Chapter 5: The New Black Heir

105 Eaton Square, Belgravia, London, United Kingdom

December 31, 1979

It was the second time that Olivia had been a guest of Lord Black at his London residence. This time she had been greeted as a member of his family. Her marriage to his great-nephew, Malcolm Macmillan, and her position as the mother of his great-grandson had insured her place of honor within the Black Family. She had not known what to expect of the Lady Melania Black. She had been braced for the woman to dislike her on sight. Instead she had been pulled into a warm perfumed embrace. The Black Matriarch was incredibly kind. She was reminded then that Malcolm had told her that his great-aunt had been a Hufflepuff, just as he had been. In her experience, Hufflepuff's were generally fair minded and did not like to prejudge anyone.

"You'll be longing to see Leonis of course." Melania said with a gentle smile curving her lips.

"Yes please." Olivia said immediately. The longing she felt to see the child was strange to say the least. She knew that she had not actually given birth to Leonis Black and yet she longed to hold the child as though he were truly her own. Was this feeling due to the knowledge that this was Sirius' son or was it due to the blood magic that had now insured that the child was hers as well?

Melania nodded. "Come with me. Cassiopeia is watching over him at present." She said and then led Olivia from the front lounge. Olivia followed her down a hallway of white marble and a thick richly decorated Turkish Carpet. Melania smiled as she noted Olivia admiring the carpet.

"I bought it in Istanbul while accompanying Arcturus on one of his business trips." Melania informed her. "It is an interesting place. Their magics are different from ours of course."

Olivia nodded. "I imagine they would be." She admitted. "Do they still practice the magics of the Persian Immortals?" She asked out of curiosity. She had always found magical history and lore fascinating.

"I am not sure if any in Istanbul practice quite such ancient arts, but I have heard tell of those further in the east that do." Melania admitted. She then led Olivia into a comfortable room that was dominated by a couch that wrapped around the room in three parts. Comfortable black and cream colored cushions decorated the cream colored couch. Seated upon a corner of the couch was Cassiopeia Black and in her arms was the infant who would be the salvation of the family Black.

"Leo." Olivia breathed the name out with such longing that she felt her hands tremble as they lifted almost unconsciously. She wanted to feel the weight of the baby in her arms with a fierce desperation.

"Ah, so the boy's mother has come to see him." Cassiopeia said simply as she took in the sight of Olivia. "Well do not just stand there, girl come here and hold your son."

"Yes, please." Olivia breathed out even as she moved forward to obey Cassiopeia Black. She felt tears sting her eyes as the weight of the child settled into her arms. She gently rocked back and forth as Leo fussed slightly. "Oh darling, do not cry." She whispered and kissed his brow. She could tell that he would have the Greengrass brow as he aged. His eyebrows were already similar to her own. He had her chin as well. She kissed each eye brow and then his chin as well. "My beautiful, beautiful boy." She sang softly to him. His eyes opened for a moment and she was dazzled by his gray eyes. He had the eyes of the Black's or at least the same shade as Arcturus Black. Sirius did not have gray eyes but she easily recalled that his brother Regulus had been gray eyed.

There was a bit of curl to the edges of the boy's hair that reminded her of Sirius and she smiled as she let her fingers play with the curls. "My beautiful boy." She said. "I am your mama." She said softly. "I love you my little Lion." She felt the tears trickle over her cheeks. She had never felt such a deep feeling of love and protective instinct toward anyone or anything in her entire life.

Melania smiled gently at her. "My dear, thank you for giving him into the care of House Black." She murmured to Olivia. "It could not have been easy for you."

Olivia did not have to try to pretend that parting with him would be a hardship. She nodded her head. "I just thought..he deserves the best." She said as she held the child close. "He is the Black Heir so he needs to be with Black's more than he shall need me."

"But he will still need you." Cassiopeia said sternly. "You will not simply abandon him completely now that you are a married woman who is expected to beget heirs for your husband."

