The first months of 1940 were terribly cold, but that didn't seem to matter to the Black family. Despite the ongoing bombings in the English capital, despite the ever-growing rationing in Britain, none of it seemed to have affected that wizarding clan.
The mansion where Arcturus Black, eldest son of Sirius and Hesper, resided with his wife Melania and their heirs, Lucretia and Orion, was one of several family properties scattered throughout the island. Over the years, and with consequent decay, only the manor in Grimmauld would remain to the clan. Those present at Lucretia's debutante ball could not even imagine the dire events that would befall their descendants in the decades to come. For many of them, that night of ostentation was proof of their position as masters of the world, whether magical or Muggle.
Rosette Black felt her stomach churn with anxiety as she spotted, from inside the carriage, the mansion fully illuminated. She felt Hesper's gloved hand rest on hers, her eyes meeting a serene smile on her face, trying to convey confidence.
This was supposed to be Lucretia's debut in wizarding high society, but in a way, the situation also applied to Rosette herself. It wasn't just the first time she was attending such a grand ball, but also the first time she would meet the other members of her husband's family.
"I'll be by your side," Hesper said.
Rosette nodded, adjusting the indigo blue fabric gloves that matched the beautiful dress she was wearing. On the bench in front of her were her daughters. The little ones seemed eager for the party. In recent months, their aunt had begun instructing them in the rules of etiquette and a more formal education, which she believed would be useful for both of them in the future. They both wore cream-colored flared dresses with a pink sash at the waist. Marguerith had her black hair tied in curls on top of her head, under a complicated arrangement similar to her mother's. Betelgeuse's straight hair was braided with small shiny stones applied, similar to Hesper's arrangement.
As they descended from the carriage, the matriarch of the Blacks led the way; her wine-colored dress rustled as she elegantly walked towards the double oak doors of her eldest son's house. Rosette followed closely behind, holding each of the twins by the hands.
As their names were announced at the entrance of the ballroom and Rose felt all eyes upon her, her legs began to weaken. Hesper returned to her side, placing her hand on her shoulder. A wave of relief washed over the brunette, and she felt more confident in entering that nest of vipers.
As the two descended the staircase, Hesper leaned close to Rosette's ear, discreetly nodding towards the guests with her head.
"It's not very difficult to tell who the Blacks are; most of them have dark hair and blue eyes like Sirius and Phineas. That's my brother-in-law Cygnus, the blonde next to him is Violetta, his wife. Their youngest, Dorea, also has light hair and recently married the Potter's son. I haven't seen Cassiopeia, their middle daughter, yet. The eldest, Pollux, is talking to Harfang Longbottom and Caspar Crouch, husbands of my nieces, Callidora and Charis, daughters of Lysandra and Arcturus, from whom my eldest inherited the name. The two of them are on the other side of the room, with Irma, Pollux's wife. Charis is the brunette visibly pregnant. Their children must be scattered around. Belvina and Hebert apparently haven't arrived, and my son Regulus won't come."
Rosette felt completely dizzy with that enormous amount of information.
"I won't be able to remember all of this," she blurted out.
Hesper gave a half-smile.
"You'll learn little by little. The important thing is to remember that some people are taboo in this family. Phineas, obviously. My Lycoris. Poor Marius, Cygnus's son who was sent away as a child to his maternal grandparents' house as soon as they found out he was an abortion. And young Cedrella, Arcturus's daughter, who ran away to marry Septimus Weasley. They'll probably test you on that, especially about Phineas."
Rosette lowered her head, pensive, and before she could ask Hesper the best way to act if they approached her about her husband, a dark-haired man with piercing blue eyes approached. He was practically a younger copy of Sirius Black. This was Arcturus. Beside him was a woman with light brown, straight hair, also with blue eyes. Melania.
"Mother, I am immensely glad to have you here with us," he took Hesper's hand, kissing it.
"Arc, stop with the formalities. It's been months since we last saw each other, at least give your mother a hug."
