Ch. 157 Summer meetings pt.2: Unexpected request

You see, besides mother introducing Sirius as her renewed fiancé to me and finally meeting my future mother-in-law, those were not my most surprising event of the summer.

A completely unexpected event which, I could only assume, occurred due to my actions and suggestions.

-Flashback to two days before meeting with Dumbledore.

"And that's how you create my original Protego charm." I proudly say to Tonks as she began her fifth attempt of the hour.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Just watch and I'll show you how quick an Auror can learn this." The stubborn woman replied as she once again attempted to cast the spell.

She had met all the requirements to cast the spell, but it is hard to get initial results due to some of the new concepts and emotions it uses. Kinda like how the patronus charm can be difficult for people to properly master.

I could tell she was on the right track though, and having the creator of the spell walk her through it just sped her progress up immensely. It's also been fun to hang out with her again. Victoria and I have been coaching her in my white magic ever since I made my little alliance with the Order, which Dora had finally joined.

Although the two girls are pretty different, they've still formed a good friendship with each other. Tory has had troubles in that department because of her relationship with me and her own achievements which had intimidated our peers, while Dora was always ostracized due to her natural gift, petty jealousies and her fiery attitude due to having to deal with everything else that comes with being a metamorphmagus. So they found friendship and respect in one another, even if they're a few years apart.

But, as I watched Tonks finally forming a faint golden circle where her wand was pointing, a very familiar voice took my attention away.

"Master, you have an owl waiting for you! It's very mean! Nipped at poor Tilly when she tried to take the letter." The little house elf said from behind me.

"Could you tell who it's from? I don't really get any owls anymore and I wasn't expecting any." I asked curiously as I looked away from Tonks.

"No, Tilly couldn't get the letter from mean owl. It's not little master Harry Potter's or any Ministry owls either." She answered with her head shacking.

"Well, isn't that odd." I said to myself as I thought of the possibilities.

"What's going on Aedan? Your mum need something from her precious boy?" She teasingly asked with a grin.

"No, just an unexpected owl from an unknown source. But I don't think you want to go to mothers considering how you still live under your owns thumb." I replied with my own grin.

"Hey, I can totally move out whenever I want. I just prefer to wait until I become a real Auror. Besides, your the famous Lord Bones while I'm just an apprentice Auror, who should be ashamed of living with their mum now?" She fired back as she defended her still living with her parents.

"Well, unlike a certain someone, my house is just about finished and that's with me having only graduated recently." I off-handedly said in response as I brushed off her reply and turned to leave the training area.

"Hey! Where are you going you prat?" She yelled as I left with the final word.

"Gotta do my job. Someone sent an owl and not even the family elf can receive the letter, so that means it's for my eyes only." I answered without turning back. "You're doing a good job on the spell Dora, keep it up."

With that said, I followed Tilly to the owl.

It seems that the fellow was defending the letter on top of the dinning room table, looking at both myself and Tilly in wariness.

I calmly approached it, making the black and grey eagle owl look at my face as I do. He apparently decided I was the one the letter was for and just did the owl equivalent of a nod with a hoot as I took the thing.

'Trained to recognize the receiver, means it's from someone from a rich family, secretive, or just some shady people who know how to work properly.' I thought as I analyzed some possible scenarios.

I opened the blank envelop after a few quick scans to make sure it wasn't cursed or a prank.

'Lord Bones,

I have found myself with information you would find more than useful in these changing times and would like to request a meeting.

I will be waiting at the White Wyvern whether you believe my claim to be true or not. If you do decide to meet, simply ask for room 3 tonight.

Hopefully when can begin a mutually beneficial relationship.'

'No signature, pseudonym or titles. Annoying, but the letter does at least give me a few clues.

The style of writing itself is precise, elegant and holds its own unique traits, traits consistent with strict Noble families who train their progenies from a young age. It looks like it should be a woman who at least wrote the letter itself, but that doesn't guaranty the person who wants to meet me is one.

Wants to keep their identity a secret and hints at knowing my true stance regarding the political climate, meaning this person knows I am against Death Eaters. The only ones who know this are my own people, the Order and the Death Eaters who've joined Voldemort already. Almost definitely from the third group since my men would have just told me and Dumbledore would have been straight with me instead of doing this.

So the writer is almost certainly someone from a Death Eater family, wants to deal with me because they don't believe Dumbledore is an option, believes I can be manipulated or easily fooled, or is looking for some kind of protection. This could just be an interesting assassination attempt too, but I think it's the least likely possibility at this point.

Overall, they have my curiosity.' I thought as I tried to gauge the intent behind such meeting request.

"Tilly, tell mother I will be out tonight and get my concealing gear ready for me." I order the elf, making her pop away immediately.

