Chapter 25: The Gathering of House Black

Given that it's not another international portkey, Evelyn doesn't have to try and keep the contents of her stomach where they're supposed to be when they land in the foyer of Black Manor. She does take a half step away from her godfather when he pulls a face because she might love him, but she has no desire to be within range if he ends up hurling.

He grunts, waving a hand in her general direction as the faint green tinge on his cheeks disappears. "'m fine," he grumbles while fanning himself with the now normal letter. "Just give me a moment."

Content that Sirius is alright for the time being, Evelyn allows herself to glance about the foyer given that she never attempted to come here in the previous timeline. It's about as dreary as she expected. Nowhere near as bad as Grimmauld Place had been, but also not as cheery as the Potter properties she'd visited had been. "Your family really does enjoy living up to the House name," she comments blandly.

There's a soft pop and then a house elf appears a few feet in front of them. The elf's pillow case, despite its aged appearance, is obviously well cared for, so at least Evelyn knows she won't have to worry about Hermione going on a house elf rights spree through her bloody House. "Hobrey be greeting Master Arcturus' guests. Can Hobrey be taking Master's guests' cloaks?"

Sirius squints at the elf. "Ah, forgot about Grandfather's personal elf."

"Yes, thank you, Hobrey, that would be very helpful," Evelyn says when it quickly becomes obvious that her godfather isn't going to say anything more. She unbuttons the light cloak Frigga was adamant she have and offers it to the house elf while also elbowing Sirius in the side. He grunts again, but does hand off his cloak as well.

"Hobrey be right back."

"Was that necessary?" Sirius hisses when the elf pops away.

She raises an eyebrow at him. "Apparently it was. Just because you and Kreacher don't get along doesn't mean I'll let you get away with being rude to other elves."

Sirius pulls a face. "Oh Merlin, don't tell me Hermione got to you about elf rights?"

Evelyn snorts. "Not the way you're thinking. I know the relationship between elf and wizard is necessary at this point, and between Draco, Neville, and myself we managed to convince Hermione of that particular fact. Doesn't mean she wasn't still indignant over the way many families treat them. So for your own sake I'd work on that."

It's then that Hobrey pops back.

"Master Arcturus be waiting in his study. Does Master Sirius be remembering the way, or should Hobrey be taking you there?"

"Eve?"

Evelyn scowls when Sirius looks her way. "I've not once stepped foot in this manor, so why the bloody hell are you looking at me?"

Hobrey nods his head decisively, ears flapping as he does. "Hobrey be taking you, then. Follow Hobrey, please."

With one final irritated glance at her godfather for the time being, Evelyn dutifully falls into step behind Hobrey. She keeps her chin up and her back straight as they walk past numerous portraits and the whispers start up. She just lets the words wash over her, not truly paying attention to them as she doesn't have the time or energy to deal with them if they aren't complimentary. And she knows herself well enough to know that she will shout at them given the chance. Might be a good thing to do when pretty much everything about magical Great Britain makes her want to scream herself hoarse.

"Well this place hasn't changed much," Sirius mutters. "Although still surprisingly less dreary than Grimmauld Place."

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it's because the cleaning isn't resting solely on the shoulders of a house elf who's been duty bound to try and destroy a rather dark artifact for the last twelve years and has unfortunately failed with every attempt," Evelyn retorts sharply. "Not to mention said artifact likes to play with a being's insecurities when it can."

"We elves be knowing about Kreacher," Hobrey says solemnly, startling Evelyn badly because that's not what she expected to hear. "We be unable to help Kreacher because Kreacher says it be his duty to care for his mistress' home. Master Arcturus not be giving elves permission to help, so all we can be doing is watching and waiting."

What an utterly horrible fate to be stuck in, watching someone you wished to help but being unable to. Unfortunately, it doesn't surprise her in the slightest. "I doubt my word means anything to you, Hobrey, but I can assure you that I will be doing everything within my power to help Kreacher after this House Meeting is over with."

Hobrey pauses in front of an elegant, large mahogany door inlaid with a multitude of subtle protective runes all over its surface. "Hobrey be believing you, Lady Black. Yous magic says so." And while Evelyn fights to strangle the screech of surprise that wants to claw its way out, because what the bloody hell, Hobrey just turns around and pushes the door open as if he hadn't completely upended her former expectations. "Hobrey be presenting Master Arcturus his guests."

