Mo Chridhe

Chapter 17

Ravenscroft court

Black Manor

Black Estate

Wiltshire

England

4.10.1991

Heir Harry James Potter

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Scottish Highlands

Scotland

Dear Heir Potter

My name is Lord Arcturus Sirius Black III, and I have a lot of important knowledge to impart upon you. You will have to forgive my being so forward, I find it rather distasteful, and wouldn't write this if it were not imperative. I must confess, I would much rather prefer to reveal this to you in person. However, I do not believe it would be prudent to do so. Albeit if we could even manage to meet up, I do believe that your magical guardian would put a stop to it. Albus Dumbledore has never been trusting of the Black family, our reputation makes many wary and distrusting of us. With one obvious exception, your godfather, Sirius Black, my grandson. I'll get back to him later. Please read on despite your no doubt fury over the mere mention of him.

No doubt you've been living under the impression that your grandparents are Fleamont and Euphemia Potter. I am sorry to say this is untrue. The truth of the matter is, I may be the only one alive that knows the truth now. I cannot say if your father knew, or if it was written down in the family grimoire. Or if the family grimoire has even survived, it was reported that much was destroyed in the cottage of Godric's hollow. Which is where your parents were living when the tragic attack happened.

James wasn't born of Fleamont and Euphemia, he was born of Dorea and Charlus Potter. It was a love match unlike any others, for they soul bonded to one another. Their love for each other had them choosing a bond that would see that neither lived should the other pass away. Neither lived to hold their much loved and desired child, it was fortuitous that they were cautious enough to make preparations should anything happen. At the time there were plenty of Black heirs, but not a single Potter child to be crowned heir. Fleamont and Euphemia (Fondly called Mont and Mia to friends) were unable to have children of their own, and thus James would have always been the Potter heir. The pair distanced themselves from everyone, and I only ever saw my nephew from a distance.

I understand their reticence, I do. However, their attempts to keep my nephew away from his family were for naught. My grandson, Sirius and James became fast friends when they met for the first time on the way to Hogwarts. In fact, Sirius went so far as to say he felt like family. It became clear that they hadn't told him anything, my biggest regret is saying nothing myself. Perhaps I could have allowed a different fate for your parents, had I confessed all. Perhaps my nephew may have come to me and we could have protected him.

I would love to get to know you, and tell you everything about my beloved sister, your grandmother. The years haven't been kind to me, or any member of the Black family, which is most unfortunate. I am unsure of how many years I have left before I join my beloved Melania. I would also like to see if you would be a good fit to become heir Black since there's only myself, you and Sirius left.

I promised to get back to Sirius Black, as you've no doubt read in the newspaper it has been revealed that he had no trial. I was deceived by my lawyer, how I still cannot fathom, I was led to believe my grandson had received a trial and that he was guilty on all accounts. For the past decade I've lived with the knowledge that my grandson betrayed my nephew. Or so I thought. My grandchildren's generations were an immense disappointment to me, with betrayal and treason intwined with most of them leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Vance most assuredly regretted his life choices.

I will do everything in my power to ensure my grandson is given a fair trial. No force on this earth will stop me gaining retribution. The Ministry is going to tremble before the might of the Black family for their actions. It's believed that Sirius didn't betray your parents but is guilty of what happened after from what I am led to understand. Something I oversaw makes me believe that Sirius not guilty of anything that happened that Samhain or the days after including what happened to Peter Pettigrew and the muggles.

Marcus shifted to the third page, the thick parchment making it easy. It was during this time that Harry couldn't keep silent. There was a reason the parchment was thick; it allowed the harness of the runes and spells that Arcturus had evidently applied to the parchment. Runes and spells that would prevent people from reading it or parroting what they heard and telling anyone else.

"What do you think he means by oversaw?" Harry asked perplexed, anxiety building up within him, all those words he just didn't know made everything more stressful than it ought to be. "And didn't I hear your friend mention the Vance family?"

