My Time

The italics are for scenes earlier in the day, I decided to add some of the scenes I deleted earlier sort of like a small flashback.

Chapter 41

"What on Gaia's green earth is going on?" was the first thing out of Melania's mouth as she returned home courtesy of Lynx who popped her home. Turning swiftly to see her husband looking all too amused, her son and Hayden were sat at the table. Paperwork spread out, it looked like she'd been asked to a meeting of some sorts. She couldn't be away too long, although thankfully her daughter knew what was going on. She most certainly didn't mean to be away too long, unless something was really wrong.

"You look beautiful, dear," Arcturus said smiling at her, admiring her in the dress she had bought for the wedding. He made no move to touch her or welcome her to his side.

Hayden could could tell Arcturus loved her very much, his eyes were full of wonder, delight and happiness. Yet he remained stalwart as if he was afraid to show her how much he cared. He wondered if they would have been this way if he hadn't been there, or if they were merely showing decorum because it had been bred into them. Oddly enough, even Molly and Arthur had been the same, they'd barely touched each other when he came home from work. Not even a hug, but she'd hugged him a few times in his memory.

"We were hat shopping when we were disturbed, I thought you were going to be right behind us?" Melania questioned as she sat beside her husband. "Why am I here?" she added before her husband could even answer her previous question. Truly perplexed, that was until she noticed exactly what was on the table.

An unsigned Betrothal Contract, one that was rather on the thin side.

"We had quite an interesting morning ourselves," Arcturus murmured, a little dazed, but considering he'd been dealing with Hayden Peverell (or Harry Potter as he had once been) after all. He was very good at giving a convincing argument and he was stubborn to his very core.

"You didn't sign it?" Melania asked, looking at the signatory's spot, fondness blooming in her.

"We did not," Arcturus said, reaching out, putting his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly, "I made a promise after all."

Melania peered up at her husband and mouthed 'thank you' to him. Thanking him for including her, for keeping his promise, for not forcing another political match on Orion. Although, she was rather alarmed by how thin it was, it was barely anything compared to how thick Betrothal Contracts got. Clause upon clause took a lot of space after all, Walburga's had been enormous. "It's rather lacking…is it complete?" she asked, glancing at both her husband and Orion and Hayden.

"It is," there was a terseness to Arcturus that hadn't been there before they left.

"But there's nothing there about children, or having a male heir," Melania pointed out, perplexed, it wasn't like her husband to cede to anyone. As lovely as it would to have the Black name joined with Peverell, there was no way he would suddenly just let Hayden control a Betrothal Contract. It didn't matter how many lives the Black family owed to him. They'd repay him in just about any other way than this, of this Melania had no doubt.

Hayden leaned forward, face blank, "Being born a boy…the only privilege that is, is not being treated like a walking incubator and a complete and utter dunderhead." He told her, green eyes gleaming, but whether it was passion or fury who knew? "Your daughter is just as powerful as son, and just as intelligent. I assume you're only going to think of me as an incubator? With me being a carrier. To give you a prized hog at the fair." regardless of what he did, the only think they seemed to wand was a male heir from him.

Melania glanced at her husband, who had a look of utter resignation around him. Clearly, he'd already had a variation of this type of chat with Hayden Peverell. It was impressive how placid he sounded, and how he could insult you all the while being polite. Although, dunderhead wasn't exactly polite by any stretch of imagination, but it could have been put far worse.

"Easy, you can't change things overnight," Orion whispered to Hayden, his lips brushing against Hayden's ear.

A shiver overtook Hayden, clearing his throat, adjusting himself subtly as possible, "I apologise, I get quite…passionate about how backwards the wizarding world can be. Especially towards witches, and carriers as well, some of the Betrothal Contracts I read didn't help matters either." Grimacing, it was still around in his time, but nowhere near as bad as it was here.

"Carriers are highly sought after," Melania pointed out, perplexed by what he meant. "Whatever you've read, it's not what the majority of the magical world believes. They may well just be attempting to demean you in order to talk it up later." Disapproval and anger bled into Melania. She liked Hayden, not only for the changes she'd seen in her son, but he just drew the maternal instincts out in her. He was good for the family. They all owed him their lives, but Hayden didn't seem to care about that.

