Lord Slytherin

Bellatrix had stayed at Pounds House. She had a lot on her mind now. Harry Fawkes is Harry Potter. Harry Potter wouldn't be born until nineteen eighty. I was the most hated woman in magical Britain. I killed his wife. He cut off my head.

"Shit." She said aloud as she poured a glass of brandy for herself. She swirled the amber liquid in her glass as she tried to figure out where this left her. He swore that he still loved me. You can't fake a magic oath like that. I still love him, don't I? She drew in a breath and drained the glass in one gulp. Fire traced its way down her throat as she felt the brandy slide down as she swallowed.

Yes. She still loved him. She couldn't help but love him. He'd freed her, not just from her husband, not just from Voldemort, but from that future. That Bellatrix she'd seen in his memories disgusted her. She wasn't that woman and if she had her choice, she would never become that woman. She looked at the brandy and, decision made, poured herself another glass.

There was a soft knock at her door. Frowning, she rose and went to the door. Apolline was standing there. "Madame Lestrange, may we talk?" She asked Bellatrix.

"I...I suppose, come inside." Bellatrix said, motioning to the woman. Apolline came into the room, "I have decided that I will go back to France. I do not wish to intrude on your life with Harry." She said softly, "I did not come here to try and insinuate myself into a place where I would take priority over you or your sister."

Bellatrix sighed, "You don't have to leave. I know that I have been a bitch to you, well I've been a bitch to everyone really. That's probably why I'm so possessive with Harry. He's the only person to see me and want more from me than a soldier or a pawn." She went back to her glass of brandy and took a sip. "He's going to be my husband, and I want him to be happy with our life together. I've got to stop acting like a stupid spoiled brat."

Apolline looked at the other woman, "You truly love him, don't you? I think you loved him that day when I first met you. You loved him without knowing what the word meant. What it really means." She smiled, "Love is a powerful thing. It will strengthen you if you let it."

Apolline walked back out of the room, "As I have your permission, I will stay..." She left, leaving Bellatrix alone with her thoughts.

Scene Break

"Medi-Witch Tonks, there's a patient in room six that wants someone discrete..."

Andromeda looked down at the file she was handed and began to read over it. Let's see...male, aged twenty-two, seems to have contracted Blister-rot...ouch...'Fred Jones'...that sounds original. Well, let's go meet Mr. Jones. She looked up from the notes and her musing, "I'll see him now, Madam Curtis." She walked away from her floor matron and went towards the patient rooms.

She had enjoyed her stay at Pounds House. It was nice to see a man that actually made time for the women in his life. Harry seemed to adore Bellatrix and Narcissa. Maybe I should surprise Ted. Show up at his office in nothing but my old robes from Hogwarts. They're tight, but the good kind of tight...

"Alright, Mr. Jones...my name is Andromeda To-" She paused looking up from her file and stopped. Ted Tonks was sitting on the bed, a look of horror mirroring her own. "Ted? What is-"

"Andi I...it's not what you think.." He began, bringing up his hands in a placating gesture. Andromeda's voice began low, but swiftly rose in pitch and volume, "It's not what I think? Don't you have blister-rot on your John Thomas? You didn't come to St. Mungo's with a blister on your scrotum and a wet rash on your bollocks? Because that's what this file says. How did you get a disease that you can only get from fucking a Nereid?"

Ted was silent. That silence ate at Andromeda for a moment, "No answer? Very well. The house is in your name, I will go there and get my things and then you will be free to catch whatever diseases you like!" She stormed back out of the room, slamming the door.

Ted frowned and leaned against the bed. I knew I shouldn't have gone with Jenkins to that damned club. But he had. He'd went with his co-workers to the 'Dripping Snitch', a 'gentleman's club' in Knockturn Alley. He'd deserved a break, or he'd thought so at the time. Andi was with her sisters, leaving me all alone in the house. He'd been alone and bored and now I've got rot on my cock...fucking peachy.

Andromeda had thrown the file back onto the Matron's desk and sat down. Madam Curtis looked at the young witch, "I take it you know this Mister Jones?" She said after a moment.