Severus' gaze went from listening intently to narrowed in on both of them, "Explain," his tone clipped and almost angry sounding, but all Harry got was burgeoning worry. It perhaps enabled Harry to see past the masks Severus had up around him to see the real wizard beneath.

Marcus gave a twisted vindictive grin, "The Vance family paid the ultimate price for betraying a Black." He said coolly, "The Vance family will be in tomorrow's newspaper, morning edition. The entire family have been killed in a home invasion." he loved having information nobody else had, and due to the spells imbued he wouldn't be able to tell anyone, even if he knew they'd keep quiet.

"I can only presume due to the wording that he found information through someone's memories. Oversaw, yes, the wording could fit, and it could well have been Vance himself he saw information from. Emmeline Vance was a staunch supporter of Dumbledore and saw to it the family allegiance shifted to the light from neutral which it had been for several generations. Lord Vance was a lawyer, if I recall correctly, he did some wills for a few of the Order members." Severus' lips curled just recalling how easy it was for Dumbledore to convince them to leave money to the Order so they may 'continue to fight the good fight'.

"He murdered them?" Harry asked, staring between them, they seemed staunchly satisfied, wasn't that wrong? Even if a niggling thought pinged within him, how much easier his life would be if someone had murdered the Dursley's. Some of the things they say were definitely worth of being so. It was an honest miracle that Harry hadn't ended up just as prejudice as the Dursley's were.

"Some families, Harry, prefer to get their own retribution," Severus explained somberly, his heart panging at the look of anxiety on Harry's young face. He was so understanding on a lot of things he shouldn't be at eleven…but still so innocent in others. "Some would say that it was a mercy, our prison, it's not for the faint hearted. There are creatures that patrol the island every minute of every day, that make you relieve your worst nightmares, drain you of all emotion leaving you a broken shell of a person. Nobody comes out of that prison undamaged."

"The Dementors," Marcus revealed, he was pretty sure they'd already been mentioned in passing.

"Truth be known, I would much rather die swiftly than spend the rest of my life within the confines of that prison." Severus added, his tone sincere and grim. They shouldn't be discussing this with the eleven-year-old. He should be able to retain some form of innocence in this world he had joined. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure Harry had much of any innocence left, he must be prepared for anything and everything. It was far better to be prepared than being adrift at sea and lost.

"The real kick to the teeth is the entire family being killed, that's the real punishment." Marcus answered, eyes glittering malevolently. "Wizarding families love tracing their roots back as far as possible. The best way to get at someone is to ensure their line ends with them. If anyone hurts my family…it's what I would do to them."

One day Harry was going to be part of that family.

"Be careful to whom you speak so flippantly to," Severus murmured quietly, aiming it mostly at Marcus, before adding, "Truthfully, we should be telling you that murder is wrong. It is. But the hypocrisy is rather…grating. If the Dark Lord manages to make a comeback, I'm afraid to say that the entire magical world would be egging you on quite vocally to kill him. All the while taking the moral high ground, whistle having their heads buried in the sand." A grimace on his face.

What he said was true, it had happened during the last war. Purebloods both neutral and light remaining in their manors, with the wards tightly bound refusing to take part. One might argue it was a smart move to make, those that had joined Dumbledore's Order had only put a massive target on their backs. And on the back of their families. All over the type of ancestry you had, what blood ran in your veins. When he, the Dark Lord, was a half-blood too.

The foolhardiness of it was childish at best, he only wished he'd seen that sooner. Unfortunately, he'd been a stupid foolish teenager full of rage and anger so tightly wound from childhood there had been no saving him. Not even, he suspected, himself, if he'd gone back and bluntly told himself the blunt uncensored truth of it. Leaning forward just slightly, he added, "Is there anything more?"

Marcus nodded, before he continued to read everything that Arcturus Black had written.

