"So, Alphard. What can you tell us about Lilith von Schwarzwald? Is she Aquilla's granddaughter and a Black?" Alphard took his time to answer Lord Black's request, as he sat beside Cassiopeia, the latter giving him an appraising look. In order to protect House Black, it was normal for the Lords and Heirs to have Shadows, family members who dedicate themselves to the prosperity of the House and Heirs over all other concerns. Cassiopeia was chosen as Arcturus' due to the fact that she was barren, though like Alphard she also had a less than standard taste in who she found appealing. As she wasn't capable of being a mother or interested in being married off to another family, she was given the task of becoming the Shadow, the eyes and ears of the House beyond what the Lord could achieve through political means. And while Alphard hated that Sirius was looking at him with the same degree of disinterest he showed his aunt, it did give both of them a measure of freedom that he was sure Orion would never get to have while the old man was the Head of House. There was a reason Lucretia was so protective of her little brother, and that Arcturus was anxious for the day Sirius passed on. Lilith's words of warning were accurate to a fault, as much as he wished that they weren't, and it was getting clearer by the day as he listened to some of Sirius' plans for securing a stronger position within the Wizengamot.
"She is. I had a chance to speak with her in private a few times, as I informed Aunt Cassie. She's aware of the family connection and had considered approaching us after her own family was killed, but decided against it." Sirius grunted. "And why is that?" Alphard sighed and looked at his great uncle. "Age isn't a factor when it comes to the von Schwarzwald family. She isn't an heiress, she's the Lady of the House and its Head. While she remains a refugee, she retains the rights of her status and control over her own properties, finances and actions. Should she emigrate or seek refuge with us, she would be just another Black. I don't think she views the loss of her family' privileges as acceptable." Cassiopeia chuckled as she looked at the Lord of the House, her brown curly locks clipped back. "Sounds like Aquilla and her husband taught her granddaughter well." Sirius grunted as he tapped his fingers on the meeting table at the Black Townhouse, as it was customary for the Blacks who still carried the name to gather on New Years' Eve in London, where the Lord would discuss the politics of the family for the coming year, before the next Wizengamot Session. Though the Lord was favoring keeping two meetings separate, one for the broader family and the other for the heirs and shadows. This had made the other members refrain from showing up as often as they once did, which left the Townhouse relatively empty at a time when it should be anything but. "Is she an ally or a liability?" Alphard smiled a little; he had debated this in his mind over the last few weeks as he watched over her. "An ally, though an independent one. She will render assistance to our House when possible, but not at the expense of her own objectives."
Sirius leaned back. "I find that hard to believe. She has been seen associating herself with Halfbloods, Muggleborns and Heirs of other families. She clearly lacks a sense of the political value she has and what these associations are costing her." Arcturus cleared his throat, drawing the attention of both Alphard and Sirius. "What children is she associating with, Alphard?" Alphard went over the list in his head. "Orion and his group of friends go to her every so often for help with their assignments, as do a vast majority of the younger Slytherins. Her handling of Valerio Rosier…" Cassiopeia hummed merrily to herself, having enjoyed the memory of the first incident as viewed in a Pensieve earlier today, which gave Alphard a moment to think over his next words. "... has earned her the respect of many of the heiresses. As for the people you are alluding to, she has what I believe to be a strong connection to Cassandra Moon. The two partner up in Care and are often seen sitting together at the Ravenclaw table. This has, of course, gained her contacts within Ravenclaw. While one of them is a muggleborn, I don't see it as a liability and neither does she. It also does give her the benefit of the doubt among the family's with strong Muggleborn ties, which have grown distant from our own family members of late within Hogwarts. If she gains the position of Prefect next year, she will be a lot more approachable than Walburga has been."
Arcturus turned to his father. "The family and the girl have both kept silent on our connections, meaning that anything she does can be dismissed by us easily enough. Even if the relation is made public, her associations can be explained as a wayward family member unaware of our customs. I don't see her willingness to associate with children from families we have no formal or antagonistic relationships with as a problem." Sirius rubbed his balding head of white hair, before looking at Alphard. "And of her physical state? My allies tell me that she hardly does any magic at school." Alphard cursed in his head. It was the one thing he wanted to avoid discussing. He felt Cassiopeia tensing beside him, her thoughts probably latching on to the same source of concern as his. "It hasn't come up in conversation with her, but I have noticed that she didn't spend a few nights in the Dorms. She has often been spotted near the Hospital Wing, which could mean she was injured during the attack on her family and is receiving treatment. This injury could be hindering her magical abilities, though only partly. She can create and control wards better than any fourth year, can still create potions of the highest caliber and knows her way through Runes, Arithmancy and especially Defence. I have also noticed her reading several books that are indecipherable for anyone reading over her shoulder, meaning she could be researching how to improve her condition quietly or is focused on fulfilling her obligations as a Head of House, regardless of her condition."
