Bab 6: An heir, apparently.
Morgana...this damned fool gets up every morning before the sun rises..Bellatrix Lestrange grumbled as she felt the warm body of Harry Fawkes leave her side. He rose each morning for his jog, and she, not being a morning person, had to stare at the ceiling until she could fall back asleep. The thoughts did not stop her from smiling though when she felt him kiss her softly.
"Good morning.." He said against her lips.
"There is nothing good about this morning, nor any other." She stated, refusing to open her eyes. "Is the sun up?" She asked him.
"Not quite, but it will be by the time I get down to the lake." He said.
"If the sun is not up, then it's no 'good morning', it's 'good night' and that means you should be asleep." She muttered, pulling the blankets around herself, "You can tell me 'good morning' when you come back after your run."
"I was going to get some breakfast.."
"Harry Fawkes, you are coming back to this room immediately after your run and you will apologize to me for your rudeness in waking me up every morning." She said, dark eyes peering at him from under the blanket.
"But what about breakfast?"
"You can summon a house elf. That's what I've been doing each morning." She closed her eyes, "Now go about your business or get back into bed.."
"I'll be back soon Bella.." He dressed and left the quarters. Bellatrix's eyes stayed on him until he left. She wriggled deeper into the covers, the smell of Harry filled her nostrils, she smiled unconsciously and closed her eyes once more.
Scene Break
"You seem like you're feeling better Fawkes, you're still slower than a one legged niffler." Rolanda said watching Harry put back on his shirt.
"I am feeling better, thank you for your touching concern Hooch." Harry said as he buttoned his shirt back.
"I knew Minerva would forgive you for kissing her eventually."
"I didn't kiss her. She thought I was seeing an old girlfriend in Hogsmeade. I insinuated that she was jealous and we had an argument about it." Harry said, finally admitting part of what had happened, I am not about to tell anyone that I've been sleeping with Bellatrix Lestrange...
"You said she was jealous and survived it? Hells, you might have been right. I know Minerva McGonagall, if she didn't have a little crush on you, you'd have been turned into a teapot before you could say 'Quidditch'." Rolanda chuckled at the idea of her two friends in a relationship.
"Well, I did say it, and I survived it, but I will say, she's got a good arm on her. She slapped me."
"Hah! Yep, it's official. Minerva's got it bad, I figured she did though..I've seen the little looks she gives you when you're not looking.." She smirked watching Harry's grow wide.
"I doubt that Minerva has any sort of romantic feelings towards me Hooch.."
"I didn't say they were romantic, I think she just wants to pull you into a broom closet." Rolanda laughed as Harry shook his head and started back towards the castle.
Scene Break
"Professr Fawkesy sir, the Headmister Dumbledores is wanting to see you sir.." The House Elf, Wobbly, Harry believed his name was met him at the entrance to his room. "Alright, thank you for the message, will you please bring a plate of breakfast to my classroom and place it on my desk? I'm fairly hungry after my jog, so make sure it's enough for two people to eat."
"Yessir Professr Fawkesy sir." The little elf vanished as Harry made his way to the Headmasters office.
"Ice Mice." He said, watching as the gargoyle stepped away.
Harry made his way into the office. Albus sat at his desk looking at a letter and making notes on a piece of vellum.
"Ah, Harry, thank you for coming, please sit down. I received a letter from our mutual friend Croaker today."
"I didn't know the owls ran this early sir."
"My boy," Dumbledore chuckled, "Our dear friend Croaker doesn't use owls. This envelope appeared on my desk. I have been given permission for you to read it, and ask you to do so while I finish this little task I've set myself."
Harry took the letter, at first it was unreadable, the words blurring together and shifting so fast that he felt sick looking at it. Then it slowed, and the words were readable.
Albus,
Let Harry read this once you are finished.
Harry,
I have news, whether good or bad will depend on how you've fared in this time line. I say this time line rather than the past because from the tests I've ran since your arrival you were never supposed to be here. I don't mean in 1972, I mean here period. Your magical signature is completely separate from ours. Don't get excited, it doesn't mean that you have god like powers, or will find yourself communing with dragons. It means, simply that you were never meant to be born in this reality. So, on the plus side, no matter what you do, it won't stop you from existing. You aren't immortal, you will die, it just won't be because your mother and father decided to pick different people.
