The days raced by, and the morning of the mission to Malfoy Manor arrived.
Amelia had been drilling Harry to bring his pureblood etiquette up to the standard required for the Malfoys. Bellatrix had perfected Harry’s ability to detect and ignore the cultivated insults that Lucius specialized in. The months spent sharing the First Year Slytherin Common Room gave Harry plenty of experience deflecting Draco Malfoy’s attempts to mimic his father.
Amelia and Harry emerged from the floo in the reception hall. The room was long and styled in a manner Harry thought of as Late Victorian Oppressive. It seemed to be carved out of stone.
Lucius and Narcissa were waiting in the formal reception room. Harry got his first look at a Malfoy house elf as the ragged, stooped old elf conducted them into the room. The Death Eaters had not been lying when they described how Lucius mistreated his servants. Bellatrix would not have believed her brother-in-law's stupidity. Even Cousin Bella knew continual mistreatment would eventually result in an elf betraying an abusive master. There were many ways to betray a wizard, which Lucius didn’t understand.
“Regent Bones, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to Malfoy Manor.” Lucius was overflowing with polite oiliness.
‘Lord Malfoy, thank you for inviting me.” Amelia moved to Narcissa, who gave Amelia a formal greeting.
“Master Potter, welcome to Malfoy Manor.” Lucius offered Harry his hand to shake, which Harry took. A legilimency probe accompanied an attempt to keep eye contact with Harry. Harry had his Azkaban mindscape in place. This time he included a brief appearance from Bellatrix screaming insults at Lucius. Lucius heard what his sister-in-law thought of him as he luxuriated in Malfoy Manor while she rotted away in Azkaban.
“Lord Malfoy, thank you for inviting me.” Harry released the wizard’s hand. Lucius looked away and whipped his hand back as though Harry was burning him.
Harry turned to Draco, who was almost hiding behind his mother.
“Draco, I trust you are well.” Harry touched Draco’s surface thoughts and found a fair amount of panic. Draco had not told his parents of the Chamber of Secrets. He did not want to reveal that Harry was now the Heir of Slytherin.
“I’m fine, Potter.”
Narcissa gasped.
“Draco! You are not talking to your inferiors now. Heir Potter is to have your respect.”
“I’m sorry, Mother; my apologies, Heir Potter.”
“I’m happy with Harry, Draco. I have never been comfortable with too much formality.”
Narcissa tried to move on. “Please be seated, Regent Bones, Harry.”
Lucius sat in an armchair, Narcissa sat on a couch, and Draco nervously perched beside her.
Amelia tried to start a conversation. “When do you expect Lord and Lady Greengrass to arrive?’
Narcissa smiled. “They will be here shortly. Cyrus Greengrass had an urgent matter to attend to.”
Harry felt a wave of panic from Draco. This time it was centred on Daphne Greengrass. Harry sensed a short history of Draco’s dealings with the Greengrass heiress. Daphne and Draco had encountered each other many times as they grew up. Daphne had succeeded in outmanoeuvring and humiliating Draco at every opportunity. At Hogwarts, Draco took care to avoid Daphne.
Harry was now very close to letting a smile come to his face.
Cyrus and Olivia Greengrass were ushered into the room by the ancient house elf. Daphne followed them. Harry waited until the formal greetings were completed. Daphne was seated with her parents on a couch. She glanced at Harry and smiled at him. Harry nodded and gave a small wave. It was the best that he could do to welcome her.
Cyrus and Olivia Greengrass almost ignored Harry. This was a diplomatic tactic. Cyrus and Harry had been in close contact for the previous three days as Harry gave Cyrus the details of the Gaunt ring and its hiding place. Cyrus had engaged a curse-breaker team from the Li family to do the retrieval.
The children were invited to take a tour of the manor house. Draco was their guide. The tour was for Harry’s benefit and was intended to impress him with Malfoy Manor’s grandeur. Malfoy Manor was big. It was all decorated in a style that Tom called Late Victorian Hideous.
