Jan 16 noon
Lucius and Narcissa were calling on all their past experience to hid the nerves they were feeling as they entered Marseille LeBeau's private dining room. Lord Black and Remus Lupin would soon be here to discuss the true goals and beliefs of the Dark Lord.
Lucius was tasked with winning the two wizards over to their side to make Potter happy. Potter, it was becoming more and more certain, was going to be their Dark Lady.
Lucius shook his head slightly. The Dark Lord looked at Potter and his eyes went soft and warm with real affection. He was solicitous around her. Gentle. Protective.
Lucius had to admit Potter had been a surprise. He had spent the past six years hearing from Severus and to a lesser degree Draco go on and on about the Light's Savior – her arrogance, her disregard for tradition, her hatred of all things Dark or Slytherin. Now to find out that she had apparently been tied up in compulsions cast by Dumbledore and hiding what part of herself was free from him. She was Dark Grey and getting Darker. She was confident, but not arrogant. Her disregard had really been ignorance. The Dark Lord was educating her and she was soaking it up; gravitating to the Old traditions and the Dark observances like she had finally found her way home.
The door open and a waiter bowed Black and Lupin into the room.
Lucius nodded at them in greeting. "Lord Black, Mr. Lupin feel free to examine the room. We wish you to be at ease."
Two wands appeared and the men checked for spells, traps, compulsions. Finally, they sheathed their wands.
"Narcissa, it is nice to see you again." Sirius said with real warmth. He had truly liked his cousin growing up.
Narcissa smiled and when Lucius subtly prodded her she gave in and crossed the room to kiss her cousin on the cheek. "I have missed you, Sirius."
They moved to the table and settled in. They spent a few minutes looking at the menu and ordering by tapping selections with their wands.
Sirius looked up at Lucius Malfoy. Sharp gray eyes met silver brazenly. "Riddle knows you're here?"
The Malfoys twitched at the use of their lord's muggle name. Lucius inhaled and settled his mind. It would do no good to snap at Potter's godfather and upset her.
"Yes. He wishes us to be...honest with the two of you."
"That has to be difficult."
Lucius smiled. "Slytherins can be very honest, Lord Black when honesty is the best path to follow."
A discreet knock warned them before the door opened and a waiter brought in their meals. After being reassured that everything was as ordered, the waiter left the room and privacy wards activated.
Sirius jumped right in. "Hari and I discussed the Sacred days at length especially Mabon and Beltane. I'm assuming, of course, that you celebrate them."
"We do."
"I know the Black's sacrificed young animals during Mabon." Narcissa murmured. "Most Dark families don't only the cruelest and most depraved do. If we are truly searching for guidance, we offer up a small amount of our own blood, but usually we offer up a small roast or bird of some type that has already been killed and prepared for a meal like chicken or duck."
"No one is forced to participate. There are families that don't celebrate Mabon." He glanced down and drew in a breath. Honesty. "The Dark Lord himself abstains from the day."
Sirius and Remus stared at him. "He doesn't celebrate Mabon?"
"No. His reasons are his own and I won't broadcast my unsubstantiated opinions on the matter."
"Huh."
The Malfoys smirked at the flabbergasted looks.
"Beltane however he usually participates in wholeheartedly."
Black scowled darkly then he recalled Hari saying her man understood her reluctance and wasn't forcing the issue. Still. If he was with his goddaughter, he shouldn't be sticking his dick in anyone else even during a sacred celebration.
Lucius chuckled at his dark scowl. "I am sure he will be circumspect this coming Beltane."
Everyone, even Narcissa, gaped at his blatant insinuation.
Lucius leaned back sipping his wine and stared at them. "It is why you are here, is it not? The suspicion of involvement? Did we not tacitly admit to it yesterday?"
Black blew out a stunned breath. "Yes...yes, we did. I was still hoping I was wrong."
"You are not." Lucius paused. "She is terrified you will cast her off. With Dumbledore on the hunt I assumed we should not dance around the issue, but move to consolidate around her."
