Helios’s Awakening
Part the Ninth—
I loved you with a fire red, now it’s turning blue, and you say sorry like an angel, heaven made me think it was you, but I’m afraid—
—“Apologize,” One Republic
Christmas break was fast approaching. Helios by this time had settled into his life in Slytherin House and his guard was down. He had also begun a regimented course of study implemented by Draco to get his marks up for the Ordinary Wizarding Tests.
He had a weekly manicure by first and second years that Draco helped with their essays. Helios had never been so well put together with his nails shining and his new wardrobe. He also metamorphed his hair to be a little curlier like Andromeda’s and less messy. It required his hair to be slightly longer, but Helios didn’t mind. It curled a little naturally anyway at that length. It made him look less like Harry Potter and more like Helios Black.
As to Quidditch, Draco was Seeker, but a Chaser had graduated, and Helios had tried out for his position and now held it. It was an adjustment, but he enjoyed passing the quaffle back and forth, the strategy of it, and getting the quaffle past the keeper.
It was their game against Hufflepuff and Helios had scored four goals against the keeper and was flying high when a bludger was sent his way. He rolled on his broom, much to the elation of the crowd, and then sat back up in the seat.
He couldn’t help but do the occasional trick, standing up on one hand as he flew, or taking a beater’s bat and sending a bludger toward Cedric Diggory for good form. Diggory was universally reviled by Slytherin House for losing the Triwizard Tournament and any trick Helios could pull off against him was met by loud cheering from the Slytherin quarter.
The crowd loved him.
He knew he was partially peacocking because this was the first match his mother had ever attended. Helios wanted to show her just how good he was. He also liked it when Draco’s eyes would flash in his direction when his attention was momentarily diverted from looking for the snitch. Helios hadn’t seen it, but he was trying not to look for it.
Draco, naturally, did catch the snitch about an hour in, and Slytherin won, two hundred and ten to twenty points. Helios was carried on the shoulders of his fellow Slytherins along with Draco. They were brought down to the dungeons for a wild party that continued on for the entire weekend. Someone must have broken out of Hogwarts and into Hogsmeade because there were fairy fizzes and Honeydukes candies and more than enough to go around.
Helios and Draco even snuck away Sunday morning for a private snogging session before rejoining the third wave of the party.
On Sunday night, when Helios was asleep in a chair, Theo shook him awake, and Helios blearily opened his eyes and asked, “Wha?”
“Here,” Theo told him, shoving a ratty old book in his hands, and Helios felt a tug around his navel and the familiar sensation of a portkey.
He landed hard in the entryway of a house he had once dreamed about. A large snake was twining in the corner, hissing. “He’ss here, masster. The boy iss come.”
Helios looked up. He immediately threw the ratty old book away from him and stood up. He had a bit of a headache from all of the fairy fizz he had consumed, but he needed a clear head now. He felt his wand up his sleeve, and he flicked it into his hand.
The snake slinked out of the entryway, and Helios followed it down the hall and into a study where a thin man with no hair and a sunken nose was sitting behind a desk.
Helios startled.
“You have followed Nagini, I see,” the man, if he could be called a man, stated, drumming his left fingers against the desktop. “That wasn’t very wise of you.”
“She was my welcoming committee,” Helios said bravely. He looked around the room, taking it in very quickly and looking for any weak points. There was one window off to the side, which Helios thought he could jump through if necessary, but it hadn’t come to that quite yet.
“That she was.” Voldemort stood and came around the desk, leaning against it. “It’s nice to see that all my servants haven’t deserted me.” An interesting statement. Was Helios one of his servants as a Black?
“And which servants are those?”
“The Notts. But you are really Helios Nott, are you—not?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” And Helios really didn’t. When—and if—Andromeda got married, he would keep his name. He would remain Helios Black. And, for that matter, Nymphadora would remain Nymphadora Tonks.
“Come now,” Voldemort chided. “We’re amongst friends here. You’re the illegitimate son of a Death Eater. That Death Eater, it seems to be, is Theocritus Nott. Your mother’s engagement proves it. Who else would she marry upon the death of her Mudblood husband but the father of her son? So, young man, is Theocritus Nott your father?”
