Trigger Warning: This chapter discusses rape and various morals dilemmas involving pro-life, pro-choice, abortion, and infertility. Basically, if you are passionate about any of these stances, you will be offended in some form or other by this chapter.
Also, Melissa's views/actions are her own.
This is a terrible idea. A terrible, STUPID idea!
…but it's also going to make me soooo much money!
Her inner thoughts groaned against the war on her mind. Physically, she walked silently after Arcturus Black as they made it up to the third floor of St Mungos. Mentally, the argument continued in a battle of "on one hand".
Money.
Genocidal suicide.
Lots of Money.
Potentially maimed and tortured.
Getting commended to lots of rich, pregnant purebloods for even more money.
…Fuck, that might be worth it.
"Wait here," Lord Arcturus commanded. Melissa nodded, yet felt confused as she was left to stand on the stairwell. She glanced up at the sign, signifying this wing to help those suffering from poison and potions accidents. Rocking on her feet, she wondered over the different wards at the hospital and their services. This being her first trip here, she knew little of the place beyond what was described in the books. Though even that knowledge has diminished over the years.
"NOTHING, they say! Of all the useless, incompetent- this is what happens when mudbloods infest our world!"
The shouting woman was coming from the stairwell above her. With a jump, Melissa dove for the door to get into the Poisons Ward before the woman made it down to her level.
"-thing we can do," she heard a younger girl say from above.
"NO! I refuse to believe that my fourteen year old daughter has turned barren without reason!" The woman shouted. Melissa immediately paled, ducking down so that her face was hidden from the door's windows. "I don't care what that halfbreed healer says, we will find a cure, Matilda. You mark my words!"
The pairs of hurried steps moved across the door, the shouting continued as they moved down to the second floor and further. When they finally faded, Melissa released a breath with a shudder.
Fuuuuuuck, that was close, she thought in relief. That thought followed immediately with, But good on you for picking something permanent! Fuck that bitch, and fuck her family, too!
Her shoulders shook from a silent chuckle with a feeling both touched and nervous overloading her. It was in that state that Lord Arcturus found her. He gave a throaty cough to get her attention. Oddly, she didn't feel too embarrassed. In fact, she found herself struggling to remove a smile. "Sorry, sir. I was just distracted by a thought."
"...I see. Follow me," he said briskly, "she's ready for you."
Melissa moved as bid, following him to a room flanked by auror guards. When they entered the room, she briefly glanced at Bellatrix, grateful to see shackles clasped to the bed. A sudden thought had her whispering to Arcturus, "Won't I get in trouble with those guards for using magic?"
"Mm." It seems the wizard hadn't thought of that. "I will handle it. Have a seat and don't do anything foolish."
A moment later, Melissa Bennett found herself alone in a room with Bellatrix Black.
How the fuck did her life get so crazy?
She moved quietly to an empty chair. Her eyes were fixed on the mad convict, on edge for whatever bloodcurdling insanity the woman would soon scream out from her presence. Memories from last summer chilled her as she recalled three full months of listening to this woman scream obscenities and curses at the world. Now here she was, braced to hear the oncoming encore-
…that didn't come.
In fact, it seemed that Bellatrix hadn't noticed Melissa's presence at all. Her eyes were transfixed on her own body, on her protruding belly. Her hands, though shackled, had just enough room to caress the mound, large from seven months of pregnancy despite her own near-skeletal frame. The fact that she was caressing the mound was more shocking than the act had any right to be. Melissa sat mutely in her observations, her body gone stiff and unmoving through the process.
Then Bellatrix did something unfathomable. Something so bizarre that Melissa had to do a triple take as it happened. Bellatrix Black, in all her skeletal, motherly glory, began to sing.
"I guess I have to face,
that in this awful place,
I shouldn't show a trace of doubt."
Shock rode through Melissa. She knows that song!
"But pulled against the grain,
I feel a little pain,
that I would rather do without."
And, in a moment of pure, unbridled insanity, Melissa's mouth opened and joined her.