Olivia shook her head in the negative. "No, of course not." She insisted. "Lord Macmillan is very kind to me. Other husbands would refuse to let their wives see their first child in a circumstance like mine. My Lord insisted on insuring that I would have visitation rights honored by House Black." She told Melania and Cassiopeia. "I will of course honor the fact that he is a Black and in your care Cassiopeia."

Cassiopeia watched her for a few more moments and then she nodded. "I think you and I might just figure out how to get along just fine in regards to Leonis. So long as you understand that you shall not get a say on how he is raised, then you and I should get along splendidly."

Melania frowned. "Surely you are being too hard on her Cassie."

"Nonsense!" Cassiopeia defended herself. "Leonis is a Black. He shan't be raised as a Macmillan nor as a Greengrass."

Melania pursed her lips, clearly annoyed with Cassiopeia. "There is nothing wrong with Leonis knowing about his mother's side of the family." She protested.

"I am sure that Cassiopeia and I shall find a compromise of some sort." Olivia said in an attempt to play peacemaker between the two women. "As it happens I do agree with Cassiopeia. Leonis is a Black and so it is only natural that he behaves like one. However, part of behaving like one is for him not to be ignorant of his entire heritage." Olivia smiled down at Leonis as she spoke but when she noticed the silence she raised her head to look up at the two women.

Melania was looking at her with affection while Cassiopeia was looking at her with a touch of pride. It was Cassiopeia who broke the silence. "Oh my girl, you are a surprise." She proclaimed. "I see now that you are a true jewel that has fallen into our hands. We shall have to ensure you have the right sort of polish, Melania and I."

Olivia felt a blush rise to her cheeks at the praise. She had always wanted Sirius' family to like her. Often when she had let herself dream of becoming his wife she had thought of bridging the gap between him and his family and reuniting him with the more reasonable members of his family. She now believed Cassiopeia and Melania to be amongst the more reasonable of the Black females.

She opened her mouth to thank Cassiopeia for her praise when she heard the heavy footsteps in the hall. She closed her mouth and looked once more to her son. Leonis whimpered slightly in her arms and she frowned in confusion even as she shifted him to a more comfortable position.

"So this is where you are hiding the little brat." Came the brusque but commanding female voice from the doorway.

Olivia looked up immediately and took in the sight of Sirius Black's mother. The last few years had not been kind to Walburga Black. When Olivia had been in her early teen years Walburga Black had been one of the more elegant women of society. While she was not a renowned beauty, she had been possessed of striking features that drew the gaze again and again. Walburga was no longer a striking woman. Though she was dressed impeccably in rich black velvet dress robes and her black hair laced with silver was pulled back into a tight bun, she looked as if she had aged twenty years in just a few years. Olivia was sure that the ravages had begun when Sirius ran away and had only gotten worse recently with the deaths of first her husband Orion Black and then her youngest son Regulus. While Olivia could sympathize with the woman's losses, she did not approve of her manner.

'This is the woman who hurt Sirius.' She thought as she held Leonis closer, more protectively. 'This is the woman who has left her mark on him by making him fear being too close to a woman who truly loves him. Because this woman's love is a poison and it destroys all whom she loves.' She thought as she stared at the woman who in turn was eyeing her.

"That is my grandson you are holding." Walburga said imperiously.

Olivia nodded her head, curtly and felt Leonis fidget once more, whimpering in distress. "Yes, it is." She said simply. There was no point denying that Leonis was Sirius' son. Olivia intended to hold her head high in society proud of her son.

"Give him to me." Walburga commanded.

Leonis whimpered again as if in clear distress. She looked down at the child and in an instant she understood what was wrong with him. "No. Not for all of the money and heirlooms in the Black Vaults." Olivia said without looking at Walburga.

"What?" Hissed the overbearing woman. "How dare you speak to me that way?" She demanded to know. "You think you are special because you spread your legs for my son?"

