The Fall of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black

In 1723 Betelgeuse Black was murdered by an assassin, rumored to be hired by a rival house. No suspects were ever brought to trial and with no surviving male heirs, the House of Black fell. It was to be torn apart, properties, vaults, even the ladies of the house were to be separated amongst the other Noble and Ancient Houses of the time; Slytherin, Moran, and Fawcett. The ladies of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black disagreed that their house was in ruins.

The Black born witches refused to give up their family magic, some even magically renounced their husbands and children of their husband's families. While technically the last coven was destroyed in 1456 then outlawed amongst the old families, the Black witches banded together to reclaim the blood of their house.

Together, five witches stood behind their chosen heiress, only living child of Betelgeuse Black, Ursa Black (after renouncing her marriage to House Shafiq), to complete the blood ritual now known as Nigridonum Ortum. In effect, any witch or wizard with a Black parent or grandparent would be compelled to accept Black family magic. At the time, blood magic was in its prime, there were many casualties of witches and wizards found guilty of attempting to steal or replicate the magic of House Black. A new family structure was built from the ashes, the house grew and flourished until November of 1981. Currently, Black holdings are still in a state of limbo after the heir to the house was imprisoned, the confusion stemming from the suspected death of the younger son in the summer of 1980. (Regulus Black, born third of April1961, body never recovered)

The Wizengamot(est. 1707), still in its infancy, was powerless to over turn the rituals effects as magic herself blessed The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black with rebirth.

-0-

"Wake up!" Maia's eyes snapped open as a gruff voice shouted and large hands violently shook her from the darkness. Her head was clear for the first time in days and her stomach lurched before she rolled to her side and emptied its contents on the carpeted floor. Blearily she looked around when all of the bile was cleared from her throat. An elderly man, she recognized as Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, scowled down at her from her place on the small camp bed. Trying to sit up, she found her leg shackled to the metal frame, with a subtle glance, she realized she wasn't anywhere she recognized. The room was practically bare but clean, with only the lone camp bed and a table with an oil lamp to illuminate the depressing room.

"Alastor! We agreed to talk to her together, you won't get your answers by bullying her or poring potions down her throat." A stern woman at the doorway snapped. Maia turned to see the former transfiguration professor, Minerva McGonagall, glaring angrily at the famed disfigured auror. The way he kept an eye on her while the other magical eye whirled around to settle on the new comer made Maia shudder with disgust.

"Where am I?" Maia croaked, her throat dry and burned from her bout of nausea. Looking down she saw she was wearing only a pair of short cotton shorts and a Gryffindor jersey.

"You're safe, for now." Moody said gruffly as he settled his magical eye on her, it whirled as it seemed to analyze her. Minerva moved swiftly into the room to stand beside the man with a wooden leg. Without needing to be asked she conjured a fine crystal goblet and with another flick of her wand filled it with cool water.

"Here, I understand you've been under the influence of some interesting spell work. Do you remember who cast the glamours and the imperius?" Minerva asked gently, looking up she still had a cold, stern look about her. Maia shrugged, greedily drinking down the entire contents of the goblet. Once it was empty she stared down at the crystal in horror.

"We're not here ta poison ya, silly bint." Moody said gruffly as he took the goblet from her loose grip. "Where you and Potter been?"

"You expect me to answer your questions even if you refuse to even tell me where I am?" Maia scoffed, feeling only slightly better after the refreshing drink.

"You don't have a choice here, girly!" Moody snarled as he waved his wand to conjure a set of comfortable chair for the himself and Minerva.

"You kidnapped me! Cast an unforgivable on me to..." Maia choked, flashes of her time on the island, Potter's hopeful glances, the Weasley man kissing her, fighting to reclaim her mind...a baby. "Where's Teddy?"

"He's safe with his grandmother." Minerva said primly, cutting off Moody's retort.

"Show me and I'll tell you all about how sick your little savior really is." Maia said haughtily, ignoring the way both of her captors stiffened at the insinuation. She was fortunate, she supposed since Potter didn't force himself on her but she vividly remembered his not so subtle touches. A shiver of disgust wracked her body as she thought of how close he constantly placed himself in their time alone, the pathetic pleading glances.

