A finger slid from his jawline, down his neck to his collarbone. Very gently another finger was added and soon a whole hand was gently stroking the alignments of Harry's tattoo. Fingers stroked the hard lines of the tattoo with devotion, following every sign or symbol.
Harry felt a shiver run down his spine. This was not a thrill of fear, but rather a thrill of passion and anticipation. It was a tension of what is yet to come, a prediction of passion and desire. Harry's skin seemed to be on fire, the warmth of the rough fingers lingered with every touch. His body reacted treacherously to the touch and seemed to crave the attention given by those wondrous fingers.
There was a soft groan, the sound waking Harry from his daze. His head shot up and he looked straight into the obsidian black eyes. Harry saw a small silver circle around the irises, which gave the eyes a mysterious look. Harry looked away and blushed when he realized the groan was coming from his mouth.
Rabastan chuckled softly and bowed his head to the trembling raven-haired boy's face. "Shhh, hush little raven. I won't hurt you." He gently cupped his cheeks.
Harry felt the warm breath pass from his lips, like a sensual promise. His breath caught and he looked startled into Rabastan's dark eyes. Rabastan's lips floated above Harry's.
"I want to thank you for your present Harry. Your blanket-" He defiantly licked his upper lip with his tongue. "Your blanket had a surprisingly positive effect on me."
Rabastan's lips slid as lightly as a feather from the corner of Harry's mouth to his cheeks. There the lips remained. Rabastan gave Harry a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you, little raven."
Rabastan stepped back and released Harry from his intimidating presence. Harry let out a stuttering breath, he didn't know he'd been holding. He blinked and looked down. He realized with a shock that he was still undressed, so he quickly walked over to the chair over which his shirt was draped. He quickly put on his white shirt and blushed at the thought that Rabastan had seen him without a shirt.
In the meantime, Corvus had taken charge of the situation and had called several house-elves. Corvus had asked Bibi to take care of Rabastan. Harry could understand that very well, Bibi had lovingly taken care of Harry for the past week, he had no doubt that the elf would enjoy taking care of Rabastan.
"Harry?"
Harry looked up from his musings and looked at Corvus questioningly.
"Would you like to escort Rabastan to his room? He will return to his old rooms. These are next to yours."
Harry swallowed but nodded his head in agreement. He took a closer look at the man in question. Rabastan looked tired, all previous bravado had disappeared. The man seemed to stagger on his feet but seemed too proud to ask for help. Harry straightened his back and walked over to Rabastan. He offered his arm in silence and looked at Rabastan.
A nod of his head was all that indicated Rabastan accepted his support. Harry thought Rabastan was going to grab his arm, and was surprised when he was pressed against the man's side. Harry could feel all of Rabastan's bones, from the protruding ribs to the angular shapes of his hip. He looked at the man in alarm, because of the previous interaction he had not expected Rabastan's physical condition to be so troubling.
"Nothing to worry about, Harry." came the smoky voice of Rabastan. The man reinforced his words by squeezing Harry's shoulder, with the hand he had now placed around the smaller boy.
The pair walked together towards Rabastan's apartments, with Rabastan relying heavily on Harry. Harry adjusted his steps to Rabastan's, who walked slower than the younger man. Before the stairs, Harry paused for a moment. "Are you still okay?" he asked worriedly.
The older man nodded and looked grim. "Let's go on, the sooner I have warmth and softness around me again."
They walked up the stairs very slowly. Every step was measured and carefully put on a step. Harry felt Rabastan's body tremble with exertion. Harry understood this feeling, that is how he felt during his stay with the Dursleys. The feeling that your body had reached its limit, that your will was stronger than your own physicality. The feeling of helplessness. One look at Rabastan told him that the older man did indeed feel powerless, and was therefore ashamed. Rabastan found it difficult to accept help. Harry, therefore, decided to keep his mouth shut.
Shuffling, they finally arrived at Rabastan's room. The older man opened the door himself and sighed when he stepped into his room. Harry walked in and went down a mental list that Rabastan's room had to comply with. Bibi, however, had done her very best and had already laid out fresh linen and warm pajamas for Rabastan.
"Can I help you with something else?" Harry finally asked. He did not want to further erode Rabastan's self-worth, but he also did not want to leave him to his own devices.
