Potter.

"Where is she?" the Dark Lord demanded.

Making Severus wonder suddenly why she hadn't been summoned with the rest of them. Harris must be subduing her somehow.

So maybe not a complete fool after all. But there were other implications in this, it was a pretty picture to think the man's motives were purely to rebuild his family and the House of Black, but the other reason might mean another rival Dark Lord.

Not something Severus cared to ponder the fallout from, their world was already so fractured, their government barely functionally. The bloody Americans had a more solidified system which was insulting.

"Bellatrix Black nor Harris Black have been seen since his retrieval of her from Azkaban."

The Dark Lord was quiet for a long time, "Is there anything else of note?"

The words were too casual, like he was fishing, it was either another sign of his slipping sanity or something particular about this was upsetting him.

And sure enough, "In the divorce, Bellatrix was given the Lestrange's legacy as recompense, all of their vaults belong to her, or rather, Harris Black."

"No," the Dark Lord snarled with a fury that made Severus flinch.

The hate and fury on the Dark Lord's face was humbling.

The rest of the meeting did not get better from there.

Voldemort had seldom felt such rage. Such ire. Even the Potters, or Dumbledore had never even cost him this much.

For one, he had, not that long ago, felt one of his Death Eaters die, it had resounded through the bound he left on them. He had been checking closely the papers to see who it had been.

But now to find Bella was gone; he had feared at first she had been the one to die. But now, she was merely out of his reach, some type of old and extremely powerful magic blocking his connection to her.

It was a testament of how much he had underestimated Harris Black and he would not make that mistake a second time. He was too dangerous to keep alive, and too dangerous to assume he hadn't found Hufflepuff's cup and the dark sliver of power held within.

But surely he would have felt it if it had been destroyed.

One Horcrux out of reach was one too many, though it was doubtful whether Harris Black knew what was in possession. But the sudden need to check his other Horcruxes overcame Voldemort.

He started with the Ring, the easiest access to him.

And to his fury, he found it gone. He wasted little time in checking for the Locket, only to find Regulus Black's betrayal had exceeded every bound of expectation.

Voldemort smiled grimly.

If Harris Black was so concerned about his precious family, Voldemort would make an example that the Head of House would never forget.

Harry's scar burned, he rolled out his bed screaming. Though he had never reached out to the man, the letter he dragged up to owlery, almost falling to his knees and crawling from the pain, he addressed to Harris Black.

Professor McGonagall found him before Harry passed out, apparently, the portraits had seen him struggle to stand upright.

Harris stared at Harry's letter dumbfounded, horror overcoming him as he realized the implications.

"Bella," he called.

She looked up at him, her face peaceful but exhausted, she was practically falling asleep in her chair.

He came over to her and held a small crystal he pulled from his pocket. He knelt by her chair and placed the crystal in her hand, "I have to go out for a moment, I'll be back in an hour or three. Will you be okay?"

She nodded, "I'm going take a shower then go to bed."

He smiled gently at her, "If you need me, just drop the crystal in water."

She nodded again.

He stepped back, and said, "I'll be home soon."

Bella stared at where Harris had disapparated from, and closed her eyes to bask again in his magic, in their magic, as the sensation of it danced through her blood.

Many had pitied her for being bound by the bracelets, they had been used to enslave others, but for her, the trade off was worth the extra power singing in her veins. It was proof she wasn't alone in the world, even in her dreams, she was not alone.

She smiled to herself when she realized he had called this place, the safest of places she had ever known in her life, home.

But when she fell asleep that night, the nightmares caught up to her again.

Harris was pleased that Harry had been thoughtful enough to name a location. And horrified to realize that the very stone angel he had been bound to all those years ago had been sentient, trapped in a slow petrified torment.

Harris arrived in the graveyard far enough away to limit the sound of his apparition. He transformed immediately into his kestrel form. Sometimes he was bitter about the fact that he transformed into the smallest species of falcon in existence, but other times, like now, it was convenient for stealth as he soared quietly into the graveyard.

