Harry Potter a Clockwork Mage
Harold James Potter = Harry James Potter
James Charlus Potter = Vernon Dursley until Harry left for Hogwarts
Lily Marie Potter nee' Evans = Petunia Dursley until Harry left for Hogwarts
Steven Brand = Sirius Orion Black
Simon Tiberius Prince = Severus Tobias Snape
Narcissa Prince nee' Black = Narcissa Malfoy nee' Black
Drake Centauries Prince = Draco Scorpios Malfoy
Xenophilius Goodelove = Xenophilius Lovegood
Clair Goodelove = Celeste Lovegood nee' Olivander
Luna Goodelove = Luna Lovegood
Isabella Regina Brand= Bellatrix Black
Hermione Isabella Jane Brand = Hermione Jane Granger
Richard Lawrence = Remus John Lupin
Patricia Lawrence = Petunia Evans
Douglas Lawrence = Dudley Dursley
I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does and anyone she has sold the rights to. I am not any of those. I just write because I love the Potterverse. This is an AU story and many characters will be OC.
A/N: This part is basically a flashback that happens just before the attack on the Potters and just after.
HPtCM
Chapter 7
Sirius had been studying magical law during the time he had done into hiding, while allowing the manikin to pretend to me him, it had been a very rewarding time, and the Goblins had turned out to be very good teachers; considering that goblins lived to the letter of all contacts it was good to have them teach law. Sirius had contacted the goblins to use temporal compression magic, set at the ratio of 1 hour outside was 186 hours inside; meaning time inside was one complete week each hour he spent inside to the one hour outside.
These week long training sessions were what was making it possible for Sirius Black to complete schooling in Law; both Magical and Non-Magical within a month. He also created for himself a new identity that would allow him to live and work in both worlds; he chose the name Steven Brand. Steven Brand sat the bar and made an O; Outstanding, and was admitted to the Bar of both worlds on 30/9/1981.
HPtCM
Sirius Black sat in the rooms that James Potter had given him to hide in, while the manikin did the job of pretending to be him, it was strange to get letter every night from the manikin that gave him detailed updates on what it had done. Though not actually alive the manikins did have the total knowledge and personality of the real person they were duplicated from, it was still strange to read a letter in your own hand writing that you had not written.
While reading one such letter; received on 27/10; he made a very difficult decision. The manikin had overheard a conversation while at the Ministry that could ruin some of the plans to stop Dumbledore and Voldemort. He would now have contact the head of House Black, the Honorable Lord Arcturus Orion Black. He was not certain it would be answered if sent from Sirius Black, so would be sent as coming from Steven Brand. The letter was hard to write but as Steven as he was learning to think of as his name now; he had to think that way; soon Dumbledore would find a way to make the Sirius Black the name of a traitor.
Sirius wrote to the Lord Black that he had information vital to the continued existence of the family, he added copies of the marriage contacts; contracts that were publically available at the Department of Marriages at the Ministry of Magic. To obtain a copy one had to be a solicitor in good standing, as he was now as Steven Brand.
Sirius/Steven sent the letter on the morning of 28/10/1981. Steven Brand was hoping that the Lord Black would wonder why he had done this, sending a letter, and request him to meet Lord Black; he had added in the letter that he was currently using an office in a Gringotts annex office just outside Diagon Alley
HPtCM
Lord Black was surprised that he had a letter from an unknown young lawyer. Lord Black after checking for dangerous magic, even though the letter had made it safely trough the wards protecting the residence. Reading the letter slowly he began to wonder why it was sent until he began reading the marriage contracts for his two nieces; Narcissa and Bellatrix.
In the marriage contract between Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, it forced her into not quite a slave but a less than equal; it was one that would force Narcissa to never confront her husband in anything. If she did not agree with what he said or did all it allowed her was silence on the matter. It also compelled her to ignore any extra-marital affairs. This was not a contact he would have signed for his daughter, he loved Cissy to much to see her forced into becoming a trophy wife for an arrogant, rude, French-upstart.
The contact between Bella and the Lestrange brothers; that was beyond the pale, he would never allowed that as Head of House all marriage contracts had to be approved by him. This contact made Bella a true slave to the brothers, she would have no thoughts other than what they wished her to have she would be a prisoner to the contact. For Bella to be the sexual plaything to two monsters was unacceptable.
Lord Black read where this Steven Brand had an office and set about making arraignments to meet him, not at that office but deep inside Gringotts. Arcturus Black had too many enemies to just show up in a public place, as he had no true heir he if killed would pass the title of Lord Black to the young son of Lucius Malfoy, and was not going to happen.
