"Regulus Arcturus Black!" Walburga shouted amidst the gossip of the hall, "How dare you dilute our noble bloodline with a mudblood!"
Regulus was lost for words, as everyone who had ever supported and loved him in his life turned their backs on him. For something he hasn't even done. Regulus was suddenly shown what Sirius had known for years. Their family was full of psychos.
"I expected better from you," Arcturus Black II lectured his grandson, "the boy who carries my name should marry a mudblood. Tut tut."
"How could you?!" Barty shouted at his friend, "it's bad enough you went against the Dark Lord, but you also marry a mudblood?!"
"SHUT UP!" Andromeda suddenly shouted, "Regulus is only 11. You're shouting and scaring him for something he's going to do in over a decade. He's a child!"
"Watch yourself blood-traitor!" Bellatrix sneers, "you chose to leave this family, so don't mix in its affairs."
"I will not allow you to torment an 11 year old over what his future self does," Andromeda raises her wand, "and I don't care who I need to curse to do so."
"I agree with Andy," Sirius reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a few bottles and inventions, "and you don't want to be on the other end of my wrath."
"Come here Regulus," Andromeda holds her hand out, "you don't have to put up with this. Sirius and I will take care of you."
Regulus hesitates. Andromeda was a blood traitor who eloped with her boyfriend only three years ago. That is one of the worst thing a Black can do, Mother always told him, yet Andromeda looks happier than she's ever been. And despite all the cruel things he and their family spat at her, she was still offering her hand to him. She still considered him family despite it all. All the evidence is pointing to them being right, to Sirius and Andromeda being the true nobles of the Noble and Ancient House of Black.
So Regulus made his decision. He got up from his seat, without looking at Barty, the boy he'd thought was his friend through thick and thin, and walked over to his older cousin. A cousin who's name he's besmirched and mocked for three years. A cousin who suffered horrendous pain at the end of his uncle's wand. Yet she still remains as kind as she always was.
"You're going to be alright," Andromeda whispered as she hugged him, "it'll all be over soon. I promise. In the meantime, let me introduce you to Nymphadora. She really is the sweetest thing."
"So Thee married a woman from France," Lydia is seen telling Sirius as they sit by the foyer, "Josephine Blaise. They have three kids, Mallory, Jacob, and Artemis Scamander."
"Seems Dia gave you a whole run down of the family tree before we came," 27 year old Nico Scamander smirked at Sirius.
"She did," Sirius deadpanned, "and she told me Lyetta's her favorite."
"Oh come on, Dia," Nico whined as his sister cheered, "really?"
"Yup," Lydia was unashamed, "she's the best."
"Did all the Scamander's marry foreigners?" Sirius wondered, "because Bart married a Russian, Esther married a South African, Dana Eulalie married a Canadian muggle, and Newt himself married an American."
"I guess we really do have a pattern," Tina laughed, "it's probably because we travel so much."
"I mean my mum's Russian," Lydia said casually, "and so's Aunty 'Gusta. Mum was her babysitter for years, and they've been close ever since. But yeah, I guess you're right about the Scamanders."
"You babysat Augusta?" Alastor Moody asked Euphemia astonished, "how did I not know that?"
"It's not exactly public knowledge," Euphemia shrugged, "and it never really mattered."
"Effie's Russian?!" Sirius asked shocked, "actually, that makes a lot of sense."
"Are you implying something?" Lydia's eyes narrow, and Sirius could only gulp and mutter no.
"Anyways," Lydia continues, "Lyetta and Nico are the youngest. They're twins, and 25 years old. They're easily my favorites, although Lyetta's a lot nicer."
"Oh," Sirius said, "I've honestly lost track of who's who. I just know names, and that there's 6 kids, and 10 grandkids."
"Lyddie, Sirius!" Euphemia shouts, "Dana Eulalie's here with James and William."
"Coming Mum!" Lydia shouts, pulling her friend with her, "you're going to love James."
"Filthy muggle!" some slytherin spat at the screen as James Lee appeared.
"Take that back about my brother-in-law," Lyetta Scamander twirled her wand, "or you won't be able to sit down for a month."
"Calm down," Tina scolded her daughter, "that kid is only 15. Granted he shouldn't behave like that, but it is unacceptable for you to hex him. So sit yourself down."
"Dia!" 37 year old Dana Eulalie greeted her much younger cousin, "how's Hogwarts?"
"It's great!" Lydia hugged her, "this is Sirius Black. He's my best friend. Sirius, this is James and Dana Eulalie Lee. Their son is William."
"Hello," Sirius greeted politely, "I just endured a 20 class on your entire family, so it's a pleasure to meet you in person."
"Really Sirius," Kingsley rolls his eyes, "that's how you greet someone you've never met?"
"Forgive me," Sirius rolls his eyes, "Walburga never taught proper social skills. I only learnt them at the Potters. It's a miracle Lyds liked me enough to befriend me in the first place."
"Oh Di," James, a tall man with green eyes and blond hair sighed, "did you really torture poor Sirius with all the boring details? You must have skipped me, because a class on me would take 3 hours at best."
"Haughty much?" his wife scolded, "I'm just glad Dia made friends. With her plans for world domination, I wouldn't be surprised if she got tossed in a lake."
"World domination?" Euphemia asked, "when did you make those?"
Lydia wisely kept her mouth shut. She had made those plans for fun one rainy day, and her older cousin had found them. She was, needless to say, extremely amused, and brought it up often.
"I did toss her in a lake," Sirius wisely added to the conversation, "and she pulled me in with her."
