Harry walked down the stairs of Grimmauld Place, still smiling to himself a little. The house looked so much better now, warm and cosy. Yet Narcissa had agreed it looked like the manor of a noble House. The floors were all in a warm beech brown and the walls in light green. The only places that differed were the bathrooms, Harry's and Sirius room. It's been six days since they had visited the Grangers and it had been amazing.

Harry hadn't changed the interior of his own room from the way Sirius had made it at their evening in the house. It had been the sentiment of affection in changing his room into something he hoped Harry would like and he loved it. He had only added stuff, like pictures on his nightstand. Pictures of Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Narcissa, his Mom and his Dad, Neville, Hagrid, the Weasleys and other friends he had. While he had set these up he had noticed how many friends he had found over the course of the last three years. It had been a slow and unnoticed process. First, it was just Ron, okay actually Hagrid, but that was something else. Then Hermione and then one after the other he had gained more and more friends.

Sirius room, on the other hand, was kind of like chaos contained in four walls. No colours matched, it was untidy and rebellious, also unlike in Harry's room, there were no portraits in it. In fact, all around the house the portraits were gone, concentrated in just one room, cleverly called the portrait room. Of course, house Black had to have them but Sirius argued he knew quite a few portraits out there with different allegiance and he didn't want them spying in house Black. Narcissa and he had got into a huge row about his bedroom. Her argument was that the room wasn't fitting for an adult man, a pureblood nobleman in particular. His bedroom, the master-bedroom should represent everything great and strong in House Black.

Sirius had countered that this was his room, he had agreed that his name and his reputation were important and he needed to play this part but this was his sanctuary, his own and he would be damned if he couldn't be himself in his own room. He had finally won the debate when Harry had asked if it was common for people outside of the family to see his bedroom. Narcissa reluctantly had agreed that no one would see the room, not even the floor it was on at all. So Sirius got his wish, placing even more emphasis on this now adding everything Purebloods despised. Some muggle posters for example. Harry had chuckled because Sirius, unaware had a few pictures of teen bands in his room.

Harry came down to the second floor and his eyes fell on the room Narcissa used at the moment. He had no idea what it looked like. From the first day, she had always locked it and warded too, stating she didn't want anyone in there, not even Kreacher. She hadn't said why in any kind or form, just stated it. While Harry had just agreed to it and thought everyone should have their privacy, the day after they returned from the Grangers and while Narcissa was out, buying something Harry had heard a loud cracking sound from the second floor. In full sprint, he had reached the second floor finding his godfather on the floor. His hands and face were bright green and on the door was written in burning letters.

STAY OUT!

The green hadn't disappeared before Narcissa had returned and for half an hour Harry had watched the amusing sight of Lord Sirius Orion Black, one of the richest wizards in Britain and one of the best hit-wizards during the war against Tom, being scolded like a five-year-old by the livid Narcissa. She hexed him quite a lot through that encounter and it only had ended when Harry had stepped up, stating he thought Sirius understood boundaries. Now.

Making his way down the stairs, Harry hummed some muggle song they had heard on the radio while staying at the Grangers. His hand glided over the handrails and he smiled feeling his Heir-Ring around his finger. He would take up the mantle of Lord Peverell at the next gathering of the Wizengamot. While he was young to take up a Lord-Ship he wasn't the youngest lord in history, by far. The youngest lord ever to take up his mantle had been Lord Janus Greengrass in 1354, becoming a Lord at the age of four. At least that was what Narcissa said and Harry had no doubt she was right. Narcissa knew everything about wizard customs and the history of the noble houses. She was like Hermione in this. She knew everything about the political landscape and every day she ordered Harry and Sirius for at least one hour into the sitting room, working on their etiquette and their political knowledge. To Sirius it was annoying, he had no ambition in this, but he had talent. At least Narcissa said so to Harry. He had a natural understanding of the way the high-society moved and it aggravated Narcissa to no end he had let this talent rot away.

