Here you are my lovelies!
The long-awaited update!
I'm so sorry I've not updated in such a long time. This last year has been absolutely insane. I've had six deaths in the family/close family friends since New Years and my family has moved multiple times. Things just haven't been conducive to writing and I haven't had the time. Now though things have calmed down and I have returned!
I hope you all like this update! I know it isn't very much but I wanted to reassure you all that the story hasn't been abandoned, just a bit neglected as of late. I hope to have several more chapters for you in the coming months.
Until next time lovelies!
Landing in front of his new home was a surreal and more than a little uncomfortable experience for Corvus. He came crashing down into a heap in the grass, managing to pull Hermione down with him. He had never enjoyed any magical travel that didn't involve a broomstick but portkeys seemed to have a special place of dislike in his mind. He never understood how other people managed to land on their feet.
Huffing he disentangled himself from his girlfriend and managed to regain his footing before reaching a hand out to Hermione and pulling her to her up as well. "Sorry about that Mione." He mumbled before turning to look at the estate before them.
"Wow… this is nice." Corvus said, a little in awe of the large manor.
"Ummm I guess." Hermione said, a bit confused. "It is a lovely field if you enjoy nature."
"What do you mean?" he asked, tearing his eyes away from the intricate gate and giving her his attention. "Can't you see it?"
"No Harry, it must be part of its protections. I've read about wards like this." Hermione said, looking out at what seemed, at least to her, to be a field with interest. "It's similar to the Fidelis but much more in-depth. The protections must be tied to the Slytherin Lordship. Until you attune to the wards and set allowances, only you can see or even access the grounds. It's quite a powerful protection. Some are even tied to bloodlines. We'll have to research the defenses surrounding your other properties before visiting them." She rambled a bit.
Corvus just shook his head with an amused smile as she started muttering about possible protections and other things he didn't quite catch.
"Well, let's get this done quickly so the others can follow." He said and walked forward toward the gates. "How do I bind myself to the wards, Hermione?"
"Your magic, though blood usually works best." She answered, stepping up beside him and squinting in the direction he was looking.
He nodded, giving a small sigh. "It always comes to that doesn't it?" He mused, pulling out his wand. Carefully he made a small cut his palm then rubbed around it to urge the bleeding on, ensuring he only had to do this once. Tentatively he reached up and touched his bloody palm flat to the ornate crest positioned in the center of the wrought iron gates.
He felt the moment he came into contact with the wards, letting out a sharp gasp. He could feel the power of them surge forward against his palm, testing and weighing him, judging whether or not he was worthy to preside over these lands. The magic of these wards seemed almost sentient and wild. It felt old and he was almost overwhelmed with the sheer strength of these wards now that he could feel them, he had never felt something like this.
Warmth raced through his entire body, spreading from the palm that seemed to be rooted to the iron. It burned in its intensity and for a moment he felt as though he would surely turn to ash. Gritting his teeth he instinctively called forward his own magic, pushing back at the searing fire that was consuming his person from the inside. It was as though this was what the wards were waiting for. The heat slowly receded, leaving behind a welcoming warmth and a sense of home. With one final push of his magic by some unknown urging, he shoved the heavy iron gates open. Looking down at his hand he saw the cut was completely healed with no sign of the skin having ever been broken.
"What did you do?!" asked Hermione almost frantically, taking his hand in hers and looking it over for any sign of damage.
"I don't rightly know, Mione." Corvus answered, looking from her back to the gates. "It felt like I was burning alive and when I pushed back with my magic it was like that was what the wardswanted. It was like I had to fight for it."
"That… that actually makes sense." She answered thoughtfully, looking where she assumed the gates were.
"How does having to fight wards I am supposed to be the master of make sense Hermione?" He asked in mild exasperation and a hint of frustration.
"Do you remember what it said on your inheritance results?" She asked pointedly.
"That I own way too many houses?" Corvus answered cheekily.
"Yes but it also listed how those estates came to you!" She said excitedly. "The others you inherited through blood, they are yours because of familial ties. The Slytherin estate was different. You WON the Slytherin Lordship, Corvus!" she finished.
"How on earth did I win it?" he asked, thoroughly confused. "It's not like I made a bet for it or something."
"But you did!" She said a bit too loudly. "You bet your life! The inheritance said you inherited the Slytherin lordship in its entirety as a magical inheritance through the right of conquest. You defeated Voldemort as a baby. Even though his soul survived his original body, blood included, were destroyed. No matter the technicalities of his defeat, you magically conquered him. When his body was destroyed the blood tying him to the line of Slytherin was destroyed. And by the old laws of conquest, you won all that he owned or was in line to inherit."
"Oh." He replied simply. "Just one more thing to add to the ever-growing list of things to deal with." He mumbled before a crack startled him.
Turning to face the sound, both of their wands drawn, they came face to face with the two house elves supporting an unconscious Neville on a stretcher. "Master Black Sir!" Dobby squeaked. "We bes here! We bes out of time! Dobby and Winky is being told by the goblin to bring the Nevvy fast and come back for the rest. Sun is rising!" the little elf finished before both disappeared once more with a crack.