He heard crying and Harris knew there were traps everywhere, he could feel the heavy weight of them, Voldemort himself was gone.

Harris soared up high then dove toward the crumpled black cloaked figure on the ground, disapparating them as soon as he touched the other man.

He felt the brush of the activated boobytraps but they were gone before it reached them.

Voldemort really didn't understand what he was fucking with.

Arriving in Grimmauld Place, Harris began checking the younger man over, he looked- well, he supposed he looked just as he had done when he was put into the stone.

A type of immortality, no doubt, that Tommy had discovered and discarded as a viable option. In Harry's letter, he described how the man's physical form would go unchanged but his mind? His consciousness? Would never know rest? Never sleep, never rest, an eternity freed of one's physical form yet lacking any agency of self or movement. Regulus Black, had Voldemort not undone the spell, would have died a thousand years only after the stone angel had been reduced to rubble, unable to hold the curse.

Harris was not at all certain that the Belladonna Cure would do anything at all to help the young ex-Death Eater, but Harry had said that Voldemort had used the Cruciatus Curse on him.

Harris didn't like to imagine what no sensationary but visual for over a decade would feel like suddenly having every sense then being subjected to torture would be like.

It was no wonder the young man was unresponsive. The Belladonna Cure was something that Harris had brewed extra of to be certain if Bella had replaced it or if St. Mungo's was reluctant to brew it for the Longbottoms during his stay in the past. He fed it to Regulus now, tipping back his head and praying that his sanity would survive.

He had turned on the Dark Lord, turned on him for the ill-treatment of a house-elf. So even though Harris didn't know Regulus Black, he knew there was goodness inside of him.

"Sirius!" Harris bellowed, "Kreacher!" The portrait woke up screaming and Kreacher, upon sight of his old Master began panicking.

"He's not dead," Harris snapped at the elf, "Get me any medical supplies you have." The elf popped out without another utterance.

Sirius, followed by Remus, Albus, Minerva, and Severus, came skidding into the room.

"It's your favourite son, shut up, you ill-painted cow!" Harris bellowed at Sirius's mother as his godfather fell to his knees beside him.

"How?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Voldemort experimented on him with a curse of immortality."

"How is that a curse?" Severus sneered, but he too dropped to the floor checking Regulus's fortunately regular heart beat.

"He was imprisoned in stone, aware but unable to move. Only if you envy the life of statues is that not a curse. It is a punishment," Harris snarled, as he found no other signs of injury.

Kreacher popped back in, "Master Black, Kreacher isn't finding aid, but Kreacher prepared a bath and Master Regulus's room."

Albus asked, "Is he otherwise alright?"

Harris paused, "I believe so."

Albus raised his wand, "En-"

"No!" Harris near shouted at him, reaching for Regulus's arm, "Wait, I don't want him awake for this."

"Awake for what?" Sirius exclaimed, his voice shrill with confusion and mounting panic.

Harris tugged down Regulus's sleeve, putting his own wand tip top to the Dark Mark.

"What are you doing?" Severus snarled, "You'll bring him-"

But Harris was already hissing the spell, uncaring if this gave them more hints of his real identity.

Regulus's body twitched as Harris hissed the countercurse, in the end, only he had been able to remove the Dark Mark because of his ability to perfume spellwork in Parseltongue.

Harris had practised on Lucius first, the man's screams had been oddly gratifying. But after that, he had drugged Draco and Theodore into an enchanted sleep before doing the same to them.

The black ink separated, leaving behind a red rash on the otherwise unmarked forearm. The black ink writhed in the shape of the Dark Mark, the skull gyrating its jaw as the snake lashed out. With a final flick of his wand it evaporated.

Severus was gaping at him, "How did you-"

"I'm told it hurts worse than receiving the Dark Mark," Harris said, smoothing Regulus's hair back from his face, "I don't know what he'll be like when he wakes but I think he will be physically fine and if he stays here he'll be safe from Voldemort. It seems his body is unchanged from the time the curse was placed on him."