The man complied promptly. Although it wasn't apparent externally, he missed her. As they let go, Hesper greeted her daughter-in-law and decided to make introductions.
"You may already know Rosette," she said, with her velvety voice.
"Oh yes," Melania nodded, "Rosette and I were in the same year at Hogwarts, but in different houses. You were in Hufflepuff, weren't you?"
"Ravenclaw," she replied, a little more curtly than intended.
She remembered Melania and even Arcturus, two years her senior, walking around the school as if they were the kings of Hogwarts. It was so strange that years later they belonged to the same family.
"And these are your cousins, Betelgeuse and Marguerith."
The two little girls had remained silent until then, as instructed by their aunt in the presence of adults. Both curtsied, eliciting a smile from Melania and a discreet curl of the lips from Arcturus.
"They're adorable, congratulations, Rosette. I'll take them to the junior wing of the party," the hostess announced.
Arcturus offered his arm to his mother to circulate around the hall. Rosette walked beside them.
"Your father?" Hesper asked, casually.
"He sent a Patronus saying he would be late; things are complicated in London."
Rose glanced sideways at Hesper, but couldn't decipher what lay behind her enigmatic violet orbs. This would be the first time they were all three in the same place. Sirius hadn't visited them all this time.
"I think someone is eager to see you, Mother."
Hesper smiled. Her granddaughter looked beautiful in a tight green dress up to her waist, which then opened up voluminously; her black hair flowed freely down her back. She was talking, smiling, with a blond boy with curly hair. The matriarch of the Blacks tried to recall who he could be. He seemed to be one of the youngest Prewetts. Ignatius, perhaps.
Lucretia seemed so happy and radiant. Hesper remembered that at her age, instead of a debutante ball, she had had a wedding party. She hoped her granddaughter would have better luck in choosing her own destiny.
"Grandma," the girl practically ran over when she heard her name being called.
The two embraced affectionately.
"Are you enjoying the party?" the girl asked.
"It's magnificent, as you deserve," the woman replied, sincerely. "This is your Aunt Rosette."
"Nice to meet you," Lucretia made a curtsy very similar to the one the twins had done. Rose smiled, noting that there was some influence from Hesper in her granddaughter's upbringing.
"The pleasure is mine. And congratulations on your birthday."
Arcturus noticed that his daughter's friends, especially Ignatius, seemed eager to have her back among them.
"Your guests are seeking attention, daughter. You'll have plenty of time to talk to your grandmother later," after Lucretia left, Arcturus turned to his mother, completing, "I also need to step away for a few minutes."
"You can go peacefully," Hesper said, as her son made a slight bow before heading into the middle of the hall.
Hesper picked up two glasses of champagne that a nearby waiter offered her. She handed one to Rosette.
"Well, my dear, smile and let's enjoy ourselves. Today is a day to celebrate."
Rose swallowed the contents practically in one gulp, wishing Hesper's words would come true.
Little Alphard Black was bored. He simply couldn't enjoy the adult parties, so full of etiquettes and pomp, where he couldn't do practically anything or play with anyone. Most of his cousins were much older than him, at the tender age of six. Orion, who was now eleven, had started acting like an adult and was trying to fit in with Lucretia's friends. Alphard's sister, Walburga, was the same age as Lucretia, and she was also accompanying her classmates. And, to the boy's dismay, his younger brother, Cygnus, had barely turned two and was much more interested in their mother's lap than anything else.
He sighed, sulking. He had only agreed to come to the party because of the promise of being able to eat all the sweets he could, but he had to wait for Lucretia to cut the birthday cake, and it seemed like it was going to take a while, and there was nothing else interesting he could do there. It was at that moment that he noticed, under the table where he was hiding, two pink shoes with bows on top; they were small like his own and possibly belonged to a girl.
Excited by the discovery of a potential playmate, he tried to get out quickly, hitting his head on the table.
"Ow!" he exclaimed.
