"The last of the direct male line was blasted from this family tree over ten years ago, and now he rots in Azkaban prison because  some  within this family..." she narrowed her gray gaze to a point over Hermione’s shoulder, "Some chose to forget that in order for our family magic to live on, we would need living  heirs. And that is why we ask you to partake in this ceremony, Hermione. Hogwarts doesn’t lie. Even if we learn today you only hail from an outlying branch of our tree, you  will be  included within our family. And, if you are willing, I will ask you to help us, help  me to shoulder the burden of carrying our magic forward."