Harry, on the other hand, was quite interested in the lessons. While he wasn't the most ambitious learner, he had reasons to like this. For one, there was no Ron around. While he loved his best friend, he had the tendency to groan about work and learning and had to be forced to actually do something. With him not around Harry noticed he was quite eager to learn. Also when he wanted to be honest to himself, he admired Narcissa. Not for her view of the world, but her social ease. She almost always knew what to say and could read people like a book. She had an aloof way of dealing with things, but it seemed earned, not arrogant. She just had this way of acting like royalty. They had been out to dinner two times and once had returned to Gringotts to open the Peverell vault for Remus to check on it.

The vault was fascinating. According to the goblin it hadn't been opened for over three-hundred years. While Tom had been the lord of the house, he had never claimed his lordship, probably unaware that he even was a lord. The had retrieved the Lord ring, giving it to Lord Ragnok to be officially presented in the chamber. While there was quite a lot of money in the vault, that didn't really matter to them. More fascinating were the large amounts of magical artefacts and old tomes stored in the big cavern. Remus had started working through these but had stated it would need a little more time for him to get to the bottom of it. Harry had used his Lord apparent status to make him the Solicitor of House Peverell as well.

He hadn't decided yet what name he would carry. Sirius had said to him, he should just keep Potter, that was the name his parents had given to him and therefore it was the most important, screw the noble society. Narcissa had said he should take up the Black name, it had the most power and was ancient. While she understood the sentimental attachment to the Potter name, she said his name didn't change who he is, but how he was received. While Black meant ancient house and strength, Potter meant boy-how-lived, a title Narcissa knew full well by now Harry despised. Remus, on the other hand, had said he should take up the Peverell name. He had heard Harry's idea of clearing the symbol from its stain and it would help with that. Also, it was a clear message to Tom. I take what you muddled and clean it.

Harry saw all three of their points and couldn't decide, but he knew he would have to do just that soon because he had about a week before the next meeting of the Wizengamot. He had really no idea what to do. Maybe Hermione or Ron would know something.

He finally reached the ground floor, walking over to the sitting room. He could hear Sirius and Narcissa speak in there. Harry wore simple but well-cut clothes, no robes but jeans and a red shirt. While they were at home Harry refused to wear formal clothes, feeling there was no need. Also their guest today would be family so no need for a formal approach. He pushed the door open, finding the two of them sitting on a couch, talking to each other in low voices. Sirius wore similar clothing to Harry making a joke by matching him every day with matching clothes. Narcissa, on the other hand, wore dashing robes of dark green, showing the curves of her body quite well but also completely modest. She raised her head, giving him a curt smile. She still wore her hair down, still covering the right side of her face. It wasn't bruised as much as it had been before, more of a yellow and green instead of violet and purple colour, but she still hid it away, even at home.

"Harry, there came a letter for you." She simply states. Sirius huffs, crossing his arms. The boy stepped closer. A letter for him, but not brought by Hedwig? That was a little strange. But when he saw the stamp on it and the handwriting, he realised its nature.

"Oh, it's from Dudley."

Sirius nodded gravely, still crossing his arms. He didn't like the idea of the Dursleys still being able to contact his godson, even if he had himself provided the actual means for it. Harry ripped the letter open, unfolding it. It was written a little clumsily, Dudley has never been a person who writes much and most of the time he used his computer for that.

Hello Harry,

I have written and rewritten this letter over and over again. I'm not sure what to really say right now. This is really weird. I know I haven't been the best cousin there is and for what it is worth I'm sorry about that. I probably write to test if this letter even reaches you. I hope you are well. Life at home hadn't changed much. Dad hasn't said a word about you ever since and Mom only once, saying it was better this way. Dad tried to burn the slip that man had given me, but as he said, it didn't work! Anyway, one of your people had been here, shortly after you left. A woman looked a little like Miss Pirer from Elementry. She asked a bunch of questions, pointed her thing at me once and then she left. Dad tried to argue with her, first didn't want to let her in and then about that man punching him. She had yelled at him for about ten minutes and then pointed her thing at him, knocking him out. He is fine but really mad. I know Mom and Dad yelled at each other after she left.

I don't really go outside at the moment. Can that thing come back? I'm afraid that it comes back. I hope it didn't follow you or anything like that. I hope we see each other and this letter reaches you.

Your cousin Dudley.

Harry blinked in surprise lowering the letter. Sirius stared at him curiously, while Narcissa hid her interest better. Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Aaaand?" He asked carefully. Harry looked up, shrugging.

