The Monarchs Meeting
September 2nd 1974
Bedroom number nine in 12 Grimmauld Place was still. The heavy black curtains lay closed across the barred window. The dark wooden floor was slightly uneven, and a few random planks stuck out just above the others. The chestnut colour bed frame, desk, and night stand blended into the wallpaper of the room, which would cause one to trip on them and stub their toe.
Kreature had been through the house that very morning cleaning down every last surface, getting rid of any spec of dust. He had organised the papers that had been left out on the desk, and had burnt any copy of the Daily Prophet, it was all lies, propaganda, and completely irrelevant. He had stacked ten weeks worth of Wizard Wallet Newspaper in a pile at the foot of the desk, in date order from oldest to newest. The black hand carved fire place had also been cleaned out by Kreature and the fire grate had been placed back.
The portrait of Cygnus Black the second was vacant and he hadn't been to visit in weeks, not that he ever visited during the summer months. He would probably pop by in a day or two, now that the children were out of the house and back at Hogwarts.
The wooden door rested slightly ajar allowing for air to flow and circulate through the house. The name plaque on the front of the door read "Chambre Neuf" and was placed at eye hight just above the Black Family Coat of Arms.
The stillness was shattered when the door was quickly slammed open by a vexed individual.
"I don't know why Aunt Walburga insists on keeping The Pest around!" she hissed, entering the room and turning on her heels sharply.
"You're lucky Cygnus doesn't visit his portrait during summer, Bella."
"He's a traitor Cissy! He should be banished for the filth and riff-raff he associated himself with!"
Narcissa paused for a second, Bellatrix was unreasonable at the best of times, but now she was worked up... "He's still a pureblood Bella, he still has the gift of the dark arts running through his veins. He's still apart of our slowly dying practices."
"I don't care. If I were the head of this family-"
"But you are not." Narcissa cut in. She glanced behind her towards to open door, before locking her eyes onto Bellatrix, "Now, we must go and sit quietly-"
"Traitors the lot of them!"
Narcissa held a hand up to silence Bellatrix, "-during this meeting. Bella, you know as well as I, this could be the last chance we have to show the light to everyone. To convince them to be on the right side. You must remain calm or you will push them away."
Bellatrix gave Narcissa one last withering look before brushing down her black robes and stalking out of the room.
The attic had been transformed into a large meeting room. A long polished wooden table sat in the centre of the room, thirteen high backed chairs placed either side.
The attic itself was grim, dark wooden beamed ceilings which sat lower than a normal ceiling, shelfs adorned with artefacts dating back to the middle ages. Two large banners hang from the room, both imprinted with the Black Family crest and moto "Toujours Pur".
Despite the grim architecture, the attic was alive with chatter. The type of chatter one might have when catching up with ones favourite cousin after a long stint apart. A chatter that was choosing to ignore the world around it in favour of ignorance.
They had all been called for a meeting by Orion Black. If the Houses were their own monarchies, Orion was god. He was a king among kings. Zeus among gods.
As Bellatrix and Narcissa entered the room they split up, Bellatrix down the right hand side to the table to sit next to Rodolphus, and Narcissa down the right to sit next to Lucius. As Narcissa took her seat Lucius turned to give her a studying look, but Narcissa's face gave nothing away.
Kreature worked his way down the table, handing out glasses of Daisyroot Draugth. When Sylvain and Yvette Beaufort entered the attic, taking their seats down the far end of the table, Orion cleared his throat bringing the meeting to attention.
"Thank you all for being here today, I have brought you all here to discuss some important business," He glanced around the room, checking to see if he had everyones attention, "whilst our children are out of the way at school, it is our duty to fight to create a better world for them. I'll hand over to Lady Lestrange to explain further."
Narcissa's gazed shifted from Orion to Bellatrix, as she stood up. Bellatrix stood firmly, one hand resting by her side, over her wand in her pocket, the other resting on her hip.
"The Dark Lord needs our support. Our support whilst he works for us, to help us, to help return our ways. He fights for us and for the future of our world." She glanced around the table, locking eyes with each individual. Make them squirm and second guess themselves. "He needs us to push out the people threatening our way of live, by any means necessary. I implore you to carefully consider where you stand in this issue."
