A/N 1: Hello my lovely readers, I am back! I hope you are all doing well-staying safe, happy, and healthy.
Okay, so I know I said I'd write a lot over my break and all that...we been knew that i'm a filthy liar.
A partial outline of this chapter has been sitting on my computer for months and I just could not get past my writers block.
I'm not entirely happy with it, and it is much shorter than I had hoped to give you. But, I decided that I needed to just do something to get past the block, so here it is. I hope you all enjoy! I promise that my next chapter will be better and longer.
Please also see endnotes for some more info on family magic/marriage bonds.
Chapter 11
Sirius felt good today. Waking up was easier than it had been in years. He hadn't dreamed, or if he did, he couldn't remember, and it felt like he had truly slept deeply. Kreacher popped in his room softly, his old nanny elf didn't seem the least bit surprised that Sirius was up. Snarky, grumpy, standoffish he may be, but Kreacher had been raising generations of members of House Black. He knew their tempers, their troubles. And he knew that Sirius's confrontation with Walburga, and subsequent apology, was a much-needed balm to soothe the young heir's hurts. The days following the apology, up to Harry's return, had been filled with quiet conversation. He and his parents took some time to work through some of the traumas of the past. There had been endless apologies, perhaps more than any one of them had said in their lifetimes, and while not perfect, they were in a place of forgiveness and moving on.
Kreacher bustled around, opening curtains, and stoking the fire back to life. He handed Sirius his robe without so much as a word, let him take a few sips of the hot graspberry tea the elf had brought, and then herded him into the bathroom for a shower.
Routines. Routines were good. Sirius needed to remember to do those small things like bathing and dressing in fresh clothes. Even brushing his unruly hair. After a long shower, where he remembered to shampoo and condition his hair, and add the nutrient rinses his mother made, and wash his body with the special soap his mother had made him since he was a baby, and shave with the razor his father had bought him, and….
He felt like a new person.
He dried quickly and dressed in the robes Kreacher had left on his bed.
How long had it been since he had worn new, clean, robes? Not counting the day he and his family stormed the Ministry to get Harry back, it had been years. James had never really liked them. Claimed they were stuffy and old-fashioned. Sirius had always liked them though. He felt they were much less stuffy than some of the muggle stuff James and the others liked wearing, and as for being old-fashioned? Well, the new robe trends were quite nice, in his opinion. But, this was one of several things he hid from James. Parts of his upbringing that he held true in his heart but wasn't brave enough to not hide. How many times had James mocked the Slytherins and Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who came from traditional families and still wore robes? Even Frank Longbottom and a few other traditionalist Gryffindors hadn't been spared. Sirius had had a chip on his shoulder already, he didn't want to risk wearing robes and giving people yet another reason to say he didn't belong in Gryffindor. These past few months, with his mind and character still stuck in the past, Sirius had been wearing his muggle/hybrid clothes that James favored. He had only a few pairs, but he hadn't really noticed when he wore the same set for a straight week. It just hadn't mattered.
It was time to move forward though. Time to accept that he had been a flawed child and an even more flawed teenager. Now, he had to forget those voices in the back of his head telling him what James would or would not think, and focus on what made him happy. Wearing 100% wizarding robes made him happy. Keeping his hair in the long style commonly found with young heirs made him happy. Being back home, with his parents and patriarch and crazy cousin and son and grumpy elf, that made him happy. Well, it made him happy now.
He was the last one to the breakfast table. Even sleepy little Harry, with his mussed hair and puffy cheeks, was set up in Bellatrix's lap, being fed small spoonfuls of porridge mixed with fruits and nuts. Sirius was amused to see his father also eating porridge. Ever since his grandfather offered up that lovely story, Sirius couldn't help poke at his father in the morning. In return, Orion would bare his teeth at Sirius and angrily shovel ("elegantly") more porridge in his mouth.
He made his rounds greeting everyone at the table before sitting down between Bella and Harry and his mother. His mother or Kreacher directed the serving platters and utensils to deposit generous scoops of all his favorites. Warm aggleberry jam for the rustic bread Kreacher always had on hand, roasted gurdy root and potato hash with marinated cobra lily, and a few other smaller side dishes. All purely wizarding dishes that he had never seen at Hogwarts.
