A/N: Hi Folks, here is the new & improved chapter that I removed a few days ago. With updated storyline and new content as promised. Hope it meets everyone's expectations from here on out though - we're sticking to it.
AU Changes: Spells in other languages because that's definitely a thing. It was brought to my attention by a reader that spells with power regarding spheres of cultural influence would make conflict & tournaments quite one-sided; which was something I totally overlooked, Thank you Kolto. So tossing that bit out for now, we'll explore that later on in a smaller way. For now though, the spells in other languages stay. That being said, I only speak/write in English, French, Russian, & Greek. So forgive me for any errors I make in some languages.
The Tragedy of Harry Potter
By. Momento Virtuoso
I do not own Harry Potter unlike J.K.
Chapter 3
The Ancient and Most Noble House
"Potter! You absolute bastard son of a hippogriff!," Lily Evans cursed at the boy who was standing underneath her window inside her mother's flowerbeds in the dead dark of night. "It is 2 in the morning, what on earth could you possibly want at this hour?"
The hastily awakened witch was not at her ideal best with her night gown haphazardly tied shut to protect her modesty and her bedraggled red hair capable of being a suitable nest for a day old baby Acromantula.
"Would you hex me if I just said your company?" the young wizard said with a half-cocked grin.
James had come out wearing simple muggle clothes of jeans and a t-shirt. He had made the mistake of dressing up in wizard robes one time while Lily's sister, Petunia had been home with her new boyfriend Vernon. After a rather loud terrified shriek, a shouting match, and what James thought was a walrus charging him, James had considered it a lesson learned.
"Get out of my mothers flowers and let me sleep you prat!" Lily seethed down at James.
"Come on Lils! We only got a few moments before someone sees the actual hippogriff I got for your cinder-princess-whoever's carriage hidden in the neighborhood," James joked, waving the girl to come down.
Lily's eye twitched at the butchering of her favorite movie growing up and the mention of a magical creature being smuggled and hidden inside her muggle neighborhood, she wouldn't put it past James Potter to give the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy the proverbial finger.
"And where exactly are you taking me at 2 am?" she hissed at the arrogant sod she had been seeing almost daily the entire summer break so far.
James would say that his charm had finally won her over. Lily would vehemently claim that she felt sorry for the poor loser and simply took pity on the less fortunate.
"That'd be spoiling Lily! We gotta go now though or else we'll miss it. So hurry up, meet me down the street, I'll be waiting with a broom," James said looking up at the witch's window.
The Gryffindor backed away, and slinked off down the street up from the Evan's household.
James waited for a few minutes behind a rather large set of trees near a play park not too far from Lily's house. There was a single swingset and a few other pieces of playground equipment spread out over the dark playground.
Lily finally caught up to her housemate. She was dressed in a simple dress with leggings, and a jacket thrown over her. Her hair, while still not its usual pristine flowing self, was domesticated of sorts after a duel with her brush.
James picked up his quidditch broom from the ground and mounted the handle gesturing for Lily to get on in front of him. Lily stepped onto the broom, James's free arm immediately wrapped around her waist as his dominant hand gripped the front of the broom.
Kicking off from the ground, the two zoomed off into the night sky with the city of Cokeworth getting smaller and smaller beneath them as they went. The singular light of the full moon shining brightly over them
While it was breathtaking for Lily, she still had a very large bone to pick with the man abducting her from her home in the middle of the night.
"You know James, that was no way for a Romero to call on his Juliet from her window," Lily accused. However James just looked at her oddly.
"Who are you talking about?" James asked. Lily gave him a blank look. "I'll have to add Shakespeare to your reading list then," She sighed.
James's face scrunched up at the wind in his face and definitely not his new girlfriend's tone, "why do you make it sound like I can't read?" He whined.
"Because you practically can't. The only way you've managed in transfiguration for all my knowledge is because we have diagrams in the books," Lily laughed, her voice carrying into the night air sounding like bells to James' ears.
The pair dipped down into a descent coming upon the nightlife of Liverpool glowing in the dark distance. James flew the pair over the empty quiet streets filled with only a few patrons walking down them, and fewer cars with their lights illuminating the paths they drove.
Landing out of the sight from muggles at the harbor, James hopped off and lifted Lily off the broom. Placing the girl down on her feet in front of him.
"Are you going to explain what the hell we are doing here James?" Lily asked, shivering as the cold summer chill of the Irish sea met her senses.
"Look just over there," James pointed out in the water, the top of which was glowing from the moonlight enough for a person to see the waves form and begin their path towards the shoreline.
Suddenly breaking from the water was the body of a large orca, its black top contrasting against the illuminated white, and its white underbelly breaking the eternal black of the water.
What started with one orca soon became two then three. A whole pod's worth of the majestic sea animals passed in front of the two wizards as they watched from the shore.
"You said one time during third year that if you ever had a patronus, you'd want it to be an orca. I heard there was a group sighted here a few days ago and came to see for myself the other night. I wanted to share them with you before they left for the sea again," James admitted, scratching the back of his unruly hair.
A smile broke open upon Lily's lips, and a warmth filled her chest. Reaching out, she slowly slid her hand into James's and watched the orcas move out to sea, breaking the waves and submerging once more; over and over.
"You know I've actually found out what my patronus is…Prof. Flitwick worked on it with me for a few months after Christmas," Lily told James, praying that the darkness hid her blushing from him. James had mastered the charm his fifth year and the whole of the Gryffindor House had been witness to the stag prancing about the common room.
James looked down at the girl who he had known since he was eleven, and practically declared love for every year since their second year at Hogwarts.
"Oh? Was it exactly what you hoped it'd be?" James asked curiously.
"At first, no," Lily laughed out. Chuckling at the memory of her horrified reaction to the ethereal and ghostly animal that sprang from her hand. "But after these last few months, I've definitely changed my mind about that," Lily said, pulling her wand from the pocket of her jacket.
From the tip of the witches wand, a shimmering blue doe burst forth and danced out over the water bathing in the moonlight cascading across the top of the sea. James stared at the patronus in momentary shock, looking down at the witch who cast the beautiful spell, returning his gaze back to the doe who was looking at him as if expectantly.
With a shaky hand, James pulled out his own wand and cast the same charm, a stag bearing forth and joined its companion upon the water. Together the two animals pranced together for several moments before disappearing against the full moon into whisps of magic - breaking up from the wind.
"Lily, I -," James started but was silenced by the witches' lips found his own before they could finish another syllable. James wrapped his arms around Lily's waist and held her against him.
"The answer to your question in third year when you stole my wand and threatened to feed it to a werewolf if I didn't go with you…it's yes," Lily whispered as she pressed her face into James' chest.
James' smile was so large it practically reached past both his ears. His glasses hid the single tear he shed in relief at hearing Lily's answer.
"I won't let you down Lils, thank you for the chance," he said quietly, holding the witch as they watched the moon together hover over the Irish sea outside of Liverpool.
Albus Dumbledore stared down at the parchment in front of him about the mysterious man who had appeared on the grounds a few days ago. In his hand was a letter written in the very sorrowful if not terrified scribble of Garrick Ollivander.
