Ancestry 22 - Here A Bane, There A Bane, Is Everyone A Bane too?
Blair Sandburg looked at the man he helped and lived with and kept sane. "So," he said. "I've been hiding a small secret. Well, a big secret and I'm not supposed to tell you but it's going to come into the open." He looked at Jim Ellison, who just stared back like he was weird. Again. "I'm actually a wizard."
"Like in some costume event?" Jim asked dryly, smiling and relaxing.
"No, Jim. I went to school for it." He used his wand to float him off the couch, staring at him. "Like literal wizard." He put him down. "And this is coming out now because my former school is under threat of attack by a no-nosed idiot with genocidal problems but it's in Scotland."
Jim blinked a few times. "First, what did you do?"
"I floated you?" He did it again, making Jim glare at him. He put him back down with a grin. "I would've went to a US school but the one I was scheduled to attend went belly up just before then so I ended up being an exchange student in Scotland with a few others. While we were there, the current problem started, got stopped soon afterwards, and we all relaxed until it got restarted. And I'm kinda on call to help with that if I can. Right now I'm helping with research stuff."
Jim held up a hand. "You go to school for that? Like in that book?"
"Ya know, that book's really hated in the community because it was written by one of us," he said with a smirk. "They're hunting whoever that is to put them in prison for outing everything. They violated the Secrecy act *so* hard." He smiled. "But not my doing."
Jim sighed, looking at him. "I'm getting used to a lot of weird things. Spirit guides, all that. This is a bit beyond that."
"I wouldn't have told you but with that restarting and me possibly being called on to help somehow, I can't just disappear to Scotland anymore, Big Guy."
Jim glared. "Why there?"
"That's where the school is."
"So all that, it's real?" he demanded, standing up to stare at his shorter partner.
"Yeah, Jim, it is." He nodded. "I was really great in herbology." Jim slumped. "And a few other classes." He grinned. "We had a whole group of friends working together against the last problem with Voldemort. Now he's back again!"
"Like in the books?"
"Yeah but they're sixth years for a few more weeks."
"Oh." He grimaced. "How bad?"
"Full on ending of the war we hope within a year's time."
"Shit."
"Ya think?" Blair quipped with a smirk. "Naomi just ignores all that time. She still claims I was with her for part of it. I started Rainier during my summer and did some distance learning while I studied the rest."
Jim huffed. "Is Hermione really that annoying?"
"Haven't met her. Yet probably. But young geniuses are all slightly pushy, Jim. She's probably a lot like I am. They just consider it annoying because she's female. Actually, the Ministry was trying to get her to give up helping by trying to force her to be married off instead of going to medical school when she graduates." He shifted, looking at the door. "Aurors. Huh." He went to open it, grinning and waving. "Hi!"
"Why are you violating the Statue of Secrecy, Mr. Sandburg?" the auror demanded, hand on his wand.
"Well, because Jim has to know, and I'm a member of the Banes and we're going to help Potter fight." He smiled and slammed the door in his face. "At least they're not usually as bad as the Brits are." He looked at Jim again, going to make some tea. "Want some?"
"No." Blair handed him some water when he came closer. "So what is going on? Simply, without any more show and tell, Chief."
"Well, I'm more a research point, but we're working to end the problem. We're hopefully going to be ending it this upcoming year. If we can. None of us want kids to do it themselves. It's been a chronic problem though." He fixed his tea and poured in water then added some sugar. "We'll do what we have to do. We did during the last war." Someone knocked so he went to answer it, nodding at the new auror and the old auror. "Hey. What's up?"
"Mr. Sandburg," the new auror sighed. "What's going on?"
Blair showed him the tattoos on his arms. "Look familiar?"
"I've seen one of those in a few places," he admitted, staring at him.
"Yeah, I was one of the exchange students."
"Oh, dear."
"It's restarted. I may have to go help the fights. But I have to tell Jim. Not like he'll tell anyone. Though I should probably inform my boyfriend before he finds out the hard way."
"What's going on over there now?"
"A lot. We're gathering intel right now."
"Great. Can the US aurors help?"
"I'm pretty sure the kids would like anyone who's an adult to help." He smiled and sipped his mug of tea. "It seems like very few have."
"Oh, dear."
"Yup." He nodded. "So I'm telling Jim, who could probably help with his past military career." He shrugged but smiled. "We'll figure it out. Why don't you guys handle things in Sunnydale?"
"Because we need the brains all that would make us lose," the new auror said dryly. "Have you talked to someone down there?"
"Yeah, Xander Harris."
"Oh, that team."
"Yeah, that team." He grinned and nodded. "He had a slight discussion of the 'the Council needs to be destroyed and recreated' with one of theirs over there. That really should be fixed before he has to do that on his own since one of his poker contacts had a vision of a demonic invasion in LA in a few years."
The older auror looked at him oddly. "Harris is said to be a normal."
"Yeah, right," Blair snorted, taking another sip of his tea. Then shaking his head as he swallowed. "Not likely and I'm pretty sure one of the guys in a few years before mine is down there being a watcher." He grinned. "Funny how things are connected."
"Oh, crap," the younger auror muttered, looking at his boss. "How soon?"
"He said four years. But a lot more slayers activated."
The senior auror nodded once. "We'll talk to him soon. Is this going to come more into the open?"
"That may depend on the books and how it gets spun for PR."
"Point," he agreed with a nod. "Our community is livid."
"So's Potter probably." He smiled. "If I meet him I'll ask."
"Can you let us know too?" the younger auror asked. "Just so we can maybe help or stop it happening over here?"
"If I can. Not sure how that'll go. I may be over there somehow."
"Point, Professor." The old auror sighed, looking at Jim, then at him again. "Try to keep it down, Sandburg. We don't need more exposure."
