August 11, 1977
"I, Alphard Black, being of sound mind and body, revoke all previous wills made by me and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament.
"I appoint as my executors and trustees:
My friend and wealth manager, Joseph Abercromby of Abercromby and Finch;
AND/OR
"My partner, Lucilla Esperanza Garcia Hawthorne;
AND/OR
"My Uncle and Head of House, Lord Arcturus III of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Duke of Ravensmoore.
"If any executor is unable or unwilling to act or dies before proving my will, then I appoint, my aunt, Dorea Potter née Black
OR
"My aunt, Cassiopeia Black as my executor in their place.
"I give all of my estates to my trustees to pay all the expenses of my estate and all my debts, including any mortgage or taxes due, whether as a result of my death or otherwise.
"My trustees shall hold my estate for the following people each of whom shall take the share of my estate indicated below:
"To my love, Lucilla Esperanza Garcia Hawthorne, I leave you our home at 18 Holland Villas Road, London W14, UK, and 50% of all investments in my name, both magical and muggle.
"To my nephew, Sirius Orion Black, I Ieave all the contents of vault 472 in Gringotts London Branch and 50% of all investments, both magical and muggle.
"To my nephew, Regulus Arcturus Black, I leave the books in my school trunk.
"I direct that if any of my beneficiaries die or not accept within sixty (60) days of my passing, then the share of my estate shall be given to the Head of House Black, Duke of Ravensmoore, whomever it may be.
"I wish my body to be cremated and my ashes scattered at sea."
Date Signed: January 22, 1977
Witness 1: Joseph Abercromby, Financial Planner at Abercromby and Finch.
Witness 2: Acacius Rookwood, Solicitor at Montgomery Legal
"Siri,
If you're receiving this letter then I am dead.
I don't know where Death will take me but the afterlife will probably be boring without you there with me to bring mischief and chaos. That doesn't mean I want you to follow me anytime soon. Take your time. Hang out with your friends at Hogwarts and graduate.
I know there's a darkness hanging over Avalon.
I know you have a strong sense of justice and always want to fight, but don't just jump into the fight right after graduation. Live your life. Have fun. Fall in love. Life was as cold and dreary as a Scottish winter before my lovely Lucia came into my life. No matter how many threats or criticisms came from the family, I could overcome them because I wasn't alone.
Cherish your friends, Sirius. They'll make all the hardships worth it.
"Now, you might not like what I'm about to say but I think it needs to be said. Never betray the House of Black. Even though I distanced myself from the family, I never betrayed our family secrets.
When your father, your mother, and I attended Hogwarts, there was a group known as the Knights of Walpurghis, which contained most of the pureblood heirs and heiresses who debated the future of Avalon. At that time was the Muggle's World War Two and Grindelwald's War. Grindelwald was killing both Muggles and Magicals and the German Muggles were bombing London and trying to invade the British Isles. Hate for Muggles and by extension, Muggleborns grew in the years during and after the war.
Let's be honest, the old families always had pride in their blood and their magic. Muggleborns were considered lesser because they weren't as powerful or as well-educated as we were. But after the wars, that sense of superiority turned to hatred. Muggleborns and Muggles went from being lesser to being enemies. Then Lord Voldemort appeared and everyone had to choose a side. Your parents and many purebloods chose Lord Voldemort and everyone else who wasn't with them was the enemy.
I'll be honest with you, Siri. I have no love or hate for Muggles. I'm indifferent.
Just like there are horrible wizards, there are horrible Muggles. No matter what anyone says, Gellert Grindelwald did not start the Muggles' Second World War. I think he used the war to cover his own crimes and used the chaos as a backdrop for his own war, but he did not control Adolf Hitler to start the Second World War.
Your parents abused you and tortured you using magic but I'll tell you I've seen muggle parents beat their children and starve them to death. Some kill and torture for pleasure just like dark wizards. Some view their wives and daughters as nothing more than commodities to be sold and bartered just like some wizards do. And just like some wizards hate people based on their blood status, muggles hate each other because of the color of their skin.
Just like there are good Muggles, there are good wizards. There are bad wizards and there are bad Muggles. We're all just petty people in the end.
"I'll give you one last piece of advice, Siri. Keep one foot in the Wizarding world and keep one foot in the Muggle World. If you're ever truly kicked out of the Black family, knowing how to live in and navigate the muggle world will give you an escape, a reprieve from our controlling and spiteful relatives. After my parents disowned me, I wouldn't have been able to keep up my quality of life if I hadn't invested in Muggle businesses. Have Abercromby invest some of the money I'll be leaving you in some Muggle business. It'll make you rich quick.
Your favorite uncle,
Alphard."
Sirius remembered when he found out about Alphard's death. He was at Potter Manor. Aunt Dorea, Uncle Charlus, their son, Leon, and his wife, had come to visit for the summer break with their three children. His uncle's solicitor had sent everyone born with the surname Black a letter announcing Alphard's death. Aunt Dorea was crying as she handed him the envelope addressed to him, which included the death announcement, a statement that he was one of his uncle's beneficiaries, and the date of his uncle's funeral.
Looking around the room, Sirius noticed there were less than a dozen people present. He knew the solicitor and the financial planner, both of whom appeared to be Uncle Alphard's friends. There was an old man in the back with his son, whom he'd only just met. Aunt Dorea explained that they're cousins from great-grandaunt Belvina's line; her son and grandson. They're technically Burkes rather than Blacks but it seemed they were close with Uncle Alphard. There was him, Aunt Dorea, and Aunt Cassiopeia came in place of his grandfather as a representative for the Head of House Black. At the very front of the room sat his uncle's lover, Lucilla Hawthorne, and her niece, whose name he didn't know.