The tour ended in the library. Draco showed them the decorated diagrams of the Malfoy family tree, which showed his relationship with Sirius Black. Harry sensed what was coming. Draco wanted to brag about being the next in line to become the head of the House of Black if Sirius Black never had a child.
Harry interrupted.
“Draco, I should mention my connection to the House of Black.
My inheritance comes from my father, James Potter. His inheritance comes from his father, Fleamont Potter, and, yes, he had to become an expert duellist when he went to Hogwarts.
Fleamont Potter’s inheritance comes from his father, Henry Potter. Henry Potter is the brother of Charlus Potter, who married Dorea Black. So, Dorea Black is my great-aunt. That makes your great-grandfather, Pollux Black, my great-uncle, and Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa Black, my second cousins.
Henry Potter married Elizabeth Grey, which may be a play on words as she is descended from Phineas Nigellus Black. That isn’t in the published Black family tree, as Elizabeth's ancestor was Headmaster Black’s son, born to a muggle girl when Phineas was still a student at Hogwarts.
The Potter family tree also joins the Black Family tree with Fleamont Potter’s wife and my grandmother, Euphemia. It is rarely mentioned that Euphemia is Iola Black’s granddaughter. Iola Black is Phineas Nigellus Black’s sister. So, Iola Black is my great-great-grandmother. That makes me Sirius Black’s cousin, removed a few times by three different lines.
So, Draco, the truth is that you are my second or third cousin or something like that, and I am as closely related to Sirius Black as you are.”
Draco scowled. “You’re making that up.”
Harry shook his head. “The Gringotts goblins did the inheritance test. It is all true. They also have Sirius Black’s will. Sirius made my father his sole heir, so it doesn’t matter what is in the family tree; you will never be the Black of Black. My father’s inheritance rights are now mine. At the moment, I will inherit the title if Sirius dies without a natural heir. But Sirius is young. He may yet marry and have children, so I am not planning on being anything other than Mister Potter. The Potter family were never lords and ladies.”
Harry glanced at Daphne, who was happily grinning. “There is another question. What happens if Sirius dies, and I die. Who will be Lord Black, and who will inherit the Potter millions? Potter family inheritance has its own rules embedded in Potter family magic. At the moment, the heir will be the eldest Black daughter, Bellatrix. But Bellatrix can’t inherit from me because she is a Death Eater. Potter family magic rules out Death Eaters. That makes Aunty Andromeda my heir.”
Draco scoffed. “Andromeda was cast out of the Black family. She can’t inherit.”
Harry shook his head again. “It’s the Potter family that she will inherit from. The Potters always allowed women to inherit, unlike the Blacks, who insisted on men being the heir. Also, Black family magic doesn’t allow anyone to be cast out. Walburga Black wished she could cast Sirius out, but it never happened. Sirius was always the Black heir and became the Black head of house when his father died. Aunt Andromeda was driven out of the Black family social circle, but she is still a Black.”
Draco looked thunderous, and Daphne was laughing.
A house elf popped in. “Mistress wishes you to come to afternoon tea.”
Harry knew that voice. “Kreacher! What are you doing here?”
Kreacher bowed to Harry. ‘Heir Potter, I am serving Mistress Narcissa.”
“Why aren’t you at 12 Grimmauld Place? You serve Lord Black, and your place is at his house.”
Kreacher glanced at Harry. Harry didn’t like the wicked glint in Kreacher’s ancient eyes.
“Lord Black has released me from his service and directed me to come to Malfoy Manor to serve Mistress Narcissa.”
Harry didn’t like the sound of that.
“What about Lord Black’s house? Who is looking after it? Who is looking after Mistress Walburga?”
Kreacher twisted and squirmed. He wanted to run away.
“Lord Black was ordered by his healer to go to Blackmoor Park. The Blackmoor Park house elves don’t want me there. Lord Black hated Mistress Walburga’s house. The last thing he did on the day he left was to brew burning potions in the lowest cellars. After a day, the fires burst out and took hold before Kreacher could put them out. The house burned. The walls collapsed. There is nothing left there but ash and rubble.”