"Hmph." His grandfather snapped the Daily Prophet closed and picked up his fork and knife. "Dumbledore is irritating as ever."
"Dear Uncle, your aptitude for understatements is endearing as ever." Walburga said silkily. "What has he done this time?"
Arcturus shot her a look.
"Well, Wally-"
She hmphed at the nickname.
"He's continuing to just be irritating."
"Illuminating." Was the dry response.
This started off a round of bickering between his mother and grandfather.
Pollux, Walburga's father, was his younger brother and while he loved his daughter dearly, he had never actually wanted to have children. He and Irma had spent the majority of her life traveling around the world, as Irma was a renowned historian focused on the ancient, untouched wizarding societies. They often were called to remote locations for her research, and left Walburga in the care of Cassiopeia, Arcturus and Pollux's younger sister. Cassiopeia had never wanted children either. She did her best by Walburga—and then later Alphard and Cygnus—but one could never claim Cassiopeia was a maternal figure. Arcturus and his wife Melania tried to help, but they had their own hands quite full with Orion and his sister Lucretia, as well as and a few other wayward Black cousins that stayed at the manor. Despite everything, Arcturus and Walburga were quite close, and her marriage to Orion had cemented their bond. They still loved to have a go at each other though.
Sirius tuned out his grandfather and mother and focused on his food. Harry babbled to him with disjointed sentences about dream? Game? Imaginary thing? He had. There had been dragons of course, but it also sounded like there had been a hippogriff revolution. He occasionally tuned in to the others at the table when news of his other relatives was brought up.
Pollux and Irma were on some expedition/business venture in Russia.
Lycoris was in Australia because some new creature may have been discovered there.
Cassiopeia and Melania had finally sent word from Atlantis where they were staying for a year.
And several others, like Alphard, were all scattered about the country and world.
There had been numerous offers to come home and assist with Sirius and Bellatrix, but the Black Family was overwhelming on a good day and with a stable mind. Neither he nor his cousin were prepared to deal with them all.
Then Walburga asked about Dumbledore again.
Harry poked Sirius's arm and decided to retell everything that happened from his trip to France. He had repeated it nonstop, coming up with new ways to express himself and exaggerate the details with each retelling. It was much more interesting that hearing about Dumbledore's mad political schemes and continuous attempts to slander Sirius and his family.
"Sirius, darling, do you want to try going out with me tomorrow? I have to pick up some ingredients at the apothecary and I think you could use some new robes as well."
"I don't know…"
"You've been trapped in this house for months. We can do the robes another day, how about just the apothecary? Let's just try. Small steps." His mother coaxed.
"…Okay. Okay I can do that…Just the apothecary?"
"Yes. And it will be pretty quick I have my list ready and Lydia should have the rest of my things already put aside for me."
Sirius hated everything.
Diagon Alley was bustling and annoying. He'd already been stopped thrice by peddlers selling weird amulets, twice by suspiciously cheerful characters aggressively holding out pamphlets, and once by one of his grandmother's old friends who cared not one wit for etiquette and pinched his cheeks. His mother paid him no mind as she swished around in her annoyingly soft robes. She wasn't stopped by anyone. No, she was given a wide berth by everyone in the alley. Whether it was respect or fear (or both) Sirius did not care to know. He just wanted away.
Paradoxic Alley was much calmer. The shops were higher grade and more specialized than those on Diagon Alley, and catered to those patrons who were craftsmen and masters of their trade. For example, Slug and Jiggers Apothecary in Diagon Alley was well suited for students and standard home brewers, but Budge Apothecary—founded by famous potioneer (or Potions Master) Zygmunt Budge in 1530—was the place to go if you were a potion's Master or expert brewer.
