cloudy with a Chance of freedom

chapter 11

Dun Dun Dun! The big reveal about Viper's Black heritage...and yes, I am aware of the age discrepancy but do you really think that would stop Viper from going to Hogwarts with her favorite cousin?

Skull didn't really know much about Arcturus Black, outside of the fact that he had died of dragonpox and Sirius had been made head shortly before his escape.

So coming face to face with the older wizard who was looking at him as one would a piece of well cooked food he was debating on eating, was a bit irritating.

He wasn't scared out of his wits like Viper was, and that made all the difference. He stared the man down without hesitation, the weight of his own experience keeping him from backing down in the least. A semi-feral smirk was firmly on his face, as if to say "Bring on your worst."

After several minutes of this stare down, the old man smirked as well.

"At least you have some spine in you, unlike your pathetic father."

"I bow to no one, least of all some pathetic wizard who thinks he's superior simply because of a magic stick. I might not be able to kill you outright, but I'll be damned if I don't at least make one major effort to take you with me to hell," Skull shot back without any hesitation whatsoever.

Arcturus laughed outright, and something in the sound calmed Viper down about the meeting.

"Well said! Well said indeed," he said with genuine approval and mirth. "That's the sort of spine our family needs in our heir."

"I thought Sirius was the heir?"

"After Azkaban, it would be up to debate whether he'd be even capable of holding the family together as well as dealing with the wolves that have been at the door since that fool took control."

"Fuck Dumbledore and fuck Voldemort," said Skull.

"There's also the small issue of him being adopted formally by the Potters when he was sixteen. There's far too likely a chance that he would be passed over by our family magicks. You however... the Black blood runs stronger in you than it ever had any of Walburga's brats. Regulus was a disappointment... Blacks bow to no one."

"I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Regulus Black," said Skull. "When he found out how far Voldemort went in his quest for immortality he realized his error and paid with his life to strike a blow against him. The fool went and made Horcruxes."

Arcturus stared him down.

"And what do you know of Horcruxes?"

"I know they're a bitch and a half to destroy, especially if you want to keep whatever it's attached to intact. I know that they require the death of an innocent, and that doing so fractures your soul and makes your magic unstable to the point that only fools would even try it. And that even being near one of the damn things has detrimental effects on your mind and your emotions," said Skull without hesitation. "Kreacher knows the full story, and he knows where the foul thing is."

Arcturus was not pleased. Not only did Kreacher confirm the story and the truth behind Regulus' death, but he also confirmed several rumors he had heard about Walburga's lapse in sanity of late.

Looking at the brat who had been able to stare him down without a single hint of a flinch, his decision was made clear.

But first he had to clarify something about the girl behind his new heir.

"You girl. You're Bellatrix's daughter Camellia aren't you?" Skull blinked, before he looked at the terrified Viper.

"Yes sir," she said, proud that her voice didn't shake.