Sirius rubbed his chin as his younger Shadow and Heir waited. He sighed. "Very well, we will leave her be for now. Continue to monitor her and her interaction. If she becomes a threat or a liability to the family, don't hesitate to let me know. The censure is likely to pass in the upcoming Wizengamot session, with Lord Rosier losing some control over the Dark Faction. I will push forward with some offers to draw in his supporters to our influence as much as possible, in the hopes of securing the position of Speaker for ourselves." Sirius stood up and the rest did as well, before he took his cane and walked out the door. Using another exit, Cassiopeia led Alphard out before her, both following after Arcturus. The group left the Townhouse for a second, taking a walk down the street as the snow reflected the orange light under the streetlights that pushed back against the dark of the approaching midnight. As soon as Cassiopeia activated her privacy wards, Arcturus turned his head to Alphard as they kept walking. "You did well tonight. You have good eyes and ears and a steady view on what matters to the family. Orion will be lucky to have you." Alphard smiled. "Thank you, Uncle. I must say that Lilith has made it more difficult for me than it had been during the previous year, but it certainly has proven to be more enlightening than problematic." Cassiopeia patted his back softly. "That's a good attitude to have. Don't let it slip. Now, what was it that you didn't want Sirius to know about?" Alphard kept his head down. "Lilith. She knows I am training to be a Shadow, somehow. She was also aware of what happened with Marius and the rest. It's why she stayed away. She… thinks the House of Black is failing its family members."
Cassiopeia tensed up beside him. "Interesting. It seems that she is a lot more than just a wayward member of the family." Arcturus nodded. "Agreed. Anything else?" Alphard hesitated for a second. "She has an odd relationship with Tom Riddle, the Halfblood in my year at Slytherin I mentioned in my earlier letters. She seems to be… bonding with him. I am not sure what either of their intentions are, but Lilith will protect Riddle from Rosier and possibly from our Lord Black. Riddle's intentions or reactions, however, are difficult to interpret." Arcturus looked towards Cassiopeia, who shrugged. "My research into him hasn't turned up much. Just an orphan from London. No other records, though his Middle name of Marvolo does line up with several Magical families." Arcturus rubbed his chin. "What about Cassandra Moon? What do you have on her?" Cassiopeia smiled. "Her I know a little more about. She isn't the heir of the Moon family, but the Dowager Moon favors her greatly. What kids spend time with her call her odd, speaking nonsense half the time." Alphard chimed in. "I have heard her and Lilith talking, though I noticed that Lilith can replicate the spell we use to cancel sound at times when they are together. Oddly, Lilith seems to understand her well enough." Cassiopeia stopped, causing the other two to do the same. "What is it, Cassie?" The older woman looked up at the stars for one second, remembering a whisper she had heard concerning the Moon family. "The young Cassandra might have been named accordingly, if she inherited a certain talent, one that Aquilla's grandchild might understand better than we do."
Arcturus ran through what talents the Moons were said to have. "Are you talking about them being Seers?" Cassiopeia shrugged as she lowered her gaze, her eyes turning to Alphard. "Perhaps. If she is one and Lilith can read between the lines of their cryptic nature, it would explain their connection, and Lilith's heightened awareness regarding the current political climate. Whatever the case, having a more agreeable relationship with Aquilla's granddaughter would seem to be to our advantage… especially if her concerns over the future of our House are based on reading and understanding a Seer's intuition." Alphard looked between the two. "Then you two agree that Sirius is harming the House?" Arcturus sighed, rubbing his dark hair, the long curly locks tied at his neck with a black ribbon. "Father's actions of late are not what the Family would have liked. Cygnus Senior and my name sake are both dealing with the former's ailing health and can't worry about greater family concerns, so they don't question him as brothers to the Lord should in order to keep his intentions towards the family pure." Alphard lowered his head. "Toujour Pur. Lilith quoted the motto. She warned us not to stray away from its true meaning." Cassiopeia rubbed her chin. "Which might mean some of the house might try to reframe it to mean something else. And only a Head of House could allow that to happen." Arcturus looked up at the sky before turning to Alphard. "You keep our children safe at Hogwarts as best as you can, Alphard. Cassiopeia and I will try to keep this warning from becoming true. Enlist Lilith's aid if you have to." Alphard nodded. "Of course, Uncle."
-✦-
Lilith stared at the roof of her room in Peverell Manor, bags under her eyes being a clear sign of the difficulty she has had sleeping the last few nights. Ever since the night of the twenty fourth, her dreams had been filled with nightmarish visitations from the dead man. The very first night she felt as if Morfin was in the process of raping her, before she plunged her hand into his chest, the blood from the open wound spilling out and covering her completely. The next few days, no matter how much time she spent bathing, the feeling of blood refused to leave her hands, no matter how clean they were. Alexander tried his best to comfort her but Lilith just couldn't embrace the fact that she killed a man and that she was happy for it. When she was Lillian, she spent enough of her time fighting the older kids at the Orphanage, getting close to killing a few who tried to do the same to her. She remembered knocking out one annoying prick out with a fireplace poker. The temptation to jam it into the boy's back or head had been there but Lillian had simply kicked him in the family jewels and walked away. At Hogwarts, there had been a few more tempting moments, especially when she ended up with a polyjuiced Ronald Weasley under her thumb, as well as when Draco went too far in trying to bring her under his control. It would have been so easy to let either of them die via snake venom, or other means. But no, Lillian had refused to stain her hands with blood then, though just barely, the last time being pulled back from the edge by Luna's pleas.
