Previously…
"Miss Potter, what I have to inform you is very important and personal. I wish to discuss it with you in private," lady Malfoy said seriously. "We won't be too long. You can see your friends afterwards. You can inform them about the object of our discussion later, if you desire."
"Err…" Heley hesitated when she felt a gentle push in the back from Hermione.
"Go. We will wait here for you," Hermione mumbled into her ear to reassure her. Heley bit her lips, but nodded to lady Malfoy.
"Very well," Heley politely said.
"Thank you," Narcissa said, smiling. "Please, follow me. Draco, you are coming with us as well."
"Yes, Mother," Draco said.
Narcissa walked ahead, leading them out of the ballroom. Heley and Draco followed behind her.
Fallen & Risen 25. WHAT DA-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Lady Malfoy guided them into a lounge on the second floor. Inside, there was a man around the age of fifty waiting for them. When lady Malfoy entered the room with Draco and Heley, the man stood up to greet them.
"Mr. Wingston, we can start now," lady Malfoy said. Mr. Wingston nodded. Lady Malfoy turned Heley to speak to her. "Miss Potter, I would like to introduce you Mister Charles Wingston. Mr Wingston is the Black's family lawyer, as well as his father and his grandfather. Mr. Wingston, this is Miss Heley Potter," she introduced.
"Charmed to finally meet you in person, Miss Potter. I'm Charles Wingston, at your service," Mr. Wingston, bowing to her.
"A pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Wingston," Heley greeted, bowing too.
"Please, have a seat," Lady Malfoy said. Everyone took a seat.
"So, let's start," Mr. Wingston said, as he took out some papers from his briefcase.
"Miss Potter, I assume you know that your cousin Harry Potter's guardian, your guardian as well, was Lord Sirius Black III, am I correct?" Mr. Wingston said.
"I knew Sirius was Harry's and my guardian, but I didn't knew that he was a lord," Heley answered.
"Sirius was never fond of his position as Head of the Black family, so he hated to be reminded about it," Lady Malfoy explained.
"I thought Sirius' mother blast his name off the Black family tree, disowning him from the House of Black," Heley said.
"Yes, Aunt Walburga, Sirius' mother, burnt his name from the family tree, but the blood in his veins was still the Black's blood," Lady Malfoy explained again. "The magical law of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black followed the law of the bloodline, which is why Sirius was appointed the next Lord Black after Uncle Orion's death. Uncle Orion is Sirius's father. In Uncle Orion's eyes, Sirius possessed the intelligence and the wit of a Lord Black, unlike Regulus, Sirius' younger brother. That's why Uncle Orion never disinherited Sirius – he was his heir. Besides, when Aunt Walburga disowned Sirius, she didn't consult the Family Assembly to have their approbation. Hence, her disowning Sirius was nullified. Sirius was still the rightful Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And even if Aunt Walburga asked for the Family Assembly's approbation to disown Sirius, it would've been unlikely that she'd win."
Lady Malfoy paused momentary before continuing.
"Uncle Alphar, Aunt Walburga's brother, loves Sirius. Sirius was Uncle Alphar's favorite nephew among all of us, Sirius' cousins," Mrs. Malfoy said. Uncle Alphar's opinion was the most highly regarded because he brought money, success, and respect to the family's name. No one would dare anger him or risk getting on his bad side. He had the power to cut financial support from anyone who angered him. He would never disinherit Sirius from the Black family. It was clear to Aunt Walburga that she would undoubtedly lose if she called for the Family Assembly. The only thing she could do was cut Sirius' money when Sirius ran away from home because he was still underage back then and thus under her control. But even then, Uncle Alphar still gave Sirius money to assure him a comfortable life."
"Oh. I see," Heley said. Mr. Wingston continued next.
"Miss Potter, after his death, Lord Sirius Black III left you five billion galleons as well as a cottage in France for your use," Mr. Wingston said. "He certainly would have left you everything, but he couldn't do that because you are not a Black."
Heley's eyes widened in surprise. That was a lot of money. What was she going to do with them? Her parents already left her more than enough to assure a life of leisure until the end of her days.
"However, since you are still eighteen, you cannot claim all of the money." Mr. Wingston stopped and looked straight at Heley.
Heley frowned. She was feeling nervous. Obviously, with Draco's and Draco's mother knowledge, Mr. Wingston wanted to bring up 'something,' and that 'something' had something to do with her.
"Miss Potter, until you reach the age of twenty-one, your money will be managed by your warden."
"Twenty-one?" Heley asked.
"In the wizarding world, you are not legally an adult until you reach twenty-one," Draco said.
"How so?"
"In the wizarding world, a wizard or a witch is major when he or she completed their third cycle of magical maturity," Lady Malfoy explained. "One cycle of magic takes seven years to mature. It takes three cycles for a wizard or a witch to have their magic stabilized. You still have three years before your magic is stabilized, Miss Potter."
"Until you reach twenty-one, Miss Potter, the magical will of Lord Sirius Black III will not recognize you as the legal owner of your money," Mrs. Wingston said. "Unless you get married before twenty-one, in which case, your husband will get custody of your heritage."
"Oh, I understand," Heley said.
"But until then, someone else will get custody of your money. As I said, it will be your warden," Mr. Wingston said.
"Warden? As in guardian?" Heley asked.
"Yes, Miss Potter," Mr. Wingston said.
"I have another guardian beside Sirius?"
"Yes," the lawyer answered again. "Since Lord Sirius Black III is deceased, it will be the new Lord Black IV who will be your warden."
"Sirius doesn't have a son. How can it be possible that there is a Lord Black IV?" Heley asked.
"It's true that Lord Sirius Black III doesn't have a son, so therefore the title goes to the next male heir with the Black family's blood," Mr. Wingston said.
Mr. Wingston designated Draco.
"Your new guardian, the new head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, is right by your side: Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy-Black," Mr. Wingston said.
"Your new guardian, the new head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, is right by your side, Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy-Black," Mr. Wingston said.
". . ." Heley was frozen from head to toe.
What?
No.
Draco Malfoy?
How come?
He, her new guardian?
And for three years?
WHAT DA-#$ %?¤¶ O ¢£~&^%*&? ! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
'NOOOOOOOO WAYYYYYYYYY!' Heley yelled in her head.
What deities did she offend in her past lives to deserve this? And she really thought that she had lived all her share of pains and bad luck for one life! Or was this Moldywart's revenge for her defeat him, the He-Who-Had-No-Nose?
'YIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!' Heley silently screamed again.
A/N: Curious that so many people thought it would be an arranged marriage. Sirius loves Heley and hates Draco like a dragon dung pit. There was no way Sirius was going to impose her such a dreadful fate with her nemesis!
And before anyone else ask, Draco is Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy-Black.
Update on Tuesday July 27, 2010. Beta-ed.
Thank you to the review Landalot for teaching me a few of the "olde Britain" point. He (or she?) let me know that Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy-Black is more in order than Lord Draco Black IV since there isn't any Lord Draco Black previous to Draco's time. Also, please note that, according to Landalot's explainant on "olde Britain" (muggle) law, people in the case of Heley and Drap would be considered an adult at 16 considering in their situation. However, I still prefer to keep the 21 years old age as a maturity for the magical maturity. I remember reading something about the 3 cycles fo seven years magical maturity somewhere, but I don't remember exactly where. I just put in use what I remember in the story (July 13, 2013).