The man in question raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Are you so eager to get me undressed, Harry? You would think that we are still in the early stages of our relationship ... But if you are so eager, who am I to stop you?"
Harry immediately felt his cheeks warm. If Rabastan is already teasing so much now, what would he do when he is completely healthy? Harry didn't know if he was looking forward to that, as he had little experience with flirting.
A finger under his chin made Harry look up at Rabastan. "You really are wonderful to tease, Harry. But no, you've done enough for now. I will ask Bibi to help me with a bath and then go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow, little raven. But remember, I will dream about you tonight and I will most certainly enjoy it."
Harry gave Rabastan an uncertain smile and left the room. "Good night Rabastan," said Harry, closing the door behind him.
***
The warm rays emanating from the showerhead warmed Harry's skin. He sighed at the feeling of these wet caresses. All the tensions from the evening before slipped away from him. He had slept surprisingly well, all things considered. He had been in bed for a while, brooding over the just escaped Lestranges. They had looked weak and sickly, Harry thought to himself. Rodolphus had looked very thin, his movements had also looked mechanical, with abrupt, unnatural interruptions. Bellatrix had looked insane, Harry had no other word for it. Her hair was matted and hanging in front of her eyes. Her teeth were black, and she had gasped for breath. Her appearance was bizarre.
And Rabastan... He had looked the best. Of course, he was dirty as well, but his eyes had been brighter, sharper than his brother's. His hands hadn't been shaking either, and his steps had been deliberate.
Harry inadvertently let his hands wander to his waist, where he thoughtlessly caressed his skin. He moaned softly, thinking of Rabastan's intense gaze. The man had looked at him as if he had wanted to devour him as if he wanted to enrapture Harry. Harry had felt small, but also powerful. He knew he was the one who brought out those intense feelings of Rabastan.
"Fuck!" Harry exclaimed, looking down. The recent memories worked far better than the old photographs of Rabastan, and the evidence had reached great proportions. With hasty movements, Harry got rid of this problem and soaped himself again afterward.
Now that he was clean again, he turned off the shower and Harry quickly dried himself off. There were already clean clothes waiting for him on the bed. These were slightly more formal than the clothes he'd been wearing lately. However, he appreciated them, he might get to know his "in-laws" today, and a good impression was the least he could do.
Harry brushed his long hair and hurriedly wrapped a leather band around it. Pansy would have insisted on re-styling his hair, but Harry thought it was good enough. Harry picked up the pile of special-made blankets on his bedside table and put them in a linen bag. Carefully and quietly, he opened the door and looked out into the hall. There was no one to be seen. Harry chided himself for his cowardly behavior, but he just as harshly contradicted it. He couldn't blame himself for being careful in a house with just escaped criminals?
He looked around shyly when he reached the top of the stairs. The house was quiet, and there was really no intimidating Lestranges insight. Carefully he took a step on the stairs to walk down. After a few steps, Harry felt better, he was just exaggerating; Corvus wouldn't allow anything to happen to Harry.
Harry was so absorbed in his own paranoid thoughts that he was shocked when a gong sounded next to him. Pressing his hands on his heart, he looked startled into Sally's gray eyes. The girl looked mischievously at Harry, still holding the stick with which she had just struck the painted gong. Harry looked suspiciously at the gong, he couldn't remember it when he had looked at the painting before.
"Sally? How did you get that gong?"
The girl began to giggle and laugh widely. "From the attic."
Harry laughed out loud. "You planned this well, little flower. I was shocked. Surely you are not doing this to grandpa?" Harry couldn't imagine Corvus being teased by the little girl.
Sally shook her head in the negative. "No, grandpa just said a greeting to me. He is very sweet."
Harry's heart broke. He realized all too well that it was bittersweet for Corvus to see his granddaughter every day. Harry didn't understand the magic of the portraits. Sally seemed to be alive in the paintings, not older than the four years she had lived. Harry was especially surprised that the girl never seemed to mind being in a painting. Besides that, she was never sad. She was just there. Harry wondered how that worked.
"I have to go now Sally, see you soon."
"Can you give mommy a kiss from me?" a cute little voice next to him said.
