Hey everyone,
We're going to stick with the weekend a little bit longer. I didn't originally intend on this, but I felt it'd be something idiots like Smith, Ginerva and maybe one or two others would try shortly after seeing Jillian for the first time. Only this chapter won't actually involve Jillian or even have her present in the first place.
Confused, yet?

Venquine1990

Chapter 20
Three Contracts, Three Mistakes

12th of November 1994
DADA office, Hogwarts
Sirius' POV

The entrance of my little girl to the Great Hall went exactly the way I expected. Everyone was, naturally, stunned by her gorgeous looks, the girl held herself strong and with the natural pride of a Pureblood Heiress – which she will be once my adoption of her is complete – and Granger was the only real nuisance in it all.
Still, I'm far from stupid and have decided to just stay in my office, behind my desk for the day, having moved it so that it faces both the door and the fireplace on the left of the door directly. And yet the first person to knock on my door and get my permission to enter actually surprises me, even though the surprise is short-lived.
"Ginny or Ronald?" I ask as Arthur sighs and walks over, coming to sit in the chair in front of my desk and he says: "Ginny, but she says it's in Ron's name and, while I know that Molly is sick of her right now, do I also know them both well enough that, if I'm not seen coming here, Ginerva's going to try and use – Halloween methods, to get this."

This really angers and annoys me, not just because that little girl needs to stop thinking she has any say over my goddaughter – soon to be daughter's – life, but also because I can tell how much it emotionally and mentally hurts Arthur to have to come here and do this, when it's so obvious he really doesn't want to.
But then I remember something else and mutter: "This – might just work in our favor." Arthur looks up shocked and I ask: "You know about Ron and his illness and what he is doing to try and beat that, right? And he's a chess master, isn't he? Someone who knows how to plan strategies that will ensure him a solid victory?"
The man nods and I smirk as I ask: "How good of an actor is he?" The man looks confused, but then I start to tell him. Of my plan and what I want to do next weekend. How I fear for the Hyenas and what they might try to get out of that event. But also how Ron, if he plays his cards right, might just prove himself worthy of our trust again.
"All he needs to do is tell Ginerva and Granger that it's for the sake of winning our trust , so he can get my girl or some stupid excuse like that and they'll think they got us played when it's really the other way around. And that will make sure I can hold my little girl's Announcement Party without fearing for Hyena interference."

I say in the end, yet Arthur still seems hesitant and says: "He'll want something out of it. A reward of some kind." At which I cross my arms and say: "If he does a good job, I will allow him at the party as the one to keep the other Hyena's out. If he does that, I will personally teach him the Patronus and one charm of his own choice.
Granted that that charm is of his choice and his choice only and that it can't be used in anyway or form to get Halloween results. If he wants, I'll hire a Gringotts Goblins to set up a contract." At which Arthur smirks and says: "He just might, if only to have something he can use to trick Ginerva and Granger with."

I nod at him, realizing that he has a fair point and say: "Get him alone, private, and explain all of this to him. Make sure that he doesn't snitch any of this to the other two and then let me know if I need to get in contact with Gringotts or not." The man nods and stands up as he says: "I am sorry about this, Sirius, really, I am."
But I shake my head and say: "You are protecting my little girl and have given me a solution to a problem I've had for a few days now. You have nothing to apologize for, Arthur." The man smiles and leaves. Yet as he closes the door behind him, do I just know that handling him and his contract was just the beginning of it all.

And indeed not even an hour later, another knock is heard on my door, making me sigh and allow the next one entrance, already knowing that it's not Remus or one of the staff as they use the other entrance, that has a portrait in front of it and know the password. Yet it's not one person who enters this time, but two.
Both are male and are obviously father and son as they share a lot of similarities. Both of them have blond hair, though the elder one has that combed in a very fashionable and familiar Pureblood style, while the other just has it combed all over the place. Yet it is the way they both have an upturned nose that bothers me.
And the look in the boy's eyes doesn't help either, no matter how much he tries to hide it. Of course I do know who he is as I have had him in various classes these last few weeks and his attitude makes me feel even more discomfort over why he could be here now. Yet I don't let any of this show and just keep my passive face on.

"Lord Black." The man greets me and I return: "Lord Smith." Remembering the several dozen times that his son would gloat about the fact that he can trace his lineage back to Helga Hufflepuff herself. Yet while I have kept quiet about what I know so far, my memories on Pureblood lessons having returned to me gradually, do I wonder if I still should.
The two walk into my office and take the two seats that I am sure the House Elves provided after the door was opened and before I can even offer them some pleasantries, as is custom, does the man say: "Allow me to start. I am happy to let you know that my son is most interested in creating a bond of equal benefit with your goddaughter.
My Zacharias is quite taken with your Jillian and has expressed great promises of what he wants his future with her to look like. Naturally, an Heir of Helga Hufflepuff will have many great things to offer an Heiress of not just the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, but, I can only imagine, House of Black as well."

