Chapter 36: Heiresses

Diagon Alley, London, England

December 10, 1986

Arcturus Black seemed oblivious to the many eyes that watched him as he strolled through Diagon Alley. He was on his way to Gringott's Bank to attend to family business. It was the only reason why he would bother to come to Diagon Alley in person. His many years of good living in France had spoilt him. He far preferred the shops of the Cour de Leon, the heart of the Wixen shopping district in France. The great plaza had far preferable shops to that of Diagon Alley. Perhaps more importantly, none of the French Wixen stared at him with eyes that held the combinations of fear and disdain.

In the other European countries, the Black family name was one associated with style, class, and power. In Wixen Britain, the name had been dragged through the mud. He wasn't a fool. He knew perfectly well that his family was not sugar, spice, and everything nice. At least he believed that was the saying. He knew that his family was ambitious and ruthless. He took pride in that very fact.

He knew some of where the family went wrong. It had started before his birth. His father, Sirius Black II had told him that much. It had gone wrong even before his father's birth.

His mind flashed back to just a few days' past when he had been tutoring Leonis in politics. Once the lesson for the day was done he had inquired after the boy's other studies. Leonis had told him that he had begun to learn more about the great families, the Sacred Thirty-Eight. He was learning the basics of each house. Their family Motto's, their Crests, and the like.

"And what is the Motto of House Black?" Arcturus had asked the boy.

"Toujours Pur," Leonis had immediately answered. "It means always pure."

"Very good, and what does Always Pure imply?" Arcturus had asked.

The child was silent for several minutes and his gray eyes took on a stormy look. Sometimes Arcturus worried when the child looked like that. He seemed so far away and remote then as though he were fragile yet untouchable.

"Grandmother Walburga would have said that it meant Pure of Blood as in Pure-blood," Leonis said softly. "I don't think it means that though. At least it doesn't mean that to me."

Arcturus smiled then. "What does it mean to you, my lion?"

Leonis looked at him with eyes that held hope and he said "Pure of intention, pure to myself."

Arcturus smirked as he continued down the paved cobblestone streets of the alley. Yes, his little lion was clever. His own father, Sirius Black II, had taught him that Toujours Pur meant that those of the Black Family must always be true to themselves. Unfortunately, there were those in the family who had chosen to believe that the family motto meant that they should celebrate Pure-blood supremacy.

His Great-Grandfather, Cygnus Black I, had chosen to disown his youngest child due to his beliefs in Blood Supremacy. Iola Black had somehow met and over time fallen in love with a Muggle man named Robert Hitchens. When told to choose between her lover and her birth family, Iola had chosen love and she had been struck from the family tree. Arcturus had grown up with the story.

He had also grown up with the story of his uncle, Phineus Nigellus Black II, who was disowned for falling in love with and marrying a Muggleborn Witch against the wishes of his father, Phineus Nigellus Black I. Phineus II had been a very vocal supporter of the ideology that Muggleborn children were just as special as Pure-blood children. He had despised the blood supremacy ideals of his father. Arcturus had never met his Uncle Phineus but he remembered the sadness in his father's voice when he spoke of his younger disowned brother. He had been dearly loved by Sirius II. Arcturus wasn't sure when his father had thrown off the ideals of blood supremacy that his father and grandfather had favored. He knew that his father would have been brought up with those ideals, more so than his younger siblings Phineus II, Cygnus II, Belvina, and Arcturus II would have endured, because Sirius II had been the heir. If he had to guess at when his father must have chosen to throw off the shackles of blood supremacy, then it must have been when Phineus II was disowned from the family.

Did his father ever see Phineus II again? Arcturus did wonder this at times. Arcturus had dearly loved his sister Lycoris and his brother Regulus and the thought of being forced to obey the will of Lord Black and never see them again was abhorrent to him. When his siblings passed away they took a part of him with them.

