Raven’s Keep
The next day all of them went to visit Grimmauld Place. Harry’s house elves, combined with the Curse Breakers, had done wonders to the place. It was still old and dark, but it was clean and nothing they could see was ragged or in disrepair. The hardwood floors gleamed in the candlelight from the many sconces and chandeliers. It smelled of citrus and pine and fresh air and beeswax in every room, except the drawing room where the elves had made tea for them. That room smelled of freshly baked scones and cookies and warm tea.
“Well, this might be the perfect time and place for me to tell you about the jewellery Mum suddenly got me and all the other things I couldn’t tell you at the ball,” Tonks said to Severus. “This house, or our access to it, is after all one of the reasons why I got them. During the day of the ball while you were having fun with marking essays and other fun things, Mum, Sirius and I came here for the first time. Sirius had asked if Mum wanted to come back into the family, if he took the Headship. Mum didn’t hesitate before answering yes, and thus bringing Dad and me into the Black family too. After that, Sirius kind of had to take the Headship, because he saw how important it is to Mum. Harry agreed to let us use the ritual room here and just an hour after Sirius asked Mum about it, Sirius had taken the Headship and reinstated Mum, Dad and me into the family.
“Later we got Harry and Dad and went to Gringotts, with Sirius as a dog, of course, and Sirius made Harry officially his Heir and got us all, including Sirius, our rings.” He flashed a silver ring with a black stone with an engraved raven in flight and three stars above it marked out in silver, the raven had a chip of emerald for an eye.
Severus knew that the Latin words Toujours Pur would be engraved in the silver. At least it had been in Regulus’ family ring, which should be the same type of ring that Tonks now had, because he wasn’t the Lord or the Heir. He looked at Harry’s hands and saw a more intricate and detailed version of Tonks’ ring on his finger and the ring was made of platinum instead of silver. He had let Harry decide if he wanted to become Sirius’ Heir in all ways, or not, and Harry had informed him some time ago that he would take that position. The Potter’s had had a fortune, but they hadn’t held a Lordship or Wizengamot seats, as far as Severus knew. He should probably make certain. It was still time to visit Gringotts with Harry during the vacation to get an overview over all his holdings, vaults and other assets.
“Mum got the dowry vault that had been denied her since she married Dad, and I got a vault set up as a Scion of House Black. Harry got access to his Heir Black vault. And then, then Sirius said that as I didn’t have a middle name, he would be honoured if I would choose a name in the Black tradition. Maybe even a name I would be truly comfortable with. I mean, I could always have changed my name, but I didn’t want to just … just because …” He frowned. “I wanted the name to mean something. Nymphadora was the name my parents gave me, and even if I don’t like it … it didn’t feel right to toss it aside and choose some random name … You know, I know how I feel about it, but I can’t seem to put it into words.” He gave a sigh.
“That’s quite alright, Tonks. Just continue,” Severus told him.
“Yes, so, I can choose a name, a Black name, and have a name that is mine, that I like, and that matters. Would you help me, all of you?” He looked around at all the people in the room.
Andromeda was clutching Ted’s hand and seemed to fight tears while looking at her child. “Of course we will, love,” she said.
Black called for Kreacher and asked for a book with names and a book with stars and constellations. Kreacher delivered both promptly and Black took one book and Lupin took the other and then they began to call out names that they deemed suitable. Surprisingly, the suggestions weren’t awful. After Tonks had a look himself, he made a shortlist including Aries, Hydra, Lynx, Alcyone, Ankaa, Antares, Vega, Polaris and Mizar. Then he sat looking at the list while they finished the tea.
“I will think on it for a bit,” Tonks said when they all got up to complete the tour of the main part of the castle, the Keep. “But I really like Aries and Polaris both.”
Andromeda smiled at her son and hugged him. “Whatever makes you happy, always,” she said, took his face in her hands and looked into his eyes. “Always. And my dear, Aries Polaris has quite the ring to it, doesn’t it? Both your Dad and I think so, and would be overjoyed to go through a naming ceremony with you with whatever names you choose for yourself, so you will always know that we love and approve of you and your choices in life. Think about it.” She kissed his forehead.
Tonks nodded, but looked away, tears shining in his eyes. As far as Severus understood the situation, his parents had never made life difficult for him, besides choosing a name for him that he abhorred. He guessed that this suggestion might feel like a true blessing towards changing his name, and a thorough approval of Tonks, exactly as he was, in all his shapes.
