More matings, and a bit of a peek into what the Heart's Mate bond takes to finalize.
The Autumn summit would later become Ginny Weasley's favourite Black Family celebration. Technically speaking, it took place in the last week of August, and Autumn didn't begin until the Solstice around the twenty-first of September.
This year, the most important year, when Ginny was only seven years old and dragging along her best friend, Luna Lovegood. Iliana Black had gotten an invitation for Luna, and though it would be years before Ginny figured out what Lia had already known that Luna was important.
It didn't happen in the grand, Gryffindor displays that Sirius and Harry had had as children. Luna's Heart's Mate didn't insert his foot into his mouth at the first meeting, like James Potter either. No, rather, Draco Malfoy of the House of Black cornered little Luna not long after she arrived and demanded to know what she knew about Heart's Mates.
When she told him in all serenity that she was well aware that she was his, he was dumbfounded. Despite his father spending his toddler years hammering his superiority into his skull, his cousins- especially Iliana, possessor of the loudest personality- had coaxed and cajoled him into a better mindset.
Were he even seven years older, perhaps he would have taken these words in a sexual light. As a young boy not yet exposed to sex, his response is tempered by his newfound gallantry.
"You mean you are my lady, to escort and protect." The flat self assured air wins him a tilted head and an airy
"You have not made a vow, yet." Growling, the spoiled, pale princeling grabs her hand and pulls her to the garden, shoving her none-to-gently onto the seat of the stone bench, grumbling as he procured flowers from the bushes, careful not to crumple the delicate petals. Pursing his lips, the little scion calls for his house elf, grudgingly requesting Dobby find him moonstone.
Once the flowers are in his left hand and the brilliant, uncut stone in his right, he approaches Luna, offering the gifts, unaware of the Disillusioned adults who are watching. He clears his throat and requests
"Luna, honorable daughter of the House of Lovegood, as your Heart's Mate, I ask to treat you as my lady, my consort, in all but name, our union-" and he blushes and stammers out the traditional line about their union being consummated on the day of their mating. Luna takes the gifts and replies intently
"I accept your request, but our union will be consecrated at a time of our choosing." Draco, who had bowed at the waist to make his offerings, straightens, dusting off the collar of his robes before saying imperiously
"My lady." Some, a softly smiling Aisling Harte Black knew, would mistake it for a firm, masculine command. However, Aisling had been married to Draco's elder cousin of the same temperament longer than the boy had been alive. Behind the imperiousness, the order, was a plea.
Draco was begging the girl to challenge him. Not fight him, per se, but to liven up his life. And he did that by ordering her into action. It was a tactic Regulus and even Sirius had employed, though they both seemed to enjoy hearing that tone from their respective wives. Perhaps it wasn't so much a Slytherin tactic as a Black one.
Walking away from the heartwarming scene, she pondered if her own daughter would be as delighted, would say the traditional words, or, if like Luna, she would defy tradition to accept her mate as herself. Aaliyah Tara Diana Black wasn't a traditional name for a Black, but Arcturus had pointed out that Diana was a constellation, and that Aisling had her reasons for choosing the other names. It had been Reg who chose the names, actually, had been pleased that his daughter was named for ascension, her mothers' heritage and a fiery goddess. Sirius and Kira, too, had named their daughter well. Iliana was a reference to a god answering prayers and to rays of the sun, while her middle name, Celeste, meant heavenly.
Shaking her head to clear it of what Reg had affectionately titled the 'Black Family Nonsense', Aisling eased her tread further before making her way to the much smaller circle of persons who made up the interfamily Squib Summit. Although listed on separate rosters, every Squib who could be accounted for and reconciled with had been welcomed into the Reunified House. Unsurprisingly, the younger ones had rallied around Marius as their leader. He had agreed, and been surprised but pleased himself when Arcturus requested he act as Head of the House of Black when it came to Squib and Muggle affairs. Sirius and Regulus had approached him years ago about he and his wife Alisa sitting on the Black Family ruling council when they came into their inheritance.
Watching for a minute, she turned away to the receiving room, chuckling when she came face to face with seventeen year old Charlie Weasley, who not only had his arm wrapped around a Grecian witch, but also had the same besotted look on his face as Draco. A single glance at her own husband confirmed her suspicions: Black men were soppy idiots with the right people. For further proof, one had to look no farther than Arcturus Black, who was allowing his younger lover to lead him all over Europe come spring.