The little girl, curious about the noise, bent down, noticing Alphard, who was watching her with a pained expression. She wondered what he could be doing there, and if any of the adults would scold him for hiding. On the other hand, she understood his feelings. After all, she had decided to take refuge in that corner farthest from the party. The large number of adults she didn't know was bothering her. Her sister, on the other hand, had decided to go alone to the hall, to explore the environment, in her own words.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I think so," he replied, rubbing his head, while coming out from under the table.
When he stood up, he realized the girl was only slightly shorter than him. Her hair was as black as Alphard's own, her eyes were green and seemed slightly sad. He felt a mix of curiosity and compassion. He couldn't remember seeing her before.
"I'm Alphard Black. And you?" he said, making a nod of the head, as he had learned.
She blinked, surprised. This must be one of the many cousins her Aunt Hesper said she would meet that night.
"I'm Cassiopeia Marguerith Black," she replied, serious, making an effort to make the formal bow her aunt had taught her when introducing herself to someone.
He blinked, surprised.
"Black, like me?"
"I guess we're cousins," she said, still somewhat uncertain.
"If that's the case, you can call me Alphie," he smiled, friendly.
"Marge," the little girl replied, a little more relaxed.
"Marge," Alphard smiled, a little more mischievously this time. "So... do you want to play?"
The girl finally allowed a smile to spread across her face.
"I do," she nodded, albeit timidly, but barely able to contain her happiness.
"Great!" he rubbed his hands in contentment.
The little one felt her cousin's fingers close around her hand and suddenly found herself being dragged by him into the middle of the ballroom, almost running through the guests. Although she knew she might be reprimanded for such behavior, she didn't care. A good feeling filled her childish heart.
Sirius Black descended the stairs of the hall like a monarch surveying his precious kingdom. In a way, that wasn't entirely untrue. He was the patriarch of his family. All brothers, brothers-in-law, children, and nephews owed him obedience. That party was proof that he was doing an excellent job because it reflected the grandeur of the clan.
As he handed his cloak and cane to one of the servants, he scanned the room eagerly for his granddaughter to give her proper congratulations; however, instead of locating her, he came across a rather curious scene. One of Rosette's little ones was talking to Baron Grygiel, a Polish nobleman who was passing through England. Although nothing in the man's expression indicated that he was annoyed by the presence of the girl, Sirius thought it best to intervene.
"Baron Grygiel," he said, making a slight bow as he greeted the man. "It's a great pleasure to see you again."
The Pole was a tall man, with light hair and brown eyes; he had a goatee on his face, and he wore a finely cut tuxedo. He responded to the greeting with a nod of his head.
"Likewise," he replied, "Black."
The man turned to the niece, who made an almost perfect curtsy. He tried to remember which of his brother's daughters she was. Then he noticed the hazel of her eyes.
"Good evening, Betelgeuse," he said.
"Good evening, Uncle Sirius," she replied.
"She's a charming girl," Grygiel spoke. "She was telling me about the etiquette and reading classes she's been taking. She's quite intelligent. You must be proud of her, a true Black."
The man turned his attention back to the niece. The little girl's eyes did not waver as her uncle watched her. Proud and haughty eyes. Sirius allowed a subtle curl of his lips to form on his face. Perhaps his brother hadn't completely corrupted the girl.
"I regret not bringing my little Tomek to the party. They would make an excellent pair. Something we can consider in the long term," Grygiel added.
That truly surprised Black. The niece had truly impressed the Baron. A possible marriage between the families could be very advantageous. Grygiel was a great supporter of Grindelwald's cause. When the wizard came to power, it was obvious that the Pole would receive a share of the spoils in that conquest.
"Of course," Sirius replied, "we can arrange a visit to our house the next time you come to England and introduce them. Betelgeuse, could you go play with the other children while the adults talk?"
"Of course. It was a pleasure to meet you, milord," she bid farewell.
The men continued their conversation, discussing politics and the vision they shared of a world ruled by wizards. After a few minutes, a woman approached; she also had light hair like the baron.
