13 - Black Family Meeting
19 March 1996
Black Castle
The Silver Quartet traded looks as they waited for everyone to arrive. Orion had called a Black Family Meeting, the first since Walburga cast Sirius out in 1975. The first ones to arrive were those who lived on the estate: Alhena, Orion, Sirius, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Antares, Ellen, Arthur, Molly, Bill, Fred, George, and Ginny. Charlie and Percy showed up soon afterward, although Percy seemed to avoid his family. Andromeda, Edward, and Dora showed up five minutes later, followed by Narcissa, Lucius, and Draco.
They were soon followed by the Hitchens siblings and their partners: Allegra and her husband, Joseph Tremblay, Maurice and his wife, Celestina Hitchens née Benbow, Josephine and her wife, Angela Hitchens née Simons, and Antares’ parents, Jean, and Hayden Granger (it was painfully obvious the three older couples were struggling to conceive, and were approaching an age where it became unfeasible). Next came Callidora and Harfang Longbottom – with Augusta, Neville, and Algernon in tow – and Ellen’s parents, Magnus Winters, and Justine Winters née Fawley.
An awkward few minutes later heralded the arrival of Muriel Prewett, followed by Marius Black, his sons, and their partners – Altair, and his wife, Blythe Blake née Grimm, and Rigel, and his husband, Justin Gray – plus his grandchildren, Altair’s daughter, Vela Blake – who shot Dora finger guns from the doorway – and Rigel’s month-old twins, Meissa and Castor Blake.
Finally, the doors to the meeting hall swung shut, and Orion stood. “Welcome to the first Black Family Meeting since Yule 1975. Many things have happened in the two intervening decades, and I shall try to keep the details short, for timing’s sake, because we have to summarise two decades’ worth of information in one meeting.” He gave Muriel a glare. “Your opinions on squibs and the like stay at the door, and you’ll soon see why.” He focused his attention back on the room at large. “Starting with January 1976, I will go through all noteworthy events. Yes, much of it is old news to most of us, but it is tradition to list all of the events that happened since the last Family Meeting. Let us begin.
“3 May 1976 marks the birth of Percival Ignatius Weasley. 15 August 1976 marks Fleamont Hardwin Potter’s death. New Year’s Eve 1977 marks the deaths of Charlus Henry Potter and Dorea Ursula Potter née Black. 1 April 1978 marks the births of Frederick Gideon and George Fabian Weasley. 30 June 1978 marks the graduation of Sirius Orion Black, James Charlus Potter, Bartemius Caspar Crouch Junior, Lily Marie Evans, and Alice Sarah Fortescue.
“19 August 1978 marks the death of Alphard Pollux Black. 20 October 1978 marks Sirius Orion Black and James Charlus Potter’s entrance into the Hit Wizard Corps. 18 November 1978 marks the death of Belladonna Crouch. 29 December 1978 marks the deaths of Ivan and Cassius Burke. 2 February 1979 marks the wedding of James Charlus Potter and Lily Marie Evans. 3 February 1979 marks the wedding of Frank Harfang Longbottom and Alice Sarah Fortescue. 28 February 1979 marks the deaths of Spica Crouch and Catherine Burke. 9 July 1979 marks the death of Ambrose Longbottom. 18 August 1979 marks the death of Bilius and Simon Weasley.
“9 September 1979 marks the birth of Hermione Jean Granger. 1 October 1979 marks the birth of Alhena Melania Carina Black-Peverell, and also sadly the death of Carina Isolde Gaunt-Haydon. 18 December 1979 marks the death of Regulus Arcturus Black. 2 January 1980 marks the death of Gideon Julian and Fabian Kenneth Prewett. 28 March 1980 marks the birth of Ronald Bilius Weasley. 18 June 1980 marks the birth of Draco Lucius Malfoy. 30 July 1980 marks the birth of Neville Frank Longbottom. 31 July 1980 marks the birth of Hadrian James Potter-Black.
“11 June 1981 marks the birth of Ginevra Molly Weasley. 31 October 1981 marks the tragic death of James Charlus Potter and Lily Marie Potter née Evans. 2 November 1981 marks the attack on Frank Harfang Longbottom and Alice Sarah Longbottom née Fortescue, as well as the wrongful imprisonment of Sirius Orion Black, and the rightful one of Bellatrix Amalthea Lestrange née Black. 28 January 1982 marks the death of Lucretia Melania Prewett née Black. 12 January 1983 marks the death of Melania Julia Black née Macmillan. 22 February 1983 marks the death of Ignatius Prewett. 22 December 1985 marks the death of Walburga Irma Black. 29 December 1985 marks the death of Druella Black née Rosier.
“9 July 1988 marks the death of Septimus Weasley. 28 September 1989 marks the death of Cedrella Ursula Weasley née Black. 4 March 1990 marks the deaths of Pollux Black and Irma Black née Crabbe. 9 November 1991 marks the death of Arcturus Sirius Black. 8 January 1992 marks the death of Cygnus Black the Second. 31 December 1992 marks the deaths of Cassiopeia Violetta Black and Julia Blake née Elba. 21 December 1995 marks the death of Bellatrix Amalthea Lestrange née Black. And 14 February 1996 marks the births of Meissa Alhena and Castor Rigel Blake. Does anyone have anything to add?”
“I do, Lord Black,” Maurice spoke softly.
“You have the floor, Mr Hitchens.” Orion sat back down.