Drifting over with all the serenity she possessed, she was delighted to meet Thalia Karis, who had tightened her hold on Charlie's arm but not cowered before any of the others. Andromeda came through not long later, running a discerning eye over the girl, she barked
"My lab, now!" Thalia froze, while Charlie moved to shelter her. Admirable effort though it was, the barked command was actually intended for the house elf assistant who shadowed Andromeda whenever there was the slightest suggestion that she would have duties. Charlie whirled around when his mate disappeared with a pop, but Andromeda was already gone. Having her suspicions about why Thalia had been abducted, Aisling raised a brow and informed him
"Once a witch or wizard has recognized their mate with the oath, and the bond has been consummated and consecrated by the pair, only then is the pair fertile." She watched his face pale before she continued
"Conception is most likely in the three days following consecration after consummation, and in the following year the other way around." Yawning, Aisling returned to her husband, very pleased when he excused them from afternoon tea to take her to bed. Unfortunately, it wasn't the fun kind, just a nap, but even that was glorious in his arms.
In the following months, Draco polished his oration skills, to better challenge those who would belittle Luna, and Charlie Weasley announced his mating. Molly had accepted long ago that she would not be planning extravagant weddings for her children, that being mated under the old laws was enough for them. So, of course, she was ecstatic when Charlie requested that he be allowed to survey his inheritance to scrape together a suitable bride price. Kirkendale Hall's Tamara Cottage, a neat sum of money from the central coffers and secondhand furnishings from almost every branch of the family made for a very nice offering.
Thalia's family had thrown a gorgeous reception at the family's home estate in Greece when their mating had occurred, so none of the Karis' had protested when Charlie asked that they celebrate his marriage to Thalia in England. As Greece was one of several countries to widely recognize magical matings, it was a relief that the proper paperwork would be filed in Britain.
Fred and George had been astonished to meet Clio and Calliope Karis, Thalia's cousins. Not only did the four of them get on like a house of fire, but the boys behaved long enough to talk to the other set of twins without interruptions.
In any case, Terpsichore Andromeda Weasley, honorable daughter of the House of Black, was born half an hour after her fraternal twin brother Caerus Aries Theodore Weasley, the honorable son of the House of Black, Arthur's grandchildren and pride of the line as the firstborn of their generation. Molly was overjoyed to have grandchildren, but put out that Thalia wasn't forcing Charlie to relocate off the Reserve. Both infants had been delivered by Andromeda and the birth had been attended by Ted, which is how the children had ended up named.
Within a few years, Aisling was attending her daughters' last pre-Hogwarts Autumn summit. Hopefully, as the children had their letters, all would go well. Perhaps more of them would meet their mates. Perhaps. Hearts were likelier to get broken.
So! Just as in canon, the Weasley's attend Hogwarts staggered. Harry and Ron will probably be joined by Draco and Neville at some point, and you know Aaliyah, Iliana, Daniella and Sylvia will be up to mischief. However, in the intervening years since the Autumn Summit, they have acquired nicknames, at least, most of them.
Harry- Kuromaru (black boy, for his hair, from Japanese Blacks)
Ron- Raidou (to follow blindly, a reference to his faith in his best friend, also from Japanese Blacks)
Draco- Tatsuo (dragon man, reference to how draconic his true rage is, from Japanese Blacks)
Lia- shortened form of Iliana that caught on when her parents took her to France
Ali- shortened form of Aaliyah that caught on when her parents took her to France
Daniella- Danu. Technically the name of the Goddess in the Celtic tradition, Daniella was chosen as a vessel to deliver a prophecy so that Aaliyah and Aisling could hear it.
Neville- Zeno. Short for Zenith, it comes from the Goddess' prophecy that Neville would reach his 'Zenith' when HE least expected it.
Sylvia- the only true silver-blonde of the clan (suspected to be because of her mother Iliana Delacour's Veela heritage, she was given the nickname Silver when Lia decided all their agemates needed one.
Reminder- technically, with the exception of the Weasley Summit and the Draco/Luna conversation, the Blacks have been practicing Greek and Latin for years. Because they are no longer switching languages entirely, I will be returning to the Latin terms, such as Sodalis.