Dear Albus,
My dear old friend, I do hope you are doing better than I am at the time of writing this missive to you. I must stress the secrecy that must be expressed here - this can be seen by the eyes of no other. There is potential for danger if the wrong party hears this news.
A few days ago, a young man, who goes by the name of Harry Evans, entered my shop to buy a wand stating that he had misplaced his previous one. After testing several wands and cores for his magic, he was chosen by one wand, a very particular one at that. I speak of a wand that wields the second feather your familiar donated as its core.
I don't think I need to express the implications behind this as we both know the wizard who wields the first feather within his own core. I fear for my prior creation and the donated magic of dear Fawkes within the Phoenix-Yew wand is potentially corrupted beyond all reprieve. The reasons for my concern is that Mr. Evans expressed a desire to have the trace and limiting enchantments removed from his purchase. While you know that he would simply have to go to the Ministry for the trace to be removed if he was 17. The limiting enchantments were the more concerning matter of his request. While outwardly very nice and charming, I could sense a cold nature within his magic like a venom amok. He already bore a sign of dark magic in the form of scar upon his body, whether from someone else or self-experimentation. I do not know.
Albus, my friend, I fear for our world if there are two wizards of the same ilke if Mr. Evan bears such depositions. Please keep an eye on the boy Albus.
Your Friend,
Garrick G. Ollivander
Albus looked up at Fawkes, his phoenix familiar, who sat calmly upon his perch picking at his red and orange feathers with his beak.
"Evans appears to have your tail feather within his wand, my old friend," Albus chuckled at the bird. Fawkes simply puffed up and shook his freshly preened feathers.
"But however, we both know who has the other feather you gave Garrick all of those years ago…" Albus whispered.
The letter from the old wand maker concerned him greatly though. Ollivander was not one to ever discuss the ongoings of his business nor the nature of his customers lightly.
It was Ollivander's claim of the cold magical nature within Mr. Evans that gave Dumbledore pause. The headmaster knew that wand makers of the trade inspected the customers magic, and some claimed to even see into the soul to find a match for a corresponding wand core.
Dumbledore didn't put much stock into the latter notion though, he wanted to believe that a wand maker would not give a wand to a potential dark wizard in hope they could prevent future atrocities.
That however sparked the question, did Ollivander see this in Voldemort as well decades ago and give the potential dark lord a phoenix feather in hopes it would be a positive influence on the troubled young boy that was Tom Riddle? Did he try to do so again with Harry Evans?
Could it be a possible connection of some kind? Dumbledore never put much stock into Divination or other avenues of the magical branches that dealt with fate but he was never one to look away from coincidence.
Dumbledore hummed to himself softly, stroking his beard. He would have to ponder this closely. Looking down at the letter once more before hiding it away in his desk.
Harry Evans would definitely be a student he'd have to keep a close eye upon when he entered Hogwarts.
With a flick of his wand, Harry silenced the bell over the door as he entered the infamous curios store of Borgin and Burkes. All the old artifacts that Harry had seen in his timeline were displayed on shelves proudly for any customer to browse. Cases of skulls, old bottles of various potions, a hand of glory, and even what appeared to be the hand of an Inferi attempting to claw itself to freedom through enchanted glass.
It made Harry wonder how the old men even stayed in business, but he was aware of the nefarious buyers who frequented the store like the Malfoys. Harry put as much distance as he could between him and the undead hand.
Approaching the front desk, an old man was hunched over a dusty old book reading through the ledger. The book in question appeared to be written in blackened blood from what Harry could briefly spot from the words on the page.
Looking up from his work, the old man's eyes sharpened by glasses took in Harry's features. "A school kid," thought Mr. Burke.
"Too young to be in here, kid. Get outta here if you know what's good for ya," Mr. Burke growled.
"Are you Mr. Borgin or Mr. Burke?" Harry asked, ignoring the order from the store owner.
The old man growled at Harry's nonplussed demeanor
"I'm Burke, and you should be gone," the store owner insisted again.
"Mr. Burke, there is a locket that you would have purchased in the mid 1920s. You or Mr. Borgin would have sold it to a witch known as, Hepzibah Smith." Harry asked, once again ignoring the cranky owner and getting onto the point of his being in the store.
Mr. Burke now fully glared at Harry behind his glasses. Burke had seen much better years. His face's skin was sagging with age, Adam's apple bobbing below his chin almost like a buzzard's gizzard. His eyes whitening and clouding from the damage of cataracts. One hand shook terribly still with no repute from an object he had purchased that had not been properly de-cursed.
"Is this an official interrogation from the Ministry again? You ain't no auror boy. I told that lot all I knew of it back then. The damn elf did it," Mr. Burke said with a finality.
So the murder had taken place years ago potentially, Harry summarized. That meant the locket was potentially already in its place in the cave surrounded by a lake of Inferi. He grimaced internally at the thought of what lurched in those dark waters trying to ignore the clawing flicks of sound coming off the glass off to his side.
Did the aurors ever ask you about Tom Riddle then? He would have worked here around the time. Potentially been one of the last people to see Mrs. Smith alive," Harry stated looking for any misgivings in Mr. Burke.
The question was a loaded one that could potentially spur even more of the old man's ire upon him. However, Harry needed to know more to the story than what he and Dumbledore had witnessed in the Pensieve.
"They did. Cleared the boy of any wrong doing they had," Burke answered shortly. "He was a weird one…useful and charming but cold. I don't know what happened to him afterwards. He stopped coming into work. Figured he ran off and made better of himself, he was a smart kid. He knew better than to stay in this business for too long."
So the trail went fully cold from here just like Harry had expected.
"Thank you for that, and now for my second piece of business. I would like to inspect the vanishing cabinet you have on show here," Harry asked. Pointing at the triangular box standing near the cluttered wall. It looked like it hadn't been touched since the day it had been moved inside the store, a thick layer of dust coating every inch of it.
Burke nodded his consent watching Harry warily at least hoping to make a small fortune if the kid was stupid enough to purchase a vanishing cabinet without a mate.
Harry approached the cabinet, and inspected the magic upon it with his wand. He could tell there were a few enchantments resting upon the object. Opening the inside, Harry poked his upper body in and looked around, taking a moment to trace a rune that he had memorized from the Sayre journal he had been devouring of late.
He had spent the whole afternoon and night yesterday working several spells and combing through all the potential knowledge held with its binding. Harry had found just the rune for the Vanishing cabinet while doing so. The book spoke of how only runes could counteract most magical enchantments and was the basis of writing out magical wards.
Harry finished carving an old Celtic rune that roughly translated to 'malfunction' into the bottom corner of the wood with his gorgon-wand. Tapping the shape with its tip, the rune glowed a dark green before disappearing into the wood.
Satisfied with his work, Harry backed away and closed the door.
"A shame, If you had the whole set I would have liked to purchase them," Harry lied smoothly. This cabinet surely wasn't going to be linked to the one in Hogwarts now though preventing an easy way in for anyone determined to study their workings once again.
"Thank you for your time Mr. Burke, I'm sorry for any hassle," Harry said nodding at the old shop owner.
