Chapter 65: Safe
Blackmoor, Essex, England
May 29, 1991
Leonis awoke slowly to the feeling of a hand smoothing gently up and down his back. He blinked open sleep crusted eyes and then sucked in a harsh breath as the realization hit him that the hand on his back didn't belong to Aunt Cassiopeia because Aunt Cassie was dead.
"Leo," his brother, Orion's voice, murmured to him in sympathy. A moment later Orion was laying down beside him, curling his body around him, holding him. "It'll be okay," he said softly and Leonis turned his head and sobbed into his brother's shoulder.
He didn't know how long he let himself sob against Orion, didn't really care about the time spent giving into his grief. He needed this. Needed to release these emotions, especially before he had to face the others. Somehow knowing that Orion was here, safe, made his heart swell with relief. Someone had already taken His Grandfathers, his Grandmother, and his Aunt Cassie from him. He wouldn't be able to stand it if they took Orion or Ernie from him.
He sucked in a harsh breath then. Ernie! Where was his brother? Where was his mother? Had anyone thought to send them word of the death of Melania Black nee Macmillan? Had his father, the Regent, thought to contact Lord Macmillan to tell him of the death of his kin and to offer comfort in this time of mutual despair?
Ernie adored Melania Black. She was his Great-Great-Aunt and the only Grandmotherly figure that he had in his life. Now she was gone. Ernie would be hurting too. Leonis wanted his family close to him. He wanted Ernie and his mother where he could see them, where he knew they were safe!
Slowly he pulled away from Orion and sat up. Orion slid off the bed a moment later and went to the dresser to retrieve a box of tissues. He returned a moment later with the box and offered it to him.
Leonis took a few tissues and took a few moments to wipe his eyes and blow his nose. Then he looked at his brother, really looked at him since waking up. Orion looked sad, blue eyes rimmed red. A sign that he had cried recently. "When did you arrive?" he asked softly.
"An hour ago," Orion answered. "Papa and I took a portkey," he explained. "It brought us to father's home in London," he said referring to Sirius as father. It was a habit that Orion had fallen into years ago. Remus Lupin was papa and Sirius Black was father. "We were greeted there by Uncle Cygnus and he brought us here to Blackmoor."
"There are passwords on the floo and anti-apparition wards on the grounds," Leonis explained to his sibling.
Orion nodded. "Uncle Cygnus told me that," he said. "This place is like a luxurious palace," he said in wonder.
"It was built long ago as a fortress to protect our bloodline," he reminded Orion. "Our ancestors may have decorated it nicely over the centuries but at heart, it is still a fortress designed to protect us," he shuddered then. That they needed protection was all too clear after the murder of his Grandfathers, Grandmother, and Aunt along with Lord Malfoy.
Orion sobered at that and nodded. "A pretty deception then," he said. "At least we will be comfortable," he added trying to once more lighten the mood.
Leonis gave him a wane smile. "Yes," he said. "Hermione, Theo, Aleksei, Luna, and Draco will be thrilled with the library," he murmured as he arose from his bed.
He smiled slightly when he found his traveling trunk at the foot of the bed. His dear House-Elf, Kryn, must have taken the time to pack him some basic clothing and supplies. Bless that Elf! He opened the black and silver trunk and began to rummage through it looking for the right sort of outfit for the day. He wanted to be comfortable yet knew that he would need to look presentable. If the Auror's came to speak with them today, then Leonis needed to be present for that. He settled on a comfortable pair of black muggle jeans and a white button-down shirt. Aunt Cassiopeia had found the attire acceptable for casual wear. He saved his t-shirts and muggle denim for when he was going to be outdoors or when he was visiting his father.
Anyway, he had to wear the white shirt. He was in mourning. Wizards always wore white when they mourned.
"I'm going to get a quick shower," he told Orion.
His brother nodded. "I'm going to settle in," he said motioning to his own two trunks of belongings. "Papa said I would be spending the rest of the summer with you and father," he added when Leonis looked at him curiously.
Leonis felt something ease in him at that. He and Orion had never spent so much time with one another before. There had been week-long visits between them, but never so much as a full month let alone more. "Thank you, Ori," he said feeling unaccountably grateful that his brother was spending the summer with him. He was just sorry for the reason it had come about.
He closed himself up into the shared bathroom and then set his clothes gently on the bathroom vanity. He released a shuddering sigh as he slowly noticed that his toothbrush was already in a cup by the sink. He brushed his teeth and then he began to strip out of his pajamas. He barely remembered his father helping to get him settled for bed last night. Everything was a blur of sorrow and a deep dark ache inside. This morning the ache was there, but there was also a thrumming in his blood.
