Plans, Plots, and Schemes

Minerva had not taken the news regarding Harry Fawkes and Narcissa Black very well. Luckily for Harry when he told her, she didn't have anything close to hand to throw at him and she was not quite angry enough to cast the torture curse on him.

But she was still furious. "Harry Fawkes. How could you be so irresponsible?"

"I had to do something Minerva.."

"The Headmaster was right there, he could have handled the situation. You didn't need to...you realize this will be a duel to the death? Walburga Black is a hateful cow and she will not let an insult like this stand. She's probably teaching Lucius Malfoy every curse she knows."

"The simple fact is, I did what I thought was right. So yes, now I have to live the fact that I'm either going to die, or get married." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "I came here to talk to my friend.."

"What do you want me to say Harry? As you said, you'll either die or be married to a student..I'm not sure which bothers me more..you can't expect me to just throw up my arms and say 'well, I hope you win'.." Minerva sighed, "I just found out that my best friend is going to fight to the death.."

"I'm sorry Minerva, I didn't mean to upset you with this..I just...I wanted you to know, so if I don't come back there isn't anything left unsaid." He drew in a deep breath, "When I first met you, I knew you were brilliant and very skilled. I knew you had the biggest heart I've ever seen when you talked about your students. I just wanted you to know that."

"Harry I..I don't know what to say. I..you are a good man Harry Fawkes, and you will be a wonderful husband. Narcissa Black is a lucky woman..er girl." Minerva took his hand and squeezed it gently, "You constantly push me out of my comfort zone, you say things without knowing you're saying them that drive me insane..but you are one of the sweetest wizards I've ever met, and I am glad I am your friend.."

Scene Break

Narcissa was in her apartment now, she had a parchment on her desk and a quill in her hand.

Dear Andi,

As I'm sure you've heard from your 'secret' chats with Father, Lucius has been challenged for my hand. The challenger is our new Dueling Professor, Harry Fawkes. No, we are not lovers. No, he hasn't tried anything. It gets more interesting though, he's been essentially living with Bella! Apparently, I'm not the only Black sister that he wants to change the marital status of. He's going to fight Rodolphus Lestrange at some point as well.

Now to the reason I'm writing you. There is an excellent chance I will be struck from the family tree if Harry succeeds. Auntie has said as much. If that happens, I would like to see you to discuss how you've managed without our family name. It's not that I'm worried that we'll struggle, Harry is the Lord of House Peverell, (He didn't even know, can you imagine?) but it's more..how will I deal with the fact that most of our family will hate me?

Please, write back soon.

Cissy

P.s. This Owl is named Brutus, he is Harry's, apparently he likes bacon.

The letter finished she left her apartment and made her way towards the owlery. She heard someone behind her, "Sending a letter somewhere Cissy?" Narcissa only had her occlumency training to thank for not jumping, turning she saw that it was her cousin. "Yes Sirius, I'm sending a letter to Andi." She saw no danger in telling Sirius that she was still in contact with her middle sister, his brother Regulus however, that would be a different story. That one laps up the nonsense Aunt Walburga feeds him...

"Careful, start sending letters to my fellow black sheep and people will think you've gone soft." Sirius teased, "So, have you decided on a honeymoon yet? According to the rumor mill you and Professor Fawkes are getting married any day now.."

Narcissa's eyes widened slightly but she recovered quickly, "Are they now? Well, perhaps we'll go to Paris..." She smirked.

"Is it true then?"

"Possibly, or maybe I'll still end up wed to Lucius." She teased her cousin before beginning to walk again, "What brings you so far away from the Gryffindor tower?"

"Everyone knows that Malfoy left the school...again the rumors say that he was going to kidnap you and run away to keep you from Professor Fawkes.."

"Well that is partially true, he did leave the school...and he did want to control my actions.." Narcissa admitted. The smirk on her cousins face left then.

"He was going to try and kidnap you?" Sirius' gray eyes were like chips of ice now, "That lousy little-"

"Calm down Siri, nothing happened." She sighed, "If I tell you what happened, you cannot tell anyone. Especially not Potter or your other little friends."

"Okay, I promise." Sirius said, I promise I won't say a thing...until I get back to the common room..

"Professor Fawkes challenged for my hand. Aunt Walburga was here and she was going to drag me back home, Lucius had planned to put a compulsion charm on me to help me find information on someone..."

"On who?"

"That isn't important." Narcissa replied, I'm not about to tell you that Bella is here and that Harry has been shagging him.

"It's important enough that he was going to take your free will from you."

"And he's failed. In a few days time, Harry will defeat him..." and I'll be free

"So what happens after that?" Sirius asked the million galleon question, Narcissa knew she didn't really have an answer.

