After seeing Walburga off on her final journey, the Malfoys went back to business. Lucius went to the Ministry to find out about his eldest son's admission to Hogwarts. He categorically did not want to go and negotiate with Dumbledore, nor did he want to tell anyone where his eldest son had been studying all these years. Rumours spread many years ago that Cassius was a Squib had reliably protected the Malfoys from prying eyes.
The information obtained from the Ministry made Lucius think: "It turns out that the curricula of different schools differ significantly in all subjects, so in order to adapt his knowledge to the standards of English education, Cassius will need to prepare seriously. Only astronomy is taught the same way everywhere. My son will be able to pass the exams in potions and charms in class, as he has already surpassed the rank of apprentice in these subjects. Numerology and ancient runes are also similar in most schools, but all other subjects require careful comparison. Cassius will have to pass the Ministry's OWL exam and only then apply to Hogwarts. Then Dumbledore won't have any additional leverage over the Malfoys.
Walking down the corridor with a sense of self-importance, tapping his elegant cane on the parquet floor of the Ministry of Magic, Lucius continued to think intently: "Unfortunately, it will not be possible to pass the SOV this year, as there is less than a month left before admission. Cassius will have to study some subjects from scratch, which means he won't be able to enrol at Hogwarts until next year. We need to hire tutors for this year to help our son bring his knowledge up to British standards."
Lucius did not plan to show Cassius's report card to anyone, as the grade "Excellent" in dark magic and ritualism, which were banned in England, would cause unnecessary excitement both at the Ministry and at Hogwarts. After knocking, he confidently entered the office.
"Hello, Mrs Marchbanks.
Griselda Marchbanks, head of the Department of Magical Education, head of the Ministry's examination board, and supervisor of all Hogwarts final exams for decades, looked at Lucius with irritation:
"What do you want, Lord Malfoy?
Lucius sank into a chair opposite the table:
"I would like to inquire about the possibility of my distant relative taking the Ministry exam.
"You are probably unaware, Lord Malfoy, but the OWL and N.E.W.T. exams are held in the spring and early summer, not a week before Hogwarts," Marchbanks said, pursing her lips primly and speaking sarcastically."Perhaps there are some exceptions?" Malfoy waved his cane uncertainly.
The old hag, who had taken exams under Dumbledore himself, shook her head contemptuously:
"No exceptions, Lord Malfoy, none..."
Lucius nodded politely, stood up, and left the office, tapping his cane angrily.
Cassius was preparing to perform the ceremony of succession in the Black family in the ritual hall of Black Manor. He was now the sole heir to the dark family. "Lord Black sounds just as good as Lord Malfoy," Cassius decided. Of course, he had to prepare thoroughly for the ritual, but Lady Walburga's portrait and the extensive library helped him take all the possible nuances into account. After Walburga's death, old Kreacher took to wailing and lamenting at the portrait of his "beloved mistress," but he was immediately caught and sent to tidy up.
Finally, everything was ready. Cassius, standing in front of the family altar, cut his left hand and placed it on the stone. Throwing the ritual dagger onto a stand, he touched the head of the altar with his ring and closed his eyes. Nothing happened for a couple of seconds, and then some streaks flashed before his inner eye, and he found himself in a forest glade surrounded by tall trees and standing menhirs. Some of the stone boulders had long since collapsed and were overgrown with green moss, while the rest stood trying to pierce the dark sky. The scent of the forest filled the air, and the sound of bagpipes could be heard from somewhere.
Cassius looked around and suddenly noticed the figure of a huge black dog sitting two steps away from him. The creature's red, glowing eyes were fixed on the trees, from whose shadows people began to emerge. They were all completely different, as if they had come from other eras. Some were dressed as knights, others in magicians' robes, and some were simply girded with rope and carrying swords. When the large crowd emerged into the clearing under the starlight, Cassius recognised some faces, especially an old woman standing in the front row who looked at him proudly. Next to her was a grey-haired man and a teenager who looked like him, slightly older than Cassius.
At that moment, the creature pretending to be a dog spoke:
"We have gathered here to determine whether this mage is worthy of the title of head of the Black clan. Who is ready to test the contender?" The crowd began to disperse, and from somewhere in the back rows emerged a tall, black-haired man in a dark blue robe.
