Chapter 59: Lord Abbott's Vow
Leaky Cauldron, London, England
July 14, 1987
Sirius took a sip of the fire whiskey that he had ordered and relished the burn as the liquor slid down the back of his throat. It had been a long day of debate in the Wizengamot. A long obnoxious day in which Sirius had sat in the upper balcony with the other Political Apprentices and watched the proceedings as Lord Selwyn tried to push for reforms to the children's care laws and people such as Warring Abbott attempted to rip Lord Selwyn's ideas to shreds.
The more they argued, the more Sirius hated Lord Abbott. He had not thought it possible that he would ever hate anyone more than he did Lord Voldemort, but Warring Abbott was now right up there in Sirius's estimation. Surely only a monster would not want to see magical children better protected. Then again, this was the man who denied his own granddaughter her familial rights. Warring Abbott was a disgusting human being. Sirius was still perplexed that the man wasn't sporting a Dark Mark upon his arm, proclaiming him one of Voldemort's followers.
Sirius agreed with Lord Selwyn that the laws for children's care needed revision. It needed severe revision if Albus Dumbledore could get away with placing Harry with his non-magical Aunt when he still had magical relatives that could look after the boy. It had always been tradition to place a child who had already exhibited accidental magic with their magical relations instead of with non-magical relatives. Instead, Dumbledore had insisted on placing Harry with Petunia, who would not know how to help protect him from other muggles when he did perform accidental magic. Sirius still wondered why it was so important to Dumbledore for Harry to be placed with Petunia. Was it because she was the best choice he could find for a relative that wasn't a Black? If so, then Dumbledore must really hate that she had married his Great-Uncle Marius Black. Sirius was hoping to see some of the old traditions about protecting magical children made into actual law. As a young man, he had naively thought that they were laws already. Some of them certainly should have been. He and Regulus would have been removed from his mother's care. They might have had a better life then. One where Reggie would have lived. One where Regulus would never have been brought before Voldemort.
The more time Sirius spent truly listening and debating with his family, the more Sirius agreed with some of their arguments about bringing back some of the Old Ways. He found that he agreed most often when it came to the old traditions of protecting children. There was nothing wrong with Fosterage and Apprenticeships. His youngest son was being Fostered by his dear friend Remus Lupin. The circumstances surrounding that were strange, he would freely admit. He had not known of Orion's existence, had not known that his one-night stand with the pretty Sylvia de Rais had resulted in a child. Remus had assisted Sylvia during her pregnancy and had raised Orion since his birth. Sirius had not had the heart to take Orion from his dear friend. He had known that it would crush Remus if he removed Orion from his keeping. Instead, Remus had become his Vassal and he had granted Remus the right to Foster Orion, to raise him to become a good man and a credit to their society. His first born, Leonis, was fostered in the home of Sirius's Great-Aunt Cassiopeia Black. She was a formidable Witch that few would dare to cross. Despite how Sirius sometimes burned to have his sons with him, he knew that they were better off where they were, at least for now. Leonis was also an Apprentice of Potions Master Lord Severus Snape Prince. Leonis enjoyed his Apprenticeship, and though he returned to his home every day that he attended his lessons with the Potions Master, Severus Snape would take him in to live with him should the worst happen and Leonis find himself underage without appropriate guardians.
In accordance with the Old Ways, if a child entered Apprenticeship, he did so when he was around seven years of age and he would continue said Apprenticeship until he was of age or until the Master deemed him a Master in his craft. If the child didn't have a stable home, such as they came from an abusive home or they were an orphan, then they would be taken from that home to live with their Master. Lord Selwyn had been suggesting a reemergence of this old tradition. It was a way to give the child a craft and keep them safe. Sirius agreed wholeheartedly with the practice. He had been shocked earlier that day when Albus Dumbledore had finally made his voice known, chastising Lord Selwyn.
