The Old Order Changes

Walburga Black fumed as she saw the state of the quarters she had been given at Pounds House. These aren't fit for a house elf, let alone the Lady Black! That miserable little fool and his tarts will pay for this insult! The room wasn't bad to an outside observer. It had a small office attached to it featuring a desk and a small bookshelf. The bed was a double but it was soft enough, it even featured a window looking out on the land that would one day be the rebuilt orchards.

But it wasn't what Walburga believed she deserved. She was in servants quarters, not the master bedroom. But she wasn't completely helpless. The oath wasn't perfect, after all everything I wanted to do was for the express benefit of House Black..She thought with a small grin forming.

I'll send a letter to Druella, she needs to know that her dear daughters have decided to ally themselves with House Peverell instead of the Houses chosen for them.. She sat down at her desk and drew out a quill and parchment.

Druella,

Surely by now you will have heard of the events that took place at the Black Manor while you and your husband were in Manchester. They are all true.

Your youngest daughter is now engaged to the dueling professor Harry Fawkes. Bellatrix has betrayed her now deceased husband for the same man. They have pledged themselves to his cause, rather than the cause of the Dark Lord.

I am in the untenable position of Seneschal for the new Lord Peverell. While my oath precludes me from direct acts of betrayal, it does not, however preclude me from sending my fellow Mrs Black a letter telling her of these events. I am sure that you are smart enough to speak with the proper families in order to begin mitigating the damage Lord Black has caused by forcing an alliance with House Peverell.

Walburga

That letter finished, she rolled it up and sealed it with enchanted string to prevent anyone but it's intended recipient from unrolling it. She paused for a moment by the window, she saw Harry and Bellatrix walking together pointing out spots in the orchard where they wished to plant new trees.

Bellatrix favored Walburga more than Druella. Watching the pair brought a stubborn memory to her mind, the rumors were correct, Sirius was not the son of Orion Black. Images of a handsome man dancing with her flitted in her mind as she continued to watch the couple.

James Carver, of the minor House Carver. He had been the complete opposite of what she was expected. He was a half-blood, a Hufflepuff, and worse he wanted to be a medi-wizard. The heir presumptive of his House, he had bucked expectations by choosing the path he wanted.

That choice had cost him much. His House disowned him in favor of the more pliable younger brother. He had ended up paying for his education for the last two years by working during the summer as a conductor on the Knight Bus. It had cost him her as well. As Heir Presumptive they could have pursued a formal betrothal, instead she had been married to her third cousin.

But he had kept in contact with her. Their love affair was secret enough, until the day she realized she was pregnant.

That had been the day Orion had struck her for the first time...

Still James had tried to comfort her where he could, finding moments when her husband wasn't home so they could see each other. Finally he had asked her to abandon House Black and come away with him.

She had refused, she was a proud Black, heiress and Lady Presumptive for the House Black, she had that to remember.

Had it been worth it? A nagging question, had she left with James Carver, she might have been happier, but she would have definitely been poorer. Still, Orion would never come here..perhaps she could contact James. At the very least she could hear from him again.

She went back to her room. Sitting down she began to write a second letter, addressing it to the last known address of James Henry Carver.

Dear James,

It has been far too long since I've done this. I have missed writing to you, missed getting responses from you. I miss you. Please, if you still think fondly of me, write back to me. I am staying at Pounds House in Plymouth, Devon.

Walburga

Now, with two letters she went back to the hallway. She walked down towards the back door. The Aviary was close by as she stepped in she wondered what James would write as a response. He was always the stupidly forgiving sort...maybe he'll offer to duel Lord Peverell for my freedom..She smiled at that then shook her head. If James sought to duel, he would be killed. James was a strict pacifist. There was no way that he would give his all in a duel to the death. Not after what I said to him the day I chose Orion over him..

"I'm sorry James, truly I am, but I must think of our son...Sirius needs the connections that House Black can offer him.." Walburga didn't like using their son like this, but she knew it was the only way to make James see reason.

"Walburga, I don't give a toss about 'connections' I want the woman I love and my son..." He took her hand in his, "Please, come with me to America..we can start a new life together.."

But she didn't. She withdrew her hand, told him that Orion knew about them, that he was willing to claim Sirius as his son, provided she had no further contact with James Carver.

