Coven

Albus had sent a letter via owl mail a week after the school year ended. 

It was a beautiful sunny day where the temperatures weren’t too high and Anya longed to be outside. Unfortunately though, she was stuck in her office going over new policies and laws that the Minister wanted the Wizengamot members to review before their next session.

Needless to say, most were just a bunch of laws and policies that favored Purebloods and would harm muggleborns in the long run.

Anya didn’t even try to hold back her snort after reading what one of the suggestions were. 

Looking at the offensive parchment in disdain, she murmured. “Like a marriage law will solve anything. Idiots.”

Throwing the suggested law off to the side. Anya reached for another half brained document, only to stop mid reach when a sound at the window drew her attention.

Right outside, scratching at the window, was a tawny owl that looked to be slightly larger than a normal one. 

Getting up to let the bird inside, the owl gave a hoot before flying inside as soon as the window was opened. Chuckling, the blonde followed behind and once seated, she reached over and grabbed the letter from the bird's leg.

“Dumbledore, huh?” Anya murmured before reaching over and grabbing her bronze letter opener. 

Slicing the envelope open in one movement, she pulled out the prchement and began reading the letter. 

Quirinus Quirrell will officially be teaching Defense Against The Dark Arts for the 1991-1992 school year.

Interesting. Anya mused. I wonder why he took off a year before accepting the transfer?

Anya considered various reasons before she let out a sigh and leaned back into her seat, reading the letter once more.

Dear Ms. Anya Evermoore,

We are pleased to inform you that we have found a teacher who has accepted the position of Defense Against The Dark Arts professor.

Quirinus Quirrell will begin teaching Defense Against The Dark Arts on 1 September.

This letter is to offer you the trial position of the secondary Defense Against The Dark Arts professor. 

Your contract will begin 1 September and will end on 28 June. 

Classes will be split between both professors and be taught in classroom 104 of the North Tower and classroom 3C of the same tower.

 We look forward to your response,

Albus Dumbledore

Hogwarts Headmaster

Order of Merlin - First Class

Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot

Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards

Anya felt her eye twitch. Did he really need to list all his titles on a school document? 

Anya shook her head. Of course he did. It was a power play.

That's all it was, a power play,  and whoever thought Albus Dumbledore was above power plays severely underestimated just what it took to hold those three titles. 

Folding the letter, Anya placed it off to the side before grabbing a self inking quill and some parchment and writing a quick reply to Dumbledore. Tying it to the leg of the patiently waiting school owl, she fed it the bird a treat before sending it off. 

As she reached out to close the window, the sight of another owl made her pause. 

The owl seemed to be rushing, so Anya moved out of the way and let the bird enter and fly to the perch by her desk.

Anya blinked, recognizing the beautiful looking barn owl. “Alioth?” She questioned in confusion.

What was The Black Family owl doing here? Normally if Celeste or her siblings needed to write they used Celeste or Diya’s personal owl. 

Was it Arcturus who was writing?

The owl hooted urgently and Anya snapped out of her confusion. Reaching out, she unfurled the letter from the owl’s held out leg and grabbed her letter opener. 

Slicing the envelope in one fell swoop like before, Anya pulled out the parchment and read it slowly.

By the time she was done, her eyes were wide and she was shooing the indignant bird out of her home office. 

“Go, go!” She urgently hissed. “I’ll be there by the time you do!”

The owl gave one last hoot before taking off into the sky and Anya grabbed her wand, locked the window and swirled her wand to put the Wizengamont documents back into its folder and the folder into the drawer where she kept all important documents. 

Spelling a locking charm onto the drawer, Anya ignored her state of dress and rushed over to her fireplace, grabbing a handful of floo powder. She stepped inside and with an urgency in her voice yelled. 

“Blackwood House!”

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was a strictly Patriarchal house, so unlike some other houses, they never had a female Head of House or heiress. 

A fact that could very easily be their downfall.

Blackwood House was one of the larger properties owned by The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black but it was nowhere as big as Blackmoore Manor or Blackrose Hall- the two traditional dwellings of the Head of House and the Adult Heir. 

Anya stepped out of the fireplace in the living room and looked around. 

