Chapter 28
A/n: Sorry about the wait guys!
It was out of his mouth before he could stop it. He hadn't mentioned Remus since that night back at the hotel. It was a sudden, painful reminder of how desperate of a situation he was really in. He longed for the safety of the compound sure he was free, but his new found freedom raised the stakes instead of lowering them. Before, he was cleared he only had to avoid the ministry. Now he had to somehow keep Harry safe while integrating himself back into Wizarding Britain.
" Are you okay Sirius?" asked Andromeda the cousinly concern back in her eyes.
" Just lost in my own thoughts Andy, nothing to worry about."
"Uncle Irrius!" he heard the young Draco call out .
" In here!" he yelled back. He turned his head back to his cousin. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Andy I need you to trust me, this is for the best." It took her a moment but she nodded. He heard the door creek open. He turned his head to greet his fair haired cousin and her family.
" What is Calist cooking it smells delicious?" smiled Narcissa as she scooted her young son into the room. It wasn't until her eyes lifted that she even noticed her sister and her family in the room.
" Sirius you didn't tell me you would be having more guests!" She smiled politely but the betrayal was evident in her eyes.
" I thought it would be a surprise a Black Family reunion of sorts! You too have much to catch up on I'm sure."
" And you took it upon yourself to make that happen! She betrayed us Sirius!"
" My parents would claim, I did as well"
" You came back Sirius, you were young when you left. But, you showed family meant something to you."
" What a family it was wasn't it abandoned Sirius and I because we didn't agree that Muggleborns were scum!" snapped Andromeda.
" Do you honestly think I care about that. It's been years sister and I haven't heard a word from you! Not even a goodbye. You just left in the dead of the night abandoning us all."
" Why don't I take the kids into the nursery, and go finnish dinner this looks like a family affair. I wouldn't want to intrude," cut in Calist throwing Narcissa an apologetic look. Narcissa nodded slightly embarrassed for making such a scene.
" Now come on Cissa, thats something you could hold against me too." Sirius said trying to curb some of Narcissa's anger.
" You can say all you want that you ran away Sirius Orion Black, but I know the truth! You were forced out!"
" My parents gave me a choice Cissa I chose my morals over family, I'm just as much to blame as Andromeda," he said evenly.
" No you didn't have a choice. I would never expect you to freely side with Voldemort Sirius. You were 15 and scared and your parents gave you no other option. She was an adult when she ran off, she played the part of the perfect Pureblood Princess only to run off. She didn't say a word she just ran."
" I'm sorry Cissa I had no idea you felt that way. I fell in love with the very person I was supposed to hate most in this world. I was confused and scared and I admit I should have handled it better. I left before Sirius was excommunicated but, I saw the way his parents treated him. I was cowardly, I couldn't handle being treated that way."
" We are the last Blacks left despite our differences we are all each other has. You two are sisters, and at one time you were very close. Please for both of your sakes lets just get over it."
" I suppose it would be unfair of me to allow Draco to grow up without knowing his only free aunt," Narcissa conceded. Sirius gave her a small smile. She gazed back at him, letting him know this was far from over but for Harry's sake and his she was willing to attempt to patch things up. He turned his head to look at Andromeda. She didn't say a word but nodded her acceptance.
" Good, then lets head to the dining room shall we?"
He swung open the door and ushered everyone out of the room breathing a sigh of relief.
" This look delicious Calist!"
" I picked up a few things working in the Cafeteria. I was never really any good with domestic magic."
" But you can do Natural Magic?!" asked Dora bewildered that such a powerful witch could have trouble with something as simple as a cooking spell.
" We all have our strengths and weaknesses. I grew up practising Natural Magic it comes easy to me. Wand magic not so much. The first time I used a wand I almost burned down a forest."
" But, Sirius can do both."
" Yeah but I'm hopeless at potions and herbology. It takes me about twice the time to create even the simplest potion as it does everybody else. I swear if it hadn't been for Lily, James and I would have failed the NEWTS potions class."
" Never had the patience or forethought for it. But the Blacks aren't really known for those traits are we?" smile Narcissa.
" I don't think there has ever been a Black that was good at potions, save maybe Regulus," agreed Andromeda.
" So what's Mom's weakness and your's Aunty?"
" Andy was always a poor flier and I seem to remember hearing of a few trips to the hospital wing for animal bites!" laughed Sirius. " I think your the only person I've ever heard of got a D in Care of Magical Creatures. Cissa on the other hand has a flare for the domestic, defensive was her weak point."
" Just because I was too dignified to duel in the corridors!" huffed Narcissa.
" You could hardly Stupefy someone till your sixth year Cissa," laughed Sirius.
" Alright I'm not a dueller."
" Don't write her off just yet Nymphadora no one is quiet as good at mastering politics as my dear sister."
" Which is why she's such a good ally, Which brings me to my main reason for having you all here. I want to call in the London Alliance."
" And here I thought you just enjoyed our company," laughed Ted.
" There hasn't been a meeting of the London Alliance in 100 years Sirius. What point would there even be the Notts, the Rosiers and the Yaxleys are all in the Black Alliance."
" It would make a statement Andromeda. With Sirius being Harry's guardian that gives him two seats. The Black's already have headship for him to claim the Potter seat as his own gives him more notoriety and more power. In order for us to make a play against He Who Must Not Be Named we need all of what we can get."
" You Know Who is gone!" snapped Ted.
" No he's not, and I've had enough of all the side-stepping of his name. In this house if you want to mention Voldemort you say his name."
" Fine then Voldemort was destroyed the night he attacked your godson."
" He has horcruxes and he can't die until all of them are destroyed. He will find out what we are doing and when he does, he'll attack he has to. We need to make sure we can fight back."
" We call in the London Alliance we can shake the wizarding world to its core. We can destroy Voldemort and the beliefs he stands for once and for all. Your child is a halfblood Andromeda do it for her." Andromeda glanced at her husband who nodded.
" The choice is yours Andy, do you stand with us, do you stand with the Blacks."
" We do."
