Harry Gaunt - Chapter 49

Harry withheld a sigh as he approached the downed Druella. He'd slipped inside expecting mortal injury, but instead was presented with this, a crying woman beside a fireplace.

"G-go away," she sniffled weakly, not knowing who had come. She'd curled into a ball cradling her arm. "Silly -g-girl."

She wiped her nose as Harry stepped behind her. "Mrs Black, can you stand?"

Druella went rigid, that wasn't Bellatrix's voice as she peered behind her. "W-what are you doing?" she asked as Harry knelt. "Get back!"

Harry moved his hands away. "Just checking for injuries," he said placatingly. "Your arm's broken."

Druella kept it hidden from him.

"I won't hurt you. I just came to talk." Harry watched her try to shuffle away. "Bellatrix will be mad if I don't help you."

"I don't need your help." Druella felt humiliated as she arrived by the wall.

Harry sighed. He was caught between wanting to help her and being respectful to Bellatrix's mother, he couldn't just manhandle her. "Mrs Black-"

"Stay back," she commanded. "Bellatrix sent you to do what she could not, didn't she?" Druella grabbed a metal poker from beside the fire and waved it at Harry. "I won't allow it."

"What? What on earth are you on about?" Harry hadn't noticed any brain damage. "Look, how about we just sit down-"

She waved the stick again, her other arm still cradled within her lap. "What are you really here for," she asked. "Cygnus is the one, not me, I don't know anything." Druella let the poker dip to the floor, it was too heavy. "It's his fault."

Harry spoke calmly as he took a seat. "I've already spoken to Cygnus," he said as she watched him with scrutiny. "And I don't expect you to know anything he didn't, or do you?" Harry met her eyes.

"I don't." Druella really didn't.

"But you're involved?" Harry leaned forwards. He saw images in her flash within her eyes. "Bellatrix said you and Walburga were close."

He saw a tattoo that moved with a will of its own. Druella was none the wiser. "Show me your arm," he ordered. "Now. You can't leave it like that." He came to his feet.

"I-I don't need your help." Druella pressed back against the wall. "Bring Bellatrix. I'll talk to-"

Harry appeared with a snap by the wall and with a wave of his hand, kept her pressed against it. He reached next for her broken arm.

"No, don't. Please-" Druella couldn't move. "-AH!"

Snap.

The bone went back into place, allowing Harry to lift her sleeve. "Thank Merlin." He looked down with relief at the beautifully clear skin. "I suppose you didn't like the design?" Harry let her go with an amused chuckle.

Druella huffed. "That should be obvious, even for someone like you." She checked on her arm now she could move again, internally amazed at how the pain had simply gone. "I didn't want it. I don't want it." She looked resolute as Harry stepped away.

He found it strange then as he retook his seat, that she'd be complicit in the murder of Arcturus yet had refused the Dark Mark. "And why is that?" he asked her openly.

"Because it's distasteful!" Druella hobbled to her feet, straightening and smoothing the creases in her dress. "A Pureblood lady should not be branded in such a way. We're women, not tapestries." She said carefully in the chair opposite.

Harry nodded agreeably. "Let me introduce myself," said Harry with a smile. "I am Harry Gaunt, Lord of House Gaunt." He politely inclined his head. "We've met before, briefly."

Druella sat up straight, she remembered. "That was a poor introduction, just like your first. You should have stood." She looked across his sitting form, he didn't sit quite straight either. "It seems I was right then."

Lord Gaunt was a Mudblood; and to think that Arcturus knowingly collaborated with him. "How long has Bellatrix known?"

"Known what exactly?" Harry looked at her in confusion. "About the Dark Lord?"

"No not the Dark Lord." Druella hadn't even met the man. "You. You being an upstart Lord. Are you a half-blood? Please tell me your parents weren't squibs."

Bellatrix had to know how unnecessary this all was. Druella hadn't complained when she'd been matched with her father.

"Does it really matter? I am still Lord Gaunt." Harry tried not to snort at the expression she made. "Fine. I am a half-blood."

Druella nodded, looking at him leadingly. "Muggle or Mudblood?"

"Muggleborn," corrected Harry. "My mother. My father was a Pureblood."