Harry was stunned. He had controlled so many things, and now here was something he could not have anticipated.
“Is everything gone? Is the library gone?”
“Kreacher knew the most secret books. Kreacher moved them to Mistress Narcissa’s place before they burned. Kreacher saved the most precious things. Mistress Narcissa is keeping them here.”
Harry paused, “We will go to afternoon tea. After that, I want to see what you saved, Kreacher. Also, thank you for saving what you could. Lord Black may not appreciate you, but you still serve the House of Black.”
Afternoon tea was tense. Cyrus Greengrass and Lucius Malfoy were absent. Before coming to Malfoy Manor, Cyrus told Harry that Lucius would try to persuade him to buy one of the weaker Malfoy businesses. Cyrus would never buy it, but he would extract information from Lucius about the other Malfoy investments that were not doing well. The only businesses that Malfoy made any money from were illegal.
Lucius Malfoy was notorious for dressing up failing companies with false business results to sell them to unwary buyers. In a properly regulated legal system, Lucius would be prosecuted. But in the wizarding world, he could get away with it.
When afternoon tea started to break up, Harry asked Narcissa if he could see what Kreacher saved from Grimmauld Place.
Narcissa reacted with surprise. “Oh! How do you know we have some things from Grimmauld Place here?”
Harry replied, “Kreacher told me. I am the Black heir, and his loyalty to the House of Black does not allow him to hide anything from me. That is, if I word the question so he can’t wriggle out of answering me. Sirius and I are not Kreacher’s favourite people.”
Narcissa started, “You! You’re the heir! How?”
Harry nodded, “Sirius made my father his sole heir. It’s written in his will. When my father died, the inheritance passed to me. I am Sirius’ sole heir. The will is lodged in Gringotts, and the goblins have accepted it. Sirius can change it, but he hasn’t.”
Draco huffed, “I don’t believe it. There must be a way to challenge that. If it is true.”
Harry turned to Draco, “As I told you before, Draco. I’m not expecting to be Lord Black. Sirius is alive, and he is still young. He can still have children, and the succession will no longer bother us.”
Narcissa glared at Draco, “Heir Malfoy, isn’t one house enough for you? Who knows what nasty surprises Sirius will leave his successor. Heir Potter, you asked to see what was rescued from Grimmauld Place. Kreacher!”
Kreacher popped into the room without his usual delay.
“Yes, Mistress!”
“Tomorrow morning, you will show our guests the Black Room.”
“As you wish, Mistress.”
-ooOOoo-
The summer afternoon light at The Burrow illuminated a bucolic scene. The purple and red clash of colours ruined the picture as the headmaster of Hogwarts appeared outside the garden gate.
Albus went to the kitchen door and knocked. He was confident of a happy welcome.
Molly opened the door. “Headmaster! This is a surprise. How can I help you?”
“I was hoping to speak to Harry Potter. I trust he is settling in here.” Albus gave his best grandfatherly smile.
Molly Weasley did not react happily. “Don’t you know, headmaster? Director Bones ordered him to go somewhere else.”
Albus managed to keep his smile in place. “No! I did not know. I will talk to Director Bones about this. Please be ready to welcome Harry when he arrives.”
Albus left in a hurry. He kept his happy grandfather act in place until he apparated away.
-ooOOoo-
Harry, Daphne and Draco waited in the Morning Room the following day.
Narcissa summoned Kreacher, and the ancient house elf instantly popped into the room.
“You may show our guests to the Black Room.”
Kreacher shot an angry glance at Harry and hurried from the room. Harry, Daphne, and Draco followed. Kreacher never moved this quickly when he lived at Grimmauld Place.
The Black Room wasn’t black. It was a side room filled with bookcases and display cabinets.
Harry entered the room and stopped. Harry commanded, “Don’t touch anything!”
-ooOOoo-
“Wow! This place reeks! Voldemort doesn’t know all the magic that’s recorded in these books. Wait a minute. Keep them away from that cabinet. I know that feeling. Go over to that cabinet, but don’t touch it.”
“What am I looking for, Tom?”
“A locket with Slytherin’s crest on it.”
“There it is. It's calling to me to hang it around my neck.”
“Don’t! Don’t answer the call. It’s a Horcrux. This is Black property. You can demand they surrender it to you, but we need a plan. The locket has to go straight to Eric Davis.”
“Why was it at Grimmauld Place?”
“It shouldn’t have been there. It was hidden in a cave on the Atlantic coast.”
“Someone took it and left it at Grimmauld Place.”
“Regulus! It must have been Regulus, Sirius’ younger brother. He joined the Death Eaters. One day, he disappeared and failed to respond to the summons. He must be dead. Ask Kreacher! He won’t let you see his thoughts. You will have to get him to tell you.”
-ooOOoo-
“I wish to talk to Kreacher alone. Daphne, Draco, please leave while I discuss Black family matters with him.” Harry adopted his best simulation of an arrogant Black lordling until the others left the room.
The door closed, and Harry sat on the floor facing Kreacher.
“Kreacher! Tell me what happened. How did that locket find its way to 12 Grimmauld Place?”
Kreacher tried to stay silent. Harry waited. Eventually, Kreacher’s magic compelled the elf to answer Harry.
Kreacher told how Voldemort had ordered Regulus to get him an elf. Regulus obeyed and told Kreacher to go with Voldemort. When Voldemort had finished with him, Kreacher was to return to Regulus.
Voldemort took Kreacher to a cave on the coast. In that cave were a lake and a small boat. The boat took them to a rock in the lake. On that rock was a basin filled with a potion. The rock was guarded by inferi in the lake.
Lord Voldemort ordered Kreacher to drink the potion. The potion caused extreme agony and burning thirst. Voldemort ordered Kreacher to finish the potion. Kreacher fell to the ground when he emptied the basin, crying with agony and thirst. Voldemort placed a locket in the basin. The basin filled itself with more potion. Voldemort left, leaving Kreacher on his own.
Regulus had ordered Kreacher to return to him, so Kreacher apparated to Regulus. Kreacher survived. If he had tried to drink the lake water, the inferi would have killed Kreacher.
When Kreacher recovered, he told the story to Regulus. Regulus told Kreacher not to tell anyone about the cave. After a few days, Regulus told Kreacher to take him back there.
Once they were on the rock in the lake, Regulus took a locket from his pocket. He told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets.
Regulus ordered Kreacher to leave without him. He ordered Kreacher to return to Grimmauld Place and to never tell his mistress what had happened.
Kreacher was also ordered to destroy the Dark Lord’s locket.
Regulus drank all the potion, and Kreacher swapped the lockets. Kreacher had to watch as Regulus was dragged beneath the water.
Kreacher became more distressed as he told the tale. He was now weeping and wailing.
“Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to destroy the locket. Kreacher failed! Kreacher could not make a mark on it. It had to be opened. Kreacher could not open. Too much magic on it.”
Harry waited until Kreacher stopped crying.
“Kreacher, I know people who can take care of that locket. I want to finish what Master Regulus wanted you to do.”
Kreacher stared at Harry. For the first time, there was no hostility.
“Master knows how to open it? Master knows how to destroy it?”
Harry nodded and walked to the door. He opened it and found Daphne pacing in the hallway.
“What are you doing, Harry! Draco ran off as soon as the door shut. You better have a good reason for locking me out!”
Harry beckoned Daphne into the room and shut the door. He then placed a locking charm on the door. Lucius Malfoy could have overpowered the charm and opened the door. Harry planned to be finished before that could happen.
“Daphne, can you call a Greengrass house elf to you?”
“Sure, I’ve been a guest here before and called our house elves.”
Harry then conjured a magical strongbox. He then levitated Slytherin’s locket into it and locked the box.
“Please call your house elf to this room and tell the elf to take that box to Greengrass Manor. The box will be locked away securely until Lord Greengrass arrives.”
“OK. Can I have a hint about what this is?”
Harry shook his head. “Sorry, it’s safer for you if you don’t know.”
“Are you allowed to take something like this out of Malfoy Manor?”
‘Yes, Daphne. I can show you something.”
Harry held up his right hand and commanded his heir’s rings to appear. The Potter and Slytherin rings appeared on Harry’s ring finger.
“You know my Potter heir’s ring. I now have the Slytherin heir’s ring. The locket in this box belonged to Salazar Slytherin. As the Heir of Slytherin, I have the right to take it. I am also Heir Black. I could claim the House of Black heir’s ring, but I don’t want that much complication at the moment.”
Harry turned to Kreacher. Kreacher had been watching. His eyes were wide as he stared at Harry’s rings.
“That is right, isn’t it, Kreacher? You can sense the power of this ring.”
“Yes, Master. You are the Heir of Slytherin, and you are Heir Black.”
Daphne let her sarcasm out to play, “Fantastic! Nearly all of Slytherin and half of the rest of the school are convinced that you are the next Dark Lord. Now, you are showing me the proof that you could be. I have promised people all over the place that you are harmless. What am I to say now?”
“I am harmless, Daphne. Of course, that is until someone gets me annoyed.”
Daphne glared at Harry. “Toffee!”
After a second’s delay, a house elf dressed in Greengrass livery popped into the room.
“Toffee, please take this box and lock it in Lord Greengrass’ strongroom.”
‘Yes, Miss Daphne.” The elf took the box and popped away.
Harry turned to Kreacher. “Thank you, Kreacher. I will inform Lady Malfoy about the locket. You may continue serving Lady Malfoy but don’t allow anyone to interfere with this room. The things left in this room belong to Lord Black.”
“Yes, Master.” Kreacher popped away.
-ooOOoo-
“Harry! We haven't found the diary. It was given to Malfoy, but he doesn't have it here. I can't sense it anywhere. It might be in his vault.
We must find it Harry. It's the most dangerous one. It's the first one he made, so it will be the closest to being human.
I don't want to load you down with this, but we must finish it. The memories are weighing me down. I don't know how long I can go on. We have to destroy them all, then I can rest.”
“Tom, are you sure about this? You know that you are guessing about what will happen.”
“All I can say is that when all the Horcruces are gone, Voldemort can be destroyed. Then the way will be open for me to go. I'm not afraid of dying; you shouldn't have to carry me around.”
“We'll finish it, Tom.”
-ooOOoo-
Someone hammered on the door. Draco’s voice was heard.
“You have to come out now! Mother wants to see you.”
Harry looked at Daphne, “I’m harmless, but some people are testing me, though.”
Daphne laughed.
Harry opened the door. Draco had already run away.
“Miss Greengrass, please take my arm as we promenade.” Harry held his arm up, and Daphne took it.
They slowly walked back to the parlour.
“Is this what you were doing when you walked arm in arm with Hermione? Calming down an angry girl.”
Harry replied, “Hermione said something which hurt me. She sensed that I was hurt, and she took it back and apologised. I wanted to show her that I had forgiven her. This is something I have never experienced. Hermione knew immediately that I was hurt, and she reacted to my hurt. I suppose that is empathy. That’s not something that you find in Azkaban.”
They walked on, and then Daphne asked,” Do you want to come and stay at Greengrass Manor for two weeks?”
“That would be wonderful, Daphne. Can you invite Hermione as well?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“You needn’t say it with icy daggers in your voice, Daphne. I’m eleven years old. Soon I will be twelve. The healers told me I would always be years behind my age group as I grew up. They also told me girls mature years before boys, so I’m a bit lost here. Have mercy.”
Daphne looked at Harry.
“Oh! Harry! You’re smiling!”
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