Arcturus knew that his father would never have disowned his brother. It was this reason and others that made him determined to reinstate the line of Phineus Nigellus Black II and that of Iola Hitchens nee Black. Family was important and they never should have been torn from the family. He would reinstate them and with this reinstatement the House of Black would gain two heiresses. Eleanor and Hermione would be joining Estelle Burke for lessons in Wixen Customs, Society, and Etiquette after the New Year.

It had been quite the endeavor to get Corinne Branstone to agree to allow Eleanor to attend such lessons. The woman had been obstinate about agreeing to permit Eleanor to be educated about the world that the girl truly belonged. The woman kept insisting that Wixen society could not be so terribly different from Muggle society and so Eleanor would not need extra tutelage. The woman was so irritating that Arcturus had considered casting an obliviate spell upon her to make her forget Eleanor's existence. After what he had learned of Eleanor's mother, he didn't think that the woman would miss her daughter. Eleanor's father seemed to love her but he worked long hours that left him little time with his only child. The same for Eleanor's grandfather. It would be all too easy to obliviate them to make them forget Eleanor and then appoint a member of the Black family to raise her. He would have already done it if she were still a toddler, but she wasn't. Eleanor was a six-year-old girl who would miss her parents and grandparents if he took her away from them. For Eleanor's sake he had resolved himself to negotiating with the irritating Corinne. He was really going soft in his old age.

Iola's descendant, Helena Granger, was far more delightful to speak with. She had not been afraid of Hermione's gifts. Helena had revealed why as he spoke with her about Hermione's future. "My father used to tell me stories passed down to him from his father. The stories were of children who could wield magic and of magical creatures that were beautiful and majestic to behold. When I was a little girl I thought I saw a unicorn in the Forest of Dean. I know it sounds silly, but I am sure I saw it and I've never really could convince myself that I didn't. I guess it is because of all of that, that I never have really freaked out about Hermione being so special. I just knew she was special and wonderful," Helena had explained. Arcturus had been satisfied by Helena's explanation. He wouldn't be surprised if Helena had seen a unicorn when she was young. They did love children, but were warier of adults.

Helena had been most agreeable about everything that he wished to do for Hermione. She agreed that a Magical Guardian should be appointed to Hermione so that her rights would be protected in the Wixen World. She was willing to leave the appointment of the guardian up to him but she insisted that the guardian must be willing to have regular communications with her and her husband so that they knew at least in the most basic of terms what was being done for Hermione. He found her approach very agreeable and it showed that she had a great care for her daughter. While Corinne had wanted to shelter Eleanor from something that Corinne found alarming and alien, Helena believed that Hermione belonged in the Wixen World but wanted her daughter protected in that environment. Both women loved their girls, but he far preferred Helena's desire to see Hermione blossom.

He slowly walked up the stairs to the doors of the Wizarding Bank, Gringott's, and he went over his mental list of the things he needed to do. He was opening trust vaults for Eleanor and Hermione. He was issuing the writ to ensure that they would be recognized as Black Heiresses. He was settling Dowries upon both heiresses. He had decided that he would settle the same amount upon both girls and give them properties of like value. He never wanted it said that he favored one of the children over the other. Pollux already favored young Eleanor over young Hermione, but Marius preferred Hermione whom he already knew since the girl was the best friend of his boys Dudley and Harry. Arcturus wanted the girls well insured and treated fairly in the family.

This would be easier said than done. Pollux's son, Cygnus Black III, was in a rage over Arcturus's willingness to recognize what he called "two Mudblood brat's" into the family fold. Cygnus had been joined by his mother, Irma, and his wife, Druella, in his argument against acknowledging the two girls as both family and heiresses. That Druella, who hated Cygnus, had agreed with him had come as a momentary surprise. Arcturus had quite forgotten that Druella and Cygnus did share many of the same views despite the hatred that she felt for him. Arcturus was still annoyed that Pollux had not been with him when his wife, son, and daughter-in-law had chosen to attack his decision. Had Pollux been with him then the argument would not have lasted as long. Pollux would have reigned in Irma and Druella at the least. Instead Pollux had been busy discussing some sort of "business" with Meliora Burke.

"Lord Black, we were expecting you," he was greeted by a Goblin that he thought was named Delgrath. "Please follow me this way."

