One
Harry couldn’t help but feel angry. Dementors had attacked himself and his cousin Dudley, which prompted a Ministry Inquiry into “use of under aged magic in the presence of a Muggle” and breaking the “International Statute of Secrecy”. Followed closely by the letter stating that he was expelled from Hogwarts for the same reason. Which in turn was followed by a note from Dumbledore that merely said “Stay where you are”.
Those were the only words Harry got from the great Albus Dumbledore. A short, patronizing message telling him to stay put. Not even any sort of explanation. No assurances. No advice. Just a simple command. And to make it worse, since he had been in Grimmauld Place, Harry had the sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore was actively avoiding him.
And then there is Molly Weasley. She was always like the mother he never had. But she was so overprotective. She was so hell bent on sheltering. Harry felt like every time he asked a question that related to the Order of the Phoenix, Molly’s response to the question was to add yet one more pointless chore to the long list of chores the younger occupants had to do to “make the house habitable for the Order”.
And if that wasn’t enough, it had been two whole weeks without a single word from his two supposed best friends. Who evidently had been in this very same location since the Summer holidays had begun with the rest of this Order of the Phoenix. He grudgingly accepted that they had as much information as He did at the moment. But it rankled his nerves that they would agree not to pass any kind of communication to him.
At least Harry expected that from Ron. The youngest of the Weasley sons would always take the path of least resistance. Ron was lazy, self centered, and jealous. And if it wasn’t for Harry and Hermione, Ron would have long since been pulled from Hogwarts for poor performance.
Hermione was the one who hurt. Yes, she did have a tendency to blindly believe authority. Yes, she pretty strictly followed rules for the sheer fact that they were rules. But she wasn’t the kind of person to just leave Harry in the dark like that. She had always been loyal to Harry. Only once did she betray him, and that was only because she was afraid that the mysterious Firebolt racing broom he received after his Nimbus 2000 was destroyed was a trap. He later conceded that she thought in best interest. She had never once turned her back on him.
Never until this summer. He thought moodily.
It seemed that the only one really on his side was Sirius. Harry could tell that Sirius wanted to spill the beans but was always cut off or overruled by the other Order members. Harry watched multiple times as Sirius rolled his eyes at Molly or made mocking faces behind her back. His Godfather often berated Snape to his face in defense of Harry. And there had been tonights Order meeting that ended with Sirius opening the door to the kitchen and screaming back “I love you like a brother Moony, but Fuck Off! It’s Harry's life!”
It wasn’t long after this outburst that Harry found his godfather in the sitting room. The room had a large, hand painted family tree. Sirius was seated on a chaise staring at a particular branch of the tree. Several scorch marks adorned that particular one. One of those burned spots being where Sirius should have been.
”That bad of a meeting?” Harry asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Sirius took a deep sigh. He continued to look at the spot on the family tree for a few moments before replying.
”You know, sometimes I think joining the Order was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.”
”What do you mean?”
”It's just sometimes-“ Sirius paused, gathering his thoughts. “I’ve never one hundred percent agreed with Dumbledore.” He turned to face Harry. “Back in the last war, I joined up because your Dad joined up. He convinced me that Dumbledore was our best bet. Or rather, your mother convinced your father, which was good enough for me. But I still had my doubts. Not that we would have sided with Voldemort, mind you. But there was a third option. Which was to stay neutral. Just stay the hell out of everyone’s way and protect our own.”
”Well-“ Harry said “no knowing how things will ever turn out. Hindsight being twenty twenty and all.”
“All too true, Harry.” Sirius said.
After a few awkward silent moments, Harry took it as a sign that Sirius needed time alone. As Harry stood up to take his leave, Sirius said “Come with me. I want to show you something.” And he led Harry to the Black Family Library.
“Close the door behind us. I don’t want the others seeing this.” he said. Harry saw the mischief in his eyes.
Once the door was closed, Sirius walked to a blank spot of wall and took out a small knife. Raising the blade to the palm of his hand, he whispered a few quick words and slashed into the skin. Blood poured from the gaping wound. He raised his hand and placed it on the wall, whispered another quick few words, and pulled his hand away leaving a large bloody handprint on the wall.
Harry stared at the handprint on the wall and after a few seconds the blood began to move from the print in an outward swirling pattern. Rivulets of blood swirled making thinner and thinner lines, until they all formed an ornate black lacquered door with inlaid silver trim. The wood was carved with ravens and Rams and there was a silver door handle in the likeness of a serpent.
Sirius took the handle in his bleeding hand, pulled it open, then turned as he stepped through. Giving Harry both a cheeky wink and quick nod to follow him inside.
