Alphard Black was not kind, he was born with a golden spoon and had learned casual cruelty at his mother's lap, the slurs of blood were engraved in his mind to the point that he didn't see anything wrong with it.
He remembered the way Walburga was sold to cousin Orion the day mother decided she was old enough, remembered how young she was married to a man who loved another. He was eleven and had decided the day he watched as the once cousins were married in what was a loveless union, that Alphard Black would be free. He would not be a pawn in his parent's game, and would not end up as another bid to the seat of family head.
Mother had scorned him and told him he had no ambition, no will. She was wrong. Alphard had the biggest ambition of them all---to be free and in a family like his freedom was costly.
He wanted to be like Aunt Cassie, she who had made a name for herself in an Era when watched were often considered broodmare, she who gave the Lord Black an ultimatum and left England with her head held high and dignity not lost, she who made Arcturus Black bow before her wishes. An unmarried witch, a spinster, there must be something with her, they whispered. They whispered and whispered until they couldn't. For they had forgotten the nightmare that was Cassiopeia Black. Oh she hid herself well behind her eccentricities---who would suspect a witch wearing a yellow sundress?
He had always had a taste for seas and ships, they had fascinated him---so one fine midnight as he lay restless in his covers he had decided to become a pirate. He had left behind his family in a desperate bid for freedom.
Alphard wanted to weep, as he saw the state of his house in a few years, he wanted to rage at the world for bringing the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black so low----he wanted to spew curses at himself for running away and not being there, for letting his nephews and nieces suffer for his freedom, his dream, his desire.
He watched with a smile on his face but beneath it lurked a shadow that no one else could glimpse at.
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The chief warlock Jason Warwick looked down at the arguing lords with impatience and disdain. Having enough of their childish rabble he brought down his hand on his desk with force, silencing the court of magic at once.
"So fierce." Peter shudders.
The camera takes a sweeping shot at the gathered people, most of them are seen gulping as their eyes are fixed on the cracks decorating on the table.
"How---what?" Barty questions stuttering unable to believe the power of an online man's fist can do so much damage.
"Do not underestimate him, boy. He was a hit wizard in his time." Corvus informs.
CW WARWICK: Enough! I the Chief Warlock of this sitting demand silence.
No one dares to even breathe loudly as they see the thunderous face of the CW.
"I would be quiet too, after that." Marlene stresses.
WARWICK(smiles): My Lord and Ladies of the Wizengamot, I welcome you to the meeting of 4th November_____ on behalf of the Wizengamot and ministry, the claiming ceremony as always will be the opening act of this honorable gathering.
"Ooh, time for drama~" Sirius sings.
Lighted wands are raised all over the room in agreement.
WARWICK(continues): The claimants may present themselves now.
Lucius Malfoy nods at his wife, who sits stone-faced next to him. He inclines his head towards the Black Seat.
Lucius looks at the screen unmoving.
Narcissa nods back and stands up with the family codex in her hands, she lights her wand green and enters the arena.
"Why arena?" Hotwick a second-year muggleborn asks.
"They used to have honor duel to death there, quite bloody those days." Melania sighs dreamily as if imagining herself amidst the bloodshed.
Alphard slowly edges away from his aunt.
WARWICK: State your name, claimant.
NARCISSA: Narcissa of the House of Black.
WARWICK: State your claim then, Narcissa of House of Black.
LUCIUS leans forward eager to finally have the power of the House of Black commanded by him.
"Lucius, why?" Abraxas sighs.
The Black sisters meet each other's eyes and blink, plotting to make dear Lucy suffer.
Many lighthouses are seen sneering and grimacing at the thought of one more vote to the dark faction. The neutral houses look unnerved at the possibility of the House of Black in control of the Malfoys.
NARCISSA: I Narcissa of the House of Black claim the seat of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black----
There is silence, and stillness in the hall as they wait for the magic to respond to deny or approve Narcissa's claim. But Narcissa does not stop, she continues much to the disbelief of Lucius, who realizes something is wrong.
"He finally realizes it!"
NARCISSA:---- For the rightful Lord of the Blacks, Alkaid Cassiopeia Black-----
"Cissy darling I take back every bad comment I ever made! You are clearly GOAT."
Narcissa smiles sweetly yet her eyes are sharp, "Siri are you calling me a goat?"
Regulus facepalms.
Sirius pales rapidly and shakes his head as he sees his cousin's hand slowly edging towards her wand. "I would not dare! I meant GOAT, not a goat!"
Narcissa twirls her wand in her hand, "What?"
"GOAT means Greatest Of All Time--it's a muggle slang, Cissy I would never call you a goat!" Sirius says frantically shaking his head in denial.
"See that you don't or you will end up as a goat." Narcissa smiles again.
Sirius blanches as his imagination runs wild and shows him a scene of him as a goat being served on the dinner table and a knife approaching him.
Sharp intakes of breaths and surprised faces are shown all around the hall, Lucius Malfoy looks murderous and betrayed, and confused.
NARCISSA: May magic bless her.