Andromeda nodded, "I do, I'm married to the ass. That's Ted in there Madam. I need to leave early today, I want to get all of my things and move them out before he gets there." She looked imploringly at the woman who had given Andromeda her first job as a Hogwarts graduate who had lost the opportunities her family had offered her.

"Andromeda, go handle your affairs, I will deal with our 'Mr. Jones'." Madam Curtis rose from her chair, "I take it, that you'll be residing with your sisters from now on?"

"Yes ma'am..I- How did you know?" Andromeda asked, curious. Madam Curtis merely adjusted her robes and walked to the door, "You are quite loud when you use the floo.." She said before leaving Andromeda to her business.

Scene Break

Amelia was glad to be back in London, at least for the day. It wasn't that she minded patrolling Hogsmeade. It was proof that she had earned her rank, she'd been given her own patrol without the constant tests from Moody. Now, she could show people what Amelia Bones was made of.

That gladness lasted until four and one-half minutes into her break. She'd been delivering her reports to Moody, letting him pour over each detail. He'd waved her out of his office and she'd taken that as an opportunity to grab a cup of coffee.

"D'you hear about what happened at Hogwarts? Big fuckin' snake under the school." She heard the voice of Roger Dawlish say. She groaned and rolled her eyes at the reply from Gareth Robards, "What? How's that news?"

"It was a bleeding basilisk Gar." Dawlish exclaimed, "The Goblins sent a team up to the school to carve it up."

Amelia frowned, she knew all about this. She had, after all, been the one who'd had to meet the Goblins and escort them up to the school.

The Goblins were very excited as they looked at the massive carcass before them. Amelia looked from the gigantic snake to Harry and Albus. "Harry, this is a 5X magical creature. This was one of the most deadly creatures in Europe. How is it that you managed to kill it?"

"Would you believe I talked it into giving up?" Harry said innocently. Amelia glared at him, "Do you plan on going one month without causing my blood pressure to go up?" She asked him. Harry chuckled, "Well, I mean during Yule I'll be on my honeymoon with Narcissa, so we'll be out of your hair for at least that long."

Somehow that didn't comfort her. It wasn't that Amelia fancied Harry. Instead, it was the fact that this unknown wizard had just appeared one day, claimed Lordship over House Peverell, stole the bride of Rodolphus Lestrange, stole the fiancee of Lucius Malfoy, and had now killed a gigantic, deadly serpent. Nothing about Harry Fawkes made sense to her.

"Holy Frag!" One of the Goblins assigned to cutting through the tough hide of the basilisk exclaimed, "The eyes are still intact!" Amelia remembered from her time at Hogwarts that a basilisks eyes clouded over immediately after death. If they were still intact they could be useful in potion making.

The voice of Dawlish brought her back to reality, "Hey Bones, you were in Hogsmeade..did you see any of the basilisk?" Amelia rolled her eyes, "I saw a group of Goblins giggling like schoolgirls over a bag of basilisk guts. Everything else I saw is in the report. If you want to know more, go bother Moody for it." She rose from her chair. She'd delivered her report, her relief would be in Hogsmeade until the next morning. Tonight, I'll go to the Ossuary and see Edger...I haven't visited my brother in too long...

Her path decided, Amelia made her way to the public apparation point. She vanished with a soft crack, reappearing in her childhood home in Kent.

Scene Break

At Hogwarts, Harry and Albus were in the Headmasters office. "You realize Harry, that in order to claim your place as Lord Slytherin, you will need to go to London and take the inheritance test as you did with House Peverell..." Albus said, taking a lemon drop and popping it into his mouth. "Lemon drop?" He offered, Harry reached over and took one.

"I know, I was really hoping I could actually spend a full week at the place where I work without having to go off and deal with preventing a future like mine. I mean, I know that my future was awful...I get that, but at the same time I'm actually kind of happy with my life in this one." Harry said wincing as the tart candy began to coat the inside of his mouth, "Bella will be thrilled, she can be Lady Slytherin instead of Lady Lestrange."

Albus chuckled, "She does seem quite taken with you, Harry. I remember her as a student here, part of the rather infamous Black Sisters. Narcissa was obviously the youngest one, and she was kept very safe by her older sisters. Bellatrix was the powerhouse of the trio, Filius could tell you quite a few stories about her. She was his favorite student during her time here."