Following through the doorway, Harry found himself being led down a wide stone spiral staircase. Torches in silver sconces started to blaze blue several steps in front of them, then extinguish several steps behind them. The stairwell ended at a point that Harry guessed they were not far below the cellar, and with another black lacquered wooden door. There were similar carvings on this door, but they looked different. They still depicted the Ravens and Rams, but they looked far older. A much more primitive style.
Sirius turned to Harry “Harry-“ he said with a strange look on his face. Somewhere between happy and sad. “I’ll never be able to have children.” Sirius said. “And no, it’s nothing to do with Azkaban. Believe me I tried many many times with many many witches before the war ever started.” Sirius gave a wiggle of his eyebrows. “I went to many Healers before the war really started. And they assured me that, well-“ he sighed “Your mother told me it was probably the number of times I got my bits hexed by young witches while I was still at school.” He laughed, “But, I suspect it's actually a curse.”
”What?” Exclaimed Harry, “Why would someone have cursed you? Unless you angered some witches dad.”
”No Harry, I don’t think my teenage antics merited a father going that far. Sophomoric as I may have been in some of my overtures, I was never really quite that forward or crude.” He said. “Close, but not quite that bad.”
”I’m fairly certain that my dear mother was the culprit.” He said darkly. “Dear old mum was angry enough to have me removed from the family tapestry. I know she hounded my father to disown me, which he never would. So mum merely cursed me so I couldn't have children, which ensured that either my brother, or his children would take Lordship over the house.”
”Sirius, I’m sor-“
”No you don’t, lad.” Sirius held his hand up firmly “Don’t ever be sorry for poor old Sirius who can shag all he wants and never put a bun in a witches oven. Some curses can also be blessings.”
Sirius ran his wand over his wounded hand, closing the tear. And then put both hands on Harry’s shoulders, peering intensely into Harry’s eyes. “I’m telling you this for two reasons.”
”One, So that you understand the nature of what you are about to see. Our family has some fairly dark secrets as I’m sure you have guessed. This is the real Black Library, Harry.” He waited a moment for Harry to digest the information and realize the importance then continued “There are dark tomes on these shelves that would make Voldemort blush. The DMLE would put everyone in this house in Azkaban just for being on the same property. And the Unspeakables in the Department of Mysteries would sell their own mothers just for a chance to have a look at them.”
”Sirius!” Harry started “Why would you want me to-“
”I know what you're thinking, and I want you to listen to me.” interrupted Sirius. “There is no such thing as Dark and LIght magic. There is only magic, Harry. And this is not the time for philosophical debate on the nature of Good and Evil.”
”My second reason for telling you. Well…” Sirius closed his eyes and drew a long deep breath. Then exhaled, straightening his posture “I Sirius Orion Black, Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, do hereby name Harry James Potter as my adopted son and sole Heir to all Titles, lands, monies, and responsibilities held therewith. So mote it be.”
Harry's eyes went wide. “Sirius!” He exclaimed. “I- I don’t know what to say.” He grabbed his godfather in a tight hug. “Thank you, Sirius! Although,” Harry paused thinking “I thought there would be, I don’t know, some kind of flashy show associated with something like this.”
Sirius laughed “I did as well when it was my turn.” He patted Harry’s back and stepped away. “But all it takes as far as Family Magic is concerned is honest intent, and a declaration free of magical manipulation.”
”Well” Sirius said brightly “Now that you’re a member of the family I can show you the family secrets, as it were.”
Sirius opened the door which opened into what seemed to be a rather large cave. Some of the cave walls had been worked with stone blocks to create flat vertical surfaces with other parts left rough hewn or natural. The floor was level with wide square pavers. Yet in the center there was an intricately carved circle of some glasslike stone, almost gemlike that glittered in the blue torchlight. Thin lines of silver adorned this stone with intricate designs inlaid showing several circles within circles and joined in lines. On closer inspections, they weren’t mere lines at all, but tiny lines of runes.
On one of the stone worked walls was a large wooden bookcase, again lacquered in a deep black and carved with Ravens, Rams, and Serpents. There were three divided sections to the bookcase. The left and right sections of the shelves were covered with stained glass windows. And the center section which was wider than the other two, and stood out slightly from the rest, contained only one book.
It was one of the largest books Harry had ever seen. Its dark leather cover was free of dust or frays. The book was easily two feet in height and at least a foot and a half wide. It had what appeared to be three iron bands around it which latched on the non binding side where the pages seemed to be embossed with silver.
Sirius took Harry’s hand in his and placed them on the cover of the book and spoke “An-còmhnaidh díleas. An-cómhnaidh fior-ghlan.”
At first there was a sharp, cold shock at Harry’s touch but quickly became warm and comforting. As they both pulled their hands away the metal clasps of the book snapped open. Slowly the front cover was laid open. Pages began to rapidly turn by themselves finally ending on a page that contained the heading Sirius Orion Black.