"I'll try." He shrugged but smiled. "Not my choice sometimes."
"If they try to attack you, let us know after you've gotten away or whatever. If we have to arrest one, we can do that."
"I've got you guys on speeddial after the one a few years back."
"Thank you." They left to go make that note and see if they could identify other Bane members. This was going to make their job more difficult.
Blair shut the door, looking at Jim, shrugging some. Jim was rolling his eyes but walked out to stand on the porch and think for now. It'd hopefully be okay and he could tell his lover Simon later on somehow. Or just slip up semi-accidentally and let them realize it.
***
Nick Boyle looked at their missing member, who had to be at work. His bosses didn't know, wouldn't understand, and had kept him in the lab much too much recently. He stared at Greg, getting a shrug back. The guy was still up, it was technically his day off anyway, so he could sleep later. "We're gonna have to handle it with the kids."
Greg grimaced. "How can I help?"
"We'll need a safe spot over here. We'll need a bit of help." He handed over the notes. "From Philip, Blair, and the last Dumass heir." Greg stared at him oddly. He nodded with a grin. "He's in Sunnydale. Apparently after Alexander was cursed, he was too and put out there."
"Shit."
"He's bound to that hellmouth."
"Even worse for the kid. He's how old?"
"Just graduated the other day." They shared a look. "He's helping his cousin Harry though."
"That's nice of him." He frowned. "They're cousins?"
"Alexander was apparently his grandfather on one side. Yes, the slutty one."
"Oh, charming." He read over the notes, leaning forward. "That potion's not that hard," he admitted. "But time consuming and it'll only last for a few weeks."
"You're our expert there."
"Point." He considered it. "It'll take weeks to make and there's no good pausing place. But it is mostly a few others put together and mixed with things that will remain static for a bit. So I can figure that out." He tucked it into his pocket. "Otherwise?"
"Have you seen the news?"
"Yes, unfortunately."
"She's still fighting back when she has to. Took twelve NEWTs."
"Good on her!"
"A year early."
Greg grinned. "Some of us would've too."
"Saw Emlia, she's helping her cousin's son. Draco."
"Awwww. Is he a snotty brat?"
"Apparently not as much anymore."
"That's handy." He looked around, feeling someone watching him. "Hmm. Purity police," he sneered.
Nick looked and smirked at them. They shuddered and looked away. "Not like we have a real ministry. We just have aurors."
"Who don't do a lot locally," Greg admitted. "Okay. What else is my spot?"
"Any spot you pick, Greggo." He punched him on the arm. "Blair's talked to his partner and he's not real sure Jim understands."
"That does figure. Mine probably would too."
"Yeah. Can you work up an idea for us? We have no idea when."
"I can do that," Greg promised. "And set up a safe spot." He grinned. "I've been meaning to look into real estate anyway."
"Cool. I live at the castle so I can't invite people over." He shrugged as he got up. "Come to the meetings, Greg."
"If I can. The lab's a busy, full place sometimes."
"Yeah, ours too some days." He winked and left, going back home to talk to his boss/lover. He appeared in the office, making Derek Rayne stare at him, head tipped to the side. "Surprise?" he guessed, putting his wand back.
"I've have seen those things before," he admitted.
"Yeah, I went to school for it, Derek." He checked the monitor and phone then smiled at him. "I'm in the middle of a situation by helping the kids having to fight against a genocidal fuckhead."
"Children?"
"A school."
"That book series," he sneered, standing up.
"We're all really mad at the Gryffindor who wrote that," Nick agreed happily. "I was supposed to go to an American school but it failed hard right before then so some of us went over on a learning abroad thing. I met a lot of nice people. Including Philip. Who said hi by the way."
Derek stared at him. "Our Philip?" he demanded.
"Yeah. He had to vow to give it up." Derek slumped. "But he's helping us research what we're doing about the asshole. Who has no nose after his resurrection rite." Derek huffed at that. Nick nodded with a grin. "Yeah. I could mostly ignore it, Derek. But not now. Not with this restarting. We all jumped in to help stop it last time. We're doing it again."
"So you're going to handle military things?"
"No. I'm going to be popping back and forth to go help the kids fight. They still don't have many adults near them helping."
Derek nodded once. "What do I need to know? And do other houses know?"
"Sloan knows. He went to a school here in the US." Derek gave him the oddest look. Nick grinned with a nod. "Yeah. He knows. And we don't turn evil usually unless we're forced to."
"What is going on over there?"
Nick settled in to go over the current situation. It wasn't bad yet, but it was getting there quickly. This might be their last summer of peace for a while.
***
Greg got back to work that night, against his will, and glared at his supervisor. "It's my only day off in the last three weeks," he noted patiently. "Even I need a day off now and then, Grissom."
"We need to have some samples run quickly, Greg."
"Then get the other shift to do their jobs. We've all said that. Repeatedly. Because right now I'm on quadruple overtime." Grissom winced at that. "They're going to shriek about the budget, Gris. And really, I needed the night off."
"Didn't sleep today?" Warrick asked as he walked past them.
"It's my first day off in three weeks," Greg told him, getting a wince back. "I've worked more hours than either of you this week so far." He glared at his boss.
"If it wasn't important...." Grissom started.
"We have another shift. Make them do their jobs. Though my overtime had *better* be on my check this week since you *still* owe me for last month's overtime, Grissom."
"That's not up to me."
"Oh yes it is. You sign those." Grisson glared back but Greg just stared him down. "You do. So you've intentionally screwed up my paycheck and expect me to come in again? No. Have day shift actually do their jobs. For once. And stand over their shoulder to make sure they do it correctly for once too!" Ecklie came up the hallway.