"It's from Dudley, mostly what happened that night. Uncle Vernon." He flinched slightly at the name. "was really mad but apparently Madam Bones put him in his place and stunned him after he got too annoying." This made Sirius grin brightly. He had been to dinner with her and Harry a few nights ago while Narcissa had remained home, not too eager to venture out that night. It had been a fun evening and Harry had been surprised by the woman who could be really funny, stern look and demeanour or not. After blurting that out, she had laughed, saying that that was her work-face. In a world like the wizarding one as a woman, you had to put in 110% to be taken serious. Getting the old serious/Sirius joke out of it they had then turned to lighter talk. The evening had concluded with setting a new evening and Madam Bones promised to bring her niece next time.

Sirius grinned brightly.

"Yeah, I knew Melia couldn't keep it to herself with these muggles. Anything else, well at least anything you want to talk about?" Harry blinked down at the letter again.

"Yeah, he said he is afraid the Dementor would return. Could it?" Sirius shook his head slowly while thinking.

"No, that it most unlikely. Dementors prefer wizards over muggles I think. It is still strange that one was there in the first place. All Dementors are in service of the Ministry. It would have had an order in the area. Maybe we should write Amelia about it, I hope that wasn't a planned attack." Narcissa snorted a little.

"Like the Ministry would attack the boy-who-lived." Harry gave her an annoyed look at the title and in a rather surprising way, Narcissa actually smirked at him. Sirius sighed, nodding.

"Let's hope not." Then there were three green flashes in the main hall.

"I think our guests are here." Only a moment later Kreacher popped into the room, bowing deeply in front of the three who just rose from the couch.

"Lord Black, Heir Peverell-Black, Lady Malfoy. Your guests, family Tonks has arrived." Sirius nodded making his way to the door. Harry smiled down at the elf.

"Thank you, Kreacher." The elf bowed even deeper the tip of his nose brushing the carpet.

"Heir Peverell-Black is too kind. Kreacher lives only to serve." Harry nodded, still smiling.

"Still thank you. You...may go." With a pop, the elf disappeared and Harry walked to the door to meet more of his family.

Nymphadora Tonks looked up and down the hall, they were in. The floor was white marble. On the edges there was dark grey granite, making a nice rim. In the centre of the room was a combined crest laid in. Forming in gold and silver, there was on the left side the crest of House Black, the wand-wielding hand over three ravens. On the right side was another crest and she couldn't place it. A wand, in a circle, surrounded by leaves forming a triangle. Dora, never Nymphadora, frowned, looking at it. She had never been interested in the noble houses, being half-blood she didn't care much. Yet she knew most crests and this one was an unknown. She turned to her mother. Andromeda Tonks stood there in her best informal clothes fiddling with her hair. She was, Dora had to admit, a stunning woman. While she was her mother, the girl could admit the beauty of her, with the long thick brown hair and her narrow waist. Not to mention Dora thought with a smirk, she had to thank her mother for passing on her rather impressive chest size to herself. Her mother looked like the beautiful daughter of a noble house.

"Mom, what crest is that? I notice Black but the other one? I don't know it."

But instead of her mother, uncle Sirius voice answered her from the corner of the hall. He had just stepped outside and heard her question.

"That's the crest of house Peverell." The man smiled at the most loved part of his extended family. A smile grew in Andy's face as well when she saw him, stepping closer before pulling her cousin into a hug.

"Sirius, thank you for having us." He waved off, chuckling.

"No need Andy, no need. Hey there, Ted, I hope these two didn't cause you a heart attack?" He pointed at his cousin and her daughter while smiling at the man. Ted Tonks was tall, bearded and looked kind of like a lumberjack, broad shoulders and wide hands. He chuckled stepping closer and taking Sirius hand.

"They try their best and ow okay okay." The muggle-born wizard raised his hands in surrender to his glaring wife. Andromeda had pulled her wand and shot a stinging hex into his backside for his joke.

"That's something you don't joke about Ted. Not after your dad." Seven years ago Ted's father had died from a heart-attack and ever since then Andromeda had been twitchy on this topic. Sirius stepped forward, placing his hand on Andromeda's shoulder.