Then Kreacher showed them the rest of the Keep and took notes when Harry told him how he wanted the rooms changed, with input from Andromeda, Tonks and even Lupin. Black kept in the background, obviously doing his best to not ruin this for Harry, even if he didn’t manage not to cast suspicious glances at almost everything in sight. As Severus knew a bit about how it had been to grow up here, from Regulus, he did in fact not blame the mutt. Andromeda quietly wished that her sister, Narcissa, could have joined them as she was much better at colour-coordinating and making the most of a room. Tonks just hugged her without a comment.
“This is great, you lot,” Harry told the three house elves when Kreacher was done showing them around and taking notes of how Harry wanted specific rooms. Only two dozen rooms would be refurbished for now, the kitchen, dining room, two drawing rooms, the ritual room and the most frequented part of the library, as it was too big to do all at once. Severus’ jaw had almost hit the floor when Harry, as the owner and the recognized Heir Black, had invited him into the room. If one could call such a place for just a room. Severus was uncertain if he was able to find the actual words to describe the enormous area; it had towers! The place was supposed to be only a room, but it had wings and towers of its own! He actually feared he might get lost, without even trying. So, only a part of the library would be refurbished for now. Kreacher didn’t look up at Harry when he admitted that they hadn’t been able to do more than dust, mop and shine the floors in the whole library, and had only cleaned more thoroughly in the part that had been most frequented, in recent times. Harry told him that they had done very well, even so, and to take the library bit by bit when they had time, and to not overextend themselves. Other than that, only bedrooms and bathrooms, together with the entrance hall, hallways and staircases would be renovated completely. The rest would be done in time.
Before leaving, Harry stopped in the entrance hall and told the house, the enormous castle, that he had decided to rename it, as it was supposed to be his home and he didn’t like the thought of living in a place that was called grim and old. It would always be old, but it would no longer be grim when he was done with it. He told the place that he had considered Castle Black, but as there was another castle in the family with that name, it wouldn’t work. Now he had to decide between Black Keep and Raven’s Keep, as the raven was the animal on the Black coat of arms. He wanted to use ‘keep’ in the name, because the place would keep Harry and those he cared about safe, and that was very important to him.
“Do you have a preference?” Harry asked the air. “Black Keep?”
There was a shiver in the air, a shudder in the walls. Severus didn’t know how to interpret it. He knew some old magical buildings could get some sentience; Hogwarts had a touch of it, that didn’t mean he understood it.
“Raven’s Keep?” Harry asked and the room filled with warmth and a silver light for one moment, before it was gone the next.
Alright, that was obvious, even to Severus.
Harry beamed. “Raven’s Keep it is. A pleasure to meet you. I can’t wait to see you all cleaned up and repaired and in new colours. It will be great!”
There was a pleased hum in the air before it disappeared again.
“When was the last time Raven’s Keep answered to an owner?” Severus heard Black whisper to Andromeda.
“Not in our generation, nor the two before us, I’m certain,” she answered. “So, at the very least a hundred years, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was more.”
“The Raven’s Keep has not woken from its slumber for three hundred years,” Kreacher croaked while looking at Harry with big eyes. “Little Master will be a true Master of the Keep, Kreacher knows, as soon as he has taken control of the wards.”
That warmth filled the air again, together with anticipation.
“I’m sorry, I can’t take the wards before the Curse Breakers and Warders have taken a look at them,” Harry patted the banister. “My own Warder wants to be absolutely certain that I will be able to hold them and be safe, and I like being safe.”
Kreacher nodded and the house subsided in … understanding? Apparently, even magical houses had more knowledge about Wyrds, Warders and their bond than most magical humans.
“Be kind towards the Curse Breakers and Warders, alright?” Harry stroked a wall. “Make the job easy for them, so I can take control of the wards as soon as possible.”
Either the house was becoming more coherent, or Severus was beginning to understand it, because now he got the impression of a happy dog with a wagging tail, eager for recognition and praise.
“I will come back as often as I can, I promise. You are already good for my elves, right?” Harry looked at Kreacher, who hesitated, and Severus got the impression he was communicating with the house in some way, before he slowly nodded.
