"Bellatrix Druella Black!" Haylan's voice echoed with power across Malfoy Manor's entrance as he shouted at the mad witch, drawing her attention to him. Narcissa twitched hearing Haylan's voice but did not take her eyes or wand off of Bellatrix as she still had Lucius tight in her grip.
"Who are you little boy to be calling my name?!" Bellatrix growled, her wand sparking in her hand dangerously.
"I am Heir Haylan Iacob Dacian Caliban, next in line for the imperial throne of Caliban. I am also your head of house." Haylan spoke with deadly calm. Blaise felt like he was watching two dangerous predators size the other up. "I would suggest you let go of Lord Malfoy immediately, so you and I may talk."
Haylan saw the indecision fighting with the madness in Bellatrix's eyes. He suddenly felt a deep sadness for her. The world had done Bellatrix wrong, probably very early on in life. Haylan knew he would never be as bloodthirsty as his ancestors were. He wasn't raised to rule as they had been. He could have never cast out family like they had with the Black branch. Disowning them hadn't made them atone, exile hadn't made the Black family any better. The madness grew within their genes and innocent children were punished because of their ancestor's madness.
Don't get him wrong, he knew Bellatrix was cruel and deeply embroiled in the dark arts. But how much of that was actually her fault and not the result of her family and the mental illness she clearly had. He had seen pictures from when the Black sisters were kids, Bellatrix's madness had been a problem since she was a child, but she had still been a child that deserved to be helped. Instead, her equally mad parents had put a wand in her hands and warped her further with the darkest arts.
"Bella." Haylan's voice softened along with his magic, using his magic to calm hers, easing the edges of the black madness tainting her aura. He wouldn't call it the imperio, but it probably felt similar to Bella as he calmed and coaxed her to release Lucius and then come toward him.
Narcissa caught Lucius before he hit the floor, holding him close as she watched Haylan lure Bellatrix to him using his magic to drug her into compliance. Narcissa and Andromeda constantly complained about Haylan wearing his Gryffindor heart on his sleeve too much, especially for an emperor. But here stood this amazing, powerful young man who could kill Bellatrix without a twitch of his wand, and instead he was showing her sister mercy that no one else would offer her.
"What are you doing to me?" Bellatrix's voice was fearful as she stood in front of Haylan.
"Showing you some compassion and understanding. It is my family's fault that the Black branch has become as it has. I am going to give you a chance Bella. You are going to come back with me to the Caliban estate, I am going to help you, and we will see by the end if you can't keep your life and come back to society. Your sisters will be around and your cousin Sirius. I have already helped ease the madness with Sirius, and I will help you if I can and if you let me." Haylan gently touched Bellatrix's cheek and sent her to sleep as a tear fell from her eye. Making sure to levitate her so she didn't hit the floor, he looked up to see a more emotional Narcissa than he expected. "Cissa are you okay?"
Draco couldn't understand anything that just happened. Blaise looked as dumbstruck as Draco felt, his mother's mask was crumbling, his father was unconscious, Bellatrix had been tamed, and this boy their same age just called his mother 'Cissa'? What the hell?
"Can you actually help her Haylan?" Narcissa asked in a shaky tone, clutching Lucius to her tighter to just hold her composure together.
"I know we had discussed having to kill her if she stepped out of line again, and I am not sure I will be able to help her with as far gone as she is, but you know I have to try." Haylan said with a sad sigh. "I am going to give her a chance. No one else will, but she is my responsibility now."
Narcissa summoned some house elves. One to take her husband to their room, another to summon a healer to check Lucius over, a third to alert the Dark Lord to what happened, and finally, one to get her a calming draught. Standing gracefully, she made her way to Haylan and pulled the surprised boy into a tight hug.
"You have your heart on your sleeve again." Narcissa chided gently but smiled at him. "Thank you for being yourself. Do you want to be here when He arrives or should you be leaving with Bellatrix?"
