Cassiopeia Black swept up the back staircase in a huff, muttering curses under her breath as she took each step. The old witch had actually been rather fond of her nephew James when he was alive, at least after her own fashion, but she had very little tolerance for his portrait, which, she felt, preserved and exacerbated his more unsavoury Potter qualities, whilst minimising the part of him that had been purely Dorea.
She also disapproved of the hold the portrait seemed to have over Aries, and, increasingly, Draco. James Potter would have proved a fine godfather, she had no doubt, but he was dead, and it in no way behoved the future Heads of the House of Black and Malfoy to spend their days listening to stories about James and Sirius's little gang and plotting all manner of pranks.
If Aries and Draco had not both proved such apt pupils and proper little gentlemen when the situation demanded it, Cassiopeia would have smashed the portrait in a heartbeat. As it was, she was forced to admit that the boys generally behaved properly during their lessons and at public or adult occasions, more so even than most boys of their age and class, and so she resisted her violent urges. But she kept a close eye on her nephew's portrait.
Once she returned to her suite, Cassiopeia cleaned up the debris of the boys' offensive prank with a flick of her wand and a slight smile. Even she had to admire the boys' cunning, though she would never have admitted it to anyone, not in a million lifetimes. She returned to her mirror and resumed placing her long hair into its customary bun.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shape in her Foe-Glass and started. Her eyes narrowed. An enemy was close and in this very house—one who meant harm to her family and her plans. Cassiopeia Disillusioned herself and slipped silently back down the staircase as quickly as she could.
The Squibs would never hold up against an enemy wizard for even a second. Cassiopeia was only grateful that Aries and Draco had gone to Grimmauld Place. She silently commanded her wards not to allow them to return, nor to allow any witch or wizard to enter or leave the house until the danger had passed.
She reached the bottom of the steps and entered the dining room. Marius stood there alongside a young man with awful orange hair and shockingly shabby robes. His wand was out. Marius was ashen.
'You don't understand, Moony,' James's portrait pleaded. 'It's not what it looks like.'
'Your son has been kidnapped by your uncle, is being raised as the son of the traitor who murdered you, and is happily playing pranks on a mad old harpy who merrily threatens six-year-old children with the Cruciatus Curse,' the young man retorted. 'What am I missing?'
Cassiopeia raised her wand and silently Stunned the raving fool. Mad old harpy, indeed, she thought. She removed her Disillusionment and smirked at the horrified looks on the faces of her brother and nephew.
'Apparently, the fool has missed quite a bit,' she drawled.
She ignored Marius's muttering and James's shouting as she levitated the young man's immobile form up the stairs to her rooms, carefully keeping his head from knocking against the stairs. When she reached her boudoir she laid the wizard on a small divan before shutting and locking all her doors. She absolutely loathed unexpected disturbances.
She Conjured heavy iron shackles and bound the wizard's feet to the floor and arms to the ceiling.
'Ennervate,' she muttered, and the wizard returned to consciousness.
'You,' he grumbled when he saw her.
'I,' Cassiopeia replied brightly. 'The mad old harpy. Crucio!'
The wizard cried out in agony as her curse rippled through his body. She held her wand in place for a full minute before she stopped.
'Now,' Cassiopeia continued imperiously, 'tell me your name and why you have come to my home.'
'My name is Remus Lupin,' the wizard said defiantly. 'As for why I have come here, that is my affair.'
Cassiopeia shook her head. 'That's the wrong answer, I'm afraid, Mr Lupin.' She sighed. 'Fortunately for you, I'm going over to my cousin's for lunch in just a little over an hour, and have no time to linger whilste we wait for you to come to your senses.' She Summoned a phial from her cabinet. 'Veritaserum ought to loosen your tongue.' She forced the potion down Lupin's throat, and in a moment the familiar dazed look appeared in his eyes. She began the interrogation.
'What is your full name?'
'Remus John Lupin.'
'Why have you come to my home?'
'I came searching for Harry Potter,' Lupin replied.
Cassiopeia scowled. 'And what, pray tell, made you believe that you would find the Boy Who Lived in this house?'
'Harry Potter was kidnapped from his Muggle relatives' home several months ago,' Lupin began. 'Albus Dumbledore asked me to help locate him. The memories of Harry's guardians had been modified, but I interviewed several others, including Harry's cousin. From them I learned the circumstances of Harry's departure, as well as the description and surname of the kidnappers and their preference for Muggle transportation.' Lupin paused.
'The Muggles mistreated Harry terribly, locking him in a cupboard under the stairs and calling him a worthless freak. I came to believe that perhaps the kidnapper was motivated by good intentions. I remembered that James's uncle was a Black and a Squib, and decided to investigate in the archives. It took a long time, but I discovered that around the time Harry vanished, Marius Black had taken in a boy of the same age, claiming him to be the son of Sirius Black.'
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