M A T R I A R C H

you may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you. narcissa black

[sviiuris]

padfcctblack​:

-

There was no particular reason that Sirius decided to attend the Ostara Festival. Surely he could have skipped out on it and been none the wiser, carrying on at home like it was a usual day and not one for Gilderoy Lockhart to show off as he always did. He was bored, though, and despite his years  of living in Grimmauld Place raising Harry he still hated being in that cursed place by himself. 

Well, maybe not by himself, but Kreacher didn’t count, and neither did the portrait of his mother ( may she rot in hell ).

Festival it was, then. It was hardly the worst decision he’d ever made; save for a few people he’d much rather avoid speaking to, it actually wasn’t that bad. He’d even come across Dedalus earlier, to his surprise, and was happily reunited with his old friend. Lockhart didn’t seem to skimp out on the food, either, and Sirius was more than happy to help himself at the other man’s expense. Maybe later he’d seek him out and give a cursory compliment, if he didn’t mind hearing the man ramble about himself for hours. 

… on second thought, maybe he wouldn’t seek Lockhart out.

The sound of his name made him look up from the food table, and Sirius’ eyes widened slightly in surprise when he saw Narcissa. It wasn’t that they were on bad terms – she helped him tremendously over the years after he received her letter. It didn’t stop the shock of being addressed by his family, though. He was certain that they could be ancient and he’d still be shocked every now and again that anyone from his family ( beyond Andromeda and her family ) even approached him civilly.

“Cissa,” he said immediately, placing one more finger food onto his small plate and turning to face her fully. “No, absolutely not. I was bored is all – why not come for the free food? It’s better than moping at home with Kreacher.” Sirius gave a tight smile, making himself relax a moment later. “I doubt you’re here for Lockhart either. Just making an appearance, then?”

“I was so worried, I thought Ted might have gotten to you.” She let out a relieved sigh. She didn’t know if she’d be able to handle family dinners if Sirius and Ted were both in love with Lockhart. Narcissa knew that some part of Sirius would always remember her as a cousin who turned her back on him, but it was hardly something she could blame him for. After all, she had been married to a Death Eater. She was just glad that they were on some kind of good terms. 

“I have big plans, and unfortunately I need boring white men to sign off on most of them.” She explained her presence at the festival. Narcissa refused to act as Lucius had done when it came to politics. She would not bribe those in power. She believed in the ideas she had, knew that there was good, solid reasoning behind them. She would push and campaign as long as it took to make those who had the power to change things see.

Just thinking of Lockhart made her glance around, as though worried the odious man himself would be lurking around a corner, ready to thrust himself uninvited into their conversation. The man truly had no manners. “I think Ted feels like he’s in heaven. Whilst I’m very happy for him, I wish the host were anyone else.”

[inhereditare]

By popular demand, our first ✨ bi-weekly meme ✨

😀 - What is your muse’s favorite emoji? 🏋️ - Does your muse even lift? Do they work out at all? 🤔 - If your muse’s used the internet, what would their Google search history look like? 🐈 - How does your muse hold a cat? Do they hold it like a baby, or as far away from their person as possible? 🐕 - Would your muse try to lift a big dog to make them feel like a small dog? 👨‍🍳 - Would your muse make pudding at 3AM because they’ve lost control of their life? 🦉- How does your muse write? Do they use drawings, leave mistakes in, use shorthand or write everything out perfectly? 💔 - How often does your muse lose their wand? 👶 - Does your muse like babies, or do they have a strong urge yeet/kick/punch one? 🍍 - Does your muse like pineapple on pizza? If not, what’s the weirdest topping they like? 👔 - Does your muse know how to tie a tie? How did they learn? 👊 - Would your muse fight someone in a Denny’s parking lot?

[sviiuris]

bellalestrvnge​:

Who: Bellatrix & @sviiuris Where: Black family manor

Bellatrix had only had two main goals after being ruled a free, innocent woman. The first was to assist in reforming the Death Eaters and seeking out the Dark Lord in whatever state he had existed in before being resurrected. The second was to reconcile with her sister and forge some kind of relationship with her nephew. He’d been just a babe when Bella had been imprisoned, left with his father’s poisonous weakness as an influence. She’d wondered about them over the years on days when her mind was more lucid, wondering what Lucius had whispered and paid in order to remain a free man and how her sister was doing. She’d tried to write once, but she didn’t even know whether the letter had been cleared and sent. What she did know is that she’d never received a response.

Regardless of how Narcissa had changed during her imprisonment, Bellatrix still believed that she could rebuild that relationship - even if it was a foolish hope. Narcissa was the only Black family member she had left. Considering how disappointing the rest of the family had been, Bellatrix had started to feel closer to her in-laws than her own blood relatives, but Narcissa was not beyond reach - nor was Draco. She’d worked carefully and relentlessly over the last few years, telling a few well placed lies about her allegiances to sooth Narcissa’s worries.

