Decreta Conciliorum Non Ligant Reges Nostros

Chapter 1

Show me the meaning of being lonely

Is this the feeling I need to walk with

Tell me why

I can't be there

Where you are

There's something missing in my heart...

Harry Potter lay on his bed in the smallest bedroom of Number Four, Privet Drive. He felt very lonely. He had sent out his owl Hedwig to his friend Hermione, telling her about something weird that had taken place the previous day. He sighed. It had been only a week since he had returned from his fifth year at Hogwarts. It had not been a good year at all. There had been plenty of unpleasant experiences distributed over the year. It had started off with Dementors attacking Privet Drive...his expulsion for using magic to save himself...his going to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix...then his trial...then his agony at Dumbledore's distant behaviour...then Umbridge's appearance at the school as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher...the Ministry's intervention in school affairs...Cho's interest in him that had faded away because she thought he fancied Hermione and was not understanding enough...his detentions with Umbridge that resulted in his hand slicing open...his life-long Quidditch ban...the attack on Mr. Weasley...Snape's Occlumency lesson...his learning of unpleasant facts about his father...the starting of Dumbledore's Army...Hagrid's brother Grawp...the removal of Professor Trelawny...Dumbledore's sacrifice to keep him from expulsion...the O.W.L.s...the stunning of McGonagall...the flight of Hagrid...the abduction of Sirius...his visit to the Ministry on a false trail...no, it hadn't been a good year as far as Harry was concerned...A year that had ended with the death of the only parent figure he had ever known in his life...his Godfather...Sirius Black...

Though it was well past midnight, he was loath to go to sleep, knowing that he would be awakened within a few hours with nightmares of his Godfather's demise...so he forced himself to stay awake. He had slept very little since he had returned. He had written thrice to the Order members so far, informing them that all was well and that the Dursleys were treating him well. The fear of fully trained wizards appearing at their doorstep made the Dursleys treat him civilly, for once. They mostly left him alone. Even Dudley didn't taunt him any more. He was given proper food and they had even bought him two new sets of clothes, which was nothing short of a miracle. But Harry didn't care anymore. He'd rather have Sirius back if it meant he'd have to go back to wearing rags...but Sirius was gone, gone forever...if only he'd listened to Hermione...if only he'd not gone to the ministry...if only he'd not believed Kreacher...if only he'd trusted Snape...if only Sirius were alive...

It had been his fault, surely, that he'd not done any of those things? Why did he have to have that 'saving-people-thing' as Hermione put it? Only if he hadn't been so stupid, Sirius would still be alive...owling him regularly...giving him news of the Wizarding world...telling him to behave himself...telling him to contact him if the Dursleys troubled him in any way...talking to him with the two-way mirror he'd given Harry...which he'd never opened until it was too late...why hadn't he opened the mirror? He would have been able to contact Sirius and learnt that he was safe if he had...why had he believed Voldemort? Forgive me, Sirius...he thought sadly...I failed you...

His thoughts wandered to the prophecy Dumbledore had told him at the end of the year. What a life he had! He had been cursed even before he had been born...why did it have to be him? All he had ever wanted was to be normal, the one thing forever denied to him...

And Dumbledore? The supposedly most powerful wizard in the world...the only one Voldemort had ever feared...how could he have let this happen? Harry had always admired and loved the old wizard. He had respected and trusted him as a matter of course. Now he was not so sure. His belief had been shaken. The demi-God image of Dumbledore that had been there in his head had been shattered. Dumbledore was a mere mortal after all...a very old man who made mistakes like any other...a man who was not infallible, contrary to popular belief...a lot of things might not have happened if only Dumbledore had trusted him with the truth...

Dumbledore had said that he cared too much for Harry. Was it true? Harry wondered. He certainly hadn't behaved as if he loved him. He had left him with the awful Muggles...though Harry understood why he was placed here, he doubted if Dumbledore couldn't have found another place as safe as Privet Drive for him...and was Privet Drive safe, anyway? Hadn't he been attacked by Dementors here last year? He had been expelled...he'd had a trial...and he had gone to live at Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London...the Noble and the Most Ancient house of Black...Sirius' home...Sirius, who had hated his house and his late family...and his house-elf, Kreacher...

