Gen Nibblet
Title: Tea with the Noble and Most Ancient House, or, Walburga Holds It
Pairing/Rating gen, PG
Summary: Dorea and Charlus Potter go to tea at Grimmauld Place.
A/N: gyzym looked over it and assured me I wasn't insane. It's an important job.
This, this, is truly the most awkward tea in the history of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
Dorea, of course, was perfectly capable of dissembling Walburga’s wards neatly and subtly enough that Regulus hadn’t known whom to expect when he’d answered the door. Regulus politely invited them in (of course, the boy could not have been expected to recognize his wayward great aunt by sight or name, since she was simply not spoken of in the house), and it wasn’t until Dorea and Charlus had divested of cloaks and umbrellas, and were seated in the parlour, that Walburga realized who, exactly, had come to call.
“Walburga, it’s been so long,” Dorea Potter said warmly. “It’s lovely, what you’ve done with the place.” She nodded her head at the rather austere décor of the parlour, which had been slightly more sumptuous when she’d lived there. “Please, won’t you sit and talk with us for a while?”
Orion, for his part, was slightly too inebriated to participate. He’d never actually met Dorea (his third cousin twice removed, incidentally), but he’d heard enough about Charlus Potter to become belligerent immediately upon hearing news of his presence. (“Muggle-loving scum in my house, Kreacher? Why’s my wife not blasted them yet?”) As such, he holed up in his study, insisting upon Regulus’ presence (“At least one son of mine’s not going to be infected by that poison!”), leaving Walburga to fend for herself.
Walburga was normally a woman who loved to fend for herself, but this really was asking a bit much.
“We’ve come to ask-I know this must be a very sensitive topic,” Charlus said calmly, folding his hand over his wife’s and leaning forward earnestly, “And I’m sorry to be so forward, but we’ve come to ask about Sirius’ things. As I’m sure you know, he’s spending the summer at our house, and we’re of the understanding that he didn’t get the opportunity to pack before his departure.”
Kreacher brought in some crumpets, and it took all of Walburga’s iron will not to throw the tray of them at the Potters. “Yes,” she said stiffly.
“I know this must be very hard for you,” Dorea put in. Her whole forehead had a way of crumpling in sympathy-Walburga wanted to use it for target practice. “Losing a child always is.”
“Yes,” she said again. She took a sip of her tea to prevent herself from cursing.
“I’m sure you only want him to be happy. Of course, we’d love to help if you want to contact him in any way-“
“But,” Dorea interrupted her husband, squeezing his hand visibly, “We also think it’s best that you not see him in person just yet. He’s still very upset, of course, and… well, it just doesn’t seem like a good idea right now. Do you understand?”
Walburga nodded.
“We won’t contact the Ministry about this, of course.” Charlus’ tone of voice made it perfectly clear that they would do so at once, if she tried to see her son. “This is family business. Both of our families.”
Walburga took a bite of a crumpet, glaring.
“Now-Sirius’ things?” Dorea looked expectantly at her.
Walburga could feel herself turning red, but did not answer. Instead, she turned towards the door and bellowed, “KREACHER!”
“Yes, Mistress?”
“Fetch the trunk, then escort these-“ she paused significantly, “people out.”
“Yes, Mistress.” The elf snapped out of existence, then returned almost immediately with a battered school trunk. He glared at the Potters, and pointed one knobbly finger at them. “You is coming with me.”
Walburga watched the Potters leave. She held her calm as they said their (infuriatingly polite) goodbyes, and as she reset her wards (with some improvements). She held her calm until Kreacher left the room, and she held her calm while she cast several careful Silencing charms on the parlour.
Three exploded tea-sets later, Walburga Black was ready to face the world.
[Author's Note: Obviously, I am working with the assumption that Dorea and Charlus Potter are, in fact, James' parents. The dates are probably a little wonky on this, but I just liked the symmetry. I'm using this as a source for now, since the Lexicon's edition is slightly less comprehensive. If anyone wants to debate the canon on this issue, I invite them to do it in fic form! (At least, I'd be far more delighted if there were a fic battle on the matter, rather than wank.)]