"Emilja, do you remember Sirius Black?" Grygiel asked his wife.
"Of course, it's a pleasure to see you again," she extended her hand, which he promptly kissed as etiquette demanded. "I was talking to your wife and your sister-in-law just a moment ago."
Sirius looked in the direction the Pole had indicated, noticing that besides Hesper and Rosette, Belvina was also there. The expression on his sister's face was not the best.
"If you'll excuse me, it's been a long time since I've seen Hesper."
Rosette was starting to enjoy herself at the party. The music was pleasant, the food was delicious, and the drinks were of high quality. She had spent most of the time quietly beside Hesper, almost like a handmaiden accompanying her queen, as everyone seemed more interested in seeing the matriarch of the Blacks than getting to know Rose. Instead of bothering her, this brought a certain relief to the brunette. Except for a few curious glances or discreet disapprovals, no one had addressed her rudely or aggressively.
However, that was about to change...
Belvina Burke had arrived at the party with her husband, Herbert, a few minutes ago. As soon as she spotted Hesper, her eyes narrowed in displeasure when they landed on the younger woman accompanying her. From the description she had been given, that was supposed to be her brother's traitorous wife. She strode purposefully towards where the two women were, conversing animatedly with Emilja Grygiel.
Hesper noticed her sister-in-law's impulsiveness before she approached; anticipating some scandal, she thought it best to bid farewell to the guest.
"Emilja, dear, could you excuse us for a moment? It seems my esteemed Belvina needs to have a serious conversation with us."
The Polish woman turned, also noticing the heavy expression on the face of the approaching brunette.
"Of course, Hesper. We'll talk later. It was a pleasure to meet you, Rosette."
Belvina finally reached the sisters-in-law, her blue eyes flashing with anger. She shot a disdainful look of contempt at Rosette before turning to Hesper.
"So it's true, you really took in that whore and the bastards." she said through gritted teeth.
Rose opened her mouth to defend herself, but her words died in her throat when Hesper shook her head. The matriarch of the Blacks had an impassive expression.
"Belvina," Hesper spoke in a low, phlegmatic tone, "you're in my son's house, at my granddaughter's birthday party, I ask that you show a minimum of respect for my guest."
The woman raised her hands, indignant. From her perspective, such an attitude was an affront to the family, and, above all, to the memory of their parents.
"Respect?" Belvina nearly spat out the word. "You talk about respect while this whore sleeps with your husband and my traitor brother defends those non-magical animals?"
Rosette trembled, but chose to trust Hesper. Both she and Sirius had said that Belvina would not accept Rose and the daughters in the family, however, they both emphasized that it was better to let Hesper handle her husband's younger sister.
Hesper sipped her champagne as if her sister-in-law's words were insignificant, which for her, they were.
"My dear," she began, "even after all these years you still can't understand my relationship with Sirius, can you? The bond we've developed is incomparable to what you and Herbert have. I know you envy us... and also envy my position in this family..."
"I don't..." Belvina raised her voice, her complexion turning scarlet.
A mischievous smile formed on Hesper's lips; she knew she was reaching the point where she could break her sister-in-law again. She sipped her champagne once again, prolonging that small pleasure. They had been classmates at Hogwarts, and Sirius's sister had not made her life easy in the early years of her marriage. But over time, Hesper learned which strings to pull to turn Belvina into an obedient puppet.
"You don't know anything," Hesper cut her off. "You never learn, do you? Always impulsive and reckless, ruled by arrogance. Should I remind you that you owe the life you lead to Sirius and me?"
The woman fell silent, bowing her head. Rosette watched the two women with visible astonishment. This was a side of Hesper she had not yet seen. Different from the sweet and understanding woman she had lived with for the past few months. The matriarch of the Blacks could also be firm, incisive, and cruel.
Hesper's smile widened at the sight of Belvina's sullen silence.
"I would love to know what Caractacus will say when they need to change the name of Burke & Borgins to Black & Borgins; after all, it was us who lent Herbert the money to cover his gambling debts. And if I remember correctly, the money your husband lost he took from the shop without anyone knowing... Should I tell Caractacus?"