By now I am trying very hard not to look bored or disinterested at the man and have hidden my lips behind my crossed fingers before I notice it. As his father keeps talking, has Smith junior started to smirk more and more and a strong look of lust is now obvious in the boy's eyes as he has dropped all forms of pretense and dignity.
This infuriates me and then Mr. Smith asks: "So, what do you say, Lord Black? Do we have a deal? Will there be a contract set up between these two wondrous year mates?" And there the man makes a huge mistake, making me lower my hands down to my desk and show the man the smirk that is on my face and that is positively shark-like.
The man looks startled and I say: "Oh Lord Smith. Lord, Smith, Lord Smith, Lord Smith. Do you have any idea how lucky you are right now? Lucky to have me in front of you and not my mother? Because let me tell you, if you tried this with her, she would make you feel as if you were under the Cruciatus – without ever touching her wand."

The man gulps, all his bravado and self-confidence gone and his son looks shell-shocked, as if he can't believe I just said that. Yet I turn to him and ask: "What is my goddaughter's favorite class? Who, other than the traitors, did she hang with before her transformation? Where does she prefer to spend most of her free time?
What is her favorite book? How often does she go to the library? And most importantly, did you ever in the last four years, share any sort of table space with her?" The boy looks between me and his father, his eyes desperate for either of us to help him and I smirk. I turn back to his father, who shows me that he understands what just happened.

"Your son saw my goddaughter, Lord Smith, and lusted after her for her looks and her looks alone. He decided to inform you of this and of his desire to have her join the family. He just forgot to remind you of how serious I take my role as her guardian and how important her future is to me. Which means, I won't give it away all willy-nilly.
Yes, there is a contract that has already been written, my goddaughter and a close friend of hers worked together to make it while she was staying in the Hospital Wing and it will be revealed at her Introduction Party. Before then, understand that I have zero to no interestin any contract of any sort from anyone.
I already just sent Arthur Weasley on his way, telling him more or less the same thing, so I hope you and your son can see where you stand. Yes, you and your son can lay claim to Helga Hufflepuff's heritage all you want, but – if I were you – I'd check a few facts. Namely the Great Battle of Shrewsbury in 1138."
The man looks at this confused and I sigh as I say: "Henrius Hufflepuff lost his life in that battle, Lord Smith and while he was engaged, the wedding never happened, thus his fiancé never gained full control of the estate. Yes, your line does descend from her, I checked that after hearing your son speak, but full control, you have not."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Smith junior yells, but I glare him quiet before snarling: "Lord Smith, do yourself and your line a favor. Take your son home and teach him what the Lord of a House that ranks above his can do if said Lord is falsely accused of lying – and then remind him what this Lord Black thinks of false accusations."
The man whitens, turning whiter than snow and he snaps: "Zach, we're leaving. Now before I get you suspended." He snarls as his son tries to speak out, but the boy squeaks and looks between his father and me one last time before he follows the other man out. And as the door closes behind him, do I sit back and sigh in relief.

Yet I only get a few minutes to calm down before another knock is heard and I suppress a groan as I say: "Enter." And upon seeing who the next visitor is, do I instantly snap: "Don't." Lucius Malfoy stops in his tracks and I growl: "I do not marry family of to family. Jillian is to be my daughter at the end of my probation, so don't bother."
"Sirius, surely you can –." The man tries, but I give him the one thing I am glad that my mother taught me, a death glare worthy of Walburga Black herself. The man reels back, his grip on his cane slacking and the cane itself falling on the floor, the sound of the silver head hitting the wood at the edge of the floor resounding through the room.
"I know you have the Mark, Lucius. And unfortunately for you, I already have a contract set up, one were rule #4 is that no direct family of my daughter's partner is to have any association with the murderer of her birth parents or his subjects. You and your sister-in-law, my other cousin, do not have that luxury, so it won't happen."

And this time I decide to just release all of the pent-up anger and annoyance I feel over all of this, all these meetings and the fact that they happened so soon after my daughter only had a single meal in public. I add all of this frustration into my glare and turn my voice as cold as the surroundings of a Dementor as I hiss:
"And finally, Lucius, is there one more reason, which is also a rule in the contract, that will keep your son from being able to bind himself to my child. He may hide it all he wants, and trust me, Snape has been taking a lot of points from Slytherin over that, but your son, for actions not dissimilar to Ronald's, is a Hyena."
Lucius looks horrified and I snap: "Go ask your friend yourself if you don't believe me. He'll tell you the exact same thing. And remember, Lucius. Severus was there the night my little one was attacked. He saw the disgusting nature of such people first hand. He, therefore, has a very good reason to be cross with Draco and subject him to that House."
The man looks at me, his eyes proving how much he is struggling between his own disbelief and the knowledge that I am presenting him with nothing but facts and then he slowly takes back his cane and says: "Lord Black." I nod at him and as he closes the door behind him, do I sigh, my relief growing as the rest of the day passes undisturbed.

Well done, Sirius.
Unfortunately problems like this are far from over. After all, Jillian will be going back to classes next chapter and in those – or in between those – there might be a few who might not be as formal as all of this. However, you don't have to worry, she won't be alone. She will have many of her friends as well as the staff.
Thank Lady Hogwarts,

Venquine1990
PS. Sorry that this chapter wasn't that long. I'll try to make next chapter longer.