"And you!" he said firmly. "Why isn't your shift doing a single bit of work? This is my first day off in three weeks, Ecklie! And I'm on quadruple overtime, and you still owe me overtime from last month too." The other lab supervisor looked horrified. "Yeah, I'm not putting up with it. I get paid what I'm owed this check or I'm suing the lab!
"This is unfair and unreasonable. I'm violating rules about how long I can be in the lab. I'm going to nark to the Fed boards about it." Ecklie stomped off again. He stared at Grissom. "You have another shift. You have a swing shift person in DNA and chem. I'm going to start acting like they do and only do minimal work until things get fixed and they're actually doing their jobs."
"That'll hinder prosecution, Greg."
"Then I'd get people there who can do the job," he shot back. His hands were on his hips. "I don't care right now, Gris. I'm tired, and I don't give a damn."
"We still need you in there tonight."
"Then you'd better call the federal boards and ask them about how many hours a day and a week I'm allowed to work because I'm already over double the emergency allowance." Grissom winced at that. "Do we want the lab closed?"
"No, of course not."
"Then I'd quit making me violate the rules and make them do their actual jobs. Because I'm tired today and I'm not going to be nice about it." He saw something appear in the hallway and knew it was bad. He could only see the back of the robe. Nope, they turned. There was a death mask hood. "Shit!" He moved Grissom before that one could fire on them and got them both into a lab.
"Set off the shelter in place alarms," he ordered. He checked and disappeared from there, going to the other end of the lab. The idiot tracked him but he was now in one of the garages so fewer people. "Move," he ordered. "Assault on the lab going on!" A few ran. The others gave him an odd look until the person came in and fired on him and Greg got him back. "Now, Catherine! Clear the techs!"
"What is that?" She got fired on and pulled her gun but the guy stopped the bullet. It did give Greg a good chance to fire something worse, making the man scream as he went down. "Greg!" she ordered.
"Shut up, Catherine! Go lock down the labs!" he shouted back, searching around. "Yup, two more. Great. That's...chem." He went to handle that and clear his lab. Which was messy. Of course. He knocked one out because he landed behind him and got hurt by the other one. It made him scream but that also set off his Bane marking making a few show up.
"Hell no," a quiet voice said. The death eater turned and found Nick Boyle and a few others there. "Hi." He fired on the guy and he went down. "Go check on Greg." One of them ran to do that. Then a female appeared and pounced the death eater, knocking him out. "Hey, Emilia."
"Nickie." She smiled as she stood up. "Great, morons." She kicked him on the side. "Any others?"
He checked then shook his head. "Not that I can sense. Get Greggy." She went to help move him so he could get treated and Nick disappeared after binding the idiots he had in front of him.
"What is that?" Grissom shouted.
Hodges leaned out of his lab to stare at him. "You didn't know that about Greg?" He shut his door and locked it again. When they came to check on him to make sure he was fine, he just waved and didn't unlock the door. Grissom could answer all the questions he wanted to but Hodges was not going to help. They ended up shutting the lab for the night so he got to go home and email Greg about what had happened after he left.
This was not going to make those analytical assholes he worked with happy by any means. He wanted to be far away from the fits.
***
Philip nudged Greg, waking him from the healing trance. Greg moaned, holding his head. "You're fine now," he soothed quietly. "It wasn't the crucio. It was something else painful. You've got muscle relaxers and painkillers."
"And I bless you for that," Greg whined. He tried to move, then decided that was not a good idea. He blinked at him. "They hurt anyone else in the lab?"
"Not that we saw."
"Good." He swallowed, getting some water. "Thanks, Philip. How're you doing?"
"Pretty decent. I'm teaching up here by St. Andrews." He helped him sit up. "Nick's waiting on you to wake up. What happened?"
"A death eater appeared in the lab's hallway while I was chewing on my boss for taking my night off from me. Again."
"You okay?" Philip asked with a grin.
"Hell no. They're going to be nagging for months." He finished the water and put the glass down again. "Am I okay?"
"As far as I can tell, yes. Let me get Nick. He helped get the last one at least." He went to get him and Nick came back with him. And Emilia. "Here you go." He left them to talk.
"That was bold of them," Nick said.
"The new rankings came out last week," Greg said, staring at him. "If they put me together with my rep, that figures. That and he's wanted me for years for my potion making fingers."
"I remember." He got out of Emilia's way. "She pounced."
"I'm sure it was epic," he said with a grin for her. "Thanks, Emlia."
"Welcome, Greggy." She gave him a hug. Then she backed off. She really would give it all up and pick him as a mate but she wasn't ready yet. "You okay?"
"Just residual stiffness." He shrugged a bit. "I should probably change identities though. Grissom's going to have a fit."
"Could be," Nick agreed with a grin. "Who was in your office area?"
"I don't know but when I find out I'm going to destroy them." Emilia grinned at that. "I'm particular about my workspace. I noticed it was a mess when I appeared in there. Someone needs a bludger upside the head."
"We can do that," Emilia quipped, giving him another hug. He cuddled so that was nice. Nick left them to do that. He knew their history and how they wanted to be together but things kept getting in the way.
***
Greg finally appeared the next day for work, staring at the lab inspection team. "I noticed someone had messed up my lab."
"I was going to ask why you had candy wrappers."
"I don't. Ever. No food in the chem lab. Or in Hodges' lab." He stared at the steaming mad lab supervisor heading his way. "Also, we need to know if the rules for overtime had changed."
"No, and we did note that when we looked at the lab's tapes. Have they paid you for it?"
"No. Not for last month's either. I'm about ready to sue them. Am I in the clear officially?"
"The only questions we have is what did you do to them?"
"Less than they were going to do to me? And less than what did happen to me."
"I saw that too. How...." She waved a hand.