Belvina sobbed, swallowing her pride.
"No, Hesper, it won't be necessary," the woman turned to Rosette. The fiery gleam in her eyes at the beginning of the conversation had faded. "Welcome to the family."
"Thank you..." she murmured, somewhat incredulous.
Rose couldn't fully understand what she had just witnessed. She only understood that Hesper knew how to be a force to be feared, and that it was better to have her as an ally than an enemy.
"I'm glad you understand the situation, my dear," the matriarch of the Blacks spoke. "I don't care what is said behind our backs, but I hope you never again mistreat Rosette or the girls."
"Is there a problem?" a deep voice announced.
"Sirius, I didn't know you had arrived," Hesper said, with a soft, almost amused voice.
Belvina remained silent, while Rosette felt a wave of embarrassment warming her cheeks.
"Everything's fine," Rose said softly.
The man smiled, observing the three women. Belvina looked like a child caught misbehaving. Rosette couldn't look at him. Hesper, on the other hand, had a victorious gleam in her eyes. From their reactions, it wasn't too difficult to deduce what had happened.
He approached his sister, kissing her forehead; he placed another kiss on Rose's hand and a third on his wife's lips.
"I'm glad to know that my favorite girls are getting along."
"Why wouldn't we?" Belvina replied, a bit more composed. "I'm also happy to see you, brother."
"We should get together more often," he said. "And you, Rosette, look absolutely stunning."
He was being sincere. His sister-in-law was a delight to the eyes. He imagined how delightful it would be to take her out of that party dress.
"Thank you," she replied, watching Hesper out of the corner of her eye. The woman continued to smile serenely.
"And you, my wife, are simply stunning."
"I'll go look for Herbert," Belvina interrupted. "I'm sure he's eager to catch up with Hesper."
As soon as Sirius's younger sister left, Rosette was left speechless. Perhaps with time she could get used to the discomfort of the situation, but not that night.
"Would you like us to leave you two alone?" she asked.
"Actually, I came to steal Hesper away from you. I'd like to take her for a dance."
"It will be a pleasure, my dear," she reached out her hand to her husband.
The two of them elegantly made their way to the center of the dance floor, leaving behind a Rosette still unable to understand the enigma that was the Black couple.
Sirius gently encircled his wife's waist as the strains of a waltz began to fill the room. Hesper allowed herself to be led, savoring the rhythm of the dance. Her husband had always been an excellent dancer, and this was one of the pleasures they genuinely shared. She closed her eyes to better enjoy the satisfaction of the moment.
Observing Hesper's ecstatic expression, Sirius gave a half-smile. He might not harbor truly romantic feelings for his wife, but he was still drawn to her, by her beauty and intelligence.
He remembered the first time he met her. Sirius was twenty-four, still enjoying his days as a bon vivant when his father announced his engagement to the youngest Gamp. Despite his reluctance, he accepted the dictates of the old Phineas Nigellus. As the eldest son, responsible for carrying on the Black legacy, this marriage was beneficial to both families. They were formally introduced a few months before the wedding at a tea party at her parents' house. When she stood up in the living room and stared at him with those proud violet eyes, though he could sense a slight fear in them, Sirius didn't see the inexperienced girl he was about to marry, but the exceptional woman she could become, and he was right.
He kissed her neck, feeling his wife shiver. Hesper opened her eyes, finding Sirius's mischievous smile.
"A little decorum. It's your granddaughter's party," she said, in a seemingly serious tone, though her smile betrayed her.
"You can't blame me for finding you particularly tempting today," he retorted.
"More than Rosette?" Hesper raised her eyebrow slightly.
Sirius let out a short laugh. He knew it wasn't jealousy driving Hesper. She was just trying to provoke him.
"Equally tempting," he replied, widening his smile even further, like a predator eyeing its prey.