Kreacher...the traitor...the one directly responsible for Sirius' death...he had lied to Harry...a surge of hatred passed through Harry, and he smiled grimly. He would make sure that the wretched elf paid for what he had done...and Bellatrix Lestrange as well...the Death Eater who had killed Sirius...she was his cousin...and Voldemort's favourite Death Eater...yes, she would pay for this...he would kill her if it was the last thing he did...so what if his Cruciatus hadn't worked? He had far better ways of paying her back...oh yes, he would avenge Sirius...Kreacher and Bellatrix would die begging for mercy...

He closed his eyes. He was suddenly back the Ministry, but this time he was alone with Bellatrix Lestrange. She was mocking him in her horrible baby-voice.

"Little Harry? Come to punish me? For killing off that wretched cousin of mine?"

"Don't you dare speak of Sirius with that foul mouth of yours!" he shouted.

Bellatrix laughed.

"Hurt, are you? Miss him, do you? Why don't you join him? Shall I send you to the same place that I sent him to?"

It was Harry's turn to laugh, and laugh he did. A hint of fear appeared in Bellatrix' eyes at his cold laughter.

"It's time you paid for your sins, Lestrange," he said icily.

"Oh really? Will baby Harry attempt another failed Crucio on me?"

Harry shrugged.

"Why not? Let's see if I've improved. Crucio!"

The curse hit the Death Eater and she screamed in pain. Harry felt a strange satisfaction listening to her screams.

"For you, Sirius," he muttered softly. He lifted the curse after a few minutes when she grew hoarse from screaming.

"Enjoyed it, Lestrange? You should have never told me the principle behind the curse, you know."

She glared at him with eyes that held hatred and fear at the same time.

"Cat got your tongue?" mocked Harry.

"Crucio!" she yelled. Harry ducked and avoided the curse easily. He watched her eyes grow wide with fear as he waved his wand in a complicated movement and cried, "Lacerate!"

Cuts appeared all over the older witch's body. She cried in agony as blood seeped freely from her wounds. Harry smiled in satisfaction.

"Now, Lestrange, wouldn't you say that I have grown quite a bit? Thanks to you!"

"Say what you might, Potter, I shall never regret killing that miserable cousin of mine!" she gasped.

Harry's eyes blazed with fury that made the Death Eater cringe.

"Don't you dare insult Sirius! Impedimentia!"

Bellatrix screamed again. Harry cast another Cruciatus on her and then proceeded to try out some rather complex and painful curses. The louder she screamed, the louder he laughed.

"Have mercy," she begged finally, "let me go!"

"Oh really? Why should I? You took away the closest thing to a father that I'd ever had!"

"I'm sorry! Have mercy! Spare me! I'll do anything!"

"Can you bring back Sirius? Can you bring back the man you killed? Can you bring me my Godfather? Answer me!" he shouted angrily and she hung her head.

"ANSWER ME!" he yelled. She looked up with fear in her eyes. Gone was the fanatical glint that had resided there previously.

"I can't," she whispered.

"Then I can't spare you either," said Harry coldly.

"Please, Harry - have mercy...forgive me...for Sirius' sake..."

"I told you not to utter his name with your foul mouth! Reducto!"

Bellatrix screamed yet again before she broke down, sobbing piteously.

"Don't worry," said Harry gently, and she looked up with hopeful eyes. He continued, "I won't let you die so easily...I'll give you such a lingering death that you'll soon wish that you'd never been born!" he laughed.

"Go!" he commanded. As she scampered away, limping, Harry felt a grim satisfaction unlike something he had ever felt before. He realised with a start that he had actually enjoyed tormenting the Death Eater. The fear in her obsidian eyes had made him feel powerful. It had been a strangely pleasant feeling. Harry wondered if Lord Voldemort felt something similar when he performed the Dark curses. A sudden fear overtook him. Was Voldemort possessing him again? Or had he done this on his own accord? He didn't know which was worse...