Harry looked at Sally and gave a small smile. "I promise, Sally. See you later!" And Harry hurried down the stairs to the dining room.
He was greeted by four faces already seated at the table. Corvus had bags under his eyes as if he hadn't slept all night. That might have been the case, Harry thought, as he looked at the others.
Bellatrix's hair was cut, the wild tuft of hair just reaching her shoulders now. Harry thought about the tangles and felt pieces of hair that were in her hair yesterday, the house-elves had cut it out of necessity. Her face was still sunken and her eyes were still disturbed, but she was clean and dressed appropriately.
Rudolphus looked very intimidating. The man looked like a clone of Corvus, but now he had a dangerous flicker in his eyes. The man's hollow, dark eyes reminded Harry of a serial killer who would stalk and murder his victims without conscience. 'No,' Harry thought, looking closely at Rodolphus, 'Rudolphus is not a man to underestimate or undermine. I better keep him as a friend.'
Harry's gaze moved to Rabastan, the man who so influenced his thoughts. He was wearing a similar outfit to Harry: well-fitting light gray pants and a white shirt. He wore his hair loose, which gave him a casual look. He looked better than the day before, more rested.
Rabastan got up hastily from his chair and stood behind an empty chair. He pushed it back and looked firmly at Harry. Harry took the hint and sat down on the chair next to Rabastan. The dark man pushed his chair under the table, then sat down in his own chair again.
Harry felt a hand close around his left hand. Startled, he looked at Rabastan, who squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Good morning, little raven. Did you sleep well?"
"Y-yes, certainly." Harry stuttered. "Did you sleep well?"
Rabastan gave a soft laugh. "I slept on the floor, on the carpet next to my bed. I couldn't snuggle in my bed, it was too soft and too warm. The carpet and the fireplace provided enough warmth for now."
Rabastan continued to eat his breakfast as if he hadn't said anything strange. Harry looked around the table but did not see any shocked faces, apparently, the others recognized themselves in Rabastan's experience.
"Mr. Potter." suddenly sounded. A dark, stern voice made Harry look up. "Have you read the newspaper yet? You must forgive me by the way, I used your subscription to "the Quibbler" which also arrived this morning. I think the articles in both... journalistic feats will interest you."
Harry looked at Rodolphus, who offered him a stack of papers. He immediately recognized the weird layout of the Quibbler and the 'Daily Prophet'. "Thanks," said Harry sincerely.
He looked at the newspaper first. "MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN" was the headline printed large on the page. Underneath the headline was a large photograph of a chained Bellatrix who seemed to be shouting obscenities at the photographer. Harry quickly read the article, apparently, several Death Eaters had escaped. The newspaper spoke of ten Death Eaters including the Lestranges (3 persons), Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, and Fenrir Greyback.
Harry raised his eyebrows in irritation as he read how Minister Fudge blamed his godfather, Sirius Black. He read the Ministry's statement carefully and laughed.
The laugh grew louder and more manic as if the madness woven into the article spilled over to Harry. "Sorry," hiccupped Harry, wiping some tears from his eyes. "But I am still amazed at the bizarre stories that the newspaper keeps sprouting. This rag isn't even good enough to wipe my butt."
"Harry!" said Corvus in a tone of chastisement. "That is not language to use at the breakfast table."
"Sorry Corvus," murmured Harry. However, it did not escape him that Rabastan had choked on his tea because of Harry's words.
Harry then focused on "The Quibbler". He had subscribed at the suggestion of Luna, who very slowly managed to squirm her way into Harry's group of friends. Harry didn't even know when exactly the blond Ravenclaw belonged among his friends, but all he knew was that he appreciated her and really valued her honesty.
Harry flipped through the magazine, stopping now and then to read an article in amusement. He started grinning when he arrived at an article about his godfather. "Notorious Mass Murderer or Innocent Singing Sensation?" The article contained a very complex plot portraying Sirius as an innocent lead singer of "The Hobgoblins." There was a witness account stating that Sirius could not have carried out the attack on the Muggles and Peter Pettigrew because she had a passionate night with him.
"This is amazing. Thank you, Mr. Lestrange, I think I should make some copies to send to my godfather." Harry grinned broadly at Rodolphus, who looked back at Harry appreciatively.
