-------------------> AFTER FINISHING HIS DINNER, REGULUS BLACK excitedly chatted with Amal Shafiq. From the corner of his eyes, he could see his sister smiling as she talked with her peacock-like boyfriend.
Regulus knew choosing peacocks over toad had been the right decision.
He could see his cousin, Narcissa, stand up and make her way over to where his fellow first-years were seated with a boy by her side. Regulus recognised him as Heir Rowle.
The conversations between the first-years were silenced upon the arrival of the two fifth-year prefects.
Narcissa flashed him a smile before speaking. "Merry meet, everyone. I am Narcissa Black and standing beside me is Leonard Rowle. I am sure you all are very tired right now, so shall I just show you to the dungeons?"
The first years chorused an excited, "Yes", eager to see their Common Room.
Leonard Rowle flashed them a lopsided grin. "And one more thing, congratulations on being sorted to the greatest house in the universe. Please, follow me."
He began walking and all of them followed him dutifully.
Regulus kept trying and failing to calm his nerves with each step he took.
Ever since his sister's first year, he could see some sort of secret pact had been formed between his parents, grandparents and herself; and it was like everybody was in on it but himself, James and Sirius. Also, whenever he had asked his father about what to expect when he got sorted into Slytherin, the only reply he would receive was a mysterious smile and the simple answer of, "Patience, my son."
His grandfathers were no better and neither were his grandmothers, aunts and uncles. And so, one could not blame him for being so nervously excited about his first day as a Slytherin, especially considering that he had been anticipating it for so long.
All he knew about tonight was the things his father had told him before he had boarded the Hogwarts Express: "You'll be meeting some very important people tonight. Don't be too surprised."
Well, thank you, father. It isn't like that sentence is enigmatic or puzzling at all.
He must have been musing for too long, it seemed, for when he flashed back into reality, neither Narcissa nor Leonard was there.
He was in the Slytherin Common Room now, and he took a second to just admire it.
It was more beautiful than he had imagined it to be.
His eyes turned to where fourteen cloaked figures were sitting regally in a semi-circle formation.
Was this the ' very important people' his father was talking about?
It clicked to Regulus at that second, and all the whisperings he had heard about the Royal Slytherin Court dawned into his mind and his eyes widened with shock as all the information he knew about the Court suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks and that was the moment it finally became clear to him the reason why all those peculiar people seemed to constantly surround his sister at parties and balls.
He watched as Lucius Malfoy revealed himself as the Green Ruler and so, he wasn't that surprised when his sister's beautiful face smiled back at him as she removed the hood from her head.
She flashed him a direct wink, prompting him to return a grin before she made eye contact with every single one of the first years and a smirk graced her pretty face. "Let us reveal the Court."
------> 0o0 <------
Andromeda Black was thankful that she was Head Girl, not because of holding the honour of the position, but because she got to stay alone with Ted in their private Head dorm's, far away from the Slytherin Dungeons and her cousin.
And as she watched with a soft smile as Ted blabbered on about something, she couldn't help but think that this was what it was going to be like if she wished to spend the rest of her life with him.
And she loved every second of it.
But she unknowingly frowned as her cousin's words echoed in her mind once more.
Although our school does not care about blood, the world certainly does. Damn yourself if you want, Andromeda, but don't damn any of your future progeny with you. If you run away like I have a feeling you might, you will surely be disowned; but if you actually talk to Grandfather Arcturus, then there might be a chance for another fate. Hope. You're already prepared to risk so much, so why not do this as well?
"-meda? Andromeda?"
Andromeda blinked, only to see Ted looking at her with concern.
"What's wrong? Are you alright?"
She gave him a small smile. "I'm fine, Ted. Just thinking."
"So deeply?" Ted asked, sitting beside her and rubbing soothing circles on her hands comfortingly. "What are you thinking about that has put such a frown on your face?"
Andromeda shook her head. "Nothing much. Just something my cousin said."
Ted's eyebrows furrowed. "Lyra, right?"
Andromeda nodded. "Yes, but if you are ever to meet her -and I cannot emphasise this enough- you must call her Heiress Black until she gives you permission otherwise." She told him seriously.