Harry shut his eyes. Whatever happened - even if it was at the risk of turning Dark, he could not let his Godfather's murderer go free...Sirius deserved more than that, surely...he wondered what Dumbledore would say if he learnt about this...he certainly wouldn't be pleased...but then, this was only a dream...he could go as wild as he wanted to...he could be as evil as he wanted to without anyone getting the wiser...and he really wanted to hurt those responsible for Sirius' death...why must he suffer alone? He felt he had the complete right at least to dream about punishing the murderer...and Sirius had to have his revenge...it may not go exactly the same way in reality...he doubted if he'd ever be able to perform the Cruciatus properly, but Bellatrix Lestrange was in for a nasty surprise when they met next...

"I'll avenge you, Sirius," he muttered, fighting to keep back the tears. He blinked rapidly several times before noticing his surroundings. When he did, he blinked again. He was at Grimmauld Place, facing Kreacher. The old elf was glaring at him with pure hatred.

"Hello, Kreacher," said Harry coldly, thinking of curses to use on the wicked elf.

"Master," spat the elf in acknowledgement and redoubled the intensity of his glare.

Master? Harry was confused for a moment. Why had the elf called him 'Master'? Then it hit him - Sirius must have made him his heir...Harry shut his eyes tightly, determined not to cry in front of this awful elf. I don't want your wealth, Sirius...I want you...come back! Please come back...I miss you so... he thought. But Sirius wasn't coming back...he was dead...and the miserable elf in front of him was one of the causes of his death...was he still dreaming? He wondered if Sirius had really left his wealth to him...he would have guessed that Sirius would leave it to Remus Lupin...who needed it, rather than Harry, who had enough of his own...but maybe Sirius had bequeathed the House and the elf to him...but what did it matter? This was merely a dream...he could do his will without hesitation...

His eyes snapped open. He was about to curse the elf when he remembered Dumbledore's words. Kreacher is what wizards made him, Harry, we should treat him with kindness and respect...

Harry waved away the thought. Kreacher had betrayed his master - Kreacher had caused the death of his master - and no excuse Dumbledore ever made would be enough to exempt him from punishment...he had to be punished for what he had done...and Harry had to avenge Sirius...all those who had contributed to his Godfather's demise would suffer...he would bring at least part of this dream true...

"Crucio!"

The old House-elf fell to the ground, screaming in pain. When Harry lifted the curse, the elf stared at him in shock and something akin to respect in his huge eyes.

"So the half-blood master has learnt some things?" he asked.

Harry was taken aback. He had not expected this...he wanted Kreacher to feel some of what he himself had felt when Sirius had fallen through the veil...the pain...the misery...the shock...the guilt...the emptiness...

"Kreacher," he thundered, "you betrayed your master...and you must suffer for that! You will be punished."

"Very well," said Kreacher. Harry remembered Ron telling him that Kreacher wanted nothing more than to have his head hung with the other house elves in the hall...

Harry walked out of the room and came face to face with the portrait of Sirius' mother. She started screaming the moment she saw him.

"YOU FILTHY HALF-BLOOD! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS?"

"Calm down, Mrs. Black...I am the owner of this house now...and you'd better not say anything about my blood - for the man that you supported - Voldemort - is a half blood as well! At least both my parents were magical. Voldemort's father was a Muggle!" he said coldly.

The portrait glared at him and screeched, "HOW DARE YOU INSULT ME?"

Harry laughed coldly.

"Not only do I dare to insult you, Mrs. Black, I'm going to remove you from here, too. They said you put a permanent sticking charm on your portrait...but that doesn't make it invulnerable to fire, does it? Incendio!"

The painting looked afraid as flames shot out of Harry's wand and set it alight.

"NO!" she yelled. "YOU CAN"T DO THIS! THIS IS MY HOUSE!"

"I can and I will," said Harry and watched the flames lick the edges with satisfaction. Mrs. Black kept shrieking at him. Kreacher, who had just come up behind Harry, screamed as well. He ran to the portrait and tried to stop the fire, but it was already too late. Mrs. Black's portrait was utterly destroyed.

