Prologue - Lord Black
Prologue - Lord Black
February 21, 1986
Black Manor
Ceredigion, Wales
„Pollux is achieving the impossible. Each time I am forced to interact with him my resentment to him increases. Furthermore, his son and grandson in-law do not leave me any hope. If possible, they are even worse. The insolence and presumption of these persons. At the moment, the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black still has its own heir, one of our own blood and lineage at that – and not some French upstart.”
A quiet cough from his left brought an end to the musings of one Lord Arcturus Sirius Black III. His wife, Lady Melania Black née Macmillan assumed a rather amused expression. Through the brought glass front eastwards the mellow light of the dawn illuminated her aged but nonetheless still beautiful face – at least according to Lord Arcturus Black’s opinion, and truthfully, his was the only crucial one concerning his decisions and thoughts. He did not and never had cared about all those who deemed themselves worthy of imposing their own opinion on him. Some of them even had had the impudence to lecture him about his duties and actions – him, the current Lord Black and patriarch of House Black. His only true confidant over the years was his dear wife.
“Disregarding your personal disfavours, the Malfoys are hardly some upstarts and moreover left France nearly a millennium ago. Pollux on the other hand-, well Pollux is just Pollux. Up until now I am still contented with the favourable outcome of the proceedings concerning the marriage contract between the Houses of Black and Macmillan.
Through I must admit to appraise their impudence as rather audacious. It was distasteful behaviour by Pollux to discuss his and young Draco’s aspirations to succeed you to the title and rank of Lord Black with Lord Malfoy – while you were in attendance at that. His birthday yesterday should have been no reason for him to lose his propriety.”
“Ever since we were ridden of this megalomaniac half-blood the reputation of House Black was defiled. My own son and his wife spouted his beliefs as if those had been some infallible wisdoms. Their own sons – my two only grandchildren – are dead or as good as dead because of this. And my grandniece was the additional and last incident to doom the once predominant House of Black.
Since the time of the Seven Houses the House of Black was always one of the most important political, economic and social powers on this island. But one generation and a weak-minded society concluded everything – and our last influence in the ministry was shredded by Malfoy in favour of salvaging his own reputation and rank.
And now this presumptuous people dare to speculate about their ascension to the title of Lord Black. As if one of them would deserve to ascend to this position and to wield the magic of this old family – as if one of them could hope to tame her. They would never be able to respect her superiority.
They show their ignorance and inferiority by claiming which is not theirs to claim. Before any of them will succeed me – there are two others.”
For a moment silence descended upon the room. Both deep in thought about their past – the people they had lost and left behind. But eventually confusion about the last statement made itself felt.
“Two? Which two people are in order of succession – even before your own cousin Pollux? Obviously, Sirius – why they are all suffering under the misapprehension that he was disinherited by you, I do not know. After all, Walburga burning him off some more or less tasteful wall decoration is not equivalent to excluding him from the succession.”
“Two.
Before his incarceration Sirius added one more person to our family. It must have been through the means of a very old and nowadays probably even prohibited ritual. Otherwise my consent as the patriarch of House Black would have been crucial to the success of the blood adoption.”
“A blood adoption? Since the Middle Ages not many have partaken in such an old and sacred ritual. The ministry even wants to prohibit them altogether. Why would someone risk the penalties of the ministry and the wrath of the society – because it had to be an old family, anybody else would not have had the necessary information and requirements to accomplish such a ritual. Sirius could not have helped them with those – he had left 12 Grimmauld Place with nothing more than his clothes and most prized possessions and never returned or came here to glean the necessary information.”
“To this day, I do not know for sure who the other participants of the ritual were. But I believe I am able to venture an educated guess. To partake in a blood adoption was not only prohibited for whomever was adopted into the family and their true parents but also for Sirius. He was – or more accurate he still is – the adoptive father. And even if our son and his wife were determined to illustrate Sirius’ supposed stupidity and brashness since he was sorted into the House of Gryffindor, it is my believe that he still was and is the same intelligent and prudent person he was as a small child. He would not have risked something of this kind for just anyone.
Furthermore, while the family magic could not forward anything more than the case that a human being younger than Sirius was recorded and accepted into the family and since then benefited from her protection, a visit to Gringotts was far more revealing.
Gringotts – due to their responsibility to ensure the enforcement of the true succession and therewith related right to the family vaults, has been enabled to access the therefor necessary information – could not provide any information except the exact date of birth of the other participant.
Considering these deliberations one child was the most probable. And since the day I saw a picture of the child, taken after the blood adoption, I feel certain in my knowledge about the blood adopted child’s identity. The appearance of this child resembled his father’s to the point where I can only presume the use of some appearance changing potions, charms or even rituals – but there was no apparent reason for such a drastic measure, unless it was to hide a third parent through a prohibited blood adoption.”
Lady Black, as a rule the restraint and conduct in person, was sincerely contemplating to threaten her husband with violence if he did not conclude his deliberations soon. She was well aware that almost nothing could persuade her husband to reveal his information if he was convinced that something else had to be revealed beforehand. She could only hope that everything important was already told and she could learn of his assumption.
With this in mind, “Who?”
“One boy Sirius would probably consider his own – even before the ritual.
Harry James Potter.
At least that is the name everyone in our world knows. I would suspect a change or alteration of name over the course of the ritual.”
“Harry Potter? The one who is known to have vanquished the Dark Lord and in whose aftermath the House of Black suffered? The one…
You would prefer Potter – the son of a pure blood and a muggle born, therefore a half blood – to Draco Malfoy, a pure blood whose mother is a daughter of House Black?”
“Yes.
