~This is the story of Amanthea Black and how she goes about trying to cope with becoming Lady Black and fixing her family. There will be a lot of emotions in this and for that I'm sorry. I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters and Amanthea Black is a character of my own creation.~
Sitting behind the old wooden desk I smile dimly as I remember those that came to sit in this place before me and have to wonder how many of them had let the Black madness consume them. How many had fought it like dad and grandad had and how many had just let it take hold of them like uncle Cygnus? How many managed to fight it until their dying days and how many managed to keep it from creeping up on their family? Looking up from the desk when I hear a knock at the door and smile when I see Sirius slip in making him grin at me.
"I thought that I would find you in here, you would always come in here and sit with dad when you needed some time to think." He says with a sad smile and I blink back the tears that well in my eyes at the reminder. "What is it that has you so lost in thought that not even Minerva could find you?"
"I was thinking of the Black madness, I'm trying to figure out if I can help Bella before it's too late Sirius. This idiot that's calling himself the Dark Lord is slowly gaining power and I fear that if I cannot bring some sanity to our cousin she will give herself willingly to the maniac either that or she will allow that bitch of a mother to manipulate her into joining him." I tell him and gesture to the parchment in front of me as well as the balled up pieces that are scattered around the room. "For the last two days I have been trying to compose a letter but nothing sounds right Siri, nothing I write sounds like a caring relative. It all just sounds like Lady Black wants to talk to her when it's really Amanthea."
"From what I understood uncle Cygnus was harsher than mum was when punishing Bella and Cissy. Poor Andi is still beating herself up for leaving them behind when she left to be with Ted." He says and I sigh as I run my hand through my hair. That is exactly what I feared, if uncle Cygnus had in fact been worse than mum then it's no wonder that Bella is unhinged and she would never dare defy him in fear of the repurcussions. "This place has always been our safe haven hasn't it? I remember dad hiding all three of us under that desk when mum went on a rampage after me and Regulus broke that antique vase while we were flying in the house and we blamed you for it."
"Yes and if I remember rightly mum eventually found us and I got the whooping of a lifetime for something that I had no part in." I remind him and he chuckles nervously at that. "Say what you want about her punishments they were effective. You and Reggie never flew in the house again and after she learnt the truth I was spoiled rotten with new books and potions ingredients." I add with a laugh as I look over at the portraits on the wall, filled with family members many of whom we never met yet talk to on a near daily basis. Running my hand over the surface of the desk again I let out a sad laugh as a tear falls down my cheek. "I can't believe that they're both gone Sirius. I'm only twenty three and I'm now Lady Black, I'm in charge of the whole family which is something I never wanted. It's something that I have been trained for my whole life yet something dad promised I wouldn't have to worry about for many years to come. Oh how wrong he was."
"We will avenge them Amanthea but we will do it the right way, I promise you." He says and I nod as I wipe my tears away and clear my throat. "Are you ready to take me and Regulus to the train station? If not Charlus offered to take us in your place." He adds quickly in gentle reassurance and I smile at him while shaking my head.
"Come on Siri, let's get you and Reggie to Kings Cross before you miss the train." I tell him as I snap my fingers and transform my robes into the more formal Black robes before nodding to the door. "Go get your brother and tell him to meet me at the front door." I add and he runs off to find Regulus. Oh how I wish I could go back to being fifteen or seventeen. The carefree girl who excelled in her studies with no other responisiblities other than protecting her family and having fun. I think to myself as I look over at dad and grandad's portraits who look at me sadly. "Why did you have to leave us so soon? Neither of you deserved this fate and I promise, I will heal our family before we can tear each other apart. I will make both of you proud of me."
"We're already proud of you my angel. Never doubt that for one second, we have always been proud of you and your brothers from the moment you were all born." Grandad says with a soft smile making me feel oddly warm. Grandad had never really been one to show his pride in us but hearing it always gave me the sense that I was doing something right.
"I know my darling and I'm so sorry that your having to do all of this in our place. If I could change everything I would and you know it." Dad says as I walk over and gently touch his portrait gently while grandad smiles at me. "Bella will happily co-operate with you darling and so will Cissy. There are marriage contracts for both of them that I wish for you to dissolve, they should find the love they want not the want of their father and his greed."
