the call of war
James is a war with himself, he does not want to think about what the supposed love of his life, he wants to wake from this nightmare, and never go to sleep again.
(---if only it was a nightmare, a voice in his head thought snidely)
He tries to put up a mask, to conceal his emotions and not let anyone see his weakness, but he can't. Gods, he can't. Merlin knows he tries---tries so hard.
His mind is drifting further and further away from reality. He wants to be angry, to shout, to yell, to curse, to kill.
His mind chants the same mantra again and again, Lily Lily Lily Lily, the effects of the love potion wearing off as he discovers it is in his bloodstream. He feels disgusted with himself.
Lord, he wants to hurl. The grand confessions, the pining, everything plays in his mind's eye in repeat
Sirius is the only thing that grounds him, the anchor that attaches him to reality. Remus' warm hand calms his mind and Peter's magic soothes his soul. How grateful he is to have friends like them.
James Potter is not weak, he tells himself, he cannot be cowed so easily.
(---she raped you! Her love was a lie! Your daughter was---gods his daughter.)
(---she saved your heir and you, sacrificed herself on the ritual altar to protect Aster! Where is your gratitude?)
(---is your anger worth more your daughter?)
No, it was not. But--but he wants justice too, funny, isn't it?
An Auror unable to save himself? How will you save others?
He wants to dye the hall red, red like her hair, red like her blush, red like the roses he confessed with. Red--Red like a Crucio.
How lovely will it look when she bleeds on the Potter emblem? Her blood will make the color richer, and more beautiful.
Is it wrong he wants to kill his future savior? Make her suffer? Make her bleed?
She hasn't saved you, yet. A traitorous voice whispers in his ears. No life debt for events of the future.
Another voice whispers She hasn't raped you yet, too. Aren't you a hypocrite, darling?
No, he isn't, a hypocrite. She has drugged him, humiliated him, and played with his heart, isn't it enough?
It is. It is.
::::::::::::::::::
Lily Evans is dead. Or she will be, soon. If Sirius has something to say about it.
Oh, he knows with her newfound fame as the savior of the Wizarding World, it will be difficult. But gods, he will kill her, for his brother.
He will laugh as a river of blood flows down the drain.
Aster Potter will not be born out of Evans, he swore. He will not let her have that as her mother. The timeline will change, his James will not suffer.
Evans might have sacrificed herself for his goddaughter, but it does not wash away her crimes, does not give her a blank slate.
He laughed, Lily Evans is dead.
:::::::::::::
The screen started playing again, it showed the BlackMoor Manor.
Orion straightens up, knowing it is time.
The camera moves forward opening doors and passing staircases before stopping in front of a grand door, masculine hands are seen pushing them open.
A woman sits behind the desk staring at a newspaper, The Daily Prophet in what looks like an office, there are shelves filled with ancient-looking books, each more obscure than the other. A tapestry with the Black Family emblem is hung behind her, etched with gold threads.
The woman lifts up her head, to reveal staring silver eyes and an aristocratic face, she looks like a painting with sharp edges and soft corners, an art made with care to deceive. Dark Magic curls around her invitingly. Her eyes shine in anger as she looks at the person behind the camera.
Evans Rosier who was drowning in sorrow, whistles lowly, "Damn, is she Alkaid?"he asks Regulus.
Regulus turns slowly towards his soon-to-be-dead friend who dared to whistle at his baby sister and grunts. "Hn."
Sirius stares daggers at the lad and anyone else who looks at her with desire.
Remus' eyes do not leave Sirius' face as he carefully notes each and every tick in his expression.
Marlene sighs dreamily as she nudges Mary, "Merlin, I will pay her to step on me!"
Mary looks exasperated but concedes, "Same."
Orion turns sharply towards them, hoping he heard wrong. Praying he did not just hear, that.
Romano Hansworth, a fourth-year Gryffindor blushes as he stares at the screen, trying to avoid eye contact with his friends who tease him. He accidentally meets eye with Sirius Black and promptly pales at his raised eyebrow.
She rolls up the newspaper and throws it at the man in front of her.
Alkaid Black: How dare they!
The camera angle shifts towards the man, revealing a male version of Alkaid, the same sterling silver eyes on a face with sharp cheekbones and smile lines. He looked as if he had a charming smile. But he was not smiling at all. His eyes were chilly as they gazed at the Daily Prophet.
Sirius Black Fan Club, suddenly change their muse as they gaze upon his handsome face.
Sirius laughs at the look in their eyes, happy he was free of their stalking but offended that they thought little Percy was more handsome than him, S.O.B.
Were their eyes buttons?
The audience watches in silence, wanting to unravel the secrets the Black's kept for so long.
"I still think you look better than him, love." Barty whispers in a flustered Regulus' ears while Rabastan and Evans watch knowingly and discreetly exchange galleons.