"I'd rather be-
Free, free, free"
On the first Free, Bellatrix's eyes jerked to hers. They were confused, outraged, and yet… as Melissa's voice matched her own, something shifted in those eyes. Maybe it was something in her own eyes that brought that change. A feedback loop, of sorts. Whatever it was, neither stopped what they were doing. Their voices gently sang on.
"I'd rather be
Free, free, free
Free, free, free
From here."
Their voices went silent. Hand on her stomach, Bellatrix's head drooped ponderously. "Now how does a little bint like you know a song like that?"
How she knows it is unique to this world. How Bellatrix knows it, on the other hand… Well, there was only one answer that would suffice. "I served my time."
Her eyes alighted with interest. "Did you now?" Bellatrix purred. "What was the charge?"
Melissa gave a wry smile. "Associating with demons. I set one loose at Hogwarts."
"Demons?" She scoffed, "That's not possible."
"You would think, and yet…" she shrugged. "It possessed my body. One of the Weasley boys lost his wand arm trying to fight it."
"Heh… Hehehe- HAHAHAAAA!" Bellatrix started laughing so hard that her body rose up with glee. When she collapsed back on the bed, she regarded Melissa with a manic grin. "Rending a blood traitor apart? Oh, what I would have given to see that!"
Melissa gave a weak smile. That's right, just keep her on your good side. "It was quite the show. You look to be doing well, yourself. The little one's coming along nicely."
"Yes, he is." Her eyes slid to her pregnant belly, her hand caressing it once more. "He will be strong. A child of the purest blood. A child of Slytherin."
…Who in the What the fuck, now?!
It was a good thing Bellatrix wasn't looking at her when she said that. If she had, well, the good feelings would have ended then and there. At least Melissa had enough time to gather her wits about her. "Do the healers know?"
Bellatrix scoffed. "The healers can bugger themselves with venomous tentacula for all I care."
"Well that's good. No need for them to know. What about Lord Black? Surely you've told him?"
Bellatrix glanced at her, giving the girl a spine-chilling smile. "Who do you think ensured I got my Master's seed?"
No. No. No absolutely fucking way! She's not a broodmare, she was r-
Hold up-
Oh.
Oh… that man is a GENIUS! An absolute bastard, but a twisted genius.
Her relieved smile was happily misinterpreted.
Wait, no. That's actually really fucked up-
Or is it? How do you even justify which is better?
-This is terrible! Evil! What was he thinking?!
Speaking of the devil, the door opened and Arcturus Black stepped through. Melissa nodded to him with a brittle smile and eyes of hidden judgement as he approached them. His own eyes were calculating the two witches. Whatever his thoughts added to, he gave no indication. He merely took a seat as he spoke, "I see you've become acquainted with the seer. Shall we begin?"
"As you wish, sir." Though feeling a mix of anger and intrigue, she attempted to swallow her conflicting feelings and move on to the task at hand. "Have you decided on a middle name for the child?"
Bellatrix gave a pensive thought, but Arcturus gave a brisk response before she could give an opinion. "No. Typically we use the father's name as a middle name. However, given the status of the father-"
"Hmph! I suppose John isn't an option?" Melissa scoffed.
"What?"
Lord Arcturus' voice was dark as he said the word, and Melissa answered him petulantly. "Well, seeing as the father isn't known, that would make him a John Doe." She looked him dead in the eyes. "Isn't that right?"
Bellatrix spoke with confusion. "What's a John Doe?"
"It's a…n American concept," she lied. "If a wizard's body is found, but no one can identify him, hospitals will name him 'John Doe' until he's identified. There's also a 'Jane Doe' for witches, but seeing as you'll be having a son, John seems appropriate, don't you think?" Her voice was mockingly sweet. Bellatrix and Arcturus looked unimpressed, but for different reasons.
"I know who my child's father is!"
"But for the child's safety, he can't be named as such, now, can he?"