Black stared at him. Remus growled, his eyes going gold. "She's my cub. I'll rip Dumbledore apart if he harms her." Remus growled. "There may be yelling, but there won't be any casting off." He snarled glaring at them and at Black.
"No casting off. She's my pup too, Moony." Black patted his arm reassuringly.
Remus' eyes turned back to warm brown. "Make sure she knows that, Padfoot."
"I will."
The Malfoys traded glances. It had been a risk, but it had paid off.
"What else are you wondering about?"
"I take it the schools, the muggleborn indoctrination and the orphanage bills are Riddle's?"
"Yes."
Black and Remus was silent a moment as they took a bite of very good steak giving everyone time to think.
Remus' head jerked up as scent memories came to the forefront of his mind. The scent on her at the beach and the scent of the wizard at Gringotts. "The day we met her at Gringotts. Was that Riddle or a messenger?"
"I didn't see who met her."
"Late twenties, early thirties. About six foot, dark chestnut hair, dark blue eyes, high cheekbones. Exuded arrogance."
"It sounds like the Dark Lord."
"Merlin." Black whimpered. "It makes more sense now. I kept picturing Vol...his snake like face and thinking she'd gone around the bend."
Narcissa laughed gaily. "Yes, I can see that reaction. He has not been like that for over a year now."
Sirius slumped back in his seat. "I was having serious doubts to her sanity." He muttered making Lucius snort in amusement.
Remus shifted in his seat. "Back to the topic at hand. His goals. Why bring in the muggleborn early? Why orphanages for them? I thought he hated muggleborn and despised half-bloods."
"No. That all began when he became Voldemort. He lost sight of all he had originally wanted and believed in. Tied to him as we were with the Mark we could do nothing but follow his lead even as we tried to find a way to end the madness. Now Tom Riddle has returned and Voldemort is gone."
Black and Remus traded uneasy glances. They weren't sure his followers knew about the horcruxes especially about Hari. "Do you know what caused the madness or why it disappeared?"
The Malfoys stilled. "It is not common knowledge. We," Lucius nodded at Narcissa, "have an inkling...a supposition, but our Lord has never actually said."
Sirius met their gaze. "What we say in here is confidential. You'll only share it with him and Hari?" He shuddered as he joined them together blatantly for the first time.
Lucius smiled at him. "It does take getting used to. Severus still froths at the mouth."
The two wizards laughed at that before sobering up. "Dumbledore told us about...what was in the diary that Hari destroyed."
Lucius froze. "Did he?" He asked silkily. "And what else did Dumbledore tell you about my lord?"
Remus met his gaze calmly. "That there was more than one. That most had been destroyed. We did a lot of research on hearing about them. Destroying them would not have given him his sanity back."
Lucius leaned back. This was dangerous ground. "I am not denying your suppositions. I will say I don't have permission to discuss this topic and feel extremely uneasy having broached it as little as we have. I won't discuss it further without my lord's permission."
Sirius' face clouded then he saw Lucius rubbing his forearm absently. The Dark Lord could punish Malfoy terribly if angered. He nodded. "Fair enough. I'll accept that his sanity has returned and leave it be for now."
"Thank you," Narcissa murmured earnestly.
"The Dark Lord wants all magicals removed from their muggle homes eventually. He doesn't care what blood runs in their veins. As Lady Potter outed to all of Britain, he himself is a half-blood. He does want to reduce muggle influence on our society. He wants to bring the Dark and Light sides of Magic back into balance."
"He wants to rule." Sirius stated boldly.
"Yes. He doesn't want to be a cruel dictator. Light families won't find themselves being ostracized or hunted down and persecuted. We need both sides of Magic practiced for Harmony to exist."
Sirius rubbed his face. His mind in turmoil. His beliefs shaken. "Is my goddaughter in England or not?"
Lucius shrugged. "She comes and goes as she pleases. She has a permanent portkey. The Dark Lord is quite fond of her, Lord Black. He had her contact her solicitor to reinforce her wards beyond what is reasonable was his phrase when they were told of Dumbledore's actions yesterday."