Grey walls and uncomfortable upholstered furniture. Blackwood House hadn’t changed a bit and Anya knew if she closed her eyes, she would be able to perfectly picture the three story tall house in her mind.

Dark grey brick, ivy growing up the side of the house, a wrought iron door and a Welsh slate roof that had seen better days. 

“Aunt Anya!” A young voice called tearfully.

Anya turned towards the voice and caught the newly thirteen year old in her arms.

“Diya.” Anya murmured, squeezing the girl tight. “It’ll be alright.”

The raven haired and gray eyed girl barely suppressed a sob. “U-uncle Archie..”

A pit formed in Anya’s stomach. Was she too late?

“I know.” Anya murmured against the girl's curled hair. She rubbed the girls back for a few more minutes before she pulled the teary eyed girl away. “Where’s your Aunt Samaya?”

“W-with Auntie Cissa and Aunt Cora.” Diya said with a shuddering breath.

Anya nodded before wrapping an arm around Diya’s shoulders and leading her towards the East Wing.

Narcissa all but barreled into Anya when she saw her enter the sitting area of the main bedroom. Letting go of Diya, Anya caught the teary eyed Lady Malfoy in her arms. 

“Hey Narcy.” Anya muttured and Narcissa gave a wet chuckle. 

“It came out of nowhere, Anya.” Narcissa whispered brokenly, so low that Diya couldn’t hear her. “Great Uncle…he…” The blonde broke off with a shuttering breath.

Anya hugged the younger woman tighter. “Is he…gone…?” she asked tentatively.

Narcissa shook her head against the taller woman’s chest. “No,” she choked, still whispering so young ears wouldn’t be able to hear. “but…he’s not far off I’m afraid…”

Anya hid her grimace in Narcissa’s hair. Lord Arcturus was an active figure in the lives of not only the four Black sisters, but Bellatrix’s children too. It was understandable that Narcissa was grieving, add on the fact that Arcturus had just turned ninety several months ago but was still outstandingly healthy and looking fifty, to suddenly become sickly like this was…worrying.

“Have you messaged Andi or Cass?” Anya asked worriedly. 

Narcissa tensed. The twins had become a type of taboo recently, from Andi’s marriage to Ted and Cassiopeia’s…scandal, most of the older generation disowned the twins. 

…All except Arcturus and his wife Melanie Black née Macmillan…

But still, Arcturus would want to see them.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Anya sighed. 

Letting go of Narcissa, Anya smoothed the younger woman’s blonde hair with a soft expression on her face. “It’ll be alright.” She whispered, staring into watery blue eyes. 

Narcissa gave Anya an incredulous look but a quick squeeze to her upper arm had her understanding.

Stay strong for the kids.

With one last squeeze of Narcissa’s arm, Anya turned to the other two adults in the group. 

They were about the same age, around twenty nine or thirty and had the same long black hair, gray eyes and aristocratic features that all black had. The only difference was their height and hair texture, the taller one had curly hair and stood around five foot eight while the shorter one had straight black hair and stood at about five foot five. 

With soft features, Anya walked over to the shorter girl. “Maya.” Anya greeted, opening her arms for a hug. 

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Samaya or Maya Hesper Lycoris Black stepped into Anya’s embrace, holding her tightly as if her life depended on it. 

“Thank you.” Maya whispered, her voice unwavering despite the tears. “For responding to my owl.”

Anya gave a slight chuckle. “I would hardly call this a proper response.”

Maya’s lips twitched upward. “You still came running.”

Breaking away with a chuckle, Anya wiped away the tears on Maya’s cheeks but took a moment to remove her hand from the younger woman’s face. 

“I’ll always be here if any of you need me.” Anya responded softly. “I promised and that promise will always stand.”

Maya gave Anya a watery smile. “I know.”

Pulling Maya back into another hug, Anya whispered. “How’s your father?”

Maya tightened her hold on Anya before responding in a low tone. “Mother is with him….the healers have given him a-“ Maya choked on her answer. “-a week.” 

Feeling pressure building in her chest, Anya blinked back her own tears and gave a quick kiss to the side of Maya’s head.