"That took too long. We need to get inside Corvus." Hermione said with a new sense of urgency.
"Agreed." He answered grimly, currently only too aware of how exposed they were at the moment. "How do I tie you to the wards?"
"You should just be able to grant us access now, though I would suggest offering blood to the wards for the moment to make sure." She answered.
He nodded and turned to the wards. "I, Lord Corvus Antares Black, Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin grant access to Hermione Jean Granger and Neville Franklin Longbottom." He spoke loudly and clearly, hoping that this would work. A gasp from Hermione told him that it did.
"Oh my…." She said softly, taking in the ornate wrought iron gates in front of them. The manor itself was huge, far bigger than they had expected. It was made of sandstone and limestone, a towering façade that was as beautiful as it was intimidating. A five story Elizabethan manor with sprawling grounds and Hermione could practically feel the history of this place.
"Let's get inside and get settled, we need to get Nev." Corvus began but was cut off by a crack of his two house elves reappearing, each loaded down with a number of bags. They both deposited their burden before popping out once more. Harry now worried that maybe they had gone a bit overboard with the shopping.
"Let's get Neville inside. He doesn't need to be outside in his condition and us being so exposed is making me really nervous." He said, moving forward to Neville and nodding for Hermione to take the other end of the stretcher. As they lifted it they were very relieved to find it had been charmed with a feather-light charm which made their task of getting their friend indoors that much easier. Maneuvering up the front stairs was a bit tricky but they managed to get to the grand front entrance.
"Wait here." Corvus said, stopping just outside the front door. "I want to go in and check it out before I take you guys in." He helped Hermione settle Neville on his stretcher just outside the door.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the ring of keys the goblins had given him, one key for each house. Shifting through them trying to figure out which would possibly go to this one he wanted to groan that no one had thought to label them. Finally, after a couple of moments spent inspecting the keys, he noticed that one of the more ornate keys had carvings on the top that looked like intwined snakes. Taking a closer look at the keyhole and lock he decided this was probably the one. Carefully he slid the key home and turned, it unlocked smoothly as though no time had passed since last it had been opened.
"Well, no use stalling." He said to himself before pushing open the door, stepping in with his want ready just in case. There was no telling what the former owners had left behind when the manor had been closed up.
The entrance hall was beautiful, decorated in dark woods, light greens, and silvers. Looking around Corvus was more than a little surprised to see there was no dust anywhere, every surface looked clean and as though no time had passed since the manor had been inhabited. He had been a little worried about the state of the place to be honest, having expected everything to be falling apart and filthy. How he loved magic in this moment.
After poking about for a few moments Corvus made his way back out the front door to where the others were waiting. "Everything looks fine. More than fine actually, it's all still in perfect condition." Moving over to Neville's stretcher he continued. "Let's get him in and settled then we can get some sleep, we all need it. Dobby, Winky, can you two please go about the house and find out where the Lord's quarters are? Put mine and Hermione's things in there and the closest possible suite to ours should go to Neville. We'll explore more tomorrow and if he'd like different rooms he can pick his own when he wakes."
With a nod, both elves popped away to do as they were told.
Corvus and Hermione once again picked up their friend, making their way into the house and into the first receiving chamber they came across. Placing Neville carefully down, they both moved to sit on a low couch not far away to wait for the house elves to return. Exploring could wait, sleep had to come first. They had been up for almost twenty-four hours and were beyond exhausted.
It didn't take long for Dobby and Winky to return, both free from bags. "We is being finding Master's room and Master's Nevvy. We is being taking Master's Nevvy to his room and showing Master his." Said Dobby in his usual broken way. Winky snapped her fingers and Neville's stretcher floated up, waiting for them.
"Why didn't we think of that?" Corvus asked Hermione as he stood, reaching out to help her up. Turning he moved to follow the elves, waving for them to go ahead.
The young couple looked over their new home as they went, silently marveling at the beauty around them. There was so much history here, all of the portraits and tapestries that hung on the walls. The whole manor was so tastefully decorated that Corvus doubted he could top it, a little surprised that he actually liked all of the Slytherin decor.
Once Neville was settled into a suite his suite for the night, or day as it were, the house elves thoughtfully used magic to change his clothes to pajamas. As they were about to leave Corvus suddenly remembered the portfolios and other things that the goblin handed him for Neville before they left the bank. He made sure to leave them neatly on the desk in the sitting room of Neville's suite with a note on his nightstand about their location.
Finally, Corvus and Hermione were able to follow the elves to their own chambers. Absently they noted how lovely it was but both were too bone-tired to notice much aside from how soft the bed looked. Quickly rummaging through the bags of shopping the goblins had provided they both pulled out and changed into fresh nightclothes.
With a groan, Corvus dropped down into the bed, pulling his girlfriend tight against his chest. "We did it Mione. We're safe." He whispered to her as he fell asleep. "I love you."