James had never left for America. He wouldn't leave his son, or her...last she'd heard he was living in Highgate, that was where the owl was heading.

Walburga attached the letters to the owl and sent the bird off. She sighed as she watched the owl rising in the air. How different would life have been had she left for America with James Carver? Would she have been happy?

She didn't know and it did no good to speculate. Turning she went back into the Manor to begin the next step of her plans.

Scene Break

Monday morning found Harry on his morning jog with Rolanda Hooch. He was feeling better than he had in a long time and it showed as he was actually able to keep up at her side through most of their lap.

"Not bad Fawkes, you aren't as much of an embarrassment to be around this morning.." Hooch said when the jog was completed.

Harry had finished drying the sweat from his chest and slid on his shirt. "What can I say Hooch? Splattering the walls with Malfoy's second was very relaxing.."

"Minerva said that happened this weekend. Have you spoken with her yet?" She asked him, looking past Harry, she saw a tall woman in green coming towards them, "If you haven't, you're about to.."

Minerva strode towards them, "Harry Fawkes! I cannot believe that you arrived back at the castle and haven't came to speak with your supposed best friend! You could have at least slide a note under my door that said 'I'm alive'."

Harry grinned, "Sorry Minerva, I just wanted to take my morning jog before I spoke to too many people. I have the feeling I'll be telling the same story a lot today so I want to make sure I have it right in my head."

Minerva nodded, relieved that Harry was still alive, but not quite ready to say she was happy that he was engaged to Narcissa Black. "I take it congratulations are in order, as you are still standing.."

"Yeah," Harry grinned, "Lucius Malfoy no longer has a claim to Narcissa. Also of note, the Lestrange family is permanently at half strength now. Lucius tried to cheat by breaking his arm and having a much stronger duelist as his second...Rodolphus Lestrange is no longer a threat to the wizarding world."

Rolanda let out a low whistle, "You killed one of the Lestrange brothers...here's hoping his wife doesn't want to split you from grin to groin.."

"I doubt it. She was my second." Harry said, "Bellatrix wasn't interested in remaining with an abusive spouse."

Minerva felt her stomach churn as she thought back to the day she saw Harry being pulled along by..by a dark haired witch..and then he came back out looking as if..that was who he had breakfast with.. Her eyes widened and then narrowed, she needed to get away for now. "Well, I see that you are alive and well, I need to get up to the castle I need to prepare for my first class."

Harry watched her walk away, he turned to Rolanda. For once, his friend didn't have a sarcastic comment, "Word of advice Fawkes, be careful with how you tell a witch that has obvious feelings for you about your little adventures..."

Harry sighed, "I need to go speak to her don't I?" Rolanda merely quirked a single white-blonde eyebrow as a response. Harry muttered a soft curse and raced up towards the castle, following Minerva.

Girls got it bad...Rolanda thought as she turned towards the Quidditch pitch.

Scene Break

Narcissa felt more at peace than she had since the day she found out she was supposed to marry Lucius Malfoy. I'm the future Mrs. Fawkes...She thought with a smile as she made her way from her private quarters to the dining hall.

Then she saw Sirius waiting for her.

"So, is it Narcissa Fawkes, or Narcissa Malfoy?" Her cousin asked with a little smirk. "Fawkes. Lucy didn't even compete." She answered with a matching smirk, "He had a broken arm and couldn't duel. Harry killed his second instead."

"Who was his second?" Sirius asked her, "Nott isn't here anymore, so it was him I guess.."

"You could guess that, but you'd be wrong. My future husband crushed the rib cage of Rodolphus Lestrange." Narcissa replied, leaning against the wall, "I never thought that I would find the idea of watching a man die so romantic.."

"You are a Black, of course you found it romantic...wait..doesn't that mean you're a target for the other Lestranges?" Sirius asked. Narcissa laughed at that, then stopped seeing the look on her cousins face. "Actually Siri, I think I'd have more to worry about from your mother than from Bella..Rabastan might be a threat, but Harry is skilled enough to face him."

"Wait, what about my mother? Did she kick you out of the family?" Sirius knew his mothers penchant for burning people from the family tapestry. She had threatened to take him off ever since he was placed in Gryffindor.

"She wanted to, but Grandfather Arcturus didn't allow it. She tried something else though..you might get a letter about it later.." Narcissa sighed, "She tried to seduce Harry. Her plan was to seduce him, kill your father, marry Bellatrix and I back off and kill Grandfather."

