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HP: Harry From The Ancient House Of Black [ Chapter 48 ]
🕑 Added 2024-12-02 16:05:23 +0000 UTCBlood was everywhere, but Ivan would clean it up. He was good at that. A simple cleaning charm removed Kruger's blood from him and as he made his way to leave Haydn stopped him.
…
"Aries?" He said. "Could you cast some of your wards on the door?"
"Why?"
"You didn't think you'd get all the fun with him would you?" Haydn said incredulously. "Arianna is our friend too."
Aries nodded, casting the spell, and left them with only one instruction: "Don't kill him."
Daphne was waiting for him again in the entrance hall, giving him a look over before nodding her approval.
She had taken a step forward in his plans for her and he knew she deserved an award for her faith in him.
He had danced with other girls leading up to this moment: Fleur, Clarissa Mayer, Emma Dubois, and even Susan Bones, but now he focused only on his date.
The night ended far quicker than he would have liked, and that was something considering he truly disliked balls other than the opportunity to make connections.
Aries walked Daphne down to the dungeons, stopping often as she told him a story regarding a certain spot in the castle.
When they at last reached the dungeons she gave him a look of expectancy and he returned it with a smirk.
"You surprised me tonight." Aries said as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I did not think you would approve."
"You think me weak?" she answered coldly.
"I think there's more to you than meets the eye."
"Perhaps." A smile met her lips. "He deserved it. And those who deserve pain should not be spared."
"An interesting view, one that seems an outlier among your others."
"And what do you know of my views?"
"I'd like to know them all. Especially about our society and what you think should be done about it." Aries answered truthfully. Daphne pondered his words, pulling away from him.
"Dumbledore is good for our society." Daphne began. "And at the same time people like Lucius Malfoy, as much as I loathe to admit it, are as well. They represent the meeting of two worlds. But the problem is that they refuse to talk, to compromise.”
“You are either a blood-supremist or you're a blood-traitor. My father has sat with the Greys for years trying to bring the two other parties to the table, to create a society that holds to our traditions while refining it all the same. I do not want our world to become like the muggle world, but neither should it stay stagnate."
"And what of the muggle world?" She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip in a way that threatened to distract the young wizard.
"We should not be in hiding." She answered at last. "We are their betters. But that means we have a responsibility. Not to enslave them, but to guide them. They should answer to us yes, bow down to us if they have to.”
“We should be their kings and queens, not hiding far from them. I don't believe we should enslave them or massacre them, but they need to learn their place in the world."
"I could not agree more." Aries said. "So where do I come in?"
"What?" It clearly caught her off guard.
"I'm no fool. You think I did not notice? Your thrill for the Dark Arts and your attraction to me is real, but we are alike in far too many ways for me not to see what you see. What is your endgame?"
"Your influence." Daphne was calm and confident, her composure restored. "You could bring both sides to the table. I see what you're doing with this tournament and that article with Skeeter. Father could tell you that it's working. If you join my father's party, we have a chance at making that dream a reality."
"I will not be Lord Black for some time."
"No, but your influence. Your reputation. Simply supporting my father and his party would do wonders for his agenda."
"And does your father know of your intentions?"
"Of course not. Father would disapprove. He'd disapprove of me learning the Dark Arts and most certainly disapprove of you. Though he would dislike Malfoy even more."
"Why the Dark Arts?" Aries asked. The girl had been soaking up the powerful spells and her Occlumency was improving. She was becoming a fearsome duelist and Aries could not be prouder.
"He fears that if it becomes known that we know the Dark Arts then-"
"He'll lose his influence within his supposed neutral party."
"Yes."
"Daphne, I have plans," Aries confessed. "Things I wish to do one day. I want to change the world, and its no Albus Dumbledore that I intend to be. But neither will I be the Dark Lord. I think that you and I could do great things together, it will be difficult. But it can be done." He stepped closer to her, and she instinctively pressed herself close.
"Together?" There was a slight vulnerability there, a tremble in her voice.
"Perhaps." Aries leaned forward and kissed her. It was short, but when he pulled away Daphne had a bright smile on her face.
"Goodnight Daphne." Aries left her, knowing that he had taken a large gamble tonight, but he had a strong feeling that his roll of the die would pay off.
The Return of the Ancient House of Black was just beginning.
….
The mystery of Tom Riddle, former Heir of Slytherin, had puzzled Aries Black, the current Heir of Slytherin, since the portrait of Salazar Slytherin came to life shortly before the Second Task.
It was the reason he poured through the library's extensive collection of the Daily Prophet instead of playing cards with Haydn or enjoying the pleasures of a broom cupboard with Daphne.
Fifty odd years ago Riddle had opened the Chamber of Secrets and yet as far as he could find there was no magical family with the surname of the former heir.
The Gaunts could trace their lineage back to Slytherin but they had no connection to the Blacks that would give him any claim to the ancestral line, nor the ability to speak Parseltongue.
The article about the death of Moaning Myrtle revealed little, only that a culprit was found and later proven innocent by who else but Albus Dumbledore.