Except she now understood that she had indeed stained her hands with blood as Lillian. Just once. The very moment she triggered the spell that sent her back in time, when she pierced Lord Voldemort's heart, taking his life and wiping out so many more from existence. Lilith lifted up her hand and stared at the star shaped scar on the back, closed and healed, but a mark all the same. A mark that at one time bound her to a man who had commited one hell of a taboo to split his soul, before she committed her own taboo by tearing back the history that had once been. Lilith lowered her hand against her chest, the weight of her actions sinking in as they often did. For all intents and purposes she had killed billions of people, erasing over fifty years of history and was now in the process of altering it all permanently. The sight of so many wands becoming magically dead by her touch at Ollivander's still haunted her. All those lives changed forever, and all because of her selfish and impulsive choice. How was she any different than Morfin, Grindelwald, Dumbledore or even Voldemort? If Lilith was honest with herself, she would call the last few days well deserved. Yes, the man she killed was a monster, but what did that make her now as his killer? Was she becoming one too, just as Tom became one soon after meeting his biological relatives when he became Voldemort? Lilith sighed and prayed that it wasn't the case. That she could be as Alexander said she was; a killer but one who understood the weight of the act of taking a life and would be able to keep control over herself, rather than losing herself as so many others have done.
Recognizing she wasn't going to get any more sleep and seeing that the clock was already well past eight in the morning, she sat up from the bed and started to get dressed. As she reached the kitchen of the Manor on the first floor, she paused, smelling the air. Turning the corner, she stared at the table filled with quite the assortment of breakfast items. "What the…" A familiar voice spoke up. "Oh good, A few more minutes and I would have been right up to fetch you." Lilith watched as Alexander placed a molded tray full of what looked to be muffins on the table, the scents of a variety of fruits making Lilith's stomach growl. She blushed as she covered her stomach with her hand before looking at the very proud man. "What's all this?" Alexander smiled. "Breakfast, of course. For the birthday girl." Lilith blinked a few times before it dawned on her. "Oh, right. It's the first." Alexander started serving her a plate full of scrambled eggs and sausages. "While your soul might have been born at a different time of year, this is the birthday you have with your body. It's only fair that you celebrate it." Lilith sighed as she sat down. "Right. 15 and 18 years of age, both being true at the same time."
Alexander gave her a sympathetic look as he placed the plate in front of her. "I know it's hard to feel any attachment to the day, but it is a part of who you are, same as the name you were tied to. Only choice you have left is to embrace it." Lilith nodded absentmindedly as she took a bite from one of the muffins, before groaning. "How are you such a bloody good cook? And how did you get all this with the rationing going on?" Alexander chuckled. "Practice, Lilith. Lots and lots of practice. As for the rationing, well, this isn't a spontaneous party. Been saving up for it for months. Speaking of practice, how is your magic?" Lilith shrugged, as she started serving the rest of the food on the table onto her plate, taking a few extra servings of what she found out was apple pie. "No better than how it was in June. Still easier to channel it into wards, enchantments and my fingers than to get it to fill up a bloody wand." Alexander sighed before looking Lilith over. "Any issues with the memories?" Lilith nodded. "Sometimes they overlap, sometimes they just… overwhelm me without my being able to restrain them. I am trying to go through them but it's so hard. The more I do that, the more I feel like one life was but a dream. I hate the fact that I feel like I am losing a part of who I am." Alexander passed her a cup of hot chocolate, the smell visibly relaxing Lilith. "Just take your time. There is no rush in going through the memories, especially if they trigger an episode on their own."
Lilith nodded, her mind taking a moment to enjoy the taste of the pancakes before speaking up. "So, what's the plan for the next few days before I head back to Hogwarts?" Alexander hummed as he drank from his cup of coffee. "There is the Wizengamot meeting later today. Lothbrok also sent a letter. He's curious if you have any more future knowledge he can use for investments. Those steel and munitions plants he bought through the Goblin Bank Branches in America have been raking in quite the profits." Lilith shuddered. "Leave it to a Goblin to enjoy war profiteering." Alexander chuckled. "True, but he did give you quite the cut, which was very kind of him. It's doing a good job of restoring your family's finances, after Grindelwald stole what didn't burn from the wreckage. It's a good thing Lord von Schwarzwald kept some liquid assets and important documents at the Swiss Dwarven Bank, or you would need to be getting some loans from the Banks. Which reminds me." Alexander handed Lilith a present. "I managed to convince the Swiss Dwarven Bank to copy some of the stored texts and send them over, using your seal of course. Usually they would have insisted that you retrieve them in person, but the war and some transfers between Gringotts and their accounts of Peverell funds was able to earn us enough good will. You have quite the selection to go over, but I believe this one is the one you need the most." Lilith made some room on the table for the present and tore it open.
Her heart stopped beating for all of a minute as she stared at the black leather bound text before her, the von Schwarzwald family's crest carved into it. Lilith's fingers traced the engraving, the howling snouth of a wolf surrounded by the trees of the Black Forest, roots stretching away from the base and wrapping around the wolf, reaching even to the moon lit sky. Lilith's voice came out soft, barely above a whisper. "The von Schwarzwald Grimoire." Alexander nodded. "It should still have all the last changes from your father's time as Lord. There are more texts in the Vault than expected and they warn that other family vaults might still exist elsewhere." Lilith opened the book, feeling the magic search hers, connecting with the part of her that was a von Schwarzwald. The indecipherable mess of the old Noric Language, the original language of her family when it held dominion over the Forest long before the Romans arrived and introduced Latin, reconfigured itself to be legible. The family maintained the use of Noric as their primary magical scrypt, as no other race but the Dwarves and the Dark Creatures of the region could understand it. Tears filled Lilith's eyes she turned and looked at Alexander, giving him a genuine smile. "Danke." The two spent the rest of the morning together, Alexander regaling her with his own adventures on the continent, with Lilith feeling far lighter than she had been but a few days prior.
