What If Series: The Black Prince

by Miss Mysteria

Chapter Nine

"Sirius, my boy, I wonder if I could have a word?" Sirius winced and craned his neck to see Arcturus conversing with Lord Nott and his Heir who was staring at the floor nervously, no doubt cowed by the infamous Lord Black's presence. He clamped the hand that was already on Lorcan's shoulder tighter and spun to face Dumbledore, who was stood at the bottom of the stairs in the Wizengamot Chamber.

He inclined his head, pulling the emotionless mask over his face and knowing automatically that his son was doing the same. "Of course, Headmaster." Dumbledore looked slightly put out over the formal term, but nevertheless soldiered on. His blue eyes travelled down to meet with Lorcan's startling green before narrowing and moving quickly back up to Sirius'. Sirius tightened his grip once again.

Dumbledore plastered on a smile so bright Sirius thought he might have to squint. "Very nice to see you, my boy. Very nice. How long has it been now?"

"About six years. My first Wizengamot session."

"Ah, yes. I remember it like it was yesterday. I recall that it went very similar to your...son's?"

Sirius nodded and pushed Lorcan forward ever-so-slightly, but still held onto his shoulder. A fact that did not go unnoticed by Dumbledore or Lorcan.

Lorcan held out his hand, "Lorcan Black, Headmaster Dumbledore. Pleasure to meet you."

Dumbledore slipped his aged hand into the younger one, smile turning condescending and voice lower, "And yourself, Lorcan," He either didn't notice both Black's wince or chose to ignore it, "I must say, it was quite the feat of your father to keep your existence quiet for so many years. No doubt you were bored at home...?"

It was obvious what the man was doing, or obvious to them, both having been trained from a young age to recognise manipulation and sly hints. Lorcan took his hand back and placed it in his pocket so that the man wouldn't take it again. "Not at all, Headmaster. I enjoy the solitude of library's, especially the ones that the Black family hold. In addition, I-" he made a small pause, unnoticeable to anyone but his dad, who squeezed his shoulder in permission, "-met Neville Longbottom when I was younger and frequently spend time with my grandparents at Black Manor and regularly spend time with Neville and his grandmother, Lady Longbottom, at Longbottom Manor."

"Interesting, how-"

"Yes, it is all very interesting. Lorcan is an intelligent young man, as is Heir Longbottom, which is why they spend copious amounts of time together so, I assure you, Chief Warlock, that my grandson is not at all bored, as you say, with his day-to-day life." Sirius almost sagged in relief as his grandfather's voice broke into the conversation, or interrogation. He turned and was surprised to see Lord Nott at his right shoulder and his Heir appearing less nervous than before. Perhaps it was because he was stood next to Lorcan and not Arcturus. Or perhaps it was because Arcturus' attention was now on something else. "Also, he has recently become friendly with Theodore-" Sirius noted the boy's flinch, "-Nott, here, if you needed to be aware of all my great-grandson's friendships."

Dumbledore's jaw hung for a moment, before clutching together swiftly. He nodded once, to Lorcan and Sirius. "Not at all, Lord Black, I was merely curious about the boy. After all, none of us had heard of him before."

Lord Nott's smooth monotone cut in before anyone else could, eager to get a word in, "Strictly speaking, Chief Warlock, that is incorrect. After all, I had been aware of Sirius and Remus having a son." Sirius frowned slightly at the comfortable use of his and Remus' first names, but hid it well.

"Had you?" Dumbledore looked surprised, "I was not aware you and Sirius were close, Lord Nott." Sirius noted the use of Nott's full title and felt more distaste for Dumbledore's strict use of his first name.

Lord Nott chuckled, "Well, we were in the same year at Hogwarts, in different Houses sure, but in the same year. Remus used to tutor me in Defense Against the Dark arts."