Bellatrix took a moment to calm a range of emotions. "Maybe. Alright, you clever bint, we'll try it. If not, we can use Cygnus, after my father."
"Works for me. I can check for both. I take it that you will also be keeping to the Black tradition of astrology-based names?"
"Naturally," Arcturus said.
Melissa was having none of his patriarchal bullshit today. "Bellatrix, as the mother of the child, would you prefer to keep to the Black tradition of baby names?"
A cat-like smile grew on her face. Both witches regarded the lord briefly, each enjoying the man's annoyance, but she answered, "Yes, I want him to have a Black name."
"Lovely! If you would please shuffle the deck, we can begin."
It should have been madness to be within arms reach of Bellatrix Black; yet the woman was practically lucid and casual as she accepted the deck and gave it a shuffle. As she did so, Melissa set up a small table for the cards, book, parchment, quill, and ink (as if she'd risk bringing something muggle to this appointment.) When Bellatrix was done, she gladly returned the deck so that Melissa could begin.
Exchanging hands with Bellatrix. Seriously, how did her life reach this point?
The cards flipped one by one. The Main card on top, the second, third, and fourth-
She laid the fifth card on a tilt. Its position was notably precarious. Two more cards followed, but this time they were side by side along the bottom of the fifth, like the base of a pyramid.
Odd. But she had to let her instincts roam free for it to feel valid.
She didn't speak at first, for two reasons. One, she's dealing with a madwoman who might rampage if the wrong thing is said. Two, she's dealing with a witch, one who's regarding the cards with enough thought to show that she likely took divination in school.
She'll have to tread carefully. So, instead she took her time to analyze the cards without saying them out loud. The first card showed promise. The others, not so much. Yet as she looked at the pyramid, at how they played together, and even with the other cards, she found her previous anger returning. Returning, and rising.
SCREECH!
She pushed away from the table. Fearing the oncoming outburst, she stomped away from the room to relative safety. Once outside, she paced down the hallway. Yet there was little time to calm down as Arcturus Black stepped out to reprimand her.
"What on earth is the matter with you, girl?"
"With me?" She spun around in outrage, yet hushed her voice for propriety's sake. "No, not with me. What's the matter with you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You're lying to her! She thinks she's pregnant with Voldemort's baby! Does she even remember what happened to her?!"
The man flinched at the name, yet held firm. "She's mad, and the attacker forced her to forget. What else was I to do?"
"Tell her the truth, or at least not lie to her like that!"
"There's no harm in letting her think as she does."
"No harm?! Look, maybe you haven't put two and two together, but we are talking about Bellatrix Black, here. Proud Death Eater and proudly 'Toujour Pur'. Have you considered, for even one second, that Daddy Rapist isn't a pureblood? There is no way she would ever consent to giving birth to a mixed child!"
"Of course not," the man scoffed. "What's your point?"
She took in a sharp breath. "Tricking a woman to ensure she gives birth is… several levels of fucked up!"
Arcturus grew visibly annoyed. "What does this have anything to do with your reading?"
Her mind had to record scratch and whiplash to even remember what about the cards had set her off. "I mean, aside from the obvious, you cannot raise this kid like some hoity-toity pureblood. She might not know who or what he is, but the rest of the world will know. If you try to mold the boy away from the truth, it's going to severely fuck him up once he finds out. Hell, I don't even need cards to tell you that. If you lie to the kid the way you're lying to Bellatrix, it's going to irreparably damage that poor kid's psyche. Do you want that on your conscience?!"
Arcturus stood menacingly, a dark storm of expressions across his face. After some time, he gave a huff. "Use John, then."
"...What?"
"We'll have John as his middle name. He will know his whole life that his blood is not pure; and, when he's old enough to ask, Narcissa and I will tell him the truth of his parentage. As a son of House Black, he will have all of the privileges and opportunities afforded to him, except for those tied to blood purity. This, I swear."
Tense silence fell between them. Melissa could concede that that's a decent promise. Still- "What about Bellatrix?"
