Hello all!
Alright, so here we are at the start of book three. I know at the beginning of book two, I said that this would be a four part series. I'm uncertain if you will all view this as a good thing or a bad thing, but as I continued fleshing things out in the course of writing book two, I realized that there was absolutely no way I could do this story justice in only four parts. As things stand, and yes, I do see the irony in this, the Everyone Lies series looks to be standing at a full seven parts all said and done. We launch off here at book three, Everyone Lies With Time. After this book, it will continue on with Everyone Lies Afraid, Everyone Lies Alone, Everyone Lies In Turn, and finally conclude with Everyone Lies In Sanctuary. With the series spanning a full sixty years between books two through seven, I really didn't see a way to make it any shorter than that without things seeming rushed. In any case, I do hope you enjoy the continuation of the series. As I mentioned at the start of book two, I have a Facebook group put together where you can be kept appraised of the latest updates that you are welcome to join. Just go to Facebook dot com, slash groups, slash everyonelies, and you should find it. Without further ado, I present Everyone Lies With Time!
Chapter One
Hermione Black couldn't believe it had been five years since she and Sirius had been thrust into the past. For that matter, she couldn't believe it had been three years since Genia had died, leaving poor Melok alone to raise Filius and Caelum. Of course, alone would be a stretch, as between her, Minerva, and Jeanette, there always seemed to be a woman in the Flitwick house. Minerva stayed busy at Hogwarts a great deal of the time, of course, but she came when she could, and Jeanette was there most days as primary caregiver for the boys, along with her own young daughter, Anna. For Hermione's part, she remained a steady presence in the lives of her Godsons, and in the life of their father. After Genia's death, she and Melok had found a new equilibrium. Now and then in moments of high emotion there were chaste kisses as a reminder of their bond, but nothing further. Hermione was content in that, and Melok seemed to be as well. Her relationship with Sirius was steady and strong, and the Black family was thriving, despite what they all knew was an incoming loss; Regulus was nearing the end now in the wake of his illness. They didn't expect him to last another month or two.
She was on her way to Hogwarts today, planning to meet Minerva for one of their usual harmonic magic meetings. Some part of Hermione knew that the Scottish Witch had long since figured out that there could be a sexual component to their connection and wisely opted not to press the issue, and for that she was grateful. She deeply valued the friendship she'd built with Minerva McGonagall these last five years and was not inclined to fracture it over something as ridiculous as sex. Unlike with Melok, the feelings she had for Minerva remained platonic in nature. She was very much attracted to the woman, undoubtedly, and true to her curious nature a part of her wanted to explore a sexual relationship with the other Witch, but neither at the expense of their friendship, nor at the expense of breaking the trust she had with Sirius. It was a small mercy that Sirius had never discovered what had happened between her and Melok, and Hermione wasn't inclined to take further gambles, especially if real love wasn't a part of the equation.
Eyeing the Hog's Head, Hermione decided to stop in there to see Aberforth before going up to meet Minerva. For as much as she'd made every effort to avoid Albus all these years with decent success, she found she greatly enjoyed the younger Dumbledore's company. He was insightful and witty, albeit caustic as hell a great deal of the time. His son, Aurelius, had left for America not long after Genia's death to complete his Healer training, and Aberforth had mentioned a week prior that he'd gotten word his wayward progeny would be coming home soon.
Wayward progeny.
Oddly, that was what he called Aurelius these days. In fact, Hermione couldn't recall the last time she'd even heard Aberforth call his son by name, now that she stopped and thought about it. Anytime she caught him reading a letter that looked like it might have come from overseas and inquired, he merely confirmed it was from his wayward progeny. Such a funny thing to say, she mused, stepping into the bar.
To Hermione's surprise, Aberforth was not alone behind the bar. A woman was sitting with him, sipping at a drink, and wearing a Healer's insignia on her robe. She had dark hair, pulled up in a bun, and bright blue eyes that glanced at Hermione in curiosity. She couldn't help the name tumbling out of her lips as recognition dawned. "Poppy Pomfrey."
"How is it you would know me by that name?" Poppy asked, looking intrigued.
It had bothered Hermione deeply that Poppy was nowhere to be found in Beta World, especially after Albus had suggested that she bore resemblance to a Dumbledore. Now, seeing a much younger Poppy than Hermione had ever known standing next to Aberforth, the resemblance was more than clear, and she knew Albus had to have been correct in supposing she was Aberforth's daughter rather than his own. Then, in a rush, the pieces clicked together.