“I—I don’t know. Mother has never said.” And that was the truth of it. She had never said.
“Of course she’s never said,” Voldemort parried back. “She can’t say. Magic will not permit her—but what has she told you without telling you?”
Helios looked at him cross-eyed. What an odd conversation to be having. “She’s told me nothing other than he’s a pureblood.”
Voldemort looked peeved.
“It couldn’t be Theocritus,” Helios thought aloud. “She would have said something when Theodred wrote me a love letter. What does it matter?” What an inane conversation to have with Voldemort. For all the reasons to be kidnapped, this was positively surreal. What could Voldemort possibly want with the knowledge of who his father was? Did he keep track of all the dynastic relations of his Death Eaters? Did he have a collection of family trees in his desk?
“That is very—unfortunate.” Voldemort looked thoughtful.
“What does it matter?”
“I take a great interest in the Blacks.”
Helios just stared at him. “You kidnap me after a Quidditch match because ‘you have a great interest in the Blacks’?” Did he have no idea that Uncle Regulus actively had been working against him the past sixteen years? Sirius Black certainly wasn’t a Death Eater. “Why don’t you invite Mother over for tea?”
“Do you think she’d be receptive to that?” Voldemort seemed genuinely curious.
“No, but I’m not receptive to being kidnapped either.”
Voldemort looked at him with bluer than blue eyes. “You must have been very important for James Potter to have abandoned my niece.”
Helios started. “I—sorry?”
“James Potter was in love with my niece, Maia, but he abandoned her and took you in with Lily Evans.” He pointed to Helios’s clear forehead. “I thought you were the child of a Death Eater. I thought I left a scar on your forehead, but it’s not there now.” He shrugged. “I wonder what magic removed it when a Killing Curse placed it so prominently on your forehead. Who is your father, Helios Black?”
“I don’t know.” It was only the truth.
“Well, you should find out, for your own peace of mind. It’s not pleasant going around and not knowing who your father is. You don’t even bear his name, which makes it even more difficult.”
“Why would I even want to find out if you cast the Killing Curse at me if you thought I was the son of a Death Eater?” He folded his arms a little defensively. “It seems I’m safer not knowing.”
“Because the illegitimate son of a Death Eater will usurp me.” Voldemort said this so calmly that Helios didn’t quite understand the words, “but I’ve decided to take you on as my apprentice, once I confirm that you are, in fact, the illegitimate son of a Death Eater.” His blue eyes flashed nearly white.
“Won’t I become Theocritus Nott’s son in all but name when my mother weds him? I’ll be legitimate.”
“Yes, yes, you will, until I adopt you.” His blue eyes looked at him.
Helios considered this. He certainly didn’t want to be Voldemort’s apprentice, but he wanted to get out of this situation without any curses being thrown. He needed to speak to his Uncles Lucius and Regulus. He needed to find his mother.
“I see you wish to find your relatives and speak to them about this.”
Something must have shown on his face.
Voldemort picked up several letters from his desk and handed them to Helios. “Letters of Intent. You can deliver them. If the wrong person opens them, they will be cursed. Be warned.”
Helios looked through them. One for Uncle Lucius. Another for Uncle Regulus. The last finally for Andromeda. “None for Theocritus?” he asked, only slightly serious and mildly hysterical.
“If he’s not your father, he’s not getting one,” Voldemort explained.
Swallowing, Helios nodded.
Voldemort picked up a marble from his desk and dropped it in Helios’s hand. There was a hook at his navel and Helios landed heavily in the snow-covered Forbidden Forest. He barely managed to keep his footing, but he dropped the letters in the snow. The marble fell somewhere forgotten.
Picking the letters up again, Helios looked up at the castle and realized he didn’t have a cloak and it was quite cold. He was wearing nothing but a Henley, sweatpants, and slippers.
He also realized he was stone cold sober.
Helios trudged up to the castle and immediately went up to Uncle Regulus’s office, not bothering to knock. Regulus was lying on a chaise and listening to an old phonograph, the picture of pureblood decadence. Helios tossed the Letter of Intent at him. “Voldemort sends his regards.”