-✦-
Alexander sat in the Visitor's Gallery of the Wizengamot as the Family Heads, Proxies and Regents started to take their seats, his mind back on the young woman under his care. Lilith's mood had been much better after his surprise birthday party, though he noticed a sudden shift during the meal. When he asked her what was wrong, she said that it was odd. She was happy about his gesture but the memories of the birthdays she had as both a von Schwarzwald and a Potter had smothered the moment with melancholy. Her Godfather as Lillian, Sirius Black, had only managed to celebrate her birthday two years in a row before his untimely death, but he had made both times exceedingly memorable in his kind, extravagant and ultimately unhinged way of showing affection to her. Alexander spared a glance to look at the current Sirius Black, his face stuck in an apparent perpetual grimace as he chatted with Lord Crabbe, one of the many allegiances he had cemented through the marriages of the Blacks. The Lord Black of this day and age seemed to be exactly as Lilith expected; political, heartless and in violation of the Toujour Pur motto that defended the family for millenia. Watching and reading about his behaviour from his contacts really lit a fire in Alexander's veins, a feeling he hadn't felt in quite a while.
Rubbing his Head of House ring, Alexander did his best to calm down. Life had been so easy in the past. No family to worry about, no reason for him to get involved if some other Lord behaved in a manner that was unacceptable by his standards. But with Lilith entering his life in such an abrupt and unexpected manner… it had taken Alexander by surprise just how quickly he could feel for her. Then again, it made all the sense in the world. The girl was very much like his wife had been when they knew each other in their youths. Alexander closed his eyes and took a deep breath, burying the feelings that welled up inside of him. The absence of his beloved Annan was one of the more dreadful parts about being on his own. If he didn't just cover himself in indifference, he would probably have taken his own life by now. Which did make him think about the future in which Lillian was born into. In that world, he was nowhere to be found, not when his distant relations and Britain needed him most. Did he crack one day as he feared and ended his lonely existence or did someone else do it for him? He didn't know and the doubt burned inside of him every time he looked at Lilith. Lillian had needed him in her life and he had failed her by not being there.
The ring on his finger warmed up as magic rushed through his veins. The girl might be stubborn and independent, which he couldn't blame her for after being raised in an orphanage, being called a Pariah in the school for her family name and the color of tie that she wore and then losing the only adults who gave a damn about her wellbeing, but that didn't mean he could let the matter go. He wanted to be there for Lilith now that he had the chance to care for one of his own again. Alexander had no issue with letting her carry out her own duties, she was living in the body of a teenage Head of House, after all, but he would be damned if he didn't at least make it clear that she wasn't alone anymore. His thoughts cleared up as soon as he spotted another relation of his standing up to address the Assembly, this one closer to him through blood. Henry Potter had certainly lived a long and recognized life. He had served as the British Delegate to the ICW for decades now, being a voice of reason and compassion as the ICW tried to ease the growing tensions in the Magical World as the European countries continued to extend their influence across the globe in the final great age of Imperialism. The Representatives from the African, Asian and South American continents were understandably furious with the chaos and suffering brought about by the Non-Magical World and convincing them to not break the Statute in defence of their people was… not easy. Alexander was certain he himself would have broken the Statute a thousand times if he was in their places.
"Ladies and Lords, Members of the Wizengamot. In the last six months, while we have debated, stalled and outright ignored our responsibilities as members of the European Continent, the War Criminal Grindelwald continues to spread his conflict across the farthest reaches of the world. This last month alone has seen the unrestrained expansion of the Japanese Empire across the Pacific, with America struggling to keep up as the entry of these two nations into open war has drawn the world into another global conflict. The ICW has already declared the actions of the Axis Nations, under the influence of Grindelwald, to be a threat to the Statute of Secrecy and a violation of the international laws that all member states agreed to. So I ask you all, why? Why do we continue to sit here and do nothing as brave men and women venture into the gates of Hell itself to face this growing threat to our world as we sit here, refusing to stand up against the atrocities the allies of Grindelwald have commited, let alone even condemning them as such? To wait any further, to show compliance in the face of an enemy to all the Families, whether young, Old or Ancient of our Great Britain is a disgrace to all of our houses, a shame that will taint us all in the eyes of our children and their children. I implore this session, at the dawn of the year 1942, to censure Grindelwald for his crimes and prepare to send our forces to war against him, in the defence of our future."
