Rise of House Black

Magic of heirlooms is not to be neglected when you are allowing your heirs to pick their heirlooms. If your family has dangerous heirlooms make sure that they are in a place separate from the rest of your heirlooms that would attach to a budding magical core. If a dangerous heirloom were to bond to a young core it could cripple the heir’s magical growth. It is best to save the stronger heirlooms for their coming of age ceremony then to give them to your heir early. That being said each family does heirlooms differently and what works for one family doesn’t always work for another. Remember that magic will do what it wants when it comes to heirlooms and the heirs picking if they are about to pick something that is not meant for them.

----Excerpt from Witches,Wizards and Whatnot by Melda White---

Orion was seated at his desk when he heard a knock at the door. He looked up as entrance to his office was granted. He was shocked to see Regulus and Hadrian as they both stepped in and stood beside each other. He took a moment to finish settling the papers that were in his hands before he turned to the two boys.

“What do I owe the two of you visiting my office?” he asked as he watched them. It was interesting to see how they picked who would ask or respond first. Seems they were going with age order this time.

“Father, as you know it will be my Seventh birthday soon and not long after that Hadrian’s as well. We come to you to suggest that we hold one party for both of us to celebrate, in July so that all the Hogwarts students can also attend should they so choose,” Regulus said before crossing his hands before him.

“I see if this was just about the party I have no reason to turn down that request, but there is more isn’t there,” He said as he watched the boys look to each other and Hadrian spoke up.

“It is about the heirloom, we were wondering if one had to be already at the date of their birth or if it could be done earlier as long as it was a day in the year one turned seven.” Hadrian inquired as he then stood there ready to continue depending on the answer.

Orion knew that this would be coming eventually. He had watched as James and Sirius grew closer but now he saw the same closeness between Regulus and Hadrian that he saw in the other two. He should have expected them to find a way to turn a tradition on its head. The moment that these two were introduced they took time to get to know each other and then they became thick as thieves together. They were always working together to out smart the older boys.

“Most of the time one has to wait until the year and month of their birth as their magic has a synergy with that time of year, seeing as this is not a normal situation we can see if Hadrian’s magic is strong enough to entice one of the artifacts otherwise we will take another trip in July for Hadrian,” Orion explained as best he could.

He watched as the boys thought about what they knew about magic thus far and they gave a nod, it was only logical that magic would be particular if it wanted to be. So they agreed that they would try when they went for Regulus and if Hadrian wasn’t ready until a later time they would understand.

Orion smiled at his boys and said they would go in two days time to visit Castle Black. He didn’t want to have trouble with his father causing issues during the visit. He knew his father was not always a grumpy curse-using disciplinary old man but something had changed especially after Walburga died that he didn’t seem to care about anything, not even his grandsons. So Orion did the best he could to protect his sons from the old man’s ire and wand.

It was anticlimactic when they arrived at Castle Black. It stood imposing as always before the three Males of House Black. Orion went to the door and opened it trying to get inside. There was little outside that would be worth dwelling over while his father remained in residence. The outside was Grimm and dower with all the outward facing windows were closed and curtains closed. It gave the once airy castle a dark hard feel to it.

As Orion looked about he saw that the hallways were darker than normal. His father must have gotten about and closed off some of the rooms he had opened to make it feel less imposing on the inside.

"Don't wander about boys, your grandfather still roams these halls and is not a man to meet ill prepared," he said softly to his sons as he looked at the two boys who were looking about amazed by the castle. Orion wished it was safer to bring them here but for now until his father passed that would not be possible.

"Yes father," the two said in unison. They remained a step behind him as he nodded and lead them through the halls to the same vault.

"Now Regulus, each heir of House Black gets only one heirloom on their seventh birthday so wait for the item that makes your magic sing and you will know what the item is when you see it." Orion explained.

"So that is why Hadrian might not get to pick an heirloom yet?" Regulus asked as he looked at his father.

"Exactly, I'm not sure if his magic is ready to resonate with the heirlooms yet or not," Orion stated to the boys as he tried to make the areas they passed less dark.

"Let Had…" Regulus started

"I can wait Regulus, it won't make much difference when I look if it's now that's fine, if it's in July that's fine too," Hadrian said as he watched the area they passed.

"You sure Hadrian?" Regulus asked

"Yup I can wait out here while you look, I understand that Lord Black might have to watch you inside the vault so I can stay out here with Vasuki," he said grinning at his brother.

Orion nodded as he found a cushion he could turn into a chair for now. He left it beside the vault. "Please do not wander off Hadrian, stay here we shouldn't be too long," Orion said as he opened the vault to allow Regulus entry.

