Capítulo 20: It's a nice day for a Black Wedding
Halloween had always been the worst day of Harry's life. From the beginning, when his parents were killed, Halloween had always been awful. Now I'm about to get married to Bellatrix Lestrange... It could be worse he mused as he looked over at his best man.
Minerva scowled as she brushed an errant piece of fluff from her formal robes. She looked at Harry, "I can't believe you asked me to be your best man." She came up to him and straightened his tie, "I also can't believe that I said yes."
Harry grinned, "You're my best friend Minerva, I had to ask you." He turned back to the mirror, "I can't believe I'm getting married to Bellatrix...on Halloween no less." The Blacks were in attendance, he knew. Arcturus had sent an owl the day before, Cygnus and Druella were coming, while Arcturus was picking up Sirius from Hogwarts. Orion had no interest in the wedding and was staying home. Regulus however wished to see his mother and so would be coming with his aunt and uncle.
On his side of the aisle, so to speak, was Albus, Rolanda, Filius, Hagrid, Apolline, and surprisingly Amelia Bones. When Harry had invited her, he hadn't really believed that she would come. But, looking out the window onto the grounds of Pounds House, he saw Amelia sitting beside a teenager who looked like a masculine version of Susan Bones, that must be her father...He thought, as he watched the assembled Black family make their way down to the seats. He smirked as he watched Druella Black, she's acting like she's going to witness an execution... That thought made him chuckle, drawing Minerva's attention.
"Something must be terribly funny..." She said, quirking an eyebrow at his outburst.
Harry waved her off, "Just thinking that's all.."
From her bedroom Bellatrix look at herself in the full-length mirror, I hate this fucking dress, I can barely move in it..She frowned and tried to pull the material down over her hips more, but that only served to pull her neckline down.
"Morrigan, Bella steady on or you'll pop out..." Andromeda said, tugging the dress back up for her sister, "So it's a little tight...that's no big deal."
"A little tight? Andi, I feel like I'm apparating while I wear the bloody thing." Bellatrix groused. The dress was silver, it was beautiful, Bellatrix knew on some level that she was just nervous. This is not the same as my wedding to Rodolphus...for starters I actually want to be here...
The union of Houses Black and Lestrange had been done at the Black Manor. It had been a business arrangement and nothing more. They had signed their names on a parchment with blood quills and that was it. This time, she was having a proper wedding to a man who actually loved her. "I can't believe I'm getting married...this time it actually feels real.." She said to Andromeda.
"That's because you love him..." Andromeda replied, "You are lucky Bella. Harry loves you, I don't think you'll ever have to worry about him getting the drip from a Nereid.." The only good things Andromeda could say about the end of her marriage was that Ted had gotten blister-rot while she was away and that they had married in the muggle way. It had merely taken a trip to the muggle liaison office to change her status and she was no longer Andromeda Tonks.
For now, she was Andromeda No-Name. Harry had already offered to name her as a Ward. She was considering it, but she was unsure if that was where she wanted to be. The more time she spent around Harry, the more she could admit to being envious of her sisters. It was too soon for her to consider any man, least of all the man marrying her sisters. She would find a man of her own eventually, she was certain of it.
"Are you alright Andi?" Narcissa asked looking up her place at Bellatrix's legs where she was helping her sister tie the boots she had on under her train.
Andromeda nodded absently, "I'm fine Cissy, I'm just thinking about how very different our lives have turned out compared to what was planned for us." That was an understatement, to say the least. The Black sisters had been expected to take a proper pureblood husband. Bellatrix had been forced to sign her document after Orion had used his power as Heir Black, along with a short-acting compulsion and loyalty charm.
Andromeda had chosen to leave the family behind after seeing how Bellatrix had been treated. She had walked away from her home because she had refused to become the future Mrs. Augustus Rookwood. She'd chosen Ted Tonks because they had, at the time, get along well and there was a physical attraction between them. They'd had affection, and even occasional moments of romance, but there hadn't been real love. She knew that now, as she looked at her sisters face.