"Apprenticeship should be for older children who are entering their last years of education," Dumbledore had said. "Let the children have time to be children," he had then said with a merry twinkle in his eyes.
Sirius had frowned at that. He didn't doubt that his sons had time to play and be children in between their lessons. It was not as if they were always studying. He had studied Dumbledore for a few moments and had sighed in disgust knowing that Dumbledore and those that put a great deal of stock in the man's opinion would vote against Lord Selwyn.
'Well, Severus had a great idea when he thought of donating one of the Prince properties to be used as a Magical Orphanage. We'll just have to go in that direction then,' he thought as he took another sip of his fire whiskey.
"I thought I might find you here," he heard the cultured voice of his Grandfather and Master, though Sirius much preferred to think of him as Mentor instead. Slowly Sirius turned toward the handsome man who had chosen to take the seat beside him at the table. Pollux Black was dressed in dark blue robes, different from the more severe robes he had worn just an hour previously during the Wizengamot session. His curly black hair was much like Sirius's own. It fell to his shoulders in curls that looked like they would be soft to touch.
"So here I am," Sirius said in a playful drawl. "Best place to get a drink and relax my mind while picking up rumors," he admitted to his Grandfather.
Pollux simply nodded his head in agreement. "It is," he said with a small smirk. "I am glad that some habits from your Auror days are still useful to you," he praised.
"It never really leaves you once you have learned it," Sirius admitted. "The alertness can fade, and the instincts can soften a bit with time and less need to use them, but they are still there," he informed his Grandfather.
His Mentor nodded. "I have decided that you will be invested as the Potter Proxy and Regent at the next Wizengamot Session," Pollux told him.
Sirius, who had been raising his glass to his lips to take another sip, froze for a moment and then slowly lowered the glass back to the table. "Do you think that is wise? You know my plans," he said even as he fought the warring emotions within him. His first reaction had been a great warmth and feeling of happiness. For Pollux to say that he would be invested meant that Pollux thought him on solid feet with the workings of the Wizengamot and a good student of politics. He wouldn't be willing to invest Sirius as the Potter Regent and holder of the Potter Votes, the Potter Proxy unless he thought Sirius was ready to undertake such responsibility. Then he had felt worried because he was not yet married to Alicia. He had not yet caused the dent, if not downfall, of Lord Abbott.
Pollux smirked. "I know your plans," he said with good humor. "The Chief of the Wizengamot has insisted on giving us five days for all parties to calm ourselves," he sneered. "I believe he said, "For cooler heads to prevail," he sniffed in disdain. "I suggest you take advantage of these five days to put your plan into motion," he said pleasantly and then the smirk was back, curving his lips ever so slightly. "And it looks like now might be a good time."
Sirius followed the older man's gaze to a table just two spaces over where Warring Abbott was just joining Gervase Fawley the Lord of House Fawley and Malcolm Macmillan the Lord of House Macmillan. He had noticed that Malcolm was there when he had entered the Leaky Cauldron, but he had not approached due to the intense conversation Lord Fawley was having with Malcolm. It was well known that Lord Fawley wished to tear down one of his houses and replace it with a newer upscale residence with an outdoor garden area complete with beautiful pathways and grand pavilions. Sirius had heard the man mention it often enough during lulls in the Wizengamot sessions since during such lulls Apprentices were expected to be on the floor at the sides of their Mentors. Whether Malcolm was a willing or unwilling captive to Lord Fawley's rambling, Sirius didn't dare to speculate. He and Malcolm got along when they interacted, but their interaction was usually about their children. Malcolm was very proud of his only son and heir, Ernest. Furthermore, he was a very kind step-father to Leonis. Sirius had no reason to complain of the man. He was kind and loyal, a true Hufflepuff. Malcolm clearly adored his wife, the fair Olivia, and Sirius both liked and hated him for that in equal measure. He kept waiting for the scales to tip in favor of one or the other, but he suspected that it never would. He wasn't a fool, even if he could act one at times. He knew he'd always love Olivia, but he was resolved not to cause trouble in her marriage. He still remembered the vow he had made as he watched Leonis and Harry playing on in the surf at Belvedere. It was better for them if he locked away his feelings for Olivia. She would be honored by him as the mother of his eldest son and heir, but that was all. He could not possess her, she would never be his wife. He could not have Olivia.
