When the conversations nearest the entrance faltered, I finally had a chance to properly observe the people gathered throughout the ballroom.
The reactions varied considerably. Some eyes held obvious curiosity. Others evaluated us with the careful attention of people assessing opportunities and alliances. There was greed in some gazes, calculation in others, and among several of the older generation I noticed something that surprised me far more than either of those emotions.
Relief.
Not relief directed toward me personally, nor toward Blake, but relief that another ancient house had survived. Noble families understood better than anyone how fragile legacies could be. Wealth could be rebuilt, businesses could recover, and political influence could return with time. A fallen family, however, often disappeared forever. Its traditions, knowledge, alliances, and history vanished alongside it. The return of House Salvius represented something larger than the return of a single heir.
My attention eventually settled on Lucius Malfoy.
Greed was present, exactly as I expected. Ambition too. Neither surprised me. What did surprise me was the faint trace of relief hidden beneath both emotions. It was gone almost as quickly as I noticed it, leaving me wondering whether I had imagined it entirely.
Before I could study the matter further, a graceful blonde witch detached herself from a nearby group and approached us.
Narcissa Malfoy carried herself with the effortless confidence of someone raised within noble society from birth. Every movement was measured, every smile carefully balanced between warmth and propriety. She stopped before Arcturus and inclined her head respectfully.
"Lord Black, it is an honor that you decided to grace us with your presence this evening. It has been far too long since you attended one of our Yule Balls."
To my surprise, Arcturus responded with a faint smile.
"Narcissa, since when have you started calling me Lord Black instead of Great-Uncle?"
For a brief moment her expression softened into something more genuine.
"Since you stopped attending family gatherings, secluded yourself in Grimmauld Place, and nearly cut ties with our branch of the family because of our... decisions."
The conversation had begun lightly enough, but the final word carried an unmistakable trace of old resentment.
Arcturus' expression hardened immediately.
"I was very clear regarding my position," he replied evenly. "House Black was to remain neutral. The Greengrasses managed to do so. Several others managed the same. Yet your branch chose a different path."
The warmth vanished from the conversation entirely.
Narcissa's posture stiffened slightly, though whether from guilt, irritation, or simple discomfort I couldn't tell.
Fortunately for everyone involved, Lucius stepped in before the discussion could go any further.
"Lord Black," he said smoothly, his voice carrying the polished confidence that had helped make him one of the most influential figures in Britain, "let the past remain in the past. Tonight is a festive occasion."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Blake.
"And perhaps the beginning of a new chapter for House Black."
Arcturus regarded him for several seconds before giving a dissatisfied huff. It was not forgiveness, nor agreement, but it was enough to end the matter for the moment.
Turning toward Blake, he gestured subtly.
"Blake, this is Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. Narcissa is your father's first cousin. You may address her as Aunt Narcissa."
Blake immediately understood what he intended.
Stepping forward, she performed a flawless noble greeting that would have satisfied even the strictest etiquette instructor.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Aunt Narcissa."
The effect on Narcissa was immediate.
Whatever tensions existed between the older generation, they could not entirely suppress the affection many members of the Black family had once held for Regulus. Blake's resemblance to her father was not particularly strong physically, yet there were moments when her expressions and mannerisms echoed him enough to awaken old memories.
"Blake," Narcissa said warmly, "although you have only recently returned to the family, we have already heard a great deal about you."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Though I admit it is a shame you did not enter Slytherin. Ravenclaw is certainly respectable, but your father would have been delighted to see another Black in our house."
Blake's expression remained politely composed.
"I believe Ravenclaw suited me best."
"A fair answer," Narcissa replied with a small nod. "And Ravenclaw is indeed an excellent house."
The tone suggested she still believed Slytherin was better.
Considerably better.
"If you ever require assistance, whether at Hogwarts or elsewhere, you need only ask. Family should support family."
Blake thanked her appropriately and exchanged several more polite remarks. Watching the conversation unfold, I couldn't help noticing how naturally she handled herself. A few months ago she would have found this gathering exhausting. Now she moved through it with the confidence expected of a noble heir.
As their conversation continued, Lucius' attention gradually shifted toward me.
His expression remained pleasant, courteous, and perfectly controlled.
