Author's Note: Hi, I'm finally updating!
Nodding in understanding, Harry smiled, thanking Neville who then left, allowing Harry and Hermione to continue the conversation they were having before he interrupted them alone.
By the time they ended their conversation, it was eleven o'clock and the both of them were yawning after the tiring day they had, and decided to head to their respective dormitories to go to bed.
Just as Harry was settling into bed, Ron shouted at him, "Harry, where were you? I was waiting for you! Where were you the whole of today?"
"I went with Sirius to the Wizengamot, as I've already told you this morning."
"What did you do there?"
"Sirius is freed now. I also settled some family business."
"What family business?"
"It's family business, Ron! It's private," Harry's irritation at Ron's intrusiveness beginning to show.
"I'm your best friend, just tell me!"
"No, Ron."
"Selfish git!" Ron yelled at Harry, his face becoming nearly as red as his hair.
"I am not selfish."
"Just tell me, Harry!" Ron shouted, causing Neville who had been quietly sitting in his bed to poke his head out of the curtains and intrude upon the conversation.
"Ron, you're a pureblood, it's not as if you don't understand the meaning of family business and why it is private."
"Shut up! This is between me and Harry! It doesn't have anything to do with you, not like you're anything but a useless squib."
"Ron, don't call Neville a squib! And he's certainly not useless. He's helped me a lot recently! Much more than you have in fact!" Harry shouted, now fully infuriated at Ron for callously insulting Neville.
Hearing this, Ron huffed out of the dormitory in a fit of anger, leaving Neville and Harry behind.
"Thank Harry, you didn't have to do that," Neville told Harry.
"Of course I did. You've given me so much support. You helped me to set up that meeting with the other heirs of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses, and you also told me so many things I hadn't known last night. I would be so much more confused if you hadn't given me all that information last night! And we're godbrothers remember? I'll always help you, like I know you will for me!"
"Thanks, Harry," Neville said, grinning at Harry.
Giving Neville a grin in return, Harry yawned, remarking that he was extremely tired after his long day, and smiling at each other, both boys returned to bed and closed the curtains behind them.
The next morning, Harry woke up well rested, and headed down to the common room to wait for Hermione. After a while, Hermione walked down the stairs and Harry smiled and her, holding out his hand for her to take. They walked hand in hand to the great hall for breakfast, as Harry told Hermione what had happened last night after they had returned to their dormitories. As Harry had expected, Hermione was infuriated with Ron. Thankfully, he was able to convince Hermione to leave Ron alone as long as Ron did not do something similar again.
Later in the day, close to dinner time, Sirius found Harry sitting in the common room with Hermione and Neville.
"Harry, I have some things to discuss with you. Do you mind coming with me? We can have dinner together."
Looking at Hermione and Neville, Harry nodded his acceptance, telling Hermione and Neville that he would see them again later that night in the common room. Harry got up, leaving the common room with Sirius.
"Where are we going, Sirius?"
"I got an empty and private room where I can inform you of some new developments."
When they got to the room and sat down at a table laden with food, Sirius told Harry to start eating and informed him of all he had done that day.
"I'm not sure if you know, but Narcissa Malfoy is Draco's mother, and she used to be Narcissa Black before marrying that slimy git Lucius Malfoy. She's my cousin on my mother's side, unfortunately."
"You're so closely related to Malfoy?!" Harry asked incredulously.
"Regrettably, yes. But anyway, I have cast her out of the family today," Sirius continued cheerfully.
"Cast her out of the family?"
"Yes, she is no longer recognised as a member of the House of Black. I called her for a meeting this morning after I brought you back to Hogwarts yesterday, and told her during the meeting that she could either allow me to annul the marriage between her and Malfoy, or be cast out of the family. She chose the latter."
"Oh."
"Now, some good news!"
"What is it?"
"Narcissa also has a sister named Andromeda, who married a muggleborn Ted Tonks. She was always my favourite cousin! Though she was also sorted into Slytherin, she never had any of the pureblood prejudice that many in my family had. Well anyways, my family being my family, most of them refused to acknowledge her after they heard of her marriage and her parents cast her out. Fortunately, since my grandfather was the Head of House at that time and did not disapprove of her marrying Tonks, it was rather easy to reverse her being cast out, and I have brought her and her child back into the family. You may know her daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. She was in the seventh year while you were in your first year here at Hogwarts."
Shaking his head in reply, Harry informed Sirius that he had not heard of anyone named Nymphadora.
"Ah well, that's sad. You used to chase after her, well as best as you could as a one year old, and call her nymph. You were the only one she allowed to do that. I'll introduce you to her, and Andromeda and Ted as well of course, sometime soon. Now, do you have anything important to tell me? How are you getting along with wearing those robes?"
Blushing, Harry told Sirius, "It's still unusual not wearing anything but my underwear underneath my robes to be honest, but I don't feel as uncomfortable as I first did."
"Good, I'm sure you'll get used to it soon. You remembered to take all your potions right, Harry?"
"Of course I did!"
Trying to quickly change the topic away from himself, Harry informed Sirius, "Neville has arranged a meeting between Susan Bones, Daphne Greengrass, himself and me tomorrow night. It's just a casual meeting and he says it'll help us to get to know each other since we're all heirs of Most Ancient and Noble Houses."
"That's good. At least you'll be familiar with them and have someone to talk to during formal events and such."
They continued talking about all sorts of things, and when they finished their dinner, Sirius took two mirrors out of his pocket and passed one to Harry.
"A mirror? Why are you giving me a mirror?" Harry asked in confusion.
"They're special mirrors. The one I passed you used to belong to your dad, and this one belongs to me. We enchanted them back when we were in Hogwarts so that we could talk to each other when we were both stuck in detentions or over the holidays."
"How do you use mirrors to talk to each other?"
"We enchanted them. You just have to say 'Padfoot, I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' while holding the mirror and my mirror will be activated. When I call your mirror, your mirror will vibrate, and to answer my call, just pick up the mirror and show your face in front of it."
"Woah, cool!"
"Yeah! It's also extremely useful, so take good care of it."
Checking his watch, Sirius told Harry that he had to get back home as he still had many things to do, and told Harry that he would probably only see him again when he picked Harry up from the Hogwarts Express on Friday evening. With that, Harry walked back to the Gryffindor common room.
On Wednesday night, at exactly seven fifty, Harry met Neville in the common room.
"Hi, Neville!"
"Hi, Harry!"
They left the common room, Neville showing Harry the way to the room specifically for Heirs of Most Ancient and Noble Houses to meet up. On their way there, Neville reminded Harry to greet Susan and Daphne as Heir Bones and Heir Greengrass, and then take their hands and bring it to his mouth to give it a light kiss while bowing, but only bowing lightly since they were of the same rank.
Nodding in acknowledgement, Harry thanked Neville and asked him, "How do you remember all this?"
Chuckling, Neville replied, "I had many lessons with my grandmother and occasionally, other tutors, about things like this. I'm sure that Sirius will give you many such lessons over the summer holidays since you missed out on so many years of training as Heir Potter."
"Oh, I see," Harry replied, frowning at the thought of all the learning he would have to do in order to catch up, and wondering how long he would take to be able to learn all the pureblood traditions.
Finally, they reached the room, where Neville made Harry tap his wand against a panel of wood on the door, before doing the same himself. The door opened up, revealing a large room.
In the middle of the room, there were two couches facing each other, with two armchairs between them, forming a rectangle, with a coffee table in the centre between them. The room was decorated in shades of cream and white, feeling warm while showing the wealth of those who would occupy the room. There was a table with ten chairs surrounding it on one side of the room, and a large bookshelf with an abundance of books lined the wall on the opposite side of the room.
Harry and Neville entered the room and settled down. Soon after, Daphne and Susan arrived at the same time, and Neville greeted them while they greeted him.
Neville then introduced Harry and Susan and Daphne to each other, saying, "Heir Bones, Heir Greengrass, this is Heir Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Heir Potter, this is Heir Bones of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Bones, and this is Heir Greengrass of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass."
They curtsied and greeted Harry, "Heir Potter"
Harry greeted them in return, taking Susan's hand and saying "Heir Bones, Heir Greengrass", and lightly kissed the tops of their hands while bowing.
They sat down on the couches, with Harry sitting next to Neville and Susan and Daphne sitting on the couch opposite them. As they sat down, glasses of lemonade appeared on the table, along with plates of cakes, biscuits, and sandwiches, and plates for each of them. They each took a plate and took some food, settling comfortably into the couches.
Neville started the conversation, telling Susan and Daphne that Harry had just found out that he was the Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and wanted to get to know them, especially since they would be attending many of the same formal events together over the summer holidays. They then introduced their houses, telling Harry about some common knowledge about their families, such as what their House was known for, and who some of their family members were.
Daphne also told Harry that she had a younger sister, Astoria, who she said he would get to meet soon. Susan said that she was an only child, and was raised by her Aunt Amelia, who was the Head of the Department of Law Enforcement, and whom Harry had met before since her parents had been casualties of the war.
Afterwards, they fell into a comfortable rapport, discussing all manners of things. The time flew by, with Harry finding out that he had thoroughly enjoyed their company. Soon, it was ten o'clock and they had to head back to their respective common rooms.
Saying goodbye, and promising to arrange to meet each other sometime during the school holidays, they each left, and Harry walked back to the Gryffindor common room with Neville.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Hopefully I'll be able to update again soon...