Sirius tried his hardest to conceal his surprise at this revelation, but he knew from Lorcan's swift elbow in his side that he wasn't quite as successful as he had hoped. He cleared his throat, "Yes, myself and Thraxis met countless times on the Quidditch Pitch, Headmaster. Both Beaters but on separate teams. I wasn't aware that Remus had tutored you, however."

Nott nodded, "I struggled in Defense admittedly. I paid him back in due course, with the chocolate apparel sent most Christmas'," a slight mischievous smirk appeared on his face, "and I do recall playing head-to-head against you, Sirius. I remember winning most, if not all games."

"Completely untrue." Sirius scoffed and Nott laughed lightly as Lorcan rolled his eyes towards Theodore, who gave a tentative smile back. Dumbledore, seemingly uncomfortable now that the chance to interrogate Sirius and Lorcan had passed quickly, sent the five of them a tight smile and gestured towards the door, where Cornelius Fudge was waiting for him, hopping from foot to foot impatiently. Sirius' eyebrows drew together at the action; was this really the man set to take over from Bagnold when she retired in a few years? It seemed that way from what the papers had been presenting but Fudge, to Sirius, was a ridiculously pompous, nervous man with a penchant for getting Albus Dumbledore's approval on everything he did. That was not something he, nor the wizarding community of Britain, needed.

"I am afraid that Cornelius is in need of me," The man nodded once to Sirius, Arcturus and Thraxis, before smiling condescendingly at the two seven-year-olds, who tried their hardest not to look put-off by it, and then they watched as he strode off, bright robes flaring out behind him. Sirius finally removed his tight grip of Lorcan's shoulder and the boy moved closer to Theodore, who now that Dumbledore was gone, looked slightly nerve-wracked again. Were they really that intimidating?

Nott huffed as Sirius rolled his shoulders next to him, "What a ridiculous man."

"I agree. He has a tendency to stick his crooked nose into everyone's business where it is not wanted." Arcturus spared Lorcan and Theodore a glance as they snickered. "In fact, I have heard that he tried to force Arthur Weasley to give him the Weasley seat and get his wife, who was previously a Prewett, to give him the Prewett seat."

Sirius' eyebrows shot up, "Arthur refused?"

Arcturus nodded assuredly, "Of course. The man has no other interests apart from tinkering with muggle toys."

"An interesting hobby." Nott commented, watching their reactions carefully. Sirius understood it for what it was and subtly placed his hand between Lorcan's shoulder blades, pushing him gently towards where Neville was waiting with the Zabini and Bones Heir's. Augusta was conversing with Lord Greengrass not far off, but Sirius noticed that she was keeping a keen eye on her grandson. Lorcan took the hint and took hold of Theodore's forearm, nodding once to Arcturus and Lord Nott in parting, "Dad, we're just going to talk to Neville, okay?"

Sirius nodded and allowed the corner of his mouth to curl up as his son set off with the Nott boy by his side. All three men watched them until they were met with smiles by the three Heir's and were both drawn into conversation. He clasped his hands behind his back. "I think so. Who knows what muggle contraptions will take to magic? Vehicles, perhaps. Handguns and other weaponry."

"Yes, yes, the work has intriguing possibilities and unknown outcomes that could change certain things about travel and security etcetera, however this can be debated and discussed at another time, back to the matter at hand." Sirius and Thraxis nodded, conceding the point as Arcturus continued. "Dumbledore is trying, rather desperately, to get a seat on the Wizengamot Council. It suggests that he believes the he will not be Chief Warlock for much longer and wants to keep himself in this Chamber."

Sirius shrugged, "Not surprising. The old families have been trying to get him out for years. I can't count the number of times that I've seen old Abraxas Malfoy accuse him of bias and prejudice."

Nott hummed, "True, but Lord Malfoy only has so much power and with his son, Lucius, being suspected by many Houses, Lord's and Lady's of being in cahoots with the Dark Lord, it has lessened his sway on the minds in this room."