Arcturus followed the Goblin deeper into Gringott's to the private conference rooms. He was led to a room that already had two Goblins within and a human male. He immediately recognized his own account manager Alrak. The second Goblin he recognized a moment later as Grimbold, Pollux's account manager. The human male was his cousin Marius.

"Good, his highness has arrived, now we can begin," Marius teased him.

Arcturus fought the urge to scowl at his cousin. Sometimes he thought fatherhood had done terrible things to Marius's manners. "Yes, let's get started," he agreed.

Alrak nodded his agreement as did Grimbold. Arcturus took his seat and then began by addressing Alrak. "I need to open to trust vaults today. One for Miss Eleanor Branstone of House Black and another for Miss Hermione Granger of House Black."

"Very good then," Alrak began and scribbled a few notes on a sheet of parchment before him. "And how much does Lord Black wish to see placed in these vaults?"

"I wish to start with 500,000 Galleons in each," he informed Alrak. Then he met Marius's gaze. Marius looked mildly surprised by the amount. Arcturus smirked as he explained, "I wish for the girls to have plenty of money accrued by the time they start school. Teenage girls seem to need more money to spend."

Marius nodded his agreement.

"I wish for you and your assistants to handle the new accounts," Arcturus told Alrak.

"I will put Delgrath to work on the accounts for the young heiresses," Alrak informed him.

"Delgrath?" Arcturus asked of him. "Wasn't he the Goblin who escorted me here?"

"Yes, Lord Black. Delgrath is the youngest son of Ripclaw, who handles the Potter accounts. He is a very thorough Goblin," Alrak admitted.

"He has assisted me in the past and he is quite reliable, Lord Black," Grimbold stated.

"Very well then, I trust your judgement on his reliability. I would like some investments made on behalf of Eleanor and Hermione," Arcturus began. "I want them to own shares in several muggle businesses."

Marius smirked. "That makes sense since they are "Muggleborn" children. They will always have a foot in both worlds," he agreed. Then he took up the pen that had been a gift from Petunia. She had figured out that an old-fashioned pen made of silver with a silver ink holder would not break down when surrounded by magic.

Arcturus nodded his agreement with Marius. "I want them to own shares in McDonald's. That fast food chain is so popular that almost every major country in the world has one now."

Marius jotted down a note about it and nodded his head. "I agree. I shall work on a list of other potential business investment opportunities for the girls and then bring it to you for approval."

"Agreed," Arcturus said and then looked once more at Alrak. "I wish to settle property dowries upon the girls as well," he said. He had been thinking about each of the many properties that the Black family owned, particularly those on the continent. He wished to give the girls properties that were worth close to the same amount so that they were both treated fairly.

"Very good Lord Black," Grimbold said as he opened the large dossier of Black family properties. He handed the papers over to Arcturus to look through.

"What property do you have in mind for Mistress Eleanor?" Alrak asked of him.

Arcturus allowed himself a few moments to look over the list of Black family properties. He rubbed his jaw in thought as he turned the pages staring at the various photographs of the estates and properties. At last he spoke. "For Eleanor, I wish to give her Armorel just outside of Wrexham, Wales and Emeraude Chalet in Switzerland."

Marius made a note on his tablet once more and then looked to Arcturus. "Armorel? You wish to give Eleanor what would have been our uncle's then?"

Arcturus inclined his head in agreement. "I think it fitting since if he had not been disowned she would have been set to inherit it."

"Cygnus will raise a fit. He's had his sights on Armorel for a long time," Marius said, but his voice was full of smug amusement. Marius despised his bigoted nephew.

"Cygnus has a very fine estate of his own. He has no need for Armorel," Arcturus said firmly. If Cygnus outlived Pollux, then Cygnus would inherit his father's estate of Colton Hall. As it was, Cygnus and his wife lived in a luxurious town house in Chelsea, London.