As your closest living relatives, the Black family should have been given custody of you. Given how Walburga treated my grandsons she wouldn't have been fit to raise you or any child. Sometimes I wish I had listened to my wife, for she was correct in every single way that mattered. I am unsure of where you are living, but given that Dumbledore is not your primary guardian – whoever raised you is – I am hoping they might be amendable to you visiting me here at Black Manor.

I do not wish to unsettle you, or take you away from your guardians.

As of one hour ago, I have corrected my errors and have changed and updated my will, which includes you becoming heir Black. Do not worry so, if its not something you desire, there are two others who I've put down as potential heirs.

It's no small feat becoming heir Black, or indeed even heir Potter. It's a burden that's difficult to bear, but we do so for the betterment of our families and our name. Luckily, you'll have been much prepared for your role as heir Potter, and while a lot is much the same between the two families, there are some things you'll need to know to take over the family. Information that is handed down from father to son, or Lord to heir as this case may be. A lot of it's written down, but not all things. Some things are never dared to be put into writing.

"Is it difficult becoming heir?" Harry asked, eyes gleaming with worry, his forehead wrinkled in distress. He hadn't had any sort of preparation for any role, unless he becomes a sixties house-wife. He knew how to cook and clean, and be quite so that he didn't annoy anyone.

"Lord Black is under the very mistaken impression that you're with a wizarding family. Much like everyone else is too, and they expect you to know your place within wizarding society. Marcus is doing what he can for you, teaching you the most important ones, but during the summer you must be truly educated in our way…in a few years you'll be out in society and every single action will be judged." Severus explained to the young wizard, trying to keep it blunt and understandable. His education was truly and horrifically lacking.

"Especially if you become the heir to two different houses." Marcus informed him thoughtfully, "Most families have difficulty having two male heirs as is." They used to like having an heir and a spare, it's why they used to have at least three or four children. Especially if there were girls between each male birth. Most families didn't include girls, but decided they were useful in a bid to secure alliances between noble and ancient families.

A lot of families in this generation hadn't even been able to have a spare never mind another child.

"Is it difficult?" Harry repeated, his nose wrinkling.

"Not difficult…but boring," Marcus conceded, "But considering you've found it fascinating this far, perhaps you won't."

"You mean the stuff you've been telling me about?" Harry asked, perking up a bit. "Like helping me write better with a quill?"

"Yes, that information, and it encompasses a lot different subject." Marcus unconsciously aimed to get Harry speaking better than he was at the moment. That 'stuff' as Harry called it was more important than mere 'stuff' he definitely needed to be educated quickly.

"What is he like? Will it be better than staying at the Dursley's?" Harry asked hopeful, eyes so sorrowful. It was so unfair everyone thought he was well versed in the wizarding ways. His hands clenched into fists just thinking about Dumbledore's duplicity. Anything was better than going back to the Dursley's. He honestly wasn't sure he would survive to come back to the school. "Almost everything is better than staying there…I'm not sure…well I'm not sure I'd survive to come back." He confessed, stomach shrinking at the prospect, and he meant it wholeheartedly.

"Lord Arcturus Black spoiled his children," Severus informed him, a thoughtful look on his face. "Orion and Lucretia were given anything and everything they wanted. Every week there was packages for them, filled with the latest magazines, treats, letters and photos and paintings from various cousins. The Black family have always protected their own, although, I do believe that Walburga at the very least was emotionally abusive to her children." He wasn't sure Black would have endured Walburga striking him whether by hand or spell. Same for Regulus but Sirius Black wasn't given much of anything, the family showcasing their disapproval perhaps?

"As the heir you'll be treated very well," Marcus replied, very well indeed. Harry was really the only other heir available outside of Sirius Black who definitely couldn't take it right now. Somehow considering Lord Black's desire to make Harry the heir, he reckoned Harry might actually be the only one Arcturus was considering. Not entirely surprising. The Malfoy's have trouble siring one child never mind two. It has been that way for over a century now, at least the English Malfoy's, there was a distant French branch that were thriving. So, the likelihood of heir Malfoy succeeding in siring both the future Malfoy and Black heirs unlikely. "Ultimately, it is up to you."

