Chapter 4
Draco and I made our way to the counter. I had most of my books but Draco was carrying 'Hogwarts: A History' and 'Fun Facts About Veela' for me as well as his own copies of 'Blood Magic and Ritual Magic' and 'Jinxes and Curses For Enemies' and 'Quidditch Through the Ages', which actually looked like a good read. After paying for our books, I heard someone calling Draco's name and turned around to find out who it was but I bumped into a girl my age. "Oh! I'm really sorry about that," I said. The girl looked at my Muggle clothes and gave me a weird look like she didn't know if she was offended or not.
"Tracey!" Draco said to the girl with a brunette boy and a brunette man standing next to him. I assume the boy is the one who called Draco's name. "Hi. I guess you've met Lady Black now. Huh?" Draco chuckled as a guy in a black suit came over.
"Tracey," the guy said. "What did you do?" The guy's thoughts were full of violence and Tracey's were full of fear.
"It wasn't her fault, Sir," I said. The guy looked at me, saw my Muggle clothes, scoffed and looked away. "I bumped into her. I'm Lady Cassiopeia Black. It's nice to meet you." The guy scoffed again, ignored me and glared at Tracey.
"Your Mother has your things. It's time to go." Tracey's thoughts got louder and screamed in fear at what the guy, her Stepfather, was going to do to her and her Mother for her causing a scene.
"You're Lady Black?" The boy next to Draco asked as he and the guy next to him looked at my Muggle clothes with barely hidden distaste.
"Yeah, she is," Draco said. "My parents and I have even seen her Heritage Test results! The reason she's in Muggle clothes is because she was adopted by Muggles when her parents died."
"Interesting," the guy said. "I'm Lord Tiberius Nott and this is my son, Heir Theodore Nott. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Black."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both too, Lord Nott, Heir Nott," I said.
"Theo," Theo said.
"Cassie," I said back and he nodded. I turned back to Tracey and her Stepfather. "Tracey, it was nice to meet you." Narcissa, Estella and Lucius came over as Tracey left with her Stepfather. I was honestly surprised she wasn't shivering in fear. Her thoughts were screaming and she looked like she was going to pass out. This won't do. Something has to be done about that man.
"Sorry about Mr Taylor," Draco said. "I don't know why Tracey's Mom married him after her Dad died. Sir Davis had been the Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Davis and he was a Pureblood. Mr Taylor's just a Mudblood."
"Draco!" Lucius admonished. "You are the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Malfoy. You are not to use such language!" While he didn't say it aloud, it was clear Lucius meant in public and Draco got the message.
"Of course, Father," Draco said. "I apologise."
"So, how do the titles work?" I asked Draco and Theo as we left the bookshop while Narcissa, Lucius, Estella and Lord Nott were talking about my Heritage Test and my parents.
"So, technically as you have the Ravenclaw title, you're a Princess," Draco said. "But, being Head of a Most Noble, Most Ancient and Most Reverent House is something you disclose to whoever you want. It isn't anyone else's place to. The only reason I'm saying it in front of Theo is because his Dad'll tell him after reading your Heritage Test. The only reason he can tell Theo without him or Theo insulting you is because you gave Theo the right to use your name, that shows familiarity, and because he's Lord Nott's Heir. He'd only be able to tell his Heir. The titles are as follows: Prince/Princess for the Head of a Most Noble, Most Ancient and Most Reverent House, Lord/Lady for the Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House, Sir/Madam for the Head of a Noble and Ancient House and Scion for the Head of a Noble House. The House with the most prestige is the title you use. If you told everyone about your Ravenclaw title, you're title would be Princess Ravenclaw but you'd still be named Cassiopeia Black. Without them knowing, it's Lady Black. The Sacred 28 are the only ones who are Noble and Most Ancient Houses."
"Black is at the top, then Malfoy, Longbottom, Greengrass, Nott, Rosier, Parkinson, Lestrange, Gaunt, Prewett, Weasley, despite the fact that they're extremely poor, Abbott, Carrow, Fawley, Selwyn, Shafiq, Avery, Bulstrode, Flint, Macmillan, Ollivander, Crouch, Travers, Rowle, Yaxley, Shacklebolt, Slughorn and, finally, Burke. There are a lot of Noble and Ancient Houses and Noble Houses. The top ten notable Noble and Ancient Houses, in order, are: Blackthorne, McGonagall, Potter, Carmine, Bones, Carlton, Davis, Stormworth, Fudge and Goldstein. The top ten notable Noble Houses, in order, are: White, Patil, Dumbledore, Alden, Corner, Boot, Fernsby, Brown, Sallow and Skeeter," Theo said.
"Oh, and the next in line after the Head of House is always Heir unless they have a title of their own. Those further in the line of succession, for example, the Weasley children after the Heir, there's no title for them. Just like everyone else, it's just Mr, Mrs or Miss until you're given permission to use their name. If you don't know someone's title, Mr, Mrs or Miss is a safe bet. If you're wrong, they'll correct you and you just say 'I apologise for the accidental slight' and then their correct title," Draco said.