"Not everyone believes that, and it will only get worse," Hayden replied, "Our way of life if the trajectory continues…means that carriers will be a thing of the past. Worse, people that do have that ability won't know and won't admit to it. Too many Muggle-raised, new blood, and our traditions just abandoned to go with the flow."

"Dumbledore isn't helping, with his constant drivel of getting Halloween and Christmas into Hogwarts 'to make the change easier' for the Mudbloods and Muggle-raised." Orion rolled his eyes, "I'm not sure how many times we overheard Dumbledore manipulating Dippet."

"There should be Wizarding Studies for those not raised in the magical world. Just as you should attend Muggle Studies, although, I'm guessing the Muggle Studies Professor is a Pureblood?" Hayden commented, dry and entirely unamused. While Burbage had most definitely never stepped foot in the Muggle world a day in her damn life…she didn't deserve what Voldemort had done to her. Or rather the fate she'd earned the second she suggested in a newspaper article about breeding with Muggles (like they were in a damn zoo of all things). During a war, it strained credulity.

"You'd be correct," Orion confirmed, "I took it in my third year, I dropped it pretty quickly for something else, even Divination was a far better alternative."

Hayden closed his eyes and pinched his nose, exasperated, even now the school was a mockery of all it could be. "Do Deputy Headmaster's interview prospective Professors for the job?" curious, he knew Dumbledore himself had been doing it for Divination, but he was a control freak, he probably did everything on his own. Control freak really was putting it nicely, but it was no less honest.

"Maybe…if the headmaster asks?" Orion said, a little lost for a few seconds at the abruptness of the question. Then he realized who he was referring to. Dumbledore. "He might have done, Headmaster Dippet is a bit on the old side, nowhere near ready to retire yet, I don't think but delegating his duties more often all the same."

"Arcturus…why are you ready to sign this without anything here to your advantage?" Melania whispered to her husband; despite the fact she had applied a silencing charm around them. It was so unlike him, she just had to know what Hayden had said. "What has he said?" there was nothing advantageous to the Peverell side either. It was the most profoundly basic Betrothal Contract she'd ever come across in her life.

"Look at our son, Melania, he's happy," Arcturus said softly, "They don't need any assurances or safety measures put in place. They conceded to a few to make me happy…but I have a feeling they won't need them." Basic parameters such as divorce, breaking of the contract, the monetary compensation.

"But the rooming situation…" Melania noticed that there was nothing on the contract about that.

"Now, your separate quarters," Arcturus commented, he'd seen and done his fair share of Betrothal Contracts in his day. So, it was simple and easy for him, and this may well be the most beneficial Betrothal Contract he'd ever created.

"Wait, what?" Hayden commented, turning to face Orion, raising his hand index finger up universally gestured for Arcturus to be quiet. Before turning his index finger in a circular motion, and magic sprung up, muffling both him and Orion to all else. "Separate quarters?" he demanded to know.

Orion winced, "It's just…a measure of protection." His tone more than a little protestive. Having quite an accurate guess at what Hayden was thinking.

"Protection?" Hayden asked, befuddled. "From what?"

Orion straightened up, mulling over what to say for a second before attempting to explain, "A lot of Betrothal Contracts are done to create alliances and such. In the contracts, they give both participants a sense privacy. My parents own contract was like this its normal." He was just so used to it that it didn't occur to him to explain it in a different way.

"Is that what you're going to want?" Hayden asked, a blank mask adorned his features, as he waited patiently for Orion to answer. If he'd seen his parents like this his entire life, it was hardly any wonder that he was perplexed by his confusion. It was normal to Orion, and that was that.

"Just because it's in the contract, it doesn't mean you need to adhere to it," Orion reassured him immediately. "We won't need to do it."

Arcturus watched them intently, a gleam coming to his eyes, the realisation washing over him, his son was happy. He was genuinely one hundred percent happy…and perhaps a little smitten. He wasn't sure when he'd last seen his son look anything but impassive, except of course, when entertaining his younger cousins. Just how badly had he failed as a parent he thought tightly?

"They don't need our help to figure it out," Arcturus commented, "I believe that there will never be a need for separate rooms."