The rest of the breakfast was uneventful. Corvus was engaged in a conversation with Rodolphus and Bellatrix was enjoying a cup of tea. She did this diligently; after each sip, she licked an imaginary drop on the rim of her glass and moaned softly from time to time. Harry looked suspiciously at the cup of tea, only a drop of Amortentia would give such a reaction. She even had flushed cheeks! Harry found out too late that he had been staring when he got a wink from the witch.
"My master was so overwhelming yesterday, his power... That was really something to experience, it is a shame you were not allowed to see it, itsy-bitsy-Potter." She stopped talking, apparently overwhelmed by the memories.
Helplessly, Harry looked away from the image, though he suspected the image had traumatized him. The little Ashwinder, who had taken his usual place around Harry's neck, raised his head with interest to look at the scene that puzzled his master.
~ 'Merlin! Her husband is sitting next to her! Why is no one doing anything!'~ Harry hissed at the little snake.
The snake smelled the air and hissed softly. ~ 'Master, her husband also smells of lust. He enjoys her in this state.'~
Harry wrinkled his nose. That was really too much information, but he glanced at the man nonetheless. Nothing could give him such thoughts, the man had a neutral expression and was in a polite conversation with his father about the latest developments in politics.
~ 'You're wrong, Jormy. That man either ignores her or he doesn't notice.'~
Jormy now climbed up and snuggled up against Harry's ear. ~ 'Master, smells don't lie. He certainly has noticed. He smells of lust and melancholy. He is sad but masks it well. The dark woman also has grief, but the passion predominates.'~
Harry hummed in agreement, understanding the couple's grief. In recent years they have been tortured with their daughter's memories, and now, out of reach of the Dementors, they had to digest the loss once again. That cannot be easy on them. He glanced at the witch sitting across from him. She still licked her glass, sipping her tea every now and then. She looked straight at Harry, by the way, making him look uncomfortably at Jormy again.
~ 'Jormy, she's looking straight at us. Does she still smell like lust? I feel a little uncomfortable.'~
~ 'Oh yes, master. She would like to mate, her husband will be enjoying her vulva not long after this meeting.'~ Jormy hissed innocently in Harry's ear.
Harry's eyes widened and he felt his cheeks flush. "What the FUCK!"
~ 'Vulva! Jormy! You're a dirty, dirty snake.'~
The only answer he got from the snake was some hissing laughter, before settling in the hollow between his neck and collarbone.
Harry's delirious thoughts were interrupted by a hand placed on the inside of his thigh. The hand felt hot against the skin beneath the woolen pants. Although the hand did not move, Harry felt his body respond to the touch.
"Harry, it might be wise not to have a conversation with your snake for a while," Rabastan whispered in Harry's ear. His voice had a strangely hoarse quality that Harry had never heard before. "You see, we are very grateful to our Lord. And you... You share certain qualities with our Lord. Your conversation with your snake, along with your delightful physical reactions, make a dire situation." He paused and squeezed Harry's thigh. "For example, I am very curious to find out how far your blush reaches. Wouldn't it be great if it extends from your neck to your chest? Could I taste the heat if I put my lips on it?"
Harry was silent and gave Rabastan a heated look. "S-sorry," said Harry, not sure what to do with the situation.
Rabastan chuckled, drawing his breath against Harry's delicate earlobe. Harry held his breath and was afraid to move. Rabastan sat up with a jerky movement, but not before showing Harry a villainous grin.
"Now be quiet, little raven. We shouldn't want to be forced to undergo premature bonding, right?"
***
Harry was frustrated. He wasn't jealous or impatient. He just was frustrated.
It was all Rabastan's fault. The first day he had only flirted with Harry, and not innocently! No, he had made all kinds of innuendos, and every time Harry responded, the dark man withdrew.
But that wasn't the reason for his current grumpy mood. No, Harry was ignored. Corvus had been busy for days with the return of his children. He had sent all kinds of Healers over, no expense was spared. And that was wise, Harry understood that too. If there was one thing that would have benefited Sirius, it was a (mind) Healer.