Sirius dropped his hands to his lap and stared at the table. He shifted to look at Remus who looked back gravely. Remus nodded. Sirius sighed. He looked at Malfoy. "We want to meet with them. We'll come to his home if they wish. I want this out in the open between us. I'm tired of my goddaughter hiding things from me and I know it is tearing her up to do so."
"I'll let them know."
"Thank you. Now...does he intend to dismantle the Ministry and the Wizengamot if he wins?"
"He definitely intends to overhaul the Ministry. He hasn't mentioned the Wizengamot."
The conversation lasted through the meal and into desert and coffee.
FORKS
Hari was on pins and needles. The Malfoys were discussing Tom's goals and views with her godfathers. What if they wouldn't believe them? What if they didn't agree with them? Malfoy and Sirius were known to be at odds with each other. What if they fought? What if Sirius and Remus wanted nothing to do with her now?
"Look Amycus, little Potter is all alone and wandering the manor."
"I see Alecto. She obviously isn't aware that bed warmers are supposed to stay in bed not wander around the Dark Lord's manor."
Hari looked up from her nervous pacing to find she was in one of Westmoor's many sitting rooms and the Carrow siblings had come in while she was distracted. They were now between her and the only door.
"Maybe we should teach her a lesson." Alecto murmured cruelly.
Amycus licked his lips. "I would love to teach the whore a lesson."
"Go away. I am in no mood to deal with the two of you." Hari snarled.
Fury bloomed on their squat, ugly faces.
"Go away! Go away! You dare to try and order us?" Alecto screeched.
"You are nothing but a half-blood whore the Dark Lord is entertaining himself with." Amycus snarled.
Hari saw red. Her wand dropped into her hand and she started slinging spells at them without warning.
Tom felt her emotions shift from worry to irritation to full blown fury and knew one of his followers had done something stupid. He stood and headed toward them following his link with Hari. He almost there when he felt the pain blend into the white hot fury. That's when he realized they were doing more than mouthing off at her. He broke into a run.
He slammed open the door to the sitting room and saw Alecto Carrow dead on the floor and Amycus sending vicious potentially deadly spells at Hari. Hari was blurring she moved so quickly. Spells leaving her wand in an almost continuous flow. Amycus was being cut to pieces as she toyed with him in her complete fury at being insulted and dismissed.
A spell hit Amycus in the chest just as Tom sent his own spell at him. Amycus dropped dead to the floor beside his sister.
"Hari!" Tom ignored both of the dead Death Eaters as he rushed over to Hari who was bleeding on his carpet. He led her to the sofa and sat her down ignoring her protests about blood on the cream colored furniture. "I don't care about the damn sofa!" He snapped finally. He called Tinker to get Emily as he raised her shirt to inspect the cut across her ribs.
It was deep and long. She was bleeding bad. He called another elf for a blood replenisher and a clean towel. He gave her the potion and pressed the folded towel to the wound staunching the blood flow as best he could as he hissed the minor healing spells he knew to stop the blood flow.
He heard feet running down the hall then the door opened and Emily rushed in. She stopped in shock at the dead Carrows on the floor then drew herself up and skirted the bodies coming to the Dark Lord and Hari.
"I gave her a blood replenisher." Tom murmured as he stood and made room for the healer.
He hovered anxiously as Emily scanned her other injuries and cast healing spells over the deep cut.
"The baby," Hari murmured fearfully. "It's okay? Emily..." She swallowed thickly and blinked as a wash of tears blurred her vision and spilled down her face.
"The baby is fine." Emily murmured reassuringly. "I checked on it first." She finished healing the wound and gave Hari a calming potion. There were a few more small cuts and contusions that she quickly healed. "You must have been very skilled at dodging or shielding because I know those two cast some pretty vicious spells."
"Both," Hari murmured as the calming potion worked on her. She glared up at Tom still angry enough to growl, "The next person who calls me a whore is getting the Killing Curse straight way."
Tom paled and glared at the dead bodies wishing he could animate them and kill them again. "Yes." He hissed. "I think a meeting is needed. Misunderstandings need to be rectified."