HPtCM
Steven Brand, a man of the same overall build as Sirius Black but with softer features, deep blue eyes, sandy blonde hair, cut short and well styled was informed that the Lord of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black wished his presence at a meeting inside Gringotts as Master Brand's earliest connivance; meaning just that. Steven smiled and responded to the request by signing the enchanted parchment and with a flash of blue it vanished and then a small metal ball appeared; to the eyes of a trained magical it had to be a Port Key.
Steven gathered the needed papers and other documents that would be needed and placing them into the metal briefcase he picked up the Port Key and in a flash of multi-colored light he vanished. Reappearing in a well equipped conference room deep inside Gringotts he looked and saw the man who as Sirius Black and now as Steven Brand respected as much as he had Charlus Potter. Bowing deeply, "Lord Black, I live to serve."
Lord Black nodded at the younger man as was impressed with his knowledge of the customs of the magical world; he had while waiting for the meeting had the goblins obtain for him the needed background for this interesting young muggle-born wizard. "Mr. Brand you took a great risk in sending me this information, I was lead to believe that marriage contacts between old families were not public knowledge?"
"My Lord, they are not but I was hired by your nephew, one Sirius Black to find information on his standing within your family." Steven's voice had some of Sirius's same tones but was different enough to allow that to not be noticed. "My Lord, I found that Sirius Black is still considered one of your families' members."
Arcturus smiled and nodded, "Yes he's parents wished him to be cast out and acted as if he had been, but only I can cast out members of my family and I did not with him, he was brave enough and sly enough to find a strong alley and friend in the Potters."
"Yes, My Lord. Was it luck or was it just an accident of fate?" Sirius wanted to tell the man sitting before him the truth, well Gryffindor charges ahead, the danger just a part of life. "My Lord I wish to reveal something to you, it was not as a deception but mutual protection." With that Steven allowed the runic-array to show his true self; Sirius Black.
Arcturus Black listened then watched as the only living male of the family he had ever considered worthy to be the heir allowed the magical disguise to fade. "Well Sirius, I expect you had a damn good reason for this, plus to create an identity that fooled me had to be for a damn good? It had better be?" He was not angry just a bit baffled as to why a family member would go to this length to hide the fact of whom he was.
Sirius smiled and nodded, "Uncle, I did this as a means to meet you in a manner that would make you wonder as to why an unknown solicitor would contact you on what is private family business, it worked."
Here was the same slightly arrogant, always annoying boy he knew. "Sirius, please sit and explain to me why the need to hide who you where from me."
Sirius sat down, "Uncle I need to tell you many things, each of them are dangerous to know and could mean your death if they are told to the wrong people, sad to say, that includes most of our own family."
"Sirius, I pledge to you this remains between us for now." The older man under the meaning but not the reason for the obvious fear the younger man was showing. "Tell me and then we will decide on the correct actions to take."
Over the next few hours Sirius, the others were called in to explain the actions they had found that the MoB had planned. The anger that Lord Black was in many ways worse that they had felt, here was proof that the MoB was planning multiple acts of line theft, but what evidence that they had was not enough to destroy or even damage the MoB. In the end Sirius was named the heir to the House of Black.
HPtCM
Lord Black acted with haste and passion he called every member of the family to the residence. He had Sirius there as a new family lawyer Mr. Steven Brand; muggle-born wizard. First called were Sirius's parents.
When Sirius's mother and father arrived, they were informed that he had named Sirius his heir to the House of Black and they would vacate the house in London, taking with them only clothing. The rest of their belongings would be sent after checking for any dangerous and dark magic. He then ordered them to be taken to a very small cottage deep in the marshes of Scotland; ordering them to never leave without his permission. They were informed that he would supply them with one of his own house elves, and the old one they used would now be turned over to him. Kreacher would now be the elf of the Lord of House Black.
Andromeda and her husband and daughter arrived next, "Andy, I hereby reinstate you to the family," turning and looking at her husband, "Theodore, I also welcome you, it is an honor to allow you as part of my family." Arcturus smiled as he looked at the small child in her mother's arms, "this must be Nymphadora."
Nym was a just 19 months old as Andy and Ted had made the decision to wait till both of them had completed school in the non-magical world. She was a natural Metamorphmagus, it once had been an ability that was known to show up in the Black Family every few generations but had not appeared in over 200 yrs, making Nym a witch with a very rare ability.
Nym looked at her uncle and smiled and changed her hair to look like he's before changing it to her favorite color, bubblegum pink.
Arcturus smiled, "This little one will have a hard time, many men will treat her badly," he looked at Ted and Andy, "remember to teach her to never be ashamed of being herself; it will give her the confidence to become a very extraordinary witch."
Ted and Andy smiled. "Uncle, thank you for allowing me back into the family and accepting my husband and daughter." Andy was smiling and fighting tears. "I never wanted to hurt the family but I was not going to marry Lucius Malfoy, the man turns my stomach, he is truly an evil man."