“House be helpful, yes,” Kreacher said.
It might not have been up until now, but Severus was certain that the house, the Keep, would be on its very best behaviour for the elves and the humans who wanted to restore it, from now on. It didn’t want to disappoint Harry.
XXXXX
Suddenly, it was Christmas, and as the Tonks family celebrated that too, their guests followed suit. Aries Polaris Tonks-Black, who would get their name changed in a naming ceremony and in every other way to make it official before Harry went back to school, and Black got Harry up and down to the tree and the presents far, far earlier than Severus would have liked, and he was not happy when Lupin knocked on his door to get him downstairs too. If not for the offering of coffee, blood might have been spilled. But Lupin did offer him coffee, so Severus grabbed his dressing gown and got downstairs to where the three children waited, even if the house only had had one child the evening before.
Harry was happy. That was all that truly mattered. Harry was happy where he sat on the floor on a pillow and opened the presents Aries and Black shoved at him. Severus had helped him buy presents this year, as Harry had admitted that he struggled with it, especially because he didn’t know anything about his budget. Severus had helped him figure it out, by sending Gringotts a letter as Harry’s guardian and getting an accounting of Harry’s Trust Vault. For the rest they had to meet up in person and that meeting would take place in three days. Harry did not have to be frugal, unless he wanted to, even before becoming the Black Heir. On Harry’s birthday each year, there was transferred 20 000 galleons to his Potter Trust Vault, no matter how much or little he had used. Because Harry had used so sparingly, even after he got access to the vault, he had a small fortune in his Trust Vault by now. Harry had gone positively wild while finding presents to his friends and his newfound family, and he had beamed while doing it, the whole time.
Harry’s presents held clothes, games and puzzle books. He got a stag plushie for his collection and a photo album with pictures from his parents’ childhood, which Lupin had taken the initiative to make, and Severus gladly had contributed to. He got tickets for him and his friends to three Quidditch games on the new year. He also got a summer pass to Thorp Park and Coral Reef Waterworld, so Severus assumed that the summer plans were pretty much self-explanatory, and even if he doubted he would like any of the attractions, he wouldn’t say a word about it. Because Harry was beaming so widely it had to hurt his face and Aries promised him that he would take all the rides with him. And Andromeda promised that his leg would be well enough to safely take both rides and waterslides as long as he was careful and let the leg rest a few days in between. And Black and Lupin both guaranteed him that he would love the roller coasters and told him about how Lily had dragged them all into the Muggle world to go to Thorp one summer.
Harry also got a key to the door of his guest bedroom and an invitation to make that room into his own room at the Tonks’ house. When he tearfully had nodded yes before initiating a hug with Andromeda and Ted, most likely the first he had ever initiated between them, Aries got up and came downstairs again with two more presents, one a sample book of paints and wallpaper Harry could choose from, and one a furniture catalogue he could get furniture from, to his new room. Then Aries gave him a pillow that looked like a snitch for his bed and a deep red throw blanket, to keep in his new room or take to the Tower or to Severus’.
After another feast of a breakfast, Severus found Harry in his new room, hugging the new pillow to his chest. He sat down next to him and waited until Harry leaned into him, before speaking.
“Harry, I know a lot has happened, that a lot has changed, in a very short time, but I want you to know, to remember, that all of us want you to be happy, above all else. Safe and happy. If anything becomes too much, or goes too fast for you, you are allowed to ask for it to go slower, or to say no. Whatever you need to be happy.”
“No … it’s … its’ alright, Severus. It’s a lot, but I’m happy. I’m a bit stunned, but very happy. I have never had a room that’s mine or people who cared, who listened to me and cared, and now … I have my room with you, I have my room here and I have the Keep, a whole house, a castle, that’s mine, that will be my home. And I have you, the whole Tonks family, Sirius and Remus who all actually like me and want to help me. It’s a lot, but I’m happy. I promise you.”
Severus put an arm around Harry’s shoulders and hugged him closer. “Good, I’m grateful to hear you say that. Now, Lupin has arranged to play your new game with everyone, bar Andromeda who has to go to work soon, and he is making that hot chocolate you liked again. Care to join?”
Harry looked up at him with eyes that shone with tears and with a wobbly smile on his lips, but he blinked back the tears and the smile steadied, before he hugged Severus.
“Yeah, I would like that.”