I then sent a message to Oliver in order to have men waiting in the White Wyvern before I get there, just in case. They know how to be subtle.

Couldn't have Dora over for dinner today because of this surprise meeting, but we scheduled another lesson after my meeting with Dumbledore. And after a month of training she's been showing a lot of improvement, leaving Moody quite moody that his apprentice was learning more under a kid like me. (Yes I had to do that at least once.)

So after dinner, I equipped myself properly before heading out for my mystery meeting. I wore a basilisk/dragon hide vest under enchanted robes, had my hidden bracers on, my enchanted knife, my detection ring, emergency portkey, and all of it concealed by an enchanted hooded cloak which shadowed my face and body.

And don't judge, being the strongest doesn't mean I'm invincible. Too many stories about betrayals, poisons, alliances just to take a person down and assassinations to believe no one can kill me. Heck, there's still technically a possibility I could get killed by a random muggle. So constant vigilance and all that.

So with a message from my people saying they were in position and myself being ready, I used the Floo network to reach the Leaky Cauldron before calmly making my way to Knockturn alley, always keeping my magic sense open in case of an ambush.

Fortunately those who saw me were smart enough to not get in my way. A 6'3 man with a calm and steady walk, silent steps and leaking a small amount of my predator's aura. It lets people know I am dangerous, or at least too dangerous to mess with for minor gains.

Reaching the White Wyvern, I asked for room number 3 as instructed, giving a hidden signal to my men that I had arrived at the same time.

The place hadn't changed at all from the time I had my first meeting with Jennifer. Still an even worse version Leaky Cauldron. But I just ignore all that whilst focusing on possible movements and what lied ahead.

Reaching the correct room, I prepare myself and let my magic flow through my entire body as I ready both offensive and defensive magic. I gently open the door, but my senses only feel a single occupant, which I doubt is Voldemort himself, so assassination attempt has dropped down on my list of possibilities. And just as gently as before, I close the door behind me.

I then walk to the unoccupied chair set for this meeting as I look at the cloaked person sitting on the other. With every step I use my magic to form wards to block any form of apparition, portkey, elf magic or spacial movement, firmly locking the room off from anyone trying to get in or out besides me.

This is a demonstration of my ability to cast magic from anywhere on body. If I understand what I am trying to do well enough and practice, I can cast a spell, set a rune/Ward and block magic using any part of my body. Of course, my limbs are much easier to use when i want to be accurate, but I can do full body magic.

Then I add intent and deceit detections just as I sit down and give my focus to the one who I assumed called me.

"That was certainly an impressive demonstration. I assume I am speaking to Lord Bones then?" The female voice asked as my piercing blue eyes were the only thing she could really see because of my enchantments.

The cloak she was wearing covered her face and body well, but the materials gave her status away. Then her body language screamed that she wasn't in her preferred environnement and her tone of voice and the state of her magic tells me she isn't hostile at the moment.

"The one and only. Should I be the first to take down my hood or are we going to stay like this? Not much of a point since we both know who the other person is." I asked the woman in front of me.

"You believe to know who I am. I do not belittle your abilities, but I doubt you truly know who I am." She said in disbelief.

"Your choice Lady Malfoy." I simply answered with a devilish grin as I removed my own hood, making her body stiffen completely at my answer.

"You are more capable than I anticipated." Narcissa Malfoy said as she removed her hood and showed an expression telling me she was re-evaluating me.

It was the first time i was in such close proximity to the infamous wife of Lucius Malfoy, but after looking at her carefully I could see she was quite the beauty in her day and still had enough charms to her name. Although her expression was calculative and cold, she possessed nice features of nobility, long blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin. Overall looking very good for a woman and even better when considering she was approaching her mid-forties.

"Yes, the little clues piled up and my own means of gathering information helped me narrow things down even further. But even then, you were one of my least likely suspects on my final list. So tell me, why would the wife of a death eater contact me after her families lord has finally returned?" I asked in a voice devoid of emotions as I looked at her carefully.

"I am sure that you are aware of my cousins actions since becoming Lord Black due to your actions and relationship with him and young Mr. Potter. I will not doubt your intelligence after your performance. But his little prank, as he would see it, of revoking the marriage contracts of myself and dear sister Bella, is why I am here." She answered coldly as she kept her neutral expression.

"And why would this truly affect you? From what I have seen and heard you care greatly for your family and have been the perfect pureblood Noble wife ever since you've married into the Malfoy family." I asked out of curiosity.

"Because that contract is precisely the reason why I acted in such manner." She answered in her cold voice, but I could feel her intense emotions when talking about the contract as I looked into her eyes.