CW WARWICK: ALKAID CASSIOPEIA BLACK step forward and acknowledge your claim in front of the blessed council.
DUMBLEDORE(stands up): This is unprecedented, there is no Alkaid Black on the Hogwarts registry!
"How is that even relevant?" Rabastan asked confused.
"As if anything he says is." Rodolphus tsks.
Whispers grow louder at the proclamation.
A lone wand is raised up from the viewer's gallery, and a figure steps forward as the people part for it, dressed elegantly in a formal black with a silver embroidery of the lapels and borders made up of etched gold threads.
"A question please, Miss Narcissa." A second-year Ravenclaw asks.
Narcissa raises an eyebrow.
"Who is your family designer? Because that right there is art." Joanna Harfeild proclaims looking at her senior in askance.
Sirius huffs out a nervous laugh, flashbacks of the demon seamstress who had served the family for generations. He swears she poked him with that needle on purpose.
"Madam Floris, darling. Though it's difficult for you to find her, you clearly have taste." Cissa smiles.
"Oh," Joanna stutters flushing red at the ice queen smiling at her. AT HER!
Strands of Silver magic escape her robes as the clicking of her heels echoes in the now silent hall, her sterling silver eyes flash and her black curls escape their captivity as she strides towards the arena with her head held high, every inch a Black Lady.
"Step on me lady." Marlene sighs dreamily earning weird looks from Orion who looks positively done.
ALKAID: Forgive me, Master Dumbledore my memory must be failing me since when has being a Hogwarts student become a prerequisite for a seat in the esteemed Wizengamot?
LORD ZABINI: It is not, my Lord Black.
"Is that Donna?" Narcissa asks Andromeda curiously who nods.
"Little Donna seems all grown up, hopefully, she grew out of her fantasies of being a Black Widow. God knows how the population will survive."
Sirius shivers as he remembers a particularly enlightening conversation with a seven-year-old Belladonna Zabini on the particulars of staging an accident or making someone disappear.
Regulus sighs as he remembers a lovestruck Sirius following after Belladonna and nodding dazedly as she recited all the new ways she had thought of to off someone.
DUMBLEDORE: My dear girl---
LORD ZABINI: I am not your student, Master Dumbledore.
DUMBLEDORE(eyes twinkle): Clearly.
LORD ZABINI(does not take offense, she smiles instead sharp and predatory): Thankfully.
She sits back draped upon the seat as if it is a throne.
Sirius sighs dreamily at his childhood crush, how pretty she looks when she smiles like that----as if she was going to devour her prey.
Supporters of Dumbledore break out in outrage.
DUBLEDORE: Who are you to claim the lordship, dear girl? Do you understand the consequences of the wrong claim of such a dark family?
"Who are you to question a claiming? Who are you to question my heir, Dumbledore?" Arcturus asks the screen , too deep in the movie.
"Consequences?" Peter squeaks.
"Oh nothing severe, mate. Just a severed hand the claimant used, so that he could never take something that is not his. That's it." Sirius tells him unfazed.
"That's it?"
"I know right? I was surprised too-- like why is there no blood curse?" Sirius continues completely misunderstanding Wormtail's disbelief.
Remus sighs, he feels for Wormy.
ALKAID: I understand it very well. You are clearly not as informed as you pretend to be Master Dumbledore. Who are you to demand answers from me? You are not my teacher nor are you my superior.
"My sister, Ladies and Gentlemen!" Sirius proclaims gleefully.
"Is she trying to provoke him?" Barty asks Regulus.
"No. That's her being civil." Regulus sighs.
LORD DIGGLE(sneers): Such arrogance for a likely bastard girl. Respect the headmaster girl.
"Bastard?" Walburga shrieks. "How dare he?"
Orion smiles deadly and sharp, "Leave him to me, wife."
ALKAID(laughs mockingly): Bastard? How very amusing.
She turns to Dumbledore.
ALKAID: Keep your dog on a leash, Master Dumbledore. As for my claim? Here it is I ALKAID CASSIOPEIA OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK IN THE NAME OF MAGIC I CLAIM THE SEAT OF THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK!
The silver seat of the house glows once and the banner above it unfurls revealing the coat of arms of the House of Black with toujours pur written in italic under it.
The audience watches in awe, very few of them had ever witnessed a claiming before.
There is silence as people process what happened.
CW WARWICK: I name you then, Alkaid of the House of Black, The Lord of BlackMoor.
Narcissa curtsying to her cousin and then elegantly striding towards the viewer's gallery amidst the whispering reporters. She sits in the front seat and does not spare Lucius even a second glance.
"Good for you Cissy." Andromeda beams at her sister, proud.
Lucius seethes.
LORD NOTT(whispers): Things just got interesting.
LORD GREENGRASS(hums): Lucius played his hand too far.
"See that's you, brother, you look old." Adrienne teases.
"Old? I am clearly in my prime!" Cyrus Greengrass gasps offended.
They chuckle together.
The eyes of the hall are on Alkaid as she bows to Chief Warlock, Camera flashes can be heard as the excited media and reporters chitter.
