Blackest Nights

The whole sordid story took nearly two hours for her to get through, and in the end the two girls were leaning against each other for support. At some point it had even changed from just Harry telling Aquarius about her awful history, to Aquarius sharing her own stories of Lucius' neglect and verbal abuse in turn. Neither of them made any attempts to compare who suffered more, even as young as they were they felt that would be...wrong. They both had troubles, regardless of what form they took, or if one of them had a loving mother to escape too while the other didn't, in the end they simply took solace in knowing that someone else knew about the pains that they'd been too scared to share with anyone else.

At the end the both of them were left feeling empty and raw, but at the same time, they felt refreshed. The knowledge that there was someone else who knew them so intimately and didn't judge them...it was a comfort that both of them never realized they'd been craving. For a while they just sat, taking in each other's presence in mutual silence, but eventually Aquarius broke the silence.

"I...Harry you-"

"Don't...don't call me that. I hate that name. I hate all the expectations behind it, I hate how it sounds, I hate it all so much."

"Then what should I call you? Calling you Potter feels wrong now too, and I doubt that your relatives -" the venom in her voice made her opinion on the Dursleys very clear, "-gave you any chance to consider what name would feel right for you."

Harry grimaced, "I don't know. I just, I don't want to hear that name, not out of the mouth of someone who knows...wait, didn't you mention some kind of naming ritual?"

Aquarius tilted her head back and forth, "I mean...yes. It's a ritual that's normally done with a mother and daughter after the child's first accidental magic in the black family, and it relies on both participants having Black blood. There's a chance that you have a close enough Black ancestor, I think there was one somewhere in your fathers line, and the ritual doesn't actually call for the participants to be mother and daughter, just two girls of the Black line. We can definitely try, we will need to be under the open night sky though."

"I-I want to try. I don't feel like agonizing over this, though I'm still not agreeing to the big ritual, not unless you can prove that you can get me away from them. Also-" Harry pointedly looked out of the window in the classroom, "-It's already way past curfew, and I have a way to get us on top of the Astronomy tower without being caught."

"I...didn't realize it had been so long, and how exactly do you plan on us getting up there without Filch catching us?"

Harry looked sheepish, "You have to promise not to tell, not a vow or anything, but...you have to promise."

"I wouldn't share anyway, I can't really bring myself to even pretend to hate you after everything, but I promise."

Harry looked her up and down for a moment, then went over to the pile she'd lumped her boy's uniform into, and pulled out a shimmering cloak that immediately caused Aquarius' eyes to widen.

Aquarius caught herself before she yelled and hissed out, "You have an invisibility cloak?!"

Harry pursed her lips, "Apparently it was my fathers, Dumbledore sent it to me for Christmas, though I don't think he wanted me to know it was him."

"He didn't want-what? Also, if it was your fathers it should have faded by now, invisibility cloaks barely last-"

"Ten years, yeah. I looked them up in the library. And I don't know, the note left with it wasn't signed, but it was obviously the same handwriting as his signature on the Hogwarts letter. Point is, it works, and we can use it to get up to the top of the tower. Can we...can we please just go? I really don't want this name anymore..."

Aquarius bit her lip, and nodded, "Yeah, let's go."

The trip to the astronomy tower was tense, especially when they had to freeze right in the middle of a hallway as Filch passed by, muttering things that they both decided they'd rather not remember. Eventually however, they were on top of the tower, and the two girls whipped the cloak off, Harry stowing it away in her satchel with her other uniform.

They both took a moment to actually enjoy the glittering expanse of the night sky, without all the murmuring of the other students and the commanding voice of the astronomy professor distracting them the great expanse captivated them. They were both filled with a kind of awe that defied words, a sense of welcome, home, and safety that filled their hearts near to bursting. Aquarius herself was, not used too, but familiar with the sensation. She had first felt it during the night of her own naming ceremony, just a month before Hogwarts when she first gathered the courage to tell her mother the truth about herself, and found herself welcomed with open arms and happy tears.

She was shocked, however, when she turned to her friend(?) and saw tears streaming down her face as an expression of unyielding awe and bliss adorning her face.

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips at that, "Well, if there was any doubt that you were a Black, it's gone now."

Harry 's reverie broke and she wiped her eyes before turning to look at Aquarius, "What-what was that? It was...it was..."

"I know, don't try and put it into words, they can never do it justice, or at least that's what my mother told me. The Black family shares a special connection with the Nyx, she is our Patron goddess, and many Black women see her as a kind of divine mother for us. The fact that you feel that kind of connection...well, if nothing else that confirms that She accepts you as her daughter."