"Why didn't you bring him to St. Mungo's?" Remus asked.

Harris glanced up, "Because I think freeing Bellatrix lost me any sort of credibility among the open minded in our legal system and there simply are not enough of the old families who are neutral parties for me to swing another pardon. I can say with absolute certainty that I shattered any illusion of there being bridges between myself and the Dark Lord."

"He was rather infuriated," Severus said mildly.

Harris smirked, "Nothing like killing bits of a Dark Lord's soul to make him a bit vexed with you." He glanced at Sirius, "You must be more careful from now on. I believe Andromeda will be safe enough if we ignore her but you, Tonks, Narcissa, and Draco, I believe will be in much peril. When you met with Narcissa, did she seem amiable to separating Draco from his father's path? Did you think they could stay here?"

Albus stiffened, "I agree they should be kept safe, but they cannot come here."

"Master?" Kreacher interceded, "May Kreacher care for Master Regulus, Sir?"

Harris nodded, "Yes, thank you, Kreacher."

Kreacher snapped his fingers and Regulus floated out of Harris lap, once he was up the stairs, he, Sirius, and Severus stood.

Sirius shook his head, "She might… but she might insist on dragging Theodore Nott, her godson, along as well."

Harris smiled, "He would be welcome. I detest the idea that he has to live with that monster who calls himself Theo's father. He is not a bad kid."

Sirius looked a little uncertain, the old part of him that hated Slytherins and the old pureblood families on principle raising its ugly head, but then reason came back to. Sirius had been in Theo's shoes before. "Then yes, though it may be an indoor summer until Voldemort is defeated."

"I'm certain Narcissa won't mind the challenge of interior design," Harris said with a smirk.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "No, I'm sure she won't."

"She cannot come here," Albus said, "The Order-"

"I don't give a damn about your Order, Albus," Harris snapped, "This is the House of Black, family comes first."

"You would trade one family for the lives-"

Harris rolled his eyes, "For the lives of a Wizarding World too cowardly, too corrupt, too weak to stand up for itself? Yes, Albus, I would. Martyrdom is a poor way to win a war when winning comes at the price of your own side dying with the enemy."

Albus stood taught, "Voldemort will kill-"

"Then take the Minister's job and right the damn ship yourself. Minerva would be a more worthy protector of Hogwarts seeing as she cares more about her students' well-being than the machinations of a serial killer."

"Albus protects his students," Remus cut in.

Harris raised a brow, "Oh? You mean how he protected Severus from you?"

Sirius, Remus, and Severus paled.

"Or how he protected Harry, Theo, Severus, and Sirius from their guardians? I can excuse Minerva for not knowing, but not, and I am assuming here, when children come to you for help," Harris said, voice harsh. He needed Albus out of this house, away from Harry.

Harry and Nagini were the only two Horcruxes left. He had time to figure out how to save Harry without killing him. Nagini and Voldemort would just be a matter of time, chasing them across the globe were only more likely to expose his little growing family in danger. He wouldn't risk being worn out and out of reach when Voldemort inevitably launched an attack on them.

"Mr. Nott never spoke-" Albus immediately tried to defend.

"And why is that?" Harris asked snidely, "It can't be because you've spent your entire time at Hogwarts demonizing the House of Slytherin and adding to the rift between the houses, could it? Your bias, old man, undo you."

Albus glared at him, "You released one of the most dangerous people from prison. You dare talk to me about the safety-"

"Bella is my ward, if she does something wrong, I will go to jail with her. I have no intention of giving her a long enough leash to hang both of us with."

"You don't have the power-"

"I have all the power I-" Harris cut off as Dumbledore threw a hex at him. Harris snarled, "Wrong answer!"

Harris was going to enjoy this, He shoved Sirius back and disarmed Minerva, sticking her wand to the ceiling. Albus threw another hex, Harris shielded, disarming Sirius and Remus next.

