Bab 16: Dinner and the next day
Dinner with the assembled Black family was an interesting affair, Harry found. Andromeda, Narcissa, and Bellatrix were happy to just sit and talk, reconnecting after having been separated for so long. Sirius, when he got the chance, spoke to his cousins. It was Walburga who was the odd one out. She kept glancing at Sirius with a strange look in her eye. It wasn't anger, or scorn, or any of the emotions Harry had come to see as 'her' emotions. Instead it was as if she was looking for something, or maybe someone in her son.
Harry, for his part, was content to just eat his dinner. That is until he felt a dainty foot slide along his leg. There was only one possible culprit, he looked up and saw Narcissa give him a tiny wink. She is determined that I'm going to spend the night with her...
From her own spot, Bellatrix regarding Harry for a moment, "Harry, now that Rodolphus is moldering in his family crypt, perhaps it's time we discuss the weddings.." She said, grinning as Harry turned slightly red.
Harry felt Narcissa's foot slide from his lap slowly, tracing down the length of his leg as she did, "W-what do you mean Bella?"
"The date for example. I know Cissy said that she wanted the wedding in Yule, I was thinking we could have our own a little earlier than that...say Halloween?" She asked him.
"That's only two weeks Bella, is that enough time?" He asked her, Also, Halloween is the single worst day of the year...He thought. She nodded, "I've been making plans for the wedding, all we need is an officiant and I believe there's a druid in Plymouth..tomorrow while you are at Hogwarts, I will seek him out, if you are alright with it." She told him.
Harry thought for a moment, taking in the eager face before him, "Alright Bella, if you can arrange it, we'll have our wedding on Halloween, and bring Houses Peverell and Lestrange together." She smiled and squeezed his hand gently.
Walburga managed to hide her sneer, but it was a near thing. That's right, live the life I should have had...be with the man who loves you..She drained her glass of wine and rose, retreating to her chambers.
In the chambers, she found her now familiar bottle of fire-whiskey and poured herself a tall glass. Taking a deep gulp of the burning liquor she let the tears fall as she let her mind drift, thinking of the life she could have had if she'd been braver.
Life as Walburga Carver was blissful, but not easy. She and James were poor, living off what they earned in his Potion shop. But they were happy here in Boston. She was carrying their son. She caressed her stomach fondly, thinking of the life within her.
James came from his lab carrying a small vial of reddish liquid, "Here we are Mrs Carver, one vial of anti-nausea potion, this should make you feel a little better.."
"Thank you James, I don't know what came over me, I haven't been sick like this since the first few months of the pregnancy.." She tossed the potion back, wincing at its taste, "Something about our dinner tonight set me off I suppose.."
James smiled and kissed her temple fondly, "Then we won't buy from that grocer until after our son is born.." She looked up into his eyes and then rested her head against his chest, "We don't have many options right now James..."
His smile faded, and he put his arm around her, "I was thinking that I would exchange some of our galleons for muggle dollars and go to one of their shops.." The idea of going into the muggle world was always a touchy subject. Walburga might have been cast from the Black family, but she was still very much a pure blood witch. "If we must.." She said finally, distaste clear on her features.
James rubbed her shoulders gently, drawing a soft moan of pleasure from his wife, "I'd rather buy muggle food than see you get sick from a back alley grocer.."
Life as Mrs Carver wasn't easy, but Walburga knew she had never wanted anything more in her life.
I could have been happy...She thought miserably as she looked at the now empty glass. Pouring another she looked at the swirling amber liquid, We could have been happy James...it's my fault you are dead..
Back in the dining hall, Narcissa took back up her game of stroking Harry's leg with her bare foot. She enjoyed the crimson coming to his face as she played with him, teasing him by never letting her foot go too high while she looked perfectly demure, sipping her wine.
Sirius finally spoke up, "What's wrong with Mother? Surely she can't still be mad about becoming your personal dogsbody?" He said to Harry. Harry shared a glance with Bellatrix but then looked at the boy who would've grown up to be his Godfather. "She got some bad news in the owl post, a friend of hers died.."
"Mother doesn't have friends." Sirius snorted. Surprisingly, it was Bellatrix who spoke up, "She did once. She found herself with the same choice that Andi had...but she was too scared to take it."
"That's the one who died isn't it?" Sirius said quietly. Bellatrix nodded, "He was murdered last year.." Sirius rose from the table and left, heading towards his mothers room. Arriving at the door, he was surprised to see it slightly open. Normally she has her chambers locked and silenced..He thought as he went to knock on the door. The weight of his knock pushed the door open and Sirius stepped inside.