"Classified." He grinned. "I can't violate it. Sorry." He handed over a business card he had at home. "This is the department to ask that to, though he may have retired."
"I can do that. Will your bosses like that answer?" she asked.
"I don't actually care at the moment. If another one happens I'm switching my identity."
She nodded. "Might be a good idea, CSI Sanders."
"I try to have many of them," he said dryly. "Thank you. Did you make them clean it up?"
"I did and did a quality control pull on the other shifts' work. They're in real trouble. Sorry to overwork you."
"Not like they usually did anything anyway," he said dryly. "I was complaining they had taken my only day off in three weeks right before the idiot appeared."
"I saw that on the film. Grissom was not happy."
"Not my doing." He shrugged. "I shouldn't even be here today really."
"Will they come back?" Ecklie demanded.
"How would I know? Do I read the mind of terrorists out of England?" Ecklie spluttered. "They want me for some skills I have, Ecklie. That was their idea of a forced job offer. Which would be a better job but I don't like their ideology and they don't pay people." He looked at the QC head of the lab investigative team. "Anything I need to go over?"
"They signed your name to a few samples."
"Did we catch them?" She smiled and nodded. "Good! Have fun with them! Maybe the next one they hire will actually do their own work."
"That would be advisable before the lab is shut down for issues," she told Ecklie, staring at him. He backed a step back. She looked at Greg again. "Have some fun answering questions."
"I'm not. I refuse. It's classified and I cannot, or else I'll violate my contract here by going to jail. They can ask that same phone number."
She walked off giggling. He walked around Ecklie, going to his mailbox to check his paycheck stub then came out to hold it up to Ecklie. "This isn't right. It's not even my hourly wage. You didn't include any of my overtime. You didn't even count me working full time. Did you get me mixed up with your team?"
"That's what Grissom submitted," he shot back.
"Like hell," Nick said as he came over. He looked at the stub then at Ecklie. "You have to sign off on those too, Ecklie. You did it to me and Catherine too. She's really mad at you, Greggo."
He shrugged. "I didn't summon them. I really didn't want them to appear here with their trying to force me to work for them. What did she want me to do, let them take out the lab?" He stared at Ecklie. "By the time I come in tomorrow it had better be fixed." He handed over a card. "This is my lawyer's number and I'll be telling him tomorrow when he comes in." He walked off. "Let me go make sure they actually cleaned up their mess."
Nick looked at Ecklie, who was huffy. "He's right. If it's classified, it's classified and saying anything could get him fired from here because of his contract." He walked off again to tell the others he was back, was in a sassy mood, and wasn't putting up with shit tonight. Normally bouncy, happy Greg was not the Greg on shift tonight.
Ecklie looked it up and stared at the pay that wasn't included. It was noted in the system as a questionable 'not signing out' issue that was under investigation. His budget was screwed. Greg made just over twenty-five dollars an hour, plus time and a half after sixty hours total in a week.
With the amount of hours, they owed him about two thousand dollars a week, at least, because there was double time after seventy-hours a week so probably closer to three thousand for a week's overtime at the usual level. For over six weeks. His budget was screwed completely. He called the payroll department to see if they had figured anything out. That boss told him they had ruled it actual hours so they were screwed about the budget.
Though he would get to save some for those two of his team being fired.
***
Draco looked at the auros who had knocked on his door. "What do you want now?" he demanded patiently, for him.
"Your mother has filed a petition that you're not mentally capable of protecting yourself," the lead one said with a smile.
"My mother's all but banished and she has no say in anything as the Malfoy family's dissolved," he said bluntly. The auror looked amused. "Also, I am an adult and fit to stand on my own two feet."
"She's claimed that your heritage makes you unstable because you can't get control."
"Bullshit. I have perfect control or you'd be dead," Draco said then smiled. They stepped back. "I got that heritage from my mother."
"She said she never manifested."
"There's ways to tell."
"It's distasteful," the other auror said.
"Yes I find it to be so as well," he said dryly, staring at him. "When is the hearing so I can go punch my former mother?"
"Now."
"Why wasn't I informed?"
"She said she sent you a letter through the family barrister," the other auror said.
"Which hasn't been employed since he got arrested and killed for helping with that attack on the Ministry. So I doubt that." He smirked. "Let me get a robe. Perseus, kill anyone who comes into the house, including my mother," he ordered the house elf that brought him a robe. "Thank you. Me and only me allowed in until I get back."
"Perseus will do," the house elf said then bowed. "Mother of Draco is not welcome."
"No she's not," he agreed, heading out with them once he had his wand in his holster. They stared at him. "I can just hit you. I did learn how to throw a punch watching Granger." They stepped away from him. He locked the house to his wand and then apparated to the Ministry, letting them check his wand. The two aurors hurried after him. He went into the Wizengamet chambers, and bowed. "I was rudely summoned by someone who has no say in anything about me?"
"Yes, but they're doing that in chambers, Mr. Malfoy. If you had let the aurors lead...."
"I'd have to hit them like I suddenly became a Granger," he said dryly. The judge shrank away from him. "Such cases are not held in chambers. As the fitness of a wizard or witch is not a private matter according to all of you and the law." He stared at him. "So let's end that little attempt."
"Fine." He sent a house elf to tell them Malfoy was there and being snotty. He sneered as Narcissa came in looking impeccably shabby.
"Can't keep a house elf to do your ironing, Mother?" Draco asked snidely. He fixed it for her. "Thankfully my father was dead of his misdeeds before he saw you like that." He looked at the judges staring at him. "You had me rudely summoned on made up charges?"
"Your mother claims you can't get control of your new gifts."
"Have I killed you yet?" he asked. "Or anyone here? Is anyone feeling unjustly attracted to me right now?"
"No, but that's not all the veela gifts," one said.