In Beta World, Albus buried his brother and nephew, as Aurelius would not allow Nicolas Flamel to heal him. Sirius, in Alpha World, had never been able to find any trace of Poppy Pomfrey's past. In Beta World, Narcissa had mentioned how the mutable gene in Wizarding physiology allowed for permanent, Transexual transitions without much in the way of difficulty or trauma. Here, Aberforth had mentioned that Aurelius had been considering a change of name.
Aberforth didn't have a daughter in addition to having a son. His son had transitioned into a daughter. "Bloody hell," she breathed as realization dawned.
The older Dumbledore smirked. "Well that's one less person to tell, Poppy. I think she gets it."
"Are you alright with this, Hermione?" Poppy asked. "I know not everyone will be."
"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Poppy… of course it's alright. I wish I'd known sooner, to be honest. I'll be having a word with your father. Does your uncle know?"
She nodded. "He does. I'll be starting as the Healer up at Hogwarts this coming term. The rest of the staff doesn't know, but he does. I'd like to keep it that way for now. I can't predict who will be understanding and who won't, and either way I'll have to work with them."
"May I have your permission to tell my husband?" she asked. "I assure you he'll have no issue with it. We're both bisexual. To say the least, we know what it is to be somewhat on the fringes of polite society's idea of what is proper."
The Healer gave a calculating look, and then after glancing at her father to seek out his approval, which Aberforth gave with a nod, voiced her own. "Of course. Perhaps we three could have dinner sometime. Catch up."
"That would be lovely," Hermione agreed. "Now, might I have a private word with your father briefly before I leave?"
Poppy moved to head upstairs, setting down her now empty glass. "I have to finish unpacking anyway. I'll see you later, Hermione."
As soon as the Healer was gone, Aberforth turned to his friend and offered a sly grin. "I take it you didn't know."
"Clearly not!" she exclaimed. "I'm not bloody omnipotent, although this certainly explains a few things! In Beta Sirius and I could find no trace of Poppy anywhere, and believe me, we looked! It drove us spare! I already mentioned to you that you and Aurelius didn't survive there, so now it makes perfect damn sense that she wasn't around, because if Aurelius died, then she couldn't have ever existed!"
"But she did exist in Alpha," he mused.
"Yes," she confided. "She was the Hogwarts Healer all through Sirius' education, and through mine. I was quite friendly with her those last few years, in fact, and never once did I suspect."
"That she'd been born a bloke?"
"That either," Hermione mused. "I was thinking more along the lines of the fact that she'd been born a Dumbledore, honestly. In fairness, Albus - Beta Albus, that is - suspected that much after I bodymorphed into the Poppy I'd known so he could see. He thought she looked a bit like Ariana, and suspected that perhaps Poppy was a daughter of yours. He speculated that she may even have been a daughter you didn't know you had, who'd come to Hogwarts and gained employment there knowing she was a Dumbledore, but not wanting to confront you or Albus about it regardless of a desire to be close to her only family."
"That's bloody Albus for you," Aberforth huffed. "Seeing conspiracy everywhere under the sun and missing what's obvious and under his nose. Ponce probably denied the idea that she might have been his child, too, huh?"
"Pointed out how bent he was," Hermione smirked.
"He would," the Wizard groaned. "Complete pansy no matter what reality you're in. Merlin love him."
"If it makes you feel any better, Sirius reminded him about the fact that gay or not, he was still a fully functional male," she offered. "He looked quite offended at the implication."
"He always did think girls were gross," Aberforth laughed.
Hermione rubbed her temples. "Why didn't you say anything sooner? Merlin, Aberforth, some warning would have been nice."
He shrugged. "I respect your privacy, Hermione. Is it too much to imagine that I'd respect my own child's privacy as well? Poppy wanted to be the one to tell people about the transition, when it came to it. I did my best to assure her that you'd be supportive, among others I think won't have issue with the thing, but ultimately, it is her life, and her choice about who to tell and who not to tell. Part of her choice to go to New York, transition there, and return after it was done was so she'd have the option of anonymity. There are plenty of folk who don't take kindly to Transexuals, especially in a Professional setting. The secrecy allows her the freedom to go about business without the stigma."