He was not prepared to see his Mother sitting on the floor, crying beside a nearly empty bottle of fire-whiskey. "Mother are you-" Walburga's face twisted towards him, Sirius had never seen her like this. "What are you doing here?" She said, her voice ragged from the burning amber liquid she had been drinking.
"You left pretty suddenly...I...I heard about your friend...I'm sorry Mother.." At his words, Walburga cried harder. Sirius stepped closer and patted her shoulder awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Walburga flinched at the touch and then the dam broke and she wrapped her arms around her son, crying against him. "He was supposed to leave England. He was supposed to run away to America, that's where we- that's where he said he would go..but no, he got the wrong witch pregnant and then swore he would watch over her and their son.." Sirius was confused as his Mother drunkenly continued to speak, "He was at the Platform...I could feel it..he wanted to watch his son start school..." She sobbed, "He would've been so proud of you...bucking the family tradition and becoming a Gryffindor..he would have preferred Hufflepuff but he wouldn't have cared.."
"What are you talking about.." Sirius asked, then it hit him, "That man, the one who was murdered...he was my father?" Walburga nodded, "Your father was James Carver, the best man I've ever known.."
"But how am I on the Tapestry as your son and Fa- Orion Black's?" Sirius said, "Shouldn't it show that I'm the son of Walburga Black and James Carver?"
She shook her head, "Orion adopted you, it was his condition. In exchange I had to cut ties with James and agree to never see or speak to him again.."
Sirius sighed, trying to wrap his head around all of this, "I guess all the times you called me one it was true, I am a bastard." Walburga wiped a tear from her eye, "No, you know your fathers name now. He was a good man Sirius, a great man..and far braver than I could have ever hoped to be.."
For the first time in his life, Sirius hugged his mother. Walburga flinched and then returned the embrace. From the doorway Bellatrix watched for a moment longer and then turned, closing the door silently, she walked back to the bedroom she shared with Harry.
Scene Break
Narcissa stood naked in her bedroom, she had half dragged Harry into it, once dinner was finished and shoved him onto the bed. She climbed onto the bed, allowing her breasts to rub against him as she propped herself up on her elbows, letting her hair fall into his face. "You sleep with Bella most nights because it's not seemly for you to be in my chambers after curfew..I understand that..I don't like it, but I understand it. However, we are in our house and as such, you will lay with your fiancee, do you understand me Lord Peverell?"
Harry suppressed a little chuckle, The Narcissa Malfoy I knew was an ice queen, who'd have thought that she was this...I don't even know what word I want to use here, wanton? No, I'm going to be her husband, lascivious?...in any case..I prefer this Narcissa.. He leaned up and captured her lips in a kiss, "I do understand you...now quit acting like you have to force me and get down here.." He pulled her down, letting her rest against him.
I love you Harry Fawkes...Narcissa thought as he moved, rolling atop her. The idea of actually loving her husband to be was something that just a few months ago would have been impossible to imagine. Drawing on that emotion, she brought her lips to his ear, "I love you...I know you love Bella and not me..but I love you.." She kissed him then, trying to show him the way he made her feel.
She loves me...That thought stunned Harry for a moment, halting the progress of their motions. He returned the kiss, pulling her hips up against his. "Narcissa I-" She stopped his words with another kiss.
Scene Break
At Malfoy Manor, it was understandable that things had grown tense. Lucius had lost his marriage contract, and his house elf. Rabastan had lost his family name. Voldemort thought as he paced before his servants, keeping his features decidedly neutral as he spoke to them, "So, Bellatrix is obviously still alive. She removed you from the Lestrange name in order to prevent you from entering the properties, or accessing the gold from your vault...it's clear that she has allied with Harry Fawkes. While he is in the castle, he is sadly beyond my grasp..however, you say he assists with the Hogsmeade weekends?" Voldemort said, turning to Lucius.
Lucius nodded, "Yes my Lord. According to my information, he is still one of the teachers that patrol the village.." Voldemort nodded in thought, "Very well. Gather the others and make sure they know my plan, at the next Hogsmeade weekend, kill or capture Harry Fawkes." Lucius and Rabastan left the chamber, allowing Voldemort to look out the window at the rising moon, I do not know who you are Harry Fawkes, but I do know that one way or another, you will be out of my hair soon enough...
Lucius left Rabastan to apparate to his chosen safe house. He went up to his fathers private study. There he found the book he wanted, a compendium of curses, most of them had been banned centuries ago due to their nature. Something special for the bastard who stole my bride from me...ah perfect.. He thought as he set the book down and began to memorize the wand motions.
