Valentine had never seen so many Dark Wizards in one place before. How was she certain that's what they were? Well, they were here weren't they?

Cygnus Black's funeral, like most funerals, was not a particularly joyous affair. There was no lack of attendees although Valentine didn't know the bulk of them personally. With so many of the Blacks disowned, imprisoned or dead, many who had come were friends of sorts.

All-clad in black, a tear was shed here and there, mostly for show. Valentine briefly wondered where those tears had been while the old man lay, going insane in his bed. She thought that Narcissa might have been the only one to cry genuine tears when they had gotten the news of her father's death from Kreacher four days ago. They were the only two who would honestly grieve.

They were quite in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by dense forest on either side, standing in the burial place of the Black's. The grave monuments were large and decorated with fine carvings and statues. As you walked along, you could tell, not only by the dates but by the age-worn into the stone, that Blacks had been buried here for hundreds of years. The newest occupant and last, being Cygnus Black himself. Narcissa, the only daughter left to inherit anything, was now a Malfoy and she would be buried alongside her husband.

Valentine didn't know when or how she would die or what her life would possibly look like when it happened. But she wouldn't be buried with the other Lestranges or the Malfoys and certainly not the Blacks.

"Val." Draco hissed in her ear. He hadn't left her side all morning since his father had been particularly terse with him lately. "Val, everyone is staring at us."

Valentine stood staring up at the large stone figure at the head of Elladora Black's grave. It was a fair distance from where Cygnus lay beside his wife Druella. Valentine had been named after both women.

"Val." Draco tugged on her arm.

"Stop it." She snapped at him and looked pointedly over at their onlookers who immediately tried to act causal.

"Why were they staring at us?" Asked Draco.

I don't think it was you they were staring at.

"How the hell would I know?" Valentine sighed and looked back up at the stone sculpted figure.

She wondered what someone would think if they stumbled upon this site today.

A just a bunch of strange-looking people wearing all black and standing about a graveyard whispering to one another, nothing to see here.

From what she could tell, they were waiting for a few more people to arrive, then some nice words would be said and a certain few of them would go to twelve Grimmauld Place to skulk around someone more.

"Hello!" Leah bound up to them.

"Leah!" Draco hissed, looking decently mortified. "We're at a funeral, idiot."

"Oops." Leah slapped a hand over her mouth. She glanced over her shoulder at the group of people now staring at her in disapproval.

"Oops, is right." Draco yanked her in closer to them.

"I'm sorry," Leah whined, "I forgot."

"How the hell can you forget?" said Draco, "we're in a graveyard."

"Waste of bloody time." Valentine scoffed under her breath.

"Val." Draco shot her a look.

"What?" she challenged, "Narcissa is the only one who's going to miss him."

"Not the point." He sighed. "And don't say that when my mother's around."

"Look at them." Valentine passed a cold judgemental stare over the attendees. "They don't care about Cygnus Black. They're just here to see what happens next."

"What do you mean?" Asked Leah.

"Well, for starters with this many powerful families all in one place, some kind of drama is bound to happen. And of course, there is the inheritance. All of the Black families properties and their fortune has to go somewhere. Narcissa is the only one in any place to inherit so it will probably just end up being absorbed into the Malfoy fortune."

"Hmm." Leah hummed. "That makes sense. I think."

"Val." Said Draco. "What will happen if there is no will?"

"Nothing significant." She shrugged. "By law, as far as the Ministry is concerned, they're still blood relatives to inherit. It'll go to the closest blood relative and they are free to do with it what they want.

"So, it'll still all go to mother, then?" Asked Draco.

"Obviously."

"This is boring," Leah grumbled.

"Funeral's aren't known for being fun, Leah." Said Draco.

"No, I mean, this conversation."

"The fact that you'll one day be in charge of the entire Lovat estate and all its finances is honestly terrifying."

"I think I'll have sunflowers painted on the ceiling in the main dining room." Leah decided. "That'll look cute, won't it?"

"See? Terrifying."

"You can all stop worrying now." Said Liam as he approached. "I'm here."

"Oh." Leah blinked. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Well, you're as charming as ever." Liam smiled and then stopped. "Sorry, about your grandfather. I was going to write when I first heard but-"

"Save it." Valentine rolled her eyes. "We're not particularly heartbroken."