The chamber burst into loud applause as Lord Potter sat back down, looking drained and exhausted. The older gentleman had chosen to return to his position within the Wizengamot out of duty after the ICW Assembly relocated itself to North America, the house being under-represented currently as both of his sons aided the war effort, one in the fields of battle, fighting the Hexenmeisters directly, and the other within the Potions Lab of his family's home, keeping the Healers stocked with potions to care for the wounded. That Henry's skills as a Speaker were undulled after decades of service spoke well of his mind and inner strength, though it clearly was taking its toll. Alexander clapped his hands along with the rest of the Visitor's Gallery, even as he seethed internally. Lillian had been born as the man's greatgranchild, yet she just barely knew him at all. Perhaps… it would be possible to bring in the Potter's slowly into the fold, for Lilith's sake at the very least. She may be a von Schwarzwald now but she deserved the chance to see the Potter name as it was meant to be, rather than the hollowed shell she was born into. As the Chamber settled down under the repeated calls for Order under Gwynevere Fawley, the Chief Witch, Alexander spotted a familiar figure standing and requesting to speak. The Minister for Magic, Leonard Spencer-Moon spoke up first, before the Chief Witch could grant Lord Rosier the chance. The Chief Witch and the Minister had been butting heads ever since Leonard replaced her cousin for the position, ending the family's dominion in politics.
"Chief Witch, Members of the Wizengamot, while I am sure a few of you would like to listen to Lord Rosier again try to educate us on the supposed "upstanding actions'' of Gellert Grindelwald, I have in my possession documentation that needs to be brought before the Assembly." Alexander smirked softly as the Chamber went into quiet murmurs, as the clerks passed out the stacks of papers and photographs that had been acquired from the continent. Men, soldiers or otherwise, filling up trenches dug into the earth by their own hands, women and children hugging each other as soldiers aimed firearms at their backs, the armed men preparing to fire. While Lilith wasn't certain when the Nazis started their more barbaric extermination efforts that her future termed as the Holocaust, Alexander's contacts within the continent had been able to ascertain that the extermination had already begun in ernest, intensifing after the entrance of America into the war. The gasps of surprise and horrified expressions on the faces of the Members of the Wizengamot was clear enough to see, even from the Visitor Gallery. Minister Spencer-Moon spoke into the silence. "This is the "upstanding" nature of Grindelwald's forces and allies. Hundreds of thousands of muggles, if not yet millions, have died, rundown like dogs and shot in the back by the soldiers of this "so-called" Third Reich. In this chaos, Grindelwald has ordered his own Hexenmeisters to pillage the homes of several of the Old and Ancient Families, slaughtering them in the process. These are not the actions of a benevolent leader seeking to reform the ICW. These are the actions of a butcher and a thief!"
Lord Rosier stood up. "This is slander, Minister. Lies of those who refuse to see the need for reform in the ICW and how it forces us to cower before the muggles!" Leonard turned to Rosier. "These are facts confirmed by the Peacekeepers, Resistance forces, Dwarves, Goblins and even refugees, who had no choice but to reveal the truth, before they themselves become targets for extermination. This is what awaits us all if we do nothing to combat this threat! The Censure must pass and the Ministry must begin to prepare our Aurors for war!" The Director for the DMLE, Caspar Crouch, stood up. "The DMLE agrees with the Minister. Gellert Grindelwald is a War Criminal. He must be challenged and must face justice for his crimes against Europe, Magical or not." Alexander could see Rosier trying to summon up support from his allies in the Travers and Goyle families, but they were shouted down. Even the Chief Witch, who was known to drag her feet and give the Dark preferential treatment, was unable to quell the indignation. Alexander leaned back as the Censure was put to a vote, Gwynevere Fawley having enough political clout to see how the tide was turned against Rosier's power to push the motion through. He eyed the Lord Black, who was speaking with the Lords Malfoy and Nott quietly, with interest. Rosier's position as head of the Dark had just been challenged. It would only be a matter of time when he lost it to someone. Whether the replacement was a better option was still up for debate.
Alexander left the session as soon as Fawley called it to a close, the woman staring at the Minister of Magic. In the decades before, the Fawleys had obtained a great deal of power holding both the posts of Minister and Chief Witch, maintaining the status quo as Britain grew wealthy from the sweat, blood and tears of its overseas Empire. Whether the woman would hold onto her title for long was now up to her. The documents his contacts in the continent provided would draw the British Ministry of Magic into the war faster than what Lillian remembered, something he felt was necessary in order to keep the Hexenmeisters from gaining any more ground. It also meant that more British Wizards and Witches were about to die. Alexander sighed as he made his way to the entrance of the Ministry. It couldn't be helped. Acting or not, people would die regardless of this war. At least now they could hopefully slow Grindelwald down and push Britain into a better standing with the ICW, helping to shore up the International governing body which was currently meeting in MACUSA, the only place they felt safe enough to set up their headquarters in exile. Now, all they had to worry about was the fallout. Alexander committed the entire session to memory as he arrived at the Peverell Estate. Lilith had to know what happened, if only to keep the children of Rosier's enemies safe. Ideological disagreements and power struggles between and within political factions rarely stayed within the bounds of politics, or common decency.
