Author's Note: Here is the first chapter. Thank you to all the readers. Leave a review and let me know your ideas and thoughts too.
I don't own Harry Potter.
Good day to all!
CHAPTER 1
BLACK FAMILY CHATEAU, FRANCE
Cassiopeia and Elara sat in the living room of Chateau Salon. The lounge was a large lovely room with cream coloured walls, black and white marble inlay, gleaming white marble flooring and large windows. The room was decorated with burgundy sofas with matching black and white coffee and side tables.
"Mable, we will need tea with some light snacks," Cassiopeia ordered and watched as the house elf quickly got to work.
The visit to Gringotts had taken them longer as anticipated. Cassiopeia couldn't believe that Sirius had been so ignorant; he basically had let Dumbledore treat him like a puppet and manipulate him. She knew Sirius's mother, Walburga had lost all hope when the boy had been sorted into Gryffindor, but to blindly follow the leader of the light to the point where it eventually led to his death was concerning.
There was a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Elara's worried face. "You should take some rest, grandma. It's been a tiring day."
"No, no. I'm all right sweetheart. Just the actions of our family members have been embarrassing enough to destroy the Black's reputation."
"Very well. But when all the work is done you are going straight to your room and get rest." Elara said sternly. At that moment Cassiopeia noted how much the girl resembled her father.
"Okay. Since you want to move to Grimmauld Place, we need to make sure it's in the right condition to be inhabited." Cassiopeia said in a dry tone. At this Elara chuckled heartily. "Your dry humour never ceases to amaze me, grandma." Cassiopeia shook the head at her antics.
"Yeah well, let's get started now, Kreacher."
With a pop sound, a very old and lanky looking house-elf in poor clothing and condition made his presence aware. The house-elf looked at Cassiopeia with wide eyes.
"Mistress Cassiopeia is alive. Mistress calls for Kreacher." With that, the old elf burst into tears but soon regained his composure. Kreacher has had a nice relationship with Cassiopeia. The old woman treated everyone with respect and had doted on Kreacher's former master Regulus.
"Hello, Kreacher. How are you?"
"Oh, mistress is always so kind to poor Kreacher! I'm well mistress now that you have returned." Kreacher spoke in a vice full of respect for the old witch.
"Kreacher I would like you to meet someone." With that, she gestured towards Elara. Elara smiled fondly and nodded her head in greeting. "Surely you remember Kreacher your young mistress Elara." After listening Kreacher threw himself at Elara's leg and sobbed. "My young mistress has returned. Kreacher is so happy. Young mistress will bring back family honour." Elara patted her hand on his head.
" Yes, Kreacher. We will bring back glory to our house. House of Black will rise again. But please refrain yourself from getting emotional now. We need to ask you something important."
"Of course mistress. But first Kreacher requests you to bind Kreacher to yourself and give an order." Elara narrowed her eyes at his statement. " Why do you say that Kreacher?" The house elf grumbled under his breath.
"When the old headmaster was in a meeting one day, Kreacher heard the blood traitor master Sirius talking to the wolf that if he dies then all the wealth of Noble Black family, all properties and Kreacher to be left for the ungrateful half-blood child who defeated the Dark Lord."
"What meeting?"
"The meeting of The Order of the Phoenix. Blood traitor master used our home for all meetings. The blood traitor redheads came to live last summer."
Cassiopeia pursed her lips as her frown deepened. Sirius had left everything for the Potter boy. Potter's were a known light family, not to mention the Potter boy was under Dumbledore's thumb. The thought of Black family secrets in the hands of Dumbledore made her gaze darken. Not to mention the Weasley's living in their manor though they had a place for themselves. How Elara was pissed! She knew that Sirius was a reckless Gryffindor but he clearly had kept the hate for Walburga close to his heart. Trying to keep her frustration in control Elara glance at the house elf and said, "Very well then. Please stand in front and hold my hand Kreacher."
Elara took Kreacher's left hand in her own left one- "I, Lady Elara Azalea Black do bind the house elf Kreacher to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black and my extension myself. As I have declared, so mote it be." With that, a thread of white light appeared and dissolved in their entwined hands. A clean towel with Black family crest now covered the elf's body instead of tattered clothing. Also, the elf looked soberer than before. Elara wondered why Sirius hadn't performed the binding ceremony himself. Cassiopeia broke the short silence
"Kreacher, we want to know everything that happened after we left. What happened to Regulus?" At the mention of his former master Kreacher's eyes got teary again, Elara too was listening with rapt attention.
"Oh, master Regulus was broken, mistress. He did not talk to anyone and kept himself locked in his room. He did not come for dinner with mistress Walburga too. Mistress Walburga was furious and she punished him every day. Kreacher remembers he had to heal master's injuries every night. He always got nasty cuts and bruises, sometimes nasty cruciatus curse also. But master Regulus never said anything. It was like master Regulus was not living." By now tears freely flowed down the elf's face as he recalled the torturous days Regulus went through. Cassiopeia was furiously wiping away her tears while trying to not lose her control. Walburga was not in her right mind but she didn't have the nerve to lift a finger on Regulus or Cassiopeia would have ripped her off to shreds. Clearly, the old woman had taken Cassiopeia's absence as a ticket to torture her own son for the sake of pleasure.