Hermione begrudgingly understood where both Aberforth and Poppy were coming from. It wasn't as if she didn't have secrets of her own, the full depth of her relationship with Melok being one of them. "Alright, alright, I get it," she said petulantly.
"How are you and Melok faring?" he asked, as if reading her mind. Aberforth poured her a drink and eyed her carefully, and she understood his meaning.
She eyed him tenderly. "I appreciate that you touch base about it, you know. I don't get a chance to see Helen as often as I'd like, and you two and Minerva are the only ones who know about…"
He snorted. "The fact that you shagged?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, that, you tosser. In any case, we're doing fairly well for now. There are moments now and then, but we're both so focused on the boys it really does become difficult to be self centered and consider our own relationship. The irony there is that having young children at home is known to be one of those things that can stress and even break a marriage for that very reason - that it's hard to make time to be a couple - and in this case, it's working to our distinct advantage."
"Anything else new and exciting I should know about?" he inquired. "Prior to the next meeting, I mean."
The Mage sighed. "Nothing major. I just received a letter from Soan Shafiq this morning. He's chastising me for pestering him. I don't honestly mean to nag but getting him established in his rightful Lordship could be very helpful on a number of fronts. Given his history - what happened to him, I mean - I think it's a fair bet that he'd side with us when it comes to war, and I'd really like to have him a bit practiced in Wizengamot policy prior to things getting dicey, politically speaking. By the tail end of the sixties, the arguments in the Wizengamot are going to become the foundation which shapes who sides with whom in the coming war. The more voices - the more seats - we have on our side in that argument, the better luck we'll have when it comes to actively recruiting for the Resistance."
Aberforth nodded in understanding. "Shafiq is almost a sure bet to side with us, whenever he decides to stop dilly dallying. As it stands we've got at least eight or ten seats who are likely to vote our way, and didn't you say you were making progress with the Greengrasses?"
"Yes, there's some discussion about planning a betrothal between a daughter of theirs and a Black of our choosing to get it solidified," she said with a sigh. "My Muggleborn roots are cringing at the notion, but I do understand this is how it's done in the current generation, and if I mean to sway some of the older Pureblood families, I'm going to have to adhere to their traditions. The Greengrasses are on the Sacred Twenty-Eight for Merlin's sake. They may be sympathetic to equal rights, but that doesn't mean they're without Pureblood pride, in their way."
The barkeep nodded. "Your best bet would be to betroth the girl to someone in the line of succession, among the Blacks. One of Orion's offspring. Sirius' younger counterpart would be ideal, although they'd likely be pleased with Regulus as well. Even the younger brother of the heir doesn't leave them without considerable power among the Blacks. Things happen, after all. Sirius' counterpart may never marry, or may be killed in the war, or may be born sterile and unable to carry on the line. Any number of things might make Regulus' offspring future heirs to the Black Headship, even if Regulus himself is not the Head."
"I'm fairly certain Sirius would chop off his own hand before he agreed to arrange his younger counterpart a marriage," Hermione mused. "However, arranging one for Regulus might not be a bad idea. The trick there would be to buy time with the Greengrasses when Sirius the third is born, justifying to them that it would be better to wait for the birth of a second son to Orion and Walburga."
"Cross that bridge…" he mused.
"... when I get to it," she finished. Hermione glanced up at the clock. "I best get up to the castle to see Minerva. Lovely chatting with you, as always, Aberforth."
"You too, Hermione," he said with a soft smile.
It was nearly ten when Hermione walked in the door to Grimmauld, and Sirius was just finishing up with the cleanup in the kitchen. It was the first Thursday of the month, and as usual his wife had been at Hogwarts for the evening with Minerva, and taken supper there with her before their harmonic magic lessons, and she typically didn't make it in until close to their usual bedtime, so he wasn't surprised by the time she made her entry. "Hello there," she greeted with a soft kiss.
"Hey," he replied.
"Where are Arcturus and Cor?" she asked, looking around.
"Out," he said with a shrug. "I think they were seeing a show in Muggle London this evening, so I don't expect them home until late. You know them. Seems like at least once a week they're doing some sort of evening excursion together. It's no wonder he never bloody remarried, with as attached as he is to his sister. Poor Regulus hardly ever gets invited along, either."