"Enter."

It takes Sirius touching a hand to her back for Evelyn to be able to move. She gives herself a mental shake, because now is not the time to let surprises make her stumble, no matter how much she wants answers. She's handled far worse in far more dire circumstances than right now.

The study they step into is roughly what she expects, given that she'd let Draco have free rein to arrange the Lord's study at Grimmauld Place when they'd lived together and he'd been rather particular about the furniture. Bookshelves line the walls, with only a few portraits in between them. A sofa sits on the left side of the room, two arm chairs on the right, and the Lord's desk facing the door they're entering through. Lord Arcturus Black is seated behind said desk, hands folded in front of him as he watches them approach with a blank expression. They all end up just staring at each other until Sirius clears his throat.

"Grandfather Arcturus, you're looking well."

It's a complete and utter lie. The man appears worn down despite his lack of displayed emotion, and if Evelyn didn't intimately know the family magic that's most definitely wrapped around him, she'd worry that a breeze might break him apart. Of course, then she has to go and remember that, according to the family history she studied, Arcturus will be dead by the end of the year. And despite the fact that her Healer training was mostly focused on the Mind Arts, she still feels the urge to give the man a full check up.

Arcturus raises a single eyebrow, and Evelyn is immediately impressed by how judged she feels, even though the look isn't for her at all. "I would worry about Azkaban affecting your bluntness, grandson, but that has always been your nature. It is good, however, to see that that despicable place did not break you."

Evelyn inhales sharply through her nose, clamping down viciously on the urge to bare her teeth and snarl at the elderly man, because how dare he.

"Can't say the same for darling Bellatrix," Sirius throws back, voice jaggedly sharp. Evelyn takes a half step backwards so she can press up against him in silent support. "Then again, I've always been of the opinion that she was never quite sane to begin with. Of course, you'd know all of this already if you'd ever deigned to come visit us in our lowly little cells. You had ten years after all."

Arcturus' shoulders slump slightly, and suddenly a wealth of grief is splashed across his face. "There is no apology I can offer for leaving you there, grandson, but I had my reasons. Reasons I am unable to tell you, but that I would swear on my magic you will eventually learn of if you demand it of me."

Evelyn feels a tick developing in her eye. "Lord Black, would I be correct in assuming that you were visited by a black-winged Valkyrie at some point?"

Arcturus inclines his head for all that he says, "I can neither confirm nor deny your question, Lady Potter."

She's taking that as a yes.

Bloody buggering shite.

It doesn't help that she doesn't have a bleeding clue who the Valkyrie in question is.

Well, at this point it's just another thing added to the ever growing list she's going to hound Hela about the first chance she gets.

"Lovely, just lovely," she mutters before sighing heavily. "Is there anything else compelling to tell us, Lord Black, or can we continue to the House Meeting you've called for that I am very much not looking forward to?"

"There is, in fact, one more thing," Arcturus says as he gets to his feet. "Grandson, if you would be so kind as to come forward?"

Even as she hears Sirius shift his weight to start towards the desk, Evelyn nearly leaps out of her skin when a small concealment spell vanishes from the far right corner of the room and a dead man walks over to stand by Arcturus' side. "You're supposed to be dead!" she all but shrieks, pointing a shaky finger at Regulus Black. "I pulled your Inferi used corpse out of the cave the locket was hidden in!" Which might not've been the smartest thing to say, as behind her Sirius makes a strangled moaning sound. She whirls around to see her godfather staring at his younger brother with tears in his eyes and a trembling hand pressed to his lips. "Sirius, sit down!" she barks, pointing to the couch. Then she whips back to glare at the supposedly impossible man. "You!" She jabs a finger in his direction. "What did you leave in the cave?"

"A mimicry of Slytherin's locket with a note informing the Dark Lord that I knew his secret, that I hoped he was mortal when he finally met his match, and that I didn't think I'd live to see that happen," Regulus intones.