Uncle Alphard had waxed poetic about his love. He sometimes called her Lucia. Sirius had repeatedly asked him why he never married if he loved her as much as he declared he did and Alphard always replied that getting married would mean marrying each other's families. He liked to keep things simple. Just the two of them: Lucia and Alphard. Neither of them wanted children so there'd be no talk of heirs and Alphard wasn't required to introduce her to the Black family since they weren't married.
Sirius had learned about many great families that he would have to do business with as Heir Black. He knows the Hawthornes are a very wealthy and affluent family in the states that the Black family does business with internationally. He also knows the Hawthones descended from a minor branch of the British Thorne Pureblood family. His father had a lot of opinions of their preference for Muggle investments rather than doing business with "proper wizards". Well, his father had a lot of opinions on anything that wasn't British or pureblood.
Aunt Lucilla sat in her black funeral dress with a straight back, legs crossed, and chin up. He couldn't see her eyes clearly as she was wearing a wide-brim hat with a black lace veil but she had not looked away from the table with Uncle Alphard's portrait that sat beside his urn.
The table was small. It was covered in a black cloth bordered by alternating red spider lilies and white peace lilies. In the center sat the Chesnut urn with Uncle Alphard's full name, date of birth, and date of death meticulously carved on the face of the urn. On top of the urn was a carving of a great Horse Chesnut tree, Uncle Alphard's favorite.
The urn likely came from a branch from the tree in Uncle Alphard's yard. Sirius' eyes prickled with tears as he remembered spending Yule break with his uncle only a few months ago. They were together in the courtyard, in the early evening after the sun had set. There was a muggle grill on which they roasted chestnuts as they ate, talked, and joked with each other. Eventually, a light freezing drizzle drove them back into the house where the Yule log burned continually in the fireplace.
His heart thumped hard against his ribcage like it wanted to jump out. His chest hurt. So much. Why did it have to be Uncle Alphard? Of all the people in the House of Black, why did it have to be Uncle Alphard who died? The only person in the entire family who accepted him for being himself and supported him. Aunt Dorea supported him but she lived on the other side of the world with her husband and children. Alphard was all Sirius had. His house was the only place Sirius could just Floo to, other than Potter Manor, without dreading the shouting match about how he's a failure as a Black. Alphard's house was his second home.
Sirius couldn't hold back the hot tears as they inevitably rolled down his face.
The Burkes were the first to leave. Followed by Aunt Cassiopeia. Neither one of them gave any condolences to Aunt Lucilla. Five minutes later, the solicitor and the financial manager approached Lucilla. She stood up -her niece stood beside her in a posture that said she was waiting for Lucilla to collapse and was prepared to catch her. Lucilla exchanged a few words with the men and they each kissed the air above both her cheeks before turning to leave.
Lucilla looked back at Alphard's urn before releasing a sorrowful sigh. She turned and looked at Sirius for several moments. A small smile formed on her lips. "It's nice to finally meet you, Sirius," she said as she held her palms out to him.
"Aunt Lucilla." Sirius stepped forward, taking both her hands in his as he touched his cheeks with hers. Sirius had never met Lucilla before. She was American and she was the head of the Hawthorne family. Even though there are only two members left in the family, Lucilla and her niece, their estate is old and wealthy. Uncle Alphard had told him that she was on the board of directors for several businesses in the States in addition to her work as a financial advisor. Alphard often spent the Autumn and Spring with her in the States and they returned to Britain during the holidays and Summers. Sirius was never allowed to visit Uncle Alphard when he lived with his parents. Not that any of his parents' rules and beating stopped him. He'd sometimes sneak out of the house to see his uncle and they'd meet somewhere in London or during the weekends at Hogsmead. Lucilla was never with Alphard when he'd meet with Sirius. Alphard also didn't want to bring the Black family's attention to Lucilla. So even though his uncle had been with this woman for over a decade, Sirius had never met her.
A broken laugh escaped her throat. "You call me aunt. I didn't think anyone in the Black family would ever acknowledge an American half-blood witch as a worthy partner for one of their own." She chuckled. "Not to mention we were unmarried. How scandalous."
"Uncle Alphard told me a lot about you and he always said you're the love of his life. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. You're my aunty."
She dabbed the welling tears with her handkerchief before they could fall. "Thank you, Sirius." Her eyes moved from Sirius to Dorea who stood just behind him. "Lady Dorea, a pleasure. Thank you for coming to see Alphard off." She turned to the teenage girl beside her. "Oh, meet my niece, Alessia."
The young woman stepped beside her aunt and nodded her head at the two Blacks. "Pleased to make your acquaintances. My condolences for your loss."
"Pleasure. Condolences. Will you be alright apparating home?"
"Oh, no. We won't be apparating. We have a car waiting for us."
"I see."
"Aunt Lucilla, would it be alright if I come visit?" Sirius asked.
Lucilla nodded. "I'll be here for the rest of the Summer. I'll be packing up the house and returning to the States." Her gaze became distant as she muttered, "There's nothing left for me here."
Silence and gloom fell over them with those words.
Alessia stepped forward, exchanging a look with Sirius before intertwining Lucilla's elbow with hers. "Let's go back to the car, Aunty. It's been a long day and you need to rest."
Sirius took the urn and the photograph on the table as he followed behind Lucilla and Alessia. Alessia helped Lucilla into the car before making way for Sirius, who carefully handed the urn and the photograph to Lucilla as she cried. He stood back to give way to Alessia, who mouthed "Thank you" to him before she stepped into the back of the car beside her aunt. Sirius watched the car pull out of the parking lot, with Aunt Dorea beside him.
"Shall we go now?"
Sirius nodded and with a twist and a crack of apparition, they disappeared from the empty parking lot.