16 Back to Hogwarts

Lord Peverell and his brides spent the rest of the holidays at Peverell Manor. Both Bellatrix and Narcissa were fascinated by the manor and especially its library. Both had a burning desire to study all the books that were kept there, hence spent the rest of their days studying them. Darius made it his goal to make Narcissa a future Lady Slytherin, and to keep her older sister on track, he performed a ritual on them.

Flashback

- I intend to make you two into real ladies," Darius said when the first week had passed and there was still one more week left until the Christmas holidays were over. The girls were silent in response, waiting for him to continue. - You have the manners and knowledge to be considered Lady Black, but Lady Black and Lady Peverell are two different things. Narcissa you are now nine years old and you have two more years until Hogwarts and that is more than enough time, but Bellatrix may have a problem since she is studying at Hogwarts. We will of course study during the summer holidays, but three months will not be enough time, which I plan on taking two years to do. Luckily, I've thought about it a lot and found a near-perfect solution," After the words 'near perfect' both ladies immediately tensed up. 

- And what is this solution? - came the question from Alex, who had just entered the room.

- A ritual," the lord frowned at that.

- What kind of ritual? - Bellatrix asked in a slightly trembling voice.

- 'To put it very simply. This ritual is very similar to a mental binding ritual, but the level of bonding is much higher. I will perform the ritual and you will be bound on a mental level. If one of you recognizes something, the other will too. All your secret thoughts and desires will no longer be a secret to the person bound to you. And if I teach something to Narcissa, Bellatrix will know it too. Plus they will have the ability to communicate mentally at any distance," at this, the girls frowned a little, but they were also interested.

- And what side effects will follow after the ritual? - The main thing that Alex learned was that ritualism is a very dangerous part of magic. After all, every ritual comes with a price. It can be anything from blood, magic, sanity to human sacrifice. The more you get, the higher the price will be.

- Don't worry, it's a very simple ritual and there will only be one side effect. It's a slight headache while using the bond," at this the girls and lord calmed down a bit.

- Narcissa, Bellatrix do you want Darius to perform this ritual? - Alex asked the Black sisters.

- I do," the older one spoke up first.

- Me too," the younger one also kept up with the older one. In response, Darius rejoiced and left to prepare the ritual hall.

Half an hour later, the hall was ready. A large diamond was drawn on the floor. From each corner, thirty centimeters away, a circle with a diameter of half a meter was drawn. Inside the rhombus, there was a smaller rhombus with two circles ten centimeters from the top and bottom corners. On all the circles were drawn different runes.

- Ladies, you must stand in the circles at the top and bottom corner, while my lord and I will stand in the circles on the left and right. You must also sprinkle the circles in the inner circles. I think five or six drops will suffice," the man instructed.

- Why are we here and why the blood? - Alex asked.

- You and I will start the ritual. And the blood serves as a link between them, - explained Darius. After that, everyone took their places, and the guardian began to explain again: "We will cast a spell.

After the ritual was done, the girls passed out. Alex took Bellatrix and Darius Narcissa in his arms and carried them to their chambers and went to the small dining room to have lunch.

End of Flashback

As the Christmas holidays ended, Alex and Bellatrix and Darius and Narcissa stood on Platform 9¾ waiting for Malfoy. He didn't take long to arrive, though, and the trio got on the train after saying goodbye. An empty compartment was found quickly, and the first-years hurried to take it. Alex sat by the window, Bellatrix sat next to him, and Lucius sat opposite. An hour later Bellatrix fell asleep, resting her head on her fiancé's shoulder, while he continued reading the book on blood magic that Darius had given him before he left. Everything was quiet, Alex was reading the book, Bellatrix was asleep, and Malfoy was looking out the window with a bored look. Suddenly the door opened and Rabastan Lestrange entered the compartment. 

- Would you mind if we joined you? All the compartments are taken," he explained. The train had been traveling for an hour, and it was hard to believe that they had been looking for an empty compartment for an hour and hadn't found one.

- No, we won't," Malfoy spoke up for everyone and immediately moved to the empty seat next to Bellatrix. Rabastan, having received a reply, entered the compartment and sat down at the window opposite Peverell, followed by Nott, Avery, Rosier, and Lestrange Senior, who, upon entering the compartment, gave Bellatrix and Alex a look of hidden anger. 

Peverell and Malfoy noticed that look. It was no secret to them what kind of glances Rudolphus was throwing at Bellatrix, but he was in no hurry to pester her, as he didn't dare to mess with either Peverell or Malfoy, because she spent most of her time in their company. Peverell had learned quite a bit about his acquaintances from his past life and Lestrange was not the type of person who would just put up with it. There were ways to destroy the marriage contract and Alex did not doubt that Rudolphus would try to resort to them.

- Congratulations, Peverell, it's a good match," Nott said to everyone.

- Thank you," Alex replied, pulling away from his book. At Hogwarts, the company spent the whole journey talking about Quidditch, except for Bellatrix, who was asleep, Alex, who was reading, and Lestrange Senior, who was strangely silent and staring out the window.

By late afternoon the train had reached Hogsmeade. The weather was simply joyous, meaning it was raining heavily. The water-repelling and warming charms worked wonders, and our company made it by carriage to Hogwarts and then headed for the Great Hall.

Almost all of Hogwarts was already gathered in the Great Hall, except for the Headmaster and the Deans of Faculties. Barely entering the hall, Peverell felt that there were dozens of stares directed at him and his bride, and dead silence in the table room itself. Ignoring this, Alex, Bellatrix, and Malfoy went to the Slytherin table and sat down together as was their habit. The silence was broken by the appearance of Dumbledore McGonagall and the rest of the deans. After the Headmaster's welcoming speech, everyone ate and went to their bedrooms, except for the Lord and the future Lady Peverell. Those, in silence, made their way to the Dean of their faculty.

