Unholy Alliance Part 2

1938 – 1939

Septimus headed for the small house he shared with Charlus immediately after talking to Cedrella. He, Charlus and Harfang had shared the house since shortly after they'd graduated. These days of course, it was just Septimus and Charlus that lived there. He'd been surprised when the two men had offered to live with him. Even after seven years of school and friendship, he'd never lost his awareness of the massive gap between his social station and the station Harfang and Charlus enjoyed. Some small part of him had expected them to go their separate ways after school. Not only had they not done so, they had insisted on splitting the costs involved in the living on their own with him equally so that all three of them could live out from under their parents' roofs for a while.

Septimus was pretty sure that the other two men had lied to him about how expensive the place was, and had reduced his 'third' of the costs involved in staying there in deference to his more limited funds. He had opted not to say anything about it. There was a time and a place for stubborn pride, and this wasn't it. If Harfang and Charlus set their minds to something, it was *incredibly* difficult to budge them. Trying to force them to spilt the costs in even thirds would have been a constant running battle, and not worth the effort.

Any doubts he'd had along those lines had been laid to rest since Harfang's marriage. He'd moved with Callidora into one of the Longbottom homes, and Septimus' expenses towards the house's upkeep hadn't raised so much as a knut. While the matter did bother him, he was grateful to his friends at the same time. Not having to shoulder 'equal' expenses meant that the tiny little nest egg he'd started as a kid had grown over the years. Enough so that these days, it didn't seem a waste of time and effort to use a vault separate from his parents'. It was still small, but it was better than many of his predecessors had had when they began courting.

Charlus grinned at him when he came in. "And how was the fair Cedrella today?"

Septimus snorted. "You do realize, Charlus, that Harfang and I both are going to give you *such* a hard time when you fall head over heels in love with some girl, don't you?" He pointed out. "That said, Cedrella is fine. I'm dangerously close to hexing Abraxas into oblivion however."

Charlus made a face. "He was after her *again*?" He shook his head. "That man has no sense whatever. She's going to hex him impotent if he doesn't watch his step."

"No kidding." Septimus said, then grinned. "The good news is … she's agreed to let me court her."

Charlus gave an amused snort, then patted Septimus on the arm. "I don't envy you. Your father is going to have an apoplexy."

Septimus sighed. "Don't I know it. Though I'm hoping how much I've mentioned her and our talks – and the results of those talks – will have softened him up a bit."

The next day, Septimus made his way to his parents' home. It felt more than a little like walking into a battle zone before the battle broke out. His father wasn't going to be all that happy about him wanting to court and marry Cedrella. Septimus didn't doubt he could sway his father, but there was probably going to be a good bit of shouting in the process.

Fortunately, his mother was home. With himself and Victor out of the house, Felix rooming with a friend and only visiting occasionally and Bilius in school, mother had taken up a part-time job as a midwife and nanny to fill some of her time. And, Septimus strongly suspected, to allow her to mother small children until such time as he and his brothers provided her with grandchildren to spoil. Mother had the calmer temperament of his parents, so she might be able to keep his father from exploding too badly.

"Septimus, darling! Good to see you. And during the week no less! To what do we owe the pleasure? You haven't been injured, have you?" His mother asked, then hugged him.

To forestall an immediate physical examination for injuries, Septimus held up both hands. "Not injured in the slightest, mother. I asked for the day off as I've family business that needs tending."

"Oh?" Father asked, coming alongside his wife to clap Septimus on the arm. "What sort of family business?"

Septimus took a deep breath and mentally crossed his fingers. "The courtship and betrothal contracts kind of business." He said.

He nearly laughed, because it was instantly clear he had his mother's full support. She got very big-eyed and visibly excited. "Oh, Septimus! Truly? You've finally found yourself a witch? That's wonderful! You must tell us all about her. I'd no idea you were even entertaining the notion!"

Septimus gave in to the urge to laugh when his mother grabbed his hand and tried to tow him to the family dinner table in her excitement. He let her lead him there, sharing an amused look with his father in the process.

"Well, it sort of snuck up on me, to be honest." Septimus said as he let himself be guided into a chair near the head of the table. His father took his customary seat at the head of the table, and his mother sat directly across from Septimus, allowing the three of them to talk face-to-face without trouble. "I wasn't actually actively looking."

That alone had his father (who was not exactly stupid) frowning slightly in suspicion. After all, there was really only one female he'd been in regular contact with for love to have a chance to sneak up on him. Love at first sight was still possible of course, but unlikely.

"That does tend to be how it goes, if you don't fall in love at first sight." His mother said. "It sneaks up on you and bites you in the rear." She shot a look at her husband, then grinned.

Septimus, well aware by now of the story of how they'd gotten together, had to laugh again. The story was actually fairly similar to how things had gone thus far with Cedrella, though his mother was not from a traditionally Dark family. She was the daughter of two Muggleborns, and had apparently been quite smitten with Septimus' father through much of her school days, while Father had taken his sweet time realizing he liked her in return.

His father gave her a tolerant look. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Never." She proclaimed.

Septimus was deeply grateful to her for diverting his father and keeping him amused. It would help with his father's temper.

"So." His mother said. "Who is she?"

Showtime. "Cedrella Black."

"What!" His father barked.