"Good Day to you Mr. -?" Burke asked but Harry was already leaving the store with the door closed behind him, not willing to give out his name this time.
Harry left the sinister store behind and made his way back towards Diagon Alley. However Knockturn lived up to its name's sake by being a place whose roads snaked and winded in many odd ways leading to many more off-shoot alleys of the Dark Lane.
Harry suddenly stopped in his tracks at the sound of a raised voice, a male's.
"You Black bitch! You blood traitor whore! If you're to be my future wife and you will not act like some mud mongering whore," a voice yelled out followed by a girl's sudden cry.
Harry made his way towards where he could hear the confrontation. The accusation soon followed by what sounded like a fist striking flesh and a further torn off cry of a young woman. Harry broke into a run to aid whoever was in trouble.
Hurrying around the corner of the building to the entrance of an off-shoot alley, Harry saw a young man pressing a dark brown haired girl to the wall by her throat. She couldn't have been a year or two younger than himself.
At the attackers feet lay a young man who was bound with his arms and legs taut straight together with no bindings. "A full body-bind curse," Harry thought. The frozen man was bleeding profusely from his face with a broken nose as the culprit, glaring daggers up at the man pining the young girl against the wall.
"You should know better than to affiliate yourself with such filth Andromeda, my dear," the young man whispered close to the girl's ear.
"Fuck you Rabasta-AH!," Andromeda cried as her head was pulled back by her hair by Rabastan's free hand which held his wand.
Lestrange pressed his nose closely to her hair and breathed in deeply. Pressing his face against hers, suddenly forcing his lips upon hers, capturing the struggling girls' in an unwarranted embrace.
Having seen more than enough of the assault taking place, with a flick of wrist Harry drew the gorgon-wand, its blackened tip bearing down upon the man forcing himself on his victim. Casting a silent successfully to his surprise. "Depulso," Harry's banishing charm sent the offender flying against the opposite side of the alley, his back hitting flat against the brick wall of a building.
Rabastan Lestrange cried out as he was flung from his betrothed-to-be. Groaning as he tried to collect himself off the ground, fumbling with regaining his grip upon his wand.
Andromeda Black, being released from his tight hold, dropped to the ground as she slid down against the wall she had been pinned upon. Andromeda crawled over and grabbed hold of the bound man on the ground.
Picking himself up, Lestrange drew his own wand and silently cast a hazy blue spell at Harry with a snarl.
Like he saw the Unspeakable perform with his own spells in the Department of Mysteries, the tip of his gorgon-wand caught the blue spell. Harry tossed the offending magic above him to dissipate in the air above the alley in a flash of sparks.
"You really should have minded your business bastard," spat Rabastan Lestrange. Harry cocked an eyebrow at the man. He would recognize the tone of voice anywhere. He was fighting a Lestrange, he heard the cut off name the girl had said, wracking his memory.
"Rabastan, he's the twin of Rodolphus," Harry thought, thinking back on what he knew of the two infamous brothers from his time.
"You assaulted a man and woman in public. I think that'd make it the business of whoever came across you," Harry interjected the would-be Death Eater.
He had heard the girl be referred to as an Andromeda, which meant she was Sirius's cousin, a Black. The girl bore remarkable resemblance to the woman Harry had met in his flight from the Dursley's to the Grimmauld Place in his fifth year.
"You might want to leave before you're worse off than this mud blood filth!" the entitled Lestrange warned, swinging his foot out to kick the magically bound man but never landing the kick. Harry's hand immediately lashed out with his wand firing off a dark green spell.
He had read in the Sayre Journal that this spell was only for enemies to subdue them, something that the Lestrange was definitely to Harry. Hopefully it wouldn't be dangerous enough to land him in Azkaban. He had already found several very damning spells within the Parseltongue bound grimoire.
Lestrange saw the color of the spell and had the good sense to avoid it. Swiftly dodging to the side, both he and Harry watched as the spell ate away the bottom of a lamp post entirely. Apparently the spell meant subdued by melting off of the person's legs, Harry was sickened by the thought of that hitting anyone.
Rabastan balked at the lethality of the spell he had just avoided. When he saw the green instinct had taken over to avoid an Unforgivable which couldn't be shielded against. With a growl, he stepped up his own spell work. Launching a hex that would strip the skin from the bone at Harry.
With quick reflexes that had seen him through the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry transfigured a large rock from a loose brick on the ground. Immediately the hex that Lestrange shot out tore through the stone, clipping Harry on the arm.
Harry could feel the warm liquid leaving his upper bicep and cascading down to his finger tips before dropping to the ground. Harry tried to flex his hand to no avail. The armless was useless at the moment.
Harry immediately cast two bone breaking curses "Ossio Ruptor," Harry shouted, while casting a third spell being a silent cutting hex behind the two curses at the man who would become a future Death Eater in his time.
Rabastan Lestrange was no slouch though in combat. Sidestepping one bone curse and deflecting the second off to the side away from him. Lestrange received a superficial wound on his side from the cutting hex that damaged his robes more than his body, however flecks of red splattered across the pavement and began to drip from the man's side.
Both wizards had successfully drawn blood on each other now but neither managed to land a solid hit upon the other that would seriously impair their foe.
Watching the other intensely, both wizards stared each other down for a moment. Each one's hand gripping and relaxing in rhythm around their respective wands. Harry's green eyes waited for the twitch that would reveal Rabastan Lestrange's hand, while Lestrange waited for Harry to falter for just a moment to capitalize on the wizard's weakness.
Lestrange was confident, having been trained in magical combat by his father alongside his brother, Rodolphus. He was a prodigy at silently casting spells, something that many in his year at Hogwarts were unable to achieve. His hexes and curses were second to none barring maybe Bellatrix Black or Lucius Malfoy a few years his senior.
Harry was confident as well, his trials by fire tempering him throughout his whole young life. In a tense moment like this, he found peace of sorts - in the moment before it would all go belly up.
The first to flinch would have an array of spells cast their way and both knew that the timing of the moment was critical for both dueling parties.
Spotting the tells of Lestrange's actions from what he had seen in the man from the future. Harry knew he had the upper hand in reading the other wizard so far.
Rabastan Lestrange's impatience wore thin and finally won the man over into rash action over Harry.
Drawing his wand up suddenly and bringing it down towards the ground in a flowing motion, the budding dark wizard silently shot off a widely cast bludgeoning curse.
With his wand pointed expertly at Harry, the future death returned spell fire with a widely cast bludgeoning curse. The spell tore up the street's tiles in front of Harry as it barreled towards him, barely missing Andromeda and Ted in its wake. Bricks flying up and breaking everything in their path.
Quick on the spell's take, Harry spun his wand in motion, calling out the shield charm as he summoned extra strength to fortify the spell, "Protego!" The magical shield held against the bludgeoning curse and the improvised projectiles it tossed at him.
Harry immediately moved onto the offensive in the duel. Pulling from what he learned in Creon Renault's book so far which spoke of how a stationary duelist, one who prioritized too much defense would find themselves eventually overwhelmed. "No wall could ever out last a prolonged siege. Once you see your opening, rush out the gates and try to overwhelm your foe when they break upon your strength,".