"She will have a short time with the baby, and then return to Azkaban. She never has to know."
"If you tell her the truth-"
"She'll rip the child from her womb. Claw it out, if she has to. She'll kill it before it can take its first breath."
"It's up to a woman to decide if she-"
"It's already passed the point of viability," he argued. "If she harms the child now, it will be murder in the eyes of wizarding law. Not only that-" he gave her an intense look, "his blood will be on your hands, too."
"Excuse me?!"
"That child only exists," he stepped closer, speaking smoothly, "because Azkaban was attacked. Something you had a hand in, if the rumours are true. So, when you think about it, you're practically the boy's godmother. You gave him a chance at life. Will you snuff it out, too?"
"D-don't-" she stepped backwards, eyes closed and shaking her head, "Don't you dare say that this is my fault!"
"Oh, but we both know it is."
Melissa was unable to speak. Her body was shaking, and her mind raging with war.
"How about we make this easier for the both of us?" A rustle of a coin purse followed. "Ten times the rate of a reading, as payment for your silence, and the boy's life."
Her eyes opened with unshed tears. "You want to bribe me-"
"To save the boy's life, yes." The smile on his face was oily and challenging. He lifted the coin purse for emphasis. "Surely that's a reasonable exchange, don't you agree?"
She took in a shuddering breath. Her mind went in a thousand directions. In every direction, no matter where it led, she hated herself for its conclusions. If she'll hate herself no matter what she chooses… in the face of what is right and what is easy… but if nothing feels right…
An open hand accepted the easy payment.
"We'd best return," he said with a frosty tone. "You still have a job to do."
She nodded helplessly, following after him like a beaten dog back into the room. When they returned, Bellatrix tried to grill them for information. Melissa didn't meet her eyes, but eventually gave an answer.
"I apologize, Ms Black, but there will be some parts of this reading you won't like. Lord Black insists that you are strong enough to hear it; but I would ask that you consider these suggestions with an open mind so that your son can grow strong as he's meant to be."
"...Well? What is it?!" She demanded.
Melissa let her eyes go back over the cards to recall what conclusions she had gotten on instinct. "The World as his main card shows that this boy heralds the end of one way of life, and the beginning of a new one. He is a hope for the future, of new possibilities. Though, as you can probably guess, his love and career cards show problems."
Bellatrix answered the affirmative, "A reversed five of wands means his love life will be tricky. It won't be easy finding a proper bride fitting his station."
"That's… not exactly it." Melissa struggled to find a way to explain this in a way that won't get her killed. "Ever since your pregnancy was announced, Ms Black, there have been… vicious rumours regarding the mysterious father. As such, many will doubt the purity of his blood. That's why navigating his love life will be complex.
"The same goes for The Fool. Yes, he won't be disciplined with his career or finances, but more than that, The Fool can also allude to the need for freedom and lack of restraint. This in mind… Actually, maybe it's best that I reach the end before explaining. …The Wheel of Fortune shows that he will have good luck with his health. Perhaps even in a way that's unexpected," (considering he's a mixed child, that makes sense.)
"Then there's this trio of cards for his homelife. The Seven of Pentacles is tilted. He has the potential for cleverness and growth through hard work, but it will be based on a foundation of two things." Her hand touched The Empress, "One, Narcissa has to be the one to raise him." She looked at both of their eyes to make sure they understood this. They nodded, accepting this condition with ease. The next, the Three of Cups, won't be so easy. "Two, …is cooperation between you and both of your sisters."
Rage flashed across Bellatrix's face. "How dare you! My other sister is a blood traitor! She abandoned her family to lie with filth!-"
"Which is why we need her expertise to navigate the rumours that will follow your child." Melissa tried her best to look serious. "If anyone finds out that the boy is your Master's child, your enemies will move to kill him. In order to keep him safe, we, regretfully, will have to pretend that he's a halfblood in order for him to survive into adulthood."
"WHAT?!"
