Regulus Black, before departing, shared updates about Harry Potter with Ron and his twin brothers.
He also cautioned them that if they planned to seek out Harry Potter, they must absolutely avoid using magic, as the Ministry of Magic would detect it. Unless, of course, they wanted to get their friend into trouble.
"Ginny! Have you thought about which house you'd like to join once you get to Hogwarts?"
Regulus Black couldn't resist teasing the little girl one last time.
"I have! Gryffindor, of course."
The little girl answered with a bright smile. Her brothers were all in Gryffindor, and so was Harry Potter. Why would she choose anywhere else?
"But if you join Gryffindor, how's that any different from being at home?"
Regulus Black's point was that facing family at home and then at school would make life feel repetitive and dull.
"My brothers will protect me," the little girl declared stubbornly. Hearing her words, the brothers standing behind her puffed up with proud expressions.
"Hogwarts students are perfectly safe."
Hogwarts was undoubtedly far safer than any wizarding family's residence. Bullying at school was rare unless someone was particularly unlikeable. Even when Harry Potter was misunderstood and ostracized, no one dared to openly mistreat him.
"There's someone I like in Gryffindor," the little girl added, running out of arguments. She lowered her head and spoke softly.
"Trust me, that will only distract you from your studies."
Speaking from an educator's perspective, Regulus Black delivered a decisive blow: children shouldn't be caught up in early romance.
As a self-proclaimed "loli enthusiast," Regulus Black conveniently forgot his own questionable behavior, his hand already creeping toward little Hermione's backside.
Molly, puzzled by Regulus Black's words, comforted Ginny, who was glaring at him with some hostility.
"Mr. Black, I believe it's Ginny's freedom to choose her house, and isn't it the Sorting Hat that decides in the end?"
Ever the protective mother, Molly managed to restrain herself from chasing Regulus Black off with a broom, showing a degree of composure.
"First, Mrs. Weasley, each house has its own unique atmosphere. The Weasley family is already entirely Gryffindor—Ginny wouldn't be missed in that crowd. Second, I don't need to remind you of the Weasley family's reputation in the wizarding world. If Ginny enters Hogwarts and joins Gryffindor, the Weasleys will remain completely disconnected from the other three houses, in every sense."
Regulus Black kindly laid out the situation. The children might not fully grasp it, but as adults, Arthur and Molly certainly did.
"But if Ginny were to join one of the other three houses… well, let's rule out Slytherin. Whether it's Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, the wizarding world's perception of the Weasley family would shift. Hufflepuff has the support of ancient noble wizarding families, while Ravenclaw boasts strong connections within the Ministry of Magic. This would benefit both Arthur and Percy. Forgive me for framing this in a Slytherin's pragmatic terms."
Having said all he needed to, and sensing the atmosphere was no longer suitable for lingering, Regulus Black boarded his carriage to leave.
"Mrs. Weasley, one final word of advice: the most dazzling figures are often the easiest targets. The Savior tends to have the most enemies."
The carriage rolled far into the distance, but the Weasley family remained lost in thought, pondering Regulus Black's parting words.
Percy Weasley, the most ambitious and career-driven of the children, understood Regulus Black's advice better than anyone.
"Mother, I think Mr. Black makes a valid point. We can look out for Ginny in any house—she doesn't have to join Gryffindor. But, Ginny, the choice is yours."
Percy ruffled Ginny's hair and was the first to head back to the house.
"Ginny, we'll support your decision too, whether it's Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw."
"Even if you end up in Slytherin, we've got your back. We'll make sure everyone knows you've got us behind you!"
The Weasley twins also ruffled Ginny's hair before heading off to prepare for their evening plans.
"What are you all talking about? Of course Ginny's going to Gryffindor!"
Ron couldn't comprehend his brothers' words. Naturally, their little sister should be under her brothers' protection!
Arthur and Molly didn't rush to share their opinions. Arthur patted Ginny's shoulder and headed back to the Burrow. He still had work to do at the Ministry of Magic, and tonight, there were some surprise inspections that would keep him up all night. He trusted Molly would talk things over with their daughter.
"Mom?"
Ginny was confused by her family's reactions. It seemed to clash with the beliefs she'd always held.
"Ginny, you actually have more choices. It's just that all the kids in our family are in Gryffindor, and that's influenced you."
As Molly Weasley spoke, she realized just how much the family had shaped her daughter's perspective. The fact that every Weasley was in Gryffindor was indeed an issue. Being close to Harry Potter inevitably brought more danger, and they already had Ron in the mix.
"But as your brothers said, no matter what you choose, we'll support you. Would you like Mom to explain the differences between the houses in detail?"
Molly wrapped her arm around Ginny as they walked back to the Burrow.
No one knew exactly what Molly and Ginny discussed, but when Ginny reappeared, her brothers noticed a determined expression on her face. It startled Ron so much that he half-expected she was about to announce she'd chosen Slytherin.
Regulus Black sat in his carriage, carefully reflecting on everything that had happened at the Weasley household. Had he overlooked anything?
During his private conversation with Arthur, Regulus Black had provided a perfectly reasonable explanation.
He had previously mentioned three assets: a small dock, a chocolate factory, and a church. Apart from the church, the other two were currently in the hands of the Malfoy family. The dock, though small, handled a significant amount of cargo daily and was a rare deep-water port. The chocolate factory was a veritable goldmine, profitable in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds.
These two assets had been listed in the initial claims, but Regulus Black knew it would be a challenging matter. Unwanted, burdensome assets were easy to reclaim—nobody wanted them. Profitable assets, however, were tightly gripped by whoever held them, even if they were family.
This wasn't about honor or personal ties. If Regulus Black were willing to pay a hefty sum to buy them back, he was certain Mr. Malfoy would reluctantly agree. But Regulus had no intention of wasting money. Instead, he took the proper route, pursuing the assets through the Ministry of Magic's courts—assets that had been forcibly taken by Death Eater relatives during Voldemort's reign of terror.
Though his own Death Eater status had been cleared, it remained a stain in the courtroom. For the sake of the Black family's interests—and his own—Regulus had to keep fighting this legal battle.
Originally, as a Hogwarts assistant teacher, it would have been easy to approach Draco Malfoy. But because of the ongoing asset dispute, Regulus Black had forgone any attempts to curry favor with the Malfoys. He hadn't even contacted his own sister, Narcissa Malfoy.
Only when there were no conflicts of interest could both sides meet on equal terms. Then, and only then, would it be appropriate to pay a formal visit to the Malfoy family—a very formal visit indeed!
As for the agreement with Arthur, it involved surprise inspections of Malfoy Manor. They would check the estate every hour, focusing on specific areas each time. This relentless harassment was sure to provoke some reaction from the Malfoys.
As Regulus Black had put it:
"Every ancient family has a few dark magic artifacts lying around. If you're looking for an excuse, conduct an investigation within your authority. They'll have no choice but to comply. And honestly, just seeing the annoyed look on Malfoy's face would be worth the effort."
When Regulus Black said this, Arthur Weasley burst out laughing.
So, was sacrificing a night's sleep just to have a bit of fun worth it? Absolutely.
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09