Blaise felt the Dark Lord's magic attempting to tear the manor down to its foundations before he heard a feral-sounding yell come from the entry hall. Quickly abandoning his post at the floo to run back to where they had left Heir Caliban to wait for the Dark Lord, Blaise was feeling rather like a Gryffindor as he burst out onto the landing overseeing the entrance. As reckless as it was for him to enter a room where two powerful Lord's magic was clashing, he couldn't help but feel weak in the knees and amazed at Heir Caliban's power.
While it had been the Dark Lord's magic that Blaise had felt first, he now could only feel Heir Caliban's magic filling the Manor. Heavy and heady Heir Caliban's magic seemed to be pressing in from all sides forcing a very human-looking Dark Lord onto his knees in front of Heir Caliban. Blaise knew that Heir Caliban was powerful but he felt almost disbelieving as he conquered the Dark Lord's magic with no effort. Voldemort was the darkest and most feared wizard that Britain had ever seen. But here was this teenage emperor-to-be forcing him to bow without breaking a sweat.
"I warned you Tom Riddle, do not try to come against me for I will swat you out of existence like the pest you are. You are not above me. You are not more powerful than I am. I am Emperor Haylan Caliban and you will bow to me or you will die. You do not have any other options. So I suggest you take your broken wand and get the fuck out of my presence." Haylan didn't raise his voice, but Blaise could hear him clearly from where he stood and felt intimidated. He was glad he wasn't as close as Voldemort was to the furious magic leaking from Heir Caliban.
Voldemort wasn't completely cowed by Heir Caliban, but he did snatch the pieces of his wand and apparated out of Malfoy Manor with a furious glare.
Heir Caliban sighed and reigned in his magic before he realized Blaise was watching from the balcony on the second floor.
"Enjoy the show Heir Zabini?" Haylan drawled.
Blaise had never been so hard in his life. Heir Caliban's flaming red hair was staticky from the amount of magic released into the air, his green eyes glowing with power, and Blaise felt drunk off of the feeling.
"I- um…" Blaise tried to start with before shaking his head, trying to dredge up some good articulation that his mother had pounded into his head for years. "That was quite impressive Heir Caliban."
Haylan smirked, walking up the stairs at a slow pace that made Blaise think of a predator stalking its prey. Blaise felt stuck in place as Haylan approached him, black dragonhide boots nearly silent on the manor's marble floors. Blaise felt his breathing hitch as Haylan stopped so close to Blaise that he could feel Haylan's aura pulsing with power. Green eyes slowly wandered down Blaise's body hungrily, smirk growing wider seeing Blaise's straining erection through his tight black slacks.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything impressive yet Heir Zabini." Haylan couldn't help but purr.
Blaise felt lightheaded as blood tried to both flood his face in embarrassment and flow south to his cock in attraction. It shouldn't be possible for one person to be so attractive. Blaise knew he was a goner though, he couldn't even think of anything to say in response to Heir Caliban's teasing.
"Well, I do believe I must go take care of dear Bella. Please tell Narcissa I will see her tonight at our normal time. I look forward to you making up for our ruined date without Heir Malfoy in attendance." Heir Caliban said with a dark look in his eyes that made Blaise gulp and before he could say anything to him, Heir Caliban apparated out of Malfoy Manor as well.
Blaise's knees finally gave out and he sat on the floor in an undignified slump where Narcissa found him ten minutes later.
Narcissa's laughter startled Blaise out of his thoughts, eyes focusing on an amused Lady Malfoy.
"Oh, you poor boy. Did Haylan overwhelm you?"
"Aunt Narcissa, I think I am in trouble," Blaise murmured.
"Oh? Why do you think that darling?" Narcissa inquired, a smile still on her face.
"I think Heir Caliban threatened me to take him on a date."
"Mmm, you don't seem terribly threatened oh godson of mine."
"I just watched him make the Dark Lord bow to him and then forced him to retreat like he was an errant schoolboy and not a megalomaniac that has terrorized Britain for the last 40-plus years," Blaise commented.
"Ah well, Haylan is a Caliban for a reason. A Caliban that seems to have set his eyes on you. I suggest you don't risk his ire by ruining your next date. In other words, do not bring my son along to any more meetings with his highness. Even if you think it is not a date."
"Why would he pick me? The Zabini name is a small one in terms of power! He has actual royalty vying for his hand."
"But he isn't looking for a good bloodline. Haylan could care less about that. He cares about a good spouse to love him not for his throne or his power, but because he is Haylan. Haylan who shows mercy to Bellatrix Lestrange, who wears his heart on his sleeve but is willing to wipe out those who threaten the peace and security of those he feels responsible for. Haylan is a remarkable young man, if he has decided to pursue you, I suggest you make a good effort on your part Blaise. I see you are attracted to him." Narcissa ran her fingers through Blaise's dark curls to soothe the young man. "While attraction isn't enough to become Consort Caliban, it is a good place to start."
"How do you know Heir Caliban so well Aunt Narcissa?" Blaise couldn't help but inquire, feeling quite overwhelmed.
"I may be a Malfoy now, but I once was a Black. Heir Caliban has been meeting with the surviving Black family excluding Bellatrix for the last several years as he learned about his position as Emperor. I know him well enough to assure you that he doesn't pursue you lightly and if you are what Haylan wants, then I suggest you get off of my floor and go plan a proper date immediately. I will owl your Mother later to make sure you are."
"Yes, Aunt Narcissa!" Blaise quickly stood and made for the floo. Not bothering to even say goodbye to Draco. He needed to have a good long wank and then write to Heir Caliban with a plan for a date. Oh Gods, a date with the future emperor. His Mother was going to lose her mind.