"I can understand you deciding to let that slide, but nothing about a male heir?" Melania asked, she just didn't understand Arcturus at all. Was the guilt getting to him? What he'd nearly done? What he'd nearly cost the House of Black? What he'd done to their son? She was still angry, always would be, but she couldn't spend the rest of her life that way and couldn't use it against him. She'd seen Arcturus at his lowest after what her brother-in-law had done. It had devastated him, maybe his priorities had changed. After all, he had brought her here to sign the Betrothal Contract which would ensure both boys safeties.

"I was so focused on that, Melania, that I almost destroyed our family, they'll have a boy, I'm sure." Arcturus said, placing his hand on hers a silent reassurance. He realized that Hayden Peverell was going to levels he wasn't comfortable with for Orion's sake. It was clear he was uncomfortable with the Betrothal Contract. Orion he was sure, would want a son to follow his footsteps. After all, he'd been raised to do his duty.

"Are you feeling ill?" Orion asked, noticing that Hayden looked a little sick for some reason. Not something he wanted to see on Hayden's face this close to them all signing it and it being a real tangible thing to hold in his hand. Something that wasn't just in his heart.

"This is all so very strange to me. I'd never heard of Betrothal Contracts before coming here, well not really, knowing just what information is in them is making me want to back out though." The number of children they were required to have, the rooms, the number of times they were supposed to have sex to ensure 'successful copulation' a successful breeding. What gender they were to have and how many? Like that was possible. All this laid bare and Orion squeaks when they're in the same bathroom together? And you wonder why he was feeling befuddled.

"You're backing out?" Orion blurted out, surprised by the rapidly sinking feeling in his stomach. The urge to reach out, to ask him not to, to find a compromise was so strong it was almost like using a Portkey without going anywhere. That hook behind his naval feeling. Yet he knew, he knew over the wave of panic that Hayden would never do that to him.

"No, Orion, no, just…I'd rather not create a contract," Hayden said honestly, "Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that I'm favoured in that regard."

"You're a Lord, the Lord Peverell, you can do whatever you like, a 'fine' for breaking the contract isn't going to be anything when you're through making sure you get enough money to support all you want to change." Orion declared strongly, the knowledge he had, he knew it was only a matter of time before the Peverell worth quadrupled.

"We will sign it, maybe now if I come into the bathroom, it won't cause you to squeak and cover up." Hayden teased him lightly.

"I did not squeak." Orion declared, refusing to even confess internally to the idea. "And I just…felt uncomfortable." Being sincere and honest as possible since this was what the contract was all about.

"Do you think that's normal? About feeling uncomfortable. Especially around someone you want to spend the rest of your life with?" Harry asked, cocking his head to the side, towards the end he felt uncomfortable around Ginny just before he broke it off with her. Not that he liked thinking about her at all, given that she'd bloody killed him. Was that how Orion felt? Was it due to how he was raised? What? Was this what he was going to have to live with the rest of his life? He loved Orion, deeply, but he didn't want to live the sort of life Orion might expect.

"Not uncomfortable per se, just…not had the time to get used to it." Orion corrected the misconception which he'd created.

"Orion, I want a relationship where I can touch you without you jumping sky high. I want to be able to be in the same room as you and you comfortable regardless of where and what and your undressed state. I want everyone to know that you're mine and that I am yours. I want to go to bed every night with you, to sleep in the same bed, to wake up to you every morning, to kiss you, to have breakfast in bed…" Hayden explained quietly and concisely. "I want desire to be part of our relationship, to have sex whenever we like. I want you to want me for me."

"Oh," Orion murmured, finally understanding Hayden's revulsion towards the contract. "I do," he promised, a small smile appearing on his face. His parents beginning had been a little fraught, even if they were accepting of the match. It was only in the later years that they'd grown to love each other, but they were still so very reserved in company, even with him and his sister. Hayden wanted something entirely different, he wanted everything and more.

"Are you sure?" Hayden asked, recalling the bathroom scene with startling clarity. He didn't want to sleep in separate rooms, have sex a few times a week because a contract said as much. Not that it was in his, despite their best efforts. It sounded like hell, but clearly Orion had wanted something like this. He had compromised; he couldn't make it all about him. It wasn't fair that he had done that, this contract was about both of them. "I mean we can make a mancave for you, for both of us so you know you've got somewhere to go if you need solitude."

"Mancave?" Orion echoed, lips twitching in amusement, the name tickling him, it was funny.

