Arcturus Black looked upon his family. And he was disappointed. Orion, Cygnus, Walburga and Druella were ignorant and petty. Narcissa was a perfect daughter of the house of Black their eyes and set to marry Lucius Malfoy. Tarrific. Andromeda was intelligent and supposedly seeing one James Potter, but the story seemed suspicious to him. Sirius was to brash for his own good but was a talented wizard. Regules was a genius, but increadly slow on the uptake. And then there was Bellatrix. She used to holely support the pureblood agender. Or rather what it has devolved into. But thanks to her intelligence, she saw that not all the ends met and was on the fence. But her aggression had scared off Dumbledore and his lackeys. Arcturus never really liked him. And Charles Potter had despised him. Today was Sunday. The only day he sees the rest of the family as they sat down for dinner.

"I will be going to Potter manor for the funeral Wednesday." He announced. His statement was met mostly with looks of disgust. How dare they! How dare they disrespect one of their own!

Dora Potter gained more respect for the Black family, than any of them! They were doomed. Unless he did something drastic. And he intended to. "Bellatrix, you be accompanying me to observe and ensure I have no problems."

Bellatrix, who looked conflict at his announcement answered instantly. "Yes Grandfather."

Arcturus ignored the looks Orion and Cygnus were giving him.

"May I come as well Grandfather?" Sirius asked. Arcturus had denied casting him out upon his placement in Gryffindor and was glad he had befriended young James Potter. It would give him a place to go when the inevitable happened.

"You may." Arcturus answered evenly

"Thank you Grandfather." Sirius replied in the same tone. Sirius despised most of his family, but Arcturus was the only adult Black he did respect.

Arcturus caught Andromeda glancing at him and raised a eyebrow. Andromeda cleared her throat and spoke. "May I accompany you as well Grandfather?"

"You may."

"Thank you Grandfather."

Once dinner was finished, Arcturus rose from his seat. "Bellatrix, Sirius, Andromeda, we will be going to mourn one of our own. I expect you all to look your best. You can spend Tuesday with me. I want to get there before the others."

"Yes Grandfather." The three mentioned members of the family answered.

Four day later.

The floo flared to life at Potter manor flared to life, as the four Blacks came through in order of age. A 14 year old James Potter was stood at Floo ready to greet them. "Lord Black, glad you could make it." James greeted with a short bow and shook Arcturus' hand.

Bellatrix looked round the sitting room and took note of a few things. First of all wooden floor was far lighter than anything used in a Black home. So was everything else for that manner. The walls were painted a cream colour than rather than the Gryffindor colours she was expecting. In fact the only red and gold she could see was the rug the was surrounded by leather chairs and had a small table on it.

"I have very little to do these days heir Potter, but even if I was, I would have made time." Arcturus answered and gave the Potter heir a brief smile.

Arcturus moved past James, who was now stood facing Bellatrix. James took her hand and kissed her knuckle "Miss Black, it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Heir Potter, half my house has sworn vengeance upon you." Bellatrix replied coldly.

"Only half? That's surprising." James commented with a smile, completely ignoring the barb.

Bellatrix moved past James with a glare, while Andromeda approached their host. The pair held each other in a loose embrace and gave a light peck on each others cheeks. "You look as lovely as ever Andromeda." James praised her once they broke apart.

"Thank you James. You clean up pretty well you self." Andromeda smiled. With a nod to one another Andromeda moved past him.

Now Arcturus knew the rumor of them being interment was false. While they were clearly familiar with one another, there would have been more to their greeting if it were true.

James and Sirius met each other with grins, before pulling each other into a brotherly embrace. Pats on the back included. "Good to see you Siri."

"You to James." Sirius respond. He looked to his grandfather and saw him smile and a slow nod.

Once the pair broke apart Arcturus spoke up. "Where are your parents, heir Potter?"

"In the lords study, Lord Black. They felt whatever business you want to do would be best held there." James announced. "I'll take you to them." With that James lead the way to his father's study. Upon arriving, James knocked on the door before opening it. "Lord Black is here to see you Lord Potter."

"Send him."

James moved out of the doorway and nodded to Arcturus.

Once door closed behind the lord. James spoke up. "So. Do you want to go to the Quidditch pitch, the library, or the dueling room?"

"Dueling room. I want to see what you've got." Bellatrix grinned like a predator who had found herself some fresh pray.

But James simply smirked back. "This way." Once James had his back to his competition, he began working on how to win.