He then began to flip through the files on the estates once more. He paused when he found a photograph of a pretty Tudor Style Manor House. The place was named Roslyn Hall and it was located just outside of Madeley in Shropshire, England. "Roslyn Hall shall go to Hermione," he said decisively as he stared at the photographs of the interior of the house. "It shall need some renovations, but this can be seen to before she is of age. I'll ask Malcolm to look at the place."

Marius nodded even as Arcturus passed him the dossier on Roslyn Hall. He looked over the photographs. "Will the money to fix Roslyn come from the main Black Vaults?" he inquired.

Arcturus nodded in the affirmative. "Yes," he said simply. "It is only right that we fix the place up for her before she of legal age to take possession of the property," he explained even as he continued to look at the other dossiers. "Saphir Chalet in Switzerland shall also be given to Hermione," he added after looking over the dossier on the Swiss Chalet.

"Very good Lord Black," Alrak stated as he made note of the estates now being dower properties of the heiresses. "Do you wish to add Black family heirlooms as dowries?"

"Not at this time, but we shall add heirlooms to the girl's dowries at a later date. I would like a list of the heirlooms in the Black family vaults to be drawn up and given to Marius at the soonest possible convenience," Arcturus ordered.

"Of course, Lord Black," Alrak promised him. He then turned his sharp gaze to Marius. "We can owl the list to you, Mr. Black, if that is convenient."

"I would appreciate that," Marius agreed.

Arcturus gave both Marius and the Goblins time to review what they had already discussed and then he chose to broach the next and perhaps most immediately important bit of business. "I wish the paperwork drawn up for Mrs. Andromeda Tonks to become the Magical Guardian of Ms. Hermione Granger and Ms. Eleanor Branstone."

There was the scratching of quill on paper as Alrak took note of his wishes. He looked up at Marius and noticed his curious expression. He smirked then and waited for Marius to piece it together.

"I would have thought you would have wanted to name yourself as their Magical Guardian," Marius admitted even as he made a note of Andromeda's placement as the Magical Guardian of the two little heiresses.

"I am Lord Black, I am technically the true guardian over the whole family," he reminded Marius in an amused tone of voice. "However, Hermione and Eleanor have been raised thus far as though they were Muggles. They will still be interacting with Muggles daily. Despite dealing with Muggles for business purposes, I am not arrogant enough to believe that I understand them. Andromeda, though brought up a proper Pure-blood Heiress, has lived the last decade in a Muggle neighborhood and she is married to a Muggleborn."

Marius smirked. "It was kind of you to listen to her when she came to you with her new groom instead of disinheriting her from the family as her parents wished," he said. "You settled a good sum of money on her, if I am not mistaken."

"Not as much as she would have been entitled to if she had not eloped, but yes, I did settle a sum upon her. I also purchased the home she currently lives in for her and I paid for her mastery," Arcturus admitted.

Marius blinked in surprise. "I didn't realize you had purchased a home for her and paid for her mastery."

Arcturus sighed, not liking the way that Marius was looking at him. Marius was looking at him as though he was inordinately kind and not the ruthless Wizard that he truly was. "It is tradition to settle dowries upon the Heiresses of the House of Black. I did not disown Andromeda because I had not approved of her being betrothed to the Mulcibur boy in the first place. Cygnus overstepped himself by agreeing to the betrothal. Only a Head of House has the right to do so," Arcturus said with a scowl just remembering how Andromeda had looked when she had presented herself and her new husband to him.

She had looked fierce, determined, and scared. She was determined on her set course with her husband but scared that she was about to lose her whole family. Arcturus had not the heart to disown her, and had used the loophole that he had never been presented with the offer of betrothal to agree to accept Ted Tonks as family. He had penalized her of course. For eloping she would no longer be entitled to the estates she might have received upon marrying in the appropriate way. She also would not receive all the money that would have been settled upon her. Arcturus had still been quite generous. He had bought the house of Andromeda's choosing. It was a nice house in Southampton, in Hampshire. Since it was also his responsibility as the Lord of House Black to ensure her education, he had paid for her Mastery as a Healer. Her gift had come in handy with her daughter, Nymphadora, who was unfortunately quite clumsy.