"What has Master done?" the elf yelled. "Master should not have done this! Master should not have burnt my Mistress' painting! Master bad, very bad!"

"Oh really, Kreacher? You should have thought of that before you betrayed Sirius!"

Harry strode out to the hall and started destroying the elf-heads one by one, during which Kreacher hung onto him and begged him not to. But Harry was past caring. He moved about the house, destroying everything that Sirius had hated and Kreacher loved with slow deliberation. Kreacher's pleadings fell on deaf ears.

Harry finally stopped in front of Kreacher's room. The old elf threw himself at his feet as he raised his wand.

"Not this, Master, not this. Don't destroy this!" he cried.

Harry gave him his coldest smile and said, "Reducto!"

Kreacher slumped to the ground and sobbed violently as his room blew apart. Harry turned to him and lowered his wand.

"Now do you understand what you did, you miserable elf?" he shouted, "You took away my Godfather - the only parent I ever knew - and for what purpose? To aid a half-blood who's a megalomaniac? You, who claim to despise Muggle-borns and half-bloods because your old masters did so, betrayed Sirius for one of them. I wish I could punish you enough for that, but there's nothing that will suffice. I gave you a little taste of what it feels like when you have something you love destroyed. Destroyed in front of your very eyes..."

Kreacher cried louder.

"I don't know what to do with you, Kreacher. I would like to kill you, but that would be too little a punishment for you...I want you to suffer...suffer horribly..."

The old elf shook with sobs.

"Kreacher very sorry, Master. Kreacher will not do anything like that in the future."

"You are assuming, Kreacher, that there is a future for you...maybe I should banish you from this house...but then, you'll just run to the Malfoys...what's the use? I could have you chained to this pillar right here for eternity and flog you once a day..."

"Kreacher is sorry, Master," cried the elf, "don't banish him from this house!"

"Will your apology bring back Sirius?" Harry shouted. "Bring back Sirius to me and I shall give you whatever you ask for!"

Kreacher stared despondently at the ground, still crying hard. Harry suddenly grew irritated.

"Stop sniffling!" he yelled. "And stand up!"

The old elf, shaking with fear, did as he was told. His elf sense told him to obey this Master; the consequences of disobedience would not be good.

Harry pointed his wand straight at the elf's heart and muttered, "Scourgify!"

Soap and bubbles appeared around the dirty elf and he was scrubbed thoroughly. As he tried to yell, the soap water entered his mouth and his scream died out in a gurgle. Harry chuckled and waved his wand. The loin-cloth that Kreacher was wearing disappeared. The elf hung his head as the bubbles disappeared and he was exposed to Harry's view.

"Hmm. Quite clean now, I believe," said Harry. "Now Kreacher, I can't give you clothes as that will set you free...so why don't I give you something else to wear...something like...iron?"

The old elf remained silent. Harry waved his wand and one of the armours that he had just blown up flew to the elf's body and fitted itself around him.

"Thank you, Master," said Kreacher in a subdued voice.

"Now, Kreacher, I forbid you to leave the house under any circumstances, except for coming to me. If you defy my orders, the consequence shall be death. And I mean it. Do you understand?"

The elf nodded meekly.

"Secondly, you will not appear in front of anyone unless I ask you to. You are not to be seen. Got it?"

The elf nodded again.

"Thirdly, you will not bad-mouth any of my friends. You will not insult them, and if you feel like it, you will slap yourself. Ok?"

The elf nodded.

"You will keep the house clean and bring any Dark substance you find straight to me."

Kreacher nodded yet again.

"You may go."

As the elf walked away, he threw Harry a look of pure adulation. Harry, who had slumped on a chair and buried his face in his hands, did not notice.

"I'm sorry, Sirius...I miss you terribly..." he whispered hoarsely.

A desperate voice calling, "Harry! Harry! Where are you?" urgently caused him to look up. He blinked owlishly as he looked up into the anxious face of Albus Dumbledore.