"Sorry Andy, that's on me. To you too Ted, I am sorry for your loss." He had heard about the death from Remus, who, of course, had got up to date on the entire Black family in the last couple of days. Then Sirius raised his head, smiling at the pink-haired Tonks daughter.

"Nymphy, hello an-" Now he got a stinging hex from a furious Nymphadora.

"Never! Call me Nymphy again. It's Tonks or Dora, these are your choices, everything else and you will be in for a world of pain. Are we clear...Blacky?" Sirius also crunched his face a little on the unwanted nickname. He never had problems with nicknames, calling almost everyone by one, but he never liked being called by his family name. Not with his mother and what being a Black had meant to him in his youth but he didn't want the mood to sour too much, so he shook his head.

"No problem here Dora. Sorry but Tonks is to confusing considering." He nodded towards her parents. While both didn't like the aversion for her name, they had fought this fight a long long time ago and had lost it hard. They still hoped she would change her mind when she got older and out of this rebellious streak but Andromeda had her doubts that would ever happen when she looked at her cousin. The man turned, ginning at the three of them.

"I would like you three to meet someone." He looked back noticing he was alone. "Prongslet?" He called out and a scrawny boy stepped out of a side room. He had scrubby black hair and was rather thin, not really tall, about thirteen or fourteen would Andromeda think. He wore a black shirt and denim jeans and Andromeda felt the urge to smile when she noticed he and Sirius wore partner look. The boy had an apologetic look on his face, looking down a little.

"S-Sorry Sirius, I was talking to Kreacher for a moment." His shoulders were raised in defence ever so slightly. Andromeda knew this look, that was the look of a child who makes himself ready to be scolded or worse. Sirius shook his head, noticing the look too, stepping closer to his godson. I put his arm around Harry trying his best to put down the urge to curse loudly at Vernon Dursley when the boy flinched slightly at the touch, before relaxing. He shook Harry slightly trying his best to not indulge the boy in his fear.

"No problem Pronglet. I want you to meet my cousin Andromeda, her husband Ted and their daughter Nymphadora." The pink-haired girl glared at Sirius raising her wand threateningly. Sirius smiled when he felt Harry shift a little stepping in front of him, while his hand gripped into Sirius shirt.

"Who you should call Dora because she apparently hates her name. Tonkses, meet my godson, heir and the shining light in my Life Harry...uhm, well Potter-Peverell-Black...Black-Potter-Peverell? Prongslet you have too many last names." The boy chuckled swatting him slightly on the back while trying not to blush at being call light of Sirius life.

Nymphadora chuckled stepping closer eying the boy up and down. She had about four inches on him and a few pounds too. The boy looked rather unimpressive, only a thin young boy with untamed hair and well at least rather lovely green eyes. Her eyes darted shortly to his forehead, gliding over the famous lightning bolt scar.

"Soooo, this is the infamous boy-who-lived." She smiled leaning down a little, looking into Harry's eyes. The boy frowned a little before returning the smirk on her face.

"Yeah, that's me, but please don't use that bloody title, I don't really like it. We understand each other right Nymphadora?"

Dora leaned back and started laughing before winking at the boy for a moment, who grinned at her.

"Well played Potter, well played." Then her eyes turned to the door he had come from because a third person stepped out. Nymphadora felt her shoulder tense up a lot at the sight of the blond-black haired woman stepping out in dashing well-fitting robes.

"Aunt Narcissa?" Nymphadora called out, stepping a small step towards her mother. While never having been in a problem, she knew her mother and her aunt haven't talked to each other for a really long time and there had been really nasty things said. Andromeda frowned stepping closer.

"Narcissa, what are you doing here?" It wasn't lost on her that the boy-who-lived stepped slightly into her way, placing himself in front of Narcissa in a similar way he had done with Sirius just now. Narcissa's forehead creased up in the same way as her sisters and she straightened her back, returning the glare.

Sirius stepped up, holding up his hand.

"Andy, please, I know, there is a lot that happened between the two of you but please. Cissy is my guest, she is staying here with me and Harry and is under the protection of House Black, like you and your family as well. Please, calm down you two." The two women eyed each other, none of them really ready to take their hands of their wands. Ted Tonks stepped up, walking over to the woman. All eyes in the room followed the man when he stepped up to his sister-in-law and stretched out his hand.