Nymphadora's school funds to attend Hogwarts was also coming from the Black family coffers. Though Andromeda had attempted to argue that one with him, he had refused to let her and Ted pay for it. Nymphadora was a Black Heiress, the eldest one of the current generation. The girl was a Hufflepuff at Hogwarts and was a warm-hearted girl. Arcturus had rarely been in her company, but he had heard of her from his heir. Leonis and the other children seemed to adore playing with the older girl. She was always patient with them and showed them how to do harmless charm spells. The girl was a Metamorphmagus and she was the first one the family had produced since his brother Regulus. It had not been widely known that his younger brother had been a Metamorphmagus. He had been taught at a young age how to control himself, but young Nymphadora had not been taught such rigid control. The few times he had seen her in recent years, Arcturus had noted that her hair would change based on her emotions. A stark red when angered and a bubblegum pink when she was happy.

Thoughts of Nymphadora Tonks made him wonder at the state of her coffers. "Alrak, how is Nymphadora's Trust Vault looking?" The Trust Vault was for Nymphadora to be able to buy herself things during the school year. It was meant for Hogsmeade visits or for her to shop for gifts for her friends and family. It was not meant to pay for her education or the supplies for her education, though he imagined she did use it at times to purchase more ink, quills, and parchment.

Alrak riffled through some folders until he came to the one he needed. Arcturus saw the name Nymphadora Irene Tonks of House Black scrawled across the top of the folder before it was opened. He briefly thought over the girl's name. Nymphadora Irene had been Andromeda's choice. Ted had been so delighted with his newborn daughter that the besotted man had let his wife name her what she pleased. Arcturus recalled that Irene was the name of Ted's mother.

"Did you think I would name her for my mother?" Andromeda had scoffed at the idea. Arcturus had chuckled then. Druella had been a horrible parent to her three daughters, this much he had learned from Melania. He supposed little Nymphadora should be grateful that she was named after her Muggle grandmother instead of her Wixen one. Druella would probably hex Nymphadora on sight. This was one of the reasons that despite being part of the family, Andromeda and Ted never attended the larger family functions. This would now have to change with Andromeda becoming the Magical Guardian of Hermione and Eleanor.

"Ms. Nymphadora has 980, 000 Galleons, 250 Sickles and 12 Knuts in her Trust Vault," Alrak stated.

Arcturus smiled. It seemed that Nymphadora was not dipping too much into her vault yet. He had to remind himself that the girl was still young. She had only been a student at Hogwarts for two years now. She would have several years yet in which to go to on Hogsmeade visits and spend money at the shops.

"The investments made on behalf of Ms. Nymphadora have been turning a nice steady profit," Alrak told him. "We have kept to your wishes to only make investments that will bring steady gain and have no signs of being risky business ventures."

"Good, I don't mind making risky investments every now and then, but never with the future of the house. The money for the children must be handled carefully to ensure their future," Arcturus stated. "I wish to settle a separate account now upon Nymphadora. She will not have the right to access it until she has graduated from a magical institution, Hogwarts most likely since that is now where she is enrolled."

"What shall the new account be for?" Marius asked even as he took a note down in his journal.

"It shall be for her Mastery," Arcturus declared. "It is too soon to know what Nymphadora will wish to do in the future, but it is not too soon to start accruing money for her endeavor."

Marius looked embarrassed then. "That is a good point. I should speak with Pollux about Dudley and Harry. We have set up their Trust Vault for School. Well, James and Lily had done it for Harry before they died. But I have not thought of when they graduate from their primary education. They will need money to pay their Apprenticeship fees."

"Once you and Mr. Pollux have figured out what you would like to do, Ripclaw and I will be happy to accommodate you," Grimbold told him.

"Thank you," Marius said to the Goblin who managed Pollux's estate as well as his own and Dudley's.

"How much money would Lord Black like to place in this new account for Ms. Nymphadora?" Alrak asked of him.

"1,000,000 Galleons," Arcturus said. "No investments though. I imagine that once she is of age, the money she has left over from her Trust Vault shall be added to this for her use."