"My name is Carl Black," he bowed with dignity. "It was I who once called upon the spirit of Anubis, and he granted our clan a name and an altar. And a part of his power has been with our clan ever since," the black dog growled softly.
"And now I will test how worthy you are to become the head of our clan, boy," the black-haired man smiled wickedly. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he shouted furiously, pulling a short, crooked stick from his sleeve:
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green beam flew quickly towards Cassius, but he waved his hand and conjured a metal shield in front of him, which the spell shattered into splinters. At the same time, Cassius jumped aside and struck back. He did not say anything aloud, but the surprised man's legs were entangled by black vines that had emerged from the ground, and a sparkling pillar of lightning struck from the sky. At the last second, Carl managed to raise his hand with the staff and create a magical shield that shimmered with all the colours of the rainbow, but it began to bend under the incredible force of the spell.
While the wizard was busy countering the elemental blow, Cassius began to speak softly: "East, west, north, south, hold his hands and shut his mouth. Cover his eyes, stop his breathing. Wrap him in the shroud of death."
Purple tendrils instantly grew from Malfoy's hands and immediately wrapped around Carl Black. He still tried to cast spells, but all his spells immediately faded into the thickening purple darkness. It was clear that despite the wizard's ghostly nature, he was fighting with all his might, and his posthumous existence was at stake.
Cassius seemed to grow taller, and his usually cheerful eyes became like dark pits. A purple whirlwind began to swirl around his figure, with lightning flashing inside it. He raised his hand, and a rotten green ball formed above it. At that moment, the creature that had been watching suddenly lunged at Cassius.
However, ready for anything, the boy simply changed the target of his blow, and the ball that had been hanging over his hand whistled straight into the giant dog's forehead. There was a loud crash, and the dog was thrown back towards the menhir. It staggered, shook its head, but before it could do anything, it found itself in a cage of the same colour, the walls of which began to close in quickly. The stunned spirits of the ancestors looked confusedly at the raging green fire as the walls of the cage closed around the giant dog's body and a piercing scream rang out throughout the area.The green flames coming from the red-hot cage immediately began to melt the creature's black skin, and Cassius turned to Carl, whose hands were bound, who was becoming more and more transparent. Karl looked in horror at Cassius, then at the agony of the black dog. Cassius made a slight movement with his hand, and the black whips loosened their grip on the founder of the Black family.
"Stop," he whispered, "you'll destroy the altar, it holds all the power of the Blacks!"
"The power of the mage is within him," Cassius shook his head with a sneer. "The altar is just a repository of magic, an archive of ancestral memories, a link to the magical source from which additional power can be drawn when needed. But the Black family altar, thanks to a particle of divine essence, has turned into some kind of rubbish that has gained a mind of its own and is gradually draining the strength of the family members, rewarding them with madness. And now, while we were fighting, she tried to create a channel between me and the altar, through which she then transferred her power and a tiny bit of the family madness to me. And when she realised that my defence was blocking her influence, she tried to kill me. After all, I can disrupt her plans and gather enough strength to gain my freedom. She has very little left, just one or two souls," Cassius smiled maliciously, "but now her plans have been ruined.
The young mage turned away from Black, who was lying at his feet, and raised both hands towards the creature, which continued to struggle despite the increasing pressure of the cage. Green and purple lightning bolts shot from his hands, instantly piercing the skin of the already battered beast. Taking a step towards the creature, Cassius quietly uttered a ritual phrase in Parseltongue:
"Jambala-Vedo, I call upon you with the power of a magician. Take away the mind of this particle of Gran-me.
Suddenly, a snake-like hissing sound rang out, like the whistling of the wind, and the green flames died out. A completely intact black dog approached Cassius and, wagging its tail vigorously, sat down next to him. A wide spiked collar appeared on its neck, on which the words "Mtumishi Wa Familia Nyeusi" were written in gold letters. Cassius boldly stroked the dog's smooth fur and turned to his relatives:
"I have corrected the mistake you once made, and now the altar and the spirit of the clan will help future generations, not harm them.
Released, Carl Black tried to lose himself in the crowd, which looked at Cassius with horror and confusion. Only in his grandmother's eyes, already disappearing from view, did he continue to see the indomitable flame of pride and love...