A polite smile rested on his face as he stepped forward.
"This must be the heir of both House Salvius and House P," he said smoothly. "Two ancient families with a remarkable history. May you prosper and enrich that legacy."
I inclined my head.
"Thank you for your kind words, Lord Malfoy. I will endeavor to do so."
"From everything I have heard," Lucius continued, "you are already making quite an impression at Hogwarts. Such accomplishments are unusual for a first-year."
His tone remained casual, but I could feel him probing.
"Most of the credit belongs to those around me," I replied. "It is difficult to achieve anything alone."
A faint glimmer appeared in his eyes.
A safe answer.
One that revealed nothing.
"Perhaps," he said. "Though it was your name that appeared in the newspapers after the incident involving the House Cup hourglasses."
Ah.
There it was.
The real topic.
"The papers tend to exaggerate."
"Do they?" Lucius asked mildly. "From what I heard, you may be the first Hogwarts student in quite some time to publicly challenge Headmaster Dumbledore."
Several nearby conversations seemed to quiet slightly.
Not enough to be obvious.
Enough to listen.
I smiled politely.
"I have no desire to challenge Professor Dumbledore. He is one of the most accomplished wizards alive."
That part was true.
"I simply believed a particular situation was being handled unfairly. The Headmaster and I disagreed. Fortunately, the matter was resolved."
Lucius watched me carefully.
"And the Study Club?"
"A different matter entirely."
"One that required a considerable amount of persuasion."
I allowed myself a small smile.
"Every worthwhile goal requires effort."
For a moment, Lucius remained silent.
Then he chuckled softly.
"An admirable sentiment."
His expression grew thoughtful.
"Your father possessed similar determination."
Caelum.
The mention of him was deliberate.
Another probe.
Another attempt to gauge my reaction.
"I hope to live up to his example."
"I imagine you will."
Lucius glanced toward Arcturus before returning his attention to me.
"I confess, when I first heard reports from Hogwarts, I expected someone rather different."
"Oh?"
"There were rumors of impulsiveness. Idealism. A willingness to create problems for authority figures."
I nearly laughed.
That sounded suspiciously like a Gryffindor description.
"And now?"
"Now I suspect there is considerably more thought behind your actions than the rumors suggest."
High praise from Lucius Malfoy.
Also a warning.
It meant he had decided I was worth watching carefully.
"That is kind of you to say."
His smile widened slightly.
"My son will begin Hogwarts in a few years. Draco has shown... considerable enthusiasm for attending."
That was one way to describe it.
"I hope that when the time comes, you might offer him some guidance."
There it was.
Not a request. An opening. A bridge being built.
"If Draco seeks advice, I will gladly offer it."
The answer seemed to satisfy him.
"Excellent."
A moment later another family arrived through the Floo, drawing both Lucius and Narcissa's attention.
With practiced ease, the conversation concluded.
The Malfoys moved forward to greet their new guests while Arcturus, Blake, and I continued deeper into the ballroom.
The next hour passed in a steady procession of introductions.
I greeted family heads whose names I recognized newspaper articles, Wizengamot records, and old ledgers. Some conversations were pleasant. Others felt more like negotiations disguised as small talk.
Most of the Hogwarts students present were already familiar faces.
Nyx, Selene, Lyanna, Celia, Adrian, Lucian, Graham, and Cassius had all arrived alongside their families. Formal greetings were exchanged, parents were introduced, and more than one noble family seemed pleasantly surprised to discover that their children already knew one another.
There were, naturally, questions.
Questions about Hogwarts.
Questions about the Study Club.
Questions about the dueling hall.
And, inevitably, questions regarding blood purity.
Those were handled carefully.
I neither supported nor condemned their views. Whenever the topic arose, I redirected the conversation toward education, family legacy, responsibility, and personal achievement.
Most understood exactly what I was doing.
A few seemed frustrated by it.
That was acceptable.
Among the more amusing encounters was Lord Warrington, who appeared distinctly uncomfortable when we were introduced. The memory of our earlier disagreement at Hogwarts had clearly lingered longer for him than it had for me.
Fortunately, once he realized I held no grudge against either him or his son, much of his tension disappeared.
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere gradually relaxed.
The formal introductions were ending.
The real conversations were only beginning.
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