Hadrian nodded as he settled down into the chair. He had no plans of wandering off because it shouldn’t take Regulus long to find his awesome heirloom. So Hadrian set to looking about the area that he was sitting. It was mostly a hall of stone with few tapestries hung further down the hall. He saw there were no painting frames on this wall and the decorations were few. He saw a small table out of the way that held nothing. He frowned as he wondered why the House of Black did not use Castle Black more to get everyone together more often. He heard something moving about and looked back to the Vault and saw it was not Orion or Regulus.

Hadrian was a curious boy and the more he sat there the more he was not sure what to do. He didn’t want to leave himself open to attack by a creature that was roaming the nearly abandoned Hallways of Castle Black. He took a moment to think and stood up. When he turned he saw it was an elderly man making his way down the hallway.

Hadrian didn’t say a word as he watched the man walk down the hallway, his wand in hand. He had heard that Orion’s father, his adoptive grandfather, was quick with spells if he was found in the hallways. He watched as the man with a head of white hair moved down inspecting the tapestries that were there on the hallway.

“So Orion brought both of you younger whelps, stand up straight!” Arcturus shouted at Hadrian.
Hadrian felt himself flinch as he stood up trying to keep Arcturus from having any reason to do anything to him.

“Good so you can follow orders,” Arcturus said as he stalked forward. Hadrian locked in place as he tried to figure out what it was that the elderly man wanted from him. Hadrian tried to not show how unsettled he was as Arcturus came closer. He didn’t move as the man used his wand to push his hair from side to side and tilt up his chin.

“Well you don’t look like a classic Black so you must be the bastard that my son took in, those green eyes flaw your appearance, the rest looks like it could be influenced by another close family, the Potters, If i am not mistaken Dorea married into that family, so you might be at least a minimal part Black,” Arcturus said disdain clear in his voice while he made Hadrian look up at him.

“At least the scar might make you roguish towards a potential future bride, just go with that it is a dark arts scar and you might not tarnish our reputation to horribly, I do hope your mother was not a mix bred whore, we only accept proper lineages in this family,” Arcturus said as he glared down at the green eyes that stared back at him.

“Maybe there is a spell to hide those ridiculous green eyes and give you the proper black silver, I will have to see and when you actually come back we can fix this mistake and make you a proper Black,” He said as he looked up and stalked off as if that was all he had been here to say. Just as the door behind Hadrian shifted and opened.

Hadrian felt as if his legs were jelly when his brother and Orion came back out from the vault. He looked at Orion and threw himself into the older man’s frame. He wanted to be protected from Arcturus and his plans to change him. He didn’t want to stay and see if he could get his heirloom now, he just wanted to go home where he knew he was safe and the old man could not get to him.

“Hadrian, are you okay?” Orion asked as he let his arms wrap around the shaking boy. He did not know what was going on as he looked and saw nothing in the hallway. He looked down at the boy in his arms now and worried that he was missing something.

“I just want to go home please,” Orion heard Hadrian say as he looked at Regulus who shook his head as to not knowing what was going on.

“Alright Hadrian we can come back another day to pick your heirloom then,” Orion said as he looked at the boys and started them back towards the entrance of Castle Black. He knew that with how Hadrian was acting something must have happened but he was not sure if he would be able to get it out of the young boy right now while it was so fresh but Orion thought that he could maybe sit Hadrian down after they got back to Grimmauld Place.

Carefully Orion made it back with the boys and before Hadrian could bolt off he said “Hadrian come here a moment,” he saw a look he had not seen in the young boy’s eyes in a long time, Fear. He watched as Hadrian took one of the open seats that were beside the desk. Orion noted which one he picked, the closest to the door.

Regulus looked at Hadrian as he worried about his brother but saw that his father was waiting for him to leave. “I’ll wait for you upstairs Hadrian,” Regulus said as he left. Once Regulus left Orion closed the door and went back to his seat.

“What happened today Hadrian?” Orion asked as he watched the young boy.

“I….” Hadrian started as he looked about the room. He didn’t know what to expect would happen if he admitted what happened to him with Arcturus.

“I met grandfather Arcturus while I was waiting in the hall, He seemed to seek me out,” he said softly.

Orion froze as he heard this, Hadrian had been in close proximity to Arcturus, he had thought he had locked the old man in his wing of the castle. How had he gotten past the wards, he would have to make sure that he was very careful when they went back with Hadrian in July.

“Continue Hadrian, I need to know what was said,” Orion said as he watched the child who normally sat nice and tall shrink in on himself. He wanted to pin his father to the wall with a spell and make him understand what he did was wrong but that would make him no better than his father when he was growing up.

“He came down the hall and addressed me as a whelp then yelled at me to stand straight. I did that and he moved closer, said it was good I could follow orders” Hadrian paused as he seemed to fidget with his hands.

