55 55) Consequences

Orion Black looked at the letter which he had received from Kreacher. Kreacher was the usual messenger between him and Regulus.

It was faster this way. Using his connections with Slughorn, he had gained the apparition permission for Kreacher to Slughorn's quarters. Slughorn the fool he was, gave the permission accepting the reason of personal correspondence with his heir.

Regulus like always had send him a letter this morning too. However using Kreacher meant that the topic was something urgent. Otherwise any normal letter would have been sent by Owls by Regulus.

He opened the letter and surveyed its contents. It couldn't be called a letter. It was more like a note with the way Regulus had written it.

'Father, I talked with Heir Prince about the interests of our house. He had denied our gentle offer, citing ''The Black family holds no influence over the Prince family, remember this Heir Black. If you want to play, then remember the playground is always open. However don't go back crying when the game becomes tough for you''. He also mentioned that he was Andromeda's daughter's godfather. And that any harm falling upon the child which if linked to us would be repaid with blood alike. He likewise shows no fear of our influence or powers in the Wizarding World. I am bidding my time till your next advise on the matter.'

Orion sighed as he read the letter.

He walked over to the Floo and immediately called Cygnus Black, his cousin and also brother in law.

Five minutes later, the floo of Orion's study room became green and roared to life. The person to arrive was none other than a man with similar features to Orion. The Black family features and steely grey eyes of both indicating their relation to each other.

"Orion," Cygnus greeted respectfully to his cousin.

"Has any urgent matter been brought up?" Cygnus asked with a small frown. There had been too much urgency in the voice of Orion when he had floo called him.

"What should I do with this," Orion asked with a frustated expression as he handed the note of Regulus to Cygnus. He had hoped that Prince would back off but now the Selwyn family was going to be a pain in the ass for him. They were already not on good terms after Andromeda ran away from the marriage between the Heir Selwyn and hers.

His family's reputation had been tarnished in the Wizarding World due to that. He had hoped that Prince would back off from the threat and eject Andromeda out of his service, saving tensions for him with the Selwyns. They too were in the inner circle of the Dark Lord, and it made the matter more complicated.

Cygnus calmly read the note. His face didn't changed even for a single moment as he finished the note.

"It is unexpected. Selwn is not going to like this and the Dark Lord would further be displeased about this," Cygnus said calmly as he passed the note back to Orion. Inside though, he was bubbling with anger. He had always valued family above everything, stayed loyal to his cousin and the Black family always. But now, it seemed even fate was testing him. He didn't wanted to be a kinslayer, much less start a feud with another family. He didn't wanted to cause unnecessary problems when the matter could be solved diplomatically. This recent months had been hell for him, Alphard's health was declining fast and it seemed he was not for long in this world. Moreover the news of Andromeda's reappearance was too much to bear. He had loved all his daughters equally but Andromeda was his favourite from the start. She was not headstrong like Bellatrix or completely indifferent like Narcissa.

"The Dark Lord should be notified about this," Cygnus said as he looked at the waiting face of Orion.

"Should we really include him?" Orion asked with a frown as he looked at his cousin and brother in law.

"There's not much choice left for now. This is a matter which would cause tensions among the Inner Circle members. He would surely have to interfere on it sooner or later. It would be better if we include him from first, since it shall mean to him that we value his counsel above all," Cygnus said with a small frown as he looked at Orion who nodded calmly.

"The Dark Lord also holds interest in the Prince Heir. It would be better if we take his counsel into consideration first lest we risk his wrath on us," Orion spoke up with a frown on his face. It was the only matter which was keeping him from using his resources.

"How's Alphard's health?" Orion asked with a concerned face as he looked at his fellow family member.

"The Healers say that he has very little time," Cygnus spoke up with a sad tone as he remembered his little brother. His brother always wanted to be a rogue of the family. He had always tried his best to succeed in his goal. Pollux Black, their father never liked the rebellious nature of Alphard and never missed the chance to remind Alphard of it, making him more determined in his pursuit.

"Bah, the healers are always wrong with our family," Orion said with a scoff. There had never been a single healer of Saint Mungos who had correctly diagnosed any Black family member.

"Uncle Pollux and my father would have died years ago if the healers words had any truth to them," Orion continued letting Cygnus laugh at the memory. Both the elderly Blacks were told that they had months to live when they both caught dragonpox, however both the stubborn Blacks had survived the disease and were still kicking around till now.

"Both are too stubborn even for death Orion," Cygnus said with a small smirk on his face. The two elderly Blacks had outlived many of their generation till now.

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The winds were not flowing today in the town. The stillness in air lingered and it made the three storeyed, castle like building, more haunted than it was. There was an eeriness around the castle which was increased by the reptiles which were circling in the gardens. Each of the snakes were poisonous enough to kill a person completely within minutes. They however never bit anyone as it was such the order of their master who spoke their tongue.

Inside the many rooms of the castle like building, there was a meeting going on between five members.

Four of the persons present in room had similarity in their facial features while the last one was a completely pale man with serpent like eyes which were of an unnatural red colour.

The man with pale complexion was none other than Lord Voldemort, the Leader of the Death Eaters and the one whose followers had striked terrors straight into the heart of Wizarding population. Even while sitting on a chair, he had an aura, an aura that he was not one to be crossed.