Evelyn lets out a groan of her own, but mostly because that's what she remembers as well. "Damn Potter Luck to Helheim and back," she snarls. "How the bloody hell are you even alive still?"

"I was offered a choice," Regulus explains, his voice soft in a way that Sirius' rarely ever is. "And when I made my choice, I was saved from the Inferi infested cave before I could touch the water and brought to Grandfather here at Black Manor where I've been magically bound to stay for the past twelve years."

And that tick is back.

"And I'm assuming you can't say whether or not a Valkyrie was involved at all either?"

Regulus inclines his head just as his grandfather had done. "You would be correct."

"Bloody fantastic." Even though it's not ladylike in the slightest, Evelyn scrubs a hand roughly over her face. "And are you able to leave the manor now? Because I'm not sure I'll be much help to you if you still can't."

A wry smile spreads across Regulus' lips, and suddenly the likeness between the two brothers is startlingly apparent. "I am. I was only bound to stay here until you and Sirius came."

Oh, the logistics of that make her head hurt as she tries to puzzle it out. To say nothing of what the hell actually happened to him in the previous timeline because she hadn't been kidding about pulling his corpse from the formly Inferi infested waters surrounding the locket's original hiding place. Purging those waters ended up closing many an unsolved case for the Aurors. It'd been heartening to be able to give so many families closure finally, but the sheer magnitude of bodies to go through had been horrifying. She and Kingsley had had to sit down one evening and just drink while in the thick of it. "So what exactly do you plan to do now with your newfound freedom?"

"Offer my wand and my life to Lady Peverell in her quest to once again rid the world of Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Evelyn feels her entire face twitch at the mention of that particular House. "I've no plans to lay claim to that title," she states flatly. "I'm going to be busy enough as it is with House Potter, House Black, House Gryffindor, and House Slytherin. I neither want nor need a fifth House on top of that."

Again, Regulus inclines his head, only this time it seems like he's humoring her. "I am aware."

Evelyn throws him a stink eye. "Fine, be like that. And if you're going to offer your bleeding life to me despite using a title I've no intention of claiming, then the first thing you can do is go give your brother a hug so we can get a portion of the waterworks out of the way."

"Evie!" her godfather sputters indignantly.

"Sirius, just shut it and do as you're told," she snaps back, feeling very much like she's scolding Teddy. "Lord Black, would you be adverse to accompanying me out into the hallway so these two can have some privacy during their reunion?"

Arcturus produces a cane from behind his desk and walks over to her. "I would not, Lady Potter, given the volume of some of their exploits from their youth."

Cue sputtering from both males, but Evelyn merely grins wickedly at the mention of possible stories about Sirius' shenanigans. "Marvelous." She lets him precede her out of the room, then catches the door handle on her way past. She pauses halfway through shutting the door behind her, turning to fix her grin on the two males awkwardly looking at anything but each other. "Come join us when you're done yelling and crying all over each other." She very much relishes closing the door on their startled faces. Her eyes flicker over to Arcturus, who's observing her with an almost indulgent smile. "I'm going to get so much grief for that later, but I honestly can't find it in me to care right now."

"Quite. Now, would you be willing to indulge an old man and follow me down the hall to a parlor? I assure you that Regulus will know where to bring Sirius when they are finished with their dramatics."

She smiles wryly at him. "I am here entirely at your behest, Lord Black. Until such time that the House Meeting is over with, I will follow where you lead. Although, I'll admit to hoping you don't drop anymore supposedly dead people in my lap."

Arcturus chuckles, an almost rusty sounding thing, as he starts down the hallway. "I give you my word that there are no more people of that ilk within these walls. And while I appreciate the show of loyalty, Heir of my Heir, it is House Black that will be following your lead in the days and years to come, Lady Potter."

Evelyn blinks, rolling the man's words around in her head a few times to make sure she heard him correctly. She turns narrowed eyes at him. "You know far more than you're letting on," she says, a touch of warning in her tone that she's not amused.