"Well, we'll most likely marry at Yule then..possibly earlier. I'll stay here and finish the term, after that..we'll see."

But what that did that mean? What would happen once she was a married woman. She knew that Lucius had told her she would not work, that she would be a good pureblooded wife and eventual mother.

But what did Harry want for their marriage? Narcissa didn't think he would force her to stay home. But what would happen as they grew older? Could they form an actual marriage..or would they be two old people living together?

That's not what I want. If I had wanted that, then I would have stayed with Lucius..

Narcissa wanted a real marriage. She knew that it wouldn't be easy, all it took was one look at the way Harry looked at Bellatrix to know that they were much more than partners bound by a mutual hatred of Rodolphus Lestrange. I know they've shagged...but are they lovers?

Narcissa didn't like the idea of competing with Bellatrix. She was older, more powerful as a witch, and she already knew what Harry liked.

I need to find a way to secure my position in Harry's life. If he's to be my husband, then I will be his wife in all ways.

Scene Break

Harry groaned as he sank into his bed. At his side Bellatrix curled against him, she looked into his eyes with a little grin, "Rough final class I take it?"

He turned pulled against him, "The seventh year Slytherins were a bunch of mewling children. I've got detentions scheduled for them with Pringle for the rest of the week."

Bellatrix smirked and pressed a kiss to his chest, "Such a slave driver Professor Fawkes...whatever will I do with you?" She pressed light kisses up his chest towards his neck.

"It seems like you might have an idea or two already.." Harry said, capturing her lips in a kiss.

"Perhaps I do.." She whispered against his mouth before climbing atop him.

Scene Break

Minerva grumbled as she looked at the ceiling in her bedroom, Why can't I sleep? Was it the talk I had with Harry? I wish there was something I could do...but..I couldn't offer to be his second..I don't know which would be worse; watching him die..or watching him win the hand of Narcissa Black..

Minerva knew that she felt something about Harry Fawkes. She was unwilling to name those feelings. It doesn't matter. He's either a dead man walking or he'll be married to someone who's twenty years younger than me, beautiful, and rich.

She rolled over in her bed, when sleep finally came it wasn't an easy one. Instead dreams filled her mind, images of the life she could have had. Dreams of a farmers son in the Highlands, and dreams of a life at Hogwarts married to her fellow Professor.

Harry and Minerva Fawkes were considered two of the most effective professors at Hogwarts. After Horace Slughorn had retired, Albus had offered the position of head of Slytherin House to Harry.

The inter-House rivalries were interesting to say the least now.

"Harry Fawkes, if you think your snakes are going to beat my lions this year-"

"Oh really Minerva Fawkes," Harry said pulling her down into his lap, "How about a little wager?"

"When I win, you have to wear a Gryffindor scarf to every class for a month." She said kissing her husband.

"Alright, but when I win, you have to let me take you to Muggle London for a dinner at a suitably fancy restaurant of my choosing." He said returning the kiss.

"You're on Mr. Fawkes.."

Scene Break

The next morning a silver envelope found itself on Harry's desk. He looked at it confused, The owl post hasn't ran yet.. He would have seen the flight of owls making their way into the castle during his morning job with Rolanda. It wasn't addressed, but somehow Harry knew that it was from Croaker the moment he touched it.

Bellatrix watched him as he opened the letter. There was a strange look on his face, He looks like he expects that letter to explode..She walked to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked up to her and smiled weakly.

"What's wrong?" She asked him, Harry sighed and looked back at the letter.

"This is from a contact I have at the Ministry. They are helping me in my dealings with Riddle. This is the first time they've sent me a direct message. Normally they send me through a secondary agent." Harry looked at the letter, "I did not get good news last time I was contacted by them."

"Do you know who they are? You keep saying 'they' and 'them'.."

"They are...they work for...damn I can't actually say where they work." Harry said, watching as Bellatrix's eyes widened.

"They're an Unspeakable."

"That I can answer. Yes. They work for the Department of Mysteries." Harry began to open the letter. Bellatrix stepped away when she saw that the text of the letter, to her eyes anyway, was nothing but a series of scrawling lines with no rhyme or reason.

To Harry though it made perfect sense,

Harry,

I've been informed by Albus about your duel with Malfoy. I would recommend caution. Malfoy Sr is a skilled duelist. There is no doubt that he will have taught his son well.

Next, should you win, it would be advantageous for you to seek out the approval of Arcturus Black. He is the current head of the family Black. Marrying his youngest granddaughter will bring you into the family, provided Walburga doesn't disown her.