"In fairness," Hermione mused, "Reg is too sick for much these days. Did you swing by his flat to visit with him today?"
"I did," Sirius said with a nod. "Melok was by when I was there, with the boys. Not sure how much Filius will remember Regulus in the long haul, but I appreciate that Melok is doing what he can to provide Filius with some memories of his biological father. I can't believe that kid is going to be five this year. Where has the time gone?"
Hermione smirked. "Seems like only yesterday that Caelum was born, and he just turned three. Did Melok tell you about his latest stunt with his accidental magic?"
"That he's taken to charming parts of himself invisible like Anna?" Sirius laughed. "Yeah, Melok mentioned. I think the bloke is torn between frustration and pride that Caelum seems to have such an innate affinity with Golems."
"Could come in handy as he gets older," she shrugged. "I've been meaning to finally open up the place on Baker and start taking the boys over there. I would have to disguise Caelum's Goblin features, and Transfiguration won't work for him, so it'll have to be Charms. I swear, there really should be a manual on raising half-Goblin children, because I'm making things up as I go along with this boy most of the time."
"You could just write one," he suggested.
Hermione looked thoughtful. "Melok has more free time. I may put him to task on that one, even if I help feed ideas for the content."
By now, the pair were headed up the stairs together. "So, how was your meeting with Minerva?" he inquired. "Did you pop in on Aberforth on your way to see her like you were thinking of doing?"
"Oh!" she exclaimed, as they reached the top of the stairs and walked into their bedroom. "Aberforth. That sneaky devil!"
Sirius closed the door behind them. "What did Aberforth do?"
"The bugger found Poppy, in a round about sort of way," Hermione smirked.
His eyes lit up. Merlin knew he was fond of the Hogwarts Healer, and had been hoping she'd surface before long. He couldn't imagine what his younger counterpart's years at school would be like without her there to patch him and the guys up at every turn, and if Remus did end up bitten this go around, what it might be like if a less understanding Healer was there to support him though the Transformations. "Really? Did you see her? Gods, it would be so good to see her after all these years."
Hermione snorted. "I did see her. You see, the reason that you and the boys never could dig up any sort of family history on the Witch was because Poppy started life out as a Wizard."
His jaw dropped. "You're shitting me."
"Not even a little," his wife laughed. "Poppy Pomfrey is Aurelius Dumbledore. Aurelius Dumbledore is Poppy Pomfrey."
Sirius sat down on the bed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'll be damned. Did not see that coming."
"Nor I," Hermione admitted, taking a seat beside him. "From what she and Aberforth told me, Albus is aware, so I have to assume it was the same in Alpha, but it does explain why we couldn't find her in Beta. If Aberforth and Aurelius both died earlier in Beta, Aurelius would never have lived long enough to have become Poppy, and Beta Albus clearly never knew it was even a consideration before his nephew died. It also explains why Beta Albus thought Poppy looked like a Dumbledore. She was. She just wasn't an unknown daughter."
He nodded. "It also explains why Poppy told Remus that she understood feeling like you were in the wrong body. She wasn't talking about being a werewolf, or even in an animagus form. She was talking about being born male and feeling like she ought to be female."
"Exactly," his wife agreed. "Everything makes perfect sense now that we have the answer, doesn't it? Hindsight and all that. Oh, you'll be pleased to know she's set to start up at Hogwarts as the new Healer this fall, so she'll be well established there by the time your younger counterpart starts school."
"Merlin," he breathed. "Well, that's something. Glad to see that's falling into place, even if you had to blow my mind in the process. Glad for Aberforth that his kid is back, though. Gods know he's missed Aurelius, or rather, Poppy."
"I told Poppy the three of us would have dinner soon," Hermione said pointedly. "I blundered a bit and called her Poppy when I shouldn't have known her by that name, so I figure I have between now and then to sort out what to tell her in explanation."
"She already knows you're a Mage," Sirius shrugged. "Just tell her that you've got some sort of freaky sight thing, and knew the newest Hogwarts Healer was someone called Poppy Pomfrey because of that."
"That could work," Hermione allowed. "I hate to lie. The alternative may well be the full truth of who we are, though, and I'm not prepared to expand our circle if I don't have to."
"It's necessary, sometimes," he reminded her. "You know that."