"I thought he was not your son any longer." Olivia chose to interrupt the woman. "Since you disowned him, Sirius cannot be your son. And since he cannot be your son, Leonis cannot be your grandchild."

Cassiopeia laughed aloud then. "Oh yes, a jewel." She crowed only to receive a frown from Walburga. "She has you there Walburga." She said coming to Olivia's defense. "You disowned Sirius. Why, I believe if I went to your home at Grimmauld Place his face is blasted off of the family tapestry by your own wand."

Walburga sneered then. "Yes, well getting a pure-blood girl pregnant was the only good thing that Sirius has ever done." She said coldly even as she eyed up Olivia with a disdainful look. "I will of course be taking the child to raise."

"No you will not." Came the joint voices of Olivia and Cassiopeia. Olivia felt warmth suffuse her when Cassiopeia gave her an encouraging smile. They were allies now and forever so long as Olivia would toe the line and not get in the way of Leonis learning how to be a Black. She would not get in his way. Her son would be the future of the Black family. She could not afford to screw up his future.

Walburga frowned at Olivia but turned her hard blue eyes onto Cassiopeia, quite accurately recognizing the other witch as the true opponent. "I am his grandmother." She reminded Cassiopeia. "Therefore, he shall be raised by me at Grimmauld Place."

"Nonsense!" Cassiopeia responded. "It has already been decided and all is arranged that the Heir Black shall be raised in my care."

"Your care?" Walburga scoffed. "And what would you know about children? You never bothered to marry and have any of your own."

"Well I do not have your spectacular track record at failing in child rearing, so that was a merit in my favor." Cassiopeia drawled. In that moment she looked to Olivia like a great cat who was enjoying playing with her prey. "You may whine all you like of course, but the matter is decided."

Walburga whirled away then. "This is not decided." She insisted before storming away.

Melania sighed. "Oh dear. She will be seeking out Arcturus."

Cassiopeia shook her head in the negative. "No. Not yet. First she will seek out Cygnus." At Olivia's questioning look, Cassiopeia reiterated. "Her brother Cygnus. He is her younger brother but he has always been her accomplice. Since Orion died he has been more protective of her. She will go to him and cry unfair and then he will approach Arcturus, possibly with Walburga crying pitiful tears." She said the last in disgust.

Olivia kissed Leo's head gently and she felt relief flood her as he settled. "He does not like Walburga's magic." She said softly to the two other women.

Melania stared at her for a moment and then smiled. "You know; I had wondered if he might be magically sensitive." She admitted to Olivia. "Earlier today it seemed as though he felt the House-Elves before they entered the room. And when Arcturus was holding him Leo kept placing his hand over Arcturus' signet ring."

Olivia smiled at her son. "You are already so special and clever my little Lion." She praised the infant. She placed another kiss upon his brow because she could not resist the urge. Then she looked at Cassiopeia and Melania. "Was Sirius magically sensitive? He never mentioned it."

"No." Melania said immediately. Sirius had been her favorite grandson. "He was not."

"Regulus was." Cassiopeia said then, quietly. "When he was an infant he preferred Orion to Walburga. As a child he preferred Sirius to almost everyone."

The last earned a giggle from Melania. "Oh yes." She said as she sat in the middle of the sofa. "If he was frightened he always reached out for Sirius." She recalled. "And Sirius, he was protective of Regulus for many years."

"What happened?" Olivia asked hearing the sad note in Melania's voice.

It was Cassiopeia who answered. "Sirius was growing up and did not want his little brother tagging along." She explained. "Oh it was nothing cruel. He loved Regulus."

Olivia nodded at once to assure the other women that she understood. "I am the eldest child and I remember when my brother used to follow me about." She said with a soft smile. "Like all children I reached the point of wanting my own space from him and he being the younger took a longer time to understand my need."

Melania smiled in gratitude. "And so it was with Sirius and Regulus. I do not think that Sirius understood how hard it was on Regulus though. With Regulus being more magically sensitive, he would have been more emotionally vulnerable and he needed Sirius to shield him."