Arcturus stops in front of a closed door and makes sure to meet her wary gaze with a solemn expression. "I have known ever since Regulus was offered his choice that my inattentiveness in acting as the Lord of House Black ought to would lead to the decline of a once noble and powerful House. I have known for twelve long years that if you and I were not standing where we are today, that the fate of House Black would be dismal. I have known that for us to be standing where we are today, that you will have just watched the Realms collapse around you and that Soul Magic, true Soul Magic, will have been cast on you." Evelyn sucks in a breath through her teeth, because how? "I have known all this and have been magically bound in a similar manner as my grandson to ensure my silence. All I can offer you, Lady Potter, is my magically sworn word as Lord Arcturus Rigel of House Black that the one who told me of all this has never been an enemy of any of your Houses and never will be."

The amount of magical pressure that settles over her at his oath has Evelyn exhaling forcefully. It tingles all over her skin, eventually settling into her core. And nothing else happens. Arcturus' magic isn't ripped away from him, so he's telling the truth. As much as she wishes that weren't the case, she's going to have to trust the oath between them. "You realize that doesn't make me trust you anymore than I already do, which isn't much at all?"

"I am well aware." He gestures to the door they've stopped in front of. "Shall we?"

Evelyn gives him one more long look, then opens the door and steps into the room. She barely gets three steps in before coming to an abrupt halt, staring wildly at the people already occupying the room. "You did this on purpose," she hisses despite not turning around to glare at Arcturus. Because she hadn't expected to have to be face to face with anyone she'd known in the previous timeline without at least Sirius beside her for this meeting. Yet now she finds herself in the possible position of having to deal with both the Tonks family and the Malfoys. And that's on top of all the other people in the room who she doesn't immediately recognize on sight. Of course, there's also the obvious divide as everyone is making sure to be on one side of the room or the other.

"I am only doing as I was instructed," Arcturus says, maneuvering around her and shutting the door.

"Oh, so Lord Black now takes orders from people we're not allowed to know about?" she demands, still not taking her eyes off the others.

"There are precious few people who may tell me how I ought to manage my House, and fewer still that I will heed. My messenger was one of those few," Arcturus says solemnly.

Evelyn would've retorted, because she's very much not happy right now, but one of the older witches that she doesn't know stands up. Her robes are very much out of date, and while the material they're made of are high quality, they're covered in what Evelyn can only imagine are potion stains. The witch's black hair is bound up in a tight bun, and that just seems to add to the severity of her expression as she fixes a haughty look on Arcturus.

"I have far better things to do than sit around and wait for you and your new Heir, Cousin," she states primly. "The full moon is at the end of this week and there are numerous preparations for my potions I have to complete before then." Brown eyes slide down to Evelyn. "Although, I must say I had not expected you to name an unknown witch as your new Heir."

Evelyn can't help the eyebrow that rises at the witch's statement, because it's a rare day that a witch or wizard from Great Britain doesn't recognize her. While the shape of her face leans more in James Potter's direction, her coloring nowadays is all Lily. And Lily Potter had been distinctive to the extreme.

"My Heir has not changed once since I named him twenty five years ago, Cassiopeia, no matter what the rest of the Family may think," Arcturus corrects her. "Heiress Potter is the one he will be naming as his Heir before the House Meeting is finished."

"Arcturus Rigel Black, have you had Heiress Potter in your custody this entire month?" another of the older witches that she doesn't know exclaims. She's seated on the side of the room that the Tonks' are on, so Evelyn assumes that that side of the room is where the 'disowned' Blacks decided to gather. There's something slightly familiar about her, but it's something that'll have to be looked into later.

"He has not," Evelyn drawls. "Although I can only begin to imagine how much of a fuss my supposed Magical Guardian is kicking up regarding his current inability to find me. Where I've been for the past month is something that will most likely be discussed in the House Meeting if I'm inferring why it was called correctly."

"You are indeed, Heiress Potter," Arcturus says, settling himself in one of the many arm chairs the room has. It, of course, is situated perfectly so that he's between both factions as it were, thus making it impossible for anything to pass from one side of the room to the other without passing by him as well.

"Lovely," she says flatly, noting the change in address as they're now amongst those not currently in the know. "Lord Black, do I have your leave to use my Family Magics as I see fit to better protect my House's secrets?"

"Granted."