"You're-" Moody started but Minerva's hand on his forearm made him shut mouth with a snap.

"No harm, she's unarmed. She's only concerned about the welfare of the bairn." Minerva said firmly with an approving smile. As if perhaps she thought Maia could be one of them because she was concerned about a child. She smothered the urge to laugh, thinking of Bellatrix and her dollies. Instead, Maia only sneered at the woman as she was released from her shackle. When she moved to stand, careful to avoid her pile of sick, she felt a wand poking her in the stomach.

"She somehow managed to free her little friend, bring her cohorts down on our headquarters, and reveal Remus's home." Moody growled, keeping both of his eyes on Maia as she sneered derisively. "She's not the dainty little pureblood wife we thought."

"You're the one who brought me into your henhouse." Maia snapped, looking between the two. Minerva quickly looked away, avoiding her accusing glare while Moody just scoffed.

"Well, let's go!" Moody snapped, keeping his wand on her stomach. Minerva lead them from the room into a larger sitting room. It was very clean and cozy, pictures of smiling wizards and witches covered the walls while a large black picture box blared about MONSTER MATTRESS SALES! If the bright flashing letters were an indication. Morning light flooded flooded the small room through the windows, letting Maia know she had been unconscious at least through the night.

"What are you doing?" A rough feminine voice demanded from one of the room's doorway.

"Mummy?" Maia's eyes widened as she took in what she first thought was her beloved Bella. She looked too old, too worn, her grey eyes too dull to possibly be the woman she came to love as a mother. Even after years imprisoned, Bellatrix was still beautiful.

"What?" The woman demanded but fell into a hacking cough, bringing a paper tissue to cover her mouth quickly.

"Who are you?" Maia demanded, not taking her eyes of the elderly woman's fragile form.

"Gran!" Teddy Lupin hopped of the couch to run to the woman who was doubled over as she coughed.

"Teddy! Go into the bedroom, don't come out unless I tell you." The woman rasped, messaging her throat. The three year old only turned to look at the other occupants in the room, his face broke into a bright smile as his eyes landed on Maia.

"Miney!" Teddy shouted happily before he rushed forward to hug her legs with his chubby arms.

"Hello." Maia breathed softly as she bent down to pick up the small child. He immediately wrapped his small arms around her neck and laughed happily as looked at her closely.

"Funny!" Teddy exclaimed, scrunching up his face in concentration, turning his hair to mimic the same raven curls as Maia's. She smirked as he blinked, copying her bright silver orbs.

"Such a talented boy!" Maia whispered with a warm smile as she held him close, turning to look suspiciously at the order members. Her eyes rested on Teddy's grandmother, who could only be Andromeda Tonks, née black. The third Black sister who abandoned her family to marry a muggle. Narcissa was brief when she spoke of her wayward oldest sister, still too painful to speak of the abandonment. Bellatrix and Narcissa always made one thing clear of being a Black, one never abandons family. "So, you must be the famous 'Meda!"

"Teddy!" The Bellatrix look-a-like stumbled forward to snatch the toddler from Maia's arms. She moved to relinquish her hold but Teddy was not amused and immediately shrieked as if burned as he only clung to the curly haired witch tighter. Andromeda struggled for a moment before roughly dragging the screaming child from Maia's arms.

"As if I would harm a child." Maia sneered, her heart clenching painfully as she looked at Teddy's miserable face. The toddler squirmed and shrieked, trying to get out of his Grandmother's hold.

"As you can see Teddy is just fine! Now how about you tell us about where you've been the last four days?" Moody grunted, putting himself between Maia and Andromeda.

"Potter took me to some island. Everything is very fuzzy still..." Maia trailed off looking at the screaming child in Andromeda's arms. They moved to sit in the den, Minerva moved to turn the moving picture box off, making Teddy scream louder. The wayward Black sister sighed as she held Teddy tightly on her lap, making soft cooing sounds to try and settle him.

"Where did you hear that name?" Andromeda demanded, cutting off before he could open his mouth.