Druella wiggled forwards on her chair. "Who? British? French?" She tried to spot what the look she was seeing, where his high-cheeks bones and eyes like emeralds came from. But annoyingly, she didn't recognise them. "You won't tell me?" Harry had pursed his lips. Druella sat back with a sigh as he shook his head. "Does Bellatrix know?"

"Of course. I couldn't keep the truth from her. But I think Bellatrix's concern regarding you was whether we'd be forced to fight against one another, which she doesn't want."

Druella was Bellatrix's mother. It was only natural that she'd want to avoid such an outcome.

"Why do you care so much about what happens?" returned Druella curiously. "You're not one of us. You were no one before inheriting House Gaunt, but now you're willing to fight such a dangerous wizard, and for what?" Druella looked at him searchingly. "It can't be because of Bellatrix."

Bellatrix had once agreed that Mudbloods and Half-bloods were lesser, and that it was they the Purebloods who upheld society. So how when the very thing that could prevent this from happening appeared like a gift, could she not be interested? Why had she chosen Harry?

"It's quite simple really," offered Harry from his chair. "But I can't tell you as things are. We can't trust you." He sat forwards a little. "You must decide."

He heard Druella make a sound of annoyance. She knew he'd ask that, he was picking up right where Arcturus had left off before his death.

"Oh, Arcturus isn't dead by the way." Harry stated with his eyes on hers. "Sirius is Lord now."

Druella snapped her eyes closed, finally realising. "You dare read my thoughts-" She wanted to curse him, that wasn't an easy skill to learn. "-filthy half-blood!"

Harry laughed in good humour, he always enjoying the moment when people realised. "Aren't you pleased Arcturus is alive?" he said to her angry expression. "And Sirius is doing well."

"Of course he's doing well." Druella said through waves of emotion. "Arcturus always said he'd be great, once he grew up a bit." She held back the tears of relief as Harry looked away. "Is he awake?"

Harry waited.

"Is he?" Druella peeked her eyes open. "I see, not yet…" She let her eyes fall weakly to the floor. "We're all just silly fools. Our family is broken, none of it makes any sense."

Druella just wanted her life to go back to the way it was, with three daughters and a husband who loved her. "What must I do?" She looked back, this was all the Dark Lord's fault.

"For now, nothing." Harry said as he came to his feet. "It's all up to Bellatrix to decide." He didn't need a housewife's help as he walked out the door, but Bellatrix might, and an Unbreakable Vow couldn't give that.

"So I am to stay here? I can't stay in here forever." Druella got up and hurried after Harry. "Lord Gaunt?"

Harry held the door for her. "Call me Harry," he said to her surprised expression. "I don't really respond to Lord Gaunt yet." He led her out into the hallway, she was surprised he'd let her. "And I have an idea."

Druella could stay here and be restricted to the sitting room, or have a whole house to herself just down the road.

"And what would that be?"

Harry turned and set his hand upon her shoulder.

Crack.

