Hey everyone, so I've posted two chapters for ya'll to make up for the long absence. Hopefully this will make up for it a bit.
~MJB~
Chapter 8 - Birthday Gifts
July 1st, 1992 - Meissa's 12th birthday (Wednesday)
Location: Nigri Sanctuarium
Breakfast, after they've sat down to eat, went along well. Exchanging idle pleasantries with her cousin as the adults spoke about the plans for the rest of the summers. Draco was trying to convince his cousin to back out of her summer plans with Hermione - his words all but dripping of acid she has not ever associated with him. It has her wondering if the prolonged exposure to his father has taught him more habits she'll have to undo.
"I've already made plans, Dray," she reprimands him lightly. Attempting to remind him that breaking off plans isn't what they do.
"But we haven't spent any time together this summer," he grumbles, his cutlery scraping against the surface of his plate.
"Well, you are welcome to join us on August 1st," she remarks idly. Her eyes raking over her cousin's pouting face.
"It has always been between us though."
She props her head up on a fist as her eyes bore down on her cousin. "There's never been any other," Meissa intones flatly. "Except for your friends." Draco winces slightly at that - the reminder that he always had company whereas he was all she was willing to tolerate until she had met Daphne and Hermione.
This was probably the first time in many years that Meissa was going to spend any time with someone who was not him. With that realization he couldn't really demand that she cancel her plans - not when it would make him a hypocrite. He also realizes another thing. Meissa only have so many friends and rarely ever trusts… So that means he has to play nice with Granger.
"So… you said the first of August," Draco starts tentatively. Trying his best to hide the faint dust of a blush on his cheeks as Meissa arches an eyebrow at him.
She hadn't been expecting a switch in his mindset.
"Yes," she confirms in a light tone. "A fair warning to you though, cousin of mine, I will not tolerate your… usual attitude towards 'Mione."
Severus and Narcissa, having become briefly distracted from their conversation, exchange looks at the protective tone that had colored Meissa's words. Severus was already fully aware of how protective Meissa is of her friends - the reputation she has in Hogwarts is no secret to any of the professors. He's fairly certain that the other Head of the Houses look at Meissa first whenever something happens that has Hermione Granger or Daphne Greengrass in the middle of the action. Narcissa, on the other hand, has only seen a glimpse of the protectiveness her niece has for the two girls in questions. She didn't see what Severus saw throughout Meissa's first year in Hogwarts but from what little she saw at King's Cross told her much about the bond between Meissa and her friends.
"I…," Draco hesitates slightly under the combined gazes of Meissa, his mother, and godfather, "I promise I will be on my best behavior."
"Thank you," she nods her head slightly before returning to her meal. Remmy pops in just as she is finishing her plate and with a snap of her fingers, Meissa's dishes are gone. Only to be replaced by a small plate of scones with a slice of cake and a mug of hot chocolate. A smile lights up on her face as she recognizes the scones and cake.
Bananas Foster Scones, one of her favorites so far, is a type of scone mainly made from banana. Drizzled with a glaze made from sugar, spices, liqueur, rum, and orange zest. She remembers her godfather not being happy about what the content of the glaze was made from until Remmy reassured him that the cooking process burns out all the alcohol. Meissa enjoys the scones more than the 'traditional' scones her aunt favors with her tea.
The cake, on the other hand, is probably the best part of her birthdays since Remmy tend to reserve them for special occasions. Blueberry breakfast cake, as Remmy calls it, is a soft sweet cake packed with blueberries with a crisp sweet streusel topping. She really enjoys the cake since it practically falls apart in her mouth with the blueberries bursting on her tongue. It's made all the better by the fact that she rarely gets to enjoy the cake.
"Happy birthday, Mistress Meissa!" the house elf chirps happily, her smile bright as the young Heiress laughs and tugs on the house elf's ear.
"Thank you," Meissa smiles fondly at the house elf before she turns her attention to her breakfast desert.
Once everyone has finished - including Meissa finishing her birthday deserts - they headed over to the informal living room with Severus stepping aside from the group to retrieve something. Before Meissa can even sit Draco was already shoving a large package into her hands with a wide grin that told her he thinks he has found the best gift for her.
She makes quick work of the wrapping and pries open the box before staring at the contents in shock. Within is a set of dueling armor, a touch revealed to her that it's made from dragon hide but she's not quite sure of which dragon breed, along with a set of robes that looks and feels like the best kind of fabric to offer for robes. At the very least it is not cheap.
"Draco…" she looks between the smirking blonde and the gift she has laying on her lap. "How much did this cost you?!"
Narcissa chuckles in amusement as she watches her niece's reaction. "I did warn you she'd have this reaction," she chides her son.
"I know," he crows happily.
"I thought we agreed to a cap!" she exclaims, throwing a pair of fingerless dragonhide gloves at her cousin.
"We did!" he laughs, catching the gloves.
"This is more than 20 Galleons!" she grumbles, thinking about the gift she had gotten her cousin for his birthday. She had gotten him an enchanted ring, a ring made of a steel alloy with a polished onyx stone with no impurity. The band of the ring has runes engraves into it, runes meant to reinforce the protection she intended for him. It was a custom ordered item that didn't cost more than 20 Galleons. (1)
This present from her cousin, with a jerkin, trousers, boots, gloves, and robes, was surely more than 20 Galleons.
"How much did this cost you," she demands from her cousin, glaring at him.
"I'm not telling you that," he laughed, ignoring the glare as he smirks.
Combined with the gift he had given her for Yule, she's once more outfitted in the best dragonhide offered. Her previous set were now too small for her, a resizing spell would not be helpful since the dragonhide is impervious to spells in general. With her tendency to practice spells that can cause considerable damage it's a good investment.
"He paid nearly 400 Galleons," Narcissa remarks idly, getting immediate and polar opposite responses. (2)
"Draco!"
"Mother!"
Narcissa smirks at them, enjoying their expressions as Severus sweeps into the room. He arches an eyebrow at the two pre-teens before looking at Narcissa for clarification. A brief explanation had him smirking in amusement. He was grateful that his godson has saved him the time of purchasing his goddaughter another set of dueling clothes.
"Meissa," Narcissa calls to her niece to distract the girl from the expensive gift from her son. "I have something for you."
"Aunt Cissy," she starts before her aunt holds up a hand in the universal gesture 'hold it'.
It's right then when she realizes there's a thrum of magic in the area. A familiar sensation from long ago. From when Morgen's wand connected with her for the first time ever. The memory of the event has her questioning what's happening right that second. Watching as her aunt dismisses Draco from the room, getting an indignant response from the blonde boy - at least until Meissa realizes what's happening.
"Draco," Meissa starts, looking at her cousin as he continues to protest being dismissed. "This is House related."
It takes him all but two seconds to realize what she means by 'House'. "I'm related though!"
"You are born of the Malfoy House and you are its' heir. Despite your connection to the House of Black you are still not permitted to witness any rituals that belongs solely to this House." She looks at her cousin who was scowling at the exclusion. "If you were to be disowned then, then the House of Black would be open to you but not one second before."
He looks sullenly between the two adults and his cousin before he storms out of the room in an indignant huff. The scene was so out there it unintentionally amused the raven-haired pre-teen. A part of Meissa wonders if she'll be hearing about this for weeks to come. Now it seems like her summer plans will be a life saver if only because it'll keep her from strangling the sole Heir to the Malfoy House.
While she was musing about her cousin's antics, her aunt was setting up wards around the various entrances and windows. Meissa can only assume they are to keep her cousin from eavesdropping in what happens within the room. It seems like something he would do anyway. She turns her attention to her godfather who is setting up a large basin she honestly cannot place for the life of her.
Not waiting for the go ahead from her godfather she steps closer to the stone basin for a better look, studying the carvings she can now see from her new position. Along the lip of the basin were a series of runes she doesn't recognize but she does notice that the stone itself seems smooth. Whether that is by design or from the fact it's a family heirloom, is a question she cannot answer at that given time.
The dark coloring of the stone made it a bit hard for her to try and identify the material but she would bet that it is either obsidian or onyx. Both are known for their uses in protection but one leans towards divination while the other leans to defensive magic. The pure power that seems to be radiating from the bowl spoke of generations of usage and, as she peers into the basin, the shimmer of the liquid was captivating.
"Silver?" she asks out of curiosity, sensing a spell wrapped around the basin, her brown eyes glancing up to her godparents.
"Yes," Narcissa answers before she moves to stand opposite of Meissa. Severus, as a witness, moves aside and knelt down to one knee - dark eyes glittering as the lights dimmed in the room. "Meissa Jean Black," her aunt intones, "Firstborn Daughter of Bellatrix Enyo Black, Heiress to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." With each naming Meissa feels another layer of magic add to the one surrounding the basin. "Granddaughter of the now deceased Lord Cygnus Altair Black the Second. Great-Granddaughter of the now deceased Lord Pollux Black."
At her great-grandfather's name the magic surrounding them pulse at least three times before settling heavily on Meissa's shoulders similar to a mantle. Her dark brown eyes stare up at her aunt, seeing the approval in her aunt's eyes. As Meissa watches, Narcissa withdraws a box from her robes, roughly the size of Narcissa's palm. She opens the box to reveal a familiar ring to Meissa. The very ring that has once rested on her great-grandfather's finger.
It's a thick ring, made from old blessed iron, with the brand etched with runes so tiny Meissa doubts she will ever begin to understand what its purpose is. On the face of the ring is the crest of the Black family. Other than that, she couldn't identify anything from the simple ring although she did sense several layers of enchantments on the ring. Before she can get a better idea of the enchantments her aunt removes the ring from the box and without further ado she drops the ring into the swirling silver liquid. The second the ring disappeared into the basin the magic that has settled onto Meissa wraps tighter around the young Heiress as Narcissa steps back.
"I, Narcissa Malfoy née Black, call upon the Guardian of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black to test Meissa Jean Black's worthiness to be Lady Black," Narcissa intones before she drops to her knee. At her aunt's words, the magic thickens around her before untwisting, gathering over the surface of the basin. Slowly but surely forming the magic begins to take on a shape that isn't readily recognizable to her. As the shape begins to take form, the world around her slowly takes on a grey appearance. Until she realizes that the background noises have fallen silence and nothing stirs within the confines of the room.
Just as she notices this, the magic solidifies into the shape of a raven that remains floating above the basin. It's almost fitting that the House of Black would have a raven as the core of the Family magic. The raven turns its gaze onto Meissa, causing her to feel the weight of the magic on her shoulders.
The raven's wings readjust themselves against its body as the guardian stares her down. "So, you are the next generation of this House."
Well… that was unexpected…
~MJB~
I'm actually curious as to what's ya'll thoughts are about the chapters so far. Please leave a review and lemme know what ya'll think.
(1) 20 Galleons - $200 roughly
(2) 400 Galleons - $4,000 roughly