"Stupefy!" Harry shouted out, sending the bright red spell barreling down towards Rabastan to control the man's attention hiding his real attack, Harry banished several of the street tiles misplaced by the prior bludgeoning spell straight at Lestrange.
Harry carefully aimed the pieces of stone, hiding within each's shadow, to strike his foe and avoid the two-noncombatants trying to avoid the two wizard's spells, seeing the impending danger they were caught within.
Andromeda having unbound Ted Tonks with a shaking hand after fumbling for her wand had her body being shielded from any potential errant spell by Tonk's himself, wrapping the young girl in his arms.
Lestrange avoided the blinding red bolt of magic, feeling the heat radiate off the spell as it veered near his body. Stepping away from the stunner, Rabastan moved into the path of the banished bricks, clipping his body to inflict heavy damage by smashing his wrist and several ribs respectively.
"Heh, Gotta hand it to you bastard. You're pretty good for being a nobody. Not many can claim to have gotten this many hits in," Rabastan wheezed, switching his wand to his non-dominant hand and pressing his arm to his side, inspecting the damage done to his ribs.
"Give me a few more moments and I'll land more than just a few good hits," Harry said ominously, fully intending on crippling the young version of the Death Eater he once knew quite permanently if given the opportunity.
Harry wasn't ready to kill again, not directly nor indirectly like he had done to that nameless Unspeakable. He had spent nearly every night tossing over the moral terror of it.
Yes they had conducted human experiments with time, but just what kind of person were they? Were they complicit willingly? Were they forced to partake? Harry knew of future Rabastan's intentions though, what kind of man he would be. Harry wanted to buck up and get it over with, but he still couldn't shake the moral quandary.
Holding his wand unsteady in his off-hand, Rabastan launched out a sickly green spell upon Harry unexpectedly. Harry in his haste to defend himself, opted for a shield charm which shattered upon impact with the opposing magic.
Harry dove to the side, attempting to get cover behind the wall of a building he was beside but Rabastan sent another curse his way, preventing the path.
Suddenly two spells shot from behind Harry, making the wizard's battle tested senses go into overdrive. Diving to the ground to avoid the one meant for him while the second carried onwards toward Lestrange, Harry rolled to meet the new foe to his back. His gorgon-wand raised in defense.
Lestrange narrowly avoided the spell meant for him as well, nearly falling over as he tried to step away from the yellow curse which ignited the space he had been prior, "A combustion jinx, that'd have been nasty," he thought in horror. While it wouldn't do too much damage if put out quickly, those kinds of jinxes were lethal if left to their own devices for too long.
A cackle sounded that sent terror down Harry's spine involuntarily.
Harry's blood went cold. He knew that voice. It had haunted his nightmares since his fifth year. "I Killed Sirius Black!", followed by that piercing mad cackle played over and over echoing in his head like ripples in a disturbed pond.
"Bravo you two! Oh Rabbie, you're looking absolutely defeated…what a shame," Bellatrix goaded her housemate smirking as she stepped into the fight, twirling her walnut-wand in her hand while the other played with a long lock of curly hair.
Bellatrix looked at the mess in front of her. Andromeda, her younger sister, was crying in the arms of the boy she had been seeing in secret for the last two years. Said boy, Ted Tonks was trying to comfort Andromeda while protecting her with his own body. Bellatrix a begrudging flicker of respect for the Muggle-born in protecting her beloved sister. Her eyes zeroed in on the two men before her though, specifically the Lestrange with a murderous glint in her dark irises.
"I see you've both caught my dear sister between you two…please make this a challenge for me," She warned the two before launching her attack. A flurry of spells left Bellatrix's wand with the grace of a ballerina.
Immediately the two wizards found themselves on defense from the witch. The duel, now turned fight, entered into a dance, and both men were being unwillingly led by Bellatrix across the floor.
For a moment, Harry was fifteen again being chased by both of their older, Death Eater selves through the Department of Ministry. Lost in the trance, Harry saw the opening and decided to take it, a moment of rage and hate gripping his heart.
"Dente terebrare!", the spell leaving his wand, produced a spectral serpent connected to its blackened tip, the snake shot forward at Bellatrix aiming for the young witch's throat. Bella's eyes widened at the spell, briefly hearing the scream of her sister before her instincts took over. Pulling a silver button from her corset, Bellatrix transfigured and animated the button into a large shield, fending off the snake.
Harry's concentration was left on holding the spell, he didn't know what it could do but hopefully something that would avenge his fallen godfather, who had been taken unawares by the witch before him. Just like he almost was moments ago.
However, Harry's first mistake of the entire conflict was taking his eyes off of Rabastan Lestrange. Watching the two struggle before him, Rabastan took the opportunity, shooting a bright pink spell at Harry, hitting the wizard in the shoulder.
Harry immediately fell to the ground, his summoned snake dissipated into the air as his mind was lit on fire worse than a mental invasion from Voldemort. A knife plunged between his eyes every time he tried to form a conscious thought.
Rabastan immediately shot a spell at Bellatrix, hoping to overtake her momentary confusion behind the shield but the witch simply deflected the spell, glaring back at Rabastan for trying to sneak the attack in.
In a retribution for his action against her, and the slight he had done against her younger sister, "Suathadh de lobhadh," Bellatrix hissed the Gaelic curse. Her wand aiming true as the dark spell hit Rabastan in his last functional arm.
Rabastan screamed out at the pain that overtook him. The affected limb began to pale and show the beginning stages of necrosis. His face panicked at the rate of his arm's misfortune.
"Now run home to mommy and daddy for the counter curse before that arm of yours falls off for ever touching my sister or trying to get one over me," Bellatrix said tensely, her wand still aimed true at the Lestrange twin.
Not needing to be warned away twice, Rabastan scurried away from the torn up side alley street with a sounding pop of disapparation.
Bellatrix turned her attention back to Harry, her wand at her side ready to defend herself once more from the boy.
However, she looked down at him oddly. His body was fighting itself it seemed.
Harry's mind was in agony and his neurons were not complying. Trying to get his bearings, Harry managed to get off the ground onto all fours, nearly falling over as he shifted weight away from his bad arm; his wand still gripped tight in a spasming hand.
"A tortured mind curse," Bellatrix thought grimly. Watching its effects mangle Harry. The power of the spell varied depending on the person it was cast on. Clearly the boy before her had some cowboys running around in his head. Sometimes it would leave the victim flinching constantly, shaken up, or a muttering mess. However it had seemed to take out most facilities from the wizard in front of her.
Yet, he was surprisingly fighting and slightly overcoming the effects via pure will. "A stubborn one for sure," she thought.
"Bella! It wasn't him! He saved me, I promise - you have to help him," Andromeda found her voice, still being held by Ted who now felt it safe to step forward with the daughter of Black, now that spell fire was not flying through the air.
Bellatrix huffed at her sister's admission. It would be easier to just leave the boy here for his brain to melt. Kneeling down in front of the wizard, Bellatrix grabbed the boy by the chin. Bringing his face up to hers to administer the counter curse but she paused and was slightly taken aback by the look about him.