"Regardless of your choice, you won't be returning to the Dursley's," Severus stated firmly, eyes gleaming mercilessly, he'd thought of a million different ways to punish them for their actions. Even if he didn't care about Harry, which he was fast becoming attached, he would die if he didn't help him. He had sworn a vow to protect Harry, and that is what he would do. He helped every child he could, he had drawers filled with proof at Gringotts.

Harry gave a very turmulent smile, truly beginning to believe them. He shouldn't, he knew he shouldn't, it had happened in the past. Oh, he'd been so filled with hope, their emotions exuded rage, disgust and anger at what they were hearing, promising to do something and meaning it then suddenly he was nothing, lesser than nothing if possible. They'd actively gone out of their way to avoid him, the terror of it happening again, to be ignored by Marcus and Professor Snape was…petrifying.

"The choice is as it always will be, yours." Marcus declared solemnly, "And it isn't something you need to come up with right away. I'll explain more to you later tonight, perhaps if you know more about what you'll be in for it will help you make a decision." This wasn't something to blindly walk into, no matter the circumstances or the desperation to get himself away from the Dursley's.

Harry nodded, he also wanted to know more about this Lord Black, remembering what Marcus had said about politeness. "I just wished he didn't use so many long words," he confessed, his nose wrinkling in annoyance. He didn't know a lot of them, although he could hazard a guess to their meaning, he didn't actually know.

Our family reputation isn't always what it seems, despite the attempts of the younger generation to make it so. I would dearly desire to know my sister's grandchild. Even if you have no desire to become part of the family. I pray to Circe herself that you hold no prejudice for the family yet, and thus all things might be saved. Also pray to Circe that you hold the intelligence of Dorea, who could see through anyone's claptrap with astonishing accuracy that even I, myself were impressed. Dorea was a force to be reckoned with, know that she would have loved you wholeheartedly and spoiled you rotten. No matter what you chose to do with your life they would have loved you. Whether you decide to go down the dark path, or go grey even neutral and light.

I do apologize about the length of this letter; I had not intended to allow it to get away with me. I hope to hear from you heir Potter, I shall send a group of photo albums to Gringotts for them to hold for you, should you hold no desire to meet or be acquainted with the house of Black.

I also apologize for the slight of hand, in silencing the matter from those not of Black blood, and sealing those that know under the silencing charm. It is family business, and we must protect family at all costs.

Sincerely,

Lord Arcturus Black III

"Why would he think I don't want anything to do with them? Because of the Vance murders?" Harry asked, perplexed, honestly, it was becoming a near constant state since he'd been introduced to the magical world. Mostly from the moment he'd learned about it as a matter of fact.

It was fortuitous really, that Harry had his grounder with him, for without Marcus Harry wouldn't have been doing well at all. It wouldn't be something Harry would be able to give voice to for a good many years yet.

Severus' lips twitched; the boy was…so ignorant that it was almost as if he was innocent in a lot of ways. When he had said he was sheltered in a certain way, he had meant it. He knew nothing about how the real world worked, or why, less so about the magical world. He had a lot of catching up to do to be anywhere near as knowledgeable as the heirs of other noble and ancient families. Perhaps Arcturus would be able to help Harry in a way he couldn't.

Marcus was giving him rudimentary knowledge, information he should have had at perhaps five or six years of age. It was going to take a lot of time – and patience on Harry's front – to get him up to standard. Something that would likely irritate Dumbledore to no end. He had raised Harry the way he had for a reason. So, it was an added benefit Severus thought to himself.