Sirius Orion Black
Born to Orion and Walburga Black on 3 November, 1959
Animagus
Graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 1978
Former Auror
Engaged - Marlene McKinnon (deceased 1979)
Unlawfully imprisoned 1981-1993
Children: Harry James Potter-Black (Adoption: 3 August 1996)
”Now that’s all taken care of-“ said Sirius “there are no annoying technicalities for me to say: This is all yours now, Harry.” He extended his arm around the teen's shoulder. “I hereby abdicate my Lordship and pass it to my sole Heir, Harry James Potter-Black.”
Harry watched as text appeared under the entry for Sirius.
Harry James Potter-Black
Born to James and Lilly Potter 31 July, 1980
Adopted by Sirius Orion Black 3 August, 1996
Attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 1991 to present
Bonded Debtor - Hermione Jean Granger (Muggleborn) 31 October, 1991
Bonded Debtor - Ginerva Molly Weasley (Pureblood) 29 May, 1993
At this point, both Harry and Sirius stood stunned. Harry felt strange. Like his stomach had just fallen out of his middle and landed at his feet, and also like his chest was so full it was about to burst. He turned to look at his godfather and saw him staring at the page with his jaw nearly dislocated in surprise.
After a few moments in silence, Sirius gave a polite cough “Well Harry, I was going to ask if you had any prospects for future romantic pursuits-“ then turned to Harry “On second thought, maybe no jokes about this one, hm?”
”What does that mean, Bonded Debtor?” Asked Harry in a confused but concerned voice.
”Well… It means that-“ Sirius chuckled “There’s no easy way to say it, Harry. Er-“ he stammered. “Well, it means that you own them.” Sirius looked at the entries again and asked “What can you remember about this date here, just a few years ago. 29 May of 93?”
”That was close to the end of term. Second year.” Harry thought “The Chamber of Secrets!” He said realizing the date. “That was the night I fought the basilisk and Destroyed the diary.”
”Anything else you remember about that night?” Sirius asked.
”Tom took Ginny to the chamber. Ron and I went to save her.”
”Alright, what about this one? Halloween night 1991?”
”That was the night Professor Quirrel let the troll into the castle.” Harry said “I had to drag Ron with me to find Hermione because she didn’t know. She was trapped in a bathroom and the troll found her.”
“You saved two witches from certain death, with no thought of yourself. No thought of reward, or personal gain.” Sirius replied smiling “Like a true Gryfindor.”
”I couldn’t just leave them. They are my friends!”
”Just friends, Harry?” he asked pointedly “How do you feel about Hermione? Not then, but now. Truly, what do you feel?”
Harry blushed. It was an uncomfortable sort of feeling. Hermione really was his best friend. She had been since first year. But he had to admit, he really did hope there was more. He would look at her when he thought no one would see. Unbeknownst to him, everyone did in fact see it rather clearly. The only reason that he didn’t ask Hermione to the Yule Ball was because he was afraid she didn’t reciprocate his feelings. “I- I think I love her.” He said quietly.
Sirius just nodded and continued “And what about Ginny?”
Harry started thinking and realized that yes, he did have feelings for Ginny as well. Not as strongly as he did for Hermione. But once Ginny finally recovered from the incident with he Diary and learned to relax around him-
“I think I like her as well…”
”Harry, you risked life and limb against overwhelming odds to save their lives. Magic itself is pushing the three of you together. You’re growing closer to Hermione and Ginny. And now that I think about it, I’ve seen the two of them getting closer to each other as well. But because of this debt, they will naturally gravitate to you. More and more.”
”Unfortunately, now that you are aware of the bond. You need to claim them.” Sirius said gravely. “If you don’t, both Hermione and Ginny could lose their magic. And possibly their lives.”
”WHAT?” Yelled Harry.
”Magic and Fate will take back what is due to them.”
”How do I claim them? Is there a spell? A ritual?” Harry was beginning to get frantic. He couldn’t stand the thought of losing Hermione, or Ginny for that matter.
”Er-“ Sirius actually blushed “You er- Well, you see Harry…” he stammered “When a man and a woman-“ Sirius coughed uncomfortable “That is to say, er- Birds and bees…” Sirius always thought he would be the perfect person to give this talk to someone, but now found himself out of his element and extremely uncomfortable. He could easily tell stories of his various conquests and adventures. But the factual workings and explanations were not his forte.
”Sirius, are you saying I have to-“ Harry felt his head become light and his heart beating madly in his chest as though trying to escape.
”You’ll have to bed them.” Sirius said sheepishly.
And at that, the world went dark as Harry fainted.