"She's right, Bella," Arcturus said. "I don't like the idea either, but for the sake of the family, we must hide the truth so that your son can claim his rightful place. His fate is The World, and he will achieve this if we do this correctly, as the seer advises."
Bellatrix seemed mildly accepting of this, but looked accusingly at Melissa. "How can my traitorous whore of a sister be of any use for my son?"
"Andromeda knows how to navigate multiple worlds. Narcissa, while the perfect person to raise him in your stead, won't know how to teach him of a world beyond the privileges of being in the Sacred Twenty Eight." She gestured back to The Fool, "He will need a certain lack of restraint to explore the varying lifestyles of the wizarding world. By having a childhood with multiple opportunities, he will have the foundation needed to take on the world to the best of his ability." She looked at Bellatrix earnestly, "We need your approval for it, but with all three Black Sisters influencing him, your son will be able to bring about a new beginning. Do you accept this?"
Words muttered between Bellatrix and Arcturus; but, ultimately- and with great relief- the witch conceded to Melissa's conditions.
"Alright," she took a breath. She managed to survive without losing a limb, spilling her guts about his parentage, and without telling her that this kid is absolutely not going to be sorted into Slytherin. Small mercies. "Give me a moment to write out the best numbers for his future, and we'll see which star or constellation is the best choice to name him after."
Let's see… his destiny needs a 5 or 11, maybe a 7. Active, 1 or 5. Soul, 9 or 11, tricky as that can be, though a few of these numbers can be good mid-ranged options. Personality… 1 is the only great option, but I suppose 3 or 5 can work in mid-range.
She looked over the second sheet of parchment. It was a list of 60 names Lord Arcturus provided that he considered 'worthy' of the Black family. Pretentious as always, but hopefully it will result in some good options.
"Optimum numerum nominis revelare!"
The magic took hold, the arcing of light taking over the page and making quick work of the choices. It took some time, but it was clear that many options were not of any use to them. She found herself vaguely disappointed that the name Atlas was a bad choice; but when she looked at the top of the list, her brain stuttered incredulously.
"You've got to be shitting me!"
"What's the matter?"
"Uh… nothing's the matter." She lifted the parchment up, tilting her head in disbelief. "Just… There's one name that's a very obvious winner, and it's weirdly appropriate. Also, I had no idea that this constellation exists." She looked up at Bellatrix, and spoke in a dumbfounded way. "Your son's Main card is a sign of the end of one way of life, and the beginning of a new way of life; and his name… is Phoenix."
"...Phoenix?" Bellatrix looked equally confused, though hers was more in offense. "A Phoenix isn't right. It's too Light!"
"Well your options are between Phoenix and Hercules, but that's a weaker option and too focused on broken-hearted relationships and creativity to be of good use for him."
"Not to mention disgustingly Gryffindor," she sneered.
Melissa smiled. "That, too." Technically the numbers were more Hufflepuff, while Phoenix is more Gryffindor-ish, but she doesn't need to know that.
"The Black family is dying," Arcturus said, joining in the conversation. "One by one our stars have been snuffed out. Yet a phoenix will always rise, shining within the blackness of night." He looked at Bellatrix with a meaningful nod. "It is a strong name, one worthy of House Black. This is the child we need, Bellatrix."
"...Undying," she answered in a reverent whisper, "just like his father. Yes. Yes, you're right. It's perfect!" She looked down at her belly. "Do you hear that, my son? My Phoenix? You're already just like your father, I know it!"
Melissa held back a shudder. Her life is… far too fucking weird. Yet, even stranger, her earlier bad mood from before abated with the results of the spell. The gnawing guilt lessened with a thought of Maybe this isn't so bad?
At least, that's what she'll tell herself to help her sleep at night.
Commentary from after I wrote this chapter
May 10th, 2023: "I am genuinely too good at divining baby names. HOW THE FUCK DID I PULL THIS OFF?!"
May 23rd, 2023: "OMG it's so much worse than I realized. The Augurey is also known as an Irish Phoenix! I somehow made a version of the Augurey!? HOW?!"