“Then I’ll be here the whole time.” Anya assured as she let go of Maya and gave her another soft look.

Maya nodded, a grateful smile fighting its way onto her face as she stepped away and the other woman stepped forward. 

Corona or Cora Walburga Black, the younger sister of Sirius Orion Black seemed to be the most composed out of everyone in the room as she stepped into Anya’s embrace. 

Atleast, that was until she whispered a broken “Thank you.” Into Anya’s ear and Anya could tell she was hurting just as much as everyone else in light of her Grandfather's sudden illness.

Anya felt her eyes prick at the despair in the young woman’s voice and as much as she wanted to say that it’ll be alright, she knew that’s not what Cora needed to hear. 

“I’m here.” Anya whispered back, squeezing the younger woman as tight as she could without hurting her. 

Nodding her head, Cora broke away from Anya’s hold, blinking quicker than normal to fight back tears.

“Your mother?” Anya asked and Cora grimaced, a hate fueled look flashing across her face for a brief moment that had Anya grimacing as well.

“Expected at any moment.” Cora hissed.

“We wanted to inform you first.” Maya explained and Anya nodded.

“Has anyone messaged Andi and Cass?” Anya asked and Maya and Cora shared a look. 

“I tried.” Cora began. “But the owl…”

Maya closed her eyes as a look of pain spread over her features. “The owl was turned away both times.”

Anya looked shocked. The owl was turned away? For both of them? 

“But I thought you both kept in touch with them…?” Anya asked in disbelief.

Cora set her jaw, nodding. “We do . But for some reason-!” A loud screech from outside the door cut Cora off.

Anya didn’t have to strain her ears to here the commotion outside.

“YOU BLASTED HOUSE ELF!! HOW DARE YOU DENY ME ACCESS TO SEE MY HEAD OF HOUSE!”

Anya felt her skin prickle and hair stand on edge at the screeching continued and a look of fury spreading across Cora’s face before it went unnaturally blank.

“-ILY ONLY!? FAMILY ONLY!?! WHY YOU DISRESPECT FILTHY CREATURE! YOUR HEADS NOT EVEN WORTH DISPLAYING! HOW DARE YOU INSINUATE THAT I’M NOT-!”

Anya sneered at the door. It seems Walburga Black had arrived.

Anya, Narcissa, and Cora had rushed out into the hall the moment they realized just who was screeching up a storm. 

Walburga Black was hardly Anya’s favorite person, in fact the wife of the former Black heir was probably her least favorite person- tied only with Voldemort himself.

That opinion was only solidified when she saw the crazed witch ready her wand to attack the House Elf that stood before her.

“Protego!” Anya called at the same time Walburga sent a wordless Diffindo at the small creature.

The little elf squeaked, shaking in its boots as the spell blasted off Anya’s protective barrier.

“Slinky, leave us.” Narcissa ordered in an attempt to save the young elfs life. 

“I’m not done with him yet!” Walburga screeched. 

“I think you are.” Anya replied calmly.

Walburga’s head snapped towards Anya and she briefly looked like she swallowed a lemon before a sneer appeared on her face. 

“You.” She sneered before a murderous look appeared on her face. “That blasted elf lied to me!” She screeched. “Oh when I get my hands on him!”

Cora finally had enough, stepping forward as a look of fury shone in her eyes.

“The elf didn’t lie to you.. mother .” She said, spitting mother out with so much hatred that Walburga flinched, a brief look of hurt flashing across her face before it was overcome again with fury. “Grandfather has requested only family be allowed to visit him and after what you did to Sirius-“ Walburga’s face darkened even more at the mention of her ‘blood-traitor’ son. “-you are no longer anymore than a member of House Black.”

“Then why is she here!” Walburga demanded, pointing at Anya, who simply narrowed her eyes.

Cora smirked. “Oh Anya? Why she’s here because she’s family.”

Walburga was turning an amusing shade of purple but before she could say anymore, Narcissa used the house wards to banish Walburga from the grounds.

Narcissa huffed. “We should have just done that from the beginning, it would have saved my ears from her screeching.”

Both Cora and Anya let out a slight laugh before turning around and heading back inside the main bedroom.