A Grand Mansion and a Grand Plan
Remus took the train from Hogsmead to King’s Cross Station in Londen, it was a long ride but he passed the time by reading and looking out at the scenery. He had a room booked at a shabby inn keeping with the look of a poor soul stuck in poverty that he went to once he disembarked from the train. He had given his details to Sirius before they left, providing where he was and his information. Sirius had told him that a car would pick him up from the inn to take him to the Black’s estate around 8:30 the next morning when he arrived so he would need to be downstairs in the pub beforehand. Remus checked into his room at the White Wyvern, a pub and inn with a shady atmosphere down in Knockturn Alley, perfect for someone pretending to be poor. In all honesty, Remus had money, lots of it really, he just never felt comfortable spending it or showing it off like many others. His parents had passed away shortly after he was abandoned, not that anyone knew except the government and he wasn’t planning on explaining either, those who knew them thought they had retired down to Barbatos, enjoying the warm sun, but that left him with all of their assets since they didn’t remove him from their will faster enough. But enough about them and their shity personalities, let's continue where we left off.
Remus entered the inn and walked up to the barkeep to get the key to his booked room. The barkeep didn’t look at him as he asked for his last name and once it was given handed him a silver key with a wyvern imprinted on it surrounding his room number which was a 4. Remus walked around the inn and moved for the stairs, he climbed them and walked a little down the hall before coming upon his room for the night. He unlocked it and headed in, it was a small room, dingy but it would do for the night. He was lucky he found a place with working power plugs as he started to charge his phone that was almost dead from the use on the train and the texting with Sirius. Remus walked out of his room taking care to lock the door and check that he had his wallet with him when the clock struck around 6 to search for a place for dinner. While it would make sense for him to eat at the inn’s pub, he really didn’t want to deal with the stares of people who knew he wasn’t one of them. So he walked himself to the streets of Diagon Alley for a quick meal at the Leaky Caldron. It was a hearty meal of chicken stew and some crusty bread with little pats of butter. He finished up his meal and left the pub for a look around. He had been here many times but at night it was quite lovely as the street lights came on and illuminated the shops and trinkets in the windows. It was quite nice as he made his way back to the White Wyvern and when he got there went to his room to tuck in for the night.
He awoke to his alarm going off at a bright and cheery 7:30 a.m., he packed his belongings and went downstairs to check out. The barkeep wasn’t at the bar leaving Remus to wait for him to join the pub which took awhile. It took almost an hour for the keep to come out of his room but once he did Remus rushed the check out process and ran outside to meet the car that Sirius sent. The car was parked on the side of the street, the odd few people outside were staring but Remus couldn’t care too much as he said hello to the car driver who introduced himself as Aaron, a servant of the Blacks, and they were off for Grimmauld Place. The car ride was loud, horns honked and people swerved in and out of lanes but the car took a turn and the city noise mellowed out and soon it was gone as the car drove from the city into the lush countryside. The drive was long but peaceful as Remus carried a conversation with the driver and once it was done he read till the car arrived at the overbearing gates.
The car rolled in, going around the circle in front of a grand house with large windows, lush gardens, and gothic architecture. A man was waiting at the double doors, he was old with white hair, almost gossamer, and a finely tailored suit with a silver pocket watch in his left breast pocket. He looked on with distaste as Remus opened the door of the parked car and got out, he went for his bags but was stopped by Aaron who was already pulling them out. The man introduced himself as Kreatcher, the family butler who seemed to be working there for a long time. Remus introduced himself in turn but was mostly ignored as the doors were pushed open and Kreacher walked in quickly followed by Remus. The foyer was grand, black marble floors with tall walls of forest green accented with dark wood furniture and black metal. A grand staircase took space on the left and right side where they ended.
Before Remus could do much, a loud crash was heard and Sirius appeared at the top of the stairs in a rich green velvet robe that was open a bit too much at the top. Sirius greeted him with a smile as he made his way down the stairs with no care of looking graceful yet his movements were precise. When he reached the end of the stair he launched himself at Remus, wrapping his arm around him in a bear hug, slightly lifting his feet from the floor. Kreatcher cleared his throat slightly and Sirius released him, slapping him on the shoulder and chatting about how excited he was that Remus was now here. Kreatcher interrupted to ask if Sirius would be the one to lead Remus around which he excitedly said he would and to leave them for the time being. He was led around the mansion, Sirius stopped at every single thing to explain the significance, even if it was just to say that he banged his head on it as a child and his mother yelled at him for almost breaking the piece.
From what Remus could gather about Sirius’s family his mother was a strict but easy going lady, a very confusing notion but when situations with her where brought up both were shown, she loved her money and status over all else. His father was indifferent to most of what happened leaving his wife to handle the children while he did the finances, Sirius has expressed that he might not have wanted kids but as the heir to a long and rich family line, he was expected to have them. His cousin was a spitfire, always flirting with people and making Sirius’s parents angry but they would always host him in the summer because of “family ties”.Finally his younger brother was a quiet sort, a little strange but Sirius loved him all the same.
He was pulled into a room and told it was where he would be staying during the summer after he was walked around for what felt like hours. Sirius pointed to an unassuming door and explained that they would share a bathroom and his room was through the other door in the bathroom if Remus ever needed anything. A secretive smile grew on his face but he turned to marvel at the room. It was simple, continuing with the green and dark wood motif of the mansion but now adding bits of iron, an iron bed frame with rich velvety forest green bedding, handles of furniture in iron, and a grand bookshelf with iron accents at its feet. Remus’s suitcases were placed in the room too which he hadn’t noticed before but he pulled them on the bed and got to unpacking.
He spent about an hour alone unpacking before Sirius bursted in and dragged him out into the hall. Sirius was excited, that much was easy to note but why was the big question. They navigated the halls weaving between rooms and furniture till they arrived at a set of dark wooden double doors. He pushed in dragging Remus with him revealing the comfy living room with a movie playing on a grand TV, there sat on the plush couch and soft floor rug where Sirius’s family, his mother and father on the sofa and his brother and cousin on the floor. His brother waved them over and they sat down together watching the movie. Sirius and his brother, Regulus, chatted quietly to each other as their mother turned to Remus and picked up conversation. She asked how he was and hoped he liked the room as well as thanked him for helping out Sirius with his school work. It was stuffy but Remus didn’t mind yet, he was with Sirius now and that made it bearable and to be frank most of these people wouldn’t see the end of summer…..