Chapter 26
SIRIUS BLACK
A day had passed since Sirius had returned from the Black Family gathering, and yet despite that, he still had no idea what exactly he had witnessed in those Halls. He had truly dreaded going to the Black manor, expecting himself to be the centre of attention, but it was nothing like that.
His name had barely even come up at all except at the end, when his grandfather had cryptically anointed him as the heir, though how legal and binding it was, was still debatable.
"So, they didn't pay any attention to you whatsoever?" McKinnon asked as they gathered in the Longbottom manor for the last few days of vacation, and he retold the story to the entire audience.
"No," and it was a bit disappointing really, but he was happy to be away from his family.
"Honestly, with Aunt Dorea there, they really did not have the time to focus on me," and he was still very shocked to see the enigmatic woman, who had broken all traditions and customs through her marriage.
In many ways, she was the first black sheep of the Black family.
"Grandfather was really angry with Uncle Cygnus and what he had done to the family. He wanted to annul the matches of Andy and Naricissa, but the man had already signed some papers, making it all very difficult," and at that he turned towards Alder, whose face did not betray his thoughts.
"Why did he already sign the papers years ahead of the marriage?" McKinnon, who was a bit more informed about Pure Blood customs, seemed appalled.
"Damn, that's archaic," she added, as everyone turned towards her.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"It means that if they break the betrothal, they will have to pay the dowry in full, and that the contract is heavily favorable to the groom's side of the family," and seeing the redhead's expression, his friend was quick to add.
"We don't do anything of the sort. Nearly everyone's given up on marriage contracts nowadays," and that was true.
"And given that my cousins are Blacks, having a contract signed for them is somewhat humiliating," given that the Blacks were nearly royalty within the British Pure blood circles.
"That must be humiliating for them," and it was.
"So, you are the Black heir now?" asked Alder Evans, and Sirius shrugged.
"I don't know," and at that, they turned towards Ted, who was lost in some thoughts with a somber expression on his face.
"Tonks! Tonks!" Alder shook him by the shoulder, breaking him out of his trace, as they sat under a tree in the garden, having a picnic of sorts.
"Sorry, I was thinking about something else," he apologised.
"Is Sirius the heir to the Black family now?" and unlike the rest of them, Ted Tonks wanted to be a barrister, and so he had taken up wizarding Law as an elective after his OWLS, making him the most sane voice on the topic amidst the group here.
"I think so," he answered, much to the surprise of everyone.
"The Black Family Gathering was an official event. Old Families like the Blacks put much importance into such things, and as long as you have one witness, and a written record of the Gathering, the orders of the Head of House stand," and that shook him to the core, for he had just gone from being an exile to an heir in the blink of an eye.
"That is..." James began, but even he was lost for words, much like everyone.
"I guess congratulations," Lily broke the silence, as Sirius shrugged it off.
"Ahh! Just forget about it. Tell me about your days, I was told that you won a duel against Frank," he said, turning towards Alder, and he was done thinking about his family and their politics.
"He did," came McKinnon's answer.
"And he was then recruited by the Deputy Chair of the DMLE," and that was quite something, as both James and him stilled for a second.
"You were recruited by Edgar Bones," they asked in unison, and Alder nodded.
"Yes, sort of," and there was little to no joy in his voice, and for obvious reasons, yet for the two of them who wished to become Aurors, there was hardly anything better.
"You should take him up on the offer then," he suggested, and Alder shrugged.
"I will think about it," he said, and that had been the third time he had noticed something.
"Maybe you could introduce us to him," suggested James, and he nodded.
"I think Frank should be the better person to do that for you. But still, if you want to, I will," he agreed, as both he and James high-fived each other, and he suddenly frowned.
"Speaking of that, you never mentioned what you want to do with your future?" he asked both of the twins, who simply shrugged.
"I want to be a spell crafter," Lily was quick to answer, beaming as she added.
"Though with her resume, she might become an Unspeakable," James suggested, and that would be quite something.
"I don't yet. I am still considering my options," and so they talked on, and on, and later Frank and Alice deigned to join them as well, yet during the entire time Ted and Alder were having a conversation of their own as they continued to whisper into each other's ear.
Sirius had told them everything that had happened during the gathering except for one single thing.
He had not told them that the Dark Lord was a half blood. He had done so because he had been warned by his Aunt, who had warned him that there was a reason why this secret was not so widely known, for the Dark Lord was known to be a petty man.
He had gone to great lengths to keep his real identity a secret and was known to hunt those specifically who spoke of it in the open. His grandfather may not have much to fear from the man, but telling them this right now would simply put their lives in danger.