"That's my girl," James ruffles Lydia's very difficult, finally fixed hair, ruining it.
"Not the hair!" Lydia swatted his hands, "you ruined it James."
"Sorry." James was not sorry.
"Dia," 7 year old William asks softly, "where are the toys?"
"I set them up outside," Lydia grabs William by the hand, "I'll show you."
"Danaaa!" A loud, obnoxious voice shouted, and 35 year old Thee Scamander ran in, his wife Josephine sighing as she walked with their three children.
"Stop yelling in Auntie's home," Josephine told her husband, "it's impolite."
"Poor Josie," Lyetta told her mother, "she has to put up with him all day. He's practically a fourth child."
"Sorry Auntie," Thee apologized, "where's Dia?"
"I'm here Thee," Lydia ran in, "oh, and you haven't met Sirius yet have you?"
"Nope," Thee smiled, "I'm Theseus Yusuf Scamander, but everyone calls me Thee."
Sirius waved, and sat down next to Lydia at the table.
"Are the Longbottom's here yet?" 31 year old Esther Nkosi walked in with her husband Nelson, "I want to congratulate Frank. He managed to trick Alice into sticking with him."
"Why does everyone think that Alice is better than me?" Frank asked his mother.
"Because she is," Augusta told her son, "don't deny it. It's why you married her."
"Truly an achievement on his part," Nelson added, pulling out a chair for his wife, "although I'm sure it didn't take much effort. Alice is utterly besotted with him. we don't give Frankie enough credit."
"Thank you," Frank pointed at the screen, "that's why Nel's my favorite."
"Where's Newt and Pauline?" Lydia asked, "are they with William by the toys?"
"Yes," Esther sighed, "it's nice for them to get to play with their cousin. We hardly ever see each other."
"That's why we all make the effort to come to Auntie Mia's for Yule," a rich voice agreed, "and we've certainly journeyed far."
"Vera," Esther went to hug her sister-in-law, "it's wonderful to see you. Is Bart with the kids?"
"No," 30 year old Vera responded, shifting the baby in her arms, "he's bringing all the gifts we brought."
"Outclassing us all as always," Frank Longbottom crossed over to the table with his mother and fiancée.
"She's Russian," Lyetta rolls her eyes, "they live to show others up."
The scene shifts to everyone sitting at the table. Bart Scamander sits with his wife and four children Anastasia, Victor, Yusuf, and Alina Scamander. Lyetta, Nico, Newt, and Tina are also present. The conversation is flowing freely, until Monty clears his throat.
"It's Yule," Monty says, "which is the celebration of the winter solstice. The rebirth of the sun, and the light it shines on Earth. We will now go around, and ask the traditional question. How have you improved yourself this year? How have you experienced rebirth?"
"I'll start!" Lydia eagerly bounced, "I experienced improvement in myself and my life by adding Sirius to it. He even gets me to stop pranking people sometimes."
"That's possible?!" Everyone at the table shouts in shock. Alice and Frank gice each other side eyes, Lyetta and Nico's hands fly to their mouths, and everyone else was in similar stages of shock and disarray
"Is it really that shocking?" Lydia asks in the present.
"Yes," Tina shakes her head, "it's a miracle we thank Sirius for every day."
"Is that why the toys didn't spray me with bubblegum this year?" 10 year old Mallory asks, eyes wide.
"Is that why Dia didn't kick a wall down?" Anastasia pulls on her mother's sleeve.
"Are you a saint?" Nico asks, genuinely curious, "because nothing, and I mean nothing, we do can ever stop Dia."
"No," Sirius answers smugly, "I just exist."
"I hate you all," Lydia huffs, "that was supposed to be a rebirthing moment, not a 'let's pick on Lydia' moment.
"Number one," Franks says, rolling his eyes, "it's always a 'let's pick on Lydia' moment. Number two, we all love you dearly, but you are most certainly a stubborn, mischievous imp."
"How could Lydia possibly have done to get this reaction?" Dorcas Meadowes wonders.
"She died my hair pink!" "She let my nifflers loose!" "She dropped the chandelier on the Nott Couple." "She threatened my last boyfriend!"
"I guess many things," Dorcas shuddered as she looked at the girl in question. Lydia Potter sat like an angel as all of her pranks and mischief was recounted.
"Fine," Lydia scowls, "your turn Sirius. Unless you want to go last. You can do that. You've probably never did this before. Daddy likes to call it a tradition, but I'm pretty sure he made it up."
"Did not!" "Did too!"
"It's fine," Sirius says, chill, "I'll go. My rebirthing moment was when I denied my Grandfather Arcturus's heir training."
"Why's that a rebirthing moment?" Lydia asks tactlessly.
"It's a front for pureblood ideology," Sirius says dismissively, "Walburga shouted like a banshee for an hour, and locked me in the basement until I "realized the errors of my ways, and began behaving like a true member of the 'Most Noble' and Ancient House of Black.'"
Euphemia Potter stood up, and sent a neat little hex at Walburga. "I've wanted to do that since that Yule Party."
Silence filled the table, and Thee hastily began his. "My rebirthing moment," he began dramatically, "was when I went on that trip to the Appalachians. I found many very interesting animals there, and this old wizard named Harvey Buker taught me some interesting rune patterns. It really made me feel small, and brought my ego down at least three points."
"That's triple last year," Josephine added to her husband, "it's really quite the achievement. I'm very proud of him, and so are the children."
The night continued in that manner, and Sirius Black got to experience his very first, proper holiday. In fact, it would power his patronus for years to come. On that day, he truly felt loved.