At the moment it is a risk. I do not know Potter and I was not successful in my attempts to locate him – even charging the respecting people did not yield different outcomes. But observing the Malfoy heir I am not willing to disinherit the young Potter and thereby to waste the House of Black on the Malfoys.
Moreover, because of the blood adoption the old laws elevate his blood status. In addition to his muggle born mother Harry Potter has now two fathers who are both pure bloods from old families. Those two fathers are qualifying him as a pure blood – the blood status of the third parent has no further importance.
Besides, have you ever met Lily Potter née Evans? Any son of hers will be more worthy of being Lord Black than those Malfoys’ will ever be – despite Narcissa being a daughter of House Black.
Toujours pur. Toujours fidèle.”
The following silence and any subsequent arguments were prevented by the soundless appearance of the latest Daily Prophet – even if you did not believe one word written in this paper, it is worth while to know the current public opinion. Additionally, a letter came along with the morning paper – a rare occurrence, after all the house-elves knew to send his received correspondence to his study where he will relocate to after breakfast. Only letters from the ministry, Gringotts or a close family member were to be delivered to the small dining room he and his wife designated as their personal dining room.
The face of the letter bore nothing more than two elegantly written words – Lord Black. That certainly precluded the ministry. They only used unified envelopes containing more information about the letter’s recipient – even for a Lord of the Wizengamot. The Wizengamot itself again had its own design.
A letter form Gringotts or a family member then. Considering the birthday celebration yesterday and the attendance of most family members – who therefore had ample opportunities to approach him – lend no credence to the last possibility.
A letter from Gringotts then. Seized and flipped over the official seal of Gringotts – two crossed-over battle axes around which the motto Fortius Quo Fidelius was inscribed – was revealed. Such a letter outside of the bank’s regular schedule of his statement was not likely to contain pleasant news.
Nonetheless he resignedly opened the letter already expecting the need to reschedule his day – after all this letter could convey any and all piece of news to him.
Lord Black,
Gringotts Bank England herewith wishes to bring a certain matter to your attention.
Gringotts Bank England approaches you on behalf of a certain client of Gringotts Bank – who for the time being wishes to remain anonymous. This client requested Gringotts Bank England to serve as an impartial host in relation to his urgent request to provide the requisite necessities to conduct the old and sacred tradition of Parley.
Herewith, Gringotts Bank England officially informs you, Lord Arcturus Sirius Black III, of your requested appearance at your earliest convenience in the Gringotts Bank England branch in Diagon Alley, London.
As the invited party to the old and sacred tradition of Parley Gringotts Bank England ensures your safety during the duration of your attendance in the Gringotts Bank England branch in Diagon Alley, London in order to enable the procedure of the protected meeting.
Furthermore, Gringotts Bank England is obliged to inform you to abstain from any violent acts towards the inviting party to the old and sacred tradition of Parley. Violation of this rule by you will force Gringotts Bank England to expel you from the premises of the Gringotts Bank England branch in Diagon Alley, London and to inflict a fine which will be immediately transferred to the injured party.
Fortius Quo Fidelius.
Gringotts Bank England
After reading the letter, the addressed Lord Black passed the letter to his wife.
“Who could possibly request Gringotts to serve as a host to this procedure?
And even more important – whom would they grant such a request?”
∞
An hour later a still slightly tensed Lord Black apparated in front of the Gringotts Bank England in Diagon Alley, London. He climbed the marble steps to the guarded but opened burnished bronze doors which were gleaming in the sunlight. Swiftly crossing the small entrance chamber and walking through another guarded and opened door – this one pure silver – he arrived in the well-known vast marble hall and determinedly strode to one of the many goblins seated at the long counters stretching along the hall.
Considering the rareness of a request for Parlay these days and the circumstance he was already causing a stir with his appearance – after all, he still was Lord Black, no matter what some other family members tried to scheme behind his back – he refrained from voicing his business and just handed the letter he received in the morning over.
The goblin opposite him merely glanced at the letter before he called another goblin and barked at him something in their own language – he refused to call the language of any sentient race by such a derogating name just because some wizards in the past were to dumb to understand it.
With a short, “Follow me, Lord Black” the second goblin turned around again and steered towards one of the doors which were situated around the hall. After leaving the impressive marble main hall of Gringotts and entering through a door another impressive and long hall was revealed. On the left and right side, the hall was lined with other doors which were adorned with signs inscribed with words or even seals.
Exactly opposite the door through which Lord Black entered this hall was another impressive double door with golden adornments. His guide stopped shortly before reaching this door and surprisingly turned around to address him.
“Lord Black, it is my duty to remember you that any act of violence against the other party of this old and sacred tradition, who already is behind these doors, will be punished accordingly. Furthermore, Gringotts will also be ensuring your own security and will… confirm that the other party to this old and sacred tradition is no imposter and has not… assumed an identity not his own.”
The last part of the goblin’s speech was unexpected, his father had not taught him anything about the goblins explicitly confirming the other party’s genuine identity – before even meeting them at that. Maybe the old deliverances about the proceedings were wrong or changed over the years, the last recorded request of Parley had been a long time ago after all.
Before he could further contemplate the matter, the doors were opened by his guide and an even more impressive hall was revealed. Light streamed through windows in the ceiling and illuminated a large round table in the middle of the room.
The most astonishing thing in this room however were not the goblin guards with their gleaming battle axes, the rich and magnificent adornments decorating every wall or even the white marble floor with inlaid gold and gems. No, the most astonishing thing in this room was the person rising from a chair around the table and turning around to face him. A person who was believed to be dead for more than four years.
So, Lord Black’s reaction, the dignified and seasoned Lord he was, was completely comprehensible and explicable – a sputtered “What??? Potter???”