"Add Walburga into the mix and it became a nightmare." Cassiopeia muttered darkly. "She was a horrible mother to both of those boys. I will proclaim that until the witch is dead and probably for years after as well."

Olivia gave her a soft smile for that. She agreed with Cassiopeia. Sirius had been deeply emotionally scarred by that woman. Knowing that Regulus Black had been magically sensitive made her wince in sympathy for the young man's final year of life. He had lost his father, his final shield between himself and his mother. For one terrible moment she wondered if it had been a relief for the poor boy when Death finally came to claim him.

She looked down at her sleeping baby and smiled at him. "My agreement with Lord Black was clear." She said softly. "Cassiopeia Black would raise my son and I would be granted visitation. If he tries to renege on this agreement, then of course tonight Leonis shall come home with me to Tyrcrave Manor."

"Clever girl." Cassiopeia said and then she rose from her seat. "Perhaps we should go assist Lord Black and remind him of the agreement between the two of you."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement. "Leonis is sleeping and now that we know that he is most likely a sensitive, I do not wish to put him near Walburga again."

"Here, give me my great-grandson." Melania said with a tender smile. "He has shown no dislike for my magic. We shall do just fine while you and Cassiopeia lend your voices to Arcturus'."

Olivia nodded her agreement and she gently placed her sleeping son into the arms of Melania Black. She reverently kissed his little hand and with a gentle hand she smoothed a wayward black curl from his forehead. "Sleep well my sweet little Lion." She whispered. Then she smiled once more at Melania Black and then joined Cassiopeia by the door.

"I suggest we keep silent for a time and let Cygnus and Walburga make their case." She informed Olivia. "It will be more fun for me that way and also it will let the rest of the family think that Arcturus is giving them a fair chance to state their grievance."

"That is only fair." Olivia said. "No matter that the promise between us ensures that their grievance shall remain, they do at least deserve to be heard."

"Yes, and is that not a pity?" Cassiopeia muttered causing Olivia to giggle into her hand.

Olivia followed the older woman down the hall where they could hear voices raised. Cassiopeia led her into the receiving lounge in which she had met with Lord Black just days before to discuss the future of young Leonis Black. She was surprised to see the other figures gathered there.

She immediately recognized the beautiful and elegant Narcissa Malfoy seated beside her mother Druella Black. Both Narcissa and Druella were the only blonde haired females in the room aside from Olivia herself. Narcissa had been a few years ahead of her in Slytherin House and had always been kind to Olivia. Though Narcissa had inherited the great looks of the House of Black, her coloring was that of the blond Rosier's, her mother's family. Druella was a classical blond haired beauty and rumors had held for decades that her beauty was why Cygnus Black had been so determined to marry her.

Standing behind Narcissa was her elegant and dangerous older sister Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix was paying avid attention to the argument that her father was waging on behalf of her aunt and was frowning. Her husband and brother-in-law Rodolphus Lestrange and Rabastan Lestrange were standing by the windows a few feet behind Bellatrix. The two men were talking quietly amongst themselves but their eyes kept straying to Bellatrix.

Olivia wondered not for the first time what was between Bellatrix and the Lestrange brothers. She was the wife of the senior brother, but the younger paid her such devotion that Olivia could only think that he was in love with her. Did Bellatrix know? Most likely. She no doubt used it to her advantage. Olivia then wondered if Rodolphus knew that his brother loved Bellatrix? She glanced again at the brothers and found herself disturbed to realize that it was most likely that he knew and was willing to share Bellatrix with his sibling.

She shivered at the thought of something so forbidden. Olivia had been raised on hearing stories of the strange passions of the Black family. She could well believe Bellatrix taking both men to her bed. She was grateful now that while Sirius had inherited the passions of the Black's he had also inherited the possessiveness which kept him from sharing. She just wished that he would have been a bit more possessive with her. Then he might have kept her. She swiftly shook the thought away. If he had kept her, then would Arcturus Black approached her to assist with Leonis? Probably not and then she would not be mother to that incredible child.

