Harry Potter: Marauder at Howgarts

The shocked looks on their faces was priceless.

"Well, that deals with one of my announcements." Sirius said jauntily. "Let's see, second announcement: Lord Harry James Potter is my confirmed Heir by blood, by magic, by oath and by law. He wears the ring. He sends his apologies but he is hosting our other guests for today's later events."

Draco was instantly outraged; his nostrils were flaring, cheeks bright red. Sirius wondered if he was about to see someone combust without the use of flammables. He'd have to show Harry the memory later in a pensieve, Sirius mused.

"By blood?" Narcissa challenged haughtily.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I thought you of all people with your love of genealogy would have remembered that Harry's grandmother was a Black, Narcissa, Dorea Black to be exact." He smiled again. "I'm also going to be adopting him later today. Frankly, the family magic loves him. You remember the totem is a snake? Apparently it can talk to Harry; they get on like a house on fire."

Lucius's lips thinned to almost nothing as did Narcissa's.

Sirius began to pace. "Now, to other business. I did think about telling you what our new political agenda will be," he said gesticulating vaguely, "but I decided actions speak louder than words. So…" he stopped and regarded them solemnly. "I have been reviewing our family's actions. Let me start with the LeStranges. Our motto was and is 'Toujours Pur' – Always Pure. It wasn't always about blood no matter what my mad mother might have thought; it was always about the House of Black remaining pure to itself, to its own ideals; never sullied by subjugating themselves to others." He saw Lucius shift on the stuffed sofa the Malfoys were sitting upon. "The House of LeStrange is not here at this family meeting because they did not follow the motto of the House of Black."

"Why would they?" Draco piped up, crossing his arms with an irritated huff. "They're the House of LeStrange."

Sirius glanced at Narcissa who was turning a lovely shade of red. "Well, well, well. You haven't informed your son of the primacy rule between the Houses?"

"Primacy? Why should that matter here?" Draco spoke before his mother could and she turned to him swiftly.

"Be quiet, Draco." Narcissa ordered. "You are not to say another word."

Sirius didn't miss how Draco glanced at his father who gave a sharp nod to follow the order before subsiding.

"Perhaps you should explain about primacy, Narcissa, as clearly your son's education is lacking." Sirius said mildly.

Narcissa glared at him. "He knows that primacy denotes the rank of a House in relation to another."

"But you apparently have failed to inform him that the Ancient and Noble House of Black has primacy over the House of LeStrange, which after all is simply an upstart pureblood Belgian family that immigrated to England during the nineteenth century." Sirius smiled again, all teeth and no humour. "Rodolphus LeStrange petitioned to marry into the House of Black. He got Bellatrix. The marriage contract is quite clear: the House of Black has primacy. LeStrange was contracted to honour that primacy." His eyes flashed angrily. "He failed when he took the Mark of Voldemort."

The room flinched at the name.

"He failed when he allowed Bella to take the Mark of Voldemort." Sirius continued blithely. "And he failed when he allowed his brother to take the Mark. On this single issue alone I would have cause to declare them all oath-breakers but additionally, Bella never produced the two children as contracted and now never will."

He wet his lips and took a deep breath. "Additionally, the House of LeStrange dishonoured our family name and brought our House into disrepute by their attack on the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom. They created a debt of honour between our Houses. This morning, I summoned the family magic for Judgement against the House of LeStrange."

He saw shock register around the room.

"Having forewarned the Warden at Azkaban, he confirmed post the ritual that all three no longer have their magic." Sirius stated grimly. "Rodolphus and his brother died within an hour."

"Bella?" Andromeda spoke up for the first time. "Do we know…"

"Without magic but stable. Well, I say stable, nuttier than a fruitcake but alive." Sirius informed her gently. Of course, he doubted Bella would remain alive for long. Azkaban was hard enough when a body had magic to sustain it against the harsh conditions there; without magic…

The Malfoys were exchanging concerned looks.

Sirius ignored them. "Before the LeStranges died, I declared the marriage contract broken and seized their vault for the repayment of the dowry. As restitution, all monetary assets from the vault have been turned over to the House of Longbottom. The House of Black has also assumed financial responsibility for the education of the Longbottom Heir."

Draco made to speak and his mother glared at him.

"As a final act, I have cast Bella out of the House of Black. She is to be given no sanctuary or aid. Any provided to her will be assumed to be breaking oath with the House of Black." Sirius said. "It shouldn't really be a problem as Bella is locked up but just so we're clear."

Andromeda and Narcissa nodded. Lucius was looking wonderfully uncomfortable.

"Andy," Sirius turned to his oldest cousin, "you never did have a head for politics but what do you make of my actions so far in relation to our new agenda?"

Andromeda tossed her brown hair back over one shoulder and regarded him with familiar grey eyes. "Well, from the appointments of your potential Regent and your Heir, you're clearly ditching the pureblood and prejudiced mantra of the House of Black. Lord Potter is a halfblood. Simeon is a pureblood but he is also the son of a squib if I recall correctly. And I'm fairly certain, the young woman who showed us in here from the floo is a muggleborn."

Sirius grinned at her. "She is."

"You're upholding the tradition and honour of the House of Black in stating that our House bows to no-one including You-Know-Who." She continued. "That the family magic found in favour of your ruling backs up the truth that it is an oath-breaker to have been Marked by him." Her eyes flitted to her brother-in-law sat across from her before returning to Sirius. "You've made restitution to a Light family – not too surprising given that the Potters and the Longbottoms have been allied for years and not to make restitution would make things awkward given you're also the Regent of the House of Potter. But the Longbottoms and the Potters also stand for respect for wizarding culture and tradition, so it could also be a move to position the House of Black for our own alliance."

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