A Modest Proposal (Hogwarts Legacy Fanfic)

A Modest Proposal

"Filth."

Phineas Nigellus followed after his uncle, a handkerchief over his nose and mouth.

"Absolute filth."

"Well?" his Uncle Arcturus asked, stopping at the wooden railing overlooking the workers of the workhouse the Black family recently purchased. "What do you think, Phineas Nigellus?"

Phineas Nigellus ' eyes narrowed, his nose wrinkling in disgust under the handkerchief he still donned over his nose. "Muggles are complete and utter filth."

A sigh escaped from his uncle 's mouth. "And this is why, my dear boy," Arcturus said, "You're inability to see the whole picture. It was bad enough the previous head had to bury his eldest son, also to bury his grandson who should have been heir after as well—"

"And would they have died?" Phineas waved his hand around the workhouse. "I mean, isn't exposure to this filth, this place infested with Muggle illness? Why father die? And then Sirius after him?" His eyes narrowed, the sound of footsteps making him turn. His eyes widened. "Sirius! Cover your mouth!" He then turned back to his uncle, eyes narrowing again. "I absolutely forbid you from bringing Sirius to such places!"

Arcturus narrowed his eyes. "The previous head entrusted me with the task of preparing Sirius to be head of this family, not you, Phineus Nigellus."

Phineus sent his uncle a death glare before reaching into his son 's pocket and pulling out the handkerchief Ursula placed there before they left, before holding it out to his son forcibly. "I said to cover your mouth." He turned to look at the workhouse. "Barbaric. No wonder the Mudblood, even half-blood students, act the way they do. And we now own this property?"

Arcturus let out a sigh. "Sirius?"

"We treat our livestock better than Muggles treat their poor," Sirius said, covering his mouth with the handkerchief forced upon himself. "Nor would we treat our House Elf like this."

"No," Arcturus said. "We don't. So then..."

And then it happened.

Or, what should have happened should have been a catastrophe that would have resulted in Sirius, young as he was, seeing the whole debacle of a Muggle child being severely injured by the horrid contraptions.

Except, the child wasn 't a Muggle.

Seeing the magic unfold in front of him, as the child 's magic kicked in to protect the child, was horrific, particularly when a few other children were caught up in the aftermath, which Sirius did end up seeing. His hand clenched the wooden railing as the other children started screaming at the one boy, as they started turning on the child because magic was used.

A child not older than seven.

"Uncle!" Sirius called out, turning to his uncle.

"Take Sirius home," Arcturus said, pulling out his wand."

Phineas Nigellus reached out, pulling Sirius to him, Apparating away from the place to land near Grimmauld Place. Forcibly, he escorted his eldest back to the family home, where the heir and his family lived until they inherited the headship. He quickly ushered the boy inside before slamming the door shut. Sirius ' pale features were paler than usual, resulting in Phineus reaching out to grab Sirius' face. "Don't ever go to such a place with your uncle again! Do you hear me!"

Sirius stared as Ursula peered over the railing from above. "What happened?"

"Fetch Sirius a Calming Drought," Phineus said.