She let her gaze settle upon Walburga Black as she stood behind her brother. There was a cruel glint in the woman's eyes that Olivia did not like. 'This is the woman who hurt Sirius.' She thought again and she felt venom toward the woman. She would be damned to the fiery pits of hell before she let that woman get her claws upon her little Lion.

"So you see, Walburga is the best possible person to raise Sirius' offspring." Cygnus said at last winding down from his argument.

"And does everyone agree with this?" Arcturus asked of the room at large.

Olivia felt Malcolm come up behind her and rest his hand protectively and supportively upon her shoulder. She leaned into him and for a moment closed her eyes, enjoying his strength. He was not the husband she wanted. Too many times she had to fight against the image of Sirius when she was intimate with Malcolm. She would continue to fight. Malcolm was a good man and he deserved her devotion.

When she opened her eyes she glanced at the Black Sisters and noticed that both Narcissa and Bellatrix seemed to disagree with their father but were clever enough to not draw his ire by protesting his point of view. Druella she suspected would disagree with Cygnus on principle since she was unhappy in the marriage.

Olivia looked then to Cassiopeia and met the woman's eyes. The woman inclined her head in a show that she was waiting for Olivia to protest. Fortified by the feel of Malcolm directly behind her and Cassiopeia beside her, Olivia raised her voice in objection.

"Lord Black, with all due respect, you and I made an agreement." Olivia was careful to keep her voice respectful while ensuring that it carried so that everyone in the room might still hear her.

Arcturus leaned back in his chair and smiled at Olivia. "Yes my dear Lady, I do believe we did."

"What agreement?" Cygnus demanded to know. "Surely it is negotiable."

"It is not negotiable." Olivia interjected as she turned her gaze to Cygnus Black. "I brought my son to Cassiopeia Black due to my great respect for that Lady." She paused with a frown as he scoffed at that. "Dear Sir, your Aunt happens to be known as a Dragoness in the very finest corners of society."

Olivia watched in amusement as Cygnus glanced toward his wife and daughters and blanched slightly when all three women nodded their heads in confirmation of Olivia's words. He then looked back at Olivia. "So you respected my aunt and brought your child to her. What of it?"

Olivia frowned at him. "The deal I made first with Cassiopeia and then a few days later with Lord Black was simply this… Cassiopeia Black was to raise Leonis and if the Black family chose to renege on that bargain then I would take Leonis away to live with me and my husband."

Silence greeted her statement and she reveled in it for a few beautiful moments before Walburga Black broke the silence with a shriek.

"You cannot possibly mean for the Heir Black to be raised by Cassiopeia." She shrieked. "I am his grandmother."

"You hated Sirius and I have no reason to believe that you would love his child." Olivia insisted firmly.

"Arcturus, you cannot let this stand." Walburga begged of her father-in-law.

"If he does not then the Heir Black shall be raised by Lord Macmillan." Malcolm spoke up from his position behind Olivia. His hand gripped her shoulder, a steadying strength.

Cygnus sputtered. "Raised by Lord Macmillan, no. Preposterous." He said. He looked between Arcturus and then to Olivia and then he sighed and turned to his sister. "Walburga, you will have to accept that Leonis shall be in the care of Cassiopeia."

Walburga stared at her brother as though he had just betrayed her. "Cygnus." She said desperately even as her brother took a hold of her arms.

"Walburga, Lady Macmillan has a good point. This is Sirius' child. She had no idea of if you could love the child after what Sirius put you through. She probably thought she was sparing you some pain."

Walburga looked deep into her brother's blue-gray eyes and nodded slowly. "Yes. I suppose even Cassiopeia raising the brat would be better than Malcolm doing it." She shuddered at the thought. "To think the Heir Black acting like a Macmillan. Horrid."