Harry held a death glare for Bellatrix. Eyes boring into her like a thestral rampaging. His nose was flared and jaw locked in a glowering expression. Bellatrix imagined that if he had proper use of his jaw, he'd bite her hand for offending to even touch him.
This was the look of someone who wanted her dead. The spell he had used upon her earlier was attempting to achieve that outcome before his focus was broken. Bellatrix wasn't sure how much longer her magical shield would have endured the spectral serpent from the boy's wand.
"Listen carefully you, I'm going to do the counter curse for this nasty headache of yours. Be a good boy and don't bite me now dog," Bellatrix giggled with a smirk. However dog seemed to be the wrong word for her to use as it made the wizard lock his joints and push himself almost into a kneeling position. His green eyes were dark pits of no emotion.
He seemed to be lost in his head, before or after the curse was cast though Bellatrix knew not.
Waving her wand over Harry's face, Bellatrix muttered the counter spell for the tortured mind in Latin. Almost instantly, Harry felt his head clear and regained control of his body's function.
Immediately his wand was up again and pointed against Bellatrix's heart. His free hand firmly grasped the wrist which held her gnarled wand pinning it against her body, overcoming the pain that shot down his arm from Lestrange's wound with adrenaline.
"Woah now, killing me would be a poor way to say thank you wouldn't it?" Bellatrix placated. Raising her other hand up to show that she was non-threatening to the wizard holding her tightly.
Curiously, Bellatrix moved her eyes away from the boy's face where she noticed he had a scar from dark magic and down to the white birch-wand pointed at her beating organ. Fascinated by the black marks branching off from the darkened tip like an electrical burn. It spoke of a tortured existence. "Corruption. That wand has definitely seen a dark spell or two, scarred by dark magic just like he was somehow," Bellatrix thought. She knew next to nothing about wands but she knew the price of dark magic when she saw it.
Bellatrix knew the wand had to be old, at least older than the trace and inhibiting enchantment laws that hampered many wands produced. So the wizard who had her at his mercy was fully capable of casting another spell like before that'd kill her.
"Please sir, it's ok. She's my sister," Andromeda called out, supported by Ted Tonks with an arm around her. Harry's eyes snapped to the two, away from the girl who would become the maddest witch alive.
He saw their daughter, Tonks in that moment instead of her future parents but he also saw the concern Andromeda held for her sister, Bellatrix.
Harry's gut twisted at how anyone could care for a malady prone witch like Bellatrix Lestrange. But she wasn't Bellatrix Lestrange…at least not yet, she was still a Black at the moment. She hadn't performed the sin yet that he attempted to kill her over.
Confronted by the consequences of his actions, Harry looked into the eyes of the young witch at his mercy. They were dark but not yet bearing any sign of the glee she'd have at the thought of bringing wanton misery to those against her Dark Lord.
She was just seventeen now, and Harry didn't know what happened to her to shape the woman from his past that haunted him.
Harry slowly pulled his wand away from Bellatrix's chest. The captive girl released a breath she had been holding back, her younger sister and Ted Tonk's watching on in worry for another snap reaction.
Backing away to get some distance between her and the wizard. "Jeez, next time I'll let your mind go to mush if you're going to threaten to blast a hole in my chest," Bellatrix sneered. She was slightly disturbed by the crazed look in his eye when he had her under his gaze.
"You shouldn't have fired a spell at me when I was dueling someone else then," Harry sharply said with a bite to his tone. He wouldn't apologize for his reaction out loud, not to her.
"You and that bloody mongrel were having it out practically over my little sister. I had to stop either of you both before she was hit by one of you foolishly trying to take the other's head off," Bellatrix accused. Pointing a finger now at Harry, the wizard glaring at the affronted appendage then the witch.
Taking in her appearance, Harry looked over Bellatrix Black closely. She wore long dark robes like the ones she had when he knew her, but these were more conservative. Covering more of her chest and arms. Her torso was bound in a black corset like her older self favored, pushing her more feminine features to providence.
Bellatrix's dark hair fell to her mid back in curling locks with no streaks of gray or white marring its luster from her time imprisoned. Bellatrix's face had the high cheek bones and slender neck that many in the Black family had been blessed in but what captivated Harry's attention most was her dark eyes. They held no sign of the madness that her later self would be infamous for…without such things, Harry almost considered Bellatrix to be a beauty in her youth.
Turning his face away from the witch as his face began to flush red. Harry looked at Andromeda and Ted Tonks.
"Are you both ok? I was passing by and saw what he was doing," Harry asked the pair.
Ted nodded at Harry with a smile on his face. "Aye, we were taking a moment to ourselves after doing some errands," Ted scratched the back of his head with a grin on his face. "And well, Lestrange got the jump on us. I knew his family was in talks with Andy's here for betrothal but I didn't think it was a legitimate thing yet?" the muggle-born asked, looking at the Black sisters.
The two sisters both held different looks. Andromeda looked ashamed while Bellatrix wore a look nearing one of sickness.
"Yeah, yeah. Me and Andy are to be engaged to those two dipshits. Can we just forget about it? It's being handled at the moment so that won't have to happen," Bellatrix growled. Clearly not happy with the turn of conversation.
Andromeda looked towards Harry, "Thank you sir, I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't turned our way. Can we do anything to repay your aid…um Mr.-?" Andromeda ended slowly in question.
"Harry, Harry Evans. And it's ok, really you don't need to repay me," Harry said. Turning to Bellatrix, he opened his lips to begin to speak but stopped himself.
Bellatrix awaited for whatever apology the boy was trying to make but her hope for one died in his eyes. He still bore a look of disgust when they were upon her.
"Nice dueling there, your skills speak for itself," Harry begrudgingly said, unable to deny that Bellatrix had both him and Lestrange on the back foot for a moment there with just her opening spells alone.
Bellatrix nodded at Harry, accepting the compliment for what it was.
Andromeda's head turned in question, an odd questioning look in her eyes. "How did you handle Lestrange so well by the way? It was almost like you knew some of his moves. He doesn't often duel outside of his friends in Hogwarts," Andromeda asked.
She had been in awe of Harry as he stopped in to protect her and Ted.
Bellatrix wanted to know the answer as well. She had noticed that Evans had even spotted a few of her own body's tells while dueling that no one knew about but Arcturus, only the old man was capable of easily predicting her next move. The boy had to either have an extremely cool head in a fight or a prodigy in combative magics. He had impressed the elder Black sister to warrant her interest.
Harry Evans looked like he'd be around her age in Hogwarts but she had never seen him in a year above or below her own. Who was he exactly? Capable duelist and wielded a wand that could perform dark spells?
Bellatrix knew that well crafted wands capable of being used in real duels were difficult to come by due to the laws restricting their unhampered production. One either had to buy a wand at Ollivanders and bribe a goblin to lift the limiting enchantments placed upon it for a costly fee. If one couldn't afford such then they'd have to buy a knock off wand in a seedy place that wouldn't have the same quality.
The only other way was through inheritance with an older wand. After inspecting Evan's tormented birch wand up close, Bellatrix had concluded it was indeed an older specimen of the trade.