You are here for the duration, there's no magic I know that would send you back to your own time line. That doesn't mean that your Riddle is king of the world, it could easily mean that your time line has been wiped away. It's a lot of very complicated magical theory and I don't have the time to bother with it any further at the moment.
Keep at it, I will send you personally a letter in a few days to discuss possible strategies for dealing with Riddle and his merry band of morons.
C. Croaker
Harry looked back from the letter. "My entire time line doesn't exist?"
"That seems to be the prevailing theory, I wish I had something that could make it sound better, all I can do is give you this.." Albus said, sliding the parchment he had been writing on towards him. Harry looked at it, written down was a name and a number.
"Peverell and vault 673? I'm not sure I understand sir.."
"It is simple, you are the son, in your time line of Lily Potter, currently a second year student named Lily Evans correct?" Albus asked, eyes twinkling.
"Yes sir."
"The Peverell's were an old family that eventually squibbed out. There has been no one to claim the family in over two hundred years. If you go to Gringotts and ask for an inheritance test, then you can lay claim to House Peverell. Then you will take this key," He slid a small copper key to him, "and request the contents of that vault be placed in the Peverell vault."
"I'll go this weekend then." Harry said, to which Dumbledore raised his hand.
"No, these things need to be handled before that. I've already sent word to the Heads of each House, your classes will not be held until Monday evening. You are going into London to take care of some business on behalf of the school and won't be back until then." Albus smiled, "While you are in town, I would recommend going to Flourish and Blotts and make a selection of books regarding Defense."
"Defense sir?"
"Yes, I received word that Professor Trevyan will be retiring this year. Yesterday afternoon in fact. Last night I received an owl from a former student who was interested in applying for the position before I had even posted it in the Daily Prophet." Albus frowned then, "That former student is one Tom Riddle. I have already penned a reply, thanking him for his interest but stating that the position was filled, I had decided that our newest professor would be a good fit for the Defense against the Dark Arts class."
"So, you want me to teach the class so that Riddle can't do it."
"Exactly so. If he is here, then he would have too many chances to mold the students of every House into his perfect soldiers. I want these students to have their own lives. Your war, from what you've said, seems to have decimated the population of Magical Britain, so I asked myself, who would have the biggest stake in preventing Tom Riddle from getting a foot in the door here, and yours was the name that popped up." Albus stood up and motioned for the door, "Now then Professor Fawkes, go prepare to leave for London, and do ensure that Mrs. Lestrange enjoys herself in town."
"You knew about Bellatrix?" Harry wasn't nearly as shocked as he felt he should be, Figures, Albus Dumbledore in my time line knew every cobblestone in the road leading to the castle...
"I was informed by the former Potions Mistress Professor Squire, she believed that it was wholly unsuitable for you to bring a guest into your quarters and to let her spend the night with you. Every night in fact for the past few days." Albus chuckled, "She has requested that I remove her portrait from your office, I believe I will replace it with a more suitable one, perhaps Phineas Black..I'm sure that her grandfather would find the humor in the situation..now then, off you go my boy, we'll see you on your return.."
He ushered Harry from his office, just in time for Harry to nearly collide with Minerva McGonagall.
"Harry I.."
"Minerva.."
They hadn't spoken since their last argument the previous Sunday. He had taken to sitting on the other side of Professor Flitwick, at first wanting to give her space and then realizing that he didn't know what to say. He watched as Minerva took a deep breath.
"May we speak in my office?" She asked hesitantly.
"Of course..."
She led him into her office, shutting the door behind them. For a moment, neither spoke, when she did, her voice was very quiet.
"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have slapped you, I should have listened to you..it wasn't my place to pry into your affairs.." She looked at her desk then back up to his eyes, Harry noticed that it looked like she was trying not to cry.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have insinuated that you were jealous. You weren't acting like a jealous girlfriend, you were acting like my friend Minerva who saw me get dragged into a building and then came out looking like I had been intimate with someone.." He took her hand in his own, "You are a good friend Minerva McGonagall, probably the best one I have in this world. I am sorry I teased you.."