Bellatrix was a woman in love. It seemed to shine through every pore, her eyes were sparkling even as she complained about the dress she was wearing. Andromeda blinked rapidly as she imagined being in her position and marrying a man who was willing to die for her.
Andromeda danced with her husband while the rest of pureblood society looked on with naked envy. Especially her mother. Druella Black had always considered herself destined for greater things than just being the wife of the fourth wizard in line for the Lordship of House Black.
But as Andromeda held her husband, she didn't care about that. Nothing was more important than breathing in the scent of the man who'd stood up to her family and fought her fiancee for the privilege of marrying her. He'd called it that, a privilege. He'd always looked at her as if she was the most beautiful person in the world, and Andromeda was willing to admit that at this moment, she felt like it.
She clung to him, leaning up and capturing his lips with hers. "This is the happiest moment of my entire life.." She whispered before giggling as he dipped her, pulling her back up and kissing her again,
Andromeda signed and went to the door, "I'll check with the Druid to see if we're still on schedule." She said before turning and leaving the room.
Bellatrix was still stunned by the news that Harry had been named Lord Slytherin. Chosen heir of Salazar Slytherin himself. She was to become his Lady Slytherin, and the name Lestrange would be tossed in the rubbish bin of history. She rather liked that idea, the idea of ending her former husband's line brought a smile to her lips that would have been very familiar to Harry, it was the smile the old Bellatrix got when she cursed someone.
Scene Break
"Remember, Black wants them all killed except the girls and the youngest boy..." Rabastan No-Name said as he spoke to the assembled Death Eaters. "We'll kill them all, especially that bastard Fawkes. Then set the place on fire and cast the Mark into the sky."
Lucius smiled behind the mask he'd been given. This would be his first act as a marked Death Eater. After Bellatrix's betrayal of their Lord, Voldemort had decreed that his most loyal servants would be rewarded with the Mark. The Mark, a tattoo of his own invention, allowed Voldemort to summon his minions easily. It was also a method for enforcing loyalty as an act of betrayal would cause pain or even death should he become aware of it.
"Black has given us his copy of the invitation. The charms on it will let us bypass the wards. Once we're inside, Malfoy, you and Nott will set our wardstones.." Rabastan handed Lucius a small bag, "Once these are in place, they won't be able to leave by apparation or by portkey."
Lucius nodded, "I'll use a disillusionment charm when I arrive.." He was looking forward to this, he had been ever since his father had told him about the Fawkes/Lestrange wedding. This was his chance to get revenge on the man who had humiliated him and his family. Abraxus Malfoy stood beside his son, this was the moment where Lucius would earn his fathers respect or be cast from the Malfoy family as an embarrassment.
The Death Eaters continued making their preparations and then it was time. The group of six each touched the invitation and allowed the portkey to transport them to the apparation point of Pounds House.
Scene Break
The Death Eaters arrived just as the ceremony was winding down. They carefully disillusioned themselves and then set to their tasks.
Under the oak tree, Bellatrix and Harry stood holding hands as the Druid spoke to them, "These are the hands that will love you. These are the hands that will hold and comfort you through the years. These are the hands that will give you support and encouragement. These are the hands you will each work with, create with, and use to build a life together. The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows, the promises you make in your hearts and uphold each day through your actions. Remember, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union. "
The Druid prepared to say the final words of the ceremony as he wrapped a green and silver cord around the hands of Harry and Bellatrix. "Do you, Harry Fawkes, take this woman, Bellatrix Lestrange, to be your wife?"
Harry smiled at Bellatrix and squeezed her hand gently beneath the binding, "I do,"
The Druid looked to Bellatrix, "Do you, Bellatrix Lestrange, take this man, Harry Fawkes, to be your husband?"
Bellatrix drew in a breath as she looked into the eyes of the man who would be her husband in a few more moments, "I do." She vowed, returning the squeeze Harry had given her.