"Very good Lord Black," Alrak said as he and Marius both took down notes.

Arcturus waited until they were finished before he arose from his seat. "Thank you for meeting me today, it was a pleasure as always doing business with you."

"May your gold flow like a river, Lord Black," Alrak said and Grimbold nodded his agreement.

"May all know the integrity of the Goblin Nation," Arcturus responded.

"And may your blades remain sharp against those who question it," Marius said once his things were gathered and placed in his leather case.

Arcturus walked out of Gringott's with Marius and smirked as they walked down the steps. "I think that went rather well. Certainly easier than when I had to convince Corinne Branstone to hire a woman of my choosing as a maid for Eleanor."

Marius chuckled at that. "Yes, she rang Petunia and I to complain. She complained to Tuney first in the hopes that she would make me see reason and help her against you. Petunia heard her out and then asked her if her objection to the new maid was because she didn't like that you had picked her out or because she was a Witch?"

Arcturus had to smother the urge to laugh. Petunia really was perceptive and she often showed it in startling ways. "Your wife is far too clever," he admitted. "By stating it so boldly like that she put Corinne in the position of having to defend herself."

Marius nodded. "Yes, if she picked that the woman was a Witch, then she would seem biased against Witches," he said. "She said it was because you had picked the woman, and though she told the truth that was only part of it. The truth was both you know."

Arcturus nodded his agreement as they strolled by the shops. "Will she become a problem Marius?"

Marius frowned. "If you are asking me if she would willingly harm Eleanor, then the answer is no. But that doesn't mean that I feel confident that it won't happen. The truth is, she's worried about Eleanor being a Witch. She accepted the explanation because no other explanation fit. If she could find something far more normal that would fit then I think Corinne would latch onto it and be happy about it."

"That would be to Eleanor's detriment," Arcturus said. He then grumbled. "Why could she not have been as accepting as Helena Granger?"

"Well, Helena grew up with stories of Wixen. She also saw a Unicorn when she was a child," Marius reminded him. "I don't think she just thought she saw one either as Muggle children sometimes fantasize about. I think she saw the real deal. She's a Squib you know, like Petunia and I."

"That would explain why she saw the Unicorn then," said Arcturus. He frowned in thought. "Corinne is your old lover, you know her best. What can we expect from her?"

Marius was silent for a time as they continued their walk. At last as the neared Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor he spoke. "Corinne is used to being in control and she doesn't like it when others take control from her. It was part of why I knew that I could not marry her, even though for a time I had been tempted to propose to her. I knew I would not be able to relinquish control to her and she would ultimately want that control. It is why I introduced her to Reginald. I didn't know that he was family, that he was Uncle Phineus' grandson. I just felt a connection to him and when I deduced that he was a Squib and I thought that explained the connection."

The two men stopped before the parlor and Marius sighed. "We should expect more troubles from Corinne over the next few years. I think that we should meet with Reginald. I know he loves to work but needs to begin slowing down. Perhaps you should offer him a few jobs as family. It will let him practice still, but lesson his hours. If we get Reginald on side then he could curb Corinne's more obstinate objections to Eleanor's integration into Wixen society."

"Very well, arrange the meeting with Reginald, but not until after the new year," he advised Marius.

"Very well," Marius agreed and then he frowned. "Harry told me that Leonis had not been with him on his last few visits to see Sirius. Is Leonis alright?"

Arcturus frowned. "He had some sort of backlash after receiving a Howler from Sirius. Due to that Cassiopeia, worried and refused to send Leonis to visit with Sirius."

"Why did Sirius send the Howler?" Marius inquired. This bit of family gossip had not made itself to him.

"He disapproved of Leonis becoming an Apprentice to Severus Snape-Prince," Arcturus said with a sniff of disdain.

Marius frowned in thought then sighed. "Sirius has always been a bit brash but I don't think he meant to harm Leonis," he said.

Arcturus shot him a dark look. "How could you say that?"

