Alphard looked up when someone made their way into the apothecary. Seeing Walburga made him cringe internally, but he refused to allow her to see any reaction from him.
“Lady Black, what a surprise,” he said, knowing she wasn’t here to purchase anything.
When she removed him from the family tapestry, she’d happily advised him of that fact and that no Black would shop in his apothecary. The rest of the family hadn’t been too pleased with her when they found out, especially when it was realised that the apothecary was the best and most successful in Europe, something most had assumed was just boasting of the family name and not actual fact. Some had tried to get items for free on the account of being family, but Alphard had taken great joy in pointing out that since he was no longer on the family tapestry they couldn’t claim family connection. Although if Sirius needed anything, for a legitimate reason and not pranks, he gave it to him for free. Since he wasn’t selling to a Black he could get around Walburga’s vow and help his nephew.
“Alphard, I’ve heard that you’re to be married.”
Alphard’s eyes narrowed at her smirk while he waited to see what she’d have to say, refusing to respond.
“I’m here to remind you that as you’re no longer on the family tapestry, once you marry you will need to take your wife’s name,” she said, smirking like the cat that got the canary.
Raising a brow at the obvious glee and triumph that was emanating from her, Alphard calmly responded to her reminder. “I’m well aware, Lady Black. In fact, I’m very much looking forward to that day. Not only will I have my lovely wife by my side, but my family will benefit from the accomplishments we are able to achieve.”
Walburga growled and Alphard couldn’t resist smirking at her. Without giving her the chance to speak again, he continued, “Seeing as I’m aware of what you wanted to discuss and you made a vow that no Black would shop in my apothecary, please use the door behind you and leave.”
He could see the anger on her face and while she obviously wanted to say something, she instead turned around and stormed off, slamming the door behind her.
“Well, that was interesting,” Alyssa’s voice said from behind him.
Turning around he looked at his fiancé and smiled, as he’d been doing more and more around her since their first kiss.
“Should we warn Sirius? In case Walburga decides to try and stop him from being able to see you?” she asked, a worried look on his face.
Alphard shook his head. “He wanted to surprise you, so if you can pretend to be surprised, I would appreciate it. As we speak he should be in Gringotts finishing the disownment Walburga started and being adopted by the Potter’s. What will shock Walburga is that Reggie is there with him to disown himself and become a Potter. It seems that those two have secretly remained close but publicly apart to save Reggie from her wrath.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful to hear!” Alyssa said, a bright smile on her face.
“Indeed, and soon we will be married, and I will be Alphard Evans,” he smiled, before frowning slightly at the guilty look on her face.
“About that, there’s something I need to tell you.”
---
Walburga stared at the paper in horror. After leaving the apothecary a month ago she’d gone to Gringotts to see if she could take ownership of the apothecary as a Black family property and they’d quickly rejected her, telling her they weren’t going to help her steal and she was not important enough to not end up in their mines if she broke their laws.
She’d left Gringotts and gone on a campaign to ruin Alphard and his apothecary. Most families refused to join in, claiming they didn’t want to get subpar potions and ingredients from somewhere else. However, Malfoy and Lestrange had joined her campaign and each declared a blood feud with Alphard and his wife-to-be Alyssa and their line. They would never be able to enter an establishment that was owned by a Black, Malfoy or Lestrange. The action prompted the start of negotiations for contracts between Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange.
Finding out Regulus and Sirius had disowned themselves had her adding the Potter line to the feud.
Today had been the day she’d been waiting for, the announcement of Alphard’s marriage to the mudblood. She’d demanded the presence of those in the Black family to celebrate the announcement together. It should have been a perfect ending to her campaign, instead the headline had her staring in horror.
GRINGOTTS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE MARRIAGE OF LORD ALPHARD AND LADY ALYSSA PEVERELL!
She was so shocked she didn’t register the howlers that were delivered to her. Even the voices of Lords Malfoy and Lestrange declaring a blood feud with House Black and cancelling the contract negotiations couldn’t stop her staring at the headline. The only thing stopping her from being cursed by those present was her Ladyship ring, and had she been paying attention she would have noticed that the magic of the ring was reluctant in protecting her.
After all, she had just singlehandedly ruined the Black Family.