The Beginning
Arriving at Diagon Alley for him was not a shock, he knew why he was sent there. Pulling on his hood he covered his hair and made sure not to be seen, though that was going to be easy since it is still past midnight and no one is present. The streets were quiet and his footsteps echoed in the night as he walked straight to Gringotts.
As soon as the door was in sight he was about to knock on it but he was a bit surprised when it opened and inside revealed two goblins standing there as if waiting for his arrival. One of them looked at his pocket watch before returning it back to its pocket.
“Right on time, Heir Black”, his eyes widened and Beau growled as he also positioned to attack the goblin.
“No need for hostility, your mother informed us of your arrival and your purpose here”, then his stance softened and he brushed his hand to Beau’s head to calm the dog.
“My name is Ragnok and this is Griphook, he has been managing the Black Family Fortune since the job was passed on to him”, they introduced themselves and Draco bowed in thanks.
“If you would please follow us”, and the two goblins began walking and Draco followed them along with Beau who remained wary but followed. When they were about to ride the cart to go to his vaults he noticed that Beau was a bit startled and so he decided to leave him there to wait for him.
“Stay here Beau I will be right back”, the dog whimpered but followed his order. They all rode the cart and it took them a while before they reached their destination. The cart came to a halt in front of a huge stony wall that seemed to be the entrance of the vault.
“Vault Number 129”, stated one of the goblins, named Griphook.
“Now this is where we will know if you are a fake or not, for only those of Black Blood can open this vault”, Ragnok explained to Draco and he merely nodded then Griphook handed him a small silver knife.
“Thanks”, then he held it up to see how sharp it is then holding out his right hand he made a clean cut from it. Draco then placed his palm to the stone gate and as if on cue the stone walls parted to allow him passage inside. Without saying anything he entered the vault that was suddenly lit up as he entered, its fires flickering as if awakened from its long slumber.
Ignoring all the grimoires, golds, jewels and other more adorning the vault he seeked the only thing he wished to see. Finding the family tree he traced the lines of his Mother’s portrait and allowed his hands to linger there for a while the goblins allowing him a moment of silence before Ragnok spoke.
“What kind of assistance may we offer you, Young Black”, Draco’s eyes no longer lingered to the tapestry and he looked back at the goblins waiting for his reply. Then slowly he removed his hood to reveal his appearance, in the light of the torches his hair seemed like gold, his grey eyes glowed amidst it all. The two goblins looked at each other before they nodded at one another.
“I want to disappear”
“You do not want the world to know of your existence?”, Draco nodded.
“I fear that is a bit too late as of the moment, Young Black. As Lady Narcissa died her protection upon you weakened allowing your existence to be known”
“I know”, he whispered then he looked straight at the goblins and said.
“I want to live not as Draco Black but as another, and in order for that to happen I need your help”, then he picked up a necklace from one of the shelves and showed it to them.
“You want us to charm it to hide who you are”
“Yes”, he looked at them pleadingly. “…please”
Ragnok and Griphook looked at one another in silent conversation they both knew of what will happen should they succeed, but when the boy looked at them with tired pleading eyes they both nodded and accepted.
“I will create a new name for you Young Black, what would you like it to be?”
“Marius. Marius Clarke, I assume you know of Regina Clarke?”, he remembered the kind old witch with that surname near their cottage who died months ago and he thought that it would be a good cover for him.
“I shall see it done, I will also ensure that any use of your vault will not be traced to the Black family vaults”
“Thank you”, Draco said once more and Griphook nodded Apparating then his gaze fell to Ragnok who already took the necklace and began casting spells upon spells upon it.
“It is done, Young…Clarke”, he said as he handed the necklace, it was a simple necklace with a silver chain and a small emerald placed on it. As he wore it he could no longer feel his magic pulsing within him and it brought him a bit of discomfort but he calmed himself and tried to get use to it.
“Thank you as well Ragnok”
“No it is alright Young Marius it is an honor to meet and be of service”
“May your gold multiply and prosper”, and Ragnok smiled at this and bowed his head as Draco did the same.
“Will you not change your appearance?”
“No this is better Ragnok, some witches may find me suspicious”, a sudden crack of apparition made them look at the direction where now Griphook stood.
“Where would you wish to reside Young Marius? The house at--”he was cut off when Draco suddenly stated.
“The small cottage, with the unplottable land”, he said with a grin when he saw the stunned expressions of Griphook and Ragnok.
“I memorized all the properties of the Black Family and besides that old cottage has been known to be destroyed, no one will be able to enter but me”
“As you wish Young Marius”
“Oh, though I won’t be staying there for a while since I need my transfer papers to enroll to Hogwarts”
“But that would mean….”
“What better place to hide than just under their noses”, he grinned bitterly then continued.
“That is the best place for me to go for now…it is after all the closest place to her”, Ragnok looked at Griphook then nodded and Griphook already knew what to do. Ragnok saw the intelligence that the boy was hiding but he could also see his sadness, he is still after all mourning her death. The child she so deeply hid is now thrust into a world where war is about to begin and whichever side he goes war will follow him, he wondered whether he knew the meaning of his name then Narcissa’s voice rang to his mind.