Sirius caught up to James and walked alongside him. He looked back to Bellatrix and saw she was still smiling. While not as large and sinister as before, but it showed unparalleled confidence. "So who else is coming?" Sirius asked to break the silence.

"Petter is coming with his mum, Remus is going stag..." Sirius snorted. "... The Longbottoms and Bones', obviously. I'm going to go and get Ted from The Leaky Cauldron after lunch..." No one saw Andromeda smile a little at that, while the boys sheared a grin. "... Moody and a few other auror's and hitwizards, Mcgonagall, Pomphrey and Flitwick will be showing up as well."

"Will Dumbledore be showing?" Sirius asked with a cheeky grin.

James ginned. "You know he won't."

At this point they reached the dueling room so James cut the conversation short. "And few other, but we'll probably ignore them anyway, so it doesn't matter." Sirius just shrugged his agreement.

The entire was barren and made of bricks or flagstones, some of the them were engraved with ruins but other than that, nothing decorated them.

"I'm impressed." Bellatrix commented.

James grinned. And leapt up onto circular platform at the far side of the room. "Does that mean you've given up already?"

Bellatrix smirked back. "Don't think yourself so lucky." She shot back before stepping onto the platform herself. The wards were instantly raised around the platform.

"Rules of engagement. Nothing lethal, obviously. And nothing that'll damage the cloths, agreed?"

"Agreed. We wouldn't want you to look a mess before the funeral." Bellatrix teased.

James smiled. "Andromeda, can you start us off?"

"Sure. Contestants bow!" Both James and Bellatrix did as instructed. "Began!"

"Levicorpus!" James cast straight out of the gate, to which Bellatrix twirled to the side.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you were trying to peek under my skirt Potter." Bellatrix teased with a grin, as she cast a stunning hex.

"Merely wondering if the carpet matches the drapes, Miss Black." James grinned back while he dodged

"Oh they do, but I shave." Bellatrix comment before casting a chain of spells at her opponent.

"I'll keep that mind Miss Black." James answered as he dodged and blocked her spellfire.

"Are those two really flirting?" Sirius questioned in shock.

"Yep." Andromeda answered, popping the p.

"Aguamenti Maxima!" James cried out as he released a furious torrent of water at his opponent.

Bellatrix quickly shielded, but the water coasted her side of the arena. "Trying to make me wet Potter?" Bellatrix smirked.

"I am to please Miss Black." James grinned.

The pair traded a few more spells before James sprang his trap. With a flick of his wand the water froze into a sheet of ice. Before Bellatrix had a chance to react, Jame bombarded her with a variety of spells aimed at different parts of her body. Bellatrix could feel her shield began to waver and she was stood near the edge. She had to move. Bellatrix dropped her shield and tried to twirl to she side. But the lack friction caused it to go awry. While Bellatrix was trying to regain her balance, James knocked her off the platform with a blungoning hex.

"James wins." Andromeda announced astonished. James had just finished his fourth year at Hogwarts, while Bellatrix had graduated this year.

James vanished the ice and jumped off the platform and helped Bellatrix to her feet. "I believe I am owed a kiss, Miss Black." He teased.

"I suppose you are." Bellatrix sighed dramatically. While James expected a quick peck on the cheek. Bellatrix had other ideas. She kissed James straight on the lips. Leavening the Potter heir stunned. "Call me Bellatrix, or Trixie for short. You've earned that much."

James managed to compose himself enough to respond with a cheeky smile. "Then you should call me James. It's only fair."

Bellatrix smirked in response. "I'm impressed James, but you're going to have to do better than that if you want to get between my legs."

"Do tell." James grinned.

"Ugh! Can you two PLEASE stop flirting!?" Andromeda begged.

"Damn it Andi, now they're never going to stop!" Sirius cried out.

Bellatrix and James looked at each other with identical grins. "It seems we've upset the children Dear." Bellatrix teased.

"It seems so Sweetheart. How about we sit down for a while? You've left me exhausted." James responded without missing a beat.

Meanwhile.

As the door closed behind him, Arcturus approached the desk that occupied the room. Both Potters raised from their seats to greet him.

"It's good to see you again Arcturus." The male Potter smiled as they shook hands.

"Good to see you as well Fleamont." Smiled back.

"It has been some time Arcturus." The female Potter greeted as she offered her hand.

Arcturus kissed he knuckle before responding. "Indeed Euphemia."

"Shall we?" Fleamont gestured to the seat behind Arcturus.

Once they were sat Fleamont spoke. "I have a feeling you want to discuss a marriage contract between James and Bellatrix."