Bella had reached out again asking when Narcissa might be free for dinner. She’d invited her to Lestrange manor, but had quickly received an owl back with an offer for dinner at the Black family manor. Apparating straight into the entrance hall, Bellatrix frowned at the length of time it took for a house elf to appear and take her coat. “Cissa, you need to train your house elves to greet your guests properly and promptly,” Bellatrix stepped into the dining room, offering her sister a tight smile. “How are you? You’re looking well.”

Narcissa had never been blind. She’d known that her sister had believed wholeheartedly in the idea of blood supremacy even long after she had herself decided it was nothing more than idiocy. She’d even known that Bella had joined the Death Eaters; despite her insistence that Lucius keep that business out of their home some information still slipped in through the cracks. Whilst those things had been whispers in her brain, knowing it wasn’t right, she had been able to ignore them for the sake of a relationship with her sister.

It was the attack on the Potters which had made Narcissa realise that she no longer recognised Bellatrix. The cruelty, the viciousness, the fact that it had left a small boy with no real parents to speak of. All of it was too much for her to countenance. The woman she saw was not her sister. She had stuck to that the whole time; ignoring the letter which had arrived for her and placing it straight into the fire. When she was freed, Narcissa had so desperately wanted to believe the story that was told by her sister’s lawyers. Which lead them to where they currently were. No matter how much Narcissa wanted to believe in the person that Bella was presenting to the world, those whispers were still there in the back of her head.

Still, she smiled when she saw her sister entering the dining room. She could be cautious but still try and rebuild that relationship. After all, Bella was her big sister; surely she would never try and hurt Narcissa in any way. “They are less of them since the last time you were here. That’s probably why it took longer. My apologies.” She headed over and kissed her sister’s cheek. “I’m doing wonderfully. Busy with the new intake into Hogwarts, but it’s the good kind of busy. Yourself?”

[sviiuris]

ofxdedalus​:

Ollivander’s, Hogsmeade Branch March 17th 2003 @sviiuris​​

“So that’s all the students starting in September that have their letter and qualify, correct?” Dedalus asked, tapping the list on the table with a finger. “Are you expecting many more students?” Liaising with Narcissa Black and her philanthropic endeavours had been an unexpected aspect of his job with Ollivander’s, though he could not say it was a completely unwelcome one. After having been abroad for so long, Dedalus couldn’t help but feel a little disconnected back in Britain, so he welcomed any new connections he could make. 

He had spent many a night poring over all of the paperwork that Garrick had kept on the initiative, in order to prepare for the meetings with Narcissa, and there had been much paperwork to go through. “There seems to be more this year compared to the other lists.” He noted with a hum as he glanced up at her. “But I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem. Merlin knows Garrick hordes more wands than he can ever hope to sell in a lifetime. You know, I’m sure that there’s wands on the shelves that haven’t been touched since they were first placed there in their boxes. A waste, if you ask me.” Sitting back in his chair, he raised his hands in a dismissive gesture. “But it’s not my business to run.” It was one of the unfortunate realities of returning home; Ollivander’s hand a complete monopoly on the wand market in Britain, and Dedalus would never be able to sustain opening his shop up. 

“Is there anything else we can do for the scheme on our end?” 

“That is all of them so far. Of course, for muggleborns it’s harder to assess whether they’ll need financial help. We can’t reach out to them to explain the help we can offer until the acceptance letter is delivered in person. And, of course, some of them won’t want to attend Hogwarts.” It was always tricky when it came to muggleborn families. Personally, Narcissa thought the Ministry could do a lot more to help ease the transition for those families, but that wasn’t her focus at the moment. She had put quite a lot of thought into creating some sort of volunteer service or something to give muggle parents a little more guidance, but she knew she would need someone who understood the muggle world a lot more than she did in order to make that work.

She brought her mind back to the moment and the meeting at hand, giving Dedalus a warm smile. It was nice to be able to talk to someone other than Ollivander himself. Not that the man wasn’t lovely and accommodating, she just felt a little unnerved by him. He was a strange man for sure. “He is a true craftsman I suppose. Dedicated to making wands even if they don’t make him a profit.” Though at ten galleons each and a guaranteed wave of new customers every year, she was sure Ollivander’s was doing perfectly well financially. “I’m sure he’ll wish to retire one day, then perhaps it will be your business to run.”

At his question, Narcissa looked at her notes. “I don’t believe so. The finalised list will be sent through once all the acceptance letters have gone out, and that’s when the funding will come through.” She looked up, smiling again. “I really do appreciate this, and please pass that on to Garrick. Without Ollivander’s, this whole enterprise would be flawed. After all, a wand is essential.”