She might have very powerful Occlumency defenses, but they are no match for my own Legilimency. This means that as long as we keep eye contact, I can get very accurate reads on her.

"What exactly did this contract entail? Honestly speaking, it was my own suggestion to cancel them just to mess with your camp. I thought Bellatrix would at least kill her own husband after being freed, but instead I have the other Black sister doing something interesting." I then ask as I divulged my own role in the act.

"That does indeed sound like something my dear sister would do if given the chance. I can't tell what her contract entailed because I was never required to know, but my own I have thoroughly understood to find every in and out. Unfortunately for me, it was a very strict contract, given to the Malfoy's to show the Black family's loyalty to the Dark Lord. They wanted to offer myself, Bella and Andy to three of the most devoted Pureblood families supporting the Dark Lord to prove themselves. Andy got away by marrying her muggleborn husband, but Bella and I couldn't go against what we were taught.

My contract guaranteed the perfect wife of a lord, meaning obedience to the Lord Malfoy, working to improve the house, protecting my lord, giving him an heir and loyalty to the house. The contract could only be canceled by either the current lord Malfoy or Black, and I was hoping my son would be able to free me in time." She explained as I got a very good idea of what happened as a result of this contract.

"The Blacks gave away their daughters as something closer to slaves." I summarized as I couldn't believe the stupidity of such an action when the house was already declining.

"Yes." Narcissa simply answered.

"And if Bellatrix's contract is anything resembling yours, it would explain a major part of why she is so loyal to Voldy. Especially if I'm guessing correctly that the punishment for not following the contract falls on you." I followed up as some new understanding of Voldemort's fiercest follower was unearthed.

This time Narcissa remained silent, but I could see a flood of memories had been triggered when I mentioned the word punishment. I saw glimpses of physical and magical torture, the contracts magic forcing her body and sometimes even her mind, it's constant influence on her and Lucius' less than kind actions as a husband.

"And from your reaction, it would seem that Death Eaters make for poor husbands as well as pathetic men." I added with clear venom in my voice this time.

"That is an understatement." She said as she regained her calm.

"And now that you are free from such a contract you contact me. Why?" I finally ask in order to sate my curiosity over the nature of this very meeting.

"I wish to offer you a deal. Your protection of me and my son for my services and loyalty." She answered with determination.

"Why on earth would you come to me for this and not Dumbledore? One of his biggest traits is his offering of second chances to others." I asked in complete bafflement.

"Because I don't believe the old man can properly protect anyone besides Mr. Potter. Even then both of the child's parents died under his protection, the Longbottom's have been in St. Mungo's for over a decade, your own family was nearly erased, Sirius was imprisoned under his watch, he didn't know one of his most trusted was replaced by a death eater and he cannot match the dark lord anymore." She said smoothly as her voice remained cold.

"This does not explain why would believe a 19 year old has better chances at protecting you, even if I tied against the Dark Lord in a duel." I countered as I wanted to know exactly why she came to me for this.

"Although I was not certain you could match the Dark Lord at his peak before, my doubts on that were cleared the moment you set those wards without using a word nor wand. You have achieved something no one in our history has by acquiring so many masteries and at the same time no less. You are probably the richest man in the country due to your business. And you hold strong positions in the Wizengamot and even the Hogwarts Board of Governors. You can protect me and my child, of that I have no doubt if you try." She said evenly as she named the magical, economic and political power I hold.

"Of course I could do this, but the question remains. Why should I? Why should I act for someone like you? Someone who still supports the idea of blood supremacy even if it is not to the fanatical degree many Death Eaters do. Why should I need your help to accomplish anything if I've already achieved everything you've said before even graduating from school? Why should I try to protect an ignorant child who will not change until he experiences what it really means to be a death eater like his daddy? Why should I not just kill you here and now?" I asked her in return as my voice gets colder and colder, releasing some of my power to put pressure on her.

"Because I can help you completely ruin Lucius and other families." She answered as she tried to remain calm in front of me.

"The only reason your entire family is not dead is because I've been hoping your son could take even a single step to change himself during his schooling. If you didn't have a child still depending on you, the both of you would have disappeared long ago. As for the others, it is generally the same reason." I replied emotionlessly, making her eyes widen at the revelation.

"I can help your business grow as I have with the Malfoy ones. I am the one who's been managing everything for years now and Lucius barely pays any attention as long as the numbers don't go down. He never noticed that I took almost half of the profits for myself." Narcissa added as I could feel her emotions racing bellow her calm face.

"Why in the world would I trust someone like you to be anywhere near the management of my business? You just admitted to embezzlement." I countered calmly as I kept my cold eyes on her, pushing her more.

