Andrea had too much to digest in the short week she had to get used to the fact that her parents were alive, magic existed and there was an entire society of them. However, to her the most important piece of information was simple. "They . . . didn't want me?" she whispered, her eyes wide and shoulders slumped.
Serena didn't consider herself particularly in tune with her maternal instincts, however she saw just a bit of herself in the young girl. The way she asked questions, how her eyes lit up whenever a new bit of information was revealed to her, how she drank in knowledge like a sponge soaked up water. She picked up the girl, frowning at the fact she tensed up at her touch. Softly, she made a shushing sound. "Yes." She said truthfully. "Sirius talked to them, and they didn't regret the choice they made. There's no evidence at the home you left to show them, because it was all burned down."
She shivered. "What do I do? Nobody wants me." She croaked hoarsely, but managed to keep herself from fighting the woman's touch as she stroked her hair while calming her with whispered words of encouragement.
"No child. My husband is trying to find a way to keep you safe." Serena confided in her, touching her nose gently making Andrea screw up her face. "Don't you worry. You won't ever go back to those horrid muggles. If you don't want to, you'll hopefully never see the ones who abandoned you again." She rocked the girl gently.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" the girl asked. Definitely a 'claw, Serena smirked inwardly. "You don't know me."
Smiling, Serena brought her soon-to-be niece closer. "No, child. I don't." Smiling, she looked at the girl and sighed, seeing that she'd taken to sleeping in the short time she'd taken to formulate an answer. "But I would like to.
Sirius cackled, one of his more Slytherin traits as he compared notes on the genealogies of the various family lines. He could be the most pragmatic individual ever, choosing an obscure line of the Black family and possibly create no issues with succession as one of his potential scions. Unfortunately, his more childish instincts took over and he felt that some chaos was in order.
The woman before him looked rather terrified, which was unsurprising as he was currently using Polyjuice and chose a rather gruff and less than cavalier appearance for this task. "P-please. D-don't hurt me."
Smirking, Sirius stood over her and removed his wand. "Don't worry poppet. This won't hurt a bit." He said as a stunner hit her in the face and she collapsed. Rummaging through his coat, he pulled several flasks and proceeded to take samples of the woman. Skin, hair, blood and he grimaced as he pointed between her legs and summoned an egg cell from the woman.
He had no clue how or why the ritual required an unfertilized egg, but he wasn't about to question a ritual mistress's notes on Blood Rituals. It had something to do with a sacrifice of self, so he supposed it was a potential for life lost. He pressed a small wad of bills into her purse as compensation and set a delayed revival charm as soon as he was ready.
Placing a preserving charm on the samples, he apparated away. Appearing in his home, he wasn't quite surprised to see his wife and children already settling down for lunch. "Sorry I'm late. Had to get a few things before I got back."
His wife looked at him strangely, but shrugged off the feeling as little Andrea was at least more controlled in her eating habits. Ever since the first day and she'd retched up the rich food she'd been given, the young girl had been far more careful regarding what she ate.
"You . . . want to adopt me?" Andrea asked breathlessly, staring at the man who'd taken her in and helped keep her safe and fed her. She turned to the woman who smiled back at her, who'd been her friend and confidant whenever she had nightmares about the Dursleys. At Gideon who was the brother she never had, fun and mischievous. At Lyra, who smiled at her, and felt a small pain at having been denied a childhood like her, but felt all the more reason to protect her because nobody should have to go through what she did.
Sirius nodded. "You'd be leaving your old life behind. The only thing people know . . . is that Andrea Lily Potter died in that house the night of the fire. You'd look nothing like you do now, I'm afraid. The adoption isn't as simple as getting our name. Blood is just as important as a name, because it means we can truly and completely protect you."
Andrea nodded. "I was never accepted with the Dursleys. I was thrown away by the Potters." She said the name with almost as much venom as she held for the Dursleys save Abigail. Resolutely, she nodded. "I accept . . . my lord."
"Then let's get started." Sirius grinned.
The only people who could properly perform the ritual were members of the houses in question. Since the Potters were so clearly out of the question, they'd been forced to utilize the means they had at hand. Andromeda clearly disliked the idea of the ritual, but after the pensive memory and having tended to Andrea personally, was sure that she was willing to at least help give a broken girl a better life.
"Was it really wise? The choice of mother is something I recommend against, if only because she was a crazy bitch." Narcissa Malfoy said with a raised eyebrow. It was no surprise that Lucius was less than interested in his wife, the marriage contract binding the two had been satisfied after Narcissa had birthed him an heir.
Sirius sighed. "I . . . as head have two heirs as it is. It would be in poor form for me to accept a bastard as an heir when I have two of my own. However, Bellatrix never had children, so it might not be a total surprise if she had a child born out of wedlock hidden away somewhere."
Narcissa sighed and Andromeda smirked. "Anything to get a little girl away from an unloved life." Andromeda admitted. "I would be sad if Dora had been born a squib, of course. However, I refuse to believe that Lily would have chosen that life for her own daughter. If Dumbledore really did have something to do about it . . . it would be much safer for her to be hidden away should the old meddler have any further plans for her." Andromeda shook her head, looking to where the girl sat nervously to the side.
"Then we are in agreement?" Sirius asked, eyes closed.
All nodded and Sirius sighed. Looking to Andrea, he bid her rise and approach. "Here we gather at the turning of the seasons. The solstice approaches and the darkness lengthens. Who would approach the Most Ancient House of Black?"
Andrea gulped, they had gone over the ritual before, several times in fact. "I, Andrea Lily, of House Potter, ask for sanctuary. Unwanted, unneeded, I wandered long before the roots of my blood called me home."
Narcissa pushed magic into the circle. "By what do you claim roots to our House?"
"The blood of my mother. Born out of wedlock, I offer this gift of identity and sacrifice." At this point, the ritual required several components given by the mother to cement this claim. "The seed of the mother, the blood that courses through her veins, and a mark of identity."
Narcissa nodded, stepping back. "I am satisfied, we may proceed."
The ritual noted the anomaly of the offerings and a pulse of magic washed over Andrea as she stumbled. Andrea gasped and turned to where Andromeda stood. "By what do you claim to be a child of man and not of beast?"
"The blood of my father. Born out of wedlock, I offer this gift of identity and sacrifice." The bit of blood went into the ritual as the magic flooded the room, pulsing and tendrils caressing Andrea, who gasped at the sensation of pure magic changing her.
Andromeda stepped back. "I am satisfied, we look to you, lord of the House Black to render final judgement."
Sirius nodded. "By the power within my blood, I offer you this last chance, do you wish to become a member of the Most Ancient House of Black?"
Andrea wobbled, unsteady on her feet as the magic flooded her, mixing with her core and changing her being. "I do. I seek to become a member of your family, in blood and in name."
Nodding. "You who stepped into the circle as Andrea Lily Potter, rise now as a child of Black. Child of Bellatrix Aurora Black and James Charlus Potter, rise and take the name of our family. By the power as head of house, I name you. Lyanna Rosemary Black. Take your place among family."
Hair, once red like fire, was now like the firmament of the night. Skin turned pale and her features shifted slightly, giving her a more aristocratic look. After a moment, the familiar haunting bright emeralds opened as dark jades.