—-
It took Haylan several hours to get Bellatrix into a good enough state of healing to feel comfortable to leave her alone to continue healing on her own. Hopefully, by tomorrow she will progress to a stage where he can try to touch the madness in her mind, but her body needs to be in full health first before he can attempt such temperamental magic.
Haylan had also used more magic today than he had in a long while. He was feeling tired when he entered his office, which is his excuse for not seeing the Blacks already sitting in their normal chairs. He was quite startled when an amused Andromeda cleared her throat, wand in hand and stunner on his lips, sneering at them as they laughed at his reaction.
"Oh Haylan, I haven't seen you this distracted in years. Are you feeling alright?" Narcissa asked in concern as Andromeda and Sirius laughed at him. Traitors.
"Yes, I am fine. Just tired. Bellatrix had not been healed properly from her time in Azkaban. It took a lot to get her healed enough that I can trust her wild magic to continue healing her on its own. Her magic is as stubborn and unwieldy as she is." Haylan rolled his eyes, slumping into his chair behind his desk.
"You know you may not be able to heal or tame my sister in the way you may want?" Andromeda said with a raised eyebrow.
"I am aware. But Bellatrix deserves to have someone at least try since her parents did nothing to help her, her husband did nothing to help her, and her Lord only pushed her further over the edge. She is a Black and she deserves my compassion and mercy first before I decided she is a lost cause like everyone else has." Haylan was very firm. They already knew once he made up his mind that there would be no changing it. But they would be poor advisors if they hadn't tried to bring it up at all.
"So Blaise Zabini?" Narcissa decided to change the subject, smirking at the blush now covering Haylan's cheeks.
"Zabini? Like Black Widow Zabini's kid?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, and my godson so watch your tone, Sirius," Narcissa warned. Sirius raised his hands in surrender.
"I don't have any problem with the Zabinis." Sirius defended. "Plus Lady Zabini is hot, so I assume her kid has to be good looking too,"
"He is," Andromeda confirmed.
Haylan wished the floor would swallow him so he didn't have to be here for this conversation.
"You did leave Blaise as a bit of a wreck on the floor of my manor earlier Haylan." Narcissa chastised gently.
"Couldn't help myself after he dragged Draco along to our date today," Haylan muttered.
"Slytherin he may be, but I do believe you will have to be a bit blunter the next time you ask him out on a date because he believed you were meeting to reprimand him for leaving your ball so early the other night," Narcissa commented.
"Oof poor kid." Sirius sympathized.
"Oi! Whose side are you on?" Haylan asked.
"Yours of course kiddo, but I can still feel sorry for the kid you have chosen." Sirius teased causing Haylan to huff.
"Might I also suggest toning down the magical displays? Blaise seems to be quite weak to your magic. You want the boy to court you, not just jump you." Narcissa grinned wickedly causing Haylan to blush more and stutter.
"Weak to his magic how?" Andromeda asked curiously.
"I don't see how this is relevant!" Haylan squeaked his interjection, but the Black sisters were already wearing similar grins.
"Poor dear had to hobble to the floo. I am afraid he will be forced to take permanent cold showers if Haylan continues to bathe the boy in his magic." Narcissa informed the others causing Sirius to bark out his laughter and Andromeda to smile widely.
As happy as it made him to see them so relaxed and filled with such mirth. He would have preferred it wasn't at the expense of him or Blaise.
"Okay, you hyenas can get out of my office now! We can talk tomorrow when you three want to behave like adults. I am going to get some sleep." That just made the Blacks laugh harder but they did eventually say their goodbyes and separated to go to their own houses.
Haylan fell into his massive bed that night, face first into his deep purple comforter. Groaning at how the day went. Hopefully, tomorrow would be better.
Just as Haylan was finally falling asleep, still laying on top of his covers, he heard a tapping at his bedroom window. Haylan laid still, keeping his eyes closed, hoping it was a dream and the tapping would go away. But of course, it wasn't.
Reluctantly Haylan rolled out of bed, grumbling to himself, "I swear to all that is holy and all of my ancestors if that is the Spanish monarchy finally responding to me I will raze Spain and build a new society atop. One that won't wake me up!"
Opening his window roughly, the brown owl outside seemed unmoved by Haylan's frustration. Dropping a cream envelope onto his windowsill and sitting patiently for a reply, staring Haylan down with its large yellow eyes.
The writing on the outside was elegant but told him nothing.
Opening the letter still grumbling under his breath, he at least admired the dark blue ink the letter was written in.
Heir Haylan Caliban,
I am sending my formal apologies for what happened today. I did not realize that our meeting today was to a date. So while I stand by keeping my godbrother safe from Bellatrix, I am deeply sorry that it ruined a possible chance to get to know you better.
Thank you, by the way, for saving Lord Malfoy and Draco. I know they will never say it themselves and that you do not hold them in high regard. But the Malfoy family means a great deal to me, as they took me in when I was younger after my Father passed and my Mother was mourning the death of her mate. So thank you very much. I hope that Bellatrix didn't give you many difficulties when you returned home. Not that I think you are incapable of handling her after seeing you with the Dark Lord today.
Anyway, I would like to formally invite you on a proper date if you will allow me to make up for my previous mistakes. I find more than just your magic fascinating and I would like the chance to get to know you more. If you are free sometime this week please let me know. My schedule is probably a lot emptier than yours is, so let me know when will work for you.
I hope to hear from you soon,
Heir Blaise Zabini
Haylan had to read the letter three times before fully processing it. He would never admit to it later, but Haylan squealed in happiness before running to grab his two-way mirror.
"SIRIUS~~~! Wakey Wakey Dearest Padfoot! We Need To Plan NOW!"
Sirius regretted leaving his mirror so close to his face when he fell asleep that night.