Chapter 16

Draco knocked, and soon a dark-haired middle-aged man with a friendly face opened the door.

When the man recognized Draco, his face wasn't as friendly anymore.

„Hello, I am Draco, your nephew. I'm sorry, I didn't visit and introduce myself sooner."

Draco smiled and stretched out his hand.

Ted Tonks eyed him suspiciously, but he accepted the handshake.

„What do you want?"

Ted asked a little rudely.

Draco could overlook his attitude, since Ted probably has not had even one good experience with the family of his wife.

„I want to discuss something with my aunt. And with you, too. Can you invite me in?"

Draco remained polite.

„Honey. Your nephew is here."

Ted called through the whole house.

„What?! Who?!"

It echoed back, soon followed by approaching footsteps.

Andromeda Tonks nee Black was a very good-looking witch.

She reminded Draco of a dark-haired version of his mother, a version in muggle clothes.

„Hello Aunt. It's nice to see you. I hope I'm not visiting at a bad time."

Draco greeted her with his best smile.

„Hello Draco. When I received the notice from Gringotts about the vaults, I already wondered when you would come visiting. Come in."

Andromeda led him to a small dining room, that adjoined an open kitchen.

Something delicious was cooking on the oven, at least it smelled as if it was very delicious.

Pasta Bolognese, if his nose wasn't misleading him.

Andromeda and Draco took a seat at the dining table, and Ted went into the kitchen, stirring the sauce.

Draco remained silent for a second to give Andromeda the chance to offer him a beverage, but when he realized she wasn't inclined, he just started.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

„How are you?"

Of course, Draco started with small-talk like a proper gentlewizard.

„Cut the phrases, and tell me what you want. Why did you open stipend vaults for Nymphadora and me?"

Andromeda wanted to cut to the chase right away.

„I opened the vaults for you, because you are part of my Black Family. It's as simple as that."

„But I was expelled from the family and erased from the family tree. Why would you want to take a ‚mudblood harlot and her mudblood spawn' back into the noble Black Family?"

Andromeda asked with a special undertone.

Draco looked at her and expressed slight confusion with his facial expression, not knowing why she was emphasizing it like this.

„That was what you said to Nymphadora, when she approached you in your first Hogwarts year."

Andromeda sneered.

Draco was silent for a second, then he shook his head, showing a little exasperation.

„What else can you expect from an eleven-year-old, except to parrot what he had heard from his parents? Especially you should understand that... Or were you already this open-minded when you first came to Hogwarts?"

Draco's words seemed to have hit home, and Andromeda's expression softened a little.

„Okay... Still, we neither need nor want your money."

Andromeda was a proud and stubborn woman, it ran in the family.

Draco raised one eyebrow to communicate his doubt.

„We get by perfectly fine. Thank you."

Andromeda said brusquely, a little offended.

„Every wizard, who is even a little competent, easily gets by, Galleons aren't needed for mundane things. I shouldn't have to tell you this. I heard Nymphadora is training to become an auror. Potions to excel and recover regularly are very expensive, as are protective artifacts and such things. And what about your personal care? Now you are still beautiful and don't look a day older than thirty, but that won't last long if you can't afford the best creams and potions. Just take the money, you don't have to have any scruples, every member of the Black Family gets the same. And it's not attached to any conditions, even if you decline my request, the stipends won't change."

Draco brought out the big guns to convince her.

„Aha! I knew you wanted something..."

Andromeda remarked triumphantly, letting the money issue rest for now.

„Yes, I heard you and your husband consult and represent people concerning issues with the ministry and magical law, similar to muggle lawyers... Is that correct?"

Draco had heard the both of them were competent, but they didn't get a lot of business, because of the low population of wizards and witches in Wizarding Britain.

And because their clients were mostly first-generation-wizards and halfbloods, their income wasn't very high.

„Yes... So?"

Andromeda was surprised and impressed that Draco knew what a lawyer was, but she didn't comment on it.

„Did you hear about my plan to sell mirrors that work like a T.V. and a telephone combined?"

Draco didn't have to worry with Aunt Andromeda, that she didn't know what a T.V. was, he had seen one in the Tonkses' cozy living room when he had passed by.

When Draco saw Andromeda nodding affirmatively, he continued, „I want Ted to be the head of the business."

„What? Me?"

Ted asked surprised from his place in the kitchen, showing that he had followed their conversation attentively.

„Why?"

Andromeda was more suspicious than surprised.

„Because as a first-generation-wizard he is already somewhat familiar with the product, and he can better fathom its significance. Additionally, I want someone I can trust."

„First-generation-wizard, huh? How would you know if you can trust me?"

Ted inquired.

Draco looked him right into the eyes, „Because you are family."

Draco said with absolute conviction.

Draco had long learned, that if you met someone who was innately true-hearted and reliable, most of the time, it was already enough to just believe in them, and they won't disappoint you.

Ted didn't expect such a straightforward answer from his pureblooded nephew.

Draco had surprised him again, and Ted was actually a little moved by what Draco said, and he started to actually contemplate his offer.