"You are correct." Arcturus answered before steeling himself. "But I need it to be binding with no way out."

This surprised both Potters. Fleamont brought himself around enough to ask to obvious question. "Why?"

"Because I can see the fate of my house and I hate it." Arcturus' statement caused both the Potters attention, so he continue. "Sirius is bound to be cast out. Andromeda is hiding something and using a rumor that she is with your son as a cover for now. And I believe Charlus was right."

Fleamont sat straight at this. "A new dark lord."

Arcturus nodded. "I was skeptical at first, with only the increased confidence and unity of the preservative faction after the fall of Grindelwald. But now, after how they all are trying to sweep their deaths under the rug. Including Dora's own birth family. Now I can't help but believe him."

Fleamont nodded. "At first I thought it was in response to Dumbledore's rise in power, maybe part of it is, so I've been keeping track of both sides."

"These idiots are looking to start another war while we're still recovering from the last. And who ever this supposed dark lord is has writing to Orion and Cygnus. Knowing those two, they'll want a share of the supposed spoils without actually getting their hands dirty."

"That explains the marriage contract between Lucius and Narcissa." Euphemia mentioned. "I heard she was sold at very low price."

"A hundred Gallons. I wasn't even aware of the contract until it was signed. I've been keeping a closer eye on things since them and have seen, they're grooming Bellatrix into a monster before shipping her off to the Lestranges and teaching Regulus war tactics." Arcturus answered.

"So you want to bound Bellatrix to James to keep her aware from them?" Fleamont questioned.

"And to grow. Bellatrix is a wolf and will never get along well with a shepherd like Dumbledore. Where as Potters are wolves in sheeps clothing. She will respect you and as such be willing to learn from you."

"And what do you want us to teach her?" Euphemia asked.

"That there is more to life than power. Something I didn't truly realise until Dora's wedding." Arcturus answered with a break in his voice.

Fleamont sighed. "Are you sure this is the only way?"

Arcturus nodded. "It's the only I couldn't get her back if I wanted to."

"What about Sirius and Andromeda." Euphemia quested.

"They see Sirius as nothing more than a ungrateful brat and don't put much stock into Andromeda being a healer. Idiots. They'll just want them cast out when they step to far out of line."

"They might kill you for this." Fleamont mentioned.

"Orion will have me killed sooner or later anyway. If I died because of this, then I get the last laugh."

Fleamont sheared a look with his wife. Euphemia nodded and he looked back to arcturus. "Let's start writing up a contract and where we go from there."

Arcturus nodded. He was relieved that they were willing to listen to him.

Soon.

Fleamont and Arcturus had written up a basic marriage contract. That basically meant that Bellatrix would be under the protection of the Potters and have full access to your family's knowledge and in return could not betray them and would be wed to James shortly after he graduated from Hogwarts. The bride price would be a single Knut and the only way out was death.

"Well, now we've just gotta convince James and Bellatrix to sign it ." Fleamont commented.

"Given her opinions, I don't think Bellatrix will complain." Arcturus commented.

"Mipsy!" Fleamont called.

With pop a female house-elf appeared in a teal blue dress the Potter crest on it. "Master Monty called for Mipsy?" The house-elf asked.

"Yes, I want you to tell James and the Blacks that they are wanted in the study. Oh and bring us some drinks "

"Mipsy be doing that, Master Monty." Mipsy bowed before popping away.

"How did you get your elf in a dress?" Arcturus asked, sounding a little amazed at what he had just seen.

"You simply instruct them to look more presentable. Give them some money for materials and space to work in and they do the rest." Euphemia answered. Arcturus took note to try that later.

Soon the quartet arrived, with James in front. "You wanted to see us Farther?" James inquired.

"Yes, take a seat and we'll explain everything." Fleamont answered.

Arcturus noticed that both James and Bellatrix looked tired. "So who won?" At everyone's confused expression he elaborated. "These two..." He said indicating to James and Bellatrix. "... Have been dueling. I want to know who won."

"I won the first game, Bellatrix won the rematch." James answered. Arcturus was surprised that Balltrix had given him leave to use her name. He clearly didn't win by a fluke.

"Same trick doesn't work twice on me sweety." Bellatrix teased.

"It was worth trying Dearest." James grinned back.

"Also, they wouldn't stop flirting." Sirius commented, sounding exasperated.

"Then maybe this marriage contract will make them stop." Arcturus commented causing the teens to look at him in shock.

"Looks like I'll be getting between those legs after all." James finally broke the silence.

Tell me what you think of how I portrayed everyone, or how you would like someone portrayed.