-✦-
As Lilith stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express, the roving countryside covered in a blanket of snow that stretched out as far as the eyes could see, her thoughts were on the most recent events in the Wizengamot and how they could potentially play out with the actions of the Heirs at the school. That Valerio Rosier would lash out was entirely expected, the question was simply who he would target. Going after her was within the realm of possibility, she had been challenging his position as King since the start of term. But any actions against her lacked any political capital. He was unaware of her blood ties to the Blacks, her closeness to Riddle, who was also a low source of political power currently, made either of them the least likely to suffer his ire. This, unfortunately, left the Blacks as the primary targets. While they were safe in numbers, with Lucretia and Cygnus covering each other in every class, Walburga, Alphard and Orion were the more vulnerable targets as they were alone in their year groups. Alphard was seemingly the most worthless, as few of the Heirs and their Lords looked his way, which really served him well as a future Shadow. His apparent distance from everyone but Lucretia and his wandering eyes and aggressive pursuit of some of the nicer looking boys had tainted him in the eyes of the more traditional thinking Slytherins.
Her thoughts were momentarily derailed as a knock interrupted the silence of her cabin. She smiled to herself as the magic on the other side felt familiar. Having a shadow watching her every movement made it easy enough to tell him apart from the other students. "Enter." The ward on the door unlocked it and Alphard peeked his head in. "Mind if I join you?" Lilith waved her hand. "Not really." The boy sat opposite of her and the two sat in silence, with Lilith's eyes back on the window. "So, what do you want to talk about? Politics, classes or the way that the Slytherin colors of Herr Malfoy's scarf brings out the colors of his eyes." Alphard seemed to choke on air at the last comment, his face turning a nice shade of red. "And here I thought you only had eyes for Riddle." Lilith turned to Alphard and smirked. "He is someone I consider a possible friend and I will look after him, but I am not blind, Alphard. Though if you must know, I do find Druella's figure appealing. If only her attitude matched, and she wasn't a Rosier, then I would have given your brother some competition." Alphard smiled at her. "That would certainly be the day. But no, we can talk a little about politics. I was given permission to… recruit you in aiding the family in the coming years."
That certainly caught Lilith's interest. She was certain that Lord Black would have written her as a wasted effort. "Oh?" Alphard waved his wand, adding to Lilith's wards and sweeping the cabin. He leaned back into the seat. "Lord Black has decided to wrestle control away from Lord Rosier over the position of Speaker for the Dark." Lilith leaned back. "I did think his Heir would single you out as enemies and here we are, confirming that. We both know you aren't as easy to target, for both the skills you hide and the fact everyone with impared reasoning skills dismisses you as an eccentric black sheep. Or is it white sheep for the Blacks? Grandma was never certain." Alphard chuckled. "It's white, though it's mostly Walburga who calls me that. Regardless, my… superiors agree. The main targets will likely be Walburga and Orion, as they are alone in their year groups." Lilith ran through her memories of the Walburga that she met at the Manor through her portrait. She never revealed anything of her time at school, which told Lilith that something had happened in that time period or that Walburga didn't care at all for what her life at Hogwarts had been. Which was it? "I doubt Rosier would go after Walburga all that much, at least not directly. She's a prime candidate for a wife for many of the Heirs currently at school and is more in keeping with traditional views."
Alphard rubbed his chin. "So an indirect approach. Approaching her friends, influencing her beliefs and thoughts to be more in keeping with the Dark extremists?" Lilith nodded. "That would be my guess. Which leaves Orion. He is a direct male Heir in the line of succession. With just Lucretia, Arcturus would be forced to seek a male Heir elsewhere if something happened to him. Which would likely be Cygnus Junior. With him being enamoured with Druella…" Alphard cursed under his breath. "Of course. Though that would only happen if they covered their traces. Otherwise, the union would never be agreed to by the Head of House Black. At least, not right now as they are both wrestling for the position of Speaker." Lilith shrugged. "Which leaves proxies, of which there are several. If I were you I would reach out to the other first years, especially Davis and Greengrass. While their families are traditionally Neutral, they might be willing to agree to a more profitable relationship between them and House Black, in exchange for their kids looking after each other." Alphard nodded. "Agreed." He took out a piece of parchment and a fountain pen, which made Lilith stare at him. He noticed after getting through a few lines of text into his letter. "What, they're convenient."
Lilith chuckled and turned to look out the window, giving Alphard some privacy to write his letter, while also thinking about what the impact of her actions will have on the Blacks as she knew them. If her Blood Feud stood and pushed the Blacks into war against the Rosiers, the union of Druella and Cygnus might not happen. That would mean there would be no Black Sisters as she knew them. While she only met Bellatrix in passing the few times she was at Hogwarts in Lillian's seventh year, the woman had always given her mixed messages. On the one hand she was heavily devoted to the Dark Lord Voldemort, killing and torturing gleefully in his name. Yet in those few quiet times she had seen her on her own, Bellatrix had seemed… tired and lost. She remembered the moment that Bellatrix had tried to play with her once that year when Hogwarts was under Voldemort's control, trying to draw out any anger Lillian might have had for the murderer of her parents. Much to Bella's surprise, there was none. Lillian had stopped caring the moment she discovered that her parents had chosen the Order of the Phoenix over her own life. Instead, Lillian dared to challenge Bella for the part she played in Sirius's death, something Lillian had seen through her scrying bowl. Bella looked pained by the slight and Lillian realized that perhaps she hadn't meant to kill her cousin. They were just soldiers, fighting on opposite sides, but they were still family.