Had it been anyone else, he would have ignored the warning, but something about Dorea Black had made him want to trust her instincts, and so he held his tongue as they began to head back inside, as Alder pulled him to the side.
"Yeah," Sirius asked, as the boy looked him in the eye.
"Given that you are possibly the next Lord of the Black family, could you get your hands on the betrothal agreements signed by your uncle?" and that was quite the ask, as Sirius rubbed his chin.
Truthfully, Sirius wanted to stay as far away from his family as one could. He had only gone to the gathering because of the promise he had made to Regulus, and yet it seemed as if he could not quite shirk away from his name now, could he?
Had it been anyone else asking this, he might have refused outright. But it was Alder, and he knew exactly why he was making such a request, and how much it would mean to his two cousins.
"You want to look for a way to break it?" he asked, and Alder hesitated yet nodded in the end.
"I do," and Sirius sifted his hand through his hair.
"I will try to get you the agreement, but don't get your hopes up," Sirius warned him, for he knew about these things a lot more than he did.
"These things are old, archaic, and tight," Alder said.
"I know, but I still want to look at it..."
"Ok. Let me write a few letters..."
0000
ANDROMEDA BLACK
"You sold us off!" Andromeda Black had not expected much of her father. Cygnus Black had always been too selfish and self-centred to ever fulfill the duties or obligations of what it meant to be a father.
Yet she had not expected this foolishness out of him. Not to such an extent.
"You sold us off to the Lestranges and the Malfoys without our consent," she raged, and she knew she had to, for no one else would. No one else.
"How dare you raise your voice at me?" Cygnus Black's eyes bulged out as he turned towards her, but Andromeda was beyond caring now.
"I don't care! You had no right to do that! No right!" she continued, as their family of five stood in the Hall.
"Andromeda, please see..." her mother chose to cut in.
"And you! You knew!" and the sense of betrayal tore at her heart as she looked at her mother, who had remained quiet all this time.
"How dare you question my judgement? I did what was best for this family, and you shall be grateful for it," and she scoffed.
"You did what was best for you," she argued, wanting to cry for a very long time, but she did not let the tears gather in her eyes.
"Be careful of how you speak, sister," Bellatrix chose to cut in.
"And why is that?" she asked scathingly.
"You two should be grateful that the Dark Lord made the matches for you himself! It is an honor to serve him and his great cause," she wanted to curse her right then and there, but she could not.
"This is not marriage! This is an auction where you!" and she pointed to her father.
"Sold us to the highest bidder with no concern for us at all!" and her mother tried to soothe her temper.
"Please, Andromeda! It is not so big a concern," she chimed in.
"Your mother is right," her father added.
"We signed a betrothal as well, and our marriage was just fine," and she scoffed.
"Just fine," she taunted, as her mother's hand stiffened on her arms, as she looked down at Druella Rosier, or rather, the shell of what remained of Druella Rosier.
"Rebasan and Lucius are good boys," he added, and if only that were true. Though in his mind, they were good.
"They shall treat you well," he added, a haughty tone in his voice.
"Good! Well, you would call them that, won't you," and she was tired now. Tired and disappointed, for a part of her had hoped that the Gathering would see her freed from the shackles of this egregious betrothal.
But all of her hopes had been destroyed. All of them.
"I rue the day that I was born as your daughter," and the pain came second, and the burning came after that, and the sound shot through the room.
"I have had enough of your insolence!" he raged as Andromeda rubbed her burning cheek, as tears threatened to gather in her eyes.
"Cygnus!" their mother called out as she pulled her back.
"What are you doing?" she asked, as his nostrils flared with rage.
"I will not have my decisions questioned by my own daughters! You are my blood, and you shall do as I command!" he thundered and left the room, as Andy glared at his retreating back.
"Let me bring you some ointment..." her mother began, but she pulled herself away from her grasp, and rushed to her room as Narcissa chased, and only once they were inside did she lock the door, and let herself fall onto the bed, as her vision began to blur.
"Andy..." Narcissa called out weakly, and she was the strong one, and yet in that moment, she hugged Narcissa as they lay on her bed, as Andy let her sorrows tear out.
"Just let me be," she pleaded, and her little sister said nothing as the two of them simply lay there, basking in each other's warmth.
"We will find a solution," Narcissa assured her.
"We will," she agreed, for there was no way that she was going to let her father win this. Never.
"I would rather die than marry someone like Rebastan...."
.
.
.
And just as the Express filled up with students once more, as the Christmas Holidays came to an end, Sirius walked into one of the sections and passed along a letter.
"Here," he said as he gave the letter to Alder.
"I got what you asked for...."
0000
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