Orion let him gather himself, he knew how his father was on a good day. If he came looking for a fight he would have been in a foul mood. So far it seemed that Arcturus knew about Hadrian but how deeply he was not sure.

“He then moved my hair and chin around with his wand, I stood very still while he did this,” Hadrian paused as he thought about what happened. “Grandfather mentioned I would at least look roguish to future brides and wouldn’t tarnish the reputation too much if I claimed it was a black…no Dark arts scar then He said I didn’t have classic Black looks so I must be t…the….b..” Hadrian looked up at Orion worried he would have to voice the word.

“Unkind of him to say that when your parents were very much married, do not worry about that term, it does not apply to you Hadrian,” Orion said to reassure the boy.

Nodding Hadrian took a breath then continued, “he called my green eyes a flaw to my Black look, then went to say he hoped my mother was not a mixed breed as Blacks only accepted proper lineages,” Hadrian paused as he wrung his hands together worried.

“Pay that no mind your mother was from a fine lineage, as was your father, don’t worry about the words of a crazed old man too much, was there anything else?” Orion asked, taking note of the hand wringing.

“Just that he planned on researching a way to get rid of my Green eyes and give me Black Silver eyes to fix the mistake and make me a Proper Black,” Hadrian said as he looked at Orion with tears in his eyes. He showed how worried he was that it would happen.

Orion moved to Hadrian and drew him into his arms. He had known that Arcturus couldn’t be trusted around his sons and this right here was proof. He had terrified his youngest son that was not truly his. He pulled back and looked at Hadrian.

“Nothing is wrong with your eyes, Hadrian, I promise you that, they are a gift from your parents so they are perfect for you, I think my father has lost his mind on what it means to be a member of House Black. I won’t let him touch your eyes or harm you in any way, you will be safe, when we go back stay at my side the entire time until we get to the vault, once we leave the vault return to my side and we will get out of there without you being harmed by that crazy old man,” Orion said.

He thought about having Kreature going and taking the man’s wand from him, he thought that he had locked him down enough but it seems that without taking his father’s wand he found a way to cause trouble regardless.

“Now go see what your brother picked and know I will not allow anything to happen to you and if he finds anything to harm you with I will do everything to make it get reversed okay Hadrian, I will not let anyone change you unless you want to be changed,” Orion said and saw Hadrian nod.

“Thank you father,” Hadrian said as he left the office and went to meet with Regulus to see what he had gotten from the vault.

Orion ran a hand over his face as he thought about what would have happened had Hadrian not just stood there and listened to Arcturus’ words. He worried about leaving his father with his wand. So he began to research when it was time to take an elders wand from them. Orion also noted that Hadrian would have his check up in three days time. He would have to let the boy know that it was coming up soon.

Hadrian reached Regulus’ room and knocked. He pushed away the feeling that Arcturus was still watching him aside when he heard his brother’s excited come in answer. So carefully pushing open the door Hadrian entered. He saw Sirius on the bed and Regulus standing in the middle of the open space.

“Come up here Hadz,” Sirius said, tapping the covers of the bed. Hadrian nodded and crossed the room and climbed up on the bed. He looked and watched Regulus as he pulled out a small item.

“Dad said I have to use my magic to make it big or it won’t bond properly, so here I go,” Regulus said as he held it in his hand and tried to push his magic into the item. It didn’t seem to be doing anything at first but soon the item enlarged to just a bit taller than Regulus. It was a staff that was black in color with silver tips.

“It is a staff to fight with,” Regulus said smiling as he watched his brother’s eyes light up.

“Cool!” Sirius said as he looked at the staff, “It will help you with your endurance as you learn to use it,” he said as he smiled at his brother.

“Cool, I can’t wait to see if I can get lessons on how to use it properly,” Regulus said.

Hadrian smiled at his brothers. They both had weapons so he wondered out loud. “Do you think I will get a weapon as well?”

“Don’t know, you could get anything really, there were a lot of items that looked really cool but they just didn’t call to me,” Regulus said.

“Yeah it’s just sad we can’t go back into the vault until we are older and come of age to see if anything else resonates with us, Dad also said there is the rare moment that you might need an extra one at 15 since that is when some magics actually appear depending on lineages,” Sirius said as he looked excited for the idea that they might get more items from the vault if they needed more items to anchor or regulate the flow of their magic.

“Well we will have to wait until July to see what my Item is,” Hadrian said as he looked at his brothers.

“I bet your item will be the best of all of them,” Regulus said and Sirius nodded.

“You will get an amazing item, I can just feel it,” Sirius said as they all smiled and enjoyed some time together in Regulus’ room.