"I want to tell Sirius and Remus about the baby before your followers." Hari declared firmly.
"They won't attack once they know you carry my child."
"So I'll go from your whoring bed warmer to your pregnant whoring bed warmer!" Hari shouted.
"You are not my whore or my bed warmer!" Tom shouted back then turned wand pointed threateningly at whoever was entering the sitting room.
Lucius and Narcissa froze. Pregnant whoring bed warmer?
Hari was on the couch with the healer Emily. The Carrows were dead on the floor. The Dark Lord's wand was pointed at them.
Tom glared for several moments before drawing a breath and lowering his wand. "If it isn't good news, get out."
Lucius flinched at the icy tones. Narcissa whimpered and her hand tightened on his arm. She was seldom in the Dark Lord's company and never when he was this furious.
"It is good news, my lord."
Tom rubbed his forehead. "We'll move to the conservatory." He glanced at Hari. "The fountain is soothing."
"Don't patronize me, Tom." Hari snapped.
"Emily says you need to calm down so calm the hell down!"
"Then quit yelling at me!"
Lucius prodded his wife out of the room and quickly led her to the conservatory. She was shaking. He stopped and drew her into his embrace. "Shh, it is okay, Narcissa. They are always fighting with each other. There isn't usually dead bodies on the floor, but..."
"Shut up Lucius." Narcissa huffed and clung a moment before stepping back. "We should probably be in the conservatory when they arrive."
"Yes." Lucius led her to it. She was sitting on the fountain ledge and he was standing beside her when Tom entered cupping Hari's elbow and leading her gently to a padded chair.
Hari dropped into the chair with an exhausted sigh. "Orange juice."
Tom nodded and had an elf bring some cold juice. He hovered until Hari had taken several sips. He turned to the Malfoys scowling when he saw their obvious interest in his and Hari's interactions.
"My apologies," he murmured when Narcissa paled and dropped her gaze. "We are both still upset at the Carrows. Tell us this good news, Lucius."
"We met with Lord Black and Remus Lupin. We discussed your goals quite bluntly, my lord. Considering that Dumbledore is on the hunt it was asked and admitted to that Lady Potter is indeed involved with you."
Hari paled. Tom urged her gently to drink the juice. Narcissa watched fascinated at this gentle, solicitous side of the Dark Lord.
"I was to assure you, Lady Potter that there would be no casting off. You are their goddaughter. They will remain at your side. The wolf threatened to rip Dumbledore apart if he harms you. They wish to meet. They are tired of having things hid from them and they know it is bothering you, Lady Po-"
"Merlin! Just call me Hari. All this Lady and Lord crap is irritating." Hari snapped peevishly.
Tom sighed.
Hari glared at him. "Something to say, Tom?"
"No, love."
The Malfoys gaped openly.
Lucius recovered and murmured, "Your godfathers are aware that it is bothering you to hide things from them, Hari. They are willing to come here if it is your wish, but they definitely want to have it aired out."
"I have meetings scheduled tomorrow that I can't move. We can meet with them Saturday if you wish." Tom murmured neutrally.
"Here or at my home?"
"Whichever you prefer."
Hari narrowed her eyes at him. It wasn't like him to just give over so calmly. "You are being too nice about it."
"Do you really want to do this in front of Lucius and Narcissa?"
Hari glowered. She sighed and rubbed her side. "I'm being a bitch. I'm sorry."
"You have every right to be upset right now."
"Not at you though."
"True."
Hari huffed and reached out to touch his arm. Her hand was still trembling slightly. "I'm sorry."
He stroked her hair. "Apology accepted and I really don't care where we meet them. Here or there is okay with me."
"There then."
"Alright. We'll send them portkeys." Tom looked at Lucius. "The Carrows' deaths are to be spread. They called my Hari a whore and a bed warmer. Amycus was going to teach her, her place. She killed them. I will kill the next I hear calling her such. Get rid of the bodies on your way out."
"Yes, my lord." Lucius herded his shocked wife out of the room.
Tom turned to Hari. "Will you go to bed and sleep?"
"Can you lie down with me?"
