Fading Into Grey
Chapter 8 “ June 1972
Sirius was brooding by the time the train approached Kings Cross Station. He wasn’t sure as to why, except that he really wasn’t ready to say goodbye to his friends for the long summer holiday.
He felt an overwhelming urge to tell James he’d miss him but the thought of being brandished an “emotional girl” for all eternity kept him from doing so. Instead he leaned over, startled a daydreaming James with a flick of fingers in his face, and then cuffed him about the back of the head twice.
“Two for flinching.”
“Wanker,” James mumbled before giving Sirius a backhanded smack to the thigh.
Content with that, and massaging his stinging leg, Sirius fell back into his reverie. He was wishing it was not summer, which confused him because what kid didn’t look forward to summer holiday? What made him feel ashamed was that he wanted nothing less than to return to Grimmauld Place. But he shouldn’t feel that way, he told himself over and over. At Number Twelve were Regulus and his Mother and Father, and together they were one of the oldest and most noble families in the Wizarding World. He should be proud of that and the fact that he couldn’t figure out what was bothering him made him feel even more ashamed of it.
Sirius’s marks had been high, sharing top honors with James, so that had pleased his parents, so much so that he wasn’t even really worried about punishment for all the detentions he’d served; it wasn’t that at all. His mother’s last letter was one of well wishing and longing for his return. She had said she was excited that the whole family would once again be together. But something still bothered him.
Ever since around February during one particularly dreadful Defense Against the Dark Arts class did he begin to question something about himself. Sirius was starting to realize he belonged to a long line of Dark Wizards.
Now he knew about magic since he was a wee one in nappies. His family emitted magical ability, it oozed from their pores, it wasn’t even second nature…it was just who they were. Sirius had often wondered why he had to actually go to school to be taught magic when it all came so easily to him. Being a part of such a long line of pureblood witches and wizards had only strengthened the power of the Black Family’s magic.
But it was the magic in which they practiced that Sirius began to notice. It was what he had grown up with, but now that he’d taken a year of Defense, he started to realize that perhaps all magical families didn’t function in the same manner. Now he’d come to see how some of the magic he’d grown accustomed to, so dark and disturbing, required an actual class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn to protect and defend yourself against properly.
It was rather unnerving.
Sirius didn’t know what to think of that and he was having a difficult time processing what it all meant. But it was his family. What was one supposed to make of that?
One thing he did know is he didn’t want to be a Dark Wizard. First of all, James loathed Dark Magic. It had been the whole reason James hated Sirius that first day of school. And now James had become his absolute best mate, and Sirius didn’t want to lose that. For some reason he and James just completely clicked. They thought the same way, they were both rather clever, it was almost as if James could finish Sirius’s thoughts and sentences. They were so much alike and spent so much time together that a few of the upper classman had dubbed them the Dark Haired Duo, mistaking the one for the other at times. They were like…well, like brothers.
“Hey Pete, chuck me one of those choccy frogs,” James said.
The atmosphere in their compartment was rather subdued compared to their normal camaraderie. Sirius knew James wasn’t looking forward to going home all that much either. They had had their customary late night chat the night before where James had confided that he was going to be bored without the other boys around all summer. James was an only child, and even though Sirius had come to find James was rather spoiled and got nearly anything and everything he’d ever wanted, he could see how going home to no one could be daunting. At least Sirius had Regulus and even though Regulus could be an annoying little git, they got on well and managed to keep a good front against Kreacher and their mother most times.
Sirius smiled to himself thinking of Regulus. He did miss the little toe rag. That, in turn, made him feel sorry for James for not having anyone at all to go home to. Which made him feel guilty for dreading going home. Number Twelve wasn’t all that bad. Why should this summer be any different than the eleven years he’d spent previously in that house? It was where he’d grown up. It was home.
No more thinking. It’s doing your head in.
The whistle blew and the train finally came to a rattling halt. The boys clumsily piled out of the compartment, pulling their trunks behind them.
“Hey Sirius,” James nudged him as they waited in the hallway of the train. “Was that true, what Bellatrix said?”
A few hours into the journey, Sirius’s cousin Bellