Chapter 4
The Family Tree
The next morning Roxanne woke up very late, as per usual. Ebony and Ivory were curled up at the foot of her bed still sound asleep. She found all her belongings and the equipment she needed for a year at Hogwarts beside her bed all neat and tidy, just how her aunty likes things. She changed into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and went into the bathroom to apply her makeup and do her hair. She was about to put her black eyeliner on but then she thought, 'doesn't that just make me look more sinister?' She didn't want people thinking she was evil, but then she loved being all dark and gothic. She settled with mascara instead and plaited her hair.
Downstairs was practically empty apart from Harry, Ron, Ginny and the twins.
"Good morning!" said Harry cheerfully.
Roxanne smiled back and seated herself next to him. She half expected Fred and George to get up and leave but they didn't.
"Have a good sleep?" asked Fred.
"Great thanks," she replied, helping herself to some pancakes.
After breakfast Ron, Harry and Roxanne went to the drawing room, which was newly furnished and painted a warm yellow. Hermione was in there reading a book with Crookshanks on her lap. Ebony was trying to climb the green curtain while Ivory was sneaking around the room, pouncing on random items. Roxanne noticed a tapestry on the wall. It was immensely old and looked like something had been eating the corners. Nevertheless, the golden thread with which it was embroidered with stilled glinted brightly enough to show them an extensive family tree dating back to around the Middle Ages. At the top it read,
The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black'Toujours pur'
Roxanne had seen this tree many a time but had never bothered to look at it properly, as she was only young then. She went up to it and scanned it for her own name. And sure enough there it was, above her mother and father's and nearly next to Sirius' burn mark.
"Why is there a crown over your name?" asked Ron.
Going so close her nose was almost touching it; she saw a minuscule crown above her name, shining more brightly than anything else. How had she not noticed it?
"I don't know…" said Roxanne slowly.
Harry kneeled down on the floor and started searching for a certain name, Riddle or Slytherin.
"What you looking for?" asked Roxanne.
Harry looked up guiltily, "I was just curious to see if –"
"I was related to Voldemort?" she asked brusquely.
"No, to see if I was related to Salazar Slytherin," he said, twisting the truth.
Hermione bent down and found it immediately.
"You're not related Harry, it doesn't have Potter here anywhere. And Roxanne, you're only related to him by marriage. I think," she added, trying to follow the golden lines with her finger.
"Riddle is here alright, and look, there's a crown over Tom's name as well," said Harry darkly. In fact, the name Tom Marvolo Riddle was in small, silver writing and Lord Voldemort was in bigger, more visible gold writing.
"That's weird!" exclaimed Ron.
"Mrs Black probably just put a crown on those who she liked," said Roxanne, shrugging.
Harry didn't think so.
"Look!" Hermione said so suddenly it made Harry jumped.
"What?" he snapped.
"Draco has a crown too!"
"WHAT?" cried Ron and Harry.
"What the hell?"
"Does it mean royalty or what?" Hermione pondered aloud.
Roxanne didn't know herself what it meant or why it was even there. She backed away from the memory-plagued tapestry and sat on an orange chair at the other side of the room. It was an ominous coincidence how she had wound back up here after twelve years.
Mrs Weasley called Hermione and Ron to come and clear the table as it was their turn and more members of the Order were arriving shortly.
Harry sat in a chair opposite Roxanne.
"Are you ok?" he asked after a couple of seconds in silence.
"Apart from being back in this house, I'm great," she smiled, making Harry's stomach do a summersault.
Its now or never, thought Harry.
"Er…Roxanne, I was wondering if you would go out with me?"
"Sure," said Roxanne, grinning as broadly as Harry. She threw a pillow at his head. He laughed, glad that he had gotten that off his chest.
They spent the afternoon and the evening just chatting and pillow fighting. Roxanne told Harry about Durham and its lovely scenery. Her private school was quite small compared to most schools. And only the rich could go so most people were very snobby. She had been glad to get away from it.