"Yes. I have two hours before my next meeting."
Hari nodded.
Tom swept her up and carried her to their room.
Jan 17
Dumbledore was beyond frustrated. She was in Northern North America. He knew it. Except right now the magical compass was saying she was extremely far to the East. He was running out of hair and blood. He would find her. She would pay for destroying his reputation and taking the well-earned adulation away from him.
He needed allies. He needed to get in touch with others who hated Potter. He stared into space thoughtfully. He was certain from the fact that she was introducing bills similar to what the Dark had been trying to pass and the way Malfoy and the other Dark members were voting in favor of her bills that she had quietly allied with Riddle. How it had happened wasn't important. What was important was that Riddle's takeover had switched from fear tactics and pureblood dogma to politics and helping all magicals regardless. There were bound to be quite a few of his followers that weren't happy with this shift in focus. Followers that most likely blamed Potter for the shift.
Dumbledore smiled coldly at the idea of using Tom's followers against him. He had several death eaters to carefully contact.
FORKS
Carlisle and Esme Cullens knocked on Sue Clearwater's door.
Sue was concerned when she opened the door to find the wealthy doctor and his wife on her porch. "Has something happened to Seth...Leah?"
Carlisle frowned slightly. "No, your children are fine Mrs. Clearwater. Why would you assume something was wrong?"
"You're Dr. Cullen, right? Why else would you be at my house?"
"Your son is a friend of my niece, Renesmee and her boyfriend, Jacob Black."
"Oh," Sue slumped in relief. "Have they gotten in trouble?" Her face clouded in anger. "Has that British woman done something to them?"
"May we come in?" Esme asked gently.
Sue flushed. "I'm sorry. Yes, come in."
The two vampires entered her house and followed her to the living room. It was shabby, but clean and homey.
"We have a rather delicate request." Esme began. "You see we are having to go to England and Renesmee is a bit upset because she won't know anyone there her age and we won't allow her to wander about on her own in a foreign country. We've talked to Jacob's grandfather and he has agreed to let Jacob go. We were hoping that you would allow Seth and Leah to come with us as well."
"Seth and Leah?"
"We assumed you would be more at ease if his older sister was with him considering his age."
"Trips to England are expensive."
"We understand. We are willing to pay for the trip since it is our idea and it is to keep our niece happy."
"And Mr. Black is allowing you to pay for Jacob?"
"Yes."
Sue stared at them in suspicion. "Is Reese Sirion included on this trip?"
The Cullens frowned in confusion.
"No. I am going to speak with a some colleagues on medical procedures. My family is going since I'll be there for two weeks at least maybe three depending on the research progress."
"I'd like to verify this story with Mr. Black." Sue said bluntly. "I don't mean to offend you, but I know very little besides your reputation as a doctor and surgeon."
"Of course," Carlisle smiled. "I would worry if you didn't want to confirm with Mr. Black. The trip is planned for the first of February. I will need a week to get them passports if they don't have one already."
"I thought it took six weeks to get passports." Sue replied suspiciously.
"Usually. I don't flaunt money around, Mrs. Clearwater, but I am a very skilled surgeon and do have money. For an extra cost, I can get passports expedited. I tend to spoil Renesmee. She wants her friends to go. It will make the three weeks more pleasant for everyone if she isn't bored out of her mind."
Sue scowled. "I'm aware of how unpleasant an unhappy teenage girl can make a family. I'll have an answer for you by Wednesday."
The Cullens stood up. "Thank you for even considering it, Mrs. Clearwater. I know it isn't an easy thing letting your children go off with people you only know by reputation."
"To be honest, if you had just asked for Seth, I would have said no. Leah is very protective of her brother and Jacob will protect him as well."
Sue followed them to the door and watched them climb into a very expensive car and drive off. She was unaware of Jasper hiding in her house as she called Mr. Black to verify that Jacob was going. Jasper very subtly influenced her emotions – downplaying her suspicions, fostering her relief at having space from Leah's angry emotions for three weeks and gently increasing her belief in Carlisle's reputation as a gentle, good moral man.