The escape from the Lestranges had also not been without a struggle. The day after the escape, there was a sudden raid from Aurors. Harry had been impressed by the uproar of the corps, who systematically ransacked the house. His magic, however, had been on edge and lashed out at the invaders when they came too close to the double-wall (behind which Rabastan was hiding). The magic had started to crackle around Harry. He had seen all kinds of dead arms clutching the Auror. He had wanted to hurt the man, take his powers. Harry had wanted to magically undress the Auror until only the innermost being was left until finally there was nothing left.
Corvus was able to get Harry out of his trance and then had appealed to a bad case of 'Accidental Magic' and the traumatic experience of the visit. The Aurors quickly called it quits and disappeared without much hassle.
Ever since that day, Harry's magic had been shaken. On edge. He was easily irritated and lashed out quickly when disturbed. Harry only had patience for Sally, but she wasn't a real person either.
Harry was happy that he was left alone, he could now devote all his attention to his tattoo. He had already linked multiple Runes to certain characters. A Rune, which reminded Harry of a fishbone, provided 'Personal Protection'. The Rune, which in Harry's opinion looked like a broken arrow, meant: to 'Secure Justice'. A reference to Harry's victims, for hadn't they hurt or offended him in some way? It was karma at its strongest, and Harry couldn't help but enjoy the suffering of his tormentors with a vengeance.
Another, the Wonjo Joy, stood for 'Kinship, Heritage, and Joy'. Harry suspected that that particular Rune stood for kinship. A relationship with the Dementors. The phrase that the Dementor had spoken in his dream caused this thought in particular: "We are always there." Family was always there for each other, they visited each other, took care of each other. And until now, this bizarre connection to the Dementors had kept Harry safe.
One sign remained elusive. It was a sign that he could find nowhere in his own, as in Corvus books. He had looked at reference works with all kinds of Runes, as well as works with dead languages, with the most bizarre characters. But he came to nothing. And so that was why he was frustrated. He was frustrated that one sign made no sense.
So he was not angry with Rabastan. That man meant nothing to Harry. The small, slightly-itty-bitty obsession with Rabastan's affections had nothing to do with his frustrations. In fact, before returning to Hogwarts, he would ask the man to remove the bracelet. And that had nothing to do with his ego being hurt. Nothing.
He put his book away angrily. "The Most Comprehensive Symbols and Signs Encyclopedia my ass! Dredging book," he shouted. He angrily picked up the carafe of Firewhiskey. He was not yet of age, but he felt there were certain exceptions to the rule. And this was one, Harry thought.
~ 'Master, why are you angry? You're with your mate, why aren't there any Hatchlings on the way yet? He felt like mating some time ago.'~ Jormy asked his agitated master.
~ 'Jormy, if only it were that easy. I haven't seen him in days and in a few days, I'll be back at Hogwarts. I am even doubting whether I should go to Sirius and Remus, they indicated in their last letter that they prefer that, now with the mass breakout and all. I'm just sitting here on my own.' ~
The snake didn't seem to move for a moment and looked at Harry with those smoldering eyes. The snake was apparently unimpressed with Harry's antics. ~ "You haven't really tried your best to connect with your new nestmates either. The woman could take good care of you, she likes to pamper Jormy very much. She even calls me by my full name, as befits a snake of my statute.'~
Harry reluctantly laughed for Jormy's reasons. The snake was right in some way, and Bella turned out to be a much more caring person than Harry had ever imagined. She was nothing like the person on the Wanted Posters.
Harry sighed. Jormy was right. He hadn't acted like a Gryffindor, he had awaited the situation and observed the new persons. But even now that he had decided he was not in immediate danger, he had not approached them. In fact, he was sulking about not getting any attention. Bah, he wasn't like that at all.
Jormy scolded Harry and looked at him begging. ~ 'If the master conjures up a fat rat for me, I'll give you a hint.' ~
Harry looked at the snake, Jormy stared at him in an almost cute way. He made some smooth movements with his hand and casually conjured a rat. Before the little Ashwinder could strike, Harry held the rat by its tail above the snake.
~ 'Come on then. The hint?'~
~ 'Impudent brat' ~ Jormy grumbled. ~ 'Master shouldn't tease Jormy like that. But Jormy is above this behavior.'~
The snake managed to look mischievous, an expression Harry preferred not to see on the snake. Nervously Harry took a sip from his glass and looked at the snake expectantly.