A dangerous grin spreads across her face. "Marvelous." Then, before anyone else can say anything more, she intones, "Familius magicus." While she'd toyed with the Black Family Magics in the previous timeline, she'd never called it out with an intent to use it, so even she's slightly surprised by the silver mist that begins to gather around her. "I, Heiress Presumptive Evelyn Rosalie of House Black, do hereby declare that everything that happens within this room on this day to be a Family Secret of House Black. May Magic lock away the information so that none may seek it from you, none may use it against you, and you are unable to use it against this Family or for your own gain. As I say, so mote it be." A chill rushes over her as the mist rolls out to cover everyone in the room.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lucius immediately demands.

"Lord Malfoy, mind your tongue or I'll mind it for you," Evelyn orders, relishing in his startled expression because he obviously hadn't expected her to know who he is. "You are here as a guest of House Black, as normally House Meetings do not allow for spouses beyond that of the Head of the Family to attend. It is an honor I would suggest you not squander before our Meeting has even officially begun."

He starts to puff up like those ridiculous peacocks she remembers him keeping at Malfoy Manor, but Narcissa lays a hand on his arm and he begrudgingly settles. Evelyn is a tad bit surprised that Draco hasn't said anything, but for all she knows Narcissa gave him instructions before they arrived. And while he idolizes his father until he's forced by Lucius to take the Dark Mark, Draco has always been of the opinion that his mother practically hung the stars in the sky.

She gives Lucius one last contemptuous look before turning her attention to the Tonks'. Her feet are mercifully steady for all that her hands feel clammy as she approaches them. She hopes and prays that the Soul Magic within her won't leave Remus without his wife. Because while she can't give them their son back, at least they'd be able to mourn him together. Stopping in front of Ted Tonks, she mentally steals herself then offers him her hand. "Mr Tonks."

"Heiress Potter," he says in return, his grip firm yet comforting somehow.

Evelyn's not surprised when the Soul Magic doesn't stir at his touch, nor at Andromeda's.

"Miss Tonks," she murmurs, offering her hand to Nymphadora.

"Please, call me—"

Soul Magic flares to life and Evelyn hastily throws up a privacy ward as Nymphadora sways on her feet. The older witch makes a pained noise in the back of her throat, resorting to steadying herself with her free hand on Evelyn's shoulder.

"What just—Eve?" Nymphadora whispers hoarsely.

Despite her lips trembling as she fights to keep from crying, Evelyn lets a smile spread across her lips. "Hey Dora."

"You're short," the other witch says almost indignantly.

Evelyn shrugs the shoulder Nymphadora isn't using to steady herself. "It's 1991 and I'm nearly eleven years old. I'm supposed to be this short right now."

"Eve, it's 1998 and oh Merlin Teddy!" Nymphadora lurches like she wants to go find her son right this instant. "Eve, where's Teddy? Is he okay? Is Remus—"

It breaks her heart, but Evelyn interrupts her friend before she can go any further in her rambling. "Nymphadora, I wasn't lying when I said it's 1991. I've had Soul Magic used on me."

Even though she hears Andromeda inhale sharply, Evelyn makes sure to keep her eyes on Nymphadora. "Soul Magic?" Nymphadora repeats. She blinks a few times as she obviously rolls the words around in her head. "Eve, Soul Magic is dangerous."

"I'm well aware of that, thanks," Evelyn says a touch sarcastically. "However, the only Realms remaining were Midgard and Niflheim and I was dying in my husband's arms. We were the only two left of a group of people who'd been trying to save the Realms from utter destruction. We failed, obviously. We failed and thus had nothing left to lose. So he used Soul Magic on me and sent me back to my beginning in an attempt to fix things. That means that right now I'm just ten days shy of turning eleven again and Voldemort is skulking around as a wraith." She sees the moment the full implications of what Evelyn's saying dawn on Nymphadora, so Evelyn gives Nymphadora's hand still in hers a squeeze. "I give you my word that once the House Meeting is over that I will not only take you to your husband, but I will sit down with the both of you and tell you all that you want to know about Teddy."

Nymphadora exhales heavily. "He didn't survive the battle either, did he?"