"Don't recognize family? I suppose you wouldn't know the meaning of the word." Maia snapped harshly, fighting the urge to grab the screaming child away from the gobsmacked woman.

"Let's get-" Moody snarled but Minerva touched his shoulder to silence him before she took her place beside Andromeda. Maia internally rolled her eyes, just because her husband tried to keep the war and violence outside their home it didn't mean she did not read or listen to Bellatrix when she would rant about interrogation techniques.

"Family? So, I suppose your a Black? Why haven't I ever heard of you?" Andromeda gasped in a ragged voice, Minerva passed her a wrapped hard candy which she accepted gratefully.

"Perhaps because you abandoned your family?" Maia sneered as she relaxed back in her chair.

"Ha! Family! They disowned me!" Andromeda shrieked, startling the child in her arms once more, Minerva grabbed the stuffed dragon from the table and handed it over to the screaming child.

"Did they disown you before or after you ran out without a word to even your sisters?" Maia snapped, her lip curling in disgust as the woman looked like she'd been slapped. "Oh, I've talked to Cissie and Trixie about you. They found a way for you to have your darling muggle. Edward was it? Heard he didn't make it a year after the ministry fell."

"You don't talk about him! You have n-" Andromeda snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Maia, tears filling her eyes.

"I have no right? I'm a Black! You left your family! Then proceeded to ignore them as if they meant nothing!" Maia exclaimed, her bright eyes flashing in irritation. "You dare tell me what I have the right to speak of when your people organized an attack on your house!"

"Who are you?" Andromeda demanded after a tense moment of silence.

"Didn't even know you baby cousin became a father?" Maia asked mockingly, a sickly sweet smile twisting on her face, making her resemblance to Bellatrix increase tenfold.

"Sirius?" Andromeda gasped, her eyes wide in shock.

"Oh, I'm sure he has plenty of little bastards running around. I suppose my dearly departed uncle wasn't one for family either." Maia snorted derisively at their stunned faces.

"Reggie?" Andromeda whispered, tears filling her already bloodshot eyes.

"Oh yes, my father made sure that I was kept safe after your little roost killed him." Maia sniffed haughtily, her shoulders tense as she clenched her fists tightly in her lap.

"Reggie never married, never had a child." Andromeda gasped, shaking her head in denial.

"Oh, he was quite happy with his wife, you know one of the best spies we ever had." Maia smirked as the order members appeared to be hanging on her every word. "Amazing woman, Marlene McKinnon...well, Black."

"Nonsense!" Moody snapped, finding his voice first. He personally trained her into the corps before she became a hit witch.

"She was five years his senior!" Andromeda hissed, completely scandalized.

"They were matched from the time they were babes." Maia scoffed, rolling her eyes as she examined her cuticles with interest.

"I don't believe you." Andromeda hissed, idly running her fingers through Teddy's black curls.

"This is a nice family reunion and all but let's get back to what's important. Why haven't we ever heard of this island?" Moody demanded.

"Well, I don't know. I'm not an order member so how am I suppose to know about Potter's little shag island? All I know is he had enough ladies clothes to make me wonder about more than his sanity. Not that I think there's anything wrong with it but I would think he's totally bent if his one command wasn't for me to..." Maia trailed off, her breath catching in her throat as tears filled her eyes. The women looked at her with pity while Moody eyed her with suspicion. Teddy didn't seem to like his new friend upset because he wailed even louder and jerkily reached out to her.

"He what?" Moody growled, his wand slowly lowering. Maia chewed her lip, looking between the order members and the crying child nervously. They were still disoriented learning about her parentage.

"He..he.." Maia choked, bringing a hand to her mouth to dramatically sniffle before she moved forward and snatched Teddy from Andromeda's lap. Moody's wand was up and trained on her almost immediately but he paused as the child seemed to calm in her arms and bury his face in her curls.

"Stop!" Andromeda shouted as she lunged forward to reclaim her grandson, a hacking cough erupted from her. Minerva was quick to wrap a supportive arm around the woman's shoulders before she fell from the couch. Moody handed her a box of tissues as her entire frame shook with coughs but his eyes stayed on Maia, her arms protectively wrapped around Teddy.