Vengeance, he knew.
He stepped into the shower and proceeded to wash, swift and thorough. Aunt Cassie would want him to be prompt for breakfast. She would want him to be the perfect Heir Black. She would want…
He choked on a sob and let his head rest for a moment against the cool tile of the shower stall. Aunt Cassie wasn't here to instruct him any longer. She was no longer able to guide him. She wouldn't be around to guide any of them. He wasn't the perfect Heir Black any longer. He was Lord Black. Lord Black before he should have had to assume that mantle. Too soon. Too soon and he was so young and had no experience. He had never felt so young and so vulnerable.
He forced himself to finish the shower, forced back the tears and forced himself to finish cleaning himself up. Once done he turned off the water and toweled himself dry. He dressed methodically, barely paying attention to what he was doing, fingers buttoning his shirt on instinct.
He glanced at himself in the mirror and then a horrible thought struck him. He gulped and then with a hoarse voice called out for his House-Elf. "Kryn."
The Elf appeared in the room and rushed to him. "Master Leonis," the Elf said and oh it was such a relief that the Elf had not said, Lord Black.
"Kryn is," he paused because he was suddenly afraid to ask. He was suddenly afraid of the answer. "Is Timery gone?" he asked referring to his Aunt Cassiopeia's personal House-Elf.
Kryn's eyes filled with tears but the dear little thing refused to shed them. Brave and strong was his Kryn. "Yes," the Elf told him sadly. "Timery died in battle fighting bravely beside Mistress Cassie," Kryn said and it was a harder struggle for the little thing not to weep. "It is an honorable death," Kryn said then with a stubborn little set to his shoulders.
Leonis nodded his head, grief welling again within him. "Yes, and Timery was such a good and brave Elf," he said quietly, sorrow in his voice. "Timery deserved a good death and what better death than in trying to protect those that you love?"
Kryn did cry then, big teardrops falling down his face. Leonis didn't hesitate to embrace his Elf and then they were both crying. Leonis didn't ask about Dred, the Personal House-Elf of Lord Black. He knew that the Elf was dead. Just as he knew that Lord Malfoy's Elf was dead, and Grandpa Pollux's Elf and his Grandma Melania's Elf. They were dead too. They had died along with their chosen, protecting them.
Slowly Leonis pulled himself back from his sorrow and so too did Kryn. With a snap of his fingers, Leonis's face was dried and the image that greeted him in the mirror was of a presentable yet sorrowful young man. He looked sad and his eyes were red-rimmed but there were no tear tracks on his face. His nose no longer looked red from his tears and thankfully he was not a snotty mess.
"Please tell the other Elves at Ivy Hall that I grieve with them for the loss of Timery and the loss of Mistress Cassie," Leonis said gently to Kryn.
"Kryn tells them," he said.
"Go and mourn with them. Tomorrow return to Blackmoor with some of my books and more of my clothing, it is the will of the Regent that we stay here for the summer," he told his Elf.
"Kryn shall obey," he said and then he snapped his fingers and disappeared again, apparating away.
Leonis exited the bathroom and found Orion waiting for him. "Ready to go down?" his brother asked him.
"As ready as I will ever be," he returned. Then the two left their room behind and headed down the hall and then down the stairs to the main floor of the house.
"I wonder what's for breakfast?" Orion asked softly. "Papa and I ate a strawberry pastry before we packed up and came here, but I'm hungry," he said.
Leonis hadn't thought he would be hungry, not with all the crying he had done last night and then this morning too, but now at the mention of food, he found that he was indeed hungry. Famished even. "We should get to the breakfast room and find out," he said simply.
They continued on, down a hall that had looked to be made of white marble with golden veins in the walls. This hall had two portraits in it, one was of their Great-Great Aunt Lycoris Black and the other was of their Great-Great Uncle Regulus. Both were the younger siblings of the late Arcturus Black III.
"Lord Black, Heir Black" Regulus's voice murmured a greeting to them from within his portrait.
"Uncle," Leonis managed to voice his greeting but he continued on, not stopping to converse further with his beloved Great-Grandsire's younger brother. Well, his portrait anyway.
"Our condolences Lord Black," voiced Lycoris Black.
At this, he paused and looked upon the portrait of the beautiful woman. "Thank you, Aunt Lycoris," he said after a moment. "And my condolences to you," he said.
She smiled at that. "Thank you," she said. "I do wish that Arcturus could have had a few more years with you. I know that is what he really wanted."
Leonis couldn't say anything to that so he just nodded. "Please take care of him," he said after a moment.
She nodded. "Of course," she assured him.
