Perseus Alphard Black

Chapter 6

In the days leading up to Christmas, Percy drilled from dawn to dusk, going over all the etiquette and genealogy he had learned, as well as practicing his French intensively in case he was called upon to give a demonstration. Other lessons were suspended, as was playtime, and even Tonks joined her parents in helping Percy to prepare.

The day before Christmas Eve, Andromeda sat with Percy in the living room, going over the names of the family members he would encounter the next day. She held up a photograph showing a very grave witch that Percy remembered meeting a few days prior.

'Who is this?' she asked.

'My great-grandaunt, Cassiopeia Black,' Percy recited dully for the fortieth time. 'She has always enjoyed enjoyed the dark arts and has an odd love of magical creatures. She opposed the Dark Lord because she believed that any pureblood wizard who was worth his salt would take pride in his family name and not conceal it with a silly pseudonym. She suspected He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named of illegitimacy.'

'Correct,' Andromeda said proudly.

'Auntie, what's illegitimacy?' Percy asked.

'It's when your parents aren't married,' Andromeda explained, her ears turning a little red. "Next photo."

It was an old couple. The wizard was dark-haired while the witch was blonde. Both had sneers on their face.

'Your parents Cygnus Black and his wife Druella Rosier nee Black. Not much about them other than the fact they hate your, uncle Ted and Tonks. They live in the Black manor with Pollux.'

'Precisely.' Andromeda said. 'Next.'

She displayed an old wizard with a maniacal gleam in his eye standing as far apart as he could manage from a squint-eyed witch.

Percy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'That's my other great-grandfather, Pollux Black. He was Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot for six months before Dumbledore took over, and refuses to allow anyone to forget it. He moved to Transylvania ten years ago in order to take advantage of their lack of restrictions on Muggle hunting. He was a big supporter of the Dark Lord Grindelwald and was too disillusioned after his defeat to back You know who. The witch is my great-grandmother, Irma Black nee Crabbe. She and Pollux try to talk to each other as little as possible. Oh! And he'll want to keep me away from you, and to make sure I receive a healthy grounding in the Dark Arts, in order to counterbalance the puritanical nonsense I'll be getting at Hogwarts.' He paused. 'What's puritanical, again?'

'Excessively concerned with doing the right thing,' Andromeda explained. "And the last one," she said showing four people with white blond hair. 

'That's my Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa. He was a Death Eater but got out of Azkaban by claiming to have been under the Imperius Curse and he was trying to get the Black fortune. Aunt Narcissa is very active in charitable work. She sits on the board of St Mungo's and chairs the Christmas Robes Drive for Needy Witches and Wizards every year. The younger boy is their son, my cousin Draco and his older brother Rigel.'

'Good enough.' Andromeda said though, in Percy's opinion, it meant 'Great work!'

The next morning Percy dressed in his best robes and accompanied his aunt and uncle through the fireplace to the Black Manor. Cygnus, Druella, Pollux, Cassiopeia, and Irma Black were waiting to greet them.

'Welcome to the Black Manor, my boy,' Pollux said jovially. 'Happy Christmas.' Percy clicked his heels together and made a short bow.

'Happy Christmas, Great Grandfather,' he said. 'It is an honor finally to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to spend Christmas here in your beautiful home.'

The next morning Percy dressed in his best robes and accompanied his aunt and uncle through the fireplace to the Black Manor. Pollux, Cygnus, Druella, and Irma, were waiting to greet them.

'Welcome to the Black Manor, my boy,' Cygnus said jovially. 'Happy Christmas.' Percy clicked his heels together and made a short bow.

'Happy Christmas, Granduncle,' he said. 'It is an honor finally to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to spend Christmas here in your beautiful home.'

Percy greeted Druella and Irma in much the same way, but also kissed their hands and claimed to have initially mistaken her for Andromeda's sister and mother, rather than her mother and grandmother. The two witches cracked a half-smile in response. Arcturus and Pollux were standoffish, only nodding briefly to acknowledge Percy's greeting. 

 When they finally entered the Malfoys and Prewetts too arrived though through the floo network. While the Malfoys were blond and had light-colored eyes, the Prewetts were red-haired and had brown eyes. Percy greeted Narcissa and Lucius the same way though Lucius looked at him like he was a bug. Little Draco greeted him cheerfully while Rigel looked almost bored. Ignatius didn't even care for mannerism and ruffled Percy's hair while Lucretia kissed him and fondly told him that he reminded her of her late brother.

'This, Perseus, is your cousin,' Cygnus said to Percy. 'I know Rigel here has been looking forward very much to having a friend his own age to play with.'

So to bond, the adults had sent both boys off to a rec room while Draco stayed with their mums and Percy reluctantly left his family. Dam Tonks staying back at Hogwarts!

"So," Percy said shifting his feet awkwardly. "Nice weather?"

Rigel raised an eyebrow. "Nice weather?"

Percy raised his hands in surrender. "Just saying mate."

"Why?"

"It's a conversation starter."

"Thats a lousy conversation starter."

"Oh, is it? we're conversing. Checkmate."

Rigel just stared at Percy with a stunning look, unable to speak since he was speechless due to all of his words being sucked out of his head by the sheer magnetism of Percy's genius.

"Rigel Malfoy heir to the House of Malfoy," he said and offered Percy his hand. Percy shook it and grinned.

"Perseus Black heir to the most ancient and noble house of Black."

"Well, that's settled." Rigel grinned. "So what's your favorite quidditch team?"

Everyone all fawned over Percy to various degrees, but Arcturus and Pollux were by far the worst hovering over him like vultures over carrion.

'What a handsome young lad,' Arcturus said, tousling Percy's hair. 'He reminds me very strongly of Orion at this age.' He gave Percy a fond look. 'Orion was your grandfather and as fine a wizard as any. If you take after him, you'll do well.'

Pollux crouched down next to the boy and grabbed him by the shoulders. 'You know, my boy, you don't look like the sort to waste all day sipping tea in the library.' He smiled hungrily. 'I can see the fire in your eyes. You've inherited your grandmother's spiritedness.' He chuckled in admiration. 'Walburga was a fine witch. It's only natural you'd take after her. Your father's the same way.'

Arcturus murmured darkly about the excess of spirit leading one straight to Azkaban. 

Percy caught Rigel's eye through the midst of the swarming relatives. His cousin was scowling at him resentfully. Percy made a gagging face and Rigel smirked back, relaxing just a bit.

'Come over here with me, Percy,' Arcturus commanded, pulling his great-grandson away from the others. 'You're looking a bit pale. All these people must be overwhelming you. It's a sign of good breeding not to be able to abide the masses.'

He led Percy into the parlor, Pollux and Cygnus following close behind.

The ladies watched the unfolding madness with a sigh.

'I do hope they don't tear the boy to pieces,' Melania observed to Irma.

Irma nodded. 'I wonder who will come out on top.'

'That should be obvious, Irma.' Druella smiled wickedly over Melania's shoulder. 'Whoever's the most ruthless.'