If you gain an audience with him, remember that he is a cagey bastard. Don't make promises unless you know damn sure what he's asking for.

I will send you some more information after the duel.

C. Croaker

Harry sighed and put down the letter, "Well. They know about the duel. They think I should try to get on the good side of Arcturus Black."

"That's a good idea but risky. Grandfather is not an easy man to like." Bellatrix said frowning, "We will need to find a compelling reason for him to see you as a better option than Riddle."

"Considering an alliance with Riddle could easily end in the deaths of the entire family, that shouldn't be too hard.." Harry said, turning as he heard Bellatrix scoff.

"Grandfather doesn't care about that. He cares more about how rich he's going to be if Riddle takes over."

"Well, what if we convince him that Riddle will drain the Black vault dry?" Harry thought, "Riddle doesn't care about his servants, so long as they keep paying for his desires."

"It would take a long time to drain the vault. But that's probably our best bet for now. At least until we can convince him that House Peverell is worthy of an alliance."

Bellatrix made a fair point, Harry needed to make his plans. Hopefully it won't be too much of a sacrifice. If he tries to push things I'll just keep fighting this war on my own.

"Well, we have the morning to figure out a plan.." Harry said, watching the letter and envelope turn to ash and then vanish. "Neat trick, I need to learn how they do that."

"It's a one-way letter, once it's recipient reads it, it destroys itself." Bellatrix said, "It's very common when you need something to only be read by one person. That's why I couldn't look over your shoulder."

Magic can be very handy...Harry found himself thinking and not for the first time. When he first learned about magic, it had seemed miraculous. You could make anything happen, and then he met Hermione who had showed him that even the magical world had laws it had to obey.

A house elf appearing with their breakfast halted any further conversation. Harry and Bellatrix began to eat, instead of sitting face to face today, Harry had moved so that he could eat beside her. She unconsciously shifted so that her body was touching his. "I was thinking that I might go back to Pounds House while you're teaching." Bellatrix said as she took a bite of her bacon. "There are some books from the Peverell library that I am interested in."

Harry nodded, then paused, his fork halfway to his mouth, "But don't I have to go with you?"

"No, the wards would only affect us traveling by apparition. I'll be using the floo." She explained, "We need to contract Gringotts to change the wards though. We need to key Cissy and myself in."

"Do you think it would work if we went on the weekend?" Harry thought about his schedule, "This week isn't a Hogsmeade weekend, so I don't have anything else to do."

"Do you want to bring Cissy to Pounds House before the duel?"

"I don't see why not. She'll be living there with us after the duel." Harry watched as Bellatrix took a final bite of her breakfast and then wiped her lips with a napkin. "I do not like the idea of sharing you. I realize that I have to, in order to keep my dear sister from becoming a slave to that blonde ponce, but I don't have to like it."

She turned and pulled his head down to kiss her. The kiss was deep and needy, her hands found their way into his hair. "You are mine, Harry Fawkes." She rose and pulled his hand back towards their bed.

Harry allowed himself to be led and then pushed onto the bed. His hands went to slide under her robes. And then he heard a knock at the door. "Damn it." He and Bellatrix both said. Harry pressed a kiss to her lips and rose.

Bellatrix went to the floo and with a quickly shouted "Pounds House!" vanished in a flash of green fire. Harry opened his door to find Minerva standing there.

"Harry, I'm sorry to bother you I- who was here with you?" She asked noticing the breakfast setting for two and the chairs so close to each other.

"It was just my second. She came to go over our plans, and we had breakfast together." Harry said, "She just left when you knocked on the door."

"So you do have a second? I'm glad..I..I was going to offer but-"

"It's fine Minerva, if the worst happened, I'd prefer if it there was only one missing professor rather than two." Harry said. He had noticed the look on Minerva's face when he mentioned that his second was a woman.

Minerva looked angry that my second was a woman. I think Rolanda might be right...maybe she is interested in me. Unfortunately I have Bella in my life...she's barely okay with Narcissa, I doubt very much she'd be alright with Minerva..plus how would Minerva feel if she found out I was in a relationship with Bellatrix Lestrange...I think it's best if we don't talk about it.

"So, what can I help you with?" Harry asked, reminding Minerva that she had came to his quarters.

"At breakfast today four of my students got a detention from Horace. However he has one of his 'slug club' meetings tonight. He asked me to take them, however I have some business to attend to so I cannot. Would you be willing to take them?"

"Which students?" Harry had a feeling he knew the answer if it was four Gryffindor students.

"Misters Potter, Black, Pettigrew, and Lupin."

Harry grinned, "I'd be glad to host them tonight. Please have them come see me after the seventh year class finishes."