"Good day Lady Malfoy. I hope you are well." For a moment Narcissa stared down at the hand, before raising her eyes, looking into the eyes of the man she to this day thought was responsible for the rift between her and her sister. After a moment she turned her eyes to the boy in the middle of the room. Harry's emerald eyes were filled with worry but also pleading. He wanted this to go well, his family to not be broken. He remembered the way aunt Petunia had talked about his mother, her own sister and he worried this was the same way.

Very slowly, Narcissa raised her hand, taking hold of Ted's and shook it.

"Mr Tonks, a good day to you too. Welcome to House Black. I'm fine here, thank you for asking." After a moment they both dropped the other once hand. None of them liked the other in the slightest bit. Narcissa thought that muggleborn had stolen her beloved sister, turning her against the family, against her and had made her life so much worse. Ted saw a cold-hearted bitch, who had hurt the love of his life, not being able to be happy for her own sister, not accepting their love at all. Sirius watched the scene, ready to step in ready for a fight. Stepping in on whose side and fighting whom, he had no idea.

Footsteps made Ted turn to his wife. She stepped closer, walking over the marble floor in a slow careful pace. Her husband stepped out of the way, placing his hand ever so slightly on her shoulder for a moment. Her eyes were fixed on her sisters, brown fixed on grey. Andromeda stopped in front of her sister and Harry saw the similarity. Both were tall, thin and had high cheekbones, full lips and rather delicate noses. But while Narcissa wore her looks with the grace of a Queen of Ice and Thorns, beautiful but aloft, Andromeda had more of a home in autumn, brown and warm and soft. Slowly Andromeda's hand rose for a handshake and Narcissa tilted her head slightly. Her hair fell to the side and Andromeda's eyes opened wide when she saw the smudge of a healing bruise on the eye and cheek of her baby sister. Her hand rose up more, taking hold onto the chin of Narcissa tilting her head to the side to show her more of sisters face. Now her forehead frowned for a different reason, it was worry. You could hate each other and insult and everything but when a sister had protected her younger sibling in their youth that response hard to come by. Narcissa yanked her chin out of the delicate fingers which helped her up as a child, when she had fallen down, who had tugged her in more than once, had combed her hair, braided it and had rubbed her back.

"Cissy...what happened?" The brunette woman asked in a whispered tone, worry clouding her mind. Narcissa who always was a strong woman, who never bowed down to anyone, who stood her ground, in front of her older sisters she cast her eyes down, while her fingers brushed her blond and black hair over her disfigured cheek, covering the smudge and shaking her head.

"I...nothing...this is nothing." Now Andromeda shook her head and without thinking, she stepped closer, putting her arms around the tender shoulders of her baby sister, and pulled her into a warm hug.

"Ohhh Cissy..." she whispered into her ear and the softness and comfort of the warm hug, the need to not hold back again, like with Sirius and Harry a few nights back and the worry in the voice, made her eyes tear up and she pulled her arms around her sister's slim waist.

"Meda I..." And she just cried into the shoulder of a sister she thought she had lost years ago. Sniffing and sobbing she held on to this person who came back and without thinking about all these awful things she had done, all the nasty comments she had made had taken her up and resumed her role as a sister without thinking.

"Come, Cissy, let's go and sit. I think we have to talk a lot, don't you think sweety?" Narcissa nodded, brushing her tears out of her eyes and they both walked into the sitting room.

Dora looked worryingly to her father but he only shook his head slightly, turning to Sirius.

"I think these two need time to themselves. Don't you?" Sirius nodded, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder. The boy in return had his eyes fixed on the door where both women just left, thinking about Narcissa and hoping this woman, her sister, would help her and ease her pain. Sirius basically felt the worry and hope to radiate from his godson and he squeezed his shoulder slightly, making Harry look up at him.

"Don't worry Prongslet. Andy has always looked out for Cissy. She will look out for her now too. Okay?" Harry slowly nodded, then he returned his eyes at the door for a moment, before looking at the remaining Tonkses. He smirked a little.

"This...might take a while. How about Sirius and I show you around in the meantime, what do you say?"