"I'll swear an oath of service until my life is no longer in danger, or even for a set number of years. I am an excellent potion mistress, a trained fighter, I know my way around businesses and politics, I am certain I could be of some use in exchange for your protection." She responded as her emotions started to show on her face bit by bit under my constant pressure.

"But that still doesn't change my fundamental problem with you Narcissa. You are part of and were raised by a family which believes in being better than others, while having all the advantages possible, but decides to actively harm our kind at every turn to maintain some semblance of power over others. You are part of the people who want to be nobles, but have forgotten about the responsibilities which come with that title. So I ask you again, why should I protect Narcissa Black?" I ask again as my blue eyes start to radiate power, putting even more pressure on the woman.

"Because I... because I... I... I-I don't want to be at their mercy anymore. I am tired of being told what to do, how to act, what to feel, when I know that it's all stupid and wrong. I am tired of dealing with all that death and destruction when I want to be able to enjoy my life. I am tired of having to give up ever having love and being forced to act like love a gay man. I just want to be free and be able to be with those i care for." The woman in front of me finally said as her image as a Lady broke and she told me her real desires.

But when she did that, I got so confused that I unconsciously stopped emitting magic and pressuring her through the mind arts.

"Say what now?" I asked in complete shock.

"Huh?" An equally confused Narcissa said in response as she felt lighter all of a sudden.

"What did you just say?" I ask again just to make sure I heard that right.

"I want to be free?" She hesitantly answered.

"No just before that part." I said as I urged her to repeat what I thought I heard.

"I'm tired of given up on love?" Narcissa she confusedly said this time.

"No, after that bit." I said.

"I don't want to act like I love a gay man?" She finally said.

"Yeah that part. Is it true?" I then ask out of pure curiosity.

"Um, yes. That's why we only have Draco. We've only ever had sex once and he did everything he could to make sure I became pregnant. He even used a ritual on himself because of his preference interfering." She answered in a bit of a daze.

"Oh wow. I mean, I could kinda see it, but just wow." I said as nothing else could really come out because of this really interesting new fact which I was not expecting to learn at this moment.

"So, does this mean you're not going to kill me at least?" The woman then hesitantly asked as she looked at me.

"No, I won't kill you. I was honestly trying to see the true reasons as to why you would come to me. Not the reasons you tell yourself to maintain your dignity or whatever reason you think I would help you. I wanted to hear Narcissa's reason, not Lady Malfoy or Black's proposal." I answered honestly since she was able to tell me her own truth.

"But does that mean you'll protect me?" She hopefully asked this time instead of trying to almost demand a trade for protection.

"Yes I'll protect you. I will take you up on the offer to help manage my business because my circumstances will most likely change soon and I will become busier, but aside from that you will be generally free as long as you abide by whatever protections I set. You will obviously be signing a magically binding contract for obvious reasons, but it's mostly about not messing with my business and confidentiality agreements. We will discuss the details later.

As for Draco, I am sorry to say that at the moment he would be too likely to run back to his father and result in either your death or my losses. He has basically been brainwashed into thinking as he does and the spell will not be broken until he sees what he has been taught, truly means. But he is also going to be at Hogwarts during the year, reducing the dangers significantly. It will remain to be seen if either he can change or you can convince him." I answered, giving her both good and bad news.

"I tried to have him not turn into another Lucius, but whenever I attempted to do so, he forced me to stop and punished me using that damned contracted. I will see what I can do before it is too late. He is still my baby, even after Lucius' so called education." Narcissa said with a heavy sigh.

Although she hated Lucius, her child was still innocent in her eyes and as any mother, she just wanted him to have the best future he could and that couldn't happen under the dark lord.

"You are free to do so. We will discuss how you will be protected in a few days if that's alright. If not, I can bring you to a safe house immediately and have you disappear." I offered the woman.

"No need for that. I have some things to do before leaving and Lucius doesn't know the contract has stopped working yet. He keeps it locked away just in case I would figure out a way around something or maybe destroy it, so I will at least have a few days." She responded with a shake of her head.

"Then I'll give you one of these. In case the worst happens, that portkey will take you to the safe house I planned to bring you to. All you'll have to do is say 'haven'. Better safe than sorry. We'll talk in a few days then." I said as I threw a silver key to her.

"Thank you Lord Bones, I look forward to working with you." She said as she caught the key and managed to return to how a proper Lady should act.

"Just please don't make me regret this. I truly wish for people to improve and move on from the poisonous views of people like the death eaters, but I am also not as forgiving as Dumbledore." I warn her one final time before I start removing the wards I had put in place.

"I understand perfectly and will do my best to show that my words were not empty." She seriously responded as she looked into my eyes without fear.

"I hope so Narcissa. I really hope so." I say as I took my leave.

-End of Flashback.