"Oh." Said Liam. "Well, alright then. I personally hadn't met him myself."

"Not overly pleasant," Draco said carefully.

"He only got worse with age and deterioration." Valentine shrugged.

"Dear God Val, please keep your voice down." Draco glanced over at the crowd of adults.

"He was mean." Added Leah.

"Who was mean?" Josephine Lovat seemed to appear before them out of nowhere.

She was William Lovats younger sister by several years. She had brown, almost black hair pulled back in an intricate bun and dark eyes to match. She was tall like her brother and quite literally towered over them with her stern frown.

"No one." Leah pursed her lips.

Leah had never been particularly fond of her only aunt. Which was totally fine with Josephine Lovat because she wasn't particularly fond of anyone at all. She rarely interacted with her family and lived in seclusion with her and Williams mother, Edna. They were what one would consider the opposite of social, which is why it was a surprise that Josephine was talking to them at all.

"Niece." Josephine appraised her dully.

Leah just stuck her tongue out at her and huddled in closer between Liam and Valentine.

"Just like your mother at her age," Josephine grimaced.

"Good!" Leah huffed.

"You're Gilbert and Diana's boy, aren't you?" She peered down at Liam.

"I am, ma'am." Liam nodded politely.

"Hmm." Josephine hummed and rose her brows in judgment before moving on. "Malfoy. You still clinging to the girls, I see. May as wear a skirt yourself and blend in."

"Is there a reason why you are here conversing with twelve-year-olds instead of with those your own age?" Valentine cut in.

"Valentine Lestrange." Josephine sighed, looking her up and down. "You haven't changed at all."

"It's shocking you have a formulated opinion of me at all considering how much time you spend living under a rock with your mother."

"Val." Draco hissed.

Valentine didn't have to take care with Josephine the same way she took care with other adults in their high-class society. Josephine would take all insults back to her home in the middle of nowhere and stew over it with her mother. Most others would have gone straight to Narcissa and Lucius to complain and demand an apology. But Josephine just made a face with the curl of her upper lip.

"There's so much of your parents in you."

"Really? Perhaps I should start murdering as well then." Valentine raised a finger to her lips in thought. "How would you like to be the first?"

Josephine visibly stiffened under Valentine's gaze. She swallowed and forced her eyes to look elsewhere, radiating the aura of someone in an uncomfortable position.

"All you Lestrange's are madmen." she huffed.

"Madwomen." Valentine corrected, "Now if you please? Get lost."

"I'm only leaving because I'm sick of looking at your stupid faces." Josephine all but stamped her foot as she walked away, trying very much to appear like she was the one taking the high road.

"Argggggg." Leah rubbed at her face. "I hate her."

"She was rather...terse?" Liam frowned. "What's her problem?"

"She doesn't like people." Draco shrugged.

"Yeah, that would do it."

They spoke amongst themselves for a few more minutes before Rose and Narcissa came over to tell them that it was time to gather so people could say their goodbyes.

Valentine and Draco stood with Narcissa and Lucius at the head of the grave. Valentine made no attempt to even try and look interested let alone mournful.

She could hear Narcissa speaking but didn't bother to comprehend any of the words. Instead, she scanned the faces of the crowd. More then she had expected and each one shadier than the last. She thought Leah and Liam looked quite out of place standing amongst them.

Rose spoke as well and Liam's grandfather. Valentine pretended she was elsewhere.

"Val." Draco nudged her. "They're done."

"Finally." Valentine breathed out.

Lucius gave her a hard look but she turned away to find Leah and Liam again.

-----Pretending to Hate-----

Josephine and her mother had left the moment the service was over. They weren't missed.

As strange as it had been to see so many Dark Wizards together in the graveyard, Valentine had certainly never seen so many living souls in twelve Grimmauld Place. The Malfoys, Lovats, Highcourts. Valentine recognised Crabbe, Goyle and Pansys parents and was forever grateful that none of them had dragged their children along. Then there was her. The last Lestrange. The last one free to walk about in society at least.

She sat on the steps with Draco, Leah and Liam, watching the people mill about in the sitting around across the narrow hall. Dobby and Kreacher ambled past every now and then, carrying food and refreshments.