Alkaid removes herself from the center and stands on the side of the arena as she waits for the oath-taking ceremony.
CW WARWICK: Any other claimants?
Dumbledore raises his wand this time, attracting all the attention of the hall.
DUMBLEDORE: I ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE ON THE VIRTUE OF MAGICAL GUARDIANSHIP CLAIM THE SEAT OF THE HOUSE OF POTTER AS A REGENT.
The Potters watch with dark amusement waiting for his failure, his humiliation. Angry at his gall to try claim their family seat.
Every eye swings towards the empty Potter seat but it does not show any sign of being claimed.
The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes vanishes, and his supporter sits in disbelief and confusion as the Potter seat does not even deem to acknowledge the claim. The dark faction which seemed to be anxious till now seems to have seen the greatest joke of the century, and the neutral faction could not contain its snorts.
Barty snorts.
Alkaid Black looks unsurprised.
DUMBLEDORE(repeats): I said I ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE ON THE VIRTUE OF MAGICAL GUARDIANSHIP CLAIM THE SEAT OF THE HOUSE OF POTTER AS A REGENT.
Many people burst out laughing.
No response. Gideon Prewett bursts out laughing with his heir and twin following his suit.
Dumbledore goes to repeat it once more but he is interrupted by another figure who lights his wand from the gallery and steps forward into the arena with a confident swagger.
"That looks like James!" Peter exclaims.
"That is James." Remus smiles.
THE ROBBED FIGURE: That would not work, headmaster. No matter how many times you repeat yourself.
"I am so cool." James whoops before turning towards Sirius, "Am I not cool, Padfoot?"
"Well maybe not as cool as me---"
"----how dare you! Did you ever appear on a claiming dramatically after being declared dead, huh?"
"---well no, but---"
"---hah! Then dream on, I am clearly the cooler one."
Remus slaps them both over the head, making them wince.
"Does that make me the hotter one?" Sirius asks rhetorically and smirks.
Remus shuts James' mouth before he can argue further.
DUMBLEDORE: Who dares to interrupt a claiming?
LORD ZABINI(snorts): Quite a claiming indeed.
"I love her!" Mary looks on with starry eyes.
Sirius suddenly feels dread curling, as if he has more competition.
Gideon, Fabian Prewett, and Frank Longbottom look at the robbed figure with dawning realization.
"Looks like future us guessed it, eh----"
"---Clearly brother how could we not?"
"True true---"
"----We are just soooo smart, can't help it."
The Prewett twins both sigh resignedly as if they could not help it.
Molly glares at them, making them sit properly.
JAMES POTTER(removing the hood): The true claimant, Headmaster.
DUMBLEDORE: You are dead.
"Clearly not." Cassiopeia sneered.
Many Death Eaters pale at the alive Auror who laughed as he severed their limbs.
Others whisper in outrage at the possibility of an imposter.
"I am clearly the real deal, how dare they---" James started outraged.
"You cannot blame them, son. You were dead at least according to them." Charlus soothes.
JAMES POTTER: Don't tell me you forgot me, sir! And here I thought we had something special.
"Did you?"
"Did I what?"
"Have something special?"
"Well, mixing laxatives in his lemon candies did make us very close."
Remus snorts amused clearly remembering the prank and its consequences.
CW WARWICK: Prove your claim then, prove that you are of the House of Potter.
James(smirks mischievously): Gladly- I JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER OF THE HOUSE OF POTTR CLAIM THE SEAT OF THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF POTTER AS THE RIGHTFUL LORD IN THE NAME OF MAGIC!
Shocked gasps echo as the seat of Potter glows red and the banner of the coat of arms etched in gold unfurls. 'Death is an old friend'
James jumps up and bows towards the audience with flourish.
Dumbledore is speechless for once as all his plans fail.
James turns and winks at Alkaid who smirks at him and strides towards him taking his offered hand.
"Shall we, mi amor?"
Orion shakes, his wand already in his wand as he leaps forward toward the soon-to-be-dead Potter heir----who frantically moves backward to avoid him.
Walburga tsks irritated, "Sit down, husband."
Orion stops short at the danger in her voice and wisely sits back frowning in displeasure, while James breathes out a sigh of relief, only to turn and come face to face with another pair of silver eyes glinting with something predatory.
Alkaid just smiles and they walk forward as one towards the ever-burning flames to take their oaths.
JAMES/ALKAID: I pledge to be worthy, to be just, and to serve. I stand here not as a Lord but a servant to the people, to my house. The balance of law will be kept true in my presence. I am to be the voice of the voiceless, the eyes of the blind, and the ears of the deaf. I will honor the history and learn from it. May magic bless me to be unmoving in my values.
The hall sits in silence as they see the oath being taken after a very long time, before Rabastan whistles lowly, "Damn, that was intense."
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Finally! Hello lovelies, here I am with another update. The ball is in the court now.
Leave a comment behind, please.
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Question of the day!
Would you rather face a boggart or a dementor?
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Unedited