The snake began to laugh. ~ 'Do you know what helps with all that tension, master? A delicious, hot romp. You will have to ask the wild-haired woman and the strict gentleman. Jormy would have given a roasted frog to lie between them yesterday, they just radiated heat.'~
Harry nearly choked on his drink and coughed loudly. He wiped his chin with his sleeve without decorum and glared at the snake as it slid from the table. Harry had let go of the rat and Jormy had followed it limberly.
"Stupid snake," Harry muttered, glaring after the snake.
He took another sip of his Firewhiskey and let go of his dark thoughts. The behavior of his snake almost made him long for Ron's silliness, and that was saying a lot.
"Tough day?" said a dark voice next to him.
Harry looked up and saw Rodolphus standing. The man looked much healthier. He almost seemed to come from a commercial for one of Aunt Petunia's anti-wrinkle creams, the man looked twenty years younger! Harry had to do his best to keep his face straight and not stare at the man at the startling change.
"Yes- No- I mean, I'm fine." Harry stuttered. He could hit himself in the head, he really looked like an eloquent young man now .. But not really.
Rodolphus gave a pleasant laugh. "Everyone has those days, believe me, Master Potter. Can I invite you to a game of chess? It has been a while since I was able to enjoy a game of Wizard Chess."
Harry had to smile at this heartfelt question. "I would like to play with you, but I have to warn you that I am a very bad player. My friend -maybe a former friend- was always the strategist, I am too impatient with my moves."
"I've spent my adult life in Azkaban, Mr. Potter, I think you can handle one game," said Rodolphus charmingly, leading Harry to the luxurious marble chess set.
"Harry," said Harry after he sat down. "Call me Harry."
"Fine, you can call me Rodolphus or Dolf. My father already sees you as a young son, maybe I should see you as my little brother. Dolf will certainly be appropriate." Rodolphus said with a wink.
Harry couldn't help but react a little prickly. "I'm not small. I am almost an adult," he said irritably.
Rodolphus gave a rich, full laugh as he ordered the chess pieces to be ready. "I didn't mean that you're small and helpless, Harry. I just want to make it clear to you that you know how to find your way into the hearts of this family. My father is very fond of you, and my brother.. My brother is too."
Rodolphus motioned for Harry to begin. He absently ordered his pawn to take two steps forward to E4. The pawn puffed out his chest and took perky steps forward.
"How are you?" Harry asked Rodolphus, trying to read the man's face.
The man grinned and responded with a runner to F5. "It is getting better, we are not there yet, but it is good to be home again."
Harry nodded and let his pawn knock Rodolphus' pawn off the field. His chess pieces all gave a primal cry, as a joy for winning the single piece.
"I heard I should thank you for the nice blankets," said Rodolphus suddenly. Harry let go of the chessboard with his eyes and turned his gaze to Rodolphus.
"Um yes, I made them for your stay in Azkaban. Such a blanket worked well for Rabastan, so I was hoping they would work for you guys too. I had already taken them to breakfast when you first got home. But- But due to circumstances I forgot to give them to you and your wife, but the house elves gladly cooperated with my plan." Harry looked away uncomfortably, slightly ashamed of his reactions that morning. He could hardly admit to Rabastan's brother that he had such strong reactions to his brother.
Startled, he looked at the chessboard, where (in his opinion) much has changed. There were two broken chess pieces of his own, but he couldn't remember when he made a move. Ron would laugh at Harry's inattentive play. He quickly set a piece, which he set as bait for Rabastans bishop, hoping to release his queen for his king.
"Not many people would do that for a criminal. A blanket with such strong magic is rare, not many people would give it to someone they don't know."
"Then it is a good thing that I am not like most people," Harry said immediately with a smile.
"And yet many people would shy away from such a scary, dangerous wizard like me," said Rodolphus with a dangerous grin.
Harry found out that he loved Rodolphus with a grin. Before he couldn't even imagine Rodolphus with a smile, let alone a teasing grin, but now Harry realized he wanted to see more of it. That man was like a big protective brother, someone Harry wanted to be by his side.
"I have no doubt that you are dangerous," Harry said.