"She wouldn't..wait no of course she would..so what happened next?"

"She's been forced into an Oath of service. She's living at Harry's house now." Narcissa explained, "She's still a member of House Black...unless something happens and Grandfather removes her."

"I hope he does. That might be the only chance to keep Reggie out of her clutches." Sirius thought about his younger brother, Regulus was still too young to really get what was going on, but that didn't stop Walburga from showering him with praise anytime he said that he wanted to be in Slytherin.

Narcissa was still riding the high of being free from Lucius. Sirius was too interested in finding out what had happened. Neither of them paid attention to the small red haired girl listening around the corner. Lily Evans' eyes grew wide at the idea of Harry and Narcissa being married. I thought he loved Professor McGonagall...

She turned and walked away from her listening spot. Sure enough the moment she reached the Great Hall she saw Professors McGonagall and Fawkes weren't at their usual spots. She was concerned, What if it was all a ploy so that Narcissa could keep them apart? I'll bet he's in her quarters, or she's in his...and they are pledging their undying love for each other.

She was wrong.

Minerva and Harry were in her quarters. But it was not to pledge their undying love for each other. It was in fact so that Minerva could yell at him without anyone overhearing.

"Is there any particular reason you didn't think it necessary to inform your supposed best friend that you were sleeping with Bellatrix Lestrange when you were supposed to be helping me?" She was furious, how dare he not tell me the truth..we are supposed to be friends.."You know what, I don't even care what you're answer is. You've shown me how much you value..me..our friendship."

"What did you want me to tell you? 'Oh hi, Minerva, hey sorry I wasn't around, a woman I've barely met pulled me into a house, tried to kill me, tried to get me to kill her, and then begged me to help her kill her husband'? I lived it and I barely understand what happened." Harry said, giving her the very, very condensed version. I am not telling her that we shagged, I'm not doing it and no one can make me.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" Minerva scoffed, but looking at her memories through the filter of that information, things made more sense. Could I really have been that wrong?

"Minerva, I'm sorry that I upset you, I really am. But that's what happened. Lucius Malfoy wanted her to kill me. We fought and when I won, she said that it would hurt less if I killed her rather than the wizard her and Lucius follow..I couldn't kill her, so I offered to help her find a way out. The only way out was to kill Rodolphus..luckily he ended up being Lucius' second at our duel. She's free, Narcissa is free, and I've probably got a giant target on my back because of it."

Minerva sighed, at this point in their friendship, she was relatively certain she could read Harry's face. He's telling the truth.. "Harry, I'm..I'm sorry that I reacted so poorly. It's just..Come on girl, truth time now, even if he doesn't feel the same way..it's just that..I have feelings for you...I didn't ask for them. I was perfectly happy just being a Professor...and then I met you and..damn you Harry Fawkes, you made me want more..and I can't have it."

She looked so miserable, Harry couldn't do anything except hug her. For a moment, she stiffened as if she was going to fight it, but then she put her own arms around him. "Harry...why did you have to be so noble and kind? Why couldn't you let Albus handle it? I'm sure he wouldn't have allowed Walburga to take Narcissa away.."

"I couldn't risk it. I've seen what happens to people like Narcissa in these situations...she would have lost her brilliant mind under Lucius' thumb. The best she could hope for was to be a trophy wife and mother to a son just as repellent as his father...I can't say that we love each other yet. But she deserved more than that life." He looked into Minerva's eyes, "As for why I have to be those things? Would you really have wanted me to just walk away?"

She sighed and unconsciously drew closer to him, "No..I..the man you are, stupidly noble and all, that's the man I developed these feelings for. But it doesn't matter.." She pulled back out of his arms, "You have a fiancee now. I'll be alright, I've been alone this long." She hated out how that sounded, as if she was begging him to cast aside Narcissa and kiss her.

Harry looked into her eyes. She wasn't crying, but it was clear she was holding them in as best she could. "Minerva..I..if things were different.." He let it drop, it wouldn't do any good to think about it now.

"My first class is in a half hour Harry...I need to prepare." She watched as Harry walked out of her quarters. Minerva sank into her chair. A few stubborn tears leaked out as she held her head in her hands. Damn him...and me..