"I want to meet him," Harry said abruptly, he wasn't exactly sure how he was related to him, what do you call your grandmothers brother? Uncle Arcturus? A shudder of revulsion crawled up his spine. The thought of calling anyone that…it was foul. The title had been well and truly tarnished in a way Harry would never recover from. It would just suffer a constant reminder of the past he was trying so desperately to leave behind.

Both Severus and Marcus paused in their conversation, turning to Harry, their stares felt like they were boring holes into him. "Lord Black will be…unlike anything you've ever dealt with. He will expect impeccable manners, a finely dressed wizard and not to forget he'll be using language you are not yet familiar with." Which was clear by the fact he didn't understand many of the words in the letter. His education – standard as it was – was utterly abysmal.

Then a thought struck him, "How often did you attend your primary school, Harry?" Severus asked his tone gentle.

Harry blinked, completely thrown by the question, but Severus' emotions likely gave away the reason for asking. "Not very often, they didn't let me go if I had any visible bruises, I had a lot of them the older I got. Uncle Vernon got angrier the more magic I did." Rubbing his forehead as if vividly being reminded of such pain. "Last time it lasted a whole fortnight, but it was three weeks before I got to go back."

Severus nodded, unsurprised by Harry's statement. It was likely that the school was the only reason Harry had survived. That's if Petunia had even filled out the forms for Harry to receive free school lunches. If she was even entitled to it given her odious husband actually worked. He knew school and Lily's parents had been the only reason he survived his own childhood. His mother, may she find rest she couldn't in life, had ensured he had enough food growing up, but the older he got the more his father drank the less food there was.

"The meeting set for Yule? It will give me a month to get Harry set for it." Marcus suggested, although it sounded like a question. Well, a little more than a month, give or take a week or so. It was so little time – factoring in school work and homework – they were never going to be ready for him, but on the upside, perhaps the wizard would understand when given every detail they could bring to bear.

Severus nodded slowly, "Given the urgency that's evident in the letter, I sincerely doubt it could be put off until Ostara." There were tiny speckles of ink spattered on the parchment. Now no Lord would have let it get sent off unless it wasn't going to get any better. Clearly writing this missive out had tired Lord Arctucus Black out. Then again, he had just killed an entire family.

"You should meet with him." Marcus commented, eyes shadowed, "This stink of desperation."

"More pain than desperation, he's already resigned," Harry absently shook his head, shifting to get himself comfortable. His fingers absently flicking through his potions textbook as he thought on everything he'd just learned. He would go through the whole thing for just to see pictures of his family, and this man could give him that.

His fiddling only ceased when Marcus reached over and placed his hand over his smaller one.

Harry looked up perplexed, "What's wrong?"

"You're able to sense emotions off of things?" Marcus asked, struggling with that shock, "Your clairsentient along with being an Empath?"

"Definitions of empathy encompass a broad range of social, cognitive, and emotional processes primarily concerned with understanding others. Types of empathy include cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, somatic empathy, and spiritual empathy. So, technically he isn't both, but isn't a Clairsentient on its own." Clairsentient only refence to being able to sense emotions of things they touch.

"Merlin, help us," Marcus muttered under his breathe.

"He's also spiritually and magically able to affect people," Severus confessed tersely, not liking thinking about it. "When I visited the Dursley's I was inundated with Harry's emotions, a culmination of a decade's worth I believe. I didn't think…he's a full empath which shouldn't be possible until Harry turned seventeen." He should have realized something was off then, that sort of Empathy and power shouldn't have been possible. He wanted to curse himself for being so absentminded. He never referred to himself as stupid because stupid he was not.

Once again, Severus couldn't help but admire the fact Harry had survived this with his mind still intact. He watched Harry shift close to Marcus unconsciously, seeking that calm that came with being close to him. Circe help him, he prayed to Hecate that Dumbledore never found out. Although, it was inevitable, something would likely happen that would reveal Marcus and Harry's closeness and Dumbledore would demand their separation regardless of how much danger it put Harry in.