"I'll see to it after I return from dropping the boys off at King Cross dad." I tell him and he smiles at me. "I would like your permission to use the Black engagement ring in order to propose to Minerva dad. I was going to ask you last year but things didn't exactly go to plan on that front."
"You have my blessing darling but you best go and remember, we are all so proud of you and will help you in anyway we can." He says and I grin at him before running out of the office to join the boys and quickly apparate them to the train station before they're late. Walking through the barrier with them I follow slightly behind them with proud smiles at how graceful they both are. Hugging Sirius quickly before he runs off to join James and Remus over by Charlus Potter I nod my acknowledgement to my cousin before looking at Regulus who stays firmly by my side.
"Shoudln't you be running off to find your friends Reg?" I ask him and he just hugs me making me sigh as I hug him back, running my hand through his unruly hair with a chuckle. "Can you keep a secret?"
"You know that I can y/n." He says as he pulls back and I smile at him, cupping his cheek as I push his hair out of his face.
"After you and Sirius get on the train I'm heading to Gringotts to get the Black engagement ring out of the vaults. I'm going to ask Minerva to marry me." I tell him and he grins at me excitedly. "I may need your help planning this though Reg because we both know that while I may have trained my whole life to be the head of the family one day I never once trained myself on planning and co-ordinating things like this."
"You're really going to propose?" He asks me and I nod making him pull me into a tight hug. "Send me an owl if you need my help and I will be more than happy to assist you."
"Thank you but I also need you to help me with something else. Bella and Cissy, do you talk to them at all?" I ask him and he nods which gives me a slight slither of hope that my plan might work. "Can you ask them to owl me? Tell them that I have some news and that neither of have to abide by the contracts. They are being dissolved as soon as I get home."
"What about Andi?" He asks and I smile at him. "Aunt Dorrea is adamant that she be disowned. You won't do it though will you? She's our cousin."
"No Reg, I will not be disowning Andi. You leave me to worry about aunt Dorrea and her views on Andi, I just need you to talk to your cousins for me." I tell him and he nods as the warning whistle rings out making him frown while Sirius comes running over to hug me properly. "You boys behave okay and Sirius, tone down the pranks this year please. I don't know if I can handle all the letters I'm bound to get from your professors."
"But this is my last year! I wanted to go out with a bang." Sirius says with a pout making me chuckle.
"What you and Remus get up to is none of my business Sirius." I tell him with a laugh as his cheeks turn bright red before kissing both of their foreheads. "Now get on that train before you miss it and Sirius, be nice to your cousins and brother. Remember stay away from Pettigrew, I don't trust that boy as far as I could throw him. Now go." I say and they rush off to board the train making me smile as I wave them goodbye. Watching the train disappear from sight I find it incredibly hard not to let my mask crack when I realise that until they return for the holidays I would be alone in Black Manor and that thought terrified me. It was not a place I had ever been alone in for more than a few hours, a day at the most and now I'll be there for months.
"Lady Black, it's good to see you again! How have you been?" Lord Nott says as he approaches me with a soft smile and I shake my head at him making him frown.
"Please, it has been Amanthea to you and your family my entire life. Please don't let recent happenings change that." I tell him and he draws me into a warm hug making it even harder to keep my mask in place. Pulling away from him with a sad smile I clear my throat as I notice Lord Malfoy approach me with his heir Lucius. "If you will excuse me Lord Nott, it would seem that I have some business to attend to."
"Of course, stay well and know that if you ever need a break from the quietness of the manor Acacia would love nothing more than for you to come round." He tells me and leaves after kissing my cheek making Abraxus and Lucius laugh.
"Lady Black, my condolences on the loss of your father. He was a good man." Abraxus says as he bows to me and I smile at him softly. "I would like to request a meeting with yourself concerning something that has come to my attention over the summer."
"I thought that you might Lord Malfoy. If you would be willing to come to the manor we can talk about this in a civilised manor." I tell him and he nods while Lucius seems to relax slightly. Apparating all three of us to the manor I guide them to my dad's... my office which I had forgotten to clean up after my failed attempts to reach out to my cousin. Silently casting a cleaning charm I motion for them to sit down before I almost fall into my chair making Lucius laugh. "Laugh all you want but I warn you now that my hold on my emotions is very weak at the moment and I won't hold myself responsible for how I react Luc." I warn him and he sobers slightly as I right myself in my chair.