He could have Alicia. Bright, beautiful, tragic Alicia. She tugged at his heartstrings in a way that no one had done since he had pushed Olivia away and attempted to stop loving her. He had not spoken with Alicia about how he still loved Olivia, but he thought that she might just understand. It was there in Alicia's eyes when she spoke of her deceased husband, Johnathon Abbott. She still loved Johnathon. Part of her heart would always belong to the memory of that man. Sirius could accept that, probably better than any other man could because part of his heart would always belong to Olivia. He and Alicia would make a brilliant couple, he was sure of it. He just needed to entrap Lord Abbott first. It was time to implement his plan. His Grandfather was quite right.
He took up his glass once more and downed the contents of the fire whiskey and then he arose. He sauntered over to the table that held his enemy and he plastered a smile of greeting onto his face. It was easy to do when he looked at Malcolm. For his half-hearted hatred of the man, he trusted him far more than he did the other two men at the table. "My Lord's, I hope you are having a pleasant afternoon," he greeted them.
It was Malcolm who greeted him first. "Ah, Sirius," he greeted pleasantly. There was some relief in his blue eyes, which made Sirius suspect that Malcolm was more a captive audience than a willing one for Lord Fawley's rambling conversation. "It is a pleasure to see you. Olivia and I were hoping to contact you about Ernest's birthday," he said.
"Oh yes, your son's birthday is in a week is it not?" Lord Fawley asked of Malcolm.
"There about," Sirius answered for Malcolm. He smiled at the man. "Yes, I remember Ernie's birthday. It's hard not to remember that day," he said simply.
Malcolm stared at him for a moment and then his blue eyes softened. "Yes, I imagine it would be. I am still grateful to you for saving Olivia and Evelyn that day," he said.
Sirius smiled. "Think nothing of it. I was an Auror fighting Death Eaters and protecting the innocent. I was doing my sworn duty," he said to Malcolm, but he knew the man knew better. Malcolm had known it was personal. That anything to do with Olivia was personal for Sirius.
Lord Abbott's lips curved into a sneer. "My Johnathon had wanted to be an Auror," he stated even as Sirius took the offered seat that Malcolm extended toward him. "It was a relief when he chose to be a Curse-Breaker instead," he said simply.
Sirius bowed his head at that and attempted to remain calm. He didn't like how Lord Abbott sneered at the idea of his son having wished to be an Auror, but he would pick his battles. The battle was about Hannah not about whether her father had desired to be an Auror.
"Curse-breaking is just as dangerous," Lord Fawley declared.
Sirius nodded. "It is a very dangerous job and the late Heir Abbott must have been a very strong and skilled Wizard to undertake that job," Sirius praised. "But it is arguably a little less dangerous than being an Auror. An Auror's job is to hunt down Dark Wizards. This makes them a target of Dark Wizards as well. Curse-breakers do not have to worry about objects choosing to seek them out to harm them just for being Curse-breakers," he said sardonically.
Lord Fawley guffawed at that. "True enough," he said with a congenial air about him.
"Yes, quite," Lord Abbott sneered as he looked at Sirius. He eyed Sirius for a few minutes, carefully sizing him up before he chose to speak directly to Sirius. "I understand that you hosted a birthday party for that ill-begotten spawn, Hannah Vaisey."