Cygnus nodded his head and turned Walburga to the sofa assisting her in sitting down. He sat beside his sister, offering her is silent strength and support.

Olivia smiled at Cassiopeia in silent thanks even as she allowed Malcolm to lead her to a seat. A few moments later House-Elves came into the room with glasses full of champagne.

"Oh none for me." Narcissa said and she placed a hand upon her stomach in a protective gesture.

"Cissy?" Bellatrix asked even as Narcissa nodded her head. Bellatrix rushed around the sofa to sit beside her sister and pulled the blond woman into a hug. "Oh darling that is wonderful news."

Arcturus smiled at Narcissa. "Yet another reason to celebrate." He proclaimed. "Good Fortune to the House of Black and the House of Malfoy."

"Good Fortune!" Cried all of the guests at the intimate party, those who were related to the House of Black by blood and by marriage.

A moment later Melania entered the room carrying Leonis. Bellatrix and Narcissa immediately arose from the sofa in order to crowd around the baby.

Olivia watched in surprised delight as Bellatrix Lestrange cooed in delight over the little baby. "He has Sirius' hair." Bellatrix praised. "But he has the eyes of a true Black." She said proudly.

Narcissa nodded and then was delighted to be allowed to hold the baby. Leonis did not stir within Narcissa's arms, nor did he stir with Bellatrix so close by. Olivia found that curious. Bellatrix Black had always been a volatile woman. She was sure that Leonis would not respond well to the feel of her magic. Then again, the woman was obviously pleased with the new addition to the family. Walburga had been aggressive from the start.

Arcturus cleared his throat then and the guests paused to look at him. "There is something that I demand be done tonight as this year closes and a new one begins." He began to inform them. "Everyone in this room shall swear vows of protection to Leonis Black and to the child that Narcissa carries within her womb."

"Draco." Narcissa said with a smile. "I have decided the babe shall be named Draco."

Bellatrix smiled at her sister. "So sure it shall be a boy." She teased her sister.

Narcissa smiled back. "I consider it incentive to the child. If she is a girl, then she shall have a strange name."

Bellatrix snickered.

Arcturus smiled at the two girls. "Are there any objections to the vow?"

Olivia glanced around the room and was relieved to see that none of the guests were objectionable. She leaned against Malcolm and turned her gaze to him. "Thank you for supporting me." She murmured softly to him even as the other guests began to converse again while the House-Elves made ready the sacraments for the vow.

"Mo cridhe," He said before placing a gentle kiss upon her lips. "You are mine now, and what is yours is mine. You love your son and of course you want to see him properly cared for and protected." He murmured to her. "And because I love you, I too shall be swearing to protect him always."

She felt the tears sting her eyes once more and she looked down, unable to meet his eyes. "I do not deserve your affection, Malcolm." She whispered.

"Maybe not, but you have it all the same." He said gently even as he kissed her brow. "Now no more fretting."

Olivia chose to obey him. Instead she enjoyed the feel of him so close to her as they watched one by one the members of House Black make vows of protection to her son and to the child that Narcissa was bearing. When it was at last her turn, Olivia reverently knelt before her son and vowed to give her very life to protect him. She promised the same unto Draco Malfoy. She likewise promised to never raise arms against Leonis nor Draco in both physical might or magical might with the intent to do true harm to either child.

When she arose she smiled at Narcissa. She was hopeful that in the future she might spend more time with the slightly older woman. Perhaps Leonis and Draco would be able to have playdates in the future.

When midnight came she relaxed into Malcolm's embrace. When he kissed her, for the first time she felt no guilty thoughts of Sirius flying through her head. She wanted to love Malcolm Macmillan. He was good for her, good to her, and he deserved to be loved with the same devotion in which he gave to her.

She promised herself as the new year's fireworks went off in London that she would be a devoted wife to Malcolm Macmillan. Sirius Black might own her heart, but Olivia was determined to she would give Malcolm all of the rest of her being.