"I know, I know," she mused. "Everyone lies. I'm not exempt from the rule. Anything else happen today while I was gone?"
"Marius and Elise came by for supper," he admitted. "They said they were sorry they missed you. I think Elise is keen to start a family, although Marius seems worried that any kids of theirs might be Squibs like him. I tried to be encouraging, and stress that with or without magic, any children they had would be welcome and loved."
"I'll have to stop and talk to Garrick and Esther," Hermione said with a frown. "I wouldn't expect it of Esther, honestly, but Garrick can be a stick in the mud sometimes, and while he ultimately gave his approval for Elise and Marius to marry, I did get the impression the fact that Marius was a Squib concerned him. I think it best I ensure the Ollivanders aren't feeding Marius' insecurities about having children."
"Probably best," Sirius admitted. "Garrick is respectful of me, but you're the one he actually listens to, and he doesn't even know you're a bloody Mage."
"That may be because I'm holding some blackmail over his head," Hermione admitted. "How do you think I got him to approve Marius and Elise's marriage? By smiling?"
He laughed. "Merlin, what do you have over the guy?"
His wife offered a coy smile. "That's between the two of us, darling. Garrick may be a gifted wandmaker, but he's not the most ethical man I've ever run across and I had enough conversations with Beta Minerva about him to know where to dig for skeletons when we got here."
Sirius crossed his arms. "I'm beginning to see why so many people peg you for Slytherin, babe."
She laughed.
"Are you sure you don't need anything?"
Cedrella smiled warmly at her mother, Lysandra Black, and suppressed a chuckle at how her father Arcturus was rolling his eyes at his wife's hovering. In the last few years since her disownment had been lifted, her parents had gone out of their way to be there for her and her children, as if they were making up for lost time, and she couldn't say she minded terribly. At least, not most of the time. Sometimes, her mother could be a bit exasperating.
"I'm fine, Mother," she said with a smile. "I was talking to Charis the other day though, and she said it's been at least a week since you've been by to see her and Caspar. Just because her children aren't little anymore doesn't mean she wouldn't love to spend time with you."
Lysandra smirked. "I know full well what you're up to, Cedrella, and last I was over to see Charis I was told firmly to not be underfoot so much. I think perhaps I'll go stop in on Callidora, or maybe I'll just go over to Andrew's. I still can't believe that boy went and turned me into a great-grandmother already. I'm not that bloody old."
Cedrella smiled, thinking of how pleased Aunt Hermione had been when little Frank Longbottom had been born last year. She'd heard the time traveler mention her friend Neville a few times over the years, but it hadn't been until Frank's birth that she'd learned that Neville was a member of the family - her own great-great nephew. Of course, it made her feel old enough as it was that she had a great-nephew in Frank. Merlin, her mother was right - she couldn't possibly be that bloody old! "I'm sure Andrew and Augusta would welcome a visit from you and Father," she said with a smile.
"We'd have to leave here first to ever get there," Arcturus grumbled. "Not that it isn't always lovely to see you, Cedrella."
She kissed her father's cheek, understanding. He'd picked up the Floo powder upon Lysandra's insistence she was ready to go no less than four times already, and at this point he was just exasperated. "How about you two pop back by on the twelfth for Ed's birthday? We're not planning a big party or anything - boy's only four this year - but I'm sure he'd love to see his grandparents."
Lysandra's eyes sparkled. "It's already in my diary, darling. Any idea what little Edmund might like for his birthday?"
She looked thoughtful. "He was reading a book on creatures a friend of mine gave him and learned about garden gnomes. He's been fascinated with the idea of them since. I'm sure I could find a small space a colony could reside here at the Burrow, if you feel inclined to acquire him a starter family of the little things."
Arcturus offered her a warning look. "Those buggers can get out of hand quickly. Are you sure?"
Cedrella shrugged. "I'll keep up with them, and teach him how to do the same. If, once he learns how to manage them, he is unwilling to be responsible for them, I'll relocate the entire colony. It will be something he enjoys and will teach him some responsibility in the same stroke. Septimus might have a fit, but I can manage him."
"By manage," Lysandra teased, "you mean sic Aunt Hermione on him."
She shrugged. "That's certainly one option."