"I was under the impression that her legal name was in fact, Abbott," Sirius drawled. He kept his body languid as he lounged slightly in the seat. It was a non-threatening posture that suggested that Sirius had nothing to fear from the men with him. He knew perfectly well that he had nothing to fear from Lord Fawley. The rotund man was a congenial, if annoying, sort of man. His jovial nature would keep him from taking quick insult. He highly doubted that Lord Fawley would be a quick draw with his wand. Sirius trusted that Malcolm would try to keep the peace. The man was used to dealing with hot tempers. He was not a man quick to anger. He admired Malcolm's cool head. He wished he could emulate it a little more often. Lord Abbott was a fierce champion of the dueling circuits. Sirius's languid repose was a slap in the face, telling the man that he didn't fear him in the least.
"Abbott, I daresay," Lord Fawley began. "Isn't Hannah the name of the girl who your daughter-in-law tried to pass off as your own grandchild?"
Warring Abbott's mouth tightened into a thin line. "Yes," he ground out. "Lying wench," he stated firmly. "Johnathon was barely cold in his grave when she birthed the brat and tried to pass it off as his. Of course, I cast her and the child from my house for her attempt to besmirch my son's memory."
"How awful!" Lord Fawley said in complete commiseration with Warring Abbott.
From the corner of his eye, Sirius noted that Malcolm's fingers had twitched slightly. He knew that twitch well enough. It was the twitch of a man who wished to draw his wand. Oddly, it made Sirius relax more and the cold-blooded need to shed Warring Abbott's blood receded for the moment.
"Not such a lie, I think," Sirius spoke pleasantly capturing the attention of Lord Fawley. "Young Hannah looks a great deal like Johnathon," he said pleasantly.
"Nonsense!" Abbott spat. "She looks just like her lying mother," he stated firmly.
'Now,' Sirius told himself. "So, you would never wish to take Hannah into your home to raise?" he questioned.
Abbott stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "Take that…that…no! Never!" he glared at Sirius as though he were a bug that he'd very much like to squash beneath his boot.
"Would you swear an Oath to that effect?" he asked pleasantly enough. He noticed Malcolm looking at him sharply for a moment but then the other man seemed to catch on that Sirius had more of a purpose in baiting Lord Abbott than for amusement sake.
"That should be easy enough," Malcolm said then with an easy nod of his head. "Lord Abbott has already denounced the child as not of his bloodline. Surely he would be all too happy to swear an Oath to never take her to raise."
Lord Fawley nodded slowly, blinking in confusion. "That does seem sensible," he agreed after a few moments. "Warring, it would ensure that should Lord Selwyn's bill actually pass that you would never be obliged to take in the upstart."
Fawley's words seemed to affect Abbott, much to Sirius's delight. The man swiftly took out his wand and stared at it for a moment as he mulled over the wording of the vow he wished to make. Then the man gave Sirius a vicious smirk.
"I Warring Abbott, the Lord of House Abbott, do swear upon my magic to never take in the child Hannah Vaisey, who calls herself Hannah Abbott. I vow to never take her to live under my roof. She shall never live under the roof of House Abbott for as long as I live. So mote it be!" the man spoke the words in a strong voice. It had gained the attention of everyone in the building and all had remained silent as Lord Abbott made his vow.
Sirius took advantage of the continued silence so that he'd easily be heard by all within the crowded common area of the building. "Then I pray you have a long life," he said sincerely. "And now, I challenge you," he stated firmly, his congenial tone gone and his voice like steel. He heard the sucked in breaths of some of the other patrons. "Not to a duel, though ending your life at the end of my wand is what you deserve." he spat the words at Lord Abbott, releasing some of his pent-up simmering rage. "I challenge you to discover once and for all the parentage of the child, Hannah known as Abbott. She is of age that the Gringotts Goblins can determine her lineage. I challenge you to meet there in two days to witness her testing."
Silence reigned before the whispers broke out. Abbott stared at him as though he wished to murder Sirius on the spot and was considering doing just that. "You think I am afraid to see that upstart tested?" he scoffed.
Sirius smirked. "I think you are terrified of it or you would have done it already," he said.
Abbott glared at him. "I don't care about the little thing, which is why it never occurred to me."
