"Stand up straight," muttered Orion Black. "Say 'good day, sir' or 'ma'am' to anyone who greets you, but nothing more. Understand? This is a wake, not a soirée."
"Yes, Father." The two small boys walked a little taller, self-conscious in their black dress robes.
Orion noted with a frown that Regulus held Sirius's hand. "A man of the House of Black stands on his own. Now, what do you say when you see your Grandfather Arcturus?"
Sirius dropped his brother's hand and parroted, "I am sorry for your loss, Grandfather."
"What did Grandfather lose?" Regulus asked.
"His sister," Orion reminded him. "Your Great-Aunt Lycoris."
"Oh," said Regulus. "Did he look for her?"
"She's dead, Regs," Sirius told him disdainfully. "Like that doxy you found in the parlour."
"Guard your tongue, Sirius," his father said sharply. "This is no place for such unbecoming chatter."
Sirius made no apology, but said nothing more as they entered the hall, joining the subdued hubbub within. Though Orion frequently had cause to discipline his heir, he was secretly pleased by Sirius's independence. At nearly five, he was already shaping up to be a handsome, charming lad. Orion was confident there would be no shortage of suitable brides offered for him. Regulus had more of his mother's looks. He was bidable and easily cowed in a way that Orion found troubling, but he was only three. Perhaps he would grow out of it.
The wake was a small affair. Lycoris Black had been a private woman, never married. Many people had found her brusque manner off-putting. Even so, more friends than family had turned out to mourn her.
Orion nodded to his sister, Lucretia, who stood with her husband, Ignatius Prewett, and her three step-children. The eldest was a girl with red hair and freckles. Too old to make a match for Sirius, Orion decided.
"Orion," said a pleasant voice, "and my young nephews!"
"Uncle!" cried Sirius as Alphard Black crouched to receive the boys' embraces.
"Alphard," Orion greeted his wife's brother. "I hadn't thought to see you here. Were you and Aunt Lycoris close?"
Alphard smiled. "Closer than some. Is my sister here?"
"She's indisposed," Orion lied. Walburga had strong opinions about the company Lycoris had kept, refusing to mix with "those kinds of people" even for a wake. Her words had stung. No doubt she meant them to. Orion felt that, so long as a person kept their affairs private, what they did behind closed doors was no one's business but their own.
"Then it's good that I'm here representing our branch," said Alphard.
"Yes, quite," Orion agreed, looking around. "Where have my sons got to?"
The boys had found the buffet table. Regulus had biscuit crumbs all down his dress robes, and Sirius was stuffing his mouth with sausage rolls. Orion glowered, but Alphard forestalled him.
"Let's leave some for the other guests, lads." He plucked up a napkin and began brushing them off.
"Sorry, Uncle." Sirius hung his head. Regulus glanced fearfully at his father.
Orion frowned. "That was unseemly. Do not do it again."
Unlike Alphard, Orion had no gift nor patience for managing children. He hoped he and his sons would understand one another better when they became men - if he lived long enough to see them grow into their promise.
The healers at St. Mungo's had told Orion there was nothing they could do to fix his heart. He might have a year or ten or twenty. But perhaps that did not matter. He had already accomplished the great work of his life. He had two sons any father would be proud of. They would be great men - a credit to their blood - and his grandsons after them. The future of his family was secure.