The Corpse Burning Curse
Corpus Uri
This Curse will ignite the flesh of the dead and reduce it to ash within moments. However, if used on a living person the reaction to their magic will dramatically slow the flames, causing them to burn to death within five to ten minutes. There is no known counter curse, the only treatment is a combination of stasis and freezing charms, which only serve to delay the inevitable. Banned in 1321 by Lord Henry Carmichael as barbaric.
Lucius smiled as he practiced the wand movements, he would kill Harry Fawkes and he would make sure that Narcissa knew her place.
Scene Break
The next morning saw Sirius and Narcissa back for their lessons. Sirius seemed quieter than normal to Lily as they sat in Charms. She wasn't sure what it was about him, Perhaps Professor Fawkes put a good scare into him last night, that'd teach him not to harass Severus like that...
She was willing to admit that for the most part after the last detention that James Potter and his friends had been quieter regarding Severus, but that didn't mean she trusted them. Sirius has to be lying about Severus being the reason Malfoy and Nott knew that they were in trouble. He's my best friend, he would never do something like that..
In his own seat, Sirius half-heartedly listened as Professor Flitwick described the wand motions for a charm designed to turn on lights based on a wizard entering a chamber. We have a house elf to make sure our rooms are lit..why would I need this? He thought to himself as he decided to doodle on his parchment and let his mind drift. He found himself writing a name down, James Carver. Sirius didn't know what to make of the fact that his father wasn't Orion. He was happy about it, but it still left him wondering what kind of relationship he would have had with his real father. He wasn't a pure blood, from what mother said...so he wouldn't have cared if I didn't act like a Black..
In her own class, Narcissa found herself thinking about the night she'd just spent with Harry. I told him I loved him...I actually told him that I loved him. She smiled as she continued to stir the wart removal potion she was brewing, then adding dried mayfly wings to it. He didn't say it back yet...but that look in his eyes...I think he'll be saying it soon..
Harry, for his part was finishing his preparations for the fifth years. She loves me. Or she thinks she does. Or she thinks I need to hear that she does. So how do I feel about her?
A fair question. He knew she was beautiful and intelligent. He knew that he was going to be with her for the rest of his life. He supposed that he needed to learn to love her. It wouldn't be fair to her if I just play at being her husband.
It wouldn't be that hard, to love her. Not really. So, why was he so reluctant? I know I love Bellatrix. Am I worried that I'm not being faithful to her? He sighed as he walked back to his desk and sat down at it. The fifth years would be here in two hours, maybe by then he would know what he was doing.
A thought occurred to Harry. I need to kill that basilisk. If I kill it, then no one will be hurt by it again. He rose and used his floo to reappear at Pounds House.
Bella must be seeing the druid...I'll leave a note for her..He thought as he entered the study. He saw Walburga reenter the house from the outside, Probably going to the owlery..He thought as she paused in front of him.
"Lord Peverell.." Walburga said, in the closest thing to a polite greeting she had ever given him. "Walburga, how are you?" He said, doing his best to not aggravate her, Merlin knows I don't need that right now..
"I am...as well as can be expected..I should hear from the other families I've contacted soon. Needless to say that you are an interesting quantity to the Light and Neutral aligned Houses..whereas the Black name holds sway with many of the Darker Houses...if you would just relent and allow-"
Harry stopped her, "Walburga, I told you the first time you brought it up. None of my children will be forced into a marriage contract." He said firmly.
"And what makes them so special?" She demanded, "Why would your children get to be free from the expectations made of every other child in our level of society?"
"Because I never want my child to have to choose between being with the person they love or being a part of my family." He said, "Why would you, as a mother yourself, ever think that it's alright to force a child into a loveless marriage?"
"Because that's what happened to me! I lost the only good thing in my life because that's how our society is ran!" She said, drawing herself to her full height, "Why shouldn't they get to feel the same misery I had to suffer? What makes them so special?" She asked again, now standing nearly nose to nose with Harry.
Harry took a single step back, "Because I think my children deserve the chance to be happy. Look at yourself, you're miserable and you take it out on everyone you come across. You forced Andromeda out of your family because she had the audacity to marry someone she cared about. You forced Bellatrix to marry a man whom she hated so much that she was ready to sell her soul to a monster in order to be free of him, and you were ready to give Narcissa away to a man who would have raped her mind." He sighed, and brought his voice back down from the shout it had became, "You're miserable because as you said, you lost the only good thing you ever had in your life. Why would you ever wish that on someone else?"
He turned from her, "When Bella gets back, tell her I came by and ask her to stop in at Hogwarts. I need to talk to her about something.." The fight was gone from his voice now, and he vanished back through the floo leaving Walburga black to think about the life she had lived.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone