Chapter 16: Lord and Lady?

I am so very dead... Harry thought as Bellatrix kissed him again.

Harry and Narcissa had an early appointment at Gringotts. Bellatrix had merely opened one violet eye at his stirring and pulled him back down onto the bed. She had kissed him sleepily, "Hurry back home." She bade him as he rose to dress.

Bellatrix watched him leave, she couldn't fall back asleep now. With his absence the bed grew cool swiftly and she rose. Well, at least I know that he isn't repulsed by me. A smile tugged at her lips at the way he'd reacted to her kisses last night. He knew that she wasn't his first choice, but when he returned her second kiss, it had been honest enough. Harry and Narcissa were gone now, so she went back to her studying. This book still held secrets, but she worried that none of them would solve her problem.

At Gringotts Harry and Narcissa were met by Griphook and taken back to his office. On the desk before them were several thick packets of documents, "First things first Lord Potter-Black, we must address your Houses. You are currently Lord of Houses Potter and Black, you also have claims by Rite of Blood to Houses Peverell, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and through Rite of Conquest, Slytherin. Will you keep those Houses alive or will you merge them into Houses Potter and Black?"

He and Narcissa had discussed this earlier, Harry had been informed that the best way to consolidate his position was to have fewer Houses, and thus, fewer feuding heirs when that time came. "I will merge those houses, Master Griphook."

The Goblin nodded and made a note on his parchment, he then held out a small dagger and offered it to Harry, "Now for the creation of your Lords ring. Please cut the palm of your left hand, then make a fist and hold it over this," Griphook placed a small black bowl on the table, it was covered in softly glowing runes. Harry made the cut, wincing slightly and then held his fist over the bowl. Griphook counted the drops of blood aloud, "One for House Potter, one for House Black, one for Houses Gryffindor, Peverell, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." Once the last drop hit the bowl Harry felt the wound heal painlessly. The blood at the bottom of the bowl began to sizzle and evaporate, leaving a small black ring.

Griphook took the ring and placed it in Harry's hand. "This is your Lords ring, notice the sigils of Houses Potter and Black have been merged, and then the four other houses have small sigils on each of the cardinal directions."

That bit of business completed, Narcissa looked to Harry meaningfully, he nodded. "Next I would like to formally annul the marriage of Narcissa Malfoy and bring her back into the house."

Griphook nodded and reached into the pile of documents from the reading of Sirius's will. Narcissa stood and held out her wand, ""I Narcissa Cassiopeia Malfoy, do hereby request an annulment from my marriage due to neglect at the hands of my spouse. I request to be adopted back into house Black."

Harry rose then and drew his own wand, "I, Harrison James Potter, Lord of Houses Potter and Black, do hereby honor your requests. Firstly, you are no longer a member of the family Malfoy. Secondly, you are once more Narcissa Cassiopeia Black, member of my home and my heart. So say I, so mote it be."

With a flash of light from their wands it was done. Narcissa was free of Lucius and more importantly, free from Lucius's master. She gave Harry a genuine smile, possibly the first true smile she'd given anyone in a very long time. "My Lord, I cannot thank-"

"Harry. We are family now Narcissa."

Again Harry was rewarded by a smile, Griphook cleared his throat. "Lord Potter-Black, the final thing we need you to sign is your acceptance of a Lords suite at Hogwarts. You, as the Lord of two Houses have the right to a private suite for yourself and any retainers you may have." Harry liked the idea of that, not the idea of retainers specifically, but rather the idea of a place in Hogwarts that was his own. He signed the parchment and Griphook handed him a parcel.

"These are your copies Lord Potter-Black, as of this day, you have a place in the Wizengamot. You may choose to attend meetings on your own, or you may find a trusted person to act as proxy. Typically that would be your spouse. But as you are currently unwed you may select a third party. Once you are ready for that you may send an owl with your selection and we will process the paperwork."

Harry and Narcissa left Gringotts, Narcissa's heart felt lighter than it had in years, she looked to Harry, "Thank you again Harry. You have most likely saved my life today." She surprised him by taking his hand and squeezing it, "I have an idea of how I could help you further my Lord. Perhaps we should find somewhere to eat so that I can tell you my idea.."

The cafe Narcissa chose was one she'd been to several times before. It was a quiet place, well off the beaten path. The proprietor, seeing Narcissa had taken them straight away to a booth, well away from the front door. Narcissa sat down across from Harry and then cast a silencing charm, "There, now we can speak privately. You are a powerful wizard, and I have no doubt that you will grow even more powerful in time. Those who practice the Dark Arts will fear and hate you, those who believe themselves of the side of Light will try to constrain you. I want to be a voice for you when you are not in London, however with the repressive laws our society has put in place I cannot. Unless you marry me."

Harry had been taking a sip from his teacup while she was speaking, at her plan to marry him the tea stopped at the back of his throat and he began coughing. "W-what?" He looked to Narcissa, "You want me to.."

"Marry me, yes. I have no illusions that you would fall in love with me my Lord. But I can help you, and I want to help you. If you will allow me, I will help you make our name as great and revered as it was when my uncle was Lord Black." She took his hand in her own, "I will give you an heir, I will help you raise that child to be great."

Harry looked at their hands, and then to her. Narcissa didn't look like she was plotting, she seemed genuine, he sighed and squeezed her hand, "Narcissa, do you love me?"

"What does that have to do with marriage? Perhaps in muggle society it matters, but here, especially in prominent Houses, marriage is a partnership." She looked at the table, "Lucius never loved me, he found me attractive, and with the right potions he was able to produce a son, but I never had any belief that he would love me."

"I don't want to trap you like he did. Besides, Bellatrix and I have an agreement, if she can't find a way to undo the compulsion charm that was placed on her, I am going to join her in a ritual and we will be bound by magic. I don't want to cheat on my wife, and I don't want to make Bellatrix feel like she's forcing me into something." Narcissa took a sip from her own cup then, watching Harry.

"I do not have to be your only wife, you are the lord of Houses Potter and Black. If I am the Lady of House Potter, there is no reason that Bellatrix could not be Lady Black." Harry thought about it for a moment.

"Except for the whole, 'she's a wanted criminal' thing. We aren't planning to stay in England if that happens. Once Voldemorte has been defeated we were going to leave."

"We could leave together." Narcissa said softly.