Regulus immediately sat up. “Did he take you?”
“Yes. Theo threw an old book in my hands, and I was suddenly in his house’s entryway. I didn’t realize Voldemort would have a house.” Though, thinking about it, he had to live somewhere. Did he suppose Voldemort would live in a hovel?
Helios sat down heavily and set down the other two letters. “He wanted to know if Theocritus is my father.”
Regulus swore. He opened the letter and his eyes skimmed it quickly. “Well, it looks like he no longer wants to kill you.”
“No, he just wants me to be his apprentice.”
“We can work around this. Who are these for?” he asked, gesturing toward the other letters.
“Uncle Lucius and Mother. Apparently, you’ll be cursed if the wrong person opens them.” He lay his head back and closed his eyes, kicking off his wet slippers. “He looks like a snake with blue eyes.”
“Snakes don’t have blue eyes typically.”
“No, I didn’t think so,” Helios agreed. “I’m going to kill Theo.”
“Let your mother kill Theo. She’s his stepmother, or as good as.” He paused. “Though this could be a sticking point for the wedding.” He got up and went to the fire and threw in some floo powder, the flames turning green. He stuck his head in and remained like that for several long moments until, finally, he retreated back into the room, Andromeda and a wizard Helios had never seen following after her.
Andromeda immediately came up to Helios and cupped his cheek. “Did the Dark Lord hurt you?” she asked worriedly.
“No, he just wanted to know if Theocritus Nott was my father. Apparently, your marriage is some sort of signal.” He said this last bit a little wryly.
She looked behind her shoulder and her eyes met the wizard’s. He had a mass of dark chocolate curls and dark brown eyes. He was of medium height, not as tall as Uncle Regulus, perhaps shorter than Helios now was at fifteen, with a slim build. He wasn’t necessarily handsome, but then again, neither were Theodore Nott nor his elder brother, Theodred.
There was no way that Theocritus Nott was Helios’s father.
Regulus had gone to his desk and picked up one of the missives. “The Dark Lord sent you this, Andromeda.” He held it out to her. Theocritus reached out for it, but Regulus pulled it back. “Are you her husband yet?” he demanded.
Theocritus looked a little annoyed, but he stepped back.
Andromeda didn’t release Helios, but instead extended her hand and took the letter, not even glancing at Theocritus, and opened it with her long fingers of the same hand, unfolding it dexterously, as if she had had a lot of practice just using her left hand. Her eyes read over it quickly and then she put it to the side, refolded. “Well, that’s better than it could be.” Her grey-blue eyes found Helios’s gaze again. “How did he kidnap you, darling?”
“Well,” he shifted uncomfortably. “Theo shoved an old book in my hand and it was a portkey.”
Her eyes flashed angrily. She finally turned back to Theocritus and stood. “Did you have any knowledge of this?” she demanded of her fiancé.
“No,” he promised solemnly. “You know the Death Eater network is active in Slytherin House. One of the older students could have gotten to him. I’ll be having words with my youngest.” He took Andromeda by the waist and pulled her closer to him. Helios didn’t really like that, but said nothing. “It’s not acceptable to turn in family members, even to the Dark Lord, without informing me first. You know this, Dromeda.”
She sighed and allowed herself to be held for a long moment.
“Is there a message for Theocritus?” she asked Regulus.
“No,” Helios answered, and she turned again to him. “Voldemort said he wouldn’t send it since he’s not my father. There’s one for Uncle Lucius, though.”
“I thought it was better to contact you first, Cousin,” Regulus told her carefully, “even though Lucius is his pureblood guardian.”
Odd. Helios had no idea. That must be a sticking point in pureblood law he was unaware of. He would have to ask Draco. Maybe he would know.—or he could always owl Uncle Lucius and ask.
Then again, it was Andromeda who had asserted herself as guardian at the beginning of last year to get him out of the Triwizard Tournament. Something must have changed. But what?
“We better call him,” Andromeda decided, cutting off Helios’s thoughts.