Rodolphus asked, "Is that a compliment from the great, mighty Harry Potter, Butcher of Basilisks, and vanquisher of Dark Lords and Dementors?"
"I think you asked for it, Dolf." Harry laughed.
"Very insightful of you, Harry... And what are your intentions for my brother?" Rodolphus asked, without batting an eyelid.
"Um, I- I honestly didn't think you would get out of Azkaban anytime soon. But, I plan to continue the courtship with your brother, and I hope it will come to a positive outcome." Harry said with a red face.
"Right. A 'positive' outcome." said Rodolphus, making quotes in the air.
"Ehh, yes. That seems for the best."
Rodolphus darkened his eyes and made another move on the board. However, he kept looking at Harry. "Did you know that a person doesn't necessarily have to speak Parseltongue to understand it? I mean-" His eyes now began to glow mischievously. "That snake had been watching a spectacle between me and my wife yesterday. Let me put it this way, your cheeks turn to a beautiful red when you are teased. And just before I arrived, you turned as red as a Gryffindor sweater. I hope you were thinking about my little brother when you broke out in a sweat."
Rodolphus gave Harry a charming smile. And looked emphatically at the chessboard. "Oh, and checkmate."
Harry stared at the chessboard and said, "I warned you that I am rubbish at this."
Rodolphus shrugged elegantly and said, "An enjoyable game, nevertheless, with such an enjoyable company."
Harry looked awkwardly away but said, "I thought it was fun too. Thanks for the game and the company."
Rodolphus ran a hand through Harry's hair and tossed it over. "No problem, little one."
***
"Harry, come and sit with me," said Corvus from his chair in the small library.
Harry walked over to Corvus and looked at the scraps of parchment scattered across his desk. He looked over Corvus's shoulder. "What are we actually looking at?" Harry asked, confused.
"Oh, this? These are just some old man's figments." Corvus said with a captivating smile.
But Harry was not fooled and looked closely at the papers. He saw several pedigrees, of the Blacks, the Potters, as well as those of Slytherin and the Peverell family. Some names were circled and some had a question mark.
"Can you share those figments with me?" Harry asked charmingly. He had copied some of Corvus's mannerisms while staying on the estate. Corvus raised his eyebrows in amusement at the sight of this custom.
"I'm looking at the overlaps of the Potter and the Lestrange family. I was pretty sure, but I am now completely reassured by my findings."
Harry looked at Corvus quizzically, "And what were you worried about?"
"I wanted to test the magical compatibility. I have looked at the closest connections between the family, fortunately, there are few of them. The Potter Line is also very strong and has only produced a handful of squibs so far. Furthermore, it is clear that the magic between you and Rabastan goes well together. He also has strong Dark Affinity, but I think he also offers balance by being good at Ancient Runes and Charms."
"But you knew that beforehand, didn't you?" Harry asked critically. He thought this research did not explain or reveal much. He could also tell in advance that he was not a first cousin of Rabastan, that was not new news.
Corvus sat back and looked at Harry thoughtfully. He motioned for Harry to take a seat opposite him. "I started mapping your gift. I have found two records of Parselmouths in your family. Iolanthe Potter née Peverell is the clearest ancestor with the ability to speak with serpents. She was the granddaughter of Ignotus Peverell, one of the three Peverell brothers and alleged owners of the Deathly Hallows. Tradition has it that the brothers received the wand, stone, and cloak of death and passed it on within their families. These are of course speculations, but interesting nonetheless."
"I also found a possible ancestor from India, a certain Sahir Puttar, it is rumored that he is a direct ancestor of yours, but this is uncertain. However, he also had the gift, and was famous in his hometown, not only did he know how to deal with snakes, but some dragons also obeyed his orders."
Corvus hesitated for a moment but decided to go ahead anyway. "I also researched your mother. Because I have no other blood from her, I cannot do in-depth research into her family. I have the idea that a Muggleborn comes from a magical ancestor, a squib for example. Due to certain conditions in the magic, a witch or wizard suddenly appears within an apparent Mugglefamily."