"Yes, but he is not the only one who has been suspected to be in cahoots, is he, Thraxis?" Arcturus' voice hardened and Nott's cheeks tinged pink. Sirius stood and watched from the corner of his eye as he pretended to watch Lorcan wave off the Bones Heir to where Amelia Bones was waiting for her, leaving him with Theodore, the Zabini Heir and Neville. Augusta had moved on to talking with a woman who Sirius couldn't see the face of.

"Suspicion will always be in the minds of the weak and easily led, Lord Black." Sirius narrowed his eyes at the slight towards his grandfather, and himself, and being the Gryffindor he was, couldn't help but put his two cents in.

Without bothering to look at Nott, he said with not a small amount of bite to his tone, "The weak and easily led seem to be characteristics of those who are being suspected and investigated, Lord Nott, rather than those who suspect them. After all, if a well-respected and well-educated wizard was to follow one as clearly deranged at the Dark Lord was, then perhaps the affiliation with being weak and impressionable would be better suited to them, instead of those who seek to imprison them and make them see justice for their heinous crimes."

Silence followed this. Sirius focused hard on watching his son and company talk with each other by the door to the Chamber instead of meeting the eyes next to him, which he could feel on his face. With a straight-back and commanding tone, Sirius had hoped he had embodied Arcturus and, for the first time, his father, who was known infamously for his cutting words. It was clear that he had somehow made an impression upon both men beside him, who after being silent for a few moments, cleared their throats.

Nott spoke first, "Yes, well, quite. I am afraid I have to cut this...conversation short. My son and I need to get back to our home." He nodded once to Arcturus, who deigned to nod back slightly, and then to Sirius, if hesitantly. Sirius nodded back fiercely. "Give my regards to Remus."

Sirius hummed noncommittally as Nott stepped away from them and strode over to his son, who looked up and seemed to sink inside himself. He said goodbyes to the others and allowed his father to drag him from the Chamber. Sirius reminded himself to keep an eye on the Nott boy and his father.

"You reminded me of your father then."

Arcturus' voice dragged him out of conversation with himself and Sirius smiled sheepishly. "I did try to embody him slightly. I heard he was good with making rude and insulting things sound nice-ish."

Arcturus nodded and began to slowly walk towards the Heir's, where Zabini was saying goodbyes and Augusta was finally finishing up her talk with the unknown woman. "He was. Although do try not to take on his mantle too much, Sirius. I rather prefer having you by my side, over him."

"Not surprising."

Arcturus smirked at him, "No. I cannot imagine it is."

When they finally reached the other side of the Chamber, it was just Lorcan and Neville left of the group of Heirs and they were both chattering away excitedly. When they noticed Sirius, Arcturus and Augusta, who joined them just as they reached them, they started jabbering away.

"We just met Blaise Zabini and Susan Bones and-"

Arcturus raised a brow as he led them from the room and out into the familiar entrance hall, "I thought you would have met in the side-chamber. Before your introductions."

"You both did really well by the way. If I didn't know you I'd suspect that you were posh tossers like the rest." Sirius smiled proudly at them both and ruffled their hair as they laughed through objections about their hair and the fact that they looked like 'posh tossers'.

Augusta sniffed and pointed her nose down at Sirius in disapproval, "You seem to have forgotten that once you yourself were a," her nose wrinkled in distaste, "posh tosser."

"Nope," Sirius gave her a grin, as he flung his arms around the shoulders of the two boys, "I was never, not once, a pureblood halfwit-with-half-a-brain. Isn't that right, grandfather?

"Correct. You were indeed a Gryffindor miscreant with mud-muggleborn tendencies from the very beginning."

Sirius shot him a grateful look at the word-change, but ignored it otherwise. Lorcan jumped into the conversation, "Of course you were a Gryffindor," he quickly looked to his grandfather and then back again, "mis-cre-ant, Dad. You still are one!"

"Hilarious. Really, really funny." said Sirius, deadpan. Lorcan rolled his eyes and looped his arm around his Dad's back. Neville did the same on the other side as he answered Arcturus' inquiry.