"Then there should be no harm in accepting the challenge," Malcolm stated firmly from his position seated across from Warring Abbott.
Lord Fawley watched on with wide-eyed fascination.
Sirius inclined his head to Lord Abbott. "Come, Lord Abbott," he stated. "I would know the parentage of a child who might soon become my own charge," he said firmly. "I would know beforehand if her mother has truly been lying about the child's parentage." It was a low blow and an absolute lie. It was one that Sirius had not wanted to have to use to goad Abbott into an agreement, yet Narcissa had warned him that he might need to use such underhanded tactics to get Lord Abbott to agree. It was ironic that the tactic was very Slytherin, carefully cultivated by Narcissa and Severus, and yet on the surface, it seemed like such a Gryffindor reason.
Lord Abbott glanced around the common room of the pub and took note of all the various witnesses. Men and women from all spectrums of their society were in the room, watching him with great curiosity. All watched Lord Abbott awaiting his response. The man at last inclined his head to Sirius. "If you insist on this folly, then very well. I along with several witnesses shall attend," he stated firmly.
"Thank you for indulging me, Lord Abbott," Sirius said formally.
"I will meet you at Gringotts in two days, at eleven am," Warring Abbott said as he arose. He then swept away from the table and made his way over to the floo. He was gone in a burst of green flames. The silence truly ceased then as almost everyone seemed to speak all at once. Lord Fawley was on his feet, uttering a "excuse me," before he hurried over to Lord Brown to share in the gossip.
"I sure hope that you know what you are doing," Malcolm said softly from his seat beside Sirius.
At that moment the scale tipped more toward him liking Malcolm Macmillan than hating him. He was sure the scale would tip again in the other direction the next time he saw the man with Olivia. "I do," he replied simply.
Malcolm sighed. "I will be at Gringotts to be one of your witnesses," Malcolm said when he realized that Sirius would never ask him to be a witness. "I was here for this, it would be odd if I were not likewise a witness."
"And you are curious," Sirius teased Malcolm.
Malcolm shook his head. "Not about that child's parentage," he denied. "I am curious about how Abbott shall react when he realizes that he has been wrong about her."
"It matters not," Sirius countered. "He vowed that Hannah could never dwell in a home owned by the Abbott's while he lived. He vowed he'd never take her in," he reminded Malcolm. "Hannah shall remain free of his taint and still be restored to House Abbott."
"She'll Foster with you then," Malcolm said simply. "When you marry Alicia that is," he added.
Sirius eyed him for a moment before he slowly nodded. "I wouldn't dream of parting mother and child," he assured Malcolm.
"Good," his counterpart declared even as they were joined by Pollux Black.
"Well done, Sirius," Pollux told him as he took up the seat that had been vacated by Lord Fawley.
Sirius felt the warmth of his Grandfather's pride in him fill him up and sooth the rage that burned in him. Abbott deserved death, he was sure of it. He was positive that the vile man had long suspected that Hannah was his granddaughter and he had done nothing to restore her to the family. He was equally sure that had Hannah been born a male instead of a female then Lord Abbott would have seen her tested and then restored. Death was not always a fitting revenge though. Lord Abbott being forced to own up to the truth of Hannah's parentage but having no say in how the Heir Abbott, for that title would become hers as it was always meant to be, was raised would be the best revenge. It was a far better revenge than death at Sirius's hands could be.
Thank you for reading and reviewing! I am amazed and so very pleased that people have enjoyed this story enough to give me over 1,000 reviews! Thank you just doesn't seem to be enough to express the happiness I feel and the gratitude that I feel for each of you who has taken the time to read and review this story. I also want to thank everyone who has chosen to read this story but hasn't reviewed. I know sometimes it can be hard to get time to read, let alone review a story that you have enjoyed. Again...thank you everyone!
Next Chapter: Hannah shall be tested at Gringott's and her parentage determined once and for all.