“I know that we can never run away from fate, as it is cruel as it is as sweet, but I wish in hope to ease the burden that he is about to carry, and allow him happiness even for a while. So please whatever path he chose give him a choice, do this for me, my friend.”
“Everything will be prepared by tomorrow Young Marius, please take a rest at one of the guest rooms here. We will inform you soon of the news from Hogwarts when it arrives”,
“Thank you”, his voice was soft and it reminded Ragnok of Narcissa’s voice the last time he saw her then he clapped his hands and a house elf appeared and curtsied.
“Izzy, is a former Black now a Clarke elf, she is now yours. Izzy bring Young Marius to one of the guest rooms please”
“Yes Ragnok,sir”, with a pop of apparition they disappeared leaving Ragnok to follow as well as the vault closes when the Heir leaves banishing any who is not of Black blood from within its walls.
“I wish of you good luck, Draco Black”, he whispered to himself as he saw the back of the boy walk away headed to one of the guest rooms along with his huge dog.
…….
It was now mid-October and the weather was tuning more colder than before and so Harry clutched on his Invisibility cloak closer to his chest. He sighed deeply as he looked above the sky in the Astronomy Tower, all he was thinking about when he returned to Hogwarts was that he might meet his Mate. But ever since he entered the huge doors of the Great Hall no scent ever called onto him. Instead it made him much more agitated, it felt as if there is a huge hole in his very being that he cannot fulfill. The huge itch to scour the world to find his Mate was tempting but he knew that his parents would not allow him to abandon his responsibilities.
He slouched at one of the walls and slid off on the ground, it felt cold to his bottom but he ignored the cold, but instead he relished in it as it made him numb. He looked upon the mark on his arm where an insignia of runes were written all around it. The runes appeared on his 16th birthday along with his change in appearance in his wolf form. According to Hermione this meant that his mate is a witch, but he has searched through almost all of the witches in Hogwarts and yet his mate was not one of them.
He furrowed his eyebrows and negative thoughts crawled upon his mind causing him to whimper, as there were a lot of what ifs.
‘What if she is already dead? Or married? Or has another loved one?’, he growled at this thought and he did not notice an owl swoop down until it landed on his knee. He easily recognized the owl as his father’s and began to unwrap the letter from the owls talons carefully. He found it a bit odd for him to receive an owl at this time.
‘Did something happen?’, he quickly unfolded the letter and began to read.
‘Harry,
Please gather our older pack members (witches and werewolves both) currently attending Hogwarts tomorrow after all of your classes. Remus will meet you all at The Room of Requirement, I wish I could tell you the matter in this letter but such news need to be known by all of you. Stay safe son.
P.S. Your mother has been asking you if you had already found your mate yet.
P.P.S. She send her love always.
Love,
Dad’
Harry furrowed his eyebrows and folded the letter and pocketed it, he then stood up and began his trek to the Griffindor Tower. He has to inform the others of this, if Remus has to personally come to Hogwarts it only means that something bad happened or is about to happen.
He quickened his pace and stopped when he was already in front of the Fat Lady, he easily murmured the password and entered the common room. He was expecting to find no one there but he was wrong as he saw Hermione Granger reading a thick Tome while Ron Weasley was lounging on the couch still grumbling and mumbling incoherent words. They both looked up when they saw him enter and the loud thunk was heard from the book Hermione was reading and Harry raised his eyebrows at her.
“Where were you Harry?”, he then shrugged his shoulders then pushed off Ron’s feet off the couch for him to sit there making Ron sit up properly.
“Astronomy Tower”, he then picked up the letter from his pocket and handed it to Hermione which she took and began to read.
“I will alert the others at Ravenclaw”, she said and she handed back the letter to Harry and Harry tried to hand it to a sulking Ron hugging a pillow he did not see he was holding on a while ago.
“Mate, here”, and Ron flinched and shook his head.
“No just tell me what is inside it”
“Well Dad is asking all older pack members to go to the Room of Requirement tomorrow after our classes”, then Ron grumbled and Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Come off it Ron, I mean its not that bad right?”, then Ron grunted so loud.
“Not that bad!? Harry my mate is a fucking VAMPIRE”
“And?”
“Oh did I almost forgot that she is also fucking Pansy Parkinson, slash girlfriend of the BIGGEST GIT of the whole world”
“Well at least you already found your mate”, Hermione stated and Ron sighed deeply, he knows that his two best friends haven’t found their respective mates.
“Right I’m sorry. I’ll try to talk to her, maybe”, then Hermione smiled at him.
“Hey if she ever rejects you just tell me I will make her life a living hell”, then Harry chuckled and then the others all followed. Hermione never makes threats but if she does she will be sure to do it.
“By the way Hermione how did you get here?”, then she gave a small smile.
“Being a witch has its perks Harry how many times have I told you that”, then Harry gave a boyish smile then he stood up and stretched picked up the letter and they all said their goodnight’s as the two werewolves headed up the stairs and Hermione headed off to Ravenclaw Tower.