"He just wasn't as good as he made himself out to be," Harry lied. Scratching the back of his untidy hair.
Drawing Bellatrix's eyes to tighten in ire at the omission. Even she had to admit that Rabastan Lestrange was a formidable opponent with his use of silent spell casting with his repertoire of magic.
Bellatrix looked at Harry critically, he looked like someone she knew when he lied. She simply couldn't place the faces together at the moment.
If it wasn't for her own interference and the cheap spell used by Lestrange, Evans would have probably overpowered him and won the fight, Bellatrix thought to herself. He was either hiding his true skill or was extraordinarily lucky.
However, after dueling the Lestrange to a standstill, withstanding her assault to halt it back, and being dropped by something as wicked as the mind curse that afflicted him. Harry Evans still had a fight within him. Bellatrix didn't want to admit it but the bruise against her chest from his wand admired spunk when she saw it.
"Here at least let me touch up your side. You're bleeding everywhere still," Andromeda requested holding her wand up at Harry. Unlike with Bellatrix, Harry didn't flinch at the Black pointing the magical instrument at his body.
Another thing of note that Bellatrix gleaned from Evan's demeanor. He was comfortable with Andy but not her?
"Emendo Dermis," Andromeda chanted, passing her wand over the mangled portion of his upper arm. The skin patching itself together, leaving faint white scars in its wake.
Harry nodded in thanks at the younger Black. Earning a 'humph' of indignation from the older.
"Andromeda, say good-bye to your boy toy. We need to head back soon before father sends a search party for us," Bellatrix said to her sister. Nodding farewell to Harry. "Keep out of trouble Evans. It'd be a shame if you end up a stain in an alley before I claim a rematch from you."
With a twirl of her robes, Bellatrix strutted away. Andromeda kissed Ted on the cheek. Turning to Harry she smiled, "Thank you again Harry, please if you need anything else just let me know. You can send an owl for me, my name is Andromeda Black," Andromeda said, leaving the two boys, running up after her sister.
Harry stood there for a moment with Ted Tonks. The muggle-born turned to him and held out his hand.
"I don't like admitting this, but without you. We'd been toast. I appreciate you helping out me and my girl against that git. Like Andy said, if you need anything - just let me know too," Ted said, shaking Harry's hand firmly.
Harry could see the ghost of the future Ted Tonks before him.
Smiling and nodding at the young man, Harry returned the handshake.
"The pleasure was mine, Ted," Harry said simply.
With that, the pair parted ways. Harry left Knockturn Alley and returned to the Leaky Cauldron before anyone could come poking their noses around the streets for him over the fight that had occurred in the back alley. He had some O.W.L. exams to prepare for anyway.
Charlus Potter sat across from his lifelong rival and friend, Arcturus Black in the Black's study, with a dram of fire whiskey sitting between the two. The pair had attended Hogwarts together and were leaders of their respective houses Gryffindor and Slytherin.
They had joined up in the conflict against Grindelwald together, fighting and struggling to survive. They were currently Lords in the Wizengamot together and the respective leaders of their political blocks. However, sitting across from each other, neither man was sure where they stood at the moment.
Arcturus had his family ring about his neck on a chain while Charlus still wore the Potter family ring on his finger.
Charlus knew that his friend had trouble with his ring, it was a devil of a thing. He was thankful himself that the Potter ring had no magic that would actively threaten the proxy if they did something the current lord would be against.
"Two lords of each house? Are you sure about this Arcturus?" Charlus asked, taking a sip of the fire whiskey before him.
The Lord black nodded at his colleague. His face held a look of grim acceptance. Inside thought, Arcturus was seething at the discovery and what it meant for the Black legacy. It was a grim and bitter pill to swallow and all the more poisonous for it.
"Aye, Upon visiting my account handler at Gringotts today all but confirmed it. We are now acting in tandem with someone who is also lord of House Black and Potter," Arcturus spat. Throwing his now empty glass at the wall, the crystal shattering to pieces. With a wave of his wand, the glass was repaired and summoned back to his hand.
Arcrturus had gone to the Ministry and goblin bank to begin the process of registering Sirius as his heir, skipping over his first born son Orion. He had completed the affair easily at the Ministry but the goblins had been another matter. While they still registered Sirius as the heir, it was still doable with only one lord apparently. Even the laws weren't properly coded to prevent a two-lord dilemma it seemed.
"The goblins didn't tell you who assumed the positions though?" Charlus asked glumly. Swirling what was left of his drink in its glass with a twirl of his wrist.
"The little bugger practically tossed my gold back at me when I tried to bribe him. Wouldn't open his damn lips after that. The spiky-eared little hob-shit," Arcturus grumbled.
"The only thing it assured me was that while there are two respective lords at the moment, James and Sirius are still listed as heirs. I don't think an inheritance issue will occur until this new lord has spawn of their own to point their stubby fingers at our wealth."
Charlus nodded at his friend's accusation of the goblins' character and the explanation of the inheritance issue. A troubled look on his face.
It was a strange ordeal, almost never heard of. At most there could be a current head along with an acting proxy if the Lord was indisposed or underage. There had never been in the entirety of history a case of two lords at once. The fact that it was also the same new risen double lord in both cases was absurd, Charlus thought.
Charlus almost wished it was a hostile takeover from within the family because then he could at least have someone to point his wand at.
"I've checked the Black accounts though. Nothing has been taken, touched, or even looked up. It was all perfectly normal as of the last audit. Even the spare houses are all empty currently. I'd suggest you do the same for Potters," Arcturus suggested.
Charlus nodded once more his consent to follow through upon the request. "Not even a knut?" he asked his fellow shocked that he hadn't been robbed blind almost immediately.
Arcturus shook his head negatively at his friend. He had been just as shocked himself.
"Then they aren't after our wealth. That's a relief at least. I'd suppose we'd just have to keep this quiet and between ourselves. Unless the new lord Black or Potter show up for a Wizengamot meeting, now that'd be more eventful than the time James took over for me," Charlus started chuckling, beginning to see the hilarious nature of the current event.
Arcturus grumbled, pouring himself more fire whiskey.
"They most likely won't engage us in politics either, they have an advantage over us actually since we hold the family rings. We can't in theory go against their wishes anymore they could ours but we actually possess the item which punishes the offender on our persons,". The Lord Black hissed, pushing his chain away from his neck and letting the Black ring dangle for a moment.
"Then really, they are just a Black and Potter in name then. If they use any family asset, we'd know immediately due to the blood magic. If they step into politics wielding our names then there's a reckoning to come their way. It's just business as usual while we wait for our new familial colleague out," Charlus said, shrugging his shoulders simply.
It was a much more pressing matter for the Black lord rather than Potter. The Blacks had invested in a lot of businesses over the last few decades in order to jumpstart the economy after the last world muggle war. Arcturus himself had been at that forefront. There was a lot more for him to lose with his family than Charlus had at risk.
Raising his glass of amber liquid to Arcturus in a toast.
"To our fellow lord, whoever that poor bastard is," Charlus barked a laugh.
"That poor bastard just disinherited James and Sirius unless we can find and kill them before they spawn," Arcturus reminded him.