Well, at least it hadn't been a full-on bellow. "Father, please. I *know* the Family Black's reputation. This generation's daughters don't seem to share it. They're all of them decent women. Oh, they have airs and think themselves superior to muggleborns and muggles, but … " Septimus shrugged. "That's as far as it goes, with the lot of them. Merlin, Cedrella took *Muggle Studies*, father, and you *know* that's not the done thing in that family!"

Father looked sour. "I'd say she's bewitched you, but you've been gone on her since she started Hogwarts, and not even an eleven year old child from that family is capable of the sort of magic it'd take to bend someone to their will. And you were out of her sphere of influence for two years – more than long enough for a potion to wear off."

Septimus snorted. "I've not been gone on her since she was eleven father." He said. "I just didn't approve of someone trying to force her into a corner. Abraxas is the worst sort of bully imaginable. I wouldn't put it past him to have literally forced her at some point if someone hadn't intervened. And her applying to her head of Family could only do so much good, with her away at Hogwarts most of the year. By the time the Black Head found out she'd been potioned or hexed, it would have been far too late to do anything about it."

Father huffed, still looking less than pleased. "I suppose you are determined in this?" He groused.

Septimus nodded.

Father rolled his eyes. "As I know what it is to be a fool in love." He slanted a look at his wife that was equal parts exasperated and adoring. "And as you're an Auror and those partners of yours would have caught any spells or potions before now, I'll not fight this. But do not expect me to be happy about it."

Septimus was only too happy to get that much. He'd anticipated a much more severe fight than this over the whole thing. "That will be enough father."

Father sighed. "I'll get in contact with Sirius this afternoon, and start the wrangling. It's not going to be pretty, son."

"You never know. I do, after all, have Cedrella on my side, and she's been thick as thieves with Sirius for several years now. If it weren't for the fact that Headship is always patrilineal if a male heir exists in the line, I'd think he was grooming her to be the next Head."

"He'd be well served to do so. I've heard rumors about his grandson, Orion, that do not paint the lad in a good light. Evidently, he didn't attend the Ball until he was nine."

Septimus' eyebrows went up. "Nine? That's rather late. Usually it's seven. Sometimes earlier than that."

"I also have heard that even at that late date, he made a fairly poor showing." his father admitted.

Septimus shook his head. "We can only hope Sirius and Arcturus after him last until a better potential Head appears in the line if it's as bad as all that."

"Agreed." His father said.

As much as father disliked the Black family, seeing it go to rack and ruin would be a blow. The Blacks were one of the oldest pureblood lines in the UK. They had, in that time, managed to remain one of the most influential as well. Seeing such a powerful Family crumble would be painful.

Thankfully, neither Septimus nor Cedrella were required to attend the initial negotiations. Their attendance would only be required once the two families had gotten to the point where the marriage was approved by both Heads. At that point, it would become a question of details specific to the marriage itself, which would require their input.

Much to Septimus' amusement, he and Cedrella quickly fell into the habit of filling each other in on their respective parents' moods and any insights they gleaned into how the initial negotiations were going.

Septimus found himself surprised at how fast and smoothly things were going. It was quickly apparent that despite their grousing, both family Heads (and Cedrella's father) were in favor of the match. All three men seemed to be going out of their way to make the negotiations as smooth and easy as possible. Considering the families involved, that was no mean feat.

Before either of them knew it, two months had passed and the more intimate negotiations had begun. Sirius, who had fully expected to be providing the lion's share of the finances for the marriage, was surprised and gratified to discover that Septimus had a respectable nest egg of money he'd earned since childhood. It was far too small for the pair to live more than a bare-bones life, but it was more than most of the Weasley clan could have claimed when they married, and spoke well to Septimus' potential husbandry of the Weasley Headship when the time came.

Unbeknownst to Septimus, Sirius, vastly relieved at this sign of fiscal responsibility, had been far more generous than he had initially been inclined to be with the dowry for Cedrella. Combined with her father's dowry, the pair would be comfortably set. Not rich by any means, but well above the usual Weasley standard. If Septimus was half as good a steward as he seemed to be, they'd increase that wealth over time.

There was a good reason for Sirius' initial caution. The Weasleys had, a few hundred years ago, been very nearly the equal of the Blacks in money, land, and influence. Unfortunately for them, they'd hit a run of Heads who were spendthrifts, gamblers, and generally idiots where money was concerned. By the time the dust cleared, the Weasleys had been reduced to a paltry few galleons in the vault and one small estate that had originally been a vacation cottage … and a staggering amount of debt owed. From the records of the Black Head of the time, it had been clear to Sirius that the Weasleys had been damn lucky to escape indentured servitude to the goblins to clear the debt.

The debt had been paid off eventually, but the damage to the Weasley name had been far longer lasting. Worse, without any start-up capital and a distinct lack of people or goblins willing to loan it to them, they'd not been able to get out of the hole those irresponsible Heads had dug for the family. Thus had the Weasleys fallen into ignominy.

He'd been slightly dubious about Cedrella's preference for the man, but over the last few years he'd begun to see what Cedrella saw in him. Potential. Vast amounts of it. It was entirely possible that if Septimus listened to her, with Cedrella at his side, he'd be able to drag the Weasley name back into prominence once more. It made Sirius more than a little eager to watch the pair in the years to come.