"Because I know him better than you do," Marius said. Marius had taken the time to visit Sirius and now often visited the young man at Belvedere. He had wanted to get to know Sirius better due to his being Harry's God-father and the young man was his Great-Nephew. Sirius was, through his mother Walburga, the grandson of Pollux. "Arcturus, Sirius and Severus do not have a good past. I won't go into who started it and who did what to whom because it really doesn't matter. What matters is that there is a bad past there, and Sirius was probably very afraid for Leonis when he heard that he was now bound to Lord Prince in an Apprenticeship. He probably feared that Lord Prince would be awful to Leonis to avenge himself upon Sirius."

Arcturus wanted to argue that the idea was foolish, but he couldn't. While Arcturus knew, and had received a solemn vow from Lord Prince that he would never harm Leonis and Draco, Sirius did not know about the vow. It wasn't above a Slytherin to seek revenge in any way that he could get it. Sirius was not exactly unfounded in his fear that Severus Snape-Prince could have chosen to hurt Leonis.

He sighed, "So, he was too brash and rushed in like a Gryffindor full of rage against Lord Prince rather than sitting down with Leonis and telling him plainly that he and Lord Prince have a bad history and he was afraid for Leonis?" he asked of Marius.

"What Gryffindor likes to admit he is afraid?" Marius surmised. "It was probably easier for Sirius to spit vitriol against Severus than to say to his son that he loved him and was worried."

"Gryffindors!" Arcturus spat.

"Oh yes," Marius rolled his eyes. "Because you Slytherins are just so great about revealing your emotions as well," Marius said in a voice laced with sarcasm. "As far as I can tell, Slytherins and Gryffindors have that in common."

Arcturus decided to ignore any discussion of similarities between Gryffindors and Slytherins for the moment. Though he would consider it later. Marius had never been sorted into a house due to his being a Squib. Perhaps he was a better judge than Arcturus was in this.

"I will speak with Cassiopeia. I will order Leonis to Belvedere to visit his father if I must. I want whatever this is between Leonis and Sirius settled. We have worked too hard on Sirius's health and well-being to allow a family rift to develop now," he said decisively.

Marius smiled. "I think that is a good idea. You'll have to order Cassie though, she hates Sirius and the Howler really just gave her an excuse."

Arcturus nodded his agreement. "She doesn't understand why I have invested such time in Sirius. She thinks it is due to Melania's love for him."

"Is it?" Marius asked.

"No," Arcturus said softly. "Though I love her, Melania doesn't have anything to do with this. Pollux shall begin to train Sirius next year in how to handle the Wizengamot. We need Sirius to know how to handle the Potter seat. With him healthy once more there is no reason not to give him the seat as Harry's Proxy. James would have wanted that and we must be seen to execute the Potter's will. Also, should something happen to myself or Pollux before Leonis is of age then Sirius is the necessary choice against Cygnus ruling as Regent for the House of Black."

Marius stared at him with wide eyes. "I see. So, he won't be heir but Regent. You'll force him to act as though he were Lord Black anyway."

"He'll get practice as the Potter Regent first and Pollux and I will assist him there," Arcturus reminded him.

"You are right, he is a better choice than Cygnus, a natural choice since he is the father of the next Lord," Marius murmured. "Very well. I should be going now. I promised Petunia that I would pick up ice cream for her and the boys before heading home," he said.

"Then I shall not keep you further. Thank you, Marius, and give my affection to Petunia and the boys," he said.

"See, even now you cannot say "love" when referring to your family," Marius teased him. "Slytherins and Gryffindors," he said jovially before sauntering into the ice cream parlor.

Arcturus scowled after him. Fatherhood really had not done anything good for Marius's manners. He continued to the Leaky Cauldron and then used the floo to return home to Melania. He would deal with Cassiopeia and the problem of Leonis and Sirius in the morning.


Thank you wonderful people for reading and reviewing! A special thanks for those reviewers who have attempted to set me straight on some things. I love your attention to details and I cannot thank you enough for your help! I really appreciate it. Next Chapter: Lion's Roar - in which Leonis visits Sirius without Harry as a buffer and so the two must attempt to mend the growing rift between them.