They outside Bellatrix's bedroom. Harry had done his bit.

~~~~~~~

Sirius appeared in a tumble of books within the Gryffindor common room. "Ow - ah ow!" He bounced off a sofa, scaring a group of first-years chatting by the fireplace. "Bloody hell."

He propped himself up on his hands and knees.

"Are you okay?" asked a curious first-year with pig-tails. "You dropped your books." She poked a finger at them all.

Sirius looked up with a bleary awareness. "Thanks." He began gathering them up.

"You're welcome!" She beamed and turned back to her friends, who all giggled at the interaction with the handsome Sirius.

Sirius quickly hurried off, aware of several eyes tracking him towards the stairs. The tower was where they slept, and it was where he'd find James and his friends as he hurried up.

"James?" Sirius looked around at the many bunk beds. "Remus? Peter?"

"They're not here." James muttered from his bed, sitting with a book and an annoyed expression. "You just missed them." He snapped it closed and set it aside.

Sirius should have seen this coming from a mile off. James as looking purposefully at the ring on Sirius's finger. He's been looking at the map, Sirius could see sticking out from the book. "I'll speak to them later." Sirius came sat on the other bed. "Why are you still here?"

Remus and Peter would be off doing something fun, or at least more fun than staring at a map of Hogwarts.

"Waiting for you of course," returned James. "Why is your Grandfather in the Hospital Wing?" He tapped the cover with his fingers. "And his name, it went weird."

Sirius took a breath. "Prongs, stop being dramatic." He reached across and tugged the book away. "You already know why."

"Yes, but why?" James sounded desperate as Sirius opened the book. "You didn't need to do this. Why didn't you speak to me? Now you're stuck as Lord Black!"

Sirius wore the ring like it wasn't the weight he'd always shied away from. The number of conversations they'd had about changing how their families worked bordered on the ridiculous. "How can you be pleased with this?" James couldn't believe it.

Sirius shrugged as he tried to find the hospital wing.

"It's on the other side. Flip that bit over." James huffed at his best friends struggle. "Oh, give it here then."

"Thanks." Sirius passed it over. It was James who'd been in charge of drawing the layout. "What was weird about his name?"

James found the page and showed it to him. "There's no Lord before it, and it keeps flickering." He poked the ink as if it were faulty. "I suppose he's…" James tried not to look grim at the prospect.

Sirius looked carefully at the page. "Dying, yes. Highly inconvenient."

"So you're really Lord Black now?" said James. "You can't give it up?"

"Unless Arcturus wakes up, then no. And that's a maybe even if that should happen." Sirius passed the map back, there was no use hoping for the impossible. "I am Sirius Black, Lord of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. You may kiss the ring, peasant."

James fell to his knees and shuffled across the floor. "My lord, it is an honour, nay, a privilege to even bear witness to its splendour!" He puckered up and leaned towards Sirius's hand.

"What the hell are you two doing?" said Remus as he trotted in. "That's too much, really."

James kept the act up. "Remus, son of Lupin, your Lord is-"

"Ok ok, enough James." Sirius chuckled as James hobbled up. Peter came in too.

"Fine, ruin everything why don't you." James grumbled, then in a moment of sincerity, offered Sirius his hand. "Good luck Sirius."

"What's this?" Sirius looked at it like it was a prank. "James?"

"Just take it," he said. "As soon as my Dad gets too old, you can kiss my ring instead." James glared at Remus who had begun to snigger. "I mean it. You'll be great Sirius, House Black will be far better off with you as its Lord."

Remus nodded, Peter too.

"Oh alright then." Sirius grinned as he shook James's hand. "Peasant."

"I think the correct term is 'subject'," corrected Remus helpfully. "Or maybe subordinate."

"Subordinate sounds good," said Peter. "More official."

"You're not any of those things," said Sirius firmly. "You're still my friends, being Lord now doesn't change that."

"But you can do what you want now, right?" asked James before glancing around to make sure nobody else was listening. "It's all yours, everything."

Remus leaned in as well, making space for Peter who seemed to catch on. "You're rich?" he asked.

"Shh. We don't want people to know." James had become more paranoid after losing his cloak in the One-eyed Witch Passageway, which by the way he couldn't open no matter what he tried. "It's Sirius's money now. And Gryffindor needs some new brooms."

"James, you're heir to House Potter. Do you have any idea how much Euphemia donates every year?" Sirius did. Arcturus had been on the board for some of the charities. "It's a damn fortune. You could have bought the brooms ages ago."

They all knew that. Remus and Peter had seen the Potter's manor too. "Well, never mind that. House Black's the richest." James stepped away from their circle and looked to the stairs. "Should we tell anyone else?" He looked back, this would shake things up a bit. "Sirius, where are you going?"

Sirius was collecting his books from the bed. "Tell whoever you want," he said absently. "They'll find out soon enough." He left towards the stairs, his next stop the library, he had work to do.

~~~~~~~

Harry stood with his wand up high as he adjusted a set of curtains.

"And over there too, higher." Druella directed with a hand as Bellatrix stood beside her. "Wonderful colours. Good choice Bellatrix."

"Thank you, it's a mossy black."

It was long past supper now, and since his discussion with Druella, Harry had been asked to occupy his time somewhere else while mother and daughter had a proper chat.

"Here?" Harry looked back as he floated a curtain pole. He hadn't the foggiest what they'd decided in the hours he'd waited, but trusted in whatever Bellatrix had revealed. "How about here?"

"Higher."