Pairing/Rating gen, PG
Summary: Dorea and Charlus Potter go to tea at Grimmauld Place.
A/N: gyzym looked over it and assured me I wasn't insane. It's an important job.
This, this, is truly the most awkward tea in the history of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
Dorea, of course, was perfectly capable of dissembling Walburga’s wards neatly and subtly enough that Regulus hadn’t known whom to expect when he’d answered the door. Regulus politely invited them in (of course, the boy could not have been expected to recognize his wayward great aunt by sight or name, since she was simply not spoken of in the house), and it wasn’t until Dorea and Charlus had divested of cloaks and umbrellas, and were seated in the parlour, that Walburga realized who, exactly, had come to call.
“Walburga, it’s been so long,” Dorea Potter said warmly. “It’s lovely, what you’ve done with the place.” She nodded her head at the rather austere décor of the parlour, which had been slightly more sumptuous when she’d lived there. “Please, won’t you sit and talk with us for a while?”
Orion, for his part, was slightly too inebriated to participate. He’d never actually met Dorea (his third cousin twice removed, incidentally), but he’d heard enough about Charlus Potter to become belligerent immediately upon hearing news of his presence. (“Muggle-loving scum in my house, Kreacher? Why’s my wife not blasted them yet?”) As such, he holed up in his study, insisting upon Regulus’ presence (“At least one son of mine’s not going to be infected by that poison!”), leaving Walburga to fend for herself.
Walburga was normally a woman who loved to fend for herself, but this really was asking a bit much.
“We’ve come to ask-I know this must be a very sensitive topic,” Charlus said calmly, folding his hand over his wife’s and leaning forward earnestly, “And I’m sorry to be so forward, but we’ve come to ask about Sirius’ things. As I’m sure you know, he’s spending the summer at our house, and we’re of the understanding that he didn’t get the opportunity to pack before his departure.”
Kreacher brought in some crumpets, and it took all of Walburga’s iron will not to throw the tray of them at the Potters. “Yes,” she said stiffly.
“I know this must be very hard for you,” Dorea put in. Her whole forehead had a way of crumpling in sympathy-Walburga wanted to use it for target practice. “Losing a child always is.”
“Yes,” she said again. She took a sip of her tea to prevent herself from cursing.
“I’m sure you only want him to be happy. Of course, we’d love to help if you want to contact him in any way-“
“But,” Dorea interrupted her husband, squeezing his hand visibly, “We also think it’s best that you not see him in person just yet. He’s still very upset, of course, and… well, it just doesn’t seem like a good idea right now. Do you understand?”
Walburga nodded.
“We won’t contact the Ministry about this, of course.” Charlus’ tone of voice made it perfectly clear that they would do so at once, if she tried to see her son. “This is family business. Both of our families.”
Walburga took a bite of a crumpet, glaring.
“Now-Sirius’ things?” Dorea looked expectantly at her.
Walburga could feel herself turning red, but did not answer. Instead, she turned towards the door and bellowed, “KREACHER!”
“Yes, Mistress?”
“Fetch the trunk, then escort these-“ she paused significantly, “people out.”
“Yes, Mistress.” The elf snapped out of existence, then returned almost immediately with a battered school trunk. He glared at the Potters, and pointed one knobbly finger at them. “You is coming with me.”
Walburga watched the Potters leave. She held her calm as they said their (infuriatingly polite) goodbyes, and as she reset her wards (with some improvements). She held her calm until Kreacher left the room, and she held her calm while she cast several careful Silencing charms on the parlour.
Three exploded tea-sets later, Walburga Black was ready to face the world.
[Author's Note: Obviously, I am working with the assumption that Dorea and Charlus Potter are, in fact, James' parents. The dates are probably a little wonky on this, but I just liked the symmetry. I'm using this as a source for now, since the Lexicon's edition is slightly less comprehensive. If anyone wants to debate the canon on this issue, I invite them to do it in fic form! (At least, I'd be far more delighted if there were a fic battle on the matter, rather than wank.)]
