Chương 7: chapter 7
Andromeda POV
The kitchen was warm, the sunlight filtering through the curtains casting a golden hue over the table. Ted was reading the Daily Prophet, his brow furrowed at some bit of news, but he glanced up at me with that soft, knowing smile that always made me feel grounded.
I took a sip of my tea, savoring the quiet. Just as I was about to reach for a slice of toast, the unmistakable sound of wings flapping drew my attention to the window. An owl. Not unusual in itself, but for some reason had me feeling a little uneasy, perhaps—that made me set my cup down a bit more carefully than usual.
The owl hooted softly as it landed on the windowsill, a parchment tied neatly to its leg. I exchanged a puzzled look with Ted.
"Expecting anything?" he asked, folding his paper.
"No," I replied, my voice tinged with curiosity and an underlying unease.
I stood up and walked over to the owl, my fingers brushing against the old, slightly worn parchment as I untied the letter.
The seal was was one I thought was long gone after the war, and when I saw the name written in a neat, precise script—Greyson Sayre—my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't place the name, as the last Sayre I've know was Adonis.
I broke the seal and unfolded the letter, my eyes scanning the words as they quickly fell into place, the meaning hitting me like a blow to the chest.
Dear Aunt Andromeda,
My name is Greyson Sayre, and I am the son of Bellatrix Black and Adonis Sayre. I know this may come as a shock to you, as it did to me when I learned the truth. I have spent much of my life at an orphanage in the muggle world, but now, I would like to know the side of my family that is still breathing, though from the looks of it the Black Family isn't doing much better than my fathers side. Jokes aside, I wish to meet you, If you are willing of course. Please meet me at Gringotts at about noon as I have some business with the Goblins.
Sincerely,
Greyson A. Sayre
For a moment, I couldn't breathe. Bellatrix had a son? My sister, the woman who had forsaken everything, who had given herself so completely to the Dark Lord's cause—she had a child? And I never knew?
Ted was by my side in an instant, his hand on my shoulder, steadying me as I stared at the letter. "Andromeda, what is it?"
I handed him the letter, my fingers trembling. "She had a son," I whispered, barely able to comprehend the words myself. "Bella… she had a son, and he's looking for us."
Ted's expression softened with concern as he read the letter, his eyes flicking back to me. "What do you want to do?"
I didn't have an answer. The name Greyson Sayre echoed in my mind, bringing with it a flood of conflicting emotions—fear, and an unexpected, inexplicable longing. My sister's son. My nephew. A piece of family I never knew existed.
But even as I stood there, stunned, I knew one thing: I had to meet him. I had to understand who this boy was and what he wanted from me—from us.
"I have to see him, Teddy," I said, my voice firmer now. "I have to know how he came to be, Bella was so far gone back then that she would never think of having a child with someone other than 'you know who'."
Ted nodded, his hand squeezing mine gently. "Then we'll meet him," he said, his voice filled with quiet support. "Together."
And just like that, our peaceful breakfast was a memory, overshadowed by the arrival of a mystery child who suddenly made himself known.
Time flew by in a blur, my mind consumed by the letter as I looked for a decent outfit. My stomache was filled with butterflies, feeling anxious and a little excited to meet a nephew I didn't know I had, but also really hoping he isn't more like my sister than his father personality wise.
I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my cloak with hands that wouldn't stop trembling. My reflection stared back at me, There was a time when I had been proud of my Black heritage, when the name had meant something other than despair and my face that looks oh so similar to my sisters caused some look at with fear. Though with time, I left everything in the past and enjoyed my wonderful life with Teddy and Dora.
Teddy entered the room making his presence known, hugging me from behind.
"Are you ready to meet this mysterious Nephew of yours?" he asked quietly, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror.
I nodded, summoning a sense of resolve. "Ready as I'll ever be. He's family, you know? Probably all that he has left to really lean on"
Giving a nod with a smile. "Well let's not keep the kid waiting then shall we?"