Harry flicked his wand. His sitting room had already had curtain, perfectly simple one's: no frills, no black and nothing special like what Druella seemed to want. "It's fine now," he decided with another flick. "Can we please move on?"

Druella had insisted that the home be presentable for her stay. A safe, comfortable and fashionable place for her to stay during the coming conflict.

"Almost there Harry," placated Bellatrix. "Mum, this'll do." They'd already refurbished almost every room, each of which now looked suspiciously like that of Grimmauld Place.

Druella conceded. "Yes, thank you Harry." Bellatrix looked them encouragingly as Druella came forward. "And thank you for letting me stay here."

Harry was an impeccable wizard, Druella had to admit despite her initial doubts around the things she'd heard. Bellatrix had of course told her so, trying her best to reassure so many of her mother's concerns.

"You're welcome, Mrs Black." Harry inclined his head, making sure to include the proper corrections to his posture. "I'll arrange the house elf tomorrow. Greycup finally has one."

Druella was looking at him, there was so much she'd like to ask him. "Would you be willing to collect dinner for us?" she asked. "And could I come, to Hogwarts I mean." She glanced back at Bellatrix. "I may be able to secure a house elf straight away."

"You're not planning to abduct one, are you?" Harry wondered if she might have grown a taste for the act. "They won't come unless Hogwarts releases them, which it won't, because it's Dumbledore."

That had been the hitch in their pan when they'd eaten in the kitchens the day before.

"It's not a problem. I'll handle it." Druella took a hold of Harry's arm, ignoring his slight discomfort at the action. "When you're ready."

Bellatrix had told her to do it as she stepped up to Harry's other side, perhaps hoping that Druella would forget Harry's blood, mysterious past and accept him as he was, a powerful wizard.

Druella felt the cold of Harry's magic a moment later. It was certainly a different sensation as they disappeared with a quiet crack, she hadn't felt magic like it her time at the ministry and the Dementors.

"Thank you." They arrived at the Hogwarts kitchen, where Harry slipped away and found an elf to get food.

Druella meanwhile searched for a specific elf, the one who oversaw everything that went on down here. "Missus?"

A head popped up behind a stove.

"Missus, is that you?" Druella approached eagerly towards the kitchens. It really was Missus, she was staring up in a little apron.

"Mistress?" she asked with shining eyes. "Mistress Drui!" Missus hugged Druella's leg. "We misses you so much."

Missus started to cry.

"It's good to see you Missus," said Druella back. "I've missed you too." Druella didn't quite return all of Missus's affection, which seemed why they were at Hogwarts in the first place.

The other elves seemed very interested at this point of the nicely dressed lady, as did Harry who had his arms overflowing with pots and little bags of food.

Bellatrix giggled as she came up behind him. "She can tell you the story later," she said to him quietly. "It's rather funny given the Rosier's reputation." She peeked at the bags in arms. "Is that Liver?"

Missus was leading Druella away through the kitchen.

"It's pie." Harry had been forced to take all kinds of things.

"It's delicious!" The elf who made it hopped in excitement. "Healthy. Wizards need proper healthy food."

"Yes, of course." He looked a bit like Dobby as Druella returned.

"Bellatrix, Harry. This is Polly." Druella tried to gesture her forward, but Polly the affectionate elf, held on. "She used to attend to House Rosier, and has agreed to return and oversee your property." Druella tried again. "Polly, this is Lord Gaunt, your new master."

Polly blinked up in wonderment. "Master?" she asked.

Harry felt the magic reach towards him. "I suppose, at least for now." He adjusted the bags in his arms, Polly seemed like a good pick. "Nice to meet you."

Polly burst into tears, then ran to his leg and held on.

"I see what you mean," leaned Harry to a smiling Bellatrix. The Rosier's had been ridiculed for being too nice to their servants.

"Master is too kind," sniffled Polly with a wipe of her nose. "Polly will serve master Gaunti, always." She stepped back, waiting for Harry to take them away.

AN

Hello everyone! Bactum here, sorry it's been two weeks since my last post, I've no excuse really, just been running out of steam. So I thought it'd be best to take a break and keep fresh, and work on some of my other ideas before returning in the New Year to finish Harry Gaunt. Which I hope to wrap up nicely for everyone and do it justice.