“I’ll go and find Theodore,” Theocritus decided, taking out a pocket watch and looking at it. It looked very much like the watch Helios carried outside of Hogwarts which showed the location of family members. Theocritus released Andromeda and turned to Helios and held out his hand. Helios quickly stood and took it out of politeness, shaking it in a wizard’s handshake. “It is a privilege to meet you, Helios, though I am sorry it is under such circumstances. Both of my boys speak highly of you.” He gave him a grim smile before releasing him. He shook Regulus’s hand before kissing Andromeda’s cheek and leaving the room.
“Do we know where Lucius is?” Regulus asked.
“It’s half ten,” Andromeda realized. “He could be at Malfoy Manor or he could be at his club.”
“We’ll try the club. Best not to worry Narcissa.”
He took more floo powder off the mantle and tossed it into the fireplace. The green flames reflected into the room.
It turned out Uncle Lucius was at his club, and he came on through immediately. He was dressed—rather singularly. He was wearing what could only be described as a smoking jacket with a wizarding hat on his head, spectacles in his front pocket. He put them on as he accepted the Letter of Intent. Helios had never seen him wear spectacles. It looked oddly good on him. Uncle Lucius read through the letter and exchanged long looks with Andromeda. “I’m assuming we want to continue our plan to dispose of the Dark Lord than allow this to happen, however advantageous this might be to Helios and to our families.”
“We can’t confirm who Helios’s father is,” Andromeda explained carefully. “That would be a dreadful mess. There could be charges in the Wizengamot.”
Charges? Criminal charges? Who was his father, anyway?
“Yes,” Uncle Lucius agreed, as if he knew the identity of Helios’s father. He had taken off his spectacles and now was tapping them against the palm of his left hand. “It would be best if it never came out.” He glanced at Helios speculatively. “His looks give nothing away.—You are a fine young man, Helios. Any wizard would be proud to claim you. I’m sure Theocritus knows his good fortune to call you his stepson.”
“We have to step up our plan,” Regulus said, entering the conversation. “We just don’t have a next step of the plan. We don’t know where he’s hiding. You said he was at a house, Helios?”
“Yes,” Helios agreed. “It had an entryway, a long hallway, and a study. There was snow outside the window.”
“Could be anywhere,” Lucius determined. “Could even be in Ireland, for all we know. It never separated into a Republic as it did in the Muggle world.” That was certainly news to Helios. “Killing the Dark Lord might prove difficult,” Uncle Lucius continued. “It might have to be Helios,” Lucius realized.
“No.” This was Andromeda. “He’s just a boy.”
“The prophecy says that the illegitimate son of a Death Eater and a Black daughter will usurp the Dark Lord. Maybe we should let it play out.” Lucius was looking over Helios now. “I’ve seen your Defense scores. If Regulus starts teaching you some of the basic Dark Arts, it could be enough. A dark athame to the heart will do it.” He said this grimly.
“I’m no murderer,” Helios disagreed.
“Then we have to smuggle Regulus in,” Andromeda decided, voice firm. “He’s been fighting the Dark Lord from the shadows for sixteen years. Surely he is the correct agent of our plot. He could chaperone Helios on a visit to the Dark Lord. Nothing could be more natural as Helios is his natural heir as there is no other Black child.”
A bell sounded in the office.
Regulus looked up. “Someone’s coming. This is a discussion we can resume over Christmas.”
There was a heavy knock at the door and Theocritus entered with a sheepish looking Theo. They both looked so similar. They both had the chocolate curls, the thin body, the medium height, the dark eyes. They were clearly father and son. Helios was clearly not related to either of them.
“My son has something to say.”
Theo looked a little cowed in the presence of so many wizards.
“Helios,” he began, his voice not quite firm. “I apologize for putting you in danger.” He was quiet.
Theocritus cast a stinging hex on him.
He jumped and then licked his lips. “I realize now that I should not have taken action without the permission of the Head of my House. I was wrong. I apologize. Slytherin politics seem so—important—in the vacuum of Hogwarts. I hope you weren’t hurt.”
Helios nodded, not ready to verbally accept the apology, but wanting to give his mother closure.
“And?”
Theo hesitated but he walked up to Andromeda, took her hand, and kissed it.
Helios was stunned. In pureblood culture, you never kissed a lady’s hand. You only ever lifted it to just beneath your chin, letting it hover before releasing it. Kissing a lady’s hand was—a bold statement.