"It's the only ones I've manifested, as my mother had when she was my age." He smirked at her. "You can ask another one to check me if you wish."
"You have an external shield on you," Narcissa said coolly.
"No I haven't. Not since I talked to Emilia, your cousin." Narcissa looked horrified. "Mr. Dumass suggested I write to her as we're related." He looked at the judges. "Also, apparently my maternal bearing relative is not aware that the Malfoy family apocalypse clause was enacted due to *her* problems with the spirit in the ring.
"As the spirit in the ring slept with a veela, a full one, to create her, which passed it back into the Malfoy family, he hated that." He shrugged but smiled. "As it wouldn't allow itself to remain with me, the apocalypse clause was set off. My mother should be very happy she has the widow's pension to fall back on as I'm not giving her anything."
"Can you prove that?" the head judge demanded.
"Yes. Ask the bank. I worked with Blackrock to handle that incident when it was trying. We arranged it to be set off after a pause to handle necessary matters and clean up some of the old house." He grimaced. "It should have been noted."
"Get me that goblin," the head judge told the aurors.
"I'm told Goblin is a slur," he said dryly. "Worse than calling someone a mudblood. I would not want to incur their wrath as we have no other bank." He smirked a bit at the staring. "I only insult those I know I can beat in an unfair fight."
"That's a good way of deciding who to piss off," the head judge admitted. A banker came in. He nodded at him. "You have the Malfoy family file?"
"I do," he admitted, handing it over. "I also have permission from Lord Black to help Mr. Malfoy before he damages his family further."
"She's not anything to me at the moment. That may change with time," he told the banker. Then he smiled at his mother. "She who abandoned me because she had heard that my father had been arrested and the lawyer tried to blackmail me into getting him off, which led to the attack on the Ministry? Is nothing to me." She huffed and stuck her nose in the air. He smiled at the banker. "Should I summon the ring?"
"No, he'll lie on purpose."
The judge looked over the forms. "I do see that was recorded. Your ...emergence was also noted, but that you were learning control." He looked up. "How?"
"I took lessons from my cousin." He smiled a bit. "She works with diplomats. She's outside the country but we still correspond so she can give me advice and skill training."
"That's a good thing. Is she skilled?"
"Emilia Dorekson?"
"Oh, her," he said with a single nod. "She is good at keeping peace at diplomatic events and giving advice."
"Yes I'm told she is." He smiled. "Without having to drop her knickers to do it."
"I didn't realize that. Huh." He handed the folder back to the banker. "So we have Mr. Malfoy and what's happened to him and his mother....."
"Who I do not admit is my mother," Draco said dryly. "As she abandoned me. On purpose. Tried to send away all the Malfoy house elves. Tried to ruin the house apparently as I had to disarm the self destruct." He sighed. "Thankfully Blackrock knew how to do that with the ring."
The judge winced. "So she truly abandoned you."
"Yes. Two weeks before I turned seventeen." He grimaced at his mother then at the banker. "Shortly before I was wearing the family's seal while it would stay on my finger."
"You're the only heir?"
"I have a few elderly aunts. The ring's problem was it hated veelas or partial veelas as anything but a bed partner. Him having sired my mother's line a few generations back and it coming back to roost within the Malfoy family made him quite peeved at me for daring to exist. And having to have heirs who may carry on such things."
"Which is what set off the apocalypse clause but you managed to arrange a pause?"
"It was trying to enact it so I talked to the bank, who realized that, and we set the date to set it off and let me handle the aunt's inheritance vaults and the like. It let me clean out the safes and hand over any dangerous artifacts I didn't want to deal with." He smiled. "Which means I do have some of the heirloom jewels as Mother tried to flee with them but they came back to the family's vaults for my future wife and daughter."
The judge nodded. "That's reasonable. It let you handle things."
"It also let me bypass the disgrace my father brought to the family name." He smiled. "Especially since he was arrested as a ploy to let You-Know-Who attack here."
"I remember. We were in the judgement of his guilt when his arm started to hurt." Draco nodded. "The barrister's blackmail charge?"
"He sent me a letter noting my father had been arrested and said he'd get him off if I agreed to mate with him." He shrugged. "I turned that in as evidence against him to get my father freer."
"I remember that." He nodded. "Your mother's trying to claim that you will have to be mated to someone who can handle your veela gifts."
"Yet, she's the one that told me about the family curse of monogamy."
The judge considered it. "So like the fiancée that was talked about with the former Dumass heir?"
"Exactly that same family curse," he agreed dryly. "So I'm supposing my mother wants to clear her line on the family tapestry of the Black family. As she can't have more children for her next spouse."
The judge winced. "That's sad."
"Yes, well...the Malfoy family had an heirloom will that stated there could only be one heir at a time thanks to that same spirit's son hating his siblings."
The judge shook his head with a sigh. "Your family was rather messed up."
Draco smiled. "But I escaped."
"You apparently did." He stared at him then cast a spell at him. "I do not see an external shield around you."
"No, I don't. I do have something that will alert me if I start to broadcast." He held up his wrist. "But I've only had powers starting to come out now for about three months."
"That's a reasonable thing," he decided. "You should still marry sometime."
"I'm sure I will. I'm not sure who, but I know I will sometime." He shifted then crossed his arms over his chest. "No one my mother would want but someone somewhere. Not that it'll help her plans any."
"She is your mother."
"Who abandoned me. She never taught me loyalty or fealty." He shrugged. "Some day I may care. It's not today. It's probably not even this decade even if I give her a grandchild."
The judge nodded. "I can see that point. Sometimes the wounds parents give us are deeply emotional and last most of our lives." He stared at Narcissa, who looked angry at her son then at the son. "We would like you to find yourself a spouse that would be a credit to the family's remaining name."