We Apparated to Diagon Alley, the familiar bustling street as I walked alongside Ted, my heart pounding in my chest. The towering white marble of Gringotts came into view, and with it, the excitement grew. This was it. I was about to meet the nephew I never knew existed.
The goblins at the entrance barely gave us a glance as we walked through the doors, the cold, gleaming interior of the bank. I kept my hand in Ted's.
"I still can't believe it Teddy? Bella actually had a child, how do you think he turned out? Hopefully he took after his father, he was a kind ma…."
Looking ahead I saw him. He was practically the carbon copy off Bellatrix other than the shorter hair and greyish-blue eyes that looked at me as if he was amused.
In my awe of his appearance he gave a bright smile and called out to me.
"Aunty Andy, it's so nice to finally meet you. You look in rather good spirit."
His childish mannerisms and brightness seemed to melt all the worry I had up to this point. Without even thinking I ran to him and gave him a tight hug, thinking back about the times in my youth with my sisters before they became what they are now. I truly missed them.
Greyson POV
Andromeda took a deep breath, regaining her composure. Her eyes softened as she spoke, her voice a gentle murmur. "You must be Greyson. It's… it's wonderful to meet you. I didn't expect to see such a familiar face." She looked at Ted, who gave a reassuring nod, and then back at me.
Edward stepped forward, offering his hand with a friendly smile. "I'm Edward Tonks, but I prefer to go by Ted. It was quite the surprise receiving your letter this morning, so forgive us for being a bit early."
I shook his hand, "Nice to meet you, Ted. Don't worry about being early, truthfully it worked out for the best as I need you for something as well."
Ted's smile grew wider, and he glanced at Andromeda. "Andromeda was quite excited to see you. It's not every day that news like this arrives."
Andromeda, though visibly emotional, managed a warm smile. "Yes, it's a lot to process. But I'm glad we're finally meeting."
I met her gaze, doing my best to offer reassurance, as I'm sure she is internally freaking out a little.
"Well, as I said earlier, I need you for some important family business." I paused, getting a good look at their faces.
Their faces showed a mix of confusion and curiosity, clearly wondering what kind of business could involve Gringotts and a young boy like me.
With an amused grin, I added, "It's nothing to be too concerned about. In fact, it's actually going to be a good thing for you. Though, I suspect your little sister might be a bit annoyed about it, Aunty."
After a short pause, I continued, "Now, if you could please follow the goblins and me to the back room, we can discuss things in private. We wouldn't want any curious nobles overhearing us."
The goblins led us through a series of corridors until we reached a private office at the back of the bank. The room was richly decorated with dark wood paneling and ornate furnishings, contrasting sharply with the more utilitarian areas of Gringotts.
Once inside, Gobrook and Odbert gestured for us to sit opposite them on a plush couch. I figured it would be best for the goblins to handle the explanations, given their familiarity with the process.
As we settled in, Gobrook began, "Upon the passing of one Arcturus Black, Mr. Sayre was given the opportunity to claim the Black name, as he is the eldest son of the eldest daughter, and all direct male heirs are either deceased or serving life sentences in Azkaban."
Gobrook paused to let the information settle before continuing.
"Mr. Sayre has expressed the intention of passing the name and title to Andromeda Vina Tonks, née Black. In return, he will receive 75% of all gold in the Black family vault and access to all knowledge contained within the Black family mansion's library. The contract outlining these terms is on the table. Please discuss among yourselves if there are any changes you wish to propose."
Gobrook concluded his explanation and looked at us expectantly. Seeing the opportunity to clarify things and ensure everything was understood, I decided to take the lead.
"Thank you, Gobrook," I said, turning to Andromeda and Ted. "The terms outlined here are a starting point. I'm willing to go down to 50% of the gold but the knowledge isn't negotiable."
Ted's eyes were glued to the contract, his expression shifting to one of disbelief as he absorbed the terms. It was clear he was processing the fact that the Black name was essentially being offered to him for free, they were even going to be given 25% of the gold being as everything is essentially Greyson's to begin with.