- And future Lord and Lady Peverell, it is good to see you in good health. Congratulations on a successful marriage. So, what can I do for you? - Slughorn was as good-natured as ever.

- Professor, if you're aware of prenups, you should know that couples with prenups have certain privileges. Including separate quarters," Alex said, not asking, but asserting. 

- Yes, I'm aware of that. But usually, couples move into these rooms by the fifth or sixth year. There's usually one double bed in these rooms, and you're not uncomfortable with the fact that you have to sleep together, are you? - Slughorn's last words came in a snide voice.

- Not at all," Bellatrix replied without blinking an eye.

- If it's all right with you and you don't mind, I'll talk to the Headmaster about it, and tomorrow or the day after, you'll have separate quarters. Is that all right with you? - asked the dean, who had gotten over his surprise.

- Yes, it is. Thank you, Professor. We are in your debt," Bellatrix scratched the man's ego a little behind his ear.

- Great, then I'm off to the Headmaster's office immediately," Slughorn said, almost flying out of the Great Hall and straight into the Headmaster's office. He was pleased that he would have the heir of such noble, ancient, and noble houses in his debtors. Meanwhile, the couple made their way to the Slytherin drawing room, where after saying goodbye, they went room by room.

The whole next day went on as usual. Transfiguration with Gryffindor, ZOTI with Gryffindor, Herbology with Hufflepuff, and Potions with Ravenclaw.

- Mr Peverell, I will ask you and your lovely bride to stay a while," Horatia said after Potions was over.

- I'll wait outside," Malfoy said as he gathered his things and left the room, and the pair packed up and waited for everyone to leave.

- I have discussed your request with the Headmaster and he has agreed to give you separate quarters. Follow me, and I'll guide you to the right door," Horace said as he walked out the door, Alex and Bella and Malfoy who had joined them followed him.

To Alex's surprise, their chambers were not in the dungeons as he thought, but a floor above. The company of the Dean and three Slytherin students stopped at the portrait of an unknown wizard, which was expectedly at the entrance. The potions professor turned to the freshmen and said:

- This portrait is the entrance. All you have to do is say the password. Right now the password is "The Great Serpent", but you can change it if you wish. Inside is a bathroom, living room, and bedroom. I trust you'll be satisfied with that? 

- More than satisfactory. Thank you, Professor," Alex thanked the man. Hearing the answer the dean of the faculty turned and went to the big hall with a leisurely gait.

- Great serpent, - Alex said clearly and distinctly, and the picture opened silently and our trio went inside. Inside, as it was said, there was a spacious living room with a fireplace and two doors. One of which led to the bedroom and the other to the bathroom. Everything was decorated in green and silver colors.

- Not bad," said the girl.

- I want one too," Malfoy said, surprising those present.

- Find yourself a wife and you'll have separate quarters," Alex advised with a smile.

- I'll start in the summer," and these words shocked everyone.

- Good luck, - synchronously said the future spouses in a snide voice.

- Lucius also went to the Great Hall, and our couple began to study their rooms. After Malfoy went to the Great Hall.

Alex and Bellatrix took turns showering and going to bed. Standing at the bedside, Alex felt uncomfortable, however, the same thing was happening to his beloved.

- Why did we do it? - asked the girl sitting down on the bed, while the guy took half of the bed.

- Why did we do what? - Alex asked, making himself comfortable.

- We asked for quarters because we are still eleven, we could have waited at least a year, - said the girl, getting comfortable on her side.

- Because Darius asked us to," Peverell replied.

- Well, it was a little hard to compare his words to a request. After all, he said, "Ask for separate quarters and start living there," and he didn't even explain why that was necessary.

- Yes, he did. At least to me," the boy said.

- What did he say?" the girl asked curiously.

- Literally: "You have to live like this all your life, get used to it," Alex quenched the girl's curiosity.

- Great Merlin! We're only eleven. We would have made it, if we started, at least in two or three years. Why so early? - The girl resented him.

- He doesn't seem to care about our age, roughly speaking. I have a feeling that if he had a chance, he would force you and your heirs to give birth, - Alex said apprehensively.

- It's good that he doesn't have that opportunity, - the girl said with visible relief.

- He would have had it if I hadn't forbidden it, - Peverell said in a strange voice.

- What do you mean? - The girl did not understand.

- He would have tried to do it if I hadn't explicitly forbidden him to do any actions that would have resulted in us having to sleep together, - Alex enlightened the girl.

- And he obeyed? - the girl asked in surprise.

- If he hadn't listened, you and I would be in St. Mungo's now, not at Hogwarts, but in St. Mungo's, conducting a pregnancy test, - the guy grinned.

- Wait, if you could forbid him from doing that, could you forbid him from making us move into separate rooms? - The girl asked, jumping up from her seat.

- I could," the boy replied simply. This news came as a shock to the girl. She sat back on the bed with huge eyes, staring at one point.

- Why didn't he? - Bella asked, barely able to cope with the shock.

- Because he didn't want to - with these words Alex grabbed the girl's hand, pulled her towards him, and covered both of them with a blanket.

- What are you doing? - The girl squeaked.

- Can't you see? - The guy asked in surprise.

- 'No,' Bellatrix replied.

- We have to get up early tomorrow, and we are chatting. Let's sleep, - with these words, the guy lay down next to the girl covered both of them with a blanket, and closed his eyes. The girl wanted to be indignant, as suddenly she felt very tired. Having decided to solve all these issues tomorrow morning, having pulled the blanket tighter, to Alex's surprise, having hugged him around the waist with one arm and putting her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. Five minutes later, only the quiet sniffling of a couple could be heard in the room.