Arcturus motioned Ted to take little Nym and go with a elf to a place where he could care for the child while the blood members of the House of Black would talk; not because he wasn't considered family but he was no one by blood.
Next arriving was Narcissa and her 19 month old son Draco. "Cissy, allow one of my elves to take the boy we have much to talk about and he will be safe and cared for while we are talking." Arcturus was solemn and very polite but the words allowing young Draco to be cared for by an elf was not a request but an order.
Narcissa nodded and allowed one of her uncle's elves take Draco to join Ted and Nym in an area where the two children and the lone adult would be safe and comfortable. "Uncle, can I ask why we are having this meeting?" She was polite as well but her curiosity was very strong as well as a feeling of unease was growing.
"Cissy, please go to the meeting room and wait for me, your sister Andy is there, she is once again a Black." He smiled to himself; he knew now Narcissa would be more than worried, she was now becoming scared of what this could mean.
"Yes Uncle, I hear and I obey the will of my head of House." Cissy was a true Pureblood, she understood tradition and the power the head of a Most Nobel and Most Ancient House had over its members.
Next to arrive was Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange, and his brother Rabastan. Arcturus looked at the two men and simply told them this was a family meeting and as they were not Black's by blood they would either leave peacefully of he would cast them from the residence, and that could be a fatal if he wished it. "You two will leave now this is for Black's by blood not marriage, leave on your own or I shall make you do so.
Both men were about to say something when Arcturus smiled, "This is the will of the Lord of the House of Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," he looked at them and smiled, "need I remind you that your family was nearly broke when you were allowed to marry a daughter of the House of Black, leave now or…."
The brothers looked at Bella, they knew that they had made her a dangerous witch, half sane and with an obsession to serve Voldemort, to leave her here could be a disaster, but they had no choice any resistance and Lord Black could annul the marriage. "Lord Black we hear and shall leave, we only came to show our respect for our Lady's family."
Arcturus handed them a one way Port Key, "Never attempt to enter any Black holding without my permission, I will take action if needed that will see you two dead."
The brothers now knew fear, the Lord Black cold use the wards to kill them where they stood, so understanding that they bowed and took the Port Key, Rodolphus Lestrange looked at Lord Black, "We obey the will of the Lord of the House of Black, we await the safe return of our Lady Bella."
Arcturus laughed, "You two boys should know better to threaten your betters, you and Malfoy are but cheap interlopers and bought your place into our society, you will leave now." With that he ordered the two men ejected from the manor via the Port Key and altered the location of where it would take them, they found themselves falling 25 feet into the cold North Sea, just off the coast of Britain.
"Bella, as head of your House I order you to obey me, you will do so or I will take action, action that you may not live though." He was Lord Black now not her Uncle, he was using the ancient and deep magic that existed within families, and more-so in old houses like the Blacks.
Bella felt the deep magic taking hold of her, it was older and more powerful than the bond, not the slave bond she had been ordered to take by her husband. "I shall do as I am bit, My Lord Black." Deep inside herself she was hoping beyond hope that her uncle would free her from her husband and his brother, both men more evil than most, but nowhere as evil as Voldemort.
"Come Bella." Lord Black motioned her to follow him; soon the two of them entered a small but comfortable room, where she saw her two sisters, both younger than her. Andy was two years younger having been born in 1957 and Narcissa being born a year later in 1958.
Lord Black motioned them all to take a seat, he then looked at each of them, and "As Lord of the House of Black, this meeting will only be shared by those of the blood, unless I give leave for you to do so." He looked at each of them, and in turn each acknowledged that they would obey.
Ringing a small bell, the last member of the meeting entered, Sirius Black. "I wish you to acknowledge the heir to this house, Sirius Black; if anything happens to me he will speak as the Lord of this House."
Sirius nodded and sat down at the right hand of the head of House Black. He turned and looked at Andy, "Andy, I see that Uncle has returned you to the family, you may have been Slytherin but your actions where that of a Gryffindor, I am very proud of you."
Andromeda smiled, "Sirius, the hat wanted to place me in either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor but I knew I was safer in Slytherin."
Sirius nodded, "True, sad to say," smiling, "I do hope you and Theodore are happy?"
Andy smiled, "We are, and Nym is a treasure. I do not regret my actions; it has given me a wonderful loving husband and a beautiful and unique child to love and care for."
Sirius looked at Arcturus, "Uncle it would be best if you spoke to Cissy and Bella, as at this moment I would not, no, could not be civil to them." Sirius hated each of the two sister's husbands and had hoped that one day he'd be in a fight with them and maybe end their useless lives.
Lord Black nodded, "I agree," he looked at Narcissa, "I do not wish it but I must do this," looking at Narcissa and Bellatrix, "As your head of house you will answer my question with total and complete truth. I so command this hear and obey the will of your Lord."
A glow of blue-white light surrounded the two and would compel them to answer any question asked truthfully. "I did not want to do that but I must in order to know if you're worth saving."