Harry looked pointedly at Corvus, the man seemed uncomfortable with his investigation. Harry suspected that the man was looking for legitimacy to bind his son to a Half-Blood. He knew from the stories of Sirius and Walburga Black that the Lestrange family wanted to be as pure as possible, Harry couldn't blame Corvus for looking for as many plus points as possible in Harry's blood.
"Hmm, Corvus? Suppose, hypothetically, there is a third stream of blood mixing with the other two. Two "Pureblood" lines and one Muggleborn bloodline, what happens to the blood? Magically?" Harry kept his face neutral, so he wouldn't give further hints to Corvus.
Corvus took a sip from his glass of water. "If the third bloodline is added to the existing mix, the mix between Pureblood and Muggleborn, then the pure line becomes dominant. The child in question will therefore show more physical characteristics of the two pure lines."
"That child is a Pureblood then?" Harry asked measuredly.
"Yes, but that is only when there is a blood adoption, this hardly occurs any more."
"You know my godfather is Sirius Black, right?" Corvus nodded absently. "I call Sirius these days Dad because this fits well. He has adopted me, in name as in blood. He asked me this summer to use the name Potter-Black. I have of course agreed to this."
Corvus was dumbfounded. He looked at the family trees in front of him, then looked back at Harry. "That's... surprising news. Good, but surprising. I know it may not be important to you, but I want to build the Lestrange family to greatness once more. And you do that by making clever connections with other powerful families. I can prove that you are a direct descendant of the Peverell family, you may be the only descendant. The Peverell family has disappeared, but can still be claimed by the descendant who meets certain conditions. That sounds difficult, and it is, it is often established per family what conditions a true descendant must meet in order to claim the title. But now you tell me you're a Pureblood, that changes a lot."
Harry shrugged. "It doesn't mean much to me. I will remain myself."
"It makes a world of difference for a possible Marriage Contract. You would be considered a consort in a previous contract, now the contract will be equivalent. It's the little things that make a difference in our society, and whether you like it or not, you're part of it, Harry. I myself would love to see a contract between you and my son. I admit this was first because of your famous name. But now, I have got to know you, I see so much potential in you. You are smart, capable and, if I may believe my son, you are very attractive. Most importantly, you are a friend of the family, you have offered me friendship, without judging me for past mistakes. You are like a son to me." Corvus's voice was shaky, and Harry could see that the man meant what he had said.
Harry gave Corvus a big smile. "I care a lot about you too, Corvus. I appreciate what you have done for me and I value your judgment. Should it ever come to that, it will be an honor to call you father."
Corvus got up and walked over to Harry. He pulled him out of his chair and into an embrace. "Rodolphus shared what you did for him and Bella. These blankets are a wonderful gift. You do not realize what difference it makes. It is to your credit, my boy."
Harry felt a warm feeling pass through his chest. He felt proud to be able to help a strong and powerful man like Corvus. Realizing that he always wants to make this man proud, he resolved to do even more effort in his studies.
"Ahhh, what a sweet picture this is." said a teasing voice behind them.
Harry and Corvus turned to see Rabastan. "Good news?" Rabastan asked casually.
"Very good news, Harry has been adopted by Black, remember a blood adoption. Harry is officially a Pureblood."
Rabastan poured three glasses of sparkling wine. "Looks more festive than Firewhiskey, non ?"
Harry took the glass with a shake of his head, he could tell from Rabastan's behavior that the man didn't care about his blood status. However, he decided not to say anything about it and enjoyed the small bubbles in the wine.
"And Harry, did you learn more about your tattoo? My father told me that our arrival coincided with your investigation. He said it is mainly made of Runes?"
Rabastan looked genuinely interested, which made Harry feel compelled to tell everything about the tattoo. He repeated some of the things he had already described in his letters but was able to link them to his new findings. He also shared his hypotheses about the Runes and that they were very connected to the Dementors, that he thought he was labeled as a family member of sorts.
Harry opened his shirt slightly and showed Rabastan his enigma. The triangle with lines underneath stood out clearly against his skin, as if it wanted to stand out from the mass of lines and points.
Rabastan ran his finger over it. Harry watched Rabastan's face closely, looking for a change in expression. Dark eyes found bright emerald green. A wolf-like grin graced his face, his eyes glittering dangerously.
"I've seen yours, do you want to see mine?"