And that was that. Leonis continued on with Orion at his side. They finally entered the breakfast room and it seemed like chaos reigned. There were voices raised in argument and Leonis almost groaned when he realized that he was the reason for the argument.
"Honestly, Grandmother this idea is absurd!" Cygnus Black said from his spot seated to the left of Sirius Black. He was glaring daggers at Violetta Black nee Bulstrode.
Leonis sighed softly in aggravation at the sight of the Great Three, the three Great Widows of House Black sitting primly in the middle of the table. His Great-Great Grandmother Hesper Black nee Gamp looked like she had wept recently but she was otherwise composed. On her left sat Lysandra Black nee Yaxley the widow of Arcturus Black II. She was the mother of Callidora Longbottom nee Black, Cedrella Weasley nee Black, and Charis Crouch nee Black. Leonis was fonder of Aunt Lysandra than he was of his Great-Great Grandmother Violetta.
Violetta Black sat to the right of Hesper and she had an obstinate look etched across her face. "Just because it isn't what you want doesn't make it absurd," she declared.
"The idea makes perfect sense," Hesper's voice joined the fight. "The island is a much better place to raise Lord Black," she said.
"Absolutely not!" Sirius snapped, and Leonis was relieved to see that Sirius was fighting against the idea of the Great Three taking him away to live with them at their Villa on Krk Island. Leonis couldn't imagine what sort of hell his life would turn into trapped on that island with the three older women. He barely knew them, didn't completely trust them, and he didn't want to be taken away somewhere where he wouldn't be able to see his siblings and his cousins. He didn't want to be kept away from his family.
"You are not taking my son anywhere!" Sirius snarled the last, his blue eyes promising pain to any who thought about taking Leonis away from him.
Leonis felt a wave of warm affection toward his father. His father was fierce in the protection of those he loved. It was perhaps Sirius Black's greatest trait. "You are right," Leonis said, his voice making the others stop and turn to look at him. He slowly moved away from the door, motioning for Orion to follow him. He didn't settle in at the head of the table though. Instead, he took up his usual seat to the right of the head place. His Grandsire was not buried yet. The funeral rites had not been performed. Until then, that seat would remain empty. Maybe longer even. Leonis wasn't sure he could bear to sit in that seat anytime soon. "I'm not going anywhere," Leonis said after he was seated, painfully aware of the many eyes upon him. He was grateful for Orion who took the seat at his side.
"Leonis, darling," Hesper gentled her voice to speak to him. "It would be better for you to come live with us. We can keep you safe at the Villa," she said.
"Yes," Violetta joined in, her tone dismissive of him and his wishes. A child. She viewed him as a child whose wishes were of little to no importance. "Let Sirius remain here and play at being Lord of House while we teach you how to be a proper Lord," she said, and her tone was so dismissive of his father that Leonis felt a need to stab her with his fork. Fortunately for her, she was several seats removed from him. He'd have to jump across five bodies just to reach her. He would never embarrass himself with such an improper display of temper.
"Have a care," his Uncle Cygnus said, dangerous warning in his voice as he stared at Violetta. "Sirius is the acknowledged Regent," he reminded his Grandmother.
Leonis nodded his agreement and smiled in gratitude at his uncle. "Quite right," he agreed with Cygnus. "I don't think that I would want to learn from you. Based on the way you are behaving, I would only learn poor manners. Aunt Cassiopeia," he had to fight to keep his voice strong as he spoke now. "She taught me better," he added.
"Darling," Hesper coaxed then. "Your safety is of the utmost importance. You would be safe at the Villa and we could teach you so much," she said.
He frowned at her. "And what of my brothers? My sister? My cousins? Will they too be permitted to live at the Villa?"
"Not all of them," Violetta said and glared briefly at Hermione who was seated with Nymphadora on one side of her and Dudley on the other.
"I see," Leonis said knowingly. He had been well warned before he had ever met Violetta Black that she was prejudiced against Muggleborn's. She was the sort of woman that agreed with all of Lord Voldemort's ideals even if she never bore his mark and joined his cause. She would not have wept had Voldemort won. This was the same woman that would not speak to her child, Marius Black, simply because he was a Squib. She disdained Nymphadora for being the child of a Muggleborn Wizard. She disdained Dudley for being Marius's son. She disdained Hermione for being a Muggleborn descendant of Black Squibs. He really didn't think he cared to hear anything else that she had to say.
"My answer is no," he said firmly. "I will not go live with you. I will remain here at Blackmoor."
"You need to learn how to be Lord Black, we can teach you," Hesper tried again.