Bellatrix sat back down next to her husband. Glances were through around the room, the once chipper atmosphere had completely sobered out. This hadn't been the meeting that the monarchs had expected.
It was Fergal Longbottom who spoke first, "Lady Lestrange, Lord Black, I have no interest in your "issues". We have enough trouble in Ireland, due to muggle wars threatening to expose our existence. I have no time for your petty war."
"I second Lord Longbottom. Your British war has no affect on us in Ireland, and Ireland wishes to be kept out of English squabbles." Lord Travers voice came, from beside Lady Macmillan.
"Has no affect? Has no affect?! The Dark Lord will command power over the whole-"
"Bellatrix, enough!" Orion voices boomed out across the room, and Bellatrix shrunk in her seat with a scowl, "Is this the sentiments in Scotland as well Lord Macmillan?"
"No Lord Black, we are affected by the goings on within Britain and our citizens only wish for safety."
"The Dark Lord will provide that safety! For you and your children, if you join him!"
"Bellatrix, get a hold on yourself." Lucius hissed at her across the table.
"ENGOUH!"
Both Bellatrix and Lucius went sullen, bowing their heads at Orions voice.
Silence fell around the room. There was something in the way Bellatrix spoke about the Dark Lord, in the way Lucius silenced her, that made them uneasy. Like the full truth was be kept from them. An uneasy that made people question, could they really keep ignoring their differences?
No one spoke for over ten minuets, as everyone sized each other up. They all knew that this was the end of unspoken protection between the families. After this, they would be irreparably divided.
Lord and Lady Abbott were the first to stand up, they pushed their chairs back, scraping across the wooden floor, and left without another word. The first line in the sand was drawn.
The Beauforts were quick to follow.
Garrick Ollivander and William Prewett were next.
Slowly Monarchs were all abandoning the long table in the grim attic at 12 Grimmauld Place, until only eight families remained, the Blacks, the Bulstrodes, The Flints, The Lestranges, The Malfoys, The Notts, The Parkinsons, and Lord Rosier.
The room was silent, save for Walburga's nails drumming rhythmically against the table. Narcissa kept her eyes trained on the spot of the table in front of her. The table was slightly indented, no doubt from some spell that went wayward when she, Bella, and Andromeda used to play fight in the attic. Just to the left of the indent was a sharp piece of wood sticking out, barely visible unless you were looking for it, but enough to give you a splint if your hand were to accidentally run across it.
Orion sniffed loudly and cleared his throat. He stood up running his hand down the front of his robe, "They will call us mad men and evil, but we must stay true to what we know. We're working for the great good of wizarding kind. Now, if you'd excuse me, I think this meeting can be adjourned."
He began to walk out of the room without looking back. Walburga's drumming stopped suddenly and she stood up and followed her husband out of the room.
One by one the others followed suit until all who remained were the Lestranges and the Malfoys.
Narcissa finally looked up from her spot at the table, meeting her sisters darks eyes seated across from her. Her hands sat folded in her lap, she only just realised how tightly they had been woven together.
Narcissa was a smart girl, smarter than anyone ever gave her credit for, and she knew it had been a mistake to alienate all of the other families over politics. Especially over politics that will revolutionise their world.
The Dark Lord was already gaining power, gaining followers, and now he had gained powerful opposition. Opposition meant resistance, resistance meant open warfare. Valueable pureblood blood was about to be spilt.
Those idiots. Not joining The Dark Lord. They didn't send the message they thought they did, of inclusivity, neutrality, or whatever other nonsense they believed in. The gods had turned their back on Zeus.
The Dark Lord was the present and the future, and he was going to purge their world of undeserving witches and wizards. For a purer world.
Narcissa untangled her hands placing one on Lucius' arm, "come Lucius, we must go now."
Lucius simply nodded and stood up, holding a hand out for Narcissa to assist her up. He sent a glowering look in Bellatrixs direction before guiding Narcissa out of the room.
Monarchy was dead. Long live Voldermort.