Per Adalyn's request, Evangeline's whole family, including Sirius, gathered at 18 Grimmauld Place to have dinner together, as a family. Draco was excited for the dinner, his first true family dinner. Evangeline was scared of what it meant.
'Dinner is ready!' Adalyn said, inviting everyone to sit down at the table.
Draco shyly sat down at the table. He looked around at how people started putting food on their plates and drinks in their glasses, looking at them as they were conversing about different topics.
'So, Draco, dear, Eva said that you're attending private school? How's that treating you?' Robert asked.
'Yes, I am,' Draco answered, not sure what a series of questions followed. 'It's alright. Posh children here and there, but I manage.'
'Draco who used to be one of those posh ones,' joked Sirius, making Eva chuckle. 'How's everyone with everything?' Sirius asked his nephew.
'Uncle Padfoot, you've been there, done that. Why are you asking when you know what it's exactly like?' Draco snapped at his uncle unknowingly.
'Sweetheart, what's going on?' Evangeline asked her son.
'It sucks!' Draco exclaimed. 'Everyone is glaring at me, whispering as they see me walking down the hallways. They all call me names and laugh. It's awful, bloody awful.'
Draco stood up and ran out of the kitchen, leaving Sirius and Evangeline looking at each other before Sirius stood up and walked after his nephew. He found Draco sitting down on the stairs with his face in his palms. Sirius sat down next to his nephew and put his hand on Draco's shoulder.
'I know it's hard...' Sirius said.
'It's very bloody hard.'
'It's part of being a Black,' Sirius joked.
'This wasn't written in the job description,' Draco joked back. 'It's hard, being the odd one out,' he added.
'You were born into this family, and that means that you're strong enough for this family,' Sirius reasoned.
'But what if I can't handle it from time to time?' Draco asked, sighing.
'You'll know you have an uncle who loves you and who has been through the same things as you and to whom you can owl any moment of any day,' Sirius reassured Draco, smiling at him. 'Now, should we get back in there because I, for sure, am famished,' Sirius laughed, standing up and walking back to the kitchen with Draco following him, chuckling.
The rest of the evening went by smoothly. Evangeline, Sarah and her mother exchanged stories about Evangeline's life in London so far. Draco engaged in a conversation with Robert while Sirius was talking with Adam. They seemed like a normal family for what they had all been through, and, if she were, to be honest, Evangeline loved that.
When the time had finally come for Sirius, Draco and Evangeline to leave 18 Grimmauld Place, Draco apologised to everyone for his outburst, ashamed of his behaviour.
Once back at 12 Grimmauld Place, Draco ran up the stairs to his bedroom, leaving the two adults by themselves.
'What do you say? Wine in the drawing-room?' Sirius asked.
'What's the occasion?' Eva asked.
'Draco,' Sirius answered, knowing that Evangeline would understand what he meant.
'Let me just go upstairs quickly and get changed. I'll meet you in the drawing-room afterwards,' Evangeline informed Sirius, who nodded in confirmation.
After she traded the dress and heels for slippers, sweatpants and Regulus' Quidditch jersey, Evangeline walked to the drawing-room, finding Sirius already drinking, sitting on one of the armchairs which shared a direct view of the fireplace and the fire. Sirius poured Eva a glass of wine as soon as she sat down on the other armchair.
'He feels like the odd one out, you know?' Sirius remarked. 'And I fully understand what he is going through, but I do not know how to help him. There are so many things I want to tell him to make things better, but I do not know how to say them.'
'It's not his fault,' Evangeline sighed. 'He didn't ask to be brought into this. He just wanted to get to know us and for that to happen, his life had to take a full 180.'
'Were we selfish?' Sirius asked.
'No, not at all,' Evangeline answered, shaking her head. 'We wanted a family, all of us did.'
'And we fucked up the kid just because we were selfish, Eva. Don't you see it?'
'You'd rather have him still live with LuciusMalfoy, Sirius? 'Because, I, for sure, don't want that man anywhere near my sonanymore,' Evangeline reasoned. 'We'll find a way, together, as a family.'