Harry nodded, "She is an amazing duelist. If she wished it, I think she'd made a good replacement for me as Professor of the Dueling class." Albus smiled then, "Bringing your wives to work with you? Narcissa expressed interest at the beginning of term to stay on as an apprentice to Poppy. Do you think you could handle both of your wives working with you?"

That was an interesting and slightly terrifying thought. Would Bellatrix be interested in becoming the dueling instructor? Harry wasn't sure about that. Would the two sisters be able to coexist at Hogwarts with him? Another question that Harry didn't have the answer to. "Maybe, for now, it would be best if we let Bella find her own path, instead of offering her a place here."

Harry rose and went to the floo, with a cry of "Gringotts Lobby!", he vanished into the green flames, reappearing in the Goblin bank. This time, unlike before, Harry knew where he needed to go. There we are, Inheritances and Line Continuation...He thought as he walked up to that counter.

"Welcome to Gringotts, what do you want?" The Goblin teller asked Harry brusquely. "I am here to take the inheritance test for House Slytherin," Harry told the teller. The Goblin rolled his eyes and pressed a button under his counter. "Right. Go inside to room fourteen, Master Teller Goldcrush will see you." With that, the Goblin looked beyond Harry and shouted "Next!" There's no one in line behind me, why's he yelling? Harry thought to himself as he made his way to room fourteen.

Goldcrush was perhaps the friendliest Goblin that Harry had ever met. Friendly in this case though meant that Goldcrush didn't appear to be ready to cut off his head at a moments notice. "I am told you wish to make an attempt at claiming the House Slytherin, is that correct?" The Master Teller asked Harry.

Harry nodded, "Yes Master Teller Goldcrush when I conquered the basilisk of Salazar Slytherin, he spoke to me. Slytherin that is, he named me his heir." Harry explained to the Goblin, who to his credit, had given Harry a passable attempt at listening as he set out the bowl and dagger. "Very well, please slice your palm and let the blood drip into the bowl," Goldcrush said, offering Harry the dagger.

Goldcrush was, in fact, the nicest Goblin that Harry had ever met. The blade of this dagger was sharp enough that all Harry felt was a vague heat as the blade sliced his palm open. Normally the daggers are blunted slightly, just enough so it hurts. Harry thought, remembering claiming House Black in his own time as a way to keep it from the Malfoy family.

As the blood dripped into the receptacle, Harry thought he heard the sound of rushing water. The coppery scent of blood hit his nose and then Harry heard a soft voice inside his mind. When you are finished, the ring you seek will be hidden at the Gaunt Shack. You and you alone can touch it, my heir. Take it from that place and remove its curse. Harry blinked and the voice was gone. Goldcrush withdrew a silver ring and gave it to him. "You have been recognized as the Heir of Slytherin." He said as Harry slid the ring onto his finger.

Harry looked at the ring, a plain silver band with an emerald set into it. As he watched, the emerald began to glow softly before settling back to its original dull green. "You are now Lord Slytherin and have full access to Vault sixteen. It includes gold and treasures worth four hundred thousand galleons as well as a number of relics that have not been priced. You also have possession of all properties owned by House Slytherin. You will find a full list of properties inside your vault. Do you have further business?" Goldcrush asked him.

Harry shook his head, "No, thank you Master Teller." He rose from his chair and made his way out the door and back to the floo. He was preoccupied with his thoughts and didn't notice Lucius Malfoy standing with his father. Lucius noticed him, his hand went to his wand, but he was stopped by Abraxus. "Not here you fool. Gringotts is Goblin territory."

"But Father, he-" Lucius hissed. Abraxus placed a hand on his arm forcing it down, "I know what he did. But if you start this here in the bank, then we will be removed not him. There are other ways to ruin a life, my son. I received a very interesting owl from a contact at the Devon Druid Circle...we will inform our Lord that Mr. Harry Fawkes is getting married on Halloween."

Lucius saw the opportunity that his father was suggesting and nodded, "Very well." Enjoy your remaining time with Narcissa, Fawkes. Soon enough you'll be dead and everything you possess will belong to the Dark Lord, including your whores...