"How have you been my dear? We really haven't had much chance to talk since everything happened with your father." Abraxus asks softly and I bite my lip hard to stop the newest wave of tears that threaten to fall.
"Quite honestly I'm a mess Abraxus but there are things that need to be seen to and I have two rambunctious teenagers in my care so there's not much time for emotions." I admit and he rounds the desk to pull me into a tight hug which cracks any resolve I had left. "It hurts so much, they were still so young and I can never live up to either of them. I don't want to either, I just want my mum and dad back." I cry into his shoulder and he rubs my back softly as he just lets me cry until I can cry no more. Pulling myself out of his embrace to wipe away my tears I offer him a grateful smile and he just strokes my cheek gently. "Thank you Abraxus, I really do appreciate this."
"Enough to dissolve the marriage contract between Lucius and your cousin?" He asks cheekily which makes me laugh and judging by the relief in his eyes that's the exact reaction he was aiming for.
"That was what I was hoping you wanted to speak to me about Abraxus. My father has asked me to dissolve both Narcissa's and Bellatrix's marriage contracts meaing that your heir is free to marry whoever he sees fit." I say with a knowing smirk and Lucius looks at me with wide eyes. "James is a good lad, one that has helped Sirius through the shitshow that has been the last year Lucius. He is also technically my family so I would like to warn you that if you ever hurt him intentionally I will be forced to kill you." I tell the boy and he grins at me as he nods in agreement. With that reassurance I pull out the marriage contracts that had been residing in the bottom drawer of the desk and quickly dissolve them both with a sigh because I know that uncle Cygnus is going to appear when he realises he cannot control his two youngest any further.
"Thank you so much Amanthea. You have no idea how much this means to myself and my family." Abraxus says and I smile at him as I take his hand in mine.
"No Abraxus, thank you. I've been so busy being strong for the boys and trying to make sure Minerva doesn't worry too much about me while she's doing her Mastery that I haven't really taken time to grieve for my parents. You've not only let me do so but you also care enough not to be bothered with the fact that I have soaked your shirt and left makeup on it." I tell him and he chuckles while shaking his head at me. Seeing movement in the corner of my eye I look at the door to the office to find Minerva standing there with a glare and I raise to greet her. "Minerva, I was just-"
"How could you do that to your own cousin?" She demands as she cuts over me and I look at her shocked and confused. Surely she can't mean the marriage contracts? She's just as against them as I am. "How could you do what you have to Andi? She fell in love and you banished her! You actually disowned your cousin because of who she loved! I thought that you were differnet, that family actually meant something to you." She growls at me and I step around the desk to walk over to her.
"Andi is still part of this family Minerva and she damn well knows that." I tell her and she shoves a piece of parchment at me angrily making me frown in confusion. Reading over the parchment I feel my blood run cold before the damn thing goes up in flames in my hands. "I'll kill the bitch! How fucking dare she! How could she tell her own daughter that?" I rant as I start pacing and I'm vaguely aware of the fact that the portraits are trying to figure out what's going on while Minerva watches me with wide eyes. I knew that my aunt was a crazy bitch, it comes with the territory of being a Rosier by blood and a Black my marriage really but to tell your daughter that her own cousin had disowned her! That's just sick and twisted. Feeling someone stop my pacing by grabbing my arms I finally snap out of my thoughts with a glare.
"Thea? What's happened?" Dad's portrait asks me softly while mum stands beside him worriedly and I see grandma Melania standing next to grandad Arcturus in his portrait. "Who are you going to kill?"
"She told Andi I disowned her dad, her own mum told her that I disowned her." I say quietly and he looks at me shocked. "Andi believes that I've disowned her and scorched her from the family tree along with her husband and six month old daughter. How do I possibly even start to fix this? The contracts were one thing as dispicalble as they were but she actually believes that I would do it dad. She's my little cousin and she actually believes that I would allow that crazy bitch that is her mother talk me into disowning her!"