Narcissa as Lucius stepped into the hall.

"Dear, I thought you spoke to the Zambinis?" Lucius leaned in towards his wife to speak quietly. "Surely Samantha and Nathaniel could drag themselves off their beach for an hour? Even Enda Lovat managed."

"You know what they're like." Narcissa sighed. "They like to stay uninvolved. And you know father never liked that about them."

"I don't think he liked anything about anyone, darling."

Valentine and the others exchanged glances.

"They're talking about Blaze's parents, aren't they?" Leah whispered.

"Blaze told me that his parents don't really mingle much unless they have to." Liam shrugged.

"Maybe they're shut-ins like Leah's aunt and grandmother?" Draco suggested.

"I don't think so." Liam frowned. "Blaze hardly ever talks about them but it sounded like they' do their own thing.

"Who cares what Blaze's parents do?" Leah groaned dramatically. "I'm starving."

Valentine stood and stepped around Leah's legs to get down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Asked Draco.

Valentine didn't answer and just kept walking.

"I hate when she does that." Draco sighed.

The three stood and hurried after her as she entered the kitchen.

Haley, Emma and Penny, the maid from the Lovat Manor were inside, either cooking or scrubbing away at dishes.

"Miss!" Emma gasped, almost dropping a plate.

Haley didn't turn to look at them enter. She was faced away, slicing something on a tray, back rigid.

"We're hungry." Said Valentine.

"We'll have something for you right away." Emma nodded to the other girls.

"Penny!" Leah grinned and rushed to her maid's side.

Leah had always adored Penny and Penny had never been anything less than a friend to her. Valentine liked to think that if things had been different for her, then she could have been as close with the staff of Malfoy Manor.

"Hello, Miss Leah," Penny spared her a smile as she cut an apple into even pieces. "I hope you haven't caused any trouble. Today is a serious day."

"I remember." Leah moaned like she'd heard it a million times. "And I've been totally perfect. I'm wearing all black just like Val and look! Look at my sober face!"

"I think you mean, sombre, Miss," Penny corrected her with a chuckled.

Draco rolled his eyes. They'd always been told that the help wasn't someone you should consider a friend. Not that that would stop Leah who seemed to find friends everywhere she went.

Valentine watched Emma prepare an assortment of sandwiches and other finger foods that had been circulating in the sitting room. It was clear the girl was doing her very best to focus and not screw up under her gaze. Luckily for Emma, Valentine was fairly certain that she wouldn't get away with causing a scene on a day like this.

"Liam!" Leah had pulled Penny away from the bench, "Meet Penny."

"Uh, hello." Liam smiled unsurely.

"Very nice to meet you, Mr Highcourt." Penny bowed her head hurriedly. "Now, Leah I really have to get back to work."

"But-"

"Leah!" Valentine snapped and like clockwork both Haley and Emma dropped what was in their hands, Haley's knife cluttering to the floor. "She has a job to do."

Leah pouted and nodded. Penny patted her head and handed her a sandwich before getting back to her station.

"Here-" Emma was cut off as Valentine all but ripped the tray from her hands.

"Penny is right." She said. "Today's a serious day. We can't afford for you to be so clumsy."

"Yes, Miss." Emma swallowed even though it was her that Valentine was looking at.

Valentine shoved the tray into Liam's hands and led them briskly out of the kitchen.

They went back to their place on the steps, immediately snatching whatever they wanted off the tray. Valentine just sat back, elbows on her knees, chin in her hands. She watched Narcissa in the sitting room, bordered by her husband, Rose and William as guests gave her their condolences.

It's not like an obligatory 'I'm sorry for your loss', is going to make a world of difference. 'I'm sorry?', no one in this room had anything to do with the old man's death. Adults do stupid things just to seem polite.

"Val." Leah tapped her knee.

"What?"

"Lookie."

Leah had taken a ham and avocado sandwich and wedged both a quiche and miniature mince pie between the small slices.

Oh, gross Leah.

Draco made a retching sound the back of his throat.

"Leah," Liam grabbed her wrist, "do not eat that."

"But why?" Leah blinked.

"Because it's revolting." Draco scowled.