He left Severus alone only because he was curious.

Severus was loyal to Albus to protect Harry because of Lily. But the winds were changing, and now it was Harris who kept Harry safe. Harris who the Dark Lord feared. It wasn't exactly true yet, but it would be.

It turned into a real duel in the following minutes, the tight space of the parlour limiting Albus from using fire. He sent the furniture at Harris, transfiguring the pillows and wood to lead and shards of steel.

But Harris was a Master in Charms. He was plenty strong enough to muscle his way through Transfiguration but he didn't attempt to beat Albus at his own game. He had a century's worth of experience over Harris.

Harris didn't need Transfiguration, however, to reduce the projectiles to ash. And while Albus had more experience, Harris's youth provided him more speed, his wand work was flawless, his reflexes still that of a seeker.

Gin might have been the Quidditch star, but Harris would always be the better flier, the better athlete.

That's what Harris relied on now, not wanting to actually hurt the man, he gave the token attacks to keep Dumbledore from burying him but Harris was counting on his own endurance. The boost from Bellatrix's magic wasn't present, she was too far away, but he could still sense her, and was certain she sensed the magic he was expending.

Not that he needed the boost, giving him a boost in his core magical strength was rather redundant. Since turning forty, he had been unable to find his own limit.

"Bit of a temper, old man?" Harris taunted.

Albus's eyes narrowed as he pushed hard, raising the floor up underneath him, Harris side stepped it easily, casting an Incantatem Frio stopping Albus's enchantment mid cast.

Albus's eyes went wide as he scrambled to recover, and Harris, realizing how much it pissed the Greatest Wizard of Age off, he continued to keep using that spell, making the room look like a cave with stalagmites and stalactites, reminding Harris fondly of his first trip to Gringotts with Hagrid.

Albus was visibly sweating and when he was forced to switch to curses, Harris smiled, knowing that his blue eyes were the ones sparkling.

Harris had plenty of people who could challenge him in his own timeline, Andromeda was very skilled, the twins, James and Rose, especially together were frightening, and Teddy was adaptive. The grandkids weren't quite there yet to be up to sparing with him yet.

His own anger came to him then as he realized there would be no 'yet' because his lineage was gone, swept away in the tide of time. Every time it hit, it was like the first time, a near crippling grief that he pushed to fury now.

Anger kept him going, though he had never shown the recovering Bella it before, it was quite easy to treat her like a child. And Harry Potter had done everything in his power to never direct his anger at them.

Something Gin had never accomplished.

But Albus?

Harris flicked his curses aside, the brightly coloured spells dissolving in sparkles before a hint of them could reach the spectators who had moved to the stairs to watch. Harris flexed his magic, letting that seething rage and sorrow direct his magic.

Harris knew that if he was the one attacking, Albus would have a better chance. But as it was, the small space limited them and Albus had pursued the attack, Harris gave him nothing to turn round on him. They were near equals in defence, but Albus was stronger in Transfiguration and Harris stronger in Charms.

Charms typically took less energy, less strength. It's why Albus, Minerva, Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, Hermione, Sirius, and his father, James, had been known as such great fighters. Transfiguration, summoning in particular, was recognizable in identifying powerful wizards and witches. Transfiguration had also been taught for duelling purposes.

But Harris had always remembered that Filius Flitwick was a duelling champion. Although it was true most Charms were limited to their specific tasks and uses and not as transformative as Transfiguration that could act like elemental magic at times. The right combination of Charms, applied with true force, made for a formidable foe.

As Albus was clearly relearning.

Harris almost wished the old man was younger, for all his power, the years were catching up to Albus Dumbledore.

Harris noted the four spectators on the stairs, their eyes wide. Had they ever seen Albus lose his temper like this? He wondered, perhaps, or perhaps Harris had been subtly trying to get back at the old man. From the moment he was back in time, he began to undermine Albus. Taking Harry to Sirius. Sure, Harry kept in touch with his friends, but his friends had failed to tell Albus that Harry was safe. Which for a full summer in which Voldemort was freed, he had worried over 'the Chosen Ones'" and that was after finding out that his DADA professor was an imposter, escaped convict, and Death Eater.