"Oh... Okay," I said. "Thanks, Theo, Draco."
...
Dear Scion Albus Dumbledore,
Recently it has come to my attention not only were you one of my Magical Guardians but that you have also been taking things from my Gringotts Vaults without my knowledge and permission. That, and the Blocks you placed on my Magic on August 31st 1981, have been rectified by the Goblin that performed my Heritage Test. Said Goblin assured me that you would be made to replace everything you have taken, so I consider the matter mostly closed. However, I would like to know why you started taking from my Vaults and why you placed Blocks on my Magic despite the fact that I wasn't even a 2-year-old at the time.
The reason I have written to you, other than wanting to speak with you about the aforementioned topics, is that I have been informed that you currently are sitting in my Ravenclaw Seats on the Wizengamot. As I have recently claimed the title of Head of the Most Noble, Most Ancient and Most Reverent House of Ravenclaw, I wish to talk to you, along with the holders of my other Seats, this Saturday at 11 A.M. in a pre-booked room at The Leaky Cauldron. If you cannot make this time and date, please let me know by lunchtime Friday so I can notify the others in attendence of a rescheduling and please also offer the soonest possible time and date you can meet at.
Yours Formally,
Head of the Most Noble, Most Ancient and Most Reverent House of Ravenclaw,
Cassiopeia Black.
...
Dear Regent Molly Weasley,
Recently I performed a Heritage Test at Gringotts and claimed my title as Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Prewett. I was then informed by a relative that you are currently sitting in the Prewett Seat on the Wizengamot. Due to this, I would like to invite you, Lord Weasley and all of your children to a meeting regarding my Wizengamot Seats on Saturday at 11 A.M. in a pre-booked room at The Leaky Cauldron. If you cannot make this time and date, please let me know by lunchtime Friday so I can notify the others in attendence of a rescheduling and please also offer the soonest possible time and date you can meet at.
Yours Formally,
Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Prewett,
Cassiopeia Black.
...
Estella, Draco, Narcissa and I were sat in the room I booked in The Leaky Cauldron waiting for Albus Dumbledore and the Weasleys. I was sitting at the head of the table with Estella standing between me and Narcissa's seat on my right and Draco was sitting on my left. Lucius was sitting next to Draco. The Weasleys and Dumbledore came in with the adult Weasleys talking about something with Dumbledore. Dumbledore took the head of the other side of the table, just as I'd thought he would, with Molly on his right and Arthur on his left. The girl, Ginerva, sat next to her mother and the youngest boy, Ronald, sat next to his Father. The twins sat between Narcissa and their brother and the other boy, Percy, sat between Lucius and his sister. Molly, Arthur and Ginerva looked to Dumbledore, Percy looked to Arthur, the twins looked bored and Ronald looked like he was analysing everything. Interesting... I'm gonna keep an eye on him. "Thank you all for coming," I said.
"Yes, well, your letter was intriguing," Dumbledore said. Molly introduced her family to me (apparently, Ronald and Ginerva liked to be called Ron and Ginny).
"First of all, I want to discuss my Vaults, Scion Dumbledore, and why you took from them without my knowledge or permission," I said to him. "And the Blocks you placed on my Magic a few weeks before I turned two." Molly and Arthur looked like they thought Dumbledore did something horrible but he probably had a good reason for it, Ginny looked like she didn't care, Percy and the twins looked horrified and Ron looked slightly smug. His thoughts told me he didn't like Dumbledore and he was glad someone had exposed him for doing something terrible.
"First of all, I became your Magical Guardian as your parents had been murdered," Dumbledore said. "It is well known that Voldemort killed Regulus Black." The Weasleys all flinched at the name, except for Ron. "Hardly anyone knew of your existence and I knew if he found out Regulus had a child, he would've killed you for your Father's betrayal. Your Mother died that same day so there was no one in your family who could take you in without him finding out so I placed you in a Muggle Orphanage knowing he'd never find you there." His thoughts tell me he's telling the truth but that he's the one who killed my Mother as he knew I was a Ravenclaw Heir and he thought he could tell me this story to manipulate me into trusting him and becoming a pawn in his game. He wanted me, Ron and Harry to become friends who he could twist with lies into becoming his child soldiers to fulfil a prophecy made by a fake Seer. I didn't think I could hate the man more than I already did when I found out he Blocked my Magic and stole from me but I was wrong.
"The Blocks?" I asked him. His thoughts told me he didn't want me becoming too powerful and pulling myself out from under his thumb and that he hadn't expected me to ever get a Heritage Test but he didn't say this. Instead, he lied.
"Your Magic was very strong for a child your age. Your body couldn't handle it. Your Magic was overwhelming you and killing you. It's very rare but it, unfortunately, still happens. I Blocked part of your Magic to save your life."
"The stuff you took from my Vaults?"
"I invested your money in several different companies so you'd have more in the future. I set them up in an account under my name linked to my normal account and I was going to deposit it into your new Gringotts account when you inevitably re-entered the Magical World."