"And funerals are boring," Said Valentine, "I hate to have to go to another in three days."

"It won't kill me!" Leah grumbled.

"I won't do you any good either." Said Liam.

"How would you know?"

"I just know."

"How would you just know?"

"Give up, Liam." Draco sighed. "If this is how she goes, this is how she goes."

"Really." Leah huffed. "You guys always act like I'm the dramatic one."

You are.

They watched her down it in one foul bite and chew like it was quite satisfactory.

"Blaze was right." Liam paled. "You are an alien."

"I am NOT!"

"Leah, shush!" Draco hissed, slapping her arm.

Lucius was looking right at them from inside the sitting room. And he did not look happy.

"Oh, now you've done it." Draco scowled.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Be quiet." Liam clapped a hand over her mouth.

Back in the sitting room, Lucius was promptly dobbing Leah into her parents.

"Oh." Said Leah, finally seeing what they meant.

"He's going to be in a mood all day now." Said Draco.

"Oh, please." Valentine scoffed. "He was born like that."

"Not helping."

They watched Lucius step towards them and Rose grab his arm to whisper something in his ear. It seemed like he wanted to argue back but couldn't in their current surroundings.

Rose left him there to stew and hurried towards them herself.

"Hi, mama." Leah grinned weakly.

"I told you to behave yourself, young lady."

"But I have been! They were picking on me again!"

"Leah," Rose said tersely. "You need to keep your voice down. And that goes for all of you. I know you're probably bored out of your minds but this is a serious occasion."

"I know," Leah grumbled.

"Why don't you kids head upstairs?" Rose sighed. "Just don't touch anything that looks old."

"We can't touch the floor?" Asked Valentine.

"Yes, thank you, Miss Valentine." Rose pursed her lips, trying not to smile. "Go on. Go on then."

-----Pretending to Hate-----

Liam hadn't planned on staying but Leah just couldn't have that. She had gotten used to a larger group of friends than just herself Valentine and Draco. So, Liam, quite quickly, decided to go back to Malfoy Manor with them for a few hours at least. Anything to get Leah to stop sulking and giving him puppy dog eyes.

Sucker.

Valentine wasn't sure how she felt about having Liam in the manor with them. It felt like two worlds were colliding although all they were doing was playing cards. Draco, Leah and Liam were at least. She, as perusal, had her face in a book.

"Wow, Draco." Said Liam. "You really suck at this today."

"Oh, shove it Highcourt."

"Why couldn't we play Hide and Seek?" Leah pouted.

"Because we're not seven?" Liam arched a brow at her.

"And you know what would happen." Draco scoffed. "Val will either find all of us within the first two minutes or she'll hide and we won't find her until we quit."

"She really that good?" Asked Liam.

"Yes!" Leah grinned. "Val's the best at Hide and Seek."

"Well, she's damn near impossible to find anyway." Draco leaned back to study his cards.

"No, I'm not." Valentine didn't look up from her book but did allow herself a small, self-satisfied smile. "You simply don't look hard enough."

"Val's super sneaky," Leah whispered to Liam in a manner that was the opposite of covert. "We can walk right past her heaps of time but we don't even hear her breathe!"

"Leah." Liam leaned in closer to her.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you trying to whisper if you're just going to scream in my ear?"

Draco laughed so hard at that he dropped his hand and Leah as left sulking again. Liam wasn't usually so blunt with her. That was Blaze's job, but it seemed that teasing Leah was a team sport.

After that Leah refused to play and ended up face planting into Valentine's lap in despair. She grumbled and insulted them with muffled words that no one was really listening to anyway.

Valentine figured she'd let her stay there for now. Leah would only whine more if she removed her. The boys continued the game without her and several minutes passed. Then Valentine felt a strange vibration on her thigh and realised that Leah had fallen asleep there and was snoring.

"She told me that her mother made her get up early this morning," Draco said when he noticed. "She gave her a six o'clock lesson in etiquette. Can't say it worked."

"Only Leah could get away with manners like hers." Liam sighed. "My grandfather would skin me alive and put me on his study floor."

"You might make a great rug." Said Draco.

"Yeah, and you'd make a perfect lampshade."

"I think I'm more of a chaise lounge."

"Could you get more