Ginny woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs wafting up the stairs and behind her bedroom door. Whilst cursing the interruption of her dream which was already slipping away from her, she stretched and left the comfort of her warm bed to walk into her wardrobe. Browsing for a while, Ginny picked out a red dress that came to her knees and white heeled plimsolls, although she paired it with a leather jacket.She tied her hair up in a high ponytail with a ribbon and set downstairs for breakfast.
She was greeted with Hermione, who woke up early to battle with her bedhead and moisturise her curls, who was wearing a Queen band shirt and denim shorts.
"Morning Gin. Breakfast?" She asked.
"Er yeah sure. Sunny!" Ginny called out for the little elf.
"Yes Misses Ginny and Mione! What can I do for you?" She bowed
"Bacon and scrambled eggs please Sunny" Ginny smiled, sitting in the dining hall next to her sister.
"Yes ma'am" the house elf disappeared with a pop.
"So where's Luna?" Hermione asked, cutting into her fried eggs.
"I dunno. Didn't see her on the way down"
As if she was summoned, Luna floated down the stairs, in a mint green dress and her long blond locks tumbling after her.
"Ginny, Hermione, why are you eating now? We need to leave in a few minutes" she scolded them, as Sunny produced Ginny's breakfast.
"Well we weren't aware of a time schedule Lunes. We'll hurry, promise" Hermione smiled slightly. She was usually the one doing the scolding, even in the fake memories.
Gringotts was exactly the same as it was in their time. As their shoes clacked against the marble floor, heads turned in their direction and the witches were forced to take on a sombre expression. Before they could even reach the Head Goblin, they heard someone snootily clear their throat. The girls turned around and was faced with a tall and elegant woman, around the age of 40. She had striking grey eyes and black hair tumbling down to her waist, with high cheekbones and an aristocratic nose. Her silk robes screamed wealth, but the way she held herself could've told you that on its own.
"Pardon me, ladies, but I must introduce my self. I am Lady Walburga Black, of the Ancient House of Black. And we offer our deepest condolences of your loss" she smiled, but it wasn't one that was supposed to comfort you, but to manipulate you into agreeing to wherever this conversation as going. Luckily the sisters saw through this.
"Thank you so much Lady Black, and let me have the pleasure of introducing my sisters Luna Nettle and Ginevra Nettle of the House of Nettle." Hermione smiled politely.
"And this is my son Regulus the Heir to -"
The doors crashed open and two laughing boys burst into Gringotts, tears streaming down their faces and doubled over. The reactions of the little group was almost comical. Walburga tightened her face, all traces of smiles gone. Regulus's face became one completely blank, and a sense of sadness filled his eyes. Hermione and Ginny tensed up, and tears started to well up in Ginny's eyes uncontrollably. However Luna just smiled contently at their arrival.
The boy with the messy hair and glasses nudged the other when he saw them, and the laughter died almost immediately. His companion swaggered over, and stood next to Regulus with a grin.
"Alright Reggie? Mother?" he asked.
Regulus's eye twitched at the nickname, but otherwise no one showed a reaction.
"Ladies, my eldest son Sirius Orion Black, Sirius, Hermione,Luna and Ginevra of the House of Nettle." Walburga said tightly, not even looking at her son.
Sirius had the same striking eyes as his mother, and long shaggy black hair to his shoulders. His face was almost identical to Regulus, but Regulus's was thinner as if he was missing out on a meal each day.
As soon as his mother mentioned the girls' name, Sirius straightened up and his face sobered immediately. "I'm awfully sorry for your loss"
"That's quite alright, Sirius" Luna answered softly.
Ginny however was still staring at the other boy, her tears almost spilling out. Sirius noticed this, and said "This is my best mate James Potter, Heir to his house, as am I"
James approached them, after lingering awkwardly, and Ginny started to see the differences. He had Harry's lips, skin tone, slightly sticky outy ears and height when he was that age, but James had hazel eyes like nuts, and a bump on his nose from when he presumably broke it. His glasses weren't round, but were rimless ones and he had no lightening scar running down his face.
"Heir? Did you not say Regulus was your heir Lady Black?" Hermione inquired.
Walburga was shocked, as she did not expect a young lady to so outrightly question her. "Yes. Sirius shows no interest in the traditions of our house and has opted to... step aside"
"Now that's where you're wrong mother. Grandfather has appointed me as Heir and I would not go against his wishes. I respect him too much." Sirius rolled his eyes and glared at his mother, as though he had repeated those lines many times.
"Well! I'm sure you'd like to be getting on Sirius with whatever it is you do with blood traitors" Walburga glared at her son.
"I'm sorry, Lady Black but we don't appreciate that sort language in our presence." Ginny looked away from the floor and stared at Walburga coldly.
Sirius, Regulus and James stood there and looked between the women in shock. No one spoke to Walburga Black like that. She was a force to be reckoned with in the Wizarding World. However the Nettles were the most powerful house, and no one could afford a conflict with them.
"Very well. I do apologise." The older lady bit out.
This caused an even more shocked expression on the boys faces. Walburga was never spoken to like that, and she sure as hell never apologised.
"Regulus, I believe we're finished here. However, might you accompany the ladies?" Walburga asked in a sickly sweet voice.
"Of course. That is, if you don't mind?" Regulus turned to the girls.
"Thank you Regulus" Hermione smiled.
Walburga left, robes billowing around her.
The tension between the two brothers were high, and they were eyeing each other, questioning who would speak first. James however, broke the silence.
"Well mate, I need to go to my vault to get extra gold for Mum's gift. Are you coming?"
"Er yeah. We'll see you around."
The group stepped into the cart with the goblin and waited for the other goblin to fill the back with coal.
"Queen?" Regulus asked, pointing at Hermione's shirt.
"Yeah, it's a Muggle band they -"
"No I know who Queen are. Sirius always leaves his Muggle records around, or plays them so loud that I can hear them through the walls." Regulus interrupted, feigning irritation.
"What's your favourite?" Ginny asked.
" 'I want to break free' will always be something I ... relate to" Regulus admitted.
"I've always liked Bohemian Rhapsody. I don't know how anyone could fault it" Ginny shrugged.
"Radio Ga Ga has to be the best" Hermione grinned.
"This is rather odd. 4 pure bloods discussing Muggle records. Wouldn't your mother throw a fit Regulus?" Luna asked.
"Well ... yes. She would rather crucio her self then see her last 'perfect' son be ruined"
"Ah so that was the coldness towards Sirius?" Luna nodded knowingly.
Before Regulus could answer, the goblin lit a spark under the coal and the cart sprang into action. The cart flew down the steep track, going up and down, left and right, looping multiple times and passing waterfalls. At one point they even saw Sirius and James in their own cart, throwing their hands in the air as they went down another drop. Soon they'd arrived at their security measures for the vault. A Chinese Fireball stood in between the vault and the quintet, chained to the wall. The group winced as the goblin started to ring the bell, and the shrieks of the dragon rang through the hollow caverns.
Upon entering the vast vault, Regulus's eyes widened. It was approximately 7 times the size of his, and at least 30 times the amount of gold. The room glittered like the sun, light bouncing off of every surface. Apart from gold, there were all sorts of trinkets, from heirlooms to goblin made jewellery to valuable books.
"Be careful Regulus there's an extraordinarily large amount of dark magic in here." Ginny warned, before stepping delicately through the vault. " Is 350 galleons enough for the three of us?"
"Yeah sure" Hermione nodded.
The group left the room and reentered the cart.
"So what are you to do now, without your parents?" Regulus asked softly.
"We're going to Hogwarts" Luna grinned, as the cart lurched forward.