Voldemort was a man of many talents and abilities yet he always wondered why he bothered solving the conflicts between his followers. But then again, his followers were still not enough and he didn't want to waste his precious ones due to some enmity. In his long time as a wizard, he had noticed one crucial thing. Purebloods were very prickly creatures, same along with muggleborns.

But sadly he dearly needed these purebloods to support his campaign. Once again fate was having a laugh on him. He had always known that he was a charismatic person who could manipulate people to his whims. The practise started in orphanage and was honed in his time at Hogwarts when he practised it on Slughorn and other teachers and Professors. Part of him liked this manipulating everyone, but it eventually started to bore him. The joy he received earlier from manipulations was no more fun for him now.

Today was one such day like it. One of his inner circle members needed his counsel on the matter of his niece and the effects of her reemergence.

Andromeda Black's elopement with the muggleborn had caused quite a ruckus in the aristocratic society. The Blacks were a family bred pure and the elopement of their daughter with a mudblood just added more insult to the news.

A marriage symbalised the union of two houses in the Wizarding World. Due to her elopement House Selwyn also suffered much humilation as it was the Heir to which she was wedding. The Blacks had to pay a hefty sum to the Selwyns to calm the matter but even then the tensions were present till now.

Suffice to say that the Black family lost much, both in reputation and money. Andromeda's elopement also resulted in her sisters stricter upbringing whom people were expecting to elope too like the middle sister.

The paper mentioning Andromeda Black once again shocked both Selwyns and the Black family. He had maintained his distance from the matter as this was foremost a matter between two families. And while he was the Lord of them, he nonetheless didn't interfered when his presence was not needed.

The Selwyns wanted her killed while some of the Blacks were a little hesitant about it. Kinslaying was not something they wanted to take part in, besides they wanted to gather his counsel, as the person who was giving refuge to Andromeda Black was someone in which he was interested.

Severus Prince, a boy of sixteen who had his personal interest. He had never bothered him much until he learnt more about the Potions factory which he had opened. The boy was talented and hard working. From what he had gathered, he and Lucius Malfoy were apparently good friends. Bringing one to his fold would mean the induction of other too. The Malfoys and the Princes were wealthy families and could support his cause much.

Besides the Prince Potions Factory could donate potion supplies to his men. Moreover he had heard that the Prince boy was an extremely good duellist and a phenomenal Potions Maker which was proved from his recent inventions. The Vampires were not available to his cause but then again none of them had been pretty much open to negotiate with him. They despised the Werewolves in his ranks. He thanked himself for not recruiting them now. The two creatures were natural enemies of each other and would not have settles any less than killing the other.

He however was confused on how to proceed with the boy. The boy was apparently a thorn to Blacks and since they didn't wanted to risk his wrath. They had arrived here to get his opinion on the matter.

"The Prince Heir would be a good ally to us. You have done good Orion, coming to me before proceeding in action," He spoke up with a small smile on his face.

Orion nodded at the praise from his Lord. Cygnus was right in giving him this idea.

"The boy is a half blood but his wealth and connections are increasing day by day with the help of his factory. We must get him to join our ranks. However I don't know what to offer him. He is a talented duellist from the reports of Hogwarts. Perhaps the greatest one among the students. He seeks power but he is earning it himself. He has wealth and connections too. I find myself at impasse my dear friends," he said looking at Orion, Cygnus, Pollux and Arcturus.

Orion nodded simply at his Lord's words. The boy had caught his Lord's interest and the Dark Lord's mind worked in mysterious ways.

Voldemort thought for a moment as he looked at the dark green walls of the room. The recruitment of his followers must be done nicely and properly. Since the Ministry was doing its best to thwart his recruitment, he had to compromise on some things. The loss in quantity must be compromised by quality of his recruits. The quality of his Death Eaters must be superior to the Ministry Aurors and Dumbledore's group.

Till now he had gained many followers, out of them wanting power, shared glory, wealth or either blackmailing them. However no such thing was going to work in this scenario. He didn't have anything about the Prince Heir or Malfoy Lord to blackmail them as they were not men who could be tempted by wealth or power.

He remembered the opposition he was facing in the form of Dumbledore's group. He scoffed remembering of his old Professor. His belief in love being the greatest power of this world.

Suddenly an idea clicked to his mind when he thought of that. An idea that he immediately started to ponder on.

Perhaps the old fool's ideas were good for something.

"Cygnus, you have a daughter in Hogwarts, don't you?" Voldemort asked looking at Cygnus inquisitively.

"I do M'Lord," Cygnus said in agreement, immediately not liking the line of conversation.

"I have a task for her. If she fails, she will suffer punishment. However if she succeeds, she will be rewarded heavily," Voldemort said with a grin knowing that the Black family was not going to like what he was going to say next. Nonetheless he was going to order it, getting purebloods completely ruffled was something he never got bored of.

"How will she be rewarded M'Lord?" Cygnus asked calmly looking at the face of the Dark Lord.

"If she succeeds. She will be the new Lady Prince," Voldemort said with a small smirk on his face as he enjoyed the momentary panic on Cygnus' face.

Afterall, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife'

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