The coverage is finally shown on the screen, a screaming Sirius Black is shown to the audience and he looks positively crazy.
Preston Richards laughs at the photograph from the Hufflepuff table, amused at the state of the Playboy of Hogwarts.
Sirius looks positively devasted at the state of his hair.
Alkaid(stands up and paces angrily): They report our fall, brother. Rumors, without a hint of truth.
Perseus(stares at the newspaper, eyes glazed): Isn't it true though, Kaidy?
Alkaid pauses and looks at her brother in disbelief.
Perseus finally looks up and continues, his voice passionate and colored with the same anger that reflected in his sister's eyes
Perseus: Our family is in shambles, sister, Sirius is in prison for crimes he did not commit! Regulus lies in a coma, Bella is in Azkaban with her husband, Cissa is married to that peacock, and Meda is still in hiding!
Andromeda sighs in relief at the fact that Regulus is not dead(--yet, a voice whispers) There is a chance he will live, no matter how small.
Lucius puffs up in offense.
Alkaid stares at him not saying anything.
Perseus: Mother is inconsolable, Father rarely eats anymore, Uncle Alphard has not been seen in years, and Aunty Cassie is holed up in the France Manor with Grandfather--grieving GrandMa Mel.
Narcissa breathes in sharply once again reminded of the fact that Grand Mother Mel is dead in this future.
Alphard desperately hopes he comes back to England before his family goes up in flames.
Tears stream down Druella's face as she hears of her family's condition. Dorea grips Charlus' hand in fear.
Alkaid looks like she has had enough, she stands up from her chair and raises a hand.
Alkaid: Enough.
Perseus does not stop, his anger too great, his mind to numb to function properly, he continues.
Perseus: James body has not been found, Aster is still miss---
Alkaid(cuts him off): I said ENOUGH!
Remus inhales at the news of his missing niece and pack brother. Where is she? And where is James? Where did Lily send them?
Perseus takes a deep breath and stops, tears are shining in his eyes.
Perseus: What should I do, Kaidy? To fix this? To--to not feel my heart breaking anymore? I need Reggie and Siri, sister. I---
A sob tears out of his chest.
Silent tears fall from Regulus' eyes at his brother's pain. His heartbreaking at the sound of his sobs.
Alkaid strides forward and hugs him. Her own sobs mix with his as they stand there for some time.
Alkaid sniffs and wipes away his tears as he does hers.
Alkaid (her voice heavy from crying): Let's grieve today brother, tomorrow we will play.
Perseus(promises): We will make them pay.
Chills run down the audience's at the proclamation.
Sirius smirks proudly.
::::::::::::
Next Day,
An Owl is shown flying through a storm toward a ship that looks like the ones in pirate movies.
The screen zooms in on the deck where a lone man in a hat stands. He is dressed flamboyantly in red, yellow, and green with a pirate cap on his head, his braided hair flying in the wind, and bells in them chime in merriment, a sound very different in contrast with the mood of the wearer.
The camera focuses on the face of the man, to reveal a solemn Alphard Black.
Arcturus glares at his nephew as he blatantly ignores his stare and smirks at his attire.
Cygnus shudders in unease at the uncharacteristically solemn look on his usually cheerful brother.
Pomona Waters, a first-year Slytherin looks at Alphard in awe, "You are a pirate!"
Alphard laughs in delight trying to forget the bad news that keeps on coming one after one, "Yes, darling. I am a pirate."
The owl lands on his stretched-out hands. He pets the owl once.
Alphard(whispers): Ares, it's you.
Cassiopeia Black smiles sharply with teeth unsettling even her own family, "Ares for war, Athena for threats, Hermes for news, and Hades for death~~"
People turn to look at her weirdly.
Before Bellatrix cuts in, "It's a nursery rhyme."
They turn away even more unsettled at the grin on her face.
Cassiopeia smiles at her protégé in pride.
He chuckles with no amusement and smiles with no humor.
Alphard gently removes the letter and opens it.
YOUR LORD ASKS FOR YOUR RETURN, UNCLE. THE HORNS OF WAR ARE BEING SOUNDED. ITS TIME TO REUNITE.
LORD OF THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK
ALKAID BLACK.
Alphard lights the letter on fire and gazes at it in fascination as it burns.
Alpard starts to sing then--- a haunting eerie sound that echoes in the sea as the camera slowly moves away.
'Rest well tonight, my beloved fair,
For on the morrow, we shall prepare.
With hands bloodied and hearts broken,
Our sin shall be washed away, a token~~
The Blacks sing with him, the symphony of their melodies overlapping each other perfectly and making the scene all the more haunting.
People feel Chills down their spines as their voices rise and the singing takes on a higher note.
The scene changes and Arcturus Black is shown staring at a still unmoving portrait of the deceased Melania Black.