"Then by magic itself, I declare the two united and may no person pull them asunder. You may kiss the bride.." The Druid finished the ceremony as Harry and Bellatrix kissed one another. The silver and green cord around their hands disappearing and reforming into a pair of green and silver rings. Harry and Bellatrix each placed their counterparts ring onto the correct finger and with that, the wedding had been completed.
"I would like to introduce everyone to Bellatrix Fawkes, the Lady Slytherin," Harry said, taking his wife's hand. A gasp went through the guests, not to mention his 'best man'. Harry turned and grinned to Minerva, "Oh yeah, when I killed the basilisk, I met Salazar Slytherin, kind of. He named me his heir..."
"You're the heir to Salazar Slytherin?" Minerva's question echoed the sentiments in nearly everyone seated at the wedding. Only Albus and the Black sisters themselves looked unconcerned, as they had already known about this.
Walburga hadn't known. The new Lord Slytherin? Him? Was he chosen by the great Salazar Slytherin? How is this possible? It didn't make sense to her. Voldemort had assured all of his servants that he was the Heir. But Harry had taken the place as Lord of the Founders House.
Beside her, Druella was equally goggle-eyed at the concept. Bellatrix has married the Lord Slytherin...with that kind of Power in our family we will have to ensure that Sirius or Regulus marries her first daughter. We need to keep the Slytherin name firmly in our control.. She began drafting the betrothal document in her mind.
Cygnus didn't care about any of it except for one thing, his eldest daughter was happy. That was all that really mattered to him. It was all that had ever mattered, that his girls were happy. He didn't care whom they married, his continued correspondence with Andromeda during her exile from the family had proven that.
Now that she was no longer Andromeda Tonks, Cygnus planned to petition Arcturus to bring her back into the family. It was a long shot, he knew, but there was a chance.
The musings of the various attendants were halted by a shout, "Lies! You are not the Heir to Slytherin, Fawkes! You are a pretender to the place our Lord will hold once the mudblood filth and blood traitors are swept away!" Harry knew that voice, but he also knew that the owner of that voice did not know him yet.
"I'm going to assume Tom Riddle sent you, Rabastan No-Name. Now, this is my wedding day and I'm in a festive mood, I'm going to give you until the count of BOMBARDA!" Harry drew his wand and sent the exploding charm towards the Death Eaters before looking at Hagrid, "Hagrid! Get Sirius and Regulus into the house, tell Dobby that until I say different his sole mission in life is to help keep them safe!"
As the half-giant rushed into the house with the two boys, the battle began in earnest. Bellatrix, furious at the intrusion by the Death Eaters at her wedding began to hurl curse after curse at the interlopers.
"You bastards are ruining my wedding!" She shouted as a conjured silver spear made its way towards the group, pinning Rabastan to the oak tree through his rib cage. She looked down at her gown, "Fucking thing.." She used a quick cutting spell to split the bottom of her dress, giving her more flexibility as she continued to fight.
Harry found himself between two choices, Andromeda was on the ground beside Cygnus, trying to heal a cutting curse he'd taken from Jugson. On the other side, he saw Arcturus fighting both of the Malfoy men. He rushed to Arcturus' side and began to cast spells alongside the elder wizard.
Druella had been taken out of the fight early, a petrifying spell left her on the ground courtesy of Rookwood had left her unable to do anything but listen to the battle. Rookwood had planned on 'playing' with her but had found himself unable to do so as Walburga took her sister in laws wand from the grass and began to use it. The wand was unfamiliar to her, but this was an emergency. Walburga didn't trust Druella's wand to use lethal spells in her hand, so she chose a spell combo she remembered James Carver using during their time at Hogwarts. First, she blew a hole in the ground at Rookwood's feet, causing the Death Eater to jump backward and throw an organ melting curse at her. Walburga dodged it and sent back an incendio that Rookwood absorbed with his shield. The Death Eater was distracted and didn't notice Filius, the diminutive wizard stunned Rookwood and rushed over to apply the counter-curse to Druella to release her from her paralysis.