"You are a good friend too Harry, I don't have many of them, but I..I count you among my dearest friends." She squeezed his hand gently, These are strong hand, but gentle..I..why am I so afraid of what they could do to me...he isn't Dougal...
"Harry, could we..could we start sitting together again at lunch today?" She asked hesitantly.
"Albus has asked me to go into London to handle some affairs for the school...among them selecting my books for the next years DADA class..I'll be gone until Monday evening...but I'd like to sit with you for dinner, would that be alright?" He asked, adding the last part quickly as he saw her face fall when he told her he would be gone the entire weekend.
"I would like that..I..I need to prepare for my classes. Congratulations on your new position here at Hogwarts...Professor Fawkes." She said, giving her first real smile in nearly a week.
"I was already Professor Fawkes.."
"Yes, but now you're a full time Professor. We'll have to celebrate when you return, perhaps I'll finally allow you to take me to the Three Broomsticks and get a meal together.." She said, teasing him before releasing his hand.
Harry went to his classroom and picked up the heavy tray the house elf had left him. He shouldered open the door and found Bellatrix laying on his bed watching him with annoyance.
"What took you so long? You've been gone nearly an hour longer than normal." She looked at the tray and then rose, showing that she had been nude under the covers waiting for him. "Well at least you got our meal...let's eat..I'm starving.." She made no effort to get dressed as she went to the chair across from his desk.
The two of them ate in relative silence for a while before she finally looked at him, "So, where were you?"
"I got called into the Headmasters office.."
"Putting slugs down the back of the girls dresses again eh?" She teased before biting into her piece of toast.
"You are hilarious, actually he wants us to go to London after we eat and for me to claim the House Peverell, apparently while I've been distracted by beautiful death eaters, he's been researching my family." Harry said before taking a mouthful of eggs.
"You're claiming headship for House Peverell? Harry, how did you not know that you were the heir to one of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses. You are practically royalty in our society." She stared at him nearly stunned by this news, If I had met you before I'd gotten betrothed by my mother to that slug Rodolphus, I could have been Lady Peverell..imagine what my family would have thought about that..
"Bellatrix Peverell, Lady Peverell, Barnabas Cuffe of the Daily Prophet-"
"Please Mr. Cuffe, I prefer Bellatrix Fawkes, after all, my husband only uses his full title in his official capacity."
"How does it feel to be the power behind the throne of the youngest Minister for Magic in British history?"
Cygnus Black looked at the article with pride. His Bella had married well, not just to a man of wealth, but also to a man who loved her. Her mother, Druella looked at the expensive jewelry Bellatrix wore in the picture with naked envy. "Our daughter is the Lady to one of our oldest Houses..and she's guided her husband into prominence in our society." He told his wife proudly.
"He's handsome and incredibly wealthy, she did a better job placing herself with a husband than I ever could.." Druella admitted.
Bellatrix broke from her daydream as Harry set his fork down with a soft clatter against his plate. "I didn't know, because there was no one left alive who could tell me. I was raised by my aunt and uncle, both muggles, and both of them hate magic."
"I'm sorry Harry..I keep forgetting that you weren't raised with the knowledge of our society that I have." She sighed and took his hand, "When we get to London, I'll try and explain everything I can to you."
He smiled and squeezed her hand gently, "Thank you Bella.."
"I don't normally like it when men shorten my name, but I like when you call me 'Bella'.." She admitted, then rose from the chair to get her robes.
"Dumbledore knew that you were here..." Harry said to her, "Apparently the portrait of Professor Squire didn't approve of me bringing my lover to the castle." He chuckled softly as she froze.
"He knows?"
"He does. Seemed to think it was hilarious, he said that he would replace Professor Squires portrait with your Grandfathers..He also told me to make sure you enjoyed yourself while we were in town." He said, rising and straightening his robes.
"That barmy codger knows everything that happens in this place doesn't he?" She said, bending down to lace up her boots.