"She is family Narcissa, not just to you. You know how far I will go to help family. I will send her onto the estate with one of my elves. It would be better for Voldemort to hear this from me so it doesn't damage the negotiations." Haylan patted Narcissa's shoulder to reassure her. "Maybe take these two to help with Lucius though. Keep them out of the way just in case Voldemort is feeling temperamental."
Narcissa laughed, kissed Haylan's cheek, and turned to the boys, eyebrow raised at them. She didn't know why those two had come in with Haylan, but she planned on finding out. "Come boys, Heir Caliban can handle the Dark Lord just fine on his own."
"Mother what-" Draco started but was quickly silenced by Narcissa.
"Now is not the time for questions, I suggest you move quickly and you go help your father. He is going to be quite upset to learn what has happened when he wakes up. Blaise, could you wait for the healer in the floo room and tell him what happened? I am afraid the elves will be quite busy cleaning up the mess Bellatrix made in the main dining room." The way Narcissa spoke was not a suggestion or an actual question but a demand. She did observe how Blaise couldn't keep his eyes off of an amused Haylan and took Draco dragging Blaise from the entrance hall to get him to move.
Narcissa looked over to Haylan, shaking her head at the mischievous look on his face before following the boys out of the hall. She almost felt bad for the Dark Lord….almost.
—-
Haylan sat reclined on the staircase when the Dark Lord finally arrived at Malfoy Manor. He knew he was being disrespectful but he honestly didn't care. He was grumpy about his attempt at a date being thwarted by Malfoy and Bellatrix, and he wanted to go home and eat a liter of ice cream by himself.
"Would you like to explain to me why I am yet again cleaning up your mess Voldemort?" Haylan drawled, head rolling sideways to look at the Dark Lord brooding in the middle of the hall.
Years ago Haylan would have been scared to death to not only stand in front of Voldemort but to purposefully invite his presence to then chastise him would have since 14 years old Harry into hysterics.
Voldemort's snake-like visage scowled at him before the man released his glamour showing one handsome Tom Riddle, dark curly hair framing his human face (nose included) looking to be in his 40s, eyes no longer vampire red but back to their original cornflower blue.
"What mess are you supposedly cleaning up now Heir Caliban?" Voldemort growled out, approaching the lounging emperor-to-be.
"Bellatrix," Haylan said simply, causing Voldemort to actually sigh out loud.
"Have you killed my best fighter?" Voldemort asked resigned.
"Mmm, actually I haven't. Although Narcissa almost did when she not only tried to kill Heir Malfoy but then attacked Lord Malfoy, who is currently being seen by the healer. I will, however, be taking responsibility over Bellatrix away from you for the time being until I can see if she can be helped or if I will have to kill her. Either way, she isn't your problem now."
"Going to try to turn Bellatrix Lestrange into a good little light witch now?" Voldemort sneered which just made Haylan laugh.
"You know better by now that I am not one of Dumbledore's fools. No, I won't be trying to shove light magic down Bellatrix's throat." Haylan rolled his eyes. Dark Lords were ridiculous and dramatic, although self-proclaimed Light Lords weren't any better... "I will however be attempting to remove the Black Madness from her mind and magic. If I am successful and she proves to be sane and not a liability anymore, it will be up to her what she wants to do from there. She may have married into the LeStrange family and she may be a sworn servant to you, but both have failed in actually taking care of her and the liability she has become. As the head of her birth house, I will take matters into my own hands now."
Voldemort looked at Haylan skeptically. "I didn't think the Black Madness could be cured?"
"People also think immortality isn't possible and magic isn't real. Do try to stay intelligent Voldemort. I didn't put your soul back together just for you to end up as dumb as Dumbledore." Haylan remarked causing Voldemort to press his wand against Haylan's head, the warmth at the tip of the wand warming his skin.
"I could kill you now and save us all the headache of your interference." Voldemort snarled.
Haylan surprisingly wasn't scared.
He just smiled up at Voldemort and then using his magic before Voldemort even had time to react, snapped Voldemort's wand in half.