Deadly, Desirable, Danger

I don't own 'Harry Potter'

Warning: genderbent character (Harry)

Alya Black, once Alya Potter before a bewildering bout of reincarnation that she still didn't appreciate, watched the spectacle unfold before her and mused.

No, it certainly wasn't what she'd wanted, being born as the oldest child of Walburga and Orion Black, Sirius and Regulus' older sister, but life had long taught her that the best way to cope was to just to roll with the punches. Outright rebelling wasn't the best path to take like her future godfather; she had no desire to be harshly punished at every turn of her life.

It had become slightly easier to deal with her new life when she'd figured out the reason for her new parents' shitty behaviour. She supposed it wasn't exactly nice for your grandparents to marry you to a cousin just for the sake of keeping the power of the family within the family, irregardless of personal wishes.

Orion and Walburga had had to marry as soon as Orion graduated, but had taken out their frustration on one another and refused to try for a child for years out of spite for the previous Lord Sirius Black. Apparently, once the old bastard had died they'd vindictively celebrated with copious amounts of alcohol and, rather ironically, ended up Alya nine months later.

Seeing as that hadn't happened last time around, it was clear that Fate was just fucking with her.

Now here she was, at one of these ridiculous parties where everyone kept on throwing their children at each other for the sake of political matches. Alya knew that Sirius and Regulus had escaped upstairs, using the excuse that they had to look after their little sister Meissa. Sneaky little shits.

Alya leaned back against the wall slightly, making sure she wasn't slouching as she sipped the elf-made wine her mother had imported from Iceland. It was surprisingly nice, though she shouldn't be surprised seeing as Walburga had fantastic taste. And was nicer about it now she had something of a friendship with her father, despite their respective lovers.

She watched as Lady Lestrange was very unsubtly showing her oldest son off to Bellatrix like a prized show horse. Something neither Rodolphus nor Bella seemed to appreciate. Seeing as Bella was currently informally dancing around a relationship with Heir Lucius Malfoy, it was no wonder why. Narcissa was no longer set to become Lady Malfoy this time around, apparently enjoying many a study session with the Heir to House Nott, Edwyn.

Sirius was such an adorable little informant.

The cousin her own age, Andromeda, was already married to Heir Gideon Prewett and had given birth to a daughter last year, though thankfully with the more palatable name of Eugenia. (Though knowing Tonks, even that wouldn't be normal enough for her.)

Nearly her entire family was happy to marry off every daughter of House Black for alliances, though Walburga was viciously defensive of their well-being, probably because of her own experiences with marriage. It was rather touching, especially coming from a woman that had once tried to Crucio one of her Crabbe cousins for calling her a broodmare.

Alya knew that Bella was trying to keep her relationship with Lucius a secret because her father disliked the Malfoys. How Narcissa had ended up with Lucius before still baffled her. Alya needed to do something before Bella acquiesced out of some desperate desire to please Cygnus. Which was a lost cause because the sexist twat still hated that he'd only sired daughters. Misogynistic wanker.

She placed her empty glass on the table to the side and stood up straighter, subtly smoothing down her dark violet dress. Alya knew that she was attractive, standing tall and willowy like her mother but with her father's high cheekbones and curls, her silver eyes the customary shade of the Blacks but slightly wider like her grandmother Melania. With her black hair pinned back in a multitude of braids and a silver choker embedded with diamonds around her throat, there was no question as to why she kept having to turn down the idiot men around her.

The young woman strode forward with her back straight and a polite smile on her face, stepping directly into the small party and catching sight of her cousin's relieved expression. What a world she was in, Bellatrix looking ecstatic to see her. Would wonders never cease?

"Good evening, Lady Lestrange, Heir Lestrange. I'm so sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to steal my cousin from you. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to keep the Lady Black waiting!"

She finished with a gentle smile and a small laugh, cocking her head just slightly to the side to disarm the older woman.

"Oh, yes, well –"

"I see I'm needed elsewhere," Bellatrix interrupted brightly. "I apologise for cutting our conversation short, but I'm sure I'll see you around later. Lady Lestrange, Heir Lestrange."

Her cousin escaped as quickly as was appropriate and Alya had to bite the inside of her cheek so she didn't burst out laughing. Who knew a Bellatrix Black without insanity meant a nervous and slightly floundering young woman? It was rather cute, Alya thought.

"Mother, I believe Father would like your company."

Lady Lestrange said something in a disappointed and flustered tone and went off to join her husband, and Alya turned to her former classmate with a smirk on her face.

"It's been a while, Heir Lestrange. How are you enjoying the party so far?"

Rodolphus returned the smirk after a few seconds, huffing a quiet laugh. "The House of Black has been very gracious in hosting this wonderful event, Miss Black. Though I've never visited this particular Black residence before. Would you do me the honour of giving me a tour of the property this evening?"

"I suppose I can be persuaded to miss some of the party in favour of a leisurely stroll around the manor," she replied airily, linking their arms as she did and leading the man out of the main hall.

They spent the next half hour wandering through the winding halls of Raven's Court, exploring the various drawing rooms and parlours. Alya knew her classmate could be very charming when he put his mind to it, and it certainly helped having no Voldemort around to mess with his mind. (The Unspeakables were extraordinarily helpful when they actually deigned to do anything.)

"Alya."

She turned to her companion with a raised brow, lips twitching with amusement. "My, my, how forward of you. I don't remember giving you permission to call me by my given name, Rodolphus."

Alya suddenly found herself pressed against the wall of the small library, the heat from the nearby fireplace warming her throughout just as much as the dangerous look in those cinnamon-brown eyes. She'd never been good at staying away from danger, whether as a Potter or a Black.

"I don't want to marry Bellatrix."

"Well, that's good, seeing as she doesn't want to marry you, either."

He leaned further, their breath intermingling and making her heart thump in her chest. "You know, the first thing I thought when I first laid eyes on you at eleven was that you'd look glorious in Lestrange colours."

She grinned widely, finding this situation hilarious for some reason. "Oh? Is that why you spent the whole seven years at school picking on me?"

For the first time ever, Alya saw Rodolphus Lestrange blush. "I wanted you to pay attention to me, for me to be the one who made you smile and laugh. Even when you were furious, you were mesmerising to me."

Alya remembered another similar confession from her original blonde bully and wondered why she kept attracting emotionally-constipated Slytherins.

She lifted her hands and ran them through light brown waves, smug at the sharp inhale of breath she caused. "I won't let myself be a plaything, Rodolphus. I want a contract, one where I'm still my own person. Even if I become your wife, I'm still Alya." She gripped his hair tight and yanked him closer, eyes locking onto his with a deadly promise.

"If you hurt me, I'll pay you back tenfold like the Black I am."

Cinnamon eyes darkened with lust and the man crushed their lips together harshly, swallowing her moan and gripping her waist hard enough to bruise. Alya leaned into him and grinned.

What was life without a little danger?

A/N: Hello again!

A story where Rodolphus isn't going to be a Death Eater has potential, especially where he's still not a perfectly good man. This is also one of many requests from Wednesday_addams_potter on AO3 that I've been procrastinating on, but I have in fact done it, so there. (Sorry if I sound crazy, I'm ill af rn. The joys of winter.)

Hope you guys like it. Until next time!