Walburga Black had gotten her mastery straight out of Hogwarts, though she advertised it very little. She found more joy in brewing things for her immediate family and a few select friends and experimenting with Cassiopeia (whenever the crazy old bat wasn't off exploring some ancient ruin). When Sirius was little, he used to love to try and brew with her. He had also always loved coming to the apothecary. How many hours had they spent there? Sirius would point out dozens of ingredients to his mother, and she would patiently explain what each was, as well as how they could be prepared or used. The proprietor of the shop, then and still Potions Master Lydia Budge, would chime in. Sometimes Master Budge would also take small samples of the less rare or expensive ingredients and show them to Sirius so he could touch or smell them.
"Sirius!" Lydia's soft voice filtered through his busy mind. "You absolute little turtleduck it has been too long!"
She rushed out from around the counter and embraced him warmly. Normally such displays were only for family, but Master Budge—Lydia—had known him his entire life and was indeed considered a Friend of House Black. As such, she was allowed to take liberties that were reserved for family.
She turned and greeted Walburga just as warmly. The two witches embraced and gave each other fond kisses on the cheek, magics also rising and brushing against each other. Lydia was several years Walburga's senior and had been a senior apprentice for the first two years of Walburga's apprenticeship under the same Master. Their relationship was as good as sisters.
"Wally, I have your order all ready to go except for the snidget feathers and Hissi scales. You didn't specify what size range you needed for them both or if there was a particular color."
"Did I not? Oh, I must have been distracted by the babies. I think that was when they pulled me away to the greenhouse." Walburga laughed. "My apologies Lyds. I'll need the micro feathers, and all blue scales if you have them—preferably belly scales if possible."
As they discussed the other list of ingredients Walburga needed, Sirius took his time looking around the familiar shop. It was a large shop, with several rooms for different methods of storage. Lydia kept the dried and least temperate ingredients in large, circular main room. There were several rooms ranging from what Sirius liked to call "Ice Age" to "Inferno". There were also a few aquarium-like water rooms and greenhouses. Lydia's shop was also one that had a select amount of live ingredients also kept in separate rooms which were spelled to mimic the creatures' natural habitats. It was the biggest apothecary in the Wizarding British Isles boasting the widest selection of high-quality ingredients.
A "quick trip" turned out to also include a three-hour lunch on top of the three hours it took for Walburga to actually get what she wanted. Lydia had insisted mother and son have lunch with her and closed her shop for the long meal. The trio went to an upscale but private eatery a few shops down.
It hadn't been terrible after all. Lydia was like family, but much more soft-spoken and calmer than his true relatives. She also knew when to distract and when to press when he got lost in his head. His mother was softer around Lydia too. As the eldest of her siblings, Walburga was used to being the sentinel. With Lydia, however, she was treated like a dear younger sister and felt the responsibility on her shoulders lift, if only for a moment.
"You must bring Harry to meet me, Sirius." Lydia said in-between small bites of blumaroo steak. "I will hear of nothing else! Walburga's told me that Bella has started some herbology with him, but we must get started on true potions!"
"His attention span might not be up to a lesson with you." Sirius teased.
"Oh tosh! I managed you very well, didn't I?" There was nothing he could say to that, so he just laughed and conceded.
Between the delicious food, the private room, and the excellent company found in his lively mother and Aunt Lydia, Sirius was feeling quite reinvigorated. Being a person wasn't so hard.
Back at home, Harry was a true limpet. Sirius's outing had been exactly what he needed, but it was far different for his son. With the exception of Harry's trip to France, and a few short hours where Harry went to Longbottom or Malfoy Manor, the father and son had not been apart. It had also never been the case that Sirius was the one to leave.
Distracted by the arrival of Neville, and their subsequent tottering after Bellatrix, Harry hadn't realized Sirius left until two hours after the fact. The child was then consumed by anxiety that his father wouldn't return. He paced up and down the corridor by the floo, before grabbing his blanket and Padfoot sitting himself against the wall facing the fireplace. Neither Bellatrix nor Kreacher, nor even Orion could move him. Instead, they all gathered on the floor with him, Kreacher popped out to bring thick, soft blankets to sit on, as well as some snacks and toys; and Bellatrix sent word to Narcissa who recommended they NOT have Walburga and Sirius come back early.