Minerva and Albus were currently performing a duel role of defending themselves and searching for how the Death Eaters had gotten though the wards. Minerva knew that the only people who could get to Pounds House via apparation were the members of the Fawkes family or their guests. "I doubt very much that Harry has any close relations that would both be able to come onto the property and also want to kill him.." Minerva said once Albus had stunned the Death Eater currently attacking them.
"I rather doubt that as well Minerva.." Spotting a small card on the grass, Albus summoned it to him, "I believe I've found our culprit...an invitation to the wedding addressed to one Orion Black.."
Amelia and Edgar Bones were trapped on one side by a masked Death Eater and on the other by a serpent made of fire, "Bloody fools used fiendfyre.." Amelia shouted as she turned her wand on the blaze, attempting to wrest control of the flames from its caster.
Edgar, a fourth-year student was terrified, but he knew that if he stayed frozen he would end up dead. He didn't know that many offensive spells yet, but he did have a good arm. He spied a stone on the ground and hurled it at the nearest Death Eater, coincidentally, that was the one controlling the fiendfyre. The stone struck the back of the Death Eaters head, stunning him and allowing Amelia to take control of the fire and send it back to devour its master. "Don't look, Ed," She told her brother as the now burning Death Eater began to scream.
Harry and Arcturus had squared off against Abraxus and Lucius. There were no witty lines, no insults, only curses both shouted and non-verbal. Lucius was ready, he aimed the curse he had been practicing at Harry, "CORPUS URI!"
Arcturus knew this spell. The corpse burning curse was lethal to whomever it came into contact with. He threw a blasting hex that threw both Malfoys to the ground. He sent a banishing charm that knocked Harry flat to the ground well away from the curse, which struck a tree and ignited.
Abraxus was the first one up, he sent a familiar green light at the old wizard. Arcturus didn't have time to react. The killing curse struck him, dropping the Lord Black to the ground.
Harry saw red. For the first time since the death of Sirius back in his original timeline, he wanted nothing more than to hurt the wizard who had killed Arcturus Black. The killing curse was not something Harry had used before, but it was all he could think of at that moment. "Avada Kedavra!" He shouted as the jet of green light struck Abraxus Malfoy.
Lucius was stunned by Amelia who ran to Harry's side. "Dumbledore found the wards they were using to keep us from getting away or summoning help. We need to get Cygnus Black to St. Mungos..." She said to him, "That bastard killed Lord Black?" She asked, indicating Abraxus.
Harry nodded. Amelia winced, "I've already summoned the Aurors..." Nodding again, Harry walked away and went towards Bellatrix.
She was watching as Andromeda levitated her father into the house. When he walked to her side she looked at him, "Organ crushing curse...Andi applied the counter..but he's going to need help healing.."
Harry put his arm around her, "Your grandfather is-"
Bellatrix held up a hand stopping him, "I know Harry...I-I saw it." She looked at the ground, "He's dead and the most likely person responsible for his murderer being here is my uncle Orion."
Scene Break
Transporting the wounded Cygnus to St Mungos, Andromeda and Druella left Pounds House with Harry's promise that as soon as they had finished speaking with the Aurors, he and Bellatrix would be on their way to check on him.
This was the first time Harry had met Alastor Moody since his death in Harry's sixth year. He looked different, slightly less 'carved wooden head' and more 'ugly man made of leather'. "Bones says that they were here for you, that right?" He asked Harry.
"Yes. I've made some enemies since coming back to England. Somehow they got hold of one of the invitations and bypassed our security system." He said looking at the invitation the older man held in his hand, "This one was meant for Orion Black.."
"Then you should have charmed the invitations to burn up if the wrong person touches them. You've got to always think about the people who would try to kill you. Think of them more than you do the ones who won't hurt you! As for Orion, he was already at Gringotts when my Aurors went to inform him of the attack. It seems though that Arcturus Black changed his will recently. Orion Black is no longer the heir to the Black family." Moody grinned unpleasantly, "You wouldn't know anything about that now would you?"