"Do the one thing that I told your dad to do when he took over as Lord after I died. Disown her and Cygnus or they will ruin this family more than they already have." Grandad says and grandma nods sadly beside him while mum glares at me making me flinch slightly. Say what you want about mum she's terrifying both alive and dead. "Walburga, surely you aren't against this?"
"What? No! Oh Thea no darling I'm not glaring at you, I can't believe that my own brother would condone such a thing that's all. I completely agree that both him and Dorrea need to be disowned." Mum says and I look over at Minerva who's watching me shocked.
"Minerva, can you ask Andi to come here? The floo is activated to her house in muggle London. Please? I need her to know that her mother will not get her own way." I ask my girlfriend who nods after a moment of hesitation and leaves to do so. "I will get to propose to her at somepoint without something happening in this family."
"You're going to propose! Oh my darling I'm so-" Mum starts to say but dad quickly covers her mouth when we hear footsteps outside the office.
"I planned to ask her last year mum but when I wanted to ask dad about the Black family ring..." I say and trail off making mum look at me sadly while grandma actually tries to climb out of her portrait to hug me. "I'm scared that she won't want to though. This family is a mess and there's so much to do in order to even attempt to fix it that I'm not sure she would even agree." I admit and feel someone hex me making me jump and spin to see that it was Lucius.
"Bullshit, that woman loves you and would very happily agree." He says softly as he comes over to hug me tightly making me smile into his chest. "Now if you'll excuse me and father I need to go tell James the good news and he needs to get home before mother realises that he's not there."
"Of course, be safe and Abraxus. Please remember that this will always be your home as well should you ever need to escape Belladonna." I tell the older man and he grins at me before following his son out of the office. Walking back to the desk I sit down and run my hand through my hair in frustration. "Okay talk to Andi and reassure her that I'm not as much of a bitch as her mum's made me out to be, go to Gringotts to officially disown those bastards and then go to the vault and get the ring. What could go wrong with that plan? Oh who am I kidding? I'm a Black, something's going to go wrong. Mipsy!" I mutter to myself making my family laugh as I call out for the young house elf.
"Lady Black call for Mipsy." The elf says as she shifts nervously and I offer her a pleasant smile.
"It's still Thea, Mipsy. None of that Lady Black crap okay." I tell her softly and she grins at me in return. "Could you please prepare some tea and a pain relieving potion? And please make sure that you take care of yourself Mipsy." I ask her and she nods happily before popping away. Rubbing my temples to try and stave off the evergrowing headache I wince when I feel a stinging hex hit me followed by a mild slicing hex making me whine in pain.
"Andi stop!" Minerva says quickly and I shake my head as I throw my wand to the side as Andromeda continues with her attack until she stops and looks at me with tear stained cheeks.
"I thought that you were different! You never made me feel like I had betrayed my family but it was all an act! How could you disown me?" She shouts as more tears run down her cheeks and I carefully get up, wincing in pain as I do so though.
"I didn't Andi, I would never disown you for being true to yourself and finding happiness. She lied to you, that letter you got from that twisted bitch was nothing but lies Andi. She's getting desperate because dad didn't do what she wanted him to and neither will I. She's getting desperate and is trying to turn us against each other in hopes of breaking the family apart." I tell her as I walk around the desk and shake my head when Minerva goes to heal me making her glare at me. "Andromeda, when in the entire time that you've known me have I ever made you think that I would do such a thing? I love you for Merlin sake! You, Edward and Nymphadora are my family and nothing will ever change that."
"Swear it, if you really didn't disown me swear it on your magic." She demands making Minerva and the rest of the family gasp while I look at her with a sad smile.
"I, Amanthea Cassioppea Walburga Black, do hereby swear on my magic that I have not and never will disown Andromeda Tonks nee Black or any of her family. So mote be it." I swear and she looks at me with wide eyes as my magic glows slightly before throwing herself at me, hugging me tightly as she cries. Holding her just as tightly I fight to stay upright as my body finally catches up to the hexes and curses she sent at me. "Drommie, remind me never to piss you off in the future." I say into her shoulder before pulling away to rest against the desk and she quickly casts healing charms to heal my aching and bloody body.