"Yeah, just somewhere off limits, you can stock drink in there, seats, dominos, cards, you know the whole shebang." Hayden told him, "You can invite your friends down there, just somewhere that's yours. When your duties get too much…and you don't feel you can talk to me about it. I mean I hope it doesn't happen but well, it will be there to help if need be." He didn't know exactly what duties Orion had, some but not all. He'd need to read the books, which he'd been putting off as of late.

"Partners are supposed to rely on each other, to be strong for each other," Hayden added, "I want that for us, to be able to read each other. To protect each other and be happy…that's all I want." The extras he'd done for Orion and Orion alone.

"Partners," Orion agreed, pressing a kiss to Hayden's head when his partner leaned against him. It was becoming increasingly familiar, and Orion loved it. Recalling something Hayden had said to him, 'Orion…that's not how relationships work…Passion can't just be turned off or on depending on what day it is…and what exactly will you do when you are feeling amorous? Summon me?' Hayden was always perfectly able to get him to understand his point of view.

He didn't move, even when he saw both his parents looking at them with a look, he wasn't in any way able to decipher.

"You're both comfortable with this basic contract?" Melania asked, staring between the boys, she certainly wouldn't have been comfortable with the lack of protection she was afforded when her parents and Father-in-law made her and Arcturus' contract. Not that she'd had any say in it, naturally. She'd been a few weeks old when the negotiations had begun.

"We are," Hayden agreed, for both of them.

Orion was content to let Hayden do the talking.

Melania nodded slowly, "Very well then," plucking one of her favourite golden quills out of the quill box, she dipped it into the black – they always used black or blood when it came to contracts and important documents – before adding her name first with a flourish as the first witness.

Arcturus took the quill, dipped it just so, and signed his own name.

Witness Number 1 – Lady Melania Mary McMillan Black

Witness Number 2 – Lord Arcturus Sirius Black

Husband Number 1 – Heir Orion Arcturus Black

Husband Number 2 (Carrier) – Lord Hayden Ignotus Haidar Peverell

The second Hayden had finished scrawling his name onto the Betrothal Contract, it rolled up and disappeared with a puff. Leaving two copies behind, one for each of the families, a copy that could not in any way be altered. It joined the rest of the contracts from the Black family.

"I'd love to celebrate, but I must return to Lucretia, I've been gone far longer than I said I'd be," Melania insisted, looking torn. She genuinely wanted Hayden to be welcomed into the family, immediately so he knew he was welcome. Yet she knew she couldn't leave her daughter floundering.

"That sounds good, perhaps this evening?" Hayden suggested giving Melania the perfect excuse to plan a celebration and return to her shopping with her daughter. "I'd love to meet Lucretia's fiancé."

"Of course, you should, the wedding will be upon us before we know it." Arcturus declared, and naturally as a soon-to-be member of the Black family, Hayden would be coming.

"I really should start making a dent in those letters," Hayden said, "Please excuse me,"

It was only when Hayden and Orion were gone that Arcturus realised, he'd been had, "That bloody sneaky little…there's nothing in the contract about their names." He would have swore had he not had decorum drummed into him since he was a little boy.

"He's a Slytherin if I've ever seen one," Melania patted her husband consolingly on his shoulder, "But I must go," squeezing it, she stepped back calling for their House-elf.

At the same time a Marchbanks lawyer was drawing up a contract between a forty-year-old woman and Lord Peverell. The excitement was clear as day. Albus looked stunned when he'd been told that the initial proposal had been accepted. He honestly hadn't expected much, while the Marchbanks were well off, there had to have been others far richer vying for his attention.

A/n – well it looks like Antonin will be busy in the coming weeks…will we see him deal with his family or will it merely all always only ever be implied? Will the trial be in the story or just where 'Hayden' is called in to give evidence literally just trusting Antonin to deal with it all while he does what needs to be done? 😊 I honestly am stunned you guys love this story so much, I thought for sure without drama (which is how I wanted it to be from the beginning) that you'd be uninterested in it. I'm glad I was proven wrong though for sure! People said in my FB group that they liked bits of the story (I cut out a large chunk I wasn't happy with it but the group got to see it) so I tried to add a little bit hopefully not too much to make the chapter a little repetitive to those who have already read it 😉 I'm happier with this version than the one I wrote yesterday for sure as always thanks for putting up with my rambling take care guys and stay safe xx R&R