Then Harris had gone ahead and embarrassed him in front of his Order, he even managed to incur the ire of Minerva McGonagall against him. Harris imagined that cut deep, seeing as Minerva was one of Albus's closest friends, his right hand witch in the war.

Followed by Harris freeing Sirius when Albus could not, turning Harry mostly against Albus, oh, and that little thing where he freed one of the most feared Death Eaters who was second only to Voldemort himself in the damage she had done.

So yeah, Harris knew why Albus was pissed, knew he had pushed the man and his pride too far, but hell if Harris would apologize.

The duel stretched on longer than Harris had anticipated, a sure indication that Albus was more pissed than Harris had initially anticipated. Harris never faltered.

Voldemort was a challenge, because Harris had to protect Harry, and because Voldemort, for all the resurrection made him hardly human, was able bodied. The Dark Arts also had a tendency to take on a life of their own.

Harris loved Defense Against the Dark Arts because it was a redirection, a counter of wild magic given negative direction. Every counter-curse was meant to free that magic, neutralize it. But it was trickery because it required you to direct your magic to balance an outside force.

Defence was in its nature, harder, peace being more difficult to maintain than chaos. It always gave the Dark Lord the upper hand.

But this, with Albus Dumbledore?

Aggressive magic that was not the Dark Arts, just personal magic? Well then, it came to strength, skill, intelligence, and sometimes, luck.

Harris Black was not the boy Albus had led to slaughter.

Minerva felt as if her jaw was going to unhinge as she watched Harris Black play with an enraged Albus.

They had lost many in the Order to Bellatrix Lestrange, and it was very personal for her old friend.

But Harris Black seemed equally pissed, his blue gaze near glowing with power as he mocked Albus with every defence. The man went out of his way to perform feats of difficult charms. Charms that could break down another's curse, fizzling them out as a firework burning out.

She wished that Filius was here to see this, when she saw Harris stop Albus's transfiguration spell mid-morph she had realized just how much power the man had.

Albus was the single most powerful wizard she knew, Harris was pressing the man back with nothing but defence spells.

And then the entirety of Grimmauld Place gave a shudder as something in Harris seemed to let loose.

"What's happening?" she asked in a quiet tone to Sirius, who glanced back at her with wide, wide eyes, "It is said that the original owners of this place would feed it magic, that it was alive somehow. The stones in the wall taken from the foundations of dwellings made by the same masons who built Hogwarts."

The building again, shuddered, almost breathing.

Minerva turned her full attention back to the duel as Albus tried another desperate attack, but Harris seemed to be done with playing.

Harris hit Albus full on with, "Incantatem Prohibere!"

Albus grunted but kept his feet, breathing heavy, but when next he tried to cast a spell, nothing happened.

Harris twirled his wand, righting and resettling the room, only furniture that had been turned to ash returned to its places. Then raised his other hand twisting his wrist, ripping Albus's wand from his grasp as it came to his.

Albus was panting.

Harris smirked, "So much for being the Greatest, or was it Strongest, Wizard in history."

Albus glared at him, but seemed too out of breath to answer.

Minerva was herself speechless, she glanced at Severus and saw the look of awe on his face.

Albus Dumbledore was feared by Voldemort, he had defeated Grindelwald, and yet, Harris Black had defeated him soundly.

Harris observed the wand in his hand, "This is not your original wand, is it, Albus?"

Albus stood straight but remained silent, his eyes promising recompense.

"You do realize it won't answer you anymore? I won the duel and its loyalties."

Albus swallowed, "That wand-"

"Is the Death Stick. Yes, I'm aware, it was Grindelwald's before it was yours," Harris said twirling it between his fingers with a look of concentration.

Minerva gasped, along with Severus and Sirius.