"How?" Leonis asked with a knowing look in his gray eyes. "You were never raised to be a Lord of House. None of you were. Two of you were married to men who never held such responsibility," he added glancing between Violetta and Lysandra. "And I know that Great-Great Grandpa Sirius never shared his burdens with you Grandma Hesper," he said pointedly.
Violetta was bristling with anger, but it was Lysandra who nodded her head, acknowledging his points. "I agree with you Lord Black," she said. "Please forgive us if we have overstepped. It was done out of our desire to protect you and nurture you and not out of a desire to control you," she said.
It wasn't true. Not completely. He could believe that Lysandra and Hesper wished to see him safe and secure, but not Violetta. The woman was not an affectionate woman. She bore no love for him. It was about controlling Lord Black to her. He was sure of that. Nevertheless, he smiled at Lysandra. "Your affection warms me," he said ritual words to acknowledge that they were forgiven for causing him and the others around him undue stress. Hesper and Violetta didn't look pleased, but they said no more about it during the remainder of breakfast. He didn't doubt that they would try again in the coming days to convince him that his place was with them on their island, far from the rest of his family.
It wasn't going to happen.
Leonis filled his plate and began to eat. His mind going over how exactly he needed to word his first order. In the end, he finally looked up at his father. Seated across from him, Sirius Black was watching him closely, studying him with worried blue eyes. Leonis wanted to just blurt out that he was alright. That he was hurting yes, but so were the rest of them. They each hurt and were mourning for Lord and Lady Black and Cassie and Pollux and even Abraxas Malfoy in their own ways. He thought briefly of Lucius Malfoy, now Lord Malfoy. Lucius and his father had been close. What wouldn't he give to just have his father back? What wouldn't Leonis give just to have his Grandpa Arcturus back?
Leonis would be greedy though. He'd try to cheat death and take back Arcturus, Cassie, Pollux, Melania, and Abraxas all. He didn't know how he would live without them, but he had to try. He had no other choice. No one could reclaim that which death had taken. His thoughts could not remain with the dead. He had the living to see to.
"Regent Black," Leonis said softly but it caught the attention of most of the occupants of the table.
Sirius stared at him with a measuring gaze and nodded. "Lord Black," he returned.
"Uncle Cygnus," he said then making sure that the other man was included in the conversation.
Cygnus gave him a slight smile. "Lord Black," he said, and his voice was full of a gentleness that he had rarely heard from the usually cool and distant man. Though Cygnus had slowly thawed over the last few years.
"I need to compose a letter to Lord Macmillan conveying my condolences on the loss of his Great-Aunt," Leonis said. "I would like for you to help me with the proper wording Uncle Cygnus," he said.
"Of course, Lord Black," Cygnus said and there was pride in his eyes as he looked upon him.
"Father," Leonis said addressing Sirius. "If Lord Macmillan has not been informed of his Great-Aunt's death then I need you to do so. I also wish for you to convey my invitation to Lord Macmillan, my lady mother, and my brother the Heir Macmillan to come and stay with us here at Blackmoor."
Sirius smiled at him. "I spoke with Malcolm early this morning," he assured Leonis. "I did take advantage of my position as Regent to issue an invitation for them to join us at Blackmoor. He has agreed. They shall be arriving late this afternoon."
Leonis felt relief fill him at that. "Thank you," he murmured.
Sirius nodded. "I knew that you would want your brother safe," he said but didn't add that Leonis would also need his mother now.
He smiled softly at Sirius and then turned his gaze to his cousin Andromeda. "Andromeda," he called to her. When she met his gaze, he asked. "Where is Eleanor?"
"She is vacationing with her family," she answered. "They are due to return home tomorrow. Her House-Elf is with her, stealthily watching over her. I intend to call Mrs. Branstone tomorrow and alert her to the situation and what time I'll be by to collect Eleanor."
He paused in indecision. He didn't really want to ruin Eleanor's vacation. Things had been especially bad between Eleanor and her Grandmother for the last few years. The woman had become downright awful just because Eleanor was a Witch. He knew it was something that the late Lord Black had agonized over. Instinct had said to remove Eleanor from Corinne Branstone's care, but Eleanor loved the woman dearly. Leonis wished now that Lord Black had removed Eleanor from Corinne's care so that it would never have to be his decision to make. "I trust that you have the situation in hand then and I will adhere to your judgment in regard to Eleanor. I want her to join us here at Blackmoor once she has returned from her vacation."
"It will be done, Lord Black," Andromeda said with a smile.
"Thank you," he said because he was polite. Cassiopeia had made sure of that.
He smiled softly at the thought of his Aunt. There was pain there still, an ache deep inside that he wasn't sure would ever really ease. Cassiopeia Black was an extraordinary woman and he was going to miss her desperately for the rest of his life.