Hesper laughed too. After all these years, she wasn't easily taken in by Sirius's tricks anymore.
"So, my dear, you're facing a big problem. Arc invited us to stay overnight. The question is, will you share your bed with your new toy or the old one?"
Sirius leaned closer to his wife's ear, whispering suggestively.
"Why not both?"
Though Sirius still held her by the waist and they continued to dance, Hesper increased the space between them. Her expression was sober and slightly tense.
"I like Rosette, I don't want to ruin my friendship with her because of any fantasies you might have about us. Besides, didn't you promise her that you would respect her in my presence?"
"Promises are made to be broken," he replied disdainfully.
Phineas's wife reminded Hesper of herself before she married Black. Determined, self-assured, but still somewhat innocent. Their bonds had strengthened over the last few months of living together, creating a desire in Hesper to spare her where possible.
"I'm serious. Rose is a good girl, and whatever I can do to make her life a little easier, I will."
"You know, that makes me jealous..." Sirius tried to regain control of the conversation, but Hesper's expression remained closed. He shrugged, feeling defeated. "Alright... I won't give up Rosette, I can't do that, we have a deal; but, I'll limit my less orthodox fantasies only to you."
The woman smiled, feeling a little relieved.
"That doesn't come for free, does it?" She knew her husband well enough to know that he always wanted something in return for giving up his whims.
"Nothing you haven't done before," he replied, the mischievous smile returning to his lips. "Next time you go to London to help me with the contracts for our new venture, I'll contact our usual companion."
"You're an old rogue, Sirius Black," she replied, laughing.
"But, considering the deal we just made, tonight I'll have fun with my new toy."
He spun her a little faster on the dance floor, feeling victorious. He might have given up something that could bring him a lot of pleasure, but Hesper would know how to compensate him. He appreciated that relationship that sometimes resembled a game of chess. If he was a king among his peers, his wife, over the years, had truly become a splendid queen.
Rosette watched out of the corner of her eye as Sirius and Hesper interacted at the coffee table. The way he looked at her, sometimes seemed hypnotized. It was almost hard to believe that this man didn't harbor some kind of passion for his wife, if it weren't for the fact that Rose herself had shared a bed with the patriarch of the Blacks. She took another spoonful of white beans with tomato sauce and a piece of sausage into her mouth, wondering how the family was managing such delicacies amidst the great rationing that had befallen the country.
Sirius got up from the table, but not before planting a gentle kiss on Hesper's lips. He cast a serious glance at Rose in farewell.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for lunch, Dad?" Arcturus asked, following the older man towards the door.
Sirius shook his head assertively.
"London awaits me urgently, Arc. Especially with a war to keep the family money away from. The Muggles kill each other, and we suffer."
Rose sighed at that, thinking of Phineas and how truly different he was from the rest of the family. This stay at Arcturus's house was proving to be very educational.
The men moved further away, leaving only her and Hesper in the room. Melania, Lucretia, and the twins were still sleeping.
Hesper noticed that the younger woman seemed apprehensive and tense. She understood that the previous night had brought some unpleasant moments, but most of the party had been quite enjoyable.
"What's wrong, Rose?" the matriarch of the Blacks asked, before taking a sip of her tea and resting her violet orbs on the younger one.
"Did I do something wrong? Is Sirius angry with me?" she asked, not hiding her fear of offending her brother-in-law and losing the protection she had gained for her daughters.
Hesper understood Rosette's doubts. Sirius had said he would spend the night with his sister-in-law, but it was his wife's door he knocked on, murmuring that he "didn't like broken toys".
She delicately placed the cup on the table and looked at Rosette affectionately.
"He's not angry with you. He just doesn't desire you anymore. You've already given him what he wanted, which was to see Phineas suffer."
Rose bit her lower lip, fearful. It seemed to confirm her deepest fears.
"Is he going to kick me and the girls out?"
"Oh no... Keeping your family separated still makes him very happy. Let's let him believe he's achieved it," the woman replied, winking playfully at Rosette.