He smiles suddenly. It is not a good smile, it is bitter and dark, and angry.
"Are you mad?" Kim Oh, a second-year Gryffindor asks. The only one with the courage to do so.
Arcturus Black does not take offense as the audience assumed he would, he hums, "For ages now."
In the cemetery of love, let us pray,
As we gear up for the witching fray.
The screams of our foes shall sing a song,
Their tears our wine, and their agony long~~
The scene changes to Cassiopeia Black writing something furiously in a little black diary when a letter appears infront of her.
Bellatrix cackles with her, her eyes fixed on the Black diary in reverence.
Pollux Black shudders as he remembers the amount of blackmail that little diary contains. He reminds himself once again to not offend his sister else the whole world will know about his ballerina and tutu phase. He was a child, okay?!
She reads it and starts cackling, her mad laughter echoing in the halls of the Manor.
So slumber soundly, my love, and dream,
Of a world where our power shall reign supreme.
For on the morrow, we shall craft our spells,
A haunted shrine, with magic that swells~~
The scene changes to Narcissa Malfoy who is seen putting a toddler to sleep in a crib with 'Draco Malfoy' etched in gold.
She smiles at her sleeping son before her eyes darken.
Narcissa smiles lovingly at the scene, etching the name Draco in her soul. Lucius brings her in a hug as they stare at their son.
Let us embrace the night, with all its might,
As we cast our curses, and take flight.
Our foes shall tremble, and flee in fear,
For we are witches, with power so near~~
A dark cloaked figure is shown stealthily moving through the crowd in the Knockturn Alley, before stopping in front of an unremarkable pub, where the mood is solemn due to the defeat of the dark lord, The unnamed death eater lurks in the corners drinking cheap ale.
"Death Eater!", many of them scream in fear, at the very name.
Andromeda stares at the figure, it seems familiar.
The figure moves towards the bartender and removes his hood to show Ted Tonks, he nods at the man, who smiles at him, revealing fangs, and gestures him towards a door on the far corner of the pub.
Sharp intakes of air and gasps ring out in the hall at the scene, a muggle-born Hufflepuff in Knockturn?
The camera follows Ted as he moves toward the door bumping intentionally into some drunkards and redirecting their attention tot he next person, to create a perfect distraction. When he finally reaches the door, furious shouting can be heard from behind him, he turns his head and smirks at the chaos left in his wake.
The Marauders look at a flustered Ted in awe. Sirius whistles, "My my cousin it seems I have underestimated you."
James nods in agreement and Andromeda smirks proudly.
Cygnus and Pollux exchange looks.
The camera shows a crowd screaming curses at each other and it is not long before the first punch breaks someone's nose.
A full-blown bar fight!
The camera redirects itself to Ted, as he opens the door, which creaks and enters the room, closing the door behind him.
A chair with its back facing the camera sits in front of a fireplace.
Ted removes his clock and hangs it on a suspiciously skeleton-like coat stand.
Ted Tonks: Lord Black has sent the invite. It's time.
The chair turns and Alphard's voice keeps singing
Andromeda Black is seen sitting on the chair as if it is a throne, her eyes staring into the audience's souls.
The amount of shock at the appearance of a prim and proper Black sister in a shady pub is enough to raise several eyebrows.
Andromeda ignores them.
She stands up in one graceful move and strides up to Ted with her hand outstretched towards him.
Andromeda(smirks): Let's dance then.
Ted smiles and places his hand in hers.
And when the battle is finally won,
Our victory song shall block out the sun.
Our love shall endure, like the steadfast oak,
And our magic shall reign, like an eerie cloak~~
"I want a husband like that." Adrienne Greengrass stares longingly at the scene.
"Someone who dances with you on a war ballad?" Her brother Cyrus, the greengrass heir asks incredulously.
She looks at him with derision as if he was dimwitted, "Obviously."
Orion Black looks up as Cygnus and Druella Black appear in a flash of flames from the fireplace. His eyes dazed and cheeks gaunt, a mirror of Sirius in the newspaper photo.
Seeing the identical look of devastation at the state of his hair on Orion Black, people are suddenly realizing that maybe Sirius takes after his father in more than looks.
Cygnus: Did you check your mail cousin?
Orion: No.
Cygnus swallows his automatic retort and continues.
Cygnus: Your daughter has declared war.
It takes a second to grasp the implications and then he starts to laugh.
A first-year Hufflepuff shivers at the sound.
So rest well tonight, my dearest one,
For on the morrow, our war shall be won.
With spells so haunting, and power so grand,
We'll sweep our foes away, like shifting sand.
The faces of the members of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black are stone walls, emotionless and stoic. Even Sirius and Alphard Black are sitting still, the manic energy that emits from them at every second calm and collected but ready to strike.
James smiles.
Looks like the family is back together