"Stuff his head and hang it from the wall eh?" Charlus joked.
Arcturus broke out into a grin and offered his glass in a toast to the joke.
"Aye, they'd be right up there on the wall with the old house elves," Arcturus chuckled.
Two Days Later…
Harry reported early in the morning at the opening hours to the Ministry of Magic for his O.W.L.s examination with the Wizarding Examinations Authority.
Wearing some of the new clothes, Harry was dressed like a muggle almost with trousers, a button up shirt, but with an open burgundy wizard robe over them. His wands were now being held in two magically hidden holsters, with his gorgon on his right forearm, and the phoenix on his left leg underneath his pants.
Harry had removed his phoenix wand in advance before arriving at the Ministry. He submitted it for testing by the security guard who weighed the wands of those entering the Atrium.
Harry felt the need to keep his gorgon wand a secret for a moment. Though, he thought that having a second wand was probably an open secret among many wizards during this tense climate.
Making his way through the various departments filled with the bustle of Ministry workers, Harry eventually arrived at a hall that was put aside for daily testing in many subjects and things for wizards.
Griselda Marchbanks, an official for the Wizarding Examinations Authority, was already waiting for Harry when he entered the hall where he was to be tested. Marchbanks was a stern looking witch, with robes of deep blue, and a small flowered hat upon her head. Her face was wrinkled with middle-aged and what appeared to be strong laugh lines resting just over her cheeks below her eyes.
"Hello Mr. Evans, my name is Griselda Marchbanks and I'll be your examiner for your written portions of your O.W.L.S. You've elected to take Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, History of Magic, Care for Magical Creatures, DADA, Magical Theory, and Runation?" Marchbanks questioned the young man before her.
Harry nodded, sitting down at the desk before him. There was already an exam paper and a quill that Harry suspected was enchanted against any cheating.
"Yes ma'am," Harry confirmed.
Marchbanks gave him a nod and gestured for him to begin his exam.
"You'll have exactly nine hours for all the exams, please use your time wisely. Best of luck Mr. Evans," Marchbanks said.
Harry looked down at the exam for Potions and began. He had already taken the majority of these exams before in the future, how hard could it be this time?
Glad that he had studied Professor Snape's old potion book in sixth year, many of the answers came easily to him.
'Q: Which is a possible side effect of Pepper-up Potions?'
Harry wrote down how steam would come out of the ear of some who took the potion.
'Q: How long should a Polyjuice Potion stew before usage?'
Remembering how long it took for them to brew it during second year, Harry wrote down the answer for one month.
The rest of the written potions exam was easily done. Harry proceeded to easily cover and answer his exams for transfiguration, charms, DADA, Care for Magical Creatures, and Herbology. History of Magic was a difficult exam for Harry since he couldn't remember all the dates and locations for the various events he was being asked about.
Finishing the majority of his exams almost hours in advance. It wasn't until Harry got to Magical Theory and Runation that he began to stumble in his testing.
'Q: Which languages are prominent for spells in Britain?'
Harry was stumped by the question. He knew Latin for sure since that was taught primarily at Hogwarts. He had also read a lot of different spells, several being in Irish, and old English along with in multiple languages inside the Sayre Journal. Harry wrote down Latin, old English, and Irish.
'Q: Does a spell change its magical nature when cast in another language by someone who is not fluent?' True or False.
Not knowing which to put. Harry simply circled false for his answer.
'Q: What is the starting que for nonverbal magic - is it the motion of the casters wand or the manifestation of the thought within the mind for the spell before casting?'
Harry mimed a spell with his quill. Thinking over his answer. He wasn't really experienced in nonverbal spells with only now just beginning to practice them in earnest. Deciding that the thought of a spell was more important since it required concentration and mental discipline alone, Harry remembered from his sixth year with Professor Snape.
After hours sunk into his magical theory exam. Harry finally moved onto Runations.
'Q: What is the difference between Enchanting and Inscription for Runes?"
Harry had briefly read up on the topics. He knew that enchanting had to do with directly placing the runes upon the object for the desired effect, like he had done with the Vanishing Cabinet in Borgin & Burkes. However it often led to a weaker result than Inscription could produce.
With Inscription one could stack multiple runes on an object through a different medium such as parchment or tablets. A higher quantity of runes could be done on one object with inscription while enchanting tended to produce a higher quality with one object.
'Q: What is the most powerful source to write a Rune in?'
Blood. Harry answered simply. Blood runes were some of the most powerful and dangerous runes in existence he had discovered during his small time reading.
'Q: How many runes are used in tandem to create the magical properties in wards?'
Remembering his lessons about magical numbers from Hermione. Harry knew that there was power in three and with seven being the most powerful magical number, often the number of runes used in tandem depending on the power of the ward. However, Harry had also read about directional and elemental wards which possessed four runes each.
Finally after finishing his long written exams, Examiner Marchbank collected his papers. Looking them over quickly.
"Very good Mr. Evans, however I must remind you that the most prominent languages for magic in Wizarding Britain are Latin, Irish, Urdu and Hindi," Griselda said. "I must say other than your last two exams. I believe you've done quite exceptionally for the written portion."
Harry sighed in relief. He had been worried that he would flunk the majority like he had almost done last time. He was glad he wouldn't be receiving any Trolls with his results.
"If you would please remove your wand, we'll begin the practical portions of your charms, DADA, transfiguration, and Runation exams upon Professor Tofty's arrival," Marchbank explained.
Almost at his mention, an old bald man with large round glasses entered the testing hall. He wore drab brown robes and was slightly hunched over due to his elderly elderly man looked to at least be around a century at least.
"Hello! Hello! I heard my name so here I came! Please just call me Tofty though. I haven't been a professor since young Albus was a third year," the old examiner chuckled.
Tofty looked Harry up and down. "Mr. Evans I presume? I talked to Albus about you dear boy, he's very excited you know to see how you perform," Tofty revealed with a smile.
However the knowledge that Dumbledore was looking into him sent a grimace down Harry's spine. He could already see the old headmaster putting his nose where it didn't belong, however this was almost to be suspected as part of his job since he needed Harry's test results to enroll his classes for the term.
Pulling out his phoenix-wand Harry prepared himself for his practical examinations.
It couldn't be said that Tofty wasn't a task master when it came to his testing duty. The old man kept Harry moving through the exams at a streamlined pace. Harry had been transfiguring whatever object had been placed in front of him and even turned a mouse back into a wooden spoon without knowing its origin at one point.
His charms portion was spent casting back to back spells. From levitating charms, heat charms, light, and even a bubblehead where he had to transfigure and fill up a tank of water.
Finally Harry mentioned to his examiner that he could perform a corporeal Patronus charm. Tofty's eyes widened in excitement and the man urged Harry to cast the spell with a wave of his hand.
"Oh yes! Go on Mr. Evans, let us see it!," he said excitedly.
"Expecto Patronum" Harry called out, casting with a flick of holly phoenix wand. The silver stag burst from the tip and pranced about the room to the examiner's amusement.
"Oh bravo! Simply magnificent. There are very few wizards your age who could manage an incorporeal let alone this level of the Patronus charm!" Tofty said excitedly. "I think that definitely deserves a bonus on your examination final."