"That's...wow. Though...I was wondering. I'm ecstatic that we're doing this, but you mentioned the ritual requires two girls, what do the boys of the Black family do?"

"Well, the Blacks are a traditionally matriarchal family, I'm sure the men have their own traditions but-" She shrugs, "-Father didn't know them and simply named me according to what he thought was just a family naming scheme, and I'm not particularly worried about what men need to do, I mean, it won't really matter to either of us."

Harry nodded, "Thank Nyx for that." 

She blinked, a bit surprised that without thinking about it she had already sworn by the patron Goddess of the Blacks. Aquarius just grinned and shot her a knowing look, before she pulled Harry to the center of the tower top and grabbed her hands.

"The ritual is really simple, first I'll offer some of my magic to Nyx, that's a big part of every one of the Black rituals according to mother and something you'll learn through this ritual, and it will guide your magic to follow, providing a portion of yours to Her. Then I'll start the ritual by entreating Nyx for Her blessing on you as a witch of the Black family, then you say whatever feels right, and ask for her blessing in the form of a Name."

Harry nodded, a feeling of excitement racing through her, knowing that this would be a point of no return, even if she pretended otherwise. An irreversible step into actually embracing the part of her she was most afraid to, but desired more than anything else. She also felt this would be the first step into...something more. She didn't know what, but when she thought of the all consuming feeling of welcome and home she felt earlier...there was no hesitation in her voice.

"I'm ready."

Aquarius grabbed her hands, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

Suddenly her eyes blew open, Her silver eyes replaced by an all encompassing reflection of the night sky above her.

Harry felt her magic become entwined in Aquarius' as it seemed to spiral upwards into the night sky, and instinctively knew that when the time came, and it would come she knew that, she'd be able to offer her magic up unaided with no issue.

As Harry was still reeling from the feeling of the ritual beginning, Aquarius' voice grabbed her attention as she spoke.

"Great Mother Nyx, she who is the very soul and flesh of night, we entreat you! One of your daughters stands here, having the blessing of Magick in her veins, ready to be folded into your embrace, and embrace you in turn. Please, grant her your regard as she  petitions your recognition."

Suddenly she felt reassurance in the fact that…she knew exactly what to say.

"Mother of my Soul and Magick, I stand before you, underneath your unending expanse. I beg your guidance and your blessing, and offer my own magic and self in repayment, I wish to be a daughter of your infinite beauty, welcomed within your starlit embrace, I beg of you, take the name by which I have been called, the name that others have forced upon me, and please, grant me your regard! I offer myself to your mercy, and beg that you grant me a name that displays your blessing to all!"

The two girls suddenly went rigid, both of their eyes now reflecting the endless expanse of night as they felt a presence far greater than themselves, but kind in its immensity all the same, sing through them.

"I have heard your pleas, and I sing in joy as a daughter of my night, once lost, has found her way back into the fold. I accept you young witch, and I name you. I name you Scorpia Bellatrix-Lily Black, may your magic sing with the power of night and all who stand against you tremble at the might of your blessings. Be well, and be whole."

Suddenly the presence left, and the two girls collapsed, feeling spent but indescribably pleased.

They lay for a few moments just panting on the stones, then Scorpia began to laugh, a ringing, joy filled sound.

"I have a name! Oh Goddesses…is it always like that?"

Aquarius took another couple deep breaths, gazing up at the night sky, attempting to process just what the ritual had just revealed. 

"Ye-yeah. Yes it is, it's an…intense experience, and unlike when this is normally done, you had a lot more magic to apply to the ritual. It was similar when mother and I did this…but…Scorpia…"

Scorpia laughed louder, happier, and the sound was wonderful, but it held an edge that quickly became a cackle and made Aquarius pale, she knew that laugh, and what it meant…she had a letter to write. But first she'd need Scorpia's permission.

"Scorpia-"

"Yes! Yes! Say it more, oh this feels amazing, I have a name!"

"Scorpia! I get what you're feeling, trust me I get it, but…you reacted really well to the ritual. And…I really do want to get you out of that house you're stuck in, can I…can I write about you to my mother? There's another member of the family that can probably get you out, but I'll have to explain this-"

"Go ahead Aquarius, I…I trust you. After tonight I don't know how I couldn't trust you. If you think writing your mother is the best course of action…well she accepted you. So. Yeah."

Aquarius sighed and laid back, she was happy for Scorpia…but, a huge can of worms had just been opened, but she couldn't help but feel eager to see where everything would wind up.

But for now, they both needed to get back to there common rooms and try (fail) to sleep.