"Did aunt Walburga really give you that many names?" She asks me once she's finished and I nod with a laugh.
"I am the first in three, maybe four, generations to have as many names and until today I had kept that knowledge to myself which means it stays in this room. Am I understood?" I ask and she nods with apologetic eyes. "Oh stop with the silent apologies Andi, I didn't fight back for a reason and you needed to unleash your anger before it clouded your mind."
"I still hurt not only my cousin but the head of my family!" She exclaims and I sigh as I cup her cheek gently, wiping away the remaining tears the clung to her skin.
"Forget that bullshit, Andi you thought that I had done something that would not only affect yours but your daughters life as well. Head of the family or not I would never have fought back and neither would dad or grandad because you're our family." I tell her softly making her smile slightly. "Now how about we sit and discuss some things before I head to Gringotts to carry out some... let's call them family changes Andi." I suggest as Mispy pops in with the tea and pain potion which I quickly gulp down with a sigh as my headache vanishes almost instantly.
"Why were Lord Malfoy and his heir here?" Minerva asks as she sits down and I wince at the looks they both send me.
"Andi, I'm sure you know about the marriage contracts?" I ask her and she nods as she stiffens in her seat while Mispy pours our tea, adding honey and sugar to mine making me chuckle slightly. "Dad asked me to dissolve them and I was going to do so as soon as I got back from a few personal errands first. However, they were at the train station when I dropped the boys off and we came straight here to dissolve them." I explain and Andi grins at me while Minerva looks at me with narrowed eyes.
"And you were in his arms why?" Minerva asks me with venom in her voice and I wince at that.
"I uh, I cracked and my mask fell." I admit and Andi looks at me with wide eyes before rounding the desk to hug me while Minerva looks at me confused. Looking over at dad's portrait I see him smiling fondly at me and take a deep breath to keep my emotions in check. "Maybe cracked wasn't the best term, I broke. He was asking about how I was coping with everything that's happened and after the last two days of just hiding away and trying to figure out how to contact Bella without soundling like the head of her house. I just... it was too much after Theodore asking at the station and he was quick to comfort me."
"You told me you were fine." Minerva states and I sigh.
"I know and I only did so in order to stop you from worrying about me too much. Minerva you're in the middle of getting your mastery, that needs more of your attention than my ever changing emotional stability does." I tell her making her groan as she takes my hand over the desk. "I'm sorry that I locked myself away for the last two days, you and the boys didn't deserve that. I've been trying to figure out how to help Bella as well as keep my own emotions at bay that I didn't even think about how you would feel for which I am immensely sorry."
"I will forgive you this time but if you do it again I will transfigure you into a rock and throw you into the deepest body of water I can find." She threatens making great uncle Phineas laugh from his place on the wall.
"Are you sure you wish to wed this one? She's fiesty." He asks and I look at him angrliy.
"PHINEAS! Wht the hell is wrong with you?" Mum shouts as grandma disappears from grandads side. "I thought death would remove your idiocy but it seems that you were fated to be a twat even in death!"
"You want to wed me?" Minerva asks me with wide eyes and I gulp slightly. Not knowing what to say I nod silently and watch as she stands from her chair before running out of the room. Without a care in the world about how it looks to anyone that may see I chase after her as she leaves the manor and just as I start to catch up with her she apparates away, leaving me behind with wide eyes. Bending over to catch my breath I barely supress the sob that wracks my body and let Andi guide me back into the house as tears stream down my face. Falling into the sofa when Andi brings me into the family room I pull my knees up to my chest as she hands me a tissue before curling into my side.
"She left, is marrying me such a disgusting thought that she just left me?" I ask quietly and all Andi can do is hold me tight to her as I cry. "Eight years, we've been together for eight years and I want nothing more than to be with her for the rest of my life Andi. I thought that it was something we both wanted but apparently not." I whisper out and she gently strokes my hair in hopes of calming me down and it slowly works as I stop crying. Sinking into the cushions and Andromeda's side I close my eyes in exhaustion as the emotions of the last year finally catch up to me.
"Get some sleep Ama, I'll be here when you wake. I promise." She says as she lays me down and I don't have the energy to fight her as sleep calls my name.