Runation however once again stumped Harry. While he was lightly read in the subject with the cramming he had to do for his O.W.L. he had no practical experience to speak of.
Harry sat on the floor drawing runes with the tip of his wand on parchment, wood, and stone tablets. A few of the runes took and several more were duds. However, eventually he had managed to pass Tofty's expectations as the examiner marked an Acceptable on his testing form for the subject.
"Well Mr. Evans, that concludes your O.W.L.s examination. We will be mailing you and Hogwarts the results immediately so you should receive them tomorrow morning," Tofty said excitedly. The old man had a spring his step since the start of the practical examination. It was almost as if testing new young wizards was this man's fountain of youth.
"Thank you sir, I greatly appreciate the time you and Ms. Marchbank took to see my exams completed," Harry said.
Harry was just glad to finally be done after a whole day of testing. Taking his leave, Harry left the examination hall and the Ministry. Returning to his bed in the Leaky Cauldron where he promptly passed out from exhaustion.
Regulus Black stared up at all the newspapers he had pinned to the wall of his room. Each one while not directly saying or showing so was a victory or act claimed to have been done in the name of the Dark Lord.
Regulus had been fascinated with the Dark Lord ever since he had heard his mother whisper of his prowess in adoration to his father, Orion. His father had not cared much for the pureblood movement that the Dark Lord had taken the helm of but his mother was fanatical about it.
Ever since Sirius had run away at sixteen, unable to cope with the pressure and outright venom from their mother. Regulus only wanted to be a dutiful son and make her proud. Make his family proud. He had been born a Black and that was something he cherished greatly. He had studied his lineage all the way back to the Founders of Hogwarts, it was even speculated that the Blacks had been in Britain before the Norman or even the Saxon invasions.
An Ancient and Most Noble House indeed…
However, in the days after he was pulled aside by his mother before one family meeting. Regulus had been feeling a chill of discomfort and nerves.
Flashback
"You're to be given a task while at Hogwarts, and the completion of such is of grave importance to the family, Regulus," His mother said sternly. Walburga was the very picture of a pureblood lady. Her posture was perfect, dress unwrinkled, and her features closely and coolly schooled to show no giving emotion. However, some of Walburga's beauty had faded after she had banished her first-born son. The woman looked aged beyond her years yet still keeping a youthful appearance in some magical way.
"Yes Mother, I understand," Regulus said dutifully despite not knowing the task given to him yet.
"You'll be contacted by a messenger within your first month back at school. If you complete your task to his satisfaction, then he may deem fit to reward you and honor us highly amongst his circle," Walburga instructed.
"You are not to be a disappointment, boy, not like the other one," his mother almost snarled.
Regulus nodded his consent to the request. He looked up to his older disowned brother, Sirius in many ways but Regulus was very hesitant to ever be like him.
"You'll be a fine lord Regulus, you'll make our noble house proud. You'll be the pinnacle of what it means to be a Black," Walburga said with certainty. For once a smile gracing her stern face which made Regulus's chest bloom with warmth. He had only ever wanted to make her proud.
"Thank you mother, I shall try for our family," Regulus whispered. Walburga nodded down at her young son and left the room to gather her nieces for the announcements of their upcoming betrothals.
End Flashback
Now, days later Regulus had gone from excited to nearly a nervous wreck at the thought of his upcoming assignment. He knew exactly what the Dark Lord did. He had heard of others undergoing similar trials and tests set up by the Dark Lord. He had heard of the whispers of what it took to enter his notice at the social events that many of the purebloods attended.
It made Regulus sick to his stomach. His mother was wrong, he wasn't the pinnacle of what it took to be a Black. But oh how desperately he wanted to be so that she could be proud of him.
Sighing to himself, Regulus took out another muggle newspaper dated for today. Pinning it to the wall of the movement that captured his attention for so long. The headline of the article read with an image of a destroyed house dancing in flames as a the Dark Mark slithered over the structure.
Family of four found murdered in their home:
No Witnesses to the crime.
'Strange cloud formation was seen in the vicinity before being dismissed as mass hysteria.'
The Sayre Journal
Entry #1
My niece,
I was privy to witness your birth into the world despite my sister's and I's broken relationship. You were born in a harsh winter of 1603, we all feared for your survival since you were so small but your mother called upon me to perform a ritual to ensure your strength. You were smaller than your fathers hand and I could even hold you as easily as my own wand. From then on, I truly did care for you, you must know. However, I was too far gone within my own darkness - which began before even I cast my first spell dark magic.
Your mother and I grew up in a troubled household to say little of the matter. There were three of us born to our mother and father, both of whom were respected in their day for their magical prowess. Your mother, Rionach, myself, and our brother Alcyone. Your grandfather was a cruel man who spoke of the nobility of his blood. He considered mother to be less than a house elf if she wasn't bearing him another heir. He often beat me and Rionach for any infraction that we may have committed. While our brother was hailed for simply being born a male.
Life before we were sent off to Hogwarts was cruel for us. Our father had fallen from grace with the Ministry and had even been outcasted by both wizards and muggles of the time for a murder spree he had committed against a cohort of muggle Englishmen one day just after Alcyone had been born. I was only five summers old at the time, and Rionarch less than three. We lived under a Fidelius charm so that he could hide from the authorities. Our father feared being sent through some kind of veil that was kept underneath the Ministry. It was the ravings of a madman, a trait passed through our line I'm afraid to write.
We were isolated and cut off from the world until we each went off to Hogwarts. Myself first, your mother Rionarch next, and then Alcyone last as the youngest. Our arrival into the halls of the school we had only ever heard stories about was our first interactions with the world. It was a true homecoming of sorts, to enter a world you had only ever seen in dreams. It was the one place we felt at home ironically enough.
Hogwarts was an escape for us three. From our father and a world where we didn't have to see our mother suffer before our eyes. I had taken quickly to the magic and began to learn all I could. I was the most accomplished magically of my siblings, Rionarch fared better in charms, and Alcyone had a prowess for combative magic. While our time in Hogwarts was beneficial for us away from Father, it only worsened the jealous and competitive divides we had for one another.
A story for another page, dear niece.
A/N: The fight still concludes in a draw of sorts. That'll teach Harry to turn his back against an opponent. I decided on a new introduction between him and Bella where instead of being saved by her, he receives a proverbial ass kicking instead because he can't pull his head on straight in the moment against her. Our Chosen Hero is reeling from PTSD from a past life & new pesky moral dilemma's. Let's see how those develop together.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If you see any grammatical errors please feel free to let me know and I'll get to editing them out. Thank you all for reading. Now that we're all caught back up, I hope this story has better quality than before. It's been a long few days rewriting everything and making new plot points.
UPDATE: I'm looking for a beta reader, if anyone would be interested please let me know - a personal message will do & we'll sort it out from there. The job would be basic grammar check, but more importantly it'd be for going over clarity, brevity, and making sure I have my plot points lined up. I'm working with a lot over here and things are slipping through the cracks. So it is now apparent to me that I cannot trust myself to comb through this all by myself.