Chapter 313:Hope Mikaelson
Fortunately, with the help of magic, even though Phineas had never cooked before, he was still able to prepare food that was edible.
It wasn't particularly delicious—after all, the best meals are made with emotion, not just magical convenience. Compared to food made with care and skill, meals prepared through kitchen magic often felt like they came off an assembly line.
Leah understood that this was Phineas's first time cooking, so she didn't fuss over the taste. After dinner, she played with Phineas for a while and then got ready for bed.
By the way, her Bowtruckle was named Vanilla—partly because she loved vanilla ice cream, and partly because Phineas's pet, the Linqing lion cat he kept at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, was named Chocolate.
Phineas and Leah spent two uneventful days at Nicolas's manor. On the morning of the third day, Puff appeared in front of Phineas.
Leah immediately realized he had business to handle and excused herself, heading to the alchemical warehouse to find something interesting to play with.
She had developed a habit of combing through Nicolas's oddities when bored. On the first day, for instance, she discovered a sun hat that changed color depending on sunlight and temperature.
Once Leah had left, Phineas turned to Puff.
"What did you find out?"
Puff bowed.
"Puff followed Master's order. Puff found the witch named Hope, took a hair from her, and sent it—along with a sample from Master Sirius—to the magical diagnostics department at St. Mungo's Hospital. Puff also sent part of the sample to a Muggle hospital for a DNA test."
Phineas nodded.
"And the results?"
Puff handed over two documents and continued,
"St. Mungo's confirmed that Hope carries the magical blood of the Black family. The Muggle hospital concluded with high probability that Hope and Master Sirius are biologically related—likely father and daughter."
Phineas nodded again. The magical world conducted familial verification using magical signatures and bloodline resonance rather than genetics. It was effective for confirming relations, though usually used in cases of mistaken or lost identities rather than missing persons. That was one reason he'd had both tests done—to be absolutely certain.
Hope Mikaelson was indeed Sirius Black's daughter.
"I guess I've got something to do today," Phineas murmured with a sigh. He turned to Puff.
"Prepare some gifts for the girls."
"Puff understands." Puff bowed and vanished.
Phineas found Leah with a smile he couldn't hide. Sirius's daughter was his niece—two years older than him, true—but still family. Even the coldest heart softens a little in the presence of kin.
Seeing Phineas's smiling face, Leah also smiled, and asked in her unique soft and cute voice with a hint of coldness (think of the voice of the little zombie Qiqi)
"You've confirmed it?"
Phineas nodded, his grin widening.
"Yes. Hope is Sirius's daughter. I don't know exactly what happened back then, but I've finally found her."
"So what will you do now?" Leah asked after a pause.
Phineas fell silent. He had originally planned to find Hope, explain everything, and bring her back to England. But what would Hope think? She was in sixth year at Beauxbatons in France, set to graduate next summer. It was unrealistic to expect her to return now.
And more importantly, she might already know—or she might be furious. Imagine discovering your real father is a man who unknowingly abandoned you and your mother for two decades. Whether or not Sirius was aware, he'd still left Hayley alone, pregnant and unsupported.
Phineas sighed. Sirius had been reckless—possibly even a scoundrel.
Hope wasn't a child. She was nearly an adult, about to step into the magical world with all its darkness and politics. She'd need to make her own decisions.
Leah sensed Phineas's headache and gently massaged his temples.
"You're overthinking again," she said softly. "Maybe Hayley already told her before she died. Or maybe Hope's always known. Just tell her the truth. Let her choose what comes next."
Phineas gently grasped Leah's hand to stop her.
"You're right," he said firmly. "But one thing's non-negotiable. After she graduates, she must return to England. France belongs to the Lestrange family. It's not safe for a Black heir here."
Leah only nodded, but deep down, she doubted it would be so simple. Hope had grown up in France. Asking her to leave it all behind wouldn't be easy.
At noon, Phineas had Puff gather the prepared gifts and take him to Hope's home. Leah didn't accompany him. She knew this was something he needed to do alone and there might be private Black family matters to discuss. Until she officially married Phineas, she wouldn't know the full history of the House of Black.
Hope lived in a town near Nicolas's manor—more modern than magical, with no visible wizarding presence except for one faint trace of magic. That had to be her house.
Phineas walked to the small, two-story building. It wasn't large, but it was well-kept. A terrace in front connected to a second-floor balcony with a fenced railing, and two wide windows flanked the front door.
He knocked, and a clear, melodious voice called out,
"Coming!"
Moments later, the door opened. The girl had dark brown hair—likely from her mother's side—and striking black eyes. Her nose was more defined than Sirius's. She looked much like Hayley, whose pictures Phineas had seen. The resemblance was unmistakable.
"Hello? Who are you looking for?" she asked, puzzled but polite.
Phineas realized he was staring and quickly composed himself.
"Uh, hi. I'm looking for Hope Mikaelson."
The girl blinked.
"I'm Hope. And you are?"
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Phineas smiled.
Hope hesitated, noting he looked younger than her. Still, she stepped aside to let him in without directly inviting him—a cautious move, more common in America, where vampires existed in greater numbers.
Phineas noticed her caution but said nothing as he stepped inside.
"Please, have a seat. Would you like anything to drink?" Hope asked.
"Just water is fine," Phineas replied with a smile.
While she stepped into the kitchen, Phineas took in his surroundings. The home was modest and warmly decorated. A three-piece sofa sat before a television set, and the open layout allowed sunlight to brighten the entire first floor. A staircase in the back led to the second story.
Hope returned with a glass of water and sat down.
"So… who are you? What brings you here?"
Phineas noticed something unusual about the tea she offered. The herbs inside weren't typical—they were verbena, also known as vervain, often used to repel vampires.
Interesting. This girl was cautious.
He sipped the tea nonetheless and replied,
"My name is Phineas Black. I'm connected to your mother, Hayley Jones and to you."
Hope blinked. Her mother had never mentioned a young man named Phineas.
"I know you're in sixth year at Beauxbatons," he continued. "Did you know your mother was a witch?"
Hope shook her head.
"No. She never used magic around me. I never saw her wand. When I got my Beauxbatons letter, she didn't say anything, and my professors don't seem to know who she was."
"That makes sense. Your mother attended Hogwarts in England. She dropped out in her fifth year and moved to France. That's probably why she never told you."
Hope furrowed her brow.
"So why are you here, Mr. Black?"
Phineas took a deep breath.
"This may be difficult to hear. But… you're not your father's biological daughter. Did you know that?"
Hope was quiet for a long moment, then said,
"Yes. I've known. But what does that have to do with you?"
"I have an older brother—Sirius Black. He and your mother were classmates and… more than that."
Hope narrowed her eyes.
"You're not saying… he's my biological father?"
"I know it's a lot," Phineas admitted. "I don't know what happened between them, but I'm certain Sirius didn't know you existed. He was wrongly imprisoned in Azkaban for over ten years and only recently freed."
He paused.
"Well, of course, since I came to you, I have evidence."
With a snap of his fingers, Puff appeared behind him—startling Hope, who now stared at both of them in utter disbelief.