Suddenly, the Floo roared to life, signaling an incoming traveler, and the three of them stepped back to accommodate the arrival of whoever was coming through. Cedrella smiled brightly as Minerva McGonagall appeared in her kitchen, a quick flick of her wand cleaning up any soot she'd carried onto the floor before she greeted her friend with a hug and then moved to acknowledge Arcturus and Lysandra. Both Minerva and her parents were regular visitors at the Burrow, and this was far from the first time they'd crossed paths.
"Minerva," Lysandra greeted. "How lovely to see you!"
Minerva hugged Cedrella's mother warmly. "You as well, Lysandra."
The Scottish woman greeted Arcturus with a smile and a handshake, Cedrella's father too old school and proper to hug an unmarried woman, in the company of others or not. Rules were rules, so far as he was concerned, and Minerva respected them.
"Everything alright at Hogwarts?" Cedrella asked, as soon as they were through with greetings. It wasn't often Minerva could get away during the school year, much less without having planned in advance. With Peter going to Hogwarts in September, she couldn't help but be more aware of the things that could go wrong at the school. "Delilah and Deidra?"
"Hogwarts is fine, your nieces are fine," Minerva assured. "I just fancied a visit, won a chess match, and bartered with Chelsey to cover my rounds this evening."
"You beat Keating?" the Weasley Matriarch asked, amazed.
"All those lessons with Sidus have paid off, evidently," the Scottish woman smirked. "I don't think I'm up to beating Albus quite yet, but I did manage to pull off beating the Head of Ravenclaw. I'm feeling pretty good about myself right now."
"As you should be," Arcturus mused. "Chelsey is a crafty devil and for as much as he likes to act as though he dislikes Slytherins, he'd have made a decent Slytherin himself."
"I wouldn't let him catch you saying that," Minerva mused.
Cedrella's father waved off her concern. "I've been friends with the tosser for decades. His dislike of Slytherins is more posturing than anything else. That said, Lysandra, let's let the girls catch up and be on our way now, shall we?"
Lysandra nodded with a smile, offered Minerva one more hug before doing the same with Cedrella, and after promising to be in touch soon, the Blacks were through the Floo and gone, leaving Minerva and Cedrella alone in the kitchen. "Tea?" the redhead offered.
Minerva nodded her head in agreement and the two sat at the kitchen table, the Professor only barely having taken her seat when Edmund came running into the kitchen. "Aunt Min!" he called happily.
She scooped the little boy up and sat him in her lap. "Hello, Edmund. How are you, my sweet boy?"
"Big!" he said with a grin. "It's my birthday soon."
"I am well aware," his Godmother smiled. "Four years old, now. You're growing up way too fast for my liking, you know."
"Gotta grow fast so I can come to Hogwarts and be a Gryffindor with you!" he exclaimed.
Minerva snorted. "Oh, you're going to be a Gryffindor, are you? Why not Slytherin like your Mummy?"
The little boy frowned. "I don't like green."
Cedrella laughed. "Well that's a perfectly sensible reason there, although as I keep catching him climbing trees and jumping out just to see if his accidental magic will prevent him from breaking a leg should peg him as a Gryffindor in the making, color preference completely aside."
"I'll marry a Slytherin," Edmund assured them. "Like Daddy did."
"You're a bit young to be thinking of marriage, Ed," Cedrella chastised. "Your future spouse's House affiliation completely aside."
Edmund ignored her. "Who you gonna marry, Aunt Min?"
The Scottish woman sighed. "Some people don't get married, my dear. I spend all my time and energy being a teacher. I don't imagine I'll ever marry."
"That's stupid," the little boy determined. "If you like, Aunt Min, when I grow up I'll marry you. Even if you are a Gryffindor."
Both women laughed. "I'd be lucky to find a gentleman such as yourself, Edmund," Minerva said kindly. "However, I think there's a rule against Godsons marrying their Godmothers."
The soon to be four year old pouted. "That's a stupid rule, but okay. I'll just have to find you another husband, I guess."
At that, Edmund scooted off his Godmother's lap and bolted out of the kitchen and toward his bedroom. Cedrella imagined he was going for paper and crayons, intent on plotting some matchmaking plan for his Godmother. She chuckled lightly at the thought. "Little imp," she commented.
"He's your son, Cedrella," Minerva pointed out. "I'm not surprised."
"Do you think he'll consider Orion as a possible husband for you?" the redhead teased, never one to pass up the opportunity to poke Minerva in regard to her ongoing affair with her cousin.