Elara on the other hand, swallowed the lump in her throat thickly while trying to control her tears. She placed a hand on Kreacher's shoulder and nodded so that he could continue.
"Then one day the Dark Lord ordered master Regulus' presence with Kreacher. With master's permission, Kreacher volunteered to assist the Dark Lord to a cave. As soon as Kreacher landed there, he could sense very dark magic. The Dark Lord then forced Kreacher to drink a basin of burning potion. It was very nasty and Kreacher thought that he would die. The Dark Lord left Kreacher there, but Kreacher escaped and told master Regulus everything.
Master Regulus told Kreacher to take him to that cave but return back home. When master Regulus came back he was disturbed in his mind. He was not his usual self. He was very afraid of something. But before master Regulus died he gave Kreacher a gold locket and practically begged to destroy it anyway because it was dangerous. But the magic on the locket was too dark and powerful and could not destroy it. So Kreacher kept it safe in master's study.
Kreacher also remembers that master Regulus made a fake gold locket to replace it. Kreacher wanted to go with the master to the cave but was ordered not to. Then master never came back."
Elara was stunned, "Is the locket still safe, Kreacher?" she asked worriedly. The elf nodded in agreement. "I want you to fetch that locket and bring it immediately. With a pop, Kreacher went away and seconds later was back with a locket of heavy gold having serpentine S in a glittering green inlay in the front. Elara, however, frowned as soon as the locket touched her hand; something was very wrong with it. Very, very dark magic seemed to be embedded in it. Cassiopeia was silent during the whole ordeal but before she could ask anything Elara spoke up, "Grandmother, I need to research on this locket. It's heavily drowned in some of the foulest magic. Kreacher take me to master Regulus' study. He must have had some information on what it is." Cassiopeia nodded her head knowing it was futile to argue with her. Elara always did what she thought was necessary, at any cost. With a pop, Elara and Kreacher disappeared and Cassiopeia retired to her chambers for a much-needed rest.
12 GRIMMAULD PLACE, LONDON
Elara appeared with Kreacher in a very dusty study. Parchments, scrolls, quills, inkpot all lay haphazardly on the desk. There was a board on one of the walls covered in Daily Prophet clippings and other important information. She started looking around the study table first and then each and every bookshelf but found nothing.
"Master Regulus kept important stuff in his hidden place, mistress. Kreacher will help you." And then Kreacher turned towards the very end of the bookshelf and within seconds appeared a hidden locker. "Master Regulus told Kreacher about this before leaving. The gold locket was kept here."
"Thank you, Kreacher."
In the small locker, she found Regulus' personal journal and a copy of a book-'Secrets of the Darkest Arts'
Flipping through pages after pages she finally found what she wanted to know. It wasn't difficult to piece two and two together. "Kreacher take us back to Black Chateau." They disappeared from the study.
BLACK FAMILY CHATEAU, FRANCE
Cassiopeia was waiting for Elara to come back when seconds later she saw her granddaughter absolutely exhausted and tensed.
"What happened, darling? What did you find out?"
"It is worse than I thought. Grandmother, do you know what is a Horcrux?" At her question, Cassiopeia nodded her head in disagreement.
"A Horcrux is an object in which one conceals a part of their soul."
"Conceals a part of their soul? I'm afraid I'm not catching it." Elara sighed and explained. "Breaking your soul and keeping the part hidden in an object; a way to gain immortality." At this all colour drained from the older witch's face, "You mean to say that Salazar Slytherin's Locket is Lord Voldemort's Horcrux?" Elara nodded her head.
The silence was thick. Elara finally said, " I think a family meeting is in order. The upcoming war is not going to be easy on anyone."
"You are right, dear. We will schedule it for the day after tomorrow. I'll take care of the submissive to be sent." Cassiopeia said and left the room.
"Kreacher."
"Yes, mistress."
" We will move in Grimmauld Place three days from now. Please make sure it is in proper condition. Ask two more elves to help you."
"As mistress says. Kreacher will make the home ready for you."
"Also Kreacher tell no one about this locket. Not even others from the family. It has to be secret between the three of us."
"Kreacher will not speak a word about the gold locket."
"Thank you. You may go now. Please take some rest, have a good meal and start with your work tomorrow." The elf bowed and disappeared with a pop.
Elara sighed heavily while rubbing her hands on her face. The day had been very hectic. She glanced at the locket one more time. She will make sure the locket id destroyed. She will make sure Regulus did not die in vain. She will make sure her father did not die in vain.
Author's Note: How will Harry react when he finds about the Black lordship claiming? How will Dumbledore react to the same? And what will be views of Black family members on the meeting?
Let me know if you liked the chapter. Reviews are love!