“I wish to add the following: the death of Alfred Minkar Hitchens on 5 September 1986, the death of Agathe Hitchens née Selwyn on 28 May 1987, the death of Shaula Lesath Hitchens on 19 April 1993, and the death of Cora Zosma Hitchens on 1 February 1995. That is all, Lord Black.” He nodded once, sitting back down.
“Anyone else?” Orion waited for two minutes. “Alright, down to the last part of the announcements, before this meeting devolves into the classic Black Family Meeting debates. As of November 1981, Alhena is Heir Black as per my late father, Arcturus’, wishes. As of the Wizengamot session of 18 December 1995, Alhena is Lady Peverell-Slytherin-Haydon, and Heir Black-Gaunt. As of the same day, Hermione is Lady Dagworth-Granger and Heir Winters, Harry is Lord Potter-Stinchcombe and Heir Peverell, and Bill is Lord Weasley.”
Polite applause sounded, although Alhena kept giving Muriel suspicious glances.
“As of 16 December 1995, Walburga Irma and Bellatrix Amalthea are no longer members of the House of Black. Isla Hitchens née Black, Phineas Black the Second, Marius Black, Alphard Pollux Black, Andromeda Druella Tonks née Black, and Sirius Orion Black – as well as their descendants, if any are present – are once more formally members of the House of Black.
True to Orion’s word, it devolved into debates and arguments soon after, which Alhena largely tuned out in favour of cooing over the Blake twins. But unfortunately, Muriel Prewett was utterly incapable of holding her tongue. “Why are these squibs here? I mean, it’s not like they have anything of value to offer wizarding society.”
The sheer fury that radiated from Orion was, once again, dwarfed by that of Alhena’s unadulterated rage turning the air in the room frigid, which was far more noticeable in March than in January. “Don’t have anything of value to offer wizarding society? Don’t have anything of value to offer wizarding society? Muriel Prewett, I confess I lack the ability to be surprised by the closed-mindedness of those of Dumbledore’s generation after the displays by Lords Diggle and Doge in the Wizengamot. But let me prove to you just how wrong you are.”
“Alhena…” Orion’s tone carried a hint of warning, although he knew she was nearly unstoppable.
Alhena, predictably, ignored her father’s gentle warning. “The Ancient and Noble House of Dagworth-Granger, long thought extinct, was brought back in a so-called Muggleborn, my best friend, whose parents are first and fifth-generation squibs, respectively. The Most Ancient and Noble House of Gaunt practically rendered themselves squibs through inbreeding. In fact, if memory serves me, Merope Minka Riddle née Gaunt was a literal squib. Harry and I’s mutual maternal great-grandfather, Morfin Marvolo Gaunt, was close to a squib. Our grandmothers – Raine Allegra Haydon née Gaunt and Rose Minka Evans née Gaunt – were squibs. Lily was labelled a Muggleborn, when Squib-born half-blood would be more accurate. And it’s highly ironic that two half-bloods and a pureblood with a squib grandmother are the three most powerful wixen in Britain in this century. There are three people – two babies – in this room with squib parents, Blacks, no less, that have the Metamorphmagus gene, two with squib ancestry, and one with a limited form of the ability with squib ancestry.
“Because let me tell you something. Just because squibs can’t actively use magic, doesn’t mean they don’t have it. Because as long as they have magical ancestry somewhere, someday that magic will make itself known again in their bloodline, resulting in the so-called Muggleborns. For every unclaimed seat in the Wizengamot, long declared extinct, there is at least one squib descendant out there whose children or grandchildren can claim it. Because, if those lines were truly extinct, their seats would vanish from the Wizengamot Chambers altogether, like the seat of the Ancient House of Byrne or that of the Disgraced Ancient House of Graylock.” Alhena’s magic gradually receded, pouring off into the wards as she calmed down. “I sincerely hope this is the last I see of you at any Black Family Meetings, Muriel Prewett, because I will not let any insults against any friends or relatives of mine – regardless of the distance between our nearest common ancestor – stand. I don’t care if you insult me, because it means nothing to me. But insult those I consider mine, by friendship, oaths, or blood, and you will rue the day you crossed me. Your permission to be within these wards will only last until the family meeting is over, and not a second longer than that.” She sat back down, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Her hair was a pale red colour, but the furious grey of her eyes made many take a step back.
“I can see this meeting is getting nowhere,” Orion said. “I declare this family meeting closed. Those still allowed within the wards are welcome to stay.”
Muriel was the only one that left – clearly in a huff – and the tension slowly ebbed away. Fifteen minutes later, Alhena stood up as well. “I politely request not to be bothered, and that none of you interfere if you hear anything from the duelling chamber. Good day.”
Orion watched her walk out, and the moment the door closed behind her, a stream of chatter started up, surprisingly started by Magnus. “By Dagda, she’s powerful! I have never seen someone whose magic responds like that, never mind feels like that.”
“She’s an Honoured High Necromancer,” Orion said by way of explanation, “and has five different family magics at her disposal. It just happens that her magic tends towards icy at the best of times, and Arctic at the worst.”
“If this got out, you will have people attempting to submerge you under courtship and betrothal offers,” Magnus stated matter-of-factly.
Orion scoffed. “The Lestranges got to her first, since she’s soul-bonded to Heirs Lestrange. Corvus and I are merely working out the kinks in the final contract, although the actual wedding will be at our heirs’ discretion.”
“Crisis averted, then,” Magnus said with a chuckle. “Lestrange men are notoriously possessive.”
“That they are, and I have never been more grateful for that fact,” Orion agreed with a laugh.