Coming to his senses, Cassius found himself lying on the floor of the ritual hall. His head ached mercilessly, clearly from hitting it when he fell. Sighing heavily, the mage tried to sit up, and after a while he managed to do so. Overcoming nausea and dizziness, Cassius began to stand up, but fell back on his backside from magical exhaustion. Even though the entire battle had taken place somewhere in the space of the altar stone, Cassius had expended so much energy that he could not stand on his feet. After sitting for a while, he felt around in his pocket for several small bottles, identified the one he needed by touch, took it out, and tipped the contents into his mouth. A cold wave rushed through his oesophagus, and at least it became easier to breathe. Cassius tried to stand up again and finally succeeded. The Black family ring, now adorned with a crown, began to glow dimly, but even this light helped Cassius from slipping on the smooth steps of the altar hall.
Stumbling out of the room, Cassius made his way to the kitchen with an elderly gait and simply collapsed into a chair.
"Kricher," the magician called softly into the emptiness. At that moment, the house spirit appeared before him, looking considerably younger. His previously repulsive appearance had taken on more harmonious features.
"At your service, master," the magical servant bowed with dignity.
"Bring me a strengthening and blood-building potion, and make some tea with pies, please," Cassius croaked wearily. "That ritual completely exhausted me.
"Yes, head of the Black family," the satisfied house spirit bowed again and immediately disappeared, only to reappear in the kitchen a moment later.
After eating and regaining his strength, Cassius went to his bedroom. He didn't want to show up at home looking like this because his mother would worry about him, and his father might lecture him at length about why he had performed the ritual alone. But his teacher had told him that when accepting a lineage, a magician must remain alone. Then he would receive everything or die. Otherwise, he would only be the head in name, but he would not receive all his power. And then there was the problem with the altar.
When he saw the fragments of his magical craft, which he had made long ago for his grandmother, he didn't even realise what it was at first. But the taste of his own magic coming from them brought Cassius back to these memories. The appearance of magical junk in the family manor that could harm the mistress of the manor would never have happened if the family altar had been in order. And the junk was extremely powerful, since the protective amulet couldn't withstand it and was torn apart by the strain. Cassius may have made it himself, but his teacher had helped him with the protective weaving. He would talk to his grandmother's spirit at the altar about this later and find out how it all happened.
Waking up the next day after the ritual, Cassius began to feel the entire old house, the altar, and the considerable volume of the source. Deep down, he could feel a distant ocean of energy that held the altar firmly in place. But as soon as he loosened his grip and opened the channel, a crazy stream of furious energy rushed into his body. "My body isn't ready for this yet," Cassius thought angrily, "and it won't be for a long time. With that kind of power, you could burn a city like London to the ground. Although, I'd probably be reduced to ashes myself. I need to gradually develop the channels in my body, and then everything will work out."
***
It was always cold and windy here, and a hellish carousel of Dementors swirled above the gloomy triangular tower, some of them constantly descending to feast on the crumbs of light emotions of the prisoners. And the higher the prison cell, the more terrible was the fate of the unfortunate souls who sat there. On the top level, in one of the cells, sat Sirius Black, and next to him, in a cruel twist of fate, were the Death Eaters he had fought against.
And now it suddenly occurred to him that it didn't matter which side you were on if death awaited everyone in the end. He remembered his mother, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. Although he had never agreed to betray James' memory and try to prove his innocence, even in secret, he was secretly happy when she came or sent gifts through the guards. Here, simple chocolate was worth more than gold because it helped him stay sane. And his mother always sent him sweets.
Someone was also helping the Death Eaters, because Sirius heard Antonin Dolohov and Augustus Rukwood talking quietly. They were discussing some kind of teeth-grinding spell, and Sirius was surprised to realise that they were all right in the head, and that the Dementors had much less effect on them than on him. Bella, on the other hand, was driving everyone crazy with her screams. She was crying, howling, and insisting that her beloved Lord would return soon. Recently, however, she had quieted down.
Today, for the first time since James was killed, Sirius thought about his own fate. James and Lily had a son, his godson. He himself had given the baby to Hagrid and rushed to arrest that rat Peter. He was so angry that he felt sick: "That cursed creature escaped me and is now sitting somewhere warm, while I'm here," he thought. "Maybe he even started a family and forgot what happened. Now he's raising his rats in some burrow and doesn't even remember the past. Why would it? The master is dead, the enemies know nothing, and the only person who could shed light on those events is sitting in Azkaban," Sirius even groaned in helplessness. He angrily slammed his fist against the rough stone wall. "What if the rat wants to kill Harry too?" Black gritted his teeth.