“I apologize, Stepmother, for causing you worry. I would never bring you pain. I regret this is your first impression of me.”
Andromeda nodded and took back her hand. “Thank you, Theodore.”
Theo hovered for a moment and glanced between Lucius and Regulus, as if wondering if he would have to apologize to them, too. Then—“Draco’s looking for you.” This was said to Helios.
Helios glanced at his mother in worry. “Is he?”
“I told him you were with Professor Black.”
“When did you tell him that?”
“Three hours ago.”
“So you lied to him.” Helios was displeased.
Theo gave a half shrug.
Helios turned to Andromeda. “Mother, may I go?”
“Not a word of this to Draco,” Uncle Lucius instructed. “I will tell him when he comes home in a fortnight. We don’t want to worry him unnecessarily when you are unhurt, Nephew.”
“Yes,” Helios agreed carefully. He glanced at his mother again, reached in for a quick hug, and then rushed out the door.
A few minutes later he heard Theo follow him out, clearly rushing to catch up.
He didn’t wait.
Theo, however, caught up with him.
“I’m not talking to you,” Helios told him immediately.
“That will look weird in Slytherin.”
“Weird? Maybe, but you thrust a portkey in my hand when I was hungover. Not appreciated, Theo. Our parents are getting married. Is this how you treat family?”
“Look,” he said, grabbing Helios’s arm. “I was getting a lot of pressure.”
“I don’t care what sort of pressure you were getting,” Helios seethed. “You should have come to me. You shouldn’t have sent me to the wolves.”
“But you’re from a Dark family.”
“I was Harry Potter!”
“But not anymore—”
Helios rolled his eyes and continued toward the dungeon. He knew that Theo had fallen into step beside him, but he didn’t pay attention. He knew the way by heart and wasn’t minding his steps until they unfortunately ran into a prefect.
Hermione Granger turned toward them and crossed her arms, the tip of her wand shining in the darkness.
“Out after hours?”
Theo thrust a folded parchment at her. “We have permission from Professor Black. Our parents came to announce their engagement.”
Helios looked at him sideways, but didn’t refute it.
Hermione took the parchment and opened it. It must have said what Theo claimed because she folded it back up and handed it back. “Congratulations. When’s the wedding?”
“The date is going to be set when we can all be there over Christmas,” Helios deflected. He hoped that was the truth. He assumed Theodred would have something to say. “We have another brother.”
“Oh,” Hermione said, clearly having nothing to add. “You better get back to the dungeons. Congratulations again.”
Helios didn’t even bother looking at her as they walked past her, back on their way to the dungeons. When they had turned a corner, he grabbed the parchment and lit his two fingers on his left hand and held it up. It was as he suspected. They were given permission to come to an Engagement Party for their parents.
He looked down at what he was wearing. He was wearing black sweatpants and a black Henley. He was hardly dressed for a party. Handing the parchment back, he let his hand fall to his side without blowing out his fingers.
When they got back to the wall which led to the dormitories, Helios gave the password and entered the common room. The party seemed to have broken up while he was away, and he made his way back down to the dormitory.
He found Draco sleeping on his bed and, without thinking about it, he kicked off his soaked slippers, and climbed in behind him. He drew the curtains and locked them. Tucking his chin on Draco’s shoulder, he drew him close and quickly set an alarm for the next morning.
“Where were you?” Draco asked, half asleep. He snuggled closer.
“Mother’s engaged to Theocritus Nott. It’s actually happened.”
“It’s official then,” Draco murmured, falling back asleep.
Helios couldn’t sleep, though. Too much had happened. Images of Voldemort flashed before his eyes. He must have fallen asleep because an alarm awoke him a few hours later. He stretched, careful not to bump Draco, who had rolled over and shoved his face under a pillow at the sound of birds twittering.
Shaking his head in fondness, he got out of bed only to find Theo staring at him as he emerged from Draco’s bed.
Helios didn’t have to answer to him, though, even if they were to be stepbrothers. Theo was a cockroach he was going to crush under his heel.
… leave a message for excentrykemuse.