"He is definitely knowledgeable with regards to the castle." Harry agreed. Bellatrix came to his side, "Alright then my soon to be Lord, let's go see the Goblins."
Harry and Bellatrix used the floo and arrived in Diagon Alley at the Leaky Cauldron.
"I hate floo travel.." He said dusting the ashes from his shoulders. Bellatrix said nothing as she tightened her cloaks hood around her face. Harry dropped a few knuts into the tip jar for use of the floo and then opened the door and led Bellatrix out of the pub and onto the main street.
Scene Break
Apolline Dubois sighed as she looked at the offerings in Flourish and Blotts. These English bookstores have nothing of interest.. She had came to London for her birthday, and thus far it felt as if she had wasted her trip. The shops are all boring, this bookstore is boring, and the food is terrible...I cannot believe Diana and Bernadette had to stay home... Her eyes narrowed and she turned back to leave the shop.
It was hard being a Veela. She was beautiful and thankfully had a good amount of control over her allure, but that didn't mean people treated her any better. Most men were cowed by her presence and most women were nakedly hostile towards her. Coming out of the bookstore, she decided to treat herself to some ice cream. As she crossed the street she bumped into a dark haired wizard walking towards Gringotts.
"Pardon."
"Excuse me.." He said stopping before her, He is handsome..She noted, before seeing the more familiar look of hostility on the witches face beside him. "I was lost in my thoughts and didn't see you, are you alright?" His voice was calm, He's not affected by my allure? Impossible
"I am fine, thank you."
"Alright, have a good day." He smiled to her and then turned and walked into the bank.
Inside Gringotts Bellatrix was still frowning, "Lousy bint, that was a Veela Harry. Be careful around those..man stealing vultures.." She let it drop seeing him smirk, "And what is so funny pray tell?"
"I know what a Veela is Bella, I was friends with one.." He said.
"'Friends'? No man is 'friends' with a Veela Harry. It's alright, I never assumed I was your first. I just ask that you not lie to me." Bellatrix said, "I'm used to being lied to, I would hope that you'd be different."
"Bella, I promise you, I was only friends with Fleur." He took her hand in his own, Seeing her like this, vulnerable...it's still so hard to imagine her as the Bellatrix Lestrange that I knew... Harry squeezed her hand gently. "We are together." He said simply.
Bellatrix didn't say anything, Harry thought for a second that he saw a twitch of her lips as if she wanted to smile. "Alright Harry, let's go see the Goblins.." She said, leading him to the counter.
Harry looked at the teller. The Goblin didn't look up at him. "What do you want?"
"I would like to request an inheritance test for House Peverell."
"Very well. Go to meeting room three. Master Greyhook will meet you there." The Goblin pressed a button on his desk.
"Thank you." Harry said before going back to Bellatrix's side. "We're going to meeting room three.." He told her. She nodded and led him from the main chamber and down the hall.
Meeting room three was a small cramped room paneled in dark wood. A few moments after they sat down a Goblin came in and placed a stone bowl and a dagger on the table before walking back out without a word.
"Friendly folks these Goblins..." Harry said softly after the door closed. Bellatrix rolled her eyes, "They hate us. We hate them. But they have their uses."
Just then the door opened and a small Goblin in a dark suit walked into the room, This is the shortest Goblin I've ever seen..Harry noted. The Goblin sat down in the chair opposite them, "I am Master Greyhook. You wish to do an inheritance test?"
"Yes, for House Peverell." Harry said.
"You are aware of the penalty should you try and claim the house under false pretenses?"
"Yes Master Greyhook."
"Very well. Hold out your hand." Harry did as he was asked and the Goblin slashed his palm with the dagger. Harry winced as the blade sliced into his hand, but said nothing. "Alright, clench your fist and bleed into the bowl." The Goblin directed him.
Harry did so, watching as the blood dripped from his hand into the bowl. The runes along the bowl glowed briefly and then blood began to sizzle. Harry felt the wound heal as smoke started to rise from the bowl, he looked down to find a small copper ring, emblazoned on its face was a small sigil of a triangle with a circle and a line inside it.
