Noble House of Black

2.

"This has been a bit... overdue." He left off a light chuckle, but I just remained standing across from him; staying silent. Overdue? That was all he had to say? This was a bit overdue?

"A bit overdue?" I found myself asking him.

"I was just-"

"I knew what you were doing." My words came out a little harsher than I expected, "You couldn't let me know where you've been these last couple years?"

"I-"

"THE Harry Potter got to know where you were, yet I wasn't able?"

"He's my Godson. He had every right to-"

"I'm your daughter!" I yelled back at him.

"Astra." He put his hands up, signaling that he didn't want to fight, "I was just trying to keep you safe."

"You had two years, dad. Two years to come and see me. Those were two years you could've gotten to know me; where I could've gotten to know you." I felt tears falling down my cheeks as I spoke these words, "Do you realize how much it hurt for me to have to hear another person talking highly of the one person I've been dying to know my entire life?"

"I'm here now, Astra. I'm-"

The longer my eyes laid upon my father, the less angry I wanted to be with him. He's here. He's really here. The day I was certain wouldn't ever come has finally come, and I couldn't imagine staying upset with him. Tears have started to teach the bottom of my chin and my mouth was stuck in an open position, yet no sound was coming out of it.

"I could give you space," He looked towards me with sorrow eyes, "if that's what you wa-"

Before he could even finish his last sentence, my arms were wrapped around him. My face buried itself into his jacket, soaking up all the remaining tears that leaked down my face. "I don't want space." I found myself telling him, "I've had fourteen years of space."

"Happy birthday, Astra." Narcissa placed her hands on my shoulders, "I knew you'd love this particular gift."

"You did this?" I turned to face her. Her eyes were twinkling as she smiled. Narcissa was the sweetest person I've met. As a child, I used to wonder how she ever fell for a man like Lucius. Not that he's a bad guy. He has his moments, but she is definitely the perfect amount of kindness that he needs to have in the mix. Although, growing up around Draco, I liked to think that he adapted more his father's way of life... while I adapted his mother's. The sweet, kind gestures. The overprotectiveness towards those she loves. Narcissa was the one person at the Manor I stuck to like glue, and she never once complained about it. That being said; I am quite lucky that I never had to take anyone home to meet my guardians - the mix of overprotectiveness that Narcissa and Lucius had for me would've been a monstrosity to explain.

"Although it's been fourteen years, did you think I'd forget that my baby girl turned fifteen today?" Dad placed his palms over my cheeks, our eyes connecting through direct contact, "And when 'Cissy sent me a letter explaining your current situation, I had to-"

"Current situation?" I asked him. Both Sirius and Narcissa exchanged a look between each other before he quickly cut himself off.

"I shouldn't had said that."

"What current situation?" I repeated myself.

"Lucius and I thought it'd be best for you to finally see your father again." Narcissa answered quickly, hoping to change the subject. I wasn't having it.

"What current situation are you talking about?" I found myself taking a step back, "Somebody tell me what's going on."

"Oh Merlin, someone just tell her." spoke Draco, although he shot me a 'you probably don't want to know' look.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy." Narcissa hissed at him, but he grabbed ahold of my hand.

"She deserves to know too, mother." Draco told her, "You can't just expect this to stay hidden from her. What if-"

"Draco." Narcissa hissed once more, to which Draco listened and closed his mouth... not completing his last sentence.

I looked to my father, who wasn't saying anything. My focus turned to Narcissa. The one person who never held anything back from me; that I knew of. Honesty. The keyword she always told me we should have if we wanted to strengthen our bond. "Somebody please just tell me something... anything." I spoke out.

"Astra." Sirius spoke to me, "Is it really important right now? We could just focus on-"

"Tell me." My eyes changed into a bright blue color as my hands glowed a bright blue light. What felt almost like a breeze began to pick up before Narcissa placed her hand on my shoulder, bringing me back. The look on my father's face displayed a mix of fear and confusion.

"Everything's fine." Narcissa spoke, like she noticed his face just as I had, "It's just temper. Powerful temper, but nothing that can't be managed."

Sirius had been looking at me a little bit differently now. Not in a bad way. Just... differently. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since I was eleven. I just assumed everyone else got that way; being a witch and all. When 'Cissy told me about our family tree, I eventually just gave in to it being-"

"-the Black family craziness?" Sirius finished for me, letting off a light chuckle as he spoke, to which I nodded in response.

"Now do you see that I can handle whatever it was you mentioned before," I brought the subject back to the previous topic, "I'm a Black. I got this."

"Not this." answered Sirius.

"Just tell her." said Draco.

"Draco." Narcissa hissed once more, "I'm not warning you again."

"Just tell her!" Draco's voice began to raise.

"I- We don't want to stress you out, Astra."

I turned to Draco, grabbing ahold of his hand as I locked eyes with his, "Draco, tell me."

"Draco." hissed my father, but he ignored it.

"It's The Dark Lord." Draco told me, "He's interested in-"

"Draco." hissed another voice. As the door opened, I saw Lucius standing in the doorframe. Draco broke eye contact with me, stepping back and looking at the floor.

"Interested in-?" I asked, looking at the three adults in the room- my eyes bouncing off each one as I observed how each of them grew quite nervous. "-in me?" I asked again, "That can't be." My gaze bounced off each one of them again, "He doesn't even know who I am."

"Astra." Narcissa spoke softly, the way she always did when she felt she needed to calm me down.

"She shouldn't be hearing about this." spoke Lucius, "I left for a few hours and-"

"We didn't plan on telling her." Sirius spoke up, "It's not like he's going to have her. I won't allow for it." He looked at Lucius as he chose his next words, "And, your wife made the unbreakable vow, Lucius, so don't you dare get any ideas."

"Don't talk to him like that." I quickly snapped at my father, which seemed to have caught him off guard.

"I'm just saying," said Sirius, "With the unbreakable vow-"

"I know what an unbreakable vow is," I told him, "And they already told me about what went down when I was a baby. I was quite the curious little kid, dad. I also know about what The Dark Lord did to my mother, and-"

Sirius grabbed ahold of my shoulders, locking eyes with me once more, "You don't have to worry about why you-know-who is so interested in you, okay? I'll make sure of it." He let off a small smile, which put a smile on my own face - almost as if it was contagious.

"Promise?" I asked him, holding out my pinky.

"Seriously?" He asked me.

"This is a serious thing." I informed him, holding out my pinky towards him.

He wrapped his pinky around mine, "Promise."