12 - Wheel of the Year & Black Castle
18 March 1996
Hogwarts Express
“Uh, Al? Explain the Wheel of the Year to me again, please?” Ginny gave Alhena the puppy eyes from where she, the twins and Neville had joined the Slytherins.
“Sure, Ginevra,” Alhena closed Time Spiral. “So, it starts with Yule, the winter solstice, which is on the 21st of December. The next one is Imbolc, on the 1st of February. After that, it’s Ostara, the vernal equinox, on the 21st of March.” She paused to take a breath. “After Ostara is Beltane, on the 1st of May, followed by Litha, the summer solstice, on the 21st of June, and Lughnasadh on the 1st of August.” Another pause, another breath. “The last two are Mabon, the autumnal equinox, which falls on the 21st of September, and Samhain, which falls on the 31st of October, and closes out the year. Thursday is Ostara.”
“Erm, how do you celebrate, exactly?” Ginny seemed almost embarrassed to ask, and Alhena chuckled.
“It varies,” Alhena’s voice carried a smile. “For Yule, carolling/wassailing, charity, and gift-giving, decorating the Yule tree, feasting, and lighting the Yule log. Associated deities – from various cultures – are Dagda, Brigid, Lugh and Ériu, and the Oak and Holly Kings, from the Celts; Saint Nicholas, from the Christians; Horus, Isis and Ra, from the Egyptians; Christkind, from the Germans; Dionysus/Bacchus and Poseidon/Neptune, from the Greeks and Romans; and Baldur, Frigga, Hel, Hodur, Loki and Odin, from the Norsemen.”
Daphne took over. “For Imbolc, blessing agricultural tools, feasting, honouring Brigid, lighting a sacred hearth fire, planting seeds, and visiting holy wells. The deities associated with Imbolc are: from the Celts, Brigid and the Cailleach; from the Christians, Saint Brigid; from the Greeks, Hestia and Priapus; and from the Romans, Februus and Vesta.”
Alhena took over again. “For Ostara, egg and broom balancing, egg dyeing, feasting, and fertility rites. Associated deities are Eostre, from the Germanic people; Gaia/Terra, Dionysus/Bacchus, Persephone and Demeter/Proserpina and Ceres, from the Greeks and Romans; and Freya, from the Norsemen.” She paused, taking a breath. “For Beltane, bonfires, collecting Beltane dew, feasts, handfasting, maying, Maypole dancing, and visiting sacred wells. Associated deities are the May Queen and King, from the Anglo-Saxons; Belenus and Étain, from the Celts; Saint Walburga, from the Christians; Freya, from the Germanic people; Aphrodite/Venus, Artemis/Diana, Flora, and Hecate, from the Greeks and Romans; and otherworldly spirits, such as the fae, maenads and satyrs.” She gestured to Daphne to continue.
“Wait, can we appreciate the irony of a certain horrid old harridan having the same name as a Christian saint for a second?” Harry interrupted.
Everyone had a good laugh at that, before Daphne continued the explanation. “For Litha, bonfires, feasting, handfasting, maypole dancing, outdoor games, and picnics. The deities associated with Litha are: from the Celts, the Oak and Holly Kings; from the Egyptians, Hathor, Isis, Nut and Ra; from the Greeks and Romans, Apollo and Hestia/Vesta; and from the Norsemen, Baldur.” She paused for a bit, recalling the information, before continuing. “For Lughnasadh, bread-making, bonfires, canning, feasting, and grain-harvesting. The deities associated with Lughnasadh are: from the Anglo-Saxons, Beowa; from the Celts, Lugh and Tailtiu; from the Egyptians, Osiris; and from the Greeks and Romans, Hermes/Mercury.” She handed the discussion to Alhena with a wave of her hand.
“For Mabon, charity work, feasting, gathering, and harvesting. Associated deities are Aphrodite/Venus, Dionysus/Bacchus, and the gods and goddesses of the underworld, such as Persephone/Kore/Proserpina, Demeter/Ceres, and Hecate, from the Greeks and Romans; and Modron and Mabon, from the Welsh.” Alhena took a deep breath. “For Samhain, ancestor altars, bobbing for apples, divination, mumming, silent suppers, and trick or treating. Associated deities are The Cailleach, Cerridwen, and the Morrigan, from the Celts; Anubis and Osiris, from the Egyptians; Demeter/Ceres, Hades/Pluto, Hecate, and Persephone/Kore/Proserpina, from the Greeks and Romans; and Freya, Hel, and Odin from the Norsemen.”
Neville hesitantly spoke up, adding details Daphne and Alhena didn’t mention. “There are themes associated with each. Yule’s are community, generosity, immortality, the longest night, love, peace, the rebirth of the sun, and the return of the light. Imbolc’s are blessing, cleansing, fertility, healing, prosperity, purification, rebirth, and renewal. Ostara’s are balance, creation, fertility, growth, rebirth, and renewal. Beltane’s are creativity, fertility, love, sexuality, union, and virility.” He paused for air. “Litha’s are abundance, blessing, celebration, fire, folly, fortune, mature love, the peak of growth and expansion, strength, and the sun. Lughnasadh’s are bounty, creativity, death, harvest, preparation, reaping, strength, and transformation. Mabon’s are balance, gratitude, harvest, introspection, prosperity, reflection, root work, and shadow work. And Samhain’s are death, passage, remembrance, transition, transformation, and wisdom.”
“Beltane is the most commonly used day for handfastings,” Alhena’s voice was quiet. “And I picked Wednesday for the meeting due to the symbolism, because, as Neville said, one of Ostara’s themes is rebirth. I was also born ten days after Mabon.”
