~ "We put down a dying animal to spare it agony and call it mercy. Why should compassion end when the sufferer is human?" That's euthanasia to me. Don't get it twisted, Walburga Black was in agony, she and her pure-blood mania had led to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black being reduced to a handful of individuals, even less in the canon timeline. What is that if not complete agony for a pure-blood noble witch.
~ Void Emperor.
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~ Corvus Pollux Black - POV ~
~ 12 Grimmauld Place, London ~
Forty-five second, not even a whole minute after sending Kreacher to fetch a medi-witch and my great-grandfather Arcturus, Walburga Black expired. Died while I held her hand and stared into her eyes watching the light leave her gray bloodshot eyes.
After she passed, instead of extracting my hand from hers, I waited for Kreacher to return. Had to play the grieving child to the very end. So I just kept myself in place, preparing for the medi-witch to pronounce the death of Walburga Black, matriarch of the Black family. So I waited.
One minute and twenty-four seconds later Kreacher returned with a pop of Apparition and a middle-aged witch with the St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries uniform on. Which includes; lime-green robes over a white medical apron, and a green dress, upon the left breast of the lime-green robes is the is the insignia of St Mungo's, a crossed wand and bone. These robes function as the wizarding equivalent of Muggle medical scrubs or lab coats. To wear the uniform and practice at the hospital, healers must pass rigorous N.E.W.T. exams with an "Exceeds Expectations" or higher in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Excuse me young man, may I have you step back so I can examine the patient?" Were her first words to me upon her arrival, her second was to ask about the presence of an adult witch or wizard of the house. After assuring her that my great-grandfather Arcturus would be along shortly after seeing Kreacher dissappear after dropping her off, I retreated to an armchair resting in the corner of the room.
The medi-witch just gave me a slight nod of her head as she stepped up taking over my spot next to the bed. She then pulled out her wand from her robes and started casting what I rightly assume to be diagnostic spells over my mother's corpse. She appeared to come to the conclusion that there was nothing to be done after a minute, but decided to stay quiet when she saw my downcast expression.
Minutes later, after a morose quiet settled into the room, Kreacher returned with my great-grandfather Arcturus Black III. Arcturus Black III was the father of my grandfather and namesake Pollux Black, grandfather to my father Orion Black and grandfather-in-law to my mother; who was a second cousin of my father; all who are now dead. Arcturus is now the oldest of the living of the Black family being eighty-five years old.
As Kreacher popped back in with him in tow I rose from the armchair and gave him a slight bow of my head with my right hand over my heart as proper decorum dictates.
"Great-grandfather." I call out in a hollow voice, showing that I'm adhering to pure-blood etiquette, yet still just a grief-stricken ten year old boy.
The room is silent as Arcturus, instead of responding verbally, walks over to me and just place a firm hand on my shoulder.
"Go and get something to eat Corvus. Kreacher has informed me that you have just left your own bed this morning after being confined to it for the last three days. I'll come and find you after I've seen to your mother and the medi-witch." He instructed me after a moment of comforting me. And for a pure-blood noble household that is the equivalent of a hug.
After looking up into the gray eyes that we share and that is a prominent feature in the House of Black, I give him a shaky nod and step around him to head out of the room. The medi-witch just stands by my mothers death bed giving me a pitying look and waited until I had left the room to turn Arcturus.
As I head down to small dining room on the ground floor of the townhouse I let my senses loose and keep track of what's going on. I hear the medi-witch explain to Arcturus how Walburga was a victim of a mundane and horrid death of an air embolism that blocked the airflow to her brain causing the stroke that took her life. Then I heard Arcturus instructe the medi-witch to take her body back to St Mungo's for a more in depth investigative autopsy, probably to rule out if this was an attack on the House of Black or just another unfortunate death of one more member of the family.
As that was going on upstairs I had arrived in the small dining room near the kitchen used for informal breakfast for the family. Kreacher had already had a spread of common English breakfast foods awaiting me; eggs, back bacon, pork sausages, backed beans, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, and fried toast. I dove in, or as they say in England, tucked into the spread as I awaited my new guardian. Luckily this body is better attuned for British cuisine because my my former American taste buds wouldn't know what to make of these beans on toast.
Anyway; as I await on my new guardian, who is at the moment, according to my senses, is within the Lords solar, probably going over the ward stone and it's settings; I look down at my right hand, specifically the right index finger which houses a ring with a silver band inset with a black diamond. The heirship ring of the Black family. Within the black diamond is the magically engraved Black family crest; the crest is a skull crowned with a laurel wreath symbolizing the family's pursuit of everlasting greatness, the shield features a pale hand holding a wand beneath a star-dusted sky, the heraldic details are an traditional blazon often features a black background (sable) with a silver chevron (argent), surrounded by stars (mullets) and a silver sword, and at the bottom is the family motto in French, Toujours Pur; meaning "Always Pure", reflecting the family's strict pure-blood ideology.
Walburga was delusional and mad, but she did one thing right by me and the family when she gave me the ring. I still remember the oath I spoke on the day:"I, Corvus Pollux Black, of sound body and mind, accept the honour, title, and responsibilities of Heirship and the future Lordship for Houses Black. So mote it be!" Then was the feeling of the Black family magic scanning me and when it found me worthy, the magic just set back within me. Honestly it was far more anticlimactic than any of the fanfics that I read made it out to be. But in the end it was worth it, for I am now the sole heir to the House of Black and all that encompasses.
As I was admiring and contemplating on the ring and my status, my senses picked up the sound of my great-grandfather Arcturus coming down the stairs.
"Kreacher, set a plate for my great-grandfather, he should be down momentarily, and make sure to use the warming charms on the food. " I instructed the house elf who had been sulking in the corner quietly this whole time I've been eating and contemplating.
"Yes, young master Corvus, Kreacher be doing that right away." He answered back in that weird third-person way most house elves speak.
While Kreacher set that plate up across the table from at the other head of the table, Arcturus walked into the room. As noble etiquette dictates, for noble women or elders of the house, I rose from my seat and welcomed him in with a small bow of the head. After nodding his head in return in acknowledgement, he sat down and tucked into the breakfast he probably wasn't able to have this morning after I sent Kreacher to fetch him from the Black family manor he had retired to.
Now that I'm getting a better look at him, I have to say he looks a lot like Gary Oldman, just with a lot more silver in his hair and his goatee. He looks very much like the older version of Sirius Black from the movie series, just a lot more prim and proper. I think I'm going to enjoy learning from my new guardian.
~