Remus, however, mumbled, "The what?"

Harris glanced at him, "One of the Three Deathly Hallows. This little twig is responsible for many a death. Grindelwald's crimes and many, many murders before it. It attracts death, you see it. You are lucky I am not most people, Albus. If Voldemort realized you had this, he very well might have stepped out of the shadows, and I think I just established that you are no longer up for that challenge."

A natural defence rose to her lips, where it died. She had witnessed the whole thing, Albus had struck first, and still, Harris had won, and she was positive he had been holding back.

"It is a powerful wand," Albus said, voice rough, tone falsely light.

"Indeed," Harris said, "Didn't help you much, though, did it?" He asked before taking the wand the Death Stick between his hands and snapping it in half.

"No!" Albus exclaimed staggering forward.

But it was too late.

Upon breaking the wand, it blackened further and then crumbled like a charred branch, until it was nothing but dust.

"I just saved you a world of misery," Harris said, "that thing is cursed, no owner of it has yet to die a natural death. Besides, I'm sure you've kept your old one."

"You-"

"Am the Head of House Black. And to continue our conversation, if Narcissa agrees to it, she and Draco and Theo will be joining Harry here over the holidays."

"Where were you during the war?" Albus demanded.

"Protecting my family."

"Then where are they?" Albus foolishly challenged.

Harris came at Albus then, took him by the collar and slammed him against the wall, his wand at Albus's throat, "Don't you dare speak of them."

Albus, Gryffindor, and honestly, Minerva admitted to herself, sore loser that the prideful man was, didn't back down, "You speak of protecting Harry to me when you lost-"

Harris jabbed his wand, the first hurt he had given him the whole, she realized, "I was betrayed by someone I loved, she was family." Harris let go of him abruptly, and Albus almost fell to his knees, coughing. Minerva came to his side then.

Without looking away from them, Harris summoned the wands he had stuck to the ceiling. She, Sirius, and Remus caught them as Harris used a wandless levitation charm.

Really, Minerva thought, Filius would adore this man.

The emotions were cleared from his face as Harris said, "Trust that when I say I understand your doubts about Bellatrix Black, I mean it. I perhaps even agree with you."

"Then why free her?" Severus demanded.

Harris sighed, "Because the Belladonna Cure-"

"That cure saved the Longbottoms, well Bellatrix did to them-" Minerva cut in hotly.

Harris raised a hand, "I know, I know. But understand the cure that saved them also saved her. It's a cure that heals the neurons in the brain that have been damaged by over exposure to pain. As of now, Bella is mostly lucid, and I believe her current problems stem from her sting in Azkaban rather than mental instability. It is my understanding that it is quite normal for people to need time readjusting to a normal life away from the dementors' care."

"That's true," Sirius agreed with a shudder.

"Understand that the Belladonna cure only fixes the physicality of torture, the cumulative chemical imbalances in the brain, it doesn't erase the memories.."

Minerva's expression softened, "You don't know what it means to their son, to them, that all the time they had together, even if they were restricted from communicating with each other… for it not to be lost- it means the world to them."

Harris raised a brow, "And the shame and regret that they are undoubtedly dealing with, for having been hospitalized, for not being there for their son?"

Minerva's lips tightened.

Harris shook his head slightly, looking for a moment so much like James Potter, James Potter as he would have been if he had been allowed age. "Bella has not reached that point yet. The Longbottoms have recovered much faster than she has. It could be because she was always made, or because she was tortured during her developmental years, or perhaps it will be impossible to tell until after she recovers from fourteen years in high security prison."

"Who are you to make that gamble?" Albus demanded.

Harris turned his brow up at him, "Says the man who sentenced a child to frequent starvation and criminal neglect? If Bella goes down, then I will be imprisoned as well and Harry will be Head of House Black, Sirius will have the temporary position until he comes of age. But I will not let it come to that."

"How does a wizard of your power go unnoticed? How does your entire family die and it not be on any record I can find, muggle or magic?"