Meanwhile, Andromeda's gaze remained fixed on me, a question clearly weighing on her mind.
I decided to address the unspoken question directly. "I honestly don't need the Black family name. Politically, we hold roughly the same influence, and my primary goal right now is to live as a kid and learn magic at Hogwarts. I can't do that if I have the Malfoys constantly challenging my right to the name."
Andromeda's eyebrows arched, curiosity evident in her expression.
I continued, "I also have some ulterior motives. I would like your family to act as my guardians. I believe you're trustworthy and won't abuse the power that comes with it. Living separately is fine as well since I've already booked a room at the Leaky Cauldron until the end of August. I really just need your name on paper so other nobles don't get any funny ideas."
I could feel myself starting to ramble, my words spilling out faster as my nerves got the better of me. I knew I was asking a lot from them, and deep down, I figured Andromeda wouldn't let me stay at the Leaky Cauldron once she knew everything. But I felt bad for dropping all this on them so suddenly.
Before I could say anything more, Andromeda interrupted my thoughts with a question that caught me off guard.
"I have only one question for you, then. Why did you wait so long to contact us? You learned of your origins a month ago."
Her tone wasn't accusatory, but there was a genuine curiosity in her voice. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to explain.
"That's simple enough to answer," I replied
"Honestly, I didn't even think about the possibility of reaching out to family until today. I've been really focused on getting myself in better shape. The orphanage wasn't exactly the best environment for staying healthy, so I spent the past month doing exercises, drinking nutrition potions, and visiting a café where a kind older woman talked to me most days. It wasn't anything against you guys—I was just really busy, that's all."
Andromeda's expression softened as I spoke, and Ted looked at me with understanding.
"I see," Andromeda said gently.
"It sounds like you've been through a lot, and I'm glad you took the time to take care of yourself. But I want you to know that you're not alone anymore. Your obviously not going to be living in the bar anymore, we have more than enough room for you to stay."
I couldn't help but smile at her before I spoke.
"Well then, I guess there's no fighting it. But before all of that, I need to take an oath or whatever to name you Lady of House Black again. Then I'll make you the head of the family. As my guardian, you'll also have my voting power on any council I'm a part of, so I hope you'll help out where you can."
Andromeda's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded, taking in the weight of what I was saying. I looked over at Odbert, who handed me a sheet of parchment and began to explain.
"Read this paper with your wand pointed to the sky," Odbert instructed. "It will transfer all the power of House Black to Andromeda Tonks, and automatically transfer the agreed-upon assets. The Black library will also be moved to your vault."
Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my wand, pointed it to the ceiling, and began to read the words on the parchment.
I, Greyson Sayre, rightful heir by blood and magic to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, do hereby declare my intention to restore Andromeda Vina Tonks née Black to her rightful place within our family, acknowledging her as a true daughter of the Black line.
By the power vested in me as the current holder of the Black legacy, I hereby relinquish all claims to the title of Head of House Black and transfer said title to Andromeda Vina Tonks. From this day forward, she shall be recognized as the Lady of House Black, with all rights, privileges, and responsibilities that the title entails.
This oath is sealed by blood and magic, unbreakable by any means other than death.
So mote it be.
At the completion of the oath, I felt a weight lift from me that I hadn't realized I was carrying. It was as if a burden I had unknowingly shouldered had finally been set down. I looked over at Andromeda and smiled, feeling a sense of relief.
"Congratulations on becoming Head of House Black," I said warmly. "I believe it's for the best. I'll leave with Gobrook to settle everything on my end. You can stay here with Odbert to go over what you need to do on your end. Once I'm done with Gobrook, I'll head to the Leaky Cauldron to pack up my things, so just meet me there."
Andromeda just nodded, still in a bit of a daze. I could tell she was trying to process everything that had just happened. She'd snap out of it soon enough.
With that final thought, I turned and followed Gobrook to another room, ready to finish the last of the arrangements.
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