Cissy was scared, she hated Lucius, hated him from the moment she had wed him, the contract did not allow her to say it, or act in any way other than what her husband wished.
Bella was not scared she was happy deep within herself, she might yet be free of the monsters Lestrange and the greater one of Voldemort. "I hear and must obey, My Lord."
"Cissy, are you happy with your husband?" This was the only question in the mind of Lord Black that had any meaning in concern toward Narcissa.
Cissy's eyes filled with tears, "No My Lord, I am not the man is worse than the filthiest animal in the world, he is cruel and loves nothing and no one, all he loves is power and will do anything to get it." Just the telling of that made her feel better, the man she had been forced to wed was evil and she had wished many times she could have ended the monsters life. "No I am not happy."
Lord Black took a small parchment and smiled, "Narcissa Malfoy with this signature you are free from that man, and your son is as well." He signed the parchment and it glowed blue-white before fading away. "The goblins at Gringotts will post this tomorrow; it frees you from Lucius and forces the recovery of your dowry and with penalties that show a broken contact of Marriage as allowed under the ancient laws of the land."
Cissy allowed herself to weep, she and Draco where free of Lucius Malfoy, free to be whatever they could make of themselves. "Uncle." her voice full of sadness as well as happiness, "I thank you, and this is more than I ever hoped for."
Lord Black looked at her, "You shall be taken to a safe place that that will be known only to me and Sirius as my heir, you and your son shall want for nothing." Arcturus Black stood and walked over to her and helped her to her feet, "go find your son and allow one of my elves to take you to the safe house, I will send them to gather your things and bring them to you there."
Cissy stood and hugged her Uncle, "Uncle, My Lord, Thank you." She was free the contract broken the girl she was now freed form a living hell, she had not hated muggle born or half-bloods, all she had disliked was the way they acted, but now she knew why they did act as they had, they were strangers in a strange land. Cissy left and quickly found her child sleeping and soon the two of them were safely hidden from Lucius Malfoy and anyone else that may have wished them harm.
Lord Black still standing, "Bellatrix, show me your left arm!" The order was not spoken loudly but it was given with pure hatred, knowing he would see one of his own branded like an animal.
Bella did as told and there it was the 'Dark Mark', like a brand a farmer would use on livestock. "My Lord, as I was unable to resist the order of my husband I willing took this," her voice was even and soft, "I would wish to be dead for what I had to do to be given this evil thing."
Arcturus looked at Sirius, "The goblins can remove it?"
"Yes, the thing is that she will die," Sirius wanted her freed from Voldemort it would weaken him as well as also in a perverse way it would also weaken Dumbledore's hold on the nation and its people. "I have a Portkey and it will notify them we might be bringing her to be treated." Looking at Bella, "Uncle can once again make you part of the family, he can or I can and will, you were forced into this by men more cunning and evil than you could have ever known."
"Bella Black, I free you from the marriage that I was tricked into agreeing to, you are now and will be again a Black." He moves to her and holds her in arms filled with love and forgiveness, "Go with Sirius and when it is done you will be returned here, so we can send you also to join Cissy and Draco."
Sirius held out a hand to her and with a tap of a wand on a Gringotts Portkey they disappeared,
Lord Black looked at Andy, "I want you, Ted and Nym to go to where I have sent Cissy, at least for now." He was happy he was freeing his family and himself from years and years of darkness, the Blacks might never be considered a Light family, but he was certain they would not be Dark any longer.
Soon after talking with Ted, they agreed and were soon with Narcissa, safe from the dangers of the followers of Voldemort and also the misguided ones of Dumbledore.
Soon the deed was done and Bellatrix Black was dead, soon the magical world would know her as Isabella Regina Black, a long lost child of the Black family, as she would be adopted as the sister of Narcissa Black.
Returning to the residence of the Lord Black, the world soon heard of the betrayal and death of the Potters, and the news that a child, Harold "Harry" James Potter had survived the killing curse, and had vanquished the Dark Lord Voldemort. Andy, Ted, Narcissa, Isabella and Arcturus also knew that Sirius was innocent as he had been with them all night.
Sirius told them he also would be going into hiding and reveled to them the identity of Steven Brand. This would help all of them as each of them would be hiding inside the non-magical world.
HPtCM
A/N: I hope this is as well received as the other chapters. I will start next time using small time jumps, in each I will try to explain what happens to the characters of the story.
I did alter the ages of the three sisters as well as Ted and Nym. I feel to allow me to utilize them better I needed to alter that aspect.
I will work to explain the lives of Remus, Petunia and the others by the use of the time jumps.
Please read and review, I try to ignore flames. I do not allow them to make me angry, some flames actually have helped with the telling of this story.
TheRavenIs
22/6/2016
1840 EDT