"They both need this." Narcissa explained. "Sirius needs to leave this house for once. And little Harry needs to begin to learn that though his father might not always be with him, he will return."
It was painful for everyone, but they listened to her sound advice. They tried their best to distract Harry for five hours—painting, playing with various toys, picnicking, and reading.
The flare of green could not have come soon enough. As soon as Sirius stepped through after Walburga, Harry was a tiny blur launching himself at his father's legs, and scrambling up his body until his arms could firmly clamp themselves around Sirius's neck. He promptly burst into tears.
Bewildered, Sirius wrapped his arms and magic around the boy and whispered soothing words into his ear.
"It's okay, pup. Daddy's here. I'm here."
Orion explained to the shoppers what happened, and though saddened that Harry had been so distressed, they agreed it had been a good exercise.
By the next day, Harry seemed back to his usual good humor. He still trailed after Sirius, and would look worried if he left the room, but a playdate with Daphne sufficiently distracted him.
The children ran all over the house, and Sirius could hardly believe that the young Heiress Greengrass who was currently wrestling with Harry was the same poised young lady with the icy expression who stepped out of the floo.
Kreacher was over the moon at having another child in his care for the day. With the expertise only a nanny elf of generations of Blacks could have, he wrangled the children from room to room, activity to activity. Sirius was in awe of the elf as he put the howling children down for a nap within five minutes.
"Were Reggie and I that bad?" Sirius pondered aloud.
The look Kreacher shot him in response said enough.
A/N 2: First, I hope that wasn't too dry or terrible. I tried to do some more world-building and show some more Black family dynamics without the angst.
Please let me know how you liked it! (Do you miss the angst? Because I am quite proud of my angst-writing skills, but am not so sure of my other writing skills...)
Second (though most important), I sincerely hope everyone is staying safe and healthy right now. There has been a lot of political unrest in many different countries over the past few months, as well as rising rates of COVID. I won't go on about either of these very real issues because I hope that this offers an escape for you all. Just know that you are loved and cared for by some strange fan fiction writer.
Now, third, I also received an excellent question regarding family magic and how it works with marriage bonds. "[Y]ou said because of family magic they can't pledge to another but what about Bellatrix? When she was married to Rodolphus was that why she was able to pledge to him because of their contract or was she not a death eater and Rodolphus dragger her along to the Longbottom's?"
In true "me" fashion, I shall give a probably unnecessarily long answer:
The dark mark is like an oath and a curse all at once. The curse itself eats away at the family magic of the recipient, enough to form the mark which then acts like a block and anchor for the oath of fealty to Voldemort. Regulus was forced to take the mark, and it caused him constant and excruciating pain, even after receiving the dark mark because the Black Family magic is so strong and was essentially punishing him/pushing back against the mark.
In this universe, Bella was never marked. Marriage bonds are one of the very few ways in which a member of House Black many be allowed to leave the family. Normally, they are still pretty strongly connected to the Black family magic even after marriage, but the magic is rendered more dormant. Think of it like hibernating or sleeping. A former member of House Black will still be required to go to family meetings and the Black family magic will come back to life in response, but then go back to stasis once it's over. It becomes like a safety net in case the former Black witch/wizard's new family magic fails them in some way or there is a strong threat. That is what usually happens because the bonding contracts are explicitly formed to include such provisions. These contracts dictate what the vows will be and how the two people will be bonded.
In Bella's case, her father did not include that provision, nor did he include a provision preventing Rodolphus from pledging himself to another. The family magic had no choice but to withdraw from her. Now, because she was not disowned she still had a small amount within her lying dormant. Enough that it would recognize those also of Black blood like Neville, but she was fully under the control of House Lestrange and the Lestrange Family Magic. She was therefore only at Longbottom Manor because Rodolphus commanded her. And her only link to Voldemort is through her husband.
TL:DR Bella isn't a death eater, the Black family magic was forcefully kept from her because of the contract Cygnus signed, Rodolphus then had full magical control over her.