Scene Break

Bellatrix hadn't returned to Hogwarts with Harry right away. Instead she had remained back to keep an eye on Walburga. Seeing the woman send Loki out, she waited for Walburga to walk back inside before whistling sharply from her vantage point from the second floor.

Loki, hearing his mistress turned and flew to her. Bellatrix stroked the owls head fondly before removing the letters, Auntie thinks she's being clever..a letter to Mother..and..wait..that name sounds familiar..James Carver of Highgate..

Bellatrix destroyed the letter bound for Druella and allowed Loki to fly off with the other one. James Carver..I know that name..but how..Carver..Carver..wait..

"The healer is a recalcitrant fool. Destroy his shop and kill him." Voldemort ordered. The strike team of herself, Rodolphus, and Rabastan had set off for the magical district in Highgate.

Destroying the shop was easy enough. Rabastan was entrusted with that. Rodolphus had been charged to kill the healer, and Bellatrix had been told to take anything worth keeping and secure it.

That was when she found the letters. They were old and yellowed, the hand writing was strangely familiar but elusive enough that she couldn't place it. She hid the letters in her robes and continued her task.

Rodolphus had been sloppy, the kill would take time. The Healer was bleeding from a number of cuts, but with no potions and a broken wand he was doomed. Bellatrix, for the first time since she began down this path felt a twinge of guilt when she looked at the broken man before her.

A quiet 'Avada Kedavra' and the man was painlessly executed.

Later, in her private room she looked at the letters for most of the night. He never gave her name, and she never signed her own. But it was clear that this was a wizard and witch in love. He continued to beg her to 'leave him and come home to me, let's be a proper family for our son'. Bellatrix, at the time, had wondered who the mysterious witch had been.

Now she knew. Walburga had been the witch, and that meant Sirius wasn't the son of her uncle Orion has she had believed. Bellatrix, consumed by those thoughts wondered what would have happened if she had left to join the wizard. She might have been able to save him from us...or we would have killed her alongside him..The second thought was more likely. Walburga wasn't as skilled in defense or offense..her skills lay in traps and backroom deals. She would have ran, or rather he would have forced her to run.

For good or ill, Bellatrix had chosen her path. She was with Harry, and when the final confrontation came, she would be at his side where she belonged.

Scene Break

Amelia sat down at her desk to work on her reports when she over heard two of the other aurors talking.

"The report came in early this morning. There was a duel to the death at Black Manor. Get this, Rodolphus Lestrange is dead. Apparently he and some other guy named Fawkes were dueling for one of the Black sisters."

"No way," Replied the other Auror, "Lestrange was already married to a Black. What? Did he want a second one?"

"The hell should I know? I just know that the report came in to the department. My girlfriend was there, she overheard the clerks in Line Continuation talking about it."

Amelia put down her quill. Harry dueled Rodolphus Lestrange for his wife's hand...I guess he meant what he said. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she turned back to work. She felt someone walking up to her desk, looking up she saw her mentor.

"Bones, you're getting a promotion to Auror. That's the good news, the shit news is that you're being assigned to work at Hogsmeade. It'll be incredibly boring except for when you're going crazy trying to keep order surrounded by screaming children." The older auror said with a slight grin, "I put you in for the promotion and the assignment because I think you have what it takes to be a damned fine auror. Now don't go proving me wrong, do you understand?"

She nodded, still processing the news, "I understand Alastor..I..thank you."

Moody nodded and then walked off, leaving Amelia to her thoughts. As he walked, a thought ran through his mind, Well Albus, she's the best I can give you, and that's pretty damned good...treat her well for me.

Scene Break

Back in France now, Apolline was in her quarters in the Veela enclave. Unlike her mother, Apolline didn't stay full time, she had a home for herself in Paris. But, she had promised her mother she would visit and so, after returning long enough to put away her things, she had apparated to the enclave. She decided to write a letter to her newfound hero, Harry Fawkes.

Dear Harry,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have returned to France now. I am actually writing this letter from our enclave.

I want to thank you again for what you have done for me. Were it not for your timely actions, I do not know what would have happened. If there is anything I can do for you, please never hesitate to ask it. I owe you my life.

Yours,

Apolline Dubois

Apolline read over the note and nodded. She would send it out on one of the enclaves owls later in the day. For now she would rest. She took a short nap and found her dreams filled with a handsome dark haired wizard.