"That is the sigil of House Peverell." The Goblin stated handing Harry the ring. "Congratulations. You are now the Lord of House Peverell. Your ledger includes vault three sixteen with a total fortune of ten thousand galleons, sixteen thousand sickles, and thirty five hundred knuts. You also now have access to the Peverell Library housed in vault three fifty five, as well as ownership of Pounds House in Plymouth, Devon. Do you require anything else?"
"Yes, Master Greyhook. I need the contents of vault six hundred and seventy three moved from its vault to mine." Harry said handing Greyhook the vault key.
The Goblin took the key and closed his eyes before nodding, "Very well. The treasures of House Dumbledore will be moved into Vault three sixteen. This brings your new total up to fifty thousand galleons, twenty nine thousand sickles, and ten thousand knuts.," Greyhook handed Harry a small black key, "Here is your vault key, this will open three sixteen and three fifty five, if that is all Lord Peverell, I bid you good day."
The Goblin rose and left the room. Bellatrix looked at Harry's ring. "So, you truly are Lord Peverell. It's not a bad little fortune you've landed in, we shall have to go down to your vault and collect the deed to Pounds House. Perhaps instead of staying in London for the weekend we could visit the house?"
"Alright, let's go see the vault.." Harry said, taking her hand, she felt the copper ring clink against the platinum of her own ring and smiled softly, the idea of two copper rings replacing copper and platinum flitting through her mind.
A short cart ride later found them inspecting the first of Harry's vaults. Three sixteen was a standard treasure vault. Harry looked at a small stack of black bags sitting on a table and picked one up. The sigil for House Peverell appeared on the bag he was holding. "That's a bottomless bag, very useful for when you need to do some serious shopping." Bellatrix pointed out, "You carry the bag in your pocket, and when you arrive at a shop you do as normal. Then when its time to pay, you open the bag and say the amount. That amount of gold shows up in the bag straight from your vault."
"Well that is handy..." Harry put the bag into the pockets of his robe before handing one to Bellatrix. She looked at it and then set it back down. "It won't work for anyone besides members of House Peverell.."
"I'll just come with you when you need to shop then...I don't think it would be a good idea if you spent Lestrange money right now..." Harry said, "Would it be possible to change the enchantment so that I could allow you to spend money from my vault?"
"I don't know, that has never came up before...we can ask after we inspect the other vault." Bellatrix said, leading Harry from the vault and back to the cart.
Vault three fifty five reminded Harry of the library at Hogwarts. It was full of bookshelves, each shelf was stuffed full of books. On a table by the door was a stack of papers. Bellatrix picked them up as Harry inspected the books, "Bella, I think I should take this one with us..it's the history of the Peverell Family.."
"Couldn't hurt..maybe there's a hidden treasure that only the Peverells could find.." She smirked thumbing through the documents, "I found the deed for Pounds House..apparently its been in stasis since the last house elf died.."
"When was that?"
"Eighteen ninety two. We'll need to use have the deed with us when we apparate out to Plymouth..otherwise we'll never see the place." She explained handing him the deed.
"So what are the other papers?"
"Just your Lordship documents. You'll need to fill them out and then send them to the Ministry. It'll give you access to the Peverell seats on the Wizengamot." Bellatrix said, showing him the papers. "Now, let's get out of here and go see that house.."
"We can't yet. I need to go to Flourish and Blotts, apparently I'm next terms DADA Professor, Trevyan is retiring at the end of the year and our mutual friend Mr. Riddle applied for the job. Dumbledore decided that I should take it instead of Tom." Harry said, leading her out of the vault and to the cart.
Riding back up to the entrance of Gringotts, Bellatrix found herself thinking about Harry as the Defense instructor, It makes sense..Dumbledore will obviously want Harry to have as much contact with the students as possible..She pulled her hood back up and followed him out the door and back into the alley.
Scene Break
Junior Auror Amelia Bones patrolled the street along side her mentor. Senior Auror Alastor Moody stopped her at the entrance to Knockturn Alley. "Right Bones. I want you to go back and patrol the area around Diagon proper. We'll meet back up here in thirty minutes. Red flare if you need assistance." Moody walked away without a further word.