Harris gave Albus a dark look, "I am a private man, erasing myself from the history books was no trouble, really."

"Why didn't you fight with us?" Albus asked again, "Why not join your family-"

"As if Walburga would have let me near this family. As for why I was not involved? Well, your news was rather a mess, wasn't it? From the outside, it looked like mostly propaganda and as if the ministry itself was a part of the problem. As much as I detest the current politics, I am not an anarchist. No government is no better than a corrupted one. As an outsider, there wasn't much I could have done. It wasn't as if you advertised for Order members."

"You could join now," Minerva offered despite the glare Albus shot at her.

She didn't care, Albus hadn't taught the Black Sisters, Minerva had, she had liked them despite herself and it just about broke her heart to see what became of those talented and passionate girls.

Harris's face softened, "I'm sorry, Minerva, but I will not follow Albus Dumbledore, I do not trust his motives or his means. However, if you personally, or any of the children at your school need my help, I will always make time to afford any type of help I can."

Minerva blinked at him. He was always so flippant with Albus that she hadn't expected a charming man to lie below the anger and sorrow. "Thank you," she said honestly. What would their world be if they valued their youth more?

Severus found his voice then, "You're a Parselmouth?"

"Indeed," Harris agreed, sheathing his wand as he stepped further away from Albus.

"Could you remove my Dark Mark? Would you?" Severus said with what was in Minerva's opinion humbling bravery.

Harris nodded, "I can and whenever you like, Severus."

Severus held the other man's gaze, before bowing his head, "Thank you."

Harris bowed his own head, "You are most welcome." Before he looked to his younger brother, "Sirius, are you able and willing to tend for Regulus? He must be kept in hiding, no one's looking for him but until Bella's- scandal, shall we call it, smooths over, I believe the courts will try him with the harshest punishments to get back at me."

Sirius shook his head, "I can take care of him. He'll be happiest here anyway. This really was a home for him."

"Because you kept him safe," Harris stated, but Minerva could tell it was a shot in the dark.

That landed true as Sirius ran a hand through his hair, "Well, when you make yourself the easy target, then the only heir left to them, he had to be treated well to make sure he stayed. They sheltered him too well. He didn't realize what he was getting into with Voldemort."

"Few do," Severus said.

Remus let out a puff of air, "Are we all just going to avoid the fact that Albus Dumbledore just lost a duel to a Black and then had his wand, a children's book Hallow, broken?"

Minerva looked at Harris, "I know a professor who would be very interested to talk shop with you."

"Oh?" Harris raised a dark brow.

She smiled slightly, "Filius Flitwick and I have often debated what kind of witch or wizard it would take to best Albus in a duel, seeing as he relies so heavily on Transfiguration and your speciality appears, if I am not very much mistaken, to be Charms."

"Defense Against the Dark Arts is actually my strongest subject," Harris said with a smile, reminding her suddenly more of Harry than James, "But I do rather enjoy Charms. I would be happy to have dinner with you and Filius one night to carry on this debate."

"Isn't the debate solved?" Sirius asked.

Harris shrugged, "I used Transfiguration to my success to hold off Tom Riddle, the Charms I used against Albus would have been utterly useless against No-Nose."

Remus just looked at Harris in stunned amazement and consternation.

"I need to get back," Harris said, he turned his attention on Sirius and Severus, "Do you believe you could get Narcissa, Draco, and Theo to move in for the summer?"

"They would be welcome," Sirius said.

Remus again startled, "Really, Padfoot? You only just reconnected-"

"Albus said as much himself last night," Sirius said, "the summer of sixth year is when Voldy-Smorts brands the kids he pouches. He got my brother, even Severus here. Severus was Lily's best mate and might have stayed so, if he hadn't gotten wrapped up in that shite. I wouldn't wish that fate and regrets on any child."

Severus sighed, "Narcissa will claim to be in her France estate, and Lucius will be forced to cover for her. It could lead to him getting killed."