[sviiuris]

dracomalfoyblack​:

@sviiuris​​

For once in his life, Draco was a bit bummed that he wasn’t working. The Ostara Festival wasn’t exactly his favorite time of the year. Usually, he didn’t mind it. The displays were nice, despite the overpowering floral scent that often sent people into sneezing frenzies. This year, he wasn’t particularly keen considering where it was being held. To be completely honest, Draco had enough of Gilderoy Lockhart when he’d taught Defense in his second year. The man was a disaster. He wasn’t a visionary like his Uncle claimed. He didn’t understand his Uncle Ted’s love for the man. He never would. 

Despite his protests, Draco accompanied his mother to the festival because he knew he’d more than likely hear something about it later. He knew that if he didn’t show up altogether that Daphne or Pansy would likely show up at the manor to collect him. He had no choice but to go and pretend like he didn’t absolutely hate the whole thing. He was doing a poor job, judging by the scowl upon his face. They weren’t even serving proper alcohol. 

Finding his mother once again, Draco handed her the candle that he’d stolen after losing the first one he’d received. “Here you go, mother. I thought you’d enjoy a candle with Lockhart’s likeness. Isn’t it the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?” Draco drawled, his words dripping with sarcasm. “Are you enjoying yourself?” 

Narcissa had told Draco that despite her feeling a need to put in an appearance at the festival, he wasn’t bound by the same expectations. It did seem entirely in character though for him to protest vociferously against the festival in private but still end up being there with her. Despite having spent a great deal of her life honing the skill to never show her feelings unless she wanted to, as she observed Draco coming over with a scowl clear as day on his face, she realised once more that it wasn’t a skill she had passed down.

Still, it made her smile, seeing him for a moment as a grumpy toddler who would make the same face whenever they had to go somewhere he didn’t like. The smile dropped a little when he handed her the candle, and she let out a long sigh. She thought she had done extremely well at avoiding all of the Gilderoy themed merchandise. “Draco, darling, you shouldn’t have.” His sarcasm was met with her own, and she wondered if there was a convenient fire she could drop the candle into when no-one was looking.

“I wouldn’t say enjoying.” She gave her son a slight smile, knowing that their feelings on the man hosting were very similar, even if she was more hesitant to express them outwardly. “I’m sure you’re having a wonderful time though. A lot of your friends are here. Pansy looks very pretty today.” Narcissa knew that any romance between Draco and Pansy was long since over, but she still had a soft spot for the young woman.

[sviiuris]

drotonks​:

@sviiuris​

When Andromeda made the decision to leave her family, it wasn’t one that was made easily. It was something that she struggled with long before she longed that she was pregnant. It wasn’t her parents that she had trouble breaking away from. It was her youngest sister. She knew that her abandonment would feel like a betrayal. However, Andromeda did what was best for her, for Ted and their child and she left the Black family household. Her face was blasted off the family tree and despite her nervousness, it felt like she could finally breathe for the first time in her life. When Narcissa contacted Andromeda years down the road, she was initially hesitant, but it didn’t take long before things were amended between the two of them. 

The Ostara Festival was something else. She could tell that her husband was having the time of his life and she was trying her best not to burst into laughter as she watched him search around the gardens for his idol. Gilderoy Lockhart certainly was easy on the eyes, but she wasn’t sure that he had much going on in his head. Nothing deterred Ted’s love for the man. So, after a while she let him wander off, choosing instead to stand by the bar and watch the crowd. 

Finding her sister, Andromeda offered Narcissa a glass of the champagne that she had snagged from one of the floating trays. “Cissa,” Andromeda greeted the blonde with a smile. “Is Draco here too or did you come alone? Ted is around here somewhere but I’m afraid he might leave me if he finally meets the actual love of his life.” 

Narcissa had been sure that when her sister was disowned that she wouldn’t ever see her again. Regardless of her own love of Andromeda, Narcissa had been too hesitant to step out of line. She’d enjoyed the privilege of being a Black, so she had remained silent. It had taken nearly ten years and a lot of personal growth for her to finally reach out to Andie, but she knew it was the best thing she had done. Not only for her own sanity, but for Draco as well. He had grown up into a man she was so proud of, and she knew that the Tonks’ influence was a large part of that.

She knew, without a doubt, that Ted was going to be in attendance at the Ostara Festival. Narcissa found herself occasionally still bemused, however affectionately, by the man and his obsession with Gilderoy Lockhart was certainly one of the things about him she was sure she wouldn’t ever understand. It was with a large breath of relief that Narcissa saw Andromeda making her way over, glad to see that Ted had not made the trip unaccompanied. Really, she worried he was just as susceptible to Lockhart’s charms as the various young women who adored the man.