"I'm going to clean myself up." Maia whimpered, holding the child close as she moved towards the washroom. Moody rushed to stop her but Minerva shook her head, looking sympathetically at their pregnant captive. Maia quickly moved into the washroom, shaking her head.

"You want to help me Teddy? You have to be a big strong wizard and be very quiet, okay?" At his hesitant nod, Maia smirked, all traces of sadness gone from her eyes. Determination and rage made her bright eyes sparkle as she placed the toddler on the sink. She quickly snatched the razor from the small table and cut her palm, letting her blood pool before she started to make the familiar runes along the door.

"Miney?" Teddy asked curiously, sniffling as he watched his new friend work diligently.

"Yes, Teddy?" Maia asked absently as she moved to her hand over the top of the doorframe to seal her runes.

"Whatcha do? Owwie?" Teddy pointed to her injured hand, a concerned frown on his cherub face. Maia couldn't resist but take his face in her bloody hands and kiss his nose, making him giggle happily. Obviously, she wasn't hurt if she gave him kisses, oblivious to the blood smeared on his chubby cheeks.

"We're going home, Teddy!" Maia whispered happily, casting a quickly glance at the door as there was a flare of light. A bright smile bloomed on her face as she looked in the mirror, she was too pale, had purple bags, and her normally wild shiny hair was lank. "Voldemort."

"Oooo! You say bad werd!" Teddy covered his mouth with both of his hands and his grey eyes widened comically. Maia just smiled as the sounds of apparition and the front door being blown open echoing through the cottage.

"They never learn, Teddy!" Maia snickered as she tickled his stomach. The toddler was completely oblivious to the sounds of breaking furniture and spell fire raging on the other side of the door. His entire focus on the woman in front of him making silly faces as she used a warm cloth to wipe the snot and blood from his face.

"Miney!" Teddy squirmed, trying to push the cloth from his face.

"Say Maia!" She giggled as something hard and heavy was slammed against the washroom door, making the child jump.

"Gran?" Teddy looked to the door with wide eyes, Maia was quick to squeeze his nose and finish cleaning him up while he was distracted.

"Gran is going to take a nice long nap, since she's been so sick." Maia said with a bright smile as she opened her arms as an offer to hold him. Teddy didn't hesitate as he leapt from the counter, wrapping himself around Maia's lithe frame. "We're going to meet your Aunties and your cousin Draco!"

"Dayco?" Teddy turned his face up to look at Maia curiously, she just smiled warmly, waiting for the silence she knew would come. Unless Scabior was completely useless and couldn't handle three old witches and a wizard. They seemed quite able when they took down the last safe house.

"Yes, Draco and I'm Maia. Can you say Maia?" She used the tip of her finger to tap his button nose, making Teddy shake his head.

"Miney!" Teddy demanded, nodding his head eagerly.

"I think it's safe..." Maia whispered after a moment of silence, she used the wet cloth to wipe the blood from the top of the doorframe. There was a much duller flicker of light, letting her know that her runes were no longer active before she opened the door.

"Miney?" Teddy whispered, his eyes wide with distress as he took in the wreckage of the den. The moving picture box was sparking, the glass shattered with blood running down the front. The cream sofa was upside down on the other side of the room and broken picture frames littered the floor. Scabior sat comfortably on top of Moody's prone figure, yanking at his magical eye, his snatchers were busy either securing the witches or moving to search for more order members.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Maia said sweetly as she stepped fully into the room, at least ten wands were immediately pointed at her and she only raised a brow, staring pointedly at their leader. They looked confused as a bright smile lit up her face and she snatched a simple silver necklace from the floor. Scabior's head snapped up and his mouth dropped open in surprise. He blinked slowly, sure he was just imagining seeing the missing Mrs. Malfoy in front of him. The same Mrs. Malfoy he was sure was actually a dead mudblood only the day before, wearing the same wrinkled Gryffindor jersey and short cotton pants.

"Fuck..." Scabior breathed as he closed his eyes, he accused Bellatrix of being a liar and let Mrs. Malfoy slip through his fingers.

-0-0-0-

I'm kinda stuck on the last flashback sequence...any ideas?