Phineas was not only Walburga's husband Orion's great-grandfather but also Walburga's own great-grandfather, as the couple were cousins.
The Black family placed immense importance on blood purity. Squibs, blood traitors, and those who married Muggles were all struck off the family tree. As a result, the only names now remaining on the Black family tree were descendants of Phineas.
When Walburga was born, Phineas had even held her in his arms.
Shortly after, Phineas passed away. In the early years after his death, he was fond of wandering through portraits and conversing with his family. Walburga and her husband grew up under his watchful gaze.
However, Phineas was far from an easygoing person. There was a reason he was considered one of the most unpopular Headmasters in Hogwarts' history.
That period wasn't a fond memory for Walburga.
Nonetheless, a deep reverence for her great-grandfather had been ingrained in her heart.
As time passed, the divide between the living and the dead became increasingly apparent. Eventually, Phineas spent most of his time in his portrait at Hogwarts and rarely returned to the Black ancestral home.
After Regulus' death, Walburga descended into madness and died heartbroken and in despair, leaving the Black ancestral home effectively abandoned.
Unable to bear the oppressive silence, Phineas stopped returning entirely.
In the portrait, Walburga looked at Phineas and repeated, "What are you doing here?"
Phineas sighed and said, "Walburga, if you would stop venting your resentment for even one minute and listen quietly, you would know—Regulus has returned."
"W-What?" Walburga froze, her lips trembled. But then she suddenly exploded in rage, shouting, "You're lying to me! How dare you lie to me about Regulus! My child has been dead for years!"
The old woman screamed and lunged at Phineas, clawing at him with her long, sharp nails.
"It's true," Phineas said.
Though he was just a portrait, the weight of his gaze was suffocating as he looked at his great-granddaughter.
Her yellowed, claw-like nails paused inches from Phineas' eyes.
"...Truly?" Walburga asked softly, her expression was a mix of terror and hope. Her eyes darted as she studied Phineas' face, as if trying to find proof of his words.
The expression was unsettling, but Phineas replied patiently, "It's true. Regulus is in his room. Why don't you see for yourself?"
Walburga stood frozen for a moment, then suddenly gathered her skirts and dashed out of the portrait.
In Regulus' room, directly opposite the door, hung a small portrait of Walburga.
Perhaps she had hoped to witness her son's return with her own eyes, though deep down she knew it was impossible. For most of the time, the portrait remained blank.
Faint sounds of sorrowful weeping seemed to drift from upstairs, or perhaps it was merely the wind passing through the narrow windows.
Phineas steadied himself against the frame of his portrait, and surveyed his surroundings.
The other portraits, which were usually either asleep or rudely awakened by Walburga's shouting, now appeared dignified under Phineas' gaze. For the first time in a long while, they exhibited a trace of the nobility befitting the Blacks.
In one portrait, a wizard inclined his head slightly and said, "Father."
Phineas replied, "It is heartbreaking to watch one's lineage wither away like fallen leaves, leaving no successors. But Sirius…"
He paused, suddenly remembering that his own eldest son was also named Sirius Black. To avoid confusion, he emphasized:
"The current Sirius… although he is reckless, impulsive, overconfident, overly emotional, too sentimental, and lacks adaptability…"
Phineas rattled off a litany of complaints, his voice was filled with disapproval. The younger Sirius, who had been listening with a gloomy expression, now had veins bulging on his forehead. Finally, Phineas shifted his tone:
"But he is brave… clever… and has the potential to restore the Black family's honor."
Phineas had to think for a long moment before reluctantly settling on the word clever. The strained way he said it made Sirius clench his fists tightly.
The portraits in the hall all turned their attention to this descendant, who had caused them so much frustration in the past.
By the Black family's traditional standards, Sirius was unquestionably a failure.
He rejected the ideology of blood purity, felt no pride in being pureblood, befriended werewolves, Mudbloods, and Muggles, and had even defected from the family at one point.
But now, he was the only Black left.
Although the Black bloodline still ran through many other pureblood families, none of them were truly Blacks.
The gazes of the many portraits turned toward Sirius, filled with expectation.
Phineas, not giving Sirius a chance to speak, declared firmly:
"Since he is the only living Black, his decisions are the family's decisions. His path is the path of the Blacks."
"You must support him, protect him. If Walburga loses her mind again, stop her instead of joining in her madness! Understood?"
The numerous portraits nodded in silence.
"Good."
Phineas nodded in satisfaction.
He was about to leave but paused when he saw Sirius and Wade standing beside him.
Sirius assumed that his great-great-grandfather had some final instructions or words of encouragement, so he asked, "Anything else?"
Though he felt a sense of gratitude, his long-standing habits made his tone sound confrontational.
Phineas ignored him and turned to Wade and asked, "Last time, I forgot to ask... child, which family do you belong to?"
Wade replied succinctly, "Neither of my parents are magical."
He was aware that his grandparents' generation had some connection to the magical world, but regardless of which family it might be, Wade had no intention of claiming kinship. His only family consisted of his parents.
Phineas murmured, "What a pity…"
He exited Walburga's portrait, presumably returning to Hogwarts.
The portraits in the hall said nothing more. One by one, they fell asleep, leaving only Sirius' father, Orion Black, still awake.
Orion looked at his eldest son, who had once disappointed him greatly, and asked, "Sirius, are you married now?"
"No!" Sirius snapped irritably. "I just got out of Azkaban. Who would I marry? A Dementor?"
Orion remained unruffled and continued, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No!"
Orion glanced at Harry, then turned his gaze back to his son, his expression was a mix of disappointment and disdain. "James' son is already in school, and yet you don't even have a girlfriend? Weren't you two good friends?"
Sirius nearly jumped out of his seat, shouting, "What does that have to do with anything?"
Orion said a low and somber voice, "Sirius, marry soon... continue the Black bloodline…"
He closed his eyes and said no more.
Sirius' expression shifted from indignation to sadness. He sank back into his chair with his head bowed.
Lupin silently drew the velvet curtain shut.
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