Narcissa took the champagne gratefully, sipping from it with a wry smile at Andie’s worries. “Draco’s here, yes. He’ll tell you I made him come, but I think he secretly is enjoying hating every moment of being here.” Her tone was light, teasing as she smiled at her sister. “You think he’d leave you? I always thought Ted’s love for Lockhart was more likely to manifest as a torrid affair. Burning brightly, but only for a short time.” She shrugged, unable to keep a serious expression on her face. “I suppose you do know him better than I do.”

[sviiuris]

The Ostara Festival March 20th, 2003

@padfcctblack​

On the list of people she had expected to see at Lockhart’s farce of an Ostara Festival, Sirius was definitely near the bottom. In her mind, Sirius had always been far too dedicated to seeming cool to be seen at something like this. But there he was, standing near the food. For a brief moment she considered that maybe Polyjuice was at work, somehow that being a more likely scenario.

It was with a certain amount of hesitancy that she made her way over, almost doubting that it was really him. Perhaps it was another man with long hair and a beard who just happened to look like Sirius. However, as she got closer she became sure it was him and a surprised, slightly worried, expression crossed Narcissa’s face, somehow ending in a smile.

“Sirius,” Narcissa began, almost immediately lost for words. “I didn’t realise you were so interested in plants.” She was still smiling until a horrible thought dawned on her. He had been exposed to Ted just as much as she had, perhaps he had weakened. “You’re not… you’re not here because of Gilderoy Lockhart, are you?”

[sviiuris]

The Ostara Festival  March 20th, 2003

@ofgreengrcss​

Narcissa had expected to see Daphne at the festival. Whilst she wasn’t sure of the younger woman’s opinion on botany, singing children, or kites, she was sure of the knowledge that she loved Gilderoy Lockhart. It was unfortunate but considering the kind of people Narcissa had spent most of her life around, it could hardly be considered a character flaw. Besides, there was hope yet that Daphne would grow out of it.

Luckily, when she located Daphne, she didn’t seem to be in the midst of swooning or searching out the elusive host. She brought over a glass of champagne, handing it to the other. “I will admit, this is quite the spectacle.” It wasn’t quite a compliment, but it was the best she could do when it came to Lockhart. The man had never seemed completely trustworthy to Narcissa and her opinion was unlikely to change.

“Are you enjoying yourself at least, Daphne? You look lovely.” Her affection for the other was clear, despite any reservations about Daphne’s chosen idol. She took a sip of champagne, trying to think of something else neutral she could say about the event, hoping that perhaps Daphne would be able to take the conversational reigns.

[sviiuris]

The Ostara Festival March 20th, 2003

@tedtks​

While Narcissa thought of the work she did as important, the schmoozing certainly began to grate after a while. Especially when very conversation seemed to have to revolve around Gilderoy Lockhart. Truly, an odious man, she found herself taking a break from socialising out of concern for her mental state.

It was in this moment of self reflection – had it really been necessary for her to come here – that she spotted Ted. Narcissa knew all too well that he had a slight obsession with the undeserving man of the hour, but he was still far easier to talk to than various faceless ministry workers. She headed over, smiling as she reached him.

“Ted, you look like you’re having a wonderful time.” Perhaps, if she was lucky, he would talk about the botany and Lockhart could be left out of it. “Did you bring Andie with you, or are you – what’s that muggle expression – flying solo?” She hoped Andromeda was there somewhere, Cissa knew she’d need a breath of sanity among all the people who seemed to love Gilderoy.

[sviiuris]

The Ostara Festival March 20th, 2003

@ofpansy​

​Narcissa had decided to attend the Ostara festival for only one reason, and the purported charms of its host was certainly not it. In truth, events like these were normally very beneficial for her securing support for the many causes she sponsored. No matter how much funding she could personally give, getting the support of high ranking Ministry members was always unfortunately vital. They were the ones who could make the decisions and make change. 

Despite her lack of interest in the host of the festival, she had found herself getting caught by the sheer audacity of the commemorative candles that were being sold. Perhaps more confusing was the seeming popularity of them, as she watched person after person exchange money for what, in Narcissa’s opinion, was a piece of classless tat. Still, she found herself unable to move on. It was like sitting front row at a terrible play. A disaster, but one you couldn’t help but want to watch.

It was only when she saw a familiar head of dark hair that she was brought back to reality and she headed over to the young woman. “Pansy, dear, please tell me you’re not considering purchasing one of those monstrosities. If you want to waste your money on something, I’m sure you can find something less…” Words failed her for a moment before she landed on the right one. “Nauseating.”

[winnickdaily]

Katheryn Winnick arrives for the 72nd Annual Directors Guild Of America Awards at The Ritz Carlton on January 25, 2020 in Los Angeles, California (x)