A wave of deathly cold swept through the corridor, and Black immediately began to transform into a dog. Dementors floated past the cells again, and the thin black dog growled softly on the floor, covering his head with his paws.
Emerging from the fireplace in Malfoy Manor, Cassius set off in search of his mother. Narcissa was sitting in the garden reading another of Mr. Lockhart's novels. Seeing her son approaching, she put down the book and watched him come closer with pleasure. When he approached and respectfully kissed her hand, she gestured for him to sit down beside her and gently stroked his hair.
"You're so big now, Cass. Are you getting on well at Grimm's? I remember when we were little girls and played hide and seek there with Bella and Andy. It seemed so huge to us then, with so many rooms, curtains and hidden nooks. I always wondered how Bella found us, but that little rascal just asked Creacher to tell her where we were hiding," she finished with a smile.
"I accepted the family, Mum," Cassius shrugged. "After the ritual, I just feel at home, every corner of it. Narcissa looked at her son in amazement.
"But that means you're the head of the family at sixteen!" She shook her head in amazement. "Just like in a knight's novel," she said, her gaze catching on the book. "Then you should visit Gringotts. You need to confirm the old vows, give instructions about the vaults, and look at the wills. Of course, the main capital of the family belongs to you, but sometimes someone bequeaths their own property to one of their relatives. For example, despite the fact that his mother kicked him out of the house, Sirius's uncle Alphard left him an inheritance. There was such a scandal," Narcissa rolled her eyes. "His aunt even burned both of them out of the tapestry. She hoped that without money, Sirius would return home, but instead, he received his inheritance and went off the rails."
Narcissa sighed. Of course, it was all long forgotten, but she still cared about the fate of her relatives. She remembered them all as carefree children, running happily around the manor, flying on broomsticks and getting scolded by their strict relatives. She, Bella and Andy were like three peas in a pod. Together they fought against the mischievous Sirius and the crybaby Regulus.
The boys had been mischievous since childhood and played all sorts of nasty tricks on the girls. Then they would sit in the garden, drinking delicious tea from pots and eating liquorice sticks, watching Orion and Cygnus launch beautiful illusions and fireworks, while Walburga and Druella looked on with pride and smiles. But now Andromeda doesn't want to talk to anyone, and Bella and Sirius are sitting in that nightmare place, Azkaban. Their mother is dead, and their father has gone mad with grief and locked himself in the estate, casting the Fidelius spell on himself. Her only consolation is her children. Both Cassius and the growing Draco make Narcissa happy.
She sometimes wondered how her life would have turned out if her husband had never found a way to lift the curse from their family. Losing one of her sons was her worst nightmare. At the thought that someone might harm her children, her Black blood began to boil, bringing to mind the most terrifying spells that Bellatrix loved to boast about. Cassius held his mother's hand and gazed lovingly at her face. Even when immersed in her most painful memories, she remained remarkably beautiful. Only those closest to her could see Narcissa like this. Even her friends who visited her only saw what she was willing to show them, not the real Narcissa, who was cheerful and adored her family.
Cassius, dressed in a strict, elegant English gentleman's suit, climbed the steps of Gringotts Bank. Ignoring the guards and magicians rushing back and forth, Cassius approached the counter, behind which an important clerk was sitting, examining precious stones.
"Good day, sir," Cassius said quietly to the goblin. "I need to speak to the Black family's representative," and he waved his hand, which was adorned with the family's ring, in front of the clerk.
"Very well, sir," the goblin bustled about and disappeared behind the counter. After waiting for literally five minutes, Bargok appeared in the hall, hurrying towards the mage.
"Greetings, Lord Black," he bowed. "I have been expecting your visit. We need to discuss some matters concerning the clan's finances."
