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15th August , 1960 12 Grimmauld Place
ANNABELLE MIRABELLE MARTIN , sat in a stiff armchair at the Black residence at 12 Grimmauld Place, resisting the urge to swing her legs after already having been given a harsh glare by her mother. The six year old was dressed particularly nicely today, wearing a white dress that stopped at her knees, with a little bow in the back, and white ballet flats. Her ears were studded with white pearls, and she wore a necklace made of small white pearls, and a matching bracelet. She was seated next to her best friend, Regulus Black, and continued exchanging glances at him, waiting for the moment they could be excused to Regulus' room so they could play.
Finally, after it felt like hours had passed, when in reality it had only been minutes, Walburga Black turned to children from her seat next to Annabelle's mother, Anastasia Martin, facing the children. 'Why don't you children leave us alone now. Sirius, you can show Annabelle your room, and Regulus, take Nicolos and Carina and show him your new chess set.'
At her command, because that's what it was, not a request, unlike what it sounded like, all five children— Sirius and Annabelle, and Regulus, Carina, with Annabelle's older brother Nicolas, all filed into the hallway, turning into each of the respective brother's rooms.
Annabelle followed Sirius into his room, looked around curiously— she had never been inside his room before. Sirius pointed her towards his bed, where she pushed the crumpled duvet on the unmade bed to make room for herself to sit. He took a seat on his desk, tapping his foot on the dark hardwood floor, smiling awkwardly.
Annabelle couldn't help but look around, taking everything in. She'd never been inside Sirius' room before, but it was somehow exactly what she imagined his room to look like. The room itself was dark and green, and the opposite of Sirius, but the unmade bed, and peeling posters from various quidditch magazines, the untouched bookshelf, it all seemed very much like him. Minutes passed in silence, both the kids wondering what to say.
'So . . .' Sirius trailed off, finally beginning the conversation, smiling at her, and meeting her eyes. 'Why do you think they're making us hang out?'
'I don't know. I was actually looking forward to hanging out with Regulus today. I haven't seen him since I got back from France.' She was finally kicking her feet, giving into the need to move her body a bit.
'Wow . . . I am offended, you don't want to hang out with me?' Sirius teased, running a hand through his hair, flashing her a pearly smile that brought out a weird flutter in her stomach.
Finally, Kreacher, the Black's house elf with his bullfrog voice, and wrinkly face, comes into Sirius' room, bowing to both the children. 'Dinner is ready, Master Black and Miss Martin. Mistress Black would like you both to come down.'
'Shall we?' Sirius grins at her, flashing her another smile, gesturing her out of the room, as she follows him out.
Heading down to the dining room and settling down across from her brother, seating next to Carina and Walburgha and Anastasia, while Orion was at the head of table, opposite Annabelle's father, Julian, who was seated at the other head of the table. She took a seat next to Sirius, in the middle of both Black brothers.
They were served their food, and Annabelle began to eat her steak, and the conversation lulled, leaving only the parents talking. Almost half an hour passed, and the conversation, which had not included any of the kids, now turned to them.
As dessert floated out, Orion Black cleared his throat as all attention turned to him. 'Today, we gather here to remember the importance of purity, of maintaining and ensuring the next generation of children will continue to uphold the same values as us, that they will maintain the same level of integrity in looking after and making sure that the separation of the pure and the dirty remains true- in retaining and preserving magical blood.'
Orion, surprising the kids, smiled at them, before looking at Julian, who lifted his glass of wine. 'I'd like to raise a toast, to the union of two of the most pure families in the wizarding world, to the two who I'm sure will continue the work of our families. To Sirius and Annabelle, who will do us all proud.'
Annabelle looked up in surprise at hearing her name be mentioned between all the cryptic words coming from her fathers mouth.
She looked over at Regulus, sitting next to her, whose eyes were wide in surprise and shock, before they became unreadable, and she felt like she was staring into stone, and that's when the meaning of her father's finally sunk in, and her heart dropped. Almost immediately she turned to Sirius, who was staring down at his plate, the hands wrapped around his cutlery were so tight that his knuckles were turning white and his jaw was clenched as he refused to meet anyone's eyes.
She looked over at her mother and Walgubra, who were both smiling at her, before Walgubra smiled at her, teeth showing and a shiver ran down her spine.
'You know, Annabelle, I've got to admit, white is a great colour on you, you'll make a wonderful addition to our family.'
Annabelle could only smile weakly, her heart racing, as she felt a hand grab hers from under the table, squeezing tightly.
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call out my name . regulus black ／ annabelle martin