"No, you're both self-sacrificing idiots like that." She huffs out a breath of her own. "Now, Auror Tonks, I've a request to make of you." Something about her tone makes itself evident because Nymphadora's spine straightens just a smidge. "Based on who's remembered thus far, I'm fairly certain that Draco will remember as well." She resolutely ignores Nymphadora's raised eyebrows at the use of his first name. "However, he'll definitely attempt to kill Lucius because of how close he is to Narcissa. So while I stop Draco from attempting patricide, no matter how much the bastard might deserve to die, I need you to bring Narcissa over to the safety of this side of the room no matter how much she protests."

"You're going to have so much explaining to do after this, Potter," Nymphadora says dryly, "but I'll get Aunt Cissa out of the way of whatever explosion happens on that side of the room to the best of my abilities."

Evelyn stretches up onto the tips of her toes to press a kiss to Nymphadora's cheek, already silently swearing to herself that she'd make sure that Nymphadora and Remus would be able to raise whatever children they had themselves this go round. "You are a gem and a credit to our House. Don't ever believe otherwise." Her cousin merely offers her a wry grin even as her wand slips silently into her waiting hand. Evelyn lets the privacy ward fade away and, despite knowing the older witches on the Tonks' side of the room will most definitely feel slighted, she turns her attention to the Malfoys.

"Lord Malfoy," she says, barely managing to keep her contempt and disgust out of her voice.

He, of course, conveys his own contempt while looking down his nose at her. "Heiress Potter."

She stifles the sneer that wants to spread across her lips, because she refuses to be bested by him. Instead she curtsies properly to Narcissa. "Lady Malfoy."

Narcissa, of course, inclines her head. "Heiress Potter." Thankfully there's only calculated curiosity from her. She can deal with a Slytherin's curiosity far better than the idea of this woman hating her. Once upon a time she would've done most anything to be in this woman's good graces. While that's no longer the case, she still respects Narcissa enough to not want to start off on the wrong foot this time round.

And that leaves just one more person for her to greet.

"Heir Malfoy," she says softly, offering her hand to the boy who might've once been the man she would marry in the previous timeline had Hela not intervened.

"Heiress Po—"

The instant their skin makes contact, she feels her core flare more violently than it has with any other person who's remembered, and the room shakes with the sudden increase in magical pressure. Draco's shoulders go rigid and his eyes dilate as the memories assault him. Despite all this happening over the span of a mere few seconds, Evelyn can tell the instant that Draco recognizes the fact that his father is near his mother even though she hasn't felt his magic against hers for eight long years.

In the end Draco has always been more of a Black than a Malfoy, and the Black temper is famous for being glacially cold.

The temperature in the room plummets and Evelyn barely manages to get a shield up between Draco and Lucius as her friend and former lover turns his wand onto his father. Draco's spell explodes against it in a violent display of colors. "Draco!" she barks, briefly getting a glimpse of Narcissa's startled expression before Nymphadora manages to whisk the woman away from the brewing disaster.

"You swore!" Draco yells, unleashing another spell for all that it does exactly the same as his first. "You swore to me—"

"Draco Regulus Black, look at me!"

Her order, laced with Family Magic, is probably the only reason he turns to face her. There's a wildness in his eyes, and his teeth bared in a snarl reminiscent of both his animagus and namesake. He's obviously ready to tear into her, but then the truth of their situation registers and he visibly falters.

"What did you do to my son?"

Lucius has to go and open his bloody mouth now that Narcissa is no longer beside him, probably subtly telling him to shut up every time someone other than him speaks.

"Draco, go sit with your mother," Evelyn orders through clenched teeth as she feels his magic lurch at the sound of his father's voice. He shoots her a look of utter contempt on par with the one his father's been giving her, but he does as she says. "Lord Malfoy, I believe I told you to mind your tongue or I'd mind it for you."

Now his lips do curl back in a sneer. "You are a child."

"I'm the child that beat your Master before I could even talk in complete sentences," she retorts scathingly. "Your theatrics don't scare me in the slightest, Malfoy."

Lucius starts to puff up again, and Evelyn's already preparing to call out her Family Magic again to deal with him, when the door she and Arcturus had entered through is thrown open. It slams against the wall, and Evelyn's enveloped in the magical embrace of her supremely pissed off godfather.

"Someone explain to me what the bloody hell is going on in here, right now."

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