"I'm sure I will. I'd never want one who looked bad on me."
"We think she should be British," one said.
"That's a problem," Draco said. "As my family tree is a grape vine." They all winced. "I'm related to every single pureblood in this country at least at the third cousin level, and most of them closer because the Black family's family tree was also a bit tangled." He shrugged. "I'll find a pureblood from outside the UK who is a witch of impeccable taste."
They shared a look then at him.
"There are remaining Dumass heirs," one said.
"Yes. I've met him. He's about our age and very, very angry. Mostly at the government over here." He smiled. "I do not appreciate gay sex so that would not work. It'd be annulled due to no congress going on and no heirs being created. Weren't you people trying to get us all to breed?"
The head judge scowled. "Quit being snotty, Malfoy."
"I'm not. I'm well aware of what this august body has done over the past year. I've heard many choruses from the women in the school about it as well. Frankly, even if Dumass were a woman, I wouldn't be attracted to her for the cursebreaking tendencies that would get me dirty or injured and always surrounded by chaos. I'll someday have a child for all the chaos I need in my life."
"An arranged marriage is how it's done," she complained coldly.
"Yes but you didn't manage to set one up before you abandoned me and showed how questionable your tastes are regarding your own child," he shot back coolly, staring at her. "It proved to me and others how much you don't give a damn about your own child, Mother. I hope I can do better when it's my child."
"It's the veela nature."
"Bullshit. Emilia doesn't have that problem. She cares very deeply about people. She's had friends she's kept since the first week of school and they still talk in person frequently."
"We could live in a castle."
"Dumass castle is locked to heirs only," he shot back. "There's no mother-in-laws allowed. Also, the castle is up by the northern border, has one single house elf, and isn't really being kept up to the same standards you're used to, Narcissa Black." She flinched at that, shaking her head, looking horrified.
"Xander, the Dumass heir, lives on a hellmouth full time. He fights beside a slayer apparently. I suppose I could learn other types of magic from him," he said dryly. "Though it would still never benefit you." She huffed again, looking away from him. He stared at the judges. "Also, you should have asked him as he's also an adult and not into arranged marriages as far as I know. He's presently dating someone. You cannot bind us together without him agreeing as well."
"His relatives would."
"No they wouldn't. Potter wouldn't and neither would he. They're the last ones outside of some who were kicked out of the family for going Dark."
"It would make sure you didn't go dark," the judge said smugly.
Draco smirked back. "No it wouldn't. He's got cursebreaker tendencies and he's working on one of the darkest places on earth. He knows more vampires than real, living people." The judge shuddered, flinching away from him. "Including a relative of ours, Druscila Black. Who is apparently a Scourge of Europe." He looked at his mother, smiling at her.
"And a seer, Mother. I should try to summon her to meet the last of the Black family. As I doubt Potter will have heirs anytime soon and the war could render him infertile. That leaves my cousin Nymphadora, who is your sister's daughter with a muggle, me, and Potter as he was adopted into it by Sirius Black." He looked smug. "We'll see if the Black family also dies out this generation I suppose."
"That will not stand. We are always pure," she sneered.
"Yet, you're not," he sneered back. "As I prove." She tried to hit him but he froze her. "Don't try it, Narcissa Black. I was trained by my father to be every bit his heir." He stared at her until she realized he was going to curse her. Then she backed away cautiously. He put his wand up and stared at the judge again. "Are we done with her plot now?"
"You should not pull a wand in the chambers," the judge said happily.
"I'm allowed the right of self defense."
"We can consider you a creature."
"Which means I still have the right of self defense," he shot back. "That is the law." He got a law book and opened it to put in front of him then pointed. "See?" He smirked a bit. "As I'm less veela than your wife is, that means you're a creature fucker if I'm considered one. Will your master like that? Though he does apparently have at it with a snake often." He went back to his place. He looked at the banker. "Thank you for the assistance."
"You're most welcome. This is an interesting time in history and getting to witness it is very amusing." He looked at the judge. "Xander Dumass will not accept anyone being forced on him. He is strong enough to take out a warrior of our horde. As he proved with the honor scroll he presented on his family's behalf." The judge looked horrified. "He took out a good twenty of us with a bit of demonic aid, but only the ones who had tried to steal from his family." He smirked at them. "He did win that match."
"That's impressive," Draco said with a nod. "Huh." He looked at the judge again. "You can call him and ask him if he'll go along with my mother's plot. Or I can call the Black family heir. Let me do that." He tapped the heir broach he wore, which Potter had insisted he wear, and it brought Harry there. Harry appeared with a sigh of displeasure. "My mother is trying to force me to mate to your cousin Xander."
"Xander will have her head," Harry admitted. "Especially as his present girlfriend is the vengeance demon over women scorned." The judge whined at that title. "You know what, I don't care what Narcissa No-Name does," he said, staring at her. She glared at him. "Because she is now officially not allowed to call herself a Black. She may remain in the family as an heir but she is not allowed to use the family name."
"It is my family's name, not yours," she hissed.
He took off the ring to hand to her. "Here, talk to Arcturus' spirit." She snatched it and he told her off. She winced and threw it back then stomped off. He smiled at the judges. "Are there other matters before you with either of us?"
"We do want Mr. Malfoy to find himself in a productive marriage."
"Then I'd quit pushing me towards taking in a male spouse," Draco said dryly. "Because I'm not doing a spell to carry a child." The judge glared at him. He stared back. "That's not going to happen. The Malfoy family can die off if that should happen. Or I'll name Potter my heir there. Give him more work to do."
"Gee, thanks," Harry muttered, staring at him oddly. "Why me? Give it to Granger."
Draco burst out laughing. "Oh, Merlin! That would certainly serve some people well!" He smirked at him. "That's a nearly evil plan, Potter. Thank you!"
