Growing up Pureblooded

Blood Will Out

On September 1, the house at number seventeen, Windermere Court bustled as it never had before. The old townhouse was conveniently situated within a short walking distance from King's Cross, so it was agreed that the family would assemble there that morning before walking to the station. Abraxas, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Flooed over from Malfoy Manor, all dressed impeccably in the very elegant Muggle clothes Clytemnestra had purchased for the occasion, whilst Dobby Apparated over with Draco's trunk and owl. Sirius shook Abraxas's and Lucius's hands, kissed his cousin on the cheek and tousled Draco's hair. "Are you excited?" Sirius asked the blond boy, who seemed to be restraining himself from bouncing up and down only with the greatest of difficulty. Draco nodded vigorously. "I can hardly wait. Where's Aries?"

"He's upstairs supervising while Mopsy refolds his robes for the third time," Sirius replied. "He'll be down in a moment." Abraxas chuckled. "Draco had his trunk ready two days ago." "Not to mention he felt the need to wake us up at four in the morning," Lucius growled. Draco grinned. "What can I say? I'm looking forward to school." Irma and Druella Apparated over from number twelve, Grimmauld Place a few moments later. They both wore old dresses that had no doubt been highly fashionable in elite circles at the turn of the century, but which now would seem hardly less exotic than robes to Muggle eyes. "Good morning, Grandmamma," Sirius said, kissing the old lady's hand. "Aunt Druella." "Good morning, Sirius," Irma replied. "Are we ready to depart?" "We shall be in just a moment," Sirius said. "Aries hasn't finished packing yet."

"He'd better hurry up," Irma grumbled. "You know how I abhor being made to wait, Sirius." "The heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black will not be rushed in his own home, Irma," Cassiopeia proclaimed in her stentorian tones, gliding into the drawing room in her customary black robes and witch's hat. "Particularly not for those of lesser lineages." "He's my great-grandson, Cassiopeia," Irma replied coldly. "Surely my blood is as good as his." Cassiopeia smiled. "One can dilute good wine with a bit of cheap wine and not gravely affect its quality, but that does not make the cheap wine any less inferior to the good." "The Crabbe family, at least, has never produced any Squibs," Irma retorted. "How could you tell if they had?" Cassiopeia replied with a sneer.

Fortunately, Marius and Clytemnestra picked that moment to enter the drawing room, and a hex war between the two old witches was narrowly averted. A moment later, Aries slid down the banister. "Aries!" Cassiopeia snapped. "You're the heir to the House of Black. You shouldn't slide down the banister. It's undignified." Aries shrugged. "Dad does it all the time." "That's different, son," Sirius said with a broad grin. "I'm the Head of the House of Black." Aries rolled his eyes. "Good morning, everyone," he greeted his relatives. Mopsy Apparated into the room, carrying all his things. "You're all packed, I see," Abraxas said. "Finally," Aries replied. "I told Mopsy it was fine after the second time, but she wanted everything to be organised perfectly."

The diligent house elf stacked the trunks alongside Draco's, together with a large wicker basket. "What's that, Mopsy?" Sirius asked the elf. "It's just a snack, Master Sirius," she explained. "A bit of something to tide over the young masters on the train. A nice steak-and-kidney pie, several kinds of sandwiches, sausage rolls, grapes, apples and a Black Forest gateau, not to mention a few other titbits, and the butterbeer, of course." Aries grinned at Draco. "Isn't she wonderful?" he said. "Take the young masters' things to the station in about fifteen minutes, Mopsy," Sirius commanded. "Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. We shall meet you there." The house-elf bowed low, and the family set out on their journey.

"I don't understand why we can't go in carriages," Druella complained. "Walking all this way gives me blisters." "Then why didn't you stay home?" Cassiopeia shot back. "We could have taken cars," Sirius suggested cheekily. "I shouldn't be caught dead in one of those horrid Muggle death traps," Irma snapped. "Do you really know how to drive, Sirius?" Abraxas asked curiously. "Absolutely, Dad," his son-in-law replied, walking along the pavement with his arm around Aries's shoulders. "If you like, I can show you sometime." "It's wicked, Granddad!" Draco exclaimed. "You'll have to get Sirius to show you the Diablo." "And when were you going to tell me that you were taking my son driving in a Muggle vehicle?" Lucius asked sternly. "If it makes you feel better, Lucius," Sirius replied, "I've never driven any vehicle without a bit of magical enhancement." "You don't have to explain yourself to Lucius, Sirius," Narcissa said. "He's just envious."