The thought of Sirius' death woke up an all too familiar ache in her heart. She had felt it on the 1st, when Alexander prepared that birthday breakfast feast for her. If she went through with this… Sirius might never be born. Lilith was certain that whatever had twisted Walburga into the pureblood maniac that she became had changed the way she looked at her cousin. Out of some desire for power or authority in the House of Black, she got pregnant with Sirius and was married to Orion, to avoid the scandal of a bastard child of the House of Black. That he was the next in line to be Heir and future Lord made the union seem all the more necessary to avoid any scandals or succession disputes. So if Lilith interfered and kept Walburga and Cygnus from following down the paths they once did… five lives would never be born as they once were. All because of her. Lilith clenched her fist as she fought the desire to cry. It wasn't fair. She could lead the House of Black down a better path, but at the cost of changing the next generation irrevocably. She again remembered all the wands that died in her hands at Ollivander's, wondering how many of those had been for the House of Black. Lilith hoped and prayed that her actions were worth all the lives it had cost. It had to be.
She wiped away a tear that escaped her eyes as someone knocked on the door to the cabin. After checking with Alphard, who stowed away his unfinished letter and fountain pen, she unlocked the door, the two left looking at an uncomfortable Orion, his grey eyes looking from one to the other nervously. "Do you think I could join you two? Lucretia and Walburga are arguing again and the cabin with my friends is full." Lilith gave him a soft smile. "Of course, Herr Black." The wards snapped into place as Orion closed the door behind him, before he sat by Lilith's side, Alphard giving Lilith an appraising look. Ignoring the future shadow and his thoughts, Lilith turned to Orion. "So, how are you liking Hogwarts so far? Excited to see what is coming in the next few months?" Orion nodded. "I am. Potions class has been fun, as has been Charms. Though I accidentally changed Professor Doge's hair blue when I miss pronounced a spell in Charms." Lilith blinked at him and wondered if it really was an accident. Maybe Sirius was more like his father than the man realized. She chuckled. "I am sure the Professor enjoyed the change in his routine. Not to mention that his accidental support of Ravenclaw House must have been fun to see." Orion's smile and giggle told her everything she needed to know. There was already a Marauder alive and well in the House of Black. Lilith swore then and there that, at the very least, she would protect Orion. If he could live a better life and become a great father to the next generation of Blacks, it would be worth it. And if a second generation of marauding devils were born, then all the better. The world could use more lively, innocent chaos in its midst right now.
-✦-
Tom watched as the students entered through the front gates of Hogwarts as they returned from the Yuletide Recess, having read a copy of the Daily Prophet concerning the recent events at the Wizengamot. As far as Tom was concerned, the Rosier family's position and influence in the Dark faction was now beyond repair. The revelations of the mass executions being carried out within the territories controlled by the German Army and that Magicals were themselves being targeted by Grindelwald for both execution and the theft of their heritage proved beyond a doubt that Grindelwald didn't care for the supposed factions he was championing. Now it was just a question as to what the Rosiers would do with the change. If they doubled down and became belligerent, the support they enjoyed at the beginning of the war would evaporate entirely. After all, for a lot of the British Wizarding community, their initial approach to the war was to treat it as Europe's problem, not Britain's. If the Rosiers brought the war to Britain in the coming months, then it would spell the end for them. Unfortunately, Tom doubted the Rosiers would see it that way. Based on Valerio's stubbornness, he was certain they would just double down, further alienating themselves from the rest of the Wizengamot.
Watching as the members of the Black family entered, the youngest member talking excitedly with some of the other first years, Tom wondered how soon he would hear about the Malfoy and Nott Families approaching them. He had heard rumours about Cygnus being considered as a suitable partner for Druella Rosier, but if the current hostilities between the families increased, that union would seem less likely. He looked at both Walburga and Lucretia and wondered for a second if he could approach either, but squashed said thoughts quickly. Without a wizarding name of good standing, Tom was certain that Lord Black would dismiss any possible interactions between him and the girls, let alone consider him as viable for courting them. Not that either of them interested him that way, with Walburga being too self centered for his tastes, while Lucretia, both beautiful and well liked, never seemed to appeal to him. It wasn't until he saw a familiar cascade of red hair with black streaks that thoughts of courtships vanished entirely. Tom moved away from the wall and shadowed Lilith as much as he usually did, giving her quite the lead so as to not draw attention to himself. Oddly enough, the girl didn't seem to be heading to the Dungeons. As they passed the Hospital Wing, Tom guessed as to what her true destination was.
Giving Lilith enough time to enter the hidden room within the top of the North Tower, Tom followed through, the sight of the far more comfortable room quickly relaxing him as he stepped inside. Lilith had apparently found spare Slytherin rugs and curtains with the aid of the Hogwarts elves, who were more than happy to place them in the chamber, as it gave them all a new place to clean. Slowly but surely, the room was filled with more furniture, much of it old but still in good condition, with several lanterns spread out for lighting. In a lot of ways the room felt like a private Slytherin Common Room, which served Tom quite well. He had come up to the chamber a few times during the winter, though Dumbledore's meddling kept him from spending the nights here as he would have liked. Lilith lit the last and furthest lantern, before sighing. "My apologies, Herr Riddle, but I am not in the mood for company right now." Tom narrowed his eyes at her, going over her facial expressions from the moment she passed through the Castle's Doors. She had seemed amicable enough, chatting with Cassandra Moon and Moaning Myrtle. So why would she be unwilling to converse with him?