"Well, he should have thought of that before putting his son in danger," Harris said, "Lucius has enough influence and means to run or hold his ground if need be, especially while Tom was weak."

Albus said primly, "There are other safe houses for the Narcissa and-"

"No," Harris interrupted, "There are other places for the Order to go. This is the current seat of power for the Black Family, when the Black Manor was destroyed, the materials were brought here, where no one would look for a pureblood family in the heart of muggle territory. Besides, isn't it already a security risk that Narcissa knows of this place and that defences of the building are already geared to accept her?"

Minerva looked at Albus.

Harris sighed, "I suppose my letter hasn't reached her yet. But Narcissa is the only one I want to see Bella at the moment."

Sirius nodded, "To be honest, unless she's actually sane, I don't want to see her again and I don't want her anywhere near Harry." But Minerva caught the dark look in Sirius's eye that Harris apparently didn't. Sirius was playing along with Harris's gamble of keeping Bella out of prison. Because if there was one thing they all agreed on it was that Bella couldn't be allowed free.

Harris nodded, "I agree. I will meet with Narcissa, even her husband if she wishes, but she alone can see Bella. And we are keeping Andromeda out of this."

"Why?" Remus asked. "Because she married a muggleborn?"

Harris looked at him, his blue eyes again flashing with light with his emotions, "Because Bella is fragile enough without opening that mess." He bowed to them all, "I must be going, do say hello to Harry for me, Sirius." and then he disapparated away.

Minerva turned on Albus, "Are you insane? You attacked the man in his own house?"

Albus grimaced, "I thought it best to know how powerful he is."

Severus snorted, "More powerful than you, apparently. I think we can all safely say that he isn't another Dark Wizard."

Albus raised a brow, "I don't think we can say that at all."

Minerva sighed.

Sirius crossed his arm, "He just kicked your arse almost entirely with defensive spells."

Remus shook his head, "He is gifted, not just powerful but intelligent. It is good to know he is Voldemort's enemy and Harry's ally."

"He isn't our ally," Albus said.

"He isn't your ally, he made that rather apparent," Severus drawled.

Albus gave him a sharp look, but Minerva smiled, happy to see Servus stand up for himself.

Of course, Severus had made mistakes, but he had given so much over the year, he deserved to live, not to be a prisoner to his guilt forever. She knew he wasn't well liked by many of his students, but he would die to protect them.

"I'll stay with Regulus," Remus said, "If you want to go check on Harry, Sirius."

"I would advise you not to trust Harris in regards to Harry," Albus advised.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "You're just sore you lost and that Harry reached out to him for help first. If Harry trusts him, so do I."

"Even with his freeing Bellatrix Lestrange?" Remus asked.

Albus opened his mouth but Minerva called it, "Enough. Harry is waiting for us."

Severus watched them all with an unreadable expression that made Minerva wonder what changes awaited them in the not so distant future.

From Ms. Lovegood to Mrs. G. Weller

Dear Genie,

Thanks for replying to my earlier letters! Meeting you this summer was the best thing to happen to me in a long time. And I'm happy to tell you that you were right about making more friends. Professor Scamander said I was too advanced for his fourth year class so he moved me up to the fifth year class. I'll be in the same class as Harry Potter. He's been really nice to me. I think he might be a friend, more so than Ginny. At any rate, he's seemed to have found a way to free himself of the nargles.

I hope to learn his secret, the nargles stole my favourite pair of shoes last night.

Otherwise, I am super excited about my next Magical Creatures class, hopefully, Professor Flitwick can resolve the schedule conflict.

How are you? Is your friend settling into your new place? I hope to see you next Hogsmeade weekend.

Forever Yours,

Luna Lovegood

P.s. Did you see the autumn starblooms? They grow on the west side of low walls. They are quite beautiful this year.

AN: Yes, there will be more Luna and Harry next chapter. Slow burn for all the final pairings. Otherwise, comments, thoughts, or reviews for this chapter? Bluebells or musings for future chapters?