He would never condone Harry being close to a Slytherin.

"Sorry," Harry murmured, closing his eyes, wincing just at the mere mention of the Dursley's and what Professor Snape had likely gone through.

"It wasn't your fault," Severus declared firmly, "I could have avoided it if I truly wanted to."

Harry snorted, "Lie,"

"I could have avoided the full brunt of it if I had full control of my faculties." He amended, smirking when Harry couldn't detect a lie.

Harry just turned and grinned, he was awfully fond of Professor Snape and Marcus. Then he deflated a bit, as he thought on his friend, "Ron's really angry with me and Neville."

Severus arched a brow, before standing, he definitely didn't want to listen to an eleven-year-old complain about his friend. It was likely the most normal Harry had been thus far, when it came to being a child. "Do excuse me," with that Severus disappeared into his lab, his mind ticking a mile a minute.

If Lord Black was ill, and there was a chance of him being cured – or the illness boxed up – it might mean that Harry could be adopted by him. Especially if he wanted Harry to be the heir, which meant he'd learn everything he needed about both the Black and Potter estates from the elder wizard.

Two birds one stone, and added to the fact, it wouldn't oust him from his precarious positions. Don't get him wrong, he would do it in a heartbeat to save Harry. He had vowed to do so, but if there was a chance to do this with a far superior success, he would do it.

The vow and the fact the Dursley's signed the documents would go in his favor. However, all bets were off the table when the Dumbledore joined the fray. He could get anyone doing anything, even if it wasn't strictly legal. Look at what he'd succeeding in doing with Harry. Neither Dumbledore or Hagrid – even McGonagall at a push – had no say in where Harry was supposed to live. The wills had never been read, and Harry had been abandoned to the Muggle world to ten dastardly years of abuse and neglect. Dumbledore had refused to tell anyone where he was, not even the Minister of magic. It was highly illegal, but because of Dumbledore's assurances that he was safe nobody had raised their voice in concern.

Severus couldn't help but muse, that it would be very likely that he may end up in Azkaban prison. If Dumbledore did rescind his support, the Ministry would pounce on him like a dog after a bone. There was no doubt about it, making it seem like his desire to adopt Harry as something nefarious. Sadness suffused him, he only had himself to blame really.

He did not give anyone a chance or opportunity to see the real him. All the saw was a vile disgusting wizard who was bitter and disgusted with the world. Which was likely half true, he had no reason otherwise to believe so.

He wasn't sure if Dumbledore would give up his spy and oust him. He may decide to blackmail him with Harry's care. Too many ways it could all go wrong, but with someone outside of Dumbledore's scheme and had a lot of power himself…it could work. It would work.

He wouldn't need to convince him either, since clearly, it's what he wanted. It didn't matter that it would bring him in close proximity to Sirius Black. He would do his level best to avoid him, for sure. When and if that time came, since the hypothesis that he was indeed innocent was still just that, a theory. The wheels of justice run slow, Harry might even be out of Hogwarts if the Ministry cover it up and murder Black to save their own skin.

Yes, this was rather perfect, Severus thought, now to get in touch with the wizard.

Severus himself would be in for yet another surprise and betrayal even though at this point, he shouldn't be surprised by anything.

A/N – would you prefer to continue seeing most of the years passing through adult's work or Harry at Hogwarts or perhaps a little bit of both? I mean we've all seen every variation of attending Hogwarts can bring to bear. Not sure if I'm just tired of writing because I can't think of anything new or just rather tired of writing about a school setting…who knows? I really dreaded it in The Contract and it worked so well that I'm rather hoping it will continue here but with just a tad bit more Hogwarts in there just to show any blooming friendships he has. I still can't decide about Ron, would learning that his grandparents were Slytherin offset the crap his mother drilled into him? R&R please

And just what will Severus learn from Lord Arcturus Black that will surprise him? stay tuned in for the next chapter 😉 lol