"We did meet them in the side-chamber. But only names and Houses, really. We didn't have time for anything else because Malfoy had started on us-"

"Malfoy?" Augusta cut in sharply, "What did he say?"

Lorcan shrugged, "Just the expected 'who are you' intimidation thing. Thinks he's king of the world already."

Sirius removed his arms from the boys' shoulders as they stepped into the first empty elevator that opened to them. No one who was waiting for one seemed to want to get in with them, not really surprising, and it was welcomed. "Of course he does. He's a Malfoy and has had Narcissa and Lucius teaching him. Level Eight, Apparation, Floo and Travel Centre, Main Hall." He waved his wand quickly to close the lift doors and placed a hand on Lorcan's shoulder as the lift clattered up to the floor he had requested.

"I doubt that Lucius has much to do with the boy, Sirius." Arcturus said as he examined the golden grates of the elevator and the floor levels that flashed passed, "Narcissa and no doubt the house-elves are the ones who do most of the care."

Sirius sniffed in an excellent repetition of Augusta's earlier one, nose wrinkling in the same way, "Doesn't matter, either way he'll be a stuck up prat."

Lorcan nodded, and Neville agreed, "That's probably the way he's going to be when we get to Hogwarts."

"You'll just have to show him who's boss, won't you?" Sirius grinned proudly and the two boys smirked back as Arcturus and Augusta shared an eye roll. They were going to have to get used to the fact that Lorcan and Neville were going to get into trouble at Hogwarts no matter what Houses they were placed in (although there was a running bet between the adults where they were both going to go; Sirius thought Lorcan in Ravenclaw-though he hoped for Gryffindor-and Neville for Ravenclaw too, Remus had Lorcan for Slytherin and Neville for Gryffindor, Melania had Neville for Hufflepuff-a testament to her old House loyalty- and Lorcan for Slytherin, Augusta had Neville for Gryffindor and Lorcan for Ravenclaw and Arcturus had both boys for Slytherin as he had seen the way that they both were together, sly and sneaky). Both Lorcan and Neville were secretly hoping for the same House, they didn't really mind which as they thought all four had good values, so that they could be in all of the same classes and dorm.

The lift shuddered to a holt and Sirius saw Arcturus frown out of the corner of his eye and straightened up instantly. "What is it?"

Arcturus shook his head and chose not to answer, which immediately put them on guard; Sirius gripped Lorcan's shoulder tighter and Augusta came behind Neville and did the same. Arcturus stood in front of them all and when the doors finally clattered opened, Sirius understood.

They were almost immediately blinded by flashing lights from cameras and deafened by shouts and screeches coming from the press and other people who had come up from the public gallery and had witnessed the Heir Introductions and entire Wizengamot Session.

In the middle of the crowd Sirius spotted Rita Skeeter smirking and licking her lips as she spotted his son, her Quick-Quotes Quill scribbling away beside her in mid-air and an animalistic growl ripped up from his throat not unlike the one that he usually gave when in his animagus form. Lorcan nudged him in his side to snap him out of it and in turn Sirius tightened his grasp on his shoulder protectively and followed Arcturus after Neville and Augusta in a single file line as the Black Lord parted his way through the crowd.

All his life Lorcan had wondered at the power he would wield as Lord Black-Potter and the reactions of the press and wizarding world. But he didn't ever imagine it would be this.

He wondered how they would react if they knew he was also Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World and unwittingly his mouth curled into a smirk. He looked up at his dad and found that Sirius was looking down at him, a slight amused smile donning his features and that told him that he was thinking the same.

His eye caught a flash of platinum blonde and he focused in on the Malfoy family in the corner of the Main Hall which he could see through a gap of journalists. His smirk turned into a wide smile and he caught the increase in flashes and snapping of pictures with amusement as Draco Malfoy scowled and sneered at him from the corner.

Slytherin. He decided that Slytherin was the House that Draco Malfoy would be in. His reasoning was because green looked like a rather good colour on him.

Green with jealousy, that is.