Amelia turned and went back to her patrol. Diagon Alley is boring.. She thought with a frown, Just a bunch of idiots doing their shopping..
Harry and Bellatrix were walking towards the bookstore when he heard shouting. He followed the sound and found a group of wizards surrounding the blonde woman he had bumped into a few hours before.
"Look here lads, we've got us one of them Veelas.." The obvious leader of the group said, he was close enough now that Harry could see the woman wince as the mans breath came into contact with her face.
"Leave her alone!" Harry shouted, gaining the men's attention. Apolline using the distraction stomped down on the foot of the man holding her wrist. He let out a scream and lessened his grip, Apolline pulled away and shot forward away from them.
"You lousy little-" The man pulled his wand "REDUCT-"
"Expelliarmus!" Harry was faster than the other man, his wand flew from his hand. "Stupefy!" He shouted next, stunning him. The other two men came towards him, a flash of red light flew from behind Harry, striking one man knocking him to the ground. Then a sickly purple flash came from the other side of Harry, striking the last man standing and forcing him down as well. Harry turned to see a much younger Amelia Bones holding her wand.
"What just happened?" She asked, not lowering her wand. Harry saw the woman from before looking at him, he also saw Bellatrix standing at the edge of the alley, she looks ready to kill, I'd better keep this calm "I heard shouting, I found these men harassing the woman standing there, " He pointed to Apolline, "I got their attention and she managed to get away."
"Zat was when I found you Madame Auror.." Apolline said, "Zis man, 'e saved me...zey were going to..." Apolline didn't finish the statement. Amelia's gaze softened and she lowered her wand.
"In that case Mr?"
"Harry Fawkes"
"Mr. Fawkes, it seems I need to apologize for my harsh tone. Will you be in the Alley long?" She asked.
"Actually, Lord Peverell will be visiting his Manor tonight." Bellatrix said moving swiftly to Harry's side and taking his hand.
Amelia's eyes widened, Bellatrix Lestrange is the lover of this man... "Well then Madam Lestrange, I will leave you and your 'friend' to your evening. Mr. Fawkes, if we need further testimony, where might we find you?" She said looking at Harry.
"Lord Pevere-" Bellatrix began, but was stopped when Harry squeezed her hand gently, "At Hogwarts, Miss?"
"Bones. Junior Auror Amelia Bones."
"Miss Bones, I am the Dueling instructor at Hogwarts, so if you need me I will be back at the Castle by Monday afternoon." He said leading Bellatrix back out of the alley.
"A moment please!" Harry heard the heavily accented voice of the woman who had been attacked, he stopped and looked to her, Why does she look so familiar? He wondered.
"You saved me. I cannot thank you enough for what you did for me.." She said, "My name is Apolline Dubois...if I can ever do anything for you, please let me know...I owe you my life."
Harry felt Bellatrix's hand stiffen in his own. "That's quite alright Ms. Dubois..I would have done it for anyone." He said, trying to downplay it. "It's true, he's rather stupid that way.." Bellatrix added, I wasn't special to him...he would have saved anyone...Those thoughts plagued her mind as Harry said his goodbyes to the Veela. She hugged Harry before saying another thank you and leaving them.
"Now, how about we get something to eat before we set out for Devon?" Harry said looking at Bellatrix.
"I thought we needed to go to the bookstore.." She said, "Unless you think someone will need rescuing from a plate of shepherds pie.."
"I doubt it, usually shepherds pie only attacks you after you've eaten it.." He said, then stopped noticing the look on her face, "What's wrong?"
"You told her that would have rushed in there to save anyone, is that true?" Go ahead, tell me that I wasn't special to you, that I'm the only one gets that feeling in their stomach when we look at each other... Bellatrix prepared herself for the worst, so when Harry put his arms around her she was stunned.
"Yes. I would do my best to save someone, like you said, I'm kind of an idiot that way.." He said, his lips close to her ear, "However, you aren't just anyone Bellatrix Lestrange. You are mine." The way he said that Mine made Bellatrix shiver slightly. Harry looked into her eyes, "I don't really know where all this will lead us, but no matter what I am here for you and with you through it all."
The only response Bellatrix could give was to kiss him.
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