He grinned. "Not a problem." He waved a hand. "Are we done? Arcturus is trying to summon Druscila to talk to her great-niece and I doubt we want that here." She appeared vamped out so he sighed. He glared at the ring. "It's light out, it'll kill her." He looked at her then Draco did a spot of darkness around her head. "The ring did it," Harry told her, holding it up. "He's totally peeved at your great-niece Narcissa over her treatment of her son."
Druscila sniffed Draco then him. "The ring holds a naughty little boy who needed to be paddled more," she told it. "It is not nice to bring me from my Daddy's side or my Spikey's side."
"We can get you back to Sunnydale later, Druscila," Harry said. "We'll ensure you're safe to get there from the Black family home."
She smiled. "I have not seen Grimmauld in many years," she said happily.
"It's dusty. The old house elf was letting it go to hell." She rolled her eyes. "Are we done?"
"Yes," the head judge said, staring at the obvious vampire. "Please."
"Fine."
Druscila stared at Draco. "You smell like the soft ones."
"Yes, the one in the Malfoy ring had one for a spouse," Draco said dryly. "Then their kid married into the Black family, thereby creating my mother. Who tried to have me married off to man."
Druscila stroked her hand over his cheek. "That can be fun."
"I'd rather have a nice wife, great-great-aunt." He smiled. "Preferably one from overseas so we're not related."
"Yes, so many cousins having children has made things go sideways. It creates monsters but not the good kind. Just the wrong looking ones." She went with them. "This has hardly changed," she said in pleasure at the alley.
Harry nodded. "We noticed." She giggled. "C'mon. Draco, want to come with us?"
"Please. I've got the house locked with the house elves instructed to kill my mother. I should warn your cousin that she tried that."
"He'll be amused." He took them all back to the house via portkey, then to Sunnydale with his portkey to there. "There we go. Back home again so you can find your Spikey," Harry told her with a smile.
"Such nice boys," she said, patting them both. She sniffed Draco again. "You would make a charming childer. You would feast very well, precious."
"No thank you. If I don't have an heir there's no more Blacks."
"Oh!" She blinked. "Really?"
"I was adopted," Harry said. "There's a half-blooded cousin I'm told and Draco here."
She stared at him. "Well! The pouty one in the ring will be most upset!"
"Especially since the Malfoy family will states only one heir at a time," Draco said with a grin. "So Harry really has to have some kids."
She nodded, looking at Harry. "You should. Soon, cousin."
"I'll try but it'll have to be after the war. I don't want to leave a child behind like I was left when my parents were killed, Druscila."
"I can understand that." She patted him on the cheek. "Try that nice redheaded one?"
"No, I'm not going to touch Ginny Weasley," he said dryly, smirking at her. "We don't like each other like that after getting to know each other. Even though she'd easily have the children for the family, I don't want that wife."
She sighed. "You could build a harem. It's not much done anymore but Constantus did so." She smiled at Xander, who came down the stairs to stare at her. "The pouty ring summoned me to talk to my great-niece."
"Who decided I would have to marry you by trying to get me declared incompetent on my own behalf," Draco finished smugly. "We've fought that off."
"Thanks," he said, looking confused. "Why would she?"
"Because she's plotting," Draco said. "A lot. With the apocalypse clause being triggered thanks to the ring's spirit...." He shrugged but smiled. "She only has the widow's pension and her dowry. She wanted to live in the castle. I told her there's no mother-in-laws allowed."
"Yeah, not likely." He frowned at Dru, who smiled and waved. "So ...yeah, that makes sense. Go ahead and go, Dru."
She walked over to him. "The one who dishonors his lineage by fathering childer with his snake friend is coming," she told him.
"Here?" She nodded. "When?"
"Soon. He wants an artifact. Thankfully you've already sent it off." She smiled. "Naughty boy!"
"I try." He grinned. "Thanks for the warning."
"He does smell delightful." She smiled at Draco. "Let me know when you have children, nephew. I'll have to show up then to make you one of us." She strolled out happily.
Xander looked at Draco, who shrugged. "I told her I had to have kids or the Black family died out too."
"Good point," Xander admitted, nodding a bit. Anya came down the stairs. "Anya, these are Harry, my cousin, and Draco, who his mother tried to have forced to marry me."
She stared at Draco. "Why would she?"
"She's plotting and has no sense," he quipped. "Sorry to interrupt the sexual escapades tonight."
"No, it hasn't started yet. He was about to go down to lick me because he knows I like it a lot," she said with a smile. "You should try that with yours."
"I'm under a curse. Whoever I pick I have to stay monogamous to or I'll die," he said dryly. "So I haven't picked one yet."
"That sucks. No easy, fun sex? That's got to really be upsetting," she said, coming over to hug him. "You'll figure it out. Maybe they can break the curse. Willow might be able to, even though she'd probably change you into something first by accident." She looked at Harry. "You should have one too."
"Not until after the war, Anya. I have to defeat a genocidal idiot first."
"Poo. That's not fun. Wars are never good. They got me many wishes but they're not good for people."
"No but if we're good enough we can end it soon so it won't keep dragging on. We'll let you two get back to fun. We just brought Dru back and wanted to warn Xander." He and Draco disappeared back to Grimmauld. Draco shook his head quickly but went home through the floo to rest his headache. Harry went to have a drink and his own headache.
Anya looked at Xander. "Can't you break that for him? It's gotta suck that he can't have fun."
"No. Those curses have been around forever and no research's been done. It'll take me years to do that."
"Pity. So, let's get back to you licking."
"Let me lock up the house again before we get more visitors." She skipped up the stairs while he locked up the house. Before Dru came back. He also sent a text message to Giles about Dru's prediction. Then he went up to please his girlfriend of questionable taste.