"Why would I? Aside from the duel at his home and a few meetings we haven't spent that much time together." Harry was confused, an emotion Bellatrix shared.
"Grandfather never tells anyone his plans." Bellatrix offered, "If he changed his will, he would have made us all wait until now before we heard anything." Arcturus Black had been well known for keeping secrets. It was his way. No one knew the complete story of the man or his plans for his family.
It would make things much more difficult for the Aurors and Harry knew that "Has Orion been detained yet?" Harry asked Moody, "I hope he has, he's responsible for the death of Arcturus and the attempted destruction of my family."
"He's claiming his invitation was stolen and we don't have enough proof to bring him in on that yet. With the change in the will though, we'll be keeping an eye on him." Moody said, "I'd recommend you change the wards. They were able to cancel them out until Albus found the wardstones they had put around the grounds."
With that Moody left them to their own devices and went to speak with Albus and Minerva. Harry took Bellatrix back into the house, "I wasn't expecting our wedding to be this...eventful.." He said softly.
Bellatrix frowned, "I just wanted today to go well...apparently I'm bad luck at every wedding I'm involved in.." She sighed, "Grandfather is dead, Father is hurt.." She looked so helpless at that moment that all Harry could think to do was take his new wife into his arms.
"We've managed to get Lucius, he's going to Azkaban. I doubt he could talk his way out of that...we've got Rookwood, and you killed Rabastan.." He said against her hair, "And we will get justice for Arcturus. I promise you that."
"Let me change, and we can go to St Mungos.," Bellatrix said as she broke from the embrace. The ghost of a smile touched her lips, "If you want to come upstairs, you can see what I was going to surprise you with.." She laughed mirthlessly at the thought of the lingerie she had planned to wear for him hanging up in her closet. I doubt we'll have much of a wedding night after all this...She thought morosely.
Harry surprised her by pulling her back against him, "No, I'll wait until tonight...I like your surprises.." He kissed her deeply, "We're still going to have our wedding night. I don't care what else they throw at us today."
Scene Break
Walburga had gone along with Druella to St Mungos. She watched miserably as the healers worked to save Cygnus. We thought we were his favored servants but once allied to Fawkes we were just as disposable to him as anything else.. She clenched her teeth as that thought filled her mind. Voldemort had promised so much: a return to the old ways, power and prestige beyond what the Blacks had already possessed, and the chance to truly shape their society.
But it had been lies. She knew this now, she'd seen it with the death of James Carver, the attempt on her own life, and the murder of Arcturus. She had no place with Voldemort, and so in order to survive, she would cast her lot with Harry Fawkes. The Lord Slytherin...he really was the Heir to Slytherin. Walburga could hardly believe that. Harry Fawkes, this nobody that had waltzed into their lives was the Lord to the most important House at Hogwarts.
Sitting in a chair Narcissa watched as Andromeda conferred with the Matron. It didn't look good, not if the looks on their faces were anything to go by. Please don't die father...I want you to meet your grandchildren one day..Narcissa had been thinking more and more about the family she would one day have with Harry. Seeing Bellatrix getting married had brought those feelings to the foreground even during the ceremony. She couldn't shake the image of her and Harry, both older watching their daughter standing under the same tree with a young man at her side.
Harry and Bellatrix had arrived now and Narcissa moved to stand with them, "How's he doing?" Harry asked quietly taking her hand.
"Resting. They applied the counter-curse and are regrowing the damaged organs." She replied, "What did the Aurors say?"
"Uncle Orion is the most likely culprit behind this. They used his invitation to get here. But, Grandfather tricked him by changing his will." Bellatrix replied to her sister, "My theory is that he wanted control over the family and the best way to accomplish that would be to kill all of us."
"But since he's not the heir, then with everyone except Grandfather alive, then who is the new Lord Black?" Narcissa wondered aloud. Harry didn't have the answer. No one but the Goblins would until his sealed will was read.
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