His recall, however, did allow him to catch something he had missed the first time around. The moment her eyes sweeped the entrance before landing on him, her expression going from pleasant to pained followed by a cold detachment he was all too familiar with. He had been practicing that look in the mirror for years. While he would ordinarily oblige such a request, something in him couldn't leave well enough alone when it came to this girl. "What happened?" Lilith's eyes narrowed on him in a face that was the most vicious he had yet seen on her, before she looked… guilty, her eyes turning away from him. "Nothing happened." Tom moved closer, catching a small glimpse of her face before she pushed him back. "Just leave me alone!" Tom froze, feeling a sudden urge to strike her before he restrained himself. He tried to remember where he saw the look in her eyes before. He knew he saw it somewhere back at Wool's Orphanage. The image appeared in his mind as clear as it had been that day several years back, the moment he and several of the kids looked through one of the doors of the orphanage. That winter had been particularly bad, with very little food provided to the children.
Within the confines of one of the dorm rooms, one of the older boys had been fighting another for a bit of food, or so the Matron had told them in the days after. At the moment the incident happened, all any of the other kids knew was that one of the women taking care of the kids screamed in terror. Tom and a few of the more curious kids managed to sneak a peek before the Matron yelled at them all to return to their rooms. On the floor of the room had lain the body of one of the older boys, his white shirt stained crimson, dead, fathomless eyes frozen in a look of utter shock. A few feet away from the body was his roommate, who was sitting on the floor, a knife covered in blood, the blade looking bent and chipped, staring at the body with a look of horror and guilt, his mouth gaping open yet silent. The eyes of the boy had looked almost hollowed out, as if his life had vanished from within his eyes. Those eyes remained unchanged, even as the police led the boy away in handcuffs. Tom caught that same look in Lilith's eyes just a moment earlier, a look she tried her best to conceal, his moment of rage feeling unjustified as he stepped back. "You killed someone, didn't you?"
Lilith's eyes latched onto him, those green orbs staring into his soul as they flashed with magic, before she closed them, her bottom lip being bitten down. The control she seemed to be exerting over herself faded as she collapsed onto the sofa, where she remained silent. Tom sat down on the opposite sofa, looking her over and seeing no injuries he could see. He was opening his mouth when she spoke up, her voice soft but feeling heavy in a way that froze Tom to his core. "You've thought about doing it too, haven't you? Taking a life?" Tom swallowed nervously but found that lying now… seemed utterly wrong. "Yes." Those green eyes focused on him now, looking sunken in, bags under her eyes being far more easy to see now. He wondered if she had cast some illusion on herself that had faded just now. Tom pushed on, his need to know overwhelming any thoughts of propriety. "What was it like?" The redhead before him flinched and it looked like Tom had lost the chance to know what it felt like from her perspective, before she spoke up. "In all honesty, it's exhilarating. The feel of power in your hands, the rush of the taboo of taking a life. The satisfaction in knowing that it was you who did it. It's intoxicating."
She took a deep breath before looking Tom in the eyes. "But the feeling afterwards? It's horrible. It felt as if I was suffocating. My hands felt filthy and nothing I did could get them clean. And the cold… it felt as if it reached my bones, a cold that threatened to be with me forever. For days it felt like… I didn't belong in my own skin." Lilith shivered before him, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Tom felt an urge to touch her, to comfort her as he tried to process her words. He sat back, deep in thought before Lilith's voice snapped him out and brought back his focus into the moment. "Tom… I know that I shouldn't ask this of you, but please. Don't try and kill someone unless it's absolutely necessary. The feeling of power and control that death brings… it doesn't feel right. It feels like a piece of you is lost, possibly forever. So please, make sure it's only to protect yourself or another, not out of curiosity. The person I killed was a rapist and a murderer, and even still I felt horible afterwards. Please, make sure it's worth it before you commit to it. Otherwise… you might lose sight of who you truly wish to be." Tom closed his eyes, memorizing the way his first name sounded from her lips. There was something about the way she said that just meant something more. He wondered what the feeling was from. Thinking over her words, Tom nodded. "I will. Thank you, for being honest with me. And for the Christmas presents."
The smile on her face actually managed to reach her eyes, as her posture seemed to grow more relaxed. "Ich bin froh. I wasn't sure what kind of presents to get you. Anything too ostentatious or different didn't seem right and I wasn't sure if you would have liked a different style of bag, so I made do with an enchanted one. Is the player working properly?" Tom nodded as Lilith stood up, pulling out her own player. "I hope you don't mind. I haven't exactly had to relax all that well this last week and business kept me from… from putting certain memories out of my mind." Tom waved his hand but stayed silent as music started to fill the room. He watched as Lilith seemed to lose herself in the music, before she eventually fell asleep. Tom approached her gently, looking over her appearance, stretching out a hand as if to touch her cheek. He stopped and pulled back, before looking through one of the trunks in the room, pulling out a green blanket. He placed it over her body, seeing her tense for a second before relaxing once more. Tom returned to his sofa and retreated into his own mind, going over everything from the day. There was a lot he had to reconsider now, though one thing he was certain about. He wanted to trust her with his secret. He just had to figure out how to be certain that she would stand by his side, no matter what.