House of Caliban

Chapter 8

"Bellatrix Druella Black!" Haylan's voice echoed with power across Malfoy Manor's entrance as he shouted at the mad witch, drawing her attention to him. Narcissa twitched hearing Haylan's voice but did not take her eyes or wand off of Bellatrix as she still had Lucius tight in her grip.

"Who are you little boy to be calling my name?!" Bellatrix growled, her wand sparking in her hand dangerously.

"I am Heir Haylan Iacob Dacian Caliban, next in line for the imperial throne of Caliban. I am also your head of house." Haylan spoke with deadly calm. Blaise felt like he was watching two dangerous predators size the other up. "I would suggest you let go of Lord Malfoy immediately, so you and I may talk."

Haylan saw the indecision fighting with the madness in Bellatrix's eyes. He suddenly felt a deep sadness for her. The world had done Bellatrix wrong, probably very early on in life. Haylan knew he would never be as bloodthirsty as his ancestors were. He wasn't raised to rule as they had been. He could have never cast out family like they had with the Black branch. Disowning them hadn't made them atone, exile hadn't made the Black family any better. The madness grew within their genes and innocent children were punished because of their ancestor's madness.

Don't get him wrong, he knew Bellatrix was cruel and deeply embroiled in the dark arts. But how much of that was actually her fault and not the result of her family and the mental illness she clearly had. He had seen pictures from when the Black sisters were kids, Bellatrix's madness had been a problem since she was a child, but she had still been a child that deserved to be helped. Instead, her equally mad parents had put a wand in her hands and warped her further with the darkest arts.

"Bella." Haylan's voice softened along with his magic, using his magic to calm hers, easing the edges of the black madness tainting her aura. He wouldn't call it the imperio, but it probably felt similar to Bella as he calmed and coaxed her to release Lucius and then come toward him.

Narcissa caught Lucius before he hit the floor, holding him close as she watched Haylan lure Bellatrix to him using his magic to drug her into compliance. Narcissa and Andromeda constantly complained about Haylan wearing his Gryffindor heart on his sleeve too much, especially for an emperor. But here stood this amazing, powerful young man who could kill Bellatrix without a twitch of his wand, and instead he was showing her sister mercy that no one else would offer her.

"What are you doing to me?" Bellatrix's voice was fearful as she stood in front of Haylan.

"Showing you some compassion and understanding. It is my family's fault that the Black branch has become as it has. I am going to give you a chance Bella. You are going to come back with me to the Caliban estate, I am going to help you, and we will see by the end if you can't keep your life and come back to society. Your sisters will be around and your cousin Sirius. I have already helped ease the madness with Sirius, and I will help you if I can and if you let me." Haylan gently touched Bellatrix's cheek and sent her to sleep as a tear fell from her eye. Making sure to levitate her so she didn't hit the floor, he looked up to see a more emotional Narcissa than he expected. "Cissa are you okay?"

Draco couldn't understand anything that just happened. Blaise looked as dumbstruck as Draco felt, his mother's mask was crumbling, his father was unconscious, Bellatrix had been tamed, and this boy their same age just called his mother 'Cissa'? What the hell?

"Can you actually help her Haylan?" Narcissa asked in a shaky tone, clutching Lucius to her tighter to just hold her composure together.

"I know we had discussed having to kill her if she stepped out of line again, and I am not sure I will be able to help her with as far gone as she is, but you know I have to try." Haylan said with a sad sigh. "I am going to give her a chance. No one else will, but she is my responsibility now."