“Alhena?” Hermione didn’t like the tone her best friend’s voice had gained. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Mione,” Alhena said quietly. “It’s just, the magnitude of what we’re planning to do is finally hitting me. And one of my half-remembered visions from third year is coming to mind.” She seemed to gather herself for a moment. “Sorry if I end up sounding a bit like Trelawney, but… As day and night fall into balance, light gives way to darkness. Loyalties are broken and remade, and a new era dawns in the shadows. A bloody war ends on a truce of equals and a reclaimed legacy. I vaguely remembered it back in January, and I’ve been puzzling it out. Day and night falling into balance refers to the equinoxes. The next part took a bit longer, but light giving way to darkness is an incredibly dramatic phrasing for changing alliances. The first part of the third line is self-explanatory, but the second part is interesting, because it implies that the power shift will most likely be unexpected and unseen. The last line, well… That’s what I’m stuck on, and I have a hunch it’s self-explanatory, but I’m too obtuse to see it.”
“If you predicted that in third year, we’re going to be lucky, mate.” Ron chuckled. “A new era, and we’re probably at the centre of it. Dumbledore would do well to not underestimate our resident scheming Parselmouths.”
“Any idea when he’ll be dethroned?” Alhena asked in a deadpan voice.
“Oh, in the middle of our Care OWL, mate. Bloody dramatically too, if Grindelwald starts talking at some point during the next two months,” Ron said nonchalantly.
Alhena had finally given up on trying to remember every combined vision/prophecy their friend group had had between Ron and herself in February, and had finally started writing down every single one she could remember, from both of them. As such, she grabbed her aptly-named A Chronicle of Two Seers journal, and wrote it down.
‘Ron:
Dumbledore’s dethroning, mid-CoMC OWL (21/06/96?), Grindelwald starts talking 04/96 or 05/96? (18/03/96)’
“Okay, noted. If it happens on Litha, it would be poetic justice worthy of the bards,” Alhena laughed a little.
The discussion turned to other things, but the two prophecies/visions lingered in the collective group’s minds.
Black Castle
“Welcome to Black Castle, the virtually impenetrable fortress of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, and the residence of countless Blacks since the beginnings of the house,” Orion declared – pride evident in his tone and posture – the moment the assembled group shook off the dizzying sensation of Portkey travel. “Top floor is family only, the one below that is for guests, and the rest is fair game.”
Molly quietly protested, “Lord Black, this is a bit much…”
“Nonsense,” Orion dismissed her statement with a wave of his hand. “You are family, and family is always welcome at Black Castle. In fact, I believe that the estate used to host numerous cadet branches as recently as my grandfather’s day.”
Arthur and Molly traded looks, but before they could protest again, Bill cut in. “Mum, Dad, while the Burrow is undoubtedly home to all of us, it is a bit ramshackle. It was intended as a holiday getaway, a cottage of sorts, not a permanent family home. The wards on Black Castle are the third strongest in Britain, right behind Peverell Castle and Hogwarts. And the estate is meant to support multiple families, which is why there are houses scattered around the grounds. And with the move we’re going to make, we will be safer here than at the Burrow.”
Arthur sighed. He hated it sometimes, when Bill was right. But Black Castle was safer than the Burrow, especially since the Weasley Estate was lost in the last war. “Alright, Bill, you win.” He turned to Orion. “Thank you, Lord Black.”
Alhena giggled, bouncing on the balls of her feet, her earlier melancholy mood gone. “Okay, Harry, Sirius and I are off to pick rooms. Ron, when Molly and Arthur find a suitable house – please do stay close – send any of us a Patronus. Hermione…”
Just then, the portkey deposited the Grangers in the entrance hall, and Alhena laughed. “Okay, perfect timing, the entire family is here now – except for Charlie and Percy and the married or otherwise occupied denizens of the House of Black – and I can tell the castle is happy.”
“Whoa, Al, where did you get all this energy from all of a sudden?” Hermione gestured for her to slow down.
“The beauty of family magic,” Orion said with a wistful smile, “is the sheer energising effect it can have.”
“Okay, I won’t question that,” Ellen said with a shake of her head. “Your letter was rather cryptic.”
Orion did the whole spiel again, and Ellen and Antares laughed, before Antares fixed Orion with a glare. “So, essentially, you wish for us to move to the estate? You do recall our practice is in London proper, and that we are unwilling to sell or close it, correct?”
“Correct.”
“As such, there is the solitary issue of how long it would take to get from here to our practice the Muggle way,” Antares’ glare wasn’t letting up.
“Considering that Black Castle is in Hertfordshire, which is practically next door to London if you consider that Peverell Castle is all the way over in Cumbria, or that Slytherin Castle is all the way over in the Hebrides…” Alhena muttered, trailing off.
“Ah, close enough then. We’ll just have to get up a bit earlier,” Antares said with a nod. “Living among family would be nice.”
Alhena clapped once. “Alright, as I was saying before the Grangers arrived, Harry, Sirius and I are off to pick bedrooms. Ron, Mione, once your families have taken their pick of the houses, send us a patronus. We have a celebration – and a meeting – to plan.”
“And she’s off,” Hermione said dramatically. “I haven’t ever seen her this energetic in the entirety of our friendship.”
Ellen laughed. “Okay, we’ll go pick a house. Then we’ll have to figure out what to do with our current one.”
“It could be listed as a Black property and placed under wards similar to those of Grimmauld?” Orion suggested. “That way, you can return at any time you wish.”
“I’m amenable to that,” Antares sighed in relief. “Now, if only our car would stop stalling in magical areas…”
“I’ll help with that,” Arthur suggested gleefully.
Ron and Hermione traded looks, before shrugging and following their respective families. This was promising to be interesting.