Following the goblin into a spacious office, Cassius sank into a chair opposite the table. The goblin sat down at the table and began to take out scrolls, ledgers, provision movement records, and expense books from somewhere. Cassius looked at it all with some apprehension, realising that it would be quite difficult to make sense of this intricate web. "Oh, I should have given everything to my father to manage. Why do I need all these papers?" A cowardly thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately suppressed it. "After all, he is the head of the family and should understand all this. Besides, my father spent a long time explaining how to manage the family and how Gringotts is connected to it. And even if he doesn't have his father's talent for managing finances right now, he will surely master the magic of big numbers in time."
Later that evening, after leaving the bank, Cassius shook his head: "How does my father manage all this? Not only does he manage, he actually enjoys it!"
Clutching the portal rope in his hand, Cassius transported himself home, where he immediately went to bed. He still had another week of going to the bank as if it were his job, as the equally exhausted goblin informed him with glee.
***
Today was an important day in the life of every wizard. Draco Malfoy and his family went to Diagon Alley to shop for school. Summer had flown by so quickly that the boy hadn't even had time to go out and play properly. This year, due to his brother's return from Africa and the death of his grandmother, they hadn't gone to France. Draco loved spending time there by the sea and in the company of pretty Veelas. But today he was simply bursting with enthusiasm as he travelled through the fireplace network to Diagon Alley. Deciding to start with school clothes, they left him at Madam Malkin's shop and went to Twilfit and Tatting, where they planned to order him a suit for the weekend, and Narcissa wanted to try something on Cassius. Looking maliciously at his sad brother, Draco waved cheerfully and popped into Madam Malkin's shop. Madam Malkin greeted Draco with a smile, said hello, and found out that he had come for his Hogwarts uniform.
"School, what a wonderful time," she said cheerfully and gestured to the stool where Draco was to stand. A magical ruler immediately flashed around the boy, taking measurements.
"How many sets do you need, young man?" asked Malkin, looking up from her notes for a moment.
"Two will be enough for me," the boy said, imitating his father and drawing out his words. At that moment, another customer entered the shop, accompanied by the ringing of a bell. The round glasses on his frightened face and the poor-quality Muggle clothes made Draco sneer contemptuously.
Malkin immediately approached the boy, and a second later, he was sitting next to Draco on the bench.
"Hello," Malfoy nodded to the bespectacled boy standing on the bench next to him.
"Hi! Are you also going to Hogwarts?" he smiled timidly.
"Yes," replied Draco. "My father is buying me textbooks, and my mother is looking at holiday robes with one of our relatives," said the boy, snorting slightly. "I bet Black doesn't like that."
The bespectacled boy giggled stupidly.
"What's so funny?" Draco asked indignantly. "You just don't know my mum. Now, until she's tried everything she likes on Cassius, he's doomed.
At that moment, Hagrid appeared in the shop window, grimacing and trying to say something to Draco's neighbour.
"What's that monkey doing?" Malfoy asked in surprise. "We went to Africa once, and we saw one like that at the zoo. A homilla or a gorilla. I can't remember what it was called."
"That's not a gorilla!" the bespectacled boy protested. "And it's not a homilla either." He mimicked Draco. "He's my friend. His name is Hagrid."
"Hagrid," Malfoy frowned. "He's some kind of house elf, a servant at Hogwarts?
"He's not a servant," the boy protested again. "He's the keeper of the keys at Hogwarts.
Draco decided not to pursue the subject, since his new acquaintance was so sensitive about it.
"Let's drop it. Are you a Muggle-born?" Malfoy decided to change the subject.
"No, my parents were wizards, but they're dead," the bespectacled boy replied sharply.
"But you lived with Muggles?" Malfoy asked disdainfully, glancing at his companion's clothes.
"Yes. And it was awful," Harry grimaced.
"Well," Draco drawled, already figuring out how he could use his new acquaintance. "I could help you settle into the wizarding world, among real wizards. I am the heir to the Malfoy family, Draco Malfoy," he said, extending his hand.
"Your clothes are ready, heir Malfoy," Malkin interrupted mockingly, neatly wrapping Draco's purchases in a cloth with her wand. "That will be twelve galleons.
"Thank you, Mrs. Malkin," the boy bowed ceremoniously. "All right, see you on the train.
He nodded to the bespectacled man and darted out of the shop. Snorting at the half-giant still standing by the shop window, Draco skipped off to Twilfit and Tatting, where he suspected Narcissa and Cassius were still waiting.
***
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