"Why? Is she going to kill me if I don't or something?" Ted joked with a laugh, which soon became anxious as Andromeda didn't join on his merriment, only looking gaunter. "She- She won't actually kill me, right Dora?"
"Do you want a truth or a lie?" Andromeda asked instead.
"Truth, I think?"
"Then no, she won't kill you," Andromeda told him, making Ted breath out a sigh of relief. "She'll personally torture you until you are a millimetre away from death before hiring somebody else to finish you for her; after she gives Great-Uncle Arcturus his three-day notice, of course."
Ted went pale, but he couldn't help but ask, "Three-day policy?"
"Great-Uncle Arcturus insists that everybody in the family gives him a three-day heads up before committing murder so that he has enough time to solidify alibis and find a place to hide the body."
Ted went wide-eyed. "You aren't serious, right?"
"Of course not, Ted. My cousin is Sirius." Andromeda replied, making Ted gain a small smile. "But I am not kidding about my cousin or family. We really need to talk about them." She turned to him, her grey eyes fixed on his honey ones. "Lyra knows."
"How?"
"She's Lyra," Andromeda replied with a slight shrug. "I'm honestly surprised that she didn't find out sooner," she told him. "And like always, my cousin does not have a hint of kindness or understanding within her and has given us an ultimatum: either she tells my Head of house, or I do."
Ted looked bewildered. "She's going to tell your Great-Uncle?"
Andromeda nodded. "You don't know the way my family functions, Ted, and for that, you must count yourself lucky. But I do- and Ted, I'm scared."
Ted was quick to immediately reassure his secret girlfriend that nothing was going to happen to them and everything was going to be fine.
"What do you think we should do then, 'Ro?" Ted asked softly. "Because I'll agree with you no matter what and I'll follow you to the ends of the earth and beyond if you ask." He promised, making Andromeda flash her a small smile.
"I think we should tell my Great-Uncle Arcturus. It's better if he hears it from us than her because Merlin knows that my cousin can spin the story in any way she wants."
Ted smiled. "Okay. If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do."
Andromeda returned a smile and they shared a kiss before simply sitting beside each other silently.
"So... How exactly do we just tell him?" Ted asked. "Like write a letter or something?"
Andromeda shook her head. "No. We should tell him personally. It's better to convince him."
"You honestly think he'll let a muggleborn marry a member of his perfect pureblood family?"
Andromeda's heart fluttered at the sound of Ted's voice when he said the word 'marry', but she forced those butterflies down. "I don't know." She said honestly. "But I'm already prepared to risk so much, so why not go a step further? At least this way, I'll know that I exhausted every option and every flame of hope had been put out before I went extreme."
Ted nodded, rubbing more circles on his girlfriend's hands. "How are we going to make contact with him?"
"I'll ask Lyra to set it up." Andromeda's lips thinned. "It's the least she could do considering she's the reason for this mess and web of doubts."
"Do you sincerely think she'll do it?"
"I'm still family." Andromeda gave him a soft smile. "and no matter how much I fault Lyra, I cannot deny her loyalty to family." She told him. "She didn't have to warn me or give me a week to choose. If it had been Narcissa or Bellatrix, they would not have hesitated. And although I know that Lyra might not approve of you, I am confident that she will help us out as much as she can without betraying the trust of her father and grandfather."
"Honestly?"
"Honestly," Andromeda replied. "And speaking of which, if you are going to meet my Great-Uncle, it is very important to make a good first impression on him. So, that means you'll have to dress smartly and act regally."
"Me? Regally?" Ted asked in disbelief. "I don't think it's possible, Ro."
"Oh, but it is." Andromeda grinned. "I happen to know a person who is not only capable of doing the impossible with ease but is also my Great-Uncle's favourite person in the whole wide world. If there is anybody who can convince him to change his decision, it's this person." Her grey eyes connected with Ted's honey one's and a smirk graced her face because she knew that this person believed that family was everything and would help her out no matter what. "How would you like to formally meet my cousin, Heiress Lyra Black?"