After breakfast he retired to an old office that once was used by Phineus Nigellus Black when he would spend time at Blackmoor. He sat before the windows with his Uncle Cygnus and he expressed what he wanted to convey to Lord Macmillan. It didn't matter that his Step-father was coming to Blackmoor that day. It didn't matter that he could say things to him then. This was official. This was Lord Black commiserating with Lord Macmillan over a shared loss. Later, when he would greet his Step-father he could be Leonis. He could hold onto Malcolm Macmillan and sob and tell him how sorry he was that he would now miss Melania too. Miss the woman that used to fuss over him as though he were own child.
Cygnus helped him to structure his sentences into the correct ways to elegantly convey his commiseration. Elegant words to express a shared grief.
Later that afternoon he greeted Lord Macmillan with the proper words as Lord Black and then he rushed into the arms that Malcolm opened up for him and he sobbed into his Step-father's strong chest. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry!"
Malcolm held him tight and kissed his left temple. "You have no reason to apologize," Malcolm Macmillan told him. "Death," he said in a voice that was full of heartbreak. "Death comes for us all," he said gently to Leonis.
Leonis nodded because that was true. He knew it was. Death was patient. Death would wait. Well, Death had taken several loved ones from him now. Death could wait to take more.
When at last Leonis released Malcolm, he was more composed. He greeted his mother with a fierce hug. "Love you," he murmured into her neck, inhaling the sweet floral scent of her perfume.
"My darling," Olivia Macmillan murmured into his hair as she held him tight. "I am so sorry," she whispered.
He nodded his head and took a moment to burrow closer, to let his mother hold him just a little bit longer. He hadn't indulged in this form of affection in years. Gentle hugs, swiftly done and then gone, but not cuddles like this. He had thought he was too old for cuddles, even if he sometimes craved them. Now he needed them, and his mother's cuddles had always been wonderful!
When he parted from his mother he looked to his brother. Ernie's blond hair was tousled in that way that their mother hated. Clearly, his brother's hands had been raking through the thick locks. Leonis didn't speak, he just took a hold of his brother's hand and led him away from the adults and out onto the balcony that overlooked the back garden.
They stood there together at the railing, enjoying the feel of the warm sunlight on their skin and the air chilled from afternoon rain showers. "She was a great woman," Leonis said, at last, referring to Melania Black nee Macmillan.
"She was," Ernest agreed eagerly. "She made the best cookies and brownies. Remember when she tried to teach us?" he asked.
Leonis smiled at that. It had been a disaster. More flower had gotten on them than into the mixing bowl. "Yes," he said with a soft smile. "She didn't even yell at us," he reminded Ernie.
Ernie's blue eyes, the same shade as Melania's, seemed to sparkle with both mirth and tears then. "She was so great like that. She rarely chided us but when she did, we knew to listen."
Melania had been great like that, Leonis agreed. She had been kind. Probably the kindest woman that he had ever met. Maybe she'd be the kindest woman he'd ever know, though he hoped not. He hoped there would be other kind women, kind men that he might meet. He hoped that some of his cousins would grow up as kind as Melania Black had been. He hoped he could protect them from harm, so they could be happy and that kind. He wished he could be that kind but no, he couldn't. He and Ernie, they would rule their Houses one day. They didn't have the luxury of just being kind men. They had to be ruthless men too.
"The world seems a little less bright without her," Ernie said softly.
"Yeah," Leonis said softly back. "We'll have to see what we can do about brightening it, so she'll be proud of us," he said wistfully.
Ernie smiled at that and a few tears fell down his cheek. "She'd like that, I think."
Leonis put an arm around his brother and pulled the boy close. Ernie's breath hitched and then a sob escaped him. "I know she would," he said as he then held onto his brother and sought to comfort him with his presence. Ernie was here. He was safe, and he was here. He didn't know who had killed his family, but at least now he knew that they wouldn't find Ernie. Wouldn't kill Ernie. It was probably irrational of him to think so, but he couldn't know what the vendetta of those villains was. Was Lord Malfoy their target and his family got in the way, protecting their ally? Was Lord Black the target and his family and ally rallied to help him? Now that Lord Malfoy and Lord Black were dead did this mean that his family was safe from those who had killed them? He didn't know.
He knew that most of his family was here though, safe within the protection of Blackmoor's Wards. They were safe…for now.
A reviewer Guest questioned where Scorpius was during the events of the last chapter. Was it an oversight on my part or deliberate? It was deliberate. We shall see Scorpius Lestrange in the next chapter.