The other woman scowled. "I hope not. Bad enough the mess I've gotten myself into. I don't like to think it would occur to Edmund that extramarital affairs are a viable option. If nothing else, being a Godmother has taught me it is a lesson I imagine many parents learn - that you want your children, or the children under your care and guidance, to do better than you have. I would not want Edmund involved in an affair. Merlin knows I don't have it in me to walk away from Orion, but I hope he's never in position to have to make that decision."
"Agreed," Cedrella said softly. "You could walk away, you know. Short of my cousin throwing a hissy fit that he couldn't publicize out of fear Walburga would find out, there's little he could do to stop you from cutting him off."
"It's not about capability," Minerva replied. "It's about willingness. I do love him, and he loves me. We'd be married if not for the fact that he can't divorce Walburga without losing his magic entirely, and that's too much to ask of him. Further, he's heir, and there's nobody to take his place without Sirius' line failing entirely. Orion has no brothers, and his only uncle is dying having produced no trueborn sons. If Orion lost his magic and the line failed at that point, the heirship would shift to Phinias' son Crowley, who was raised mostly Muggle. Yes, Sirius and Hermione have changed the way the Blacks do things and that's lovely, but Crowley knows next to nothing about Pureblood traditions. He wasn't raised in the life. For Orion and I to have happiness, it would have long reaching consequences for the Blacks on a whole that we agree just aren't a fair exchange."
"What if Crowley abdicated?" Cedrella asked, thinking. "After Crowley it would shift to who, my Uncle Cygnus' line?"
"Since your father had only daughters, yes," Minerva nodded. "That's not much better, though. Pollux has Alphard and Cygnus the third. Alphard never married and is completely bent, so that's not promising. Cygnus only has daughters. Pollux's only brother is Marius, who is a Squib and like Crowley, was raised Muggle. Yes, he married Elise Ollivander, but it remains to be seen if their children will be magical or not. Best hope of the Black name continuing, magically speaking, is going to be through Marius and Elise, but that's still a wait and see issue, and comes back to the same issue as Crowley, meaning if we suggested Crowley abdicate, the same would apply to Marius. That's it for options, Cedrella. Your family may be large, but the number of sons carrying on the Black name is limited. Orion is responsible for the continuation of his family line. I cannot ask him to walk away from that."
Cedrella begrudgingly saw what her friend was getting at, and didn't envy the position it left her and Orion in. "If Uncle Sirius and Aunt Hermione had a child…"
"Unlikely," Minerva sighed. "Hermione is fairly against the notion of having a baby. Besides, doesn't she have enough mothering to do with Filius and Caelum without adding another one to the mix?"
"I just wish there was some way you didn't have to be sneaking around like this," the redhead admitted. "I respect that you two are in love. I get that Walburga is a cow. I don't condone an affair though, and I hope you understand that."
"I do," the Scottish Witch replied. "I don't much condone it myself, my friend. Emotion and good sense don't always go hand in hand, however. He and Walburga have been trying for a baby, and she keeps miscarrying. For the first time in the whole of my life, I actually pity Walburga Black. We've never gotten on, she and I, and we'd get on even less so if she knew I was carrying on with her husband, but no woman should have to go through that, much less repeatedly. Still, there's pressure to carry on the line. I know Sirius doesn't press the issue the way the Blacks used to, but I get the impression that Pollux and Irma are clinging to the old way of thought still, and feel it's important for Orion and Walburga to do their part, especially since Orion is heir apparent after Arcturus."
"It does come back to that, doesn't?" Cedrella asked. "Bloody politics."
"No matter how progressive the Blacks may have become," Minerva said with a sigh, "there are certain things that are always going to be important to a Pureblood family. The continuation of the family name is one of them. Admittedly, I'm still boggled at the great change of heart Sirius Black had a few years ago. I had never met him, prior to his marriage to Hermione, but everything I heard painted him as a real bastard. Then he came back after being captured by Grindelwald, and I met him following his remarriage. He was nothing like I'd imagined."
Cedrella smiled a little, using a phrase she often used with the family when they commented on Sirius Black's change in disposition. "He's just not the same man anymore," she said. "Simple as that."
She was entitled to enjoy a little joke at everyone's expense now and then.
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