***
The banker that got the message from Harry Potter stared at it then sighed. He went to talk to the higher ups. "My King," he said when he ran into him on the way. He handed over the note at the amused look. "I have no idea which artifact that was."
"We can ask the cursebreakers if they do." He handed it back with a sigh. "We can advertise the auction. It may spare the town. Or having a battle again in the town."
"They seem used to them out there," Blackrock said dryly. "But can we do that?"
"Yes." He smiled and nodded. "I'll let the ones over that know to advertise it." Blackrock smiled and bowed before walking off. The king went to talk to the cursebreakers. "We just got word that Voldemort's going to try to find a certain artifact in Sunnydale, the hellmouth, soon, but the seer said that the Dumass heir sent it to us to auction off already."
One raised his hand. "We had two that would help him with the soul capturing. We have another one that would supercharge a wizard of the wandless type. Do we know which one specifically?"
"Not that the note said."
"I'll call and ask him," that cursebreaker said smugly. He went to do that and came back blushing. "His girlfriend got mad that I interrupted her sex life again tonight and he'll ask the seer, who is a vampire and a turned Black heir."
"We've heard about her," the king admitted. "Okay." He walked off happier. His people had it.
The cursebreakers shared a look and went to look at those to make sure they weren't usable in their current condition. Anything that captured souls didn't need to be able to work these days.
***
Xander went to find Dru the next afternoon. He knocked on the door and stared at the minion who glared at him. He was clearly in the sun and away from the minion in case he lunged. "We need to know which artifact the snake loving one is coming for. If it's one I've already sent off or not. There's another six that he could use to do what his plans have said he's doing. If so I've got to find it and break it tonight."
"Let me ask her," he complained, going to do that. Spike hated to be woken up but he had heard the knock so was already up and grumpy. "My queen," he said quietly. "The mouthy one wants to know which artifact it was so he can figure out if he has to go find it and break it tonight." Spike glared at him. "He knocked!"
"Whatever," Spike muttered. He went to find him. "Oh, it's you," he sneered.
Xander grinned and waved. "Druscila said that something artifacty was going to draw Voldemort here to find it. We want it out of the way first. I just need to know what it is and if she knows where it is I'll go find it and break it tonight."
"How would you do that?" he demanded. "You're a normal, no magic."
Xander pulled his wand with a grin. "Really?" Spike stared then at him. He grinned and wiggled his fingers. "I'm actually a Dumass. The head of the family now." He smiled at Dru when she came to lean nakedly against Spike's naked back. "I just need to know which artifact, Dru. Please. That way I can break it. Before he gets here because he's supposed to hit here tomorrow night if you guys wanted to snack on his Nazi minions." He grinned at Spike. "He's a halfblood leading a pureblood movement."
"They let that happen?" he demanded, leaning on the doorway.
"You should really look at the news out of Hogwarts, Spike. Really. Including Dumbles is dead." Spike moaned at that. "And he was a bad guy stealing from families." He grinned.
"Shite," he muttered. "Why?"
"Power. The same as he got some of my family's stuff. We sued." He shrugged but grinned. "And Potter sued. Who is my cousin."
"That's complicated but the wizarding world does interbreed like feral cats." He looked back at Dru. "Do you know which artifact, Love?"
"The shiny one that captures attention and then your soul," she said, looking at him. "You had it in your basement so you probably broke it."
"I thought you stole that from me."
"Oh, did I?" She grimaced. "Oh, sorry!" She smiled and waved a hand. "Is he a picnic snack?"
"If you want to eat a Death Eater, you go right head. Save our mutual cousin some problems, Madam Black." She giggled at that. "Because it's one less we have to take out in the war coming up." She wandered off giggling. "Was that the blue or the silver one?" he asked quietly.
"She's drawn to shiny things," Spike said dryly. "So probably silver. How long have you had that?"
"All along." He grinned. "I learned from the family's library." He winked at him. "By the way, the Weasley family is still around and breeding greatly. I met the youngest one, Ron. He's Harry's buddy and helps him tons."
"We're not warriors."
"Neither's Harry but someone has to do the job and they forced him to."
Spike grunted. "Great." He shook his head, slamming the door and going back to bed.
"Thanks for the help," Xander called, heading to look up that artifact to find it again. He really had to find it and break it. And a few other things. He paused to stare in one direction. "He could use that temple too. We should guard it." He walked off making a list of things that had to be guarded better in town. It was a long list. He cast a summoning charm and got both artifacts, and the hand that was holding it. Then he banished it at Blackrock. Just to be safe.
***
In the bank, the dverger looked at the ball of artifacts that appeared on his desk, then sighed. "Dumass," he complained quietly. "Artifact appeared!" he bellowed, bringing guards, a few cursebreakers, and a containment box. "Dumass," he explained. "We've been warned Voldemort was going after something over there. I think one of them is it."
"Probably. They're both soul capturing. The silver one grabs your attention and steals your soul while you watch the dirty flip film in it," the guard admitted, handing it over. "That has to be a demonic hand."
"Yeah, it's got a demonic soul in it," the curesbreaker said, putting it carefully into a box. The others went into their separate boxes. Then a larger cask showed up and they looked it over. "That's pretty stuff. Dumass must be tired."
Library the house elf showed up and stared at them. "Library moved for Master Dumass. He be forgetting hellmouth bends magic weird to the right." She smiled at Blackrock. "He say he be battling tomorrow night. Let him know how much he made." She disappeared.
"I can do that," Blackrock agreed dryly. They took the things to add to the auction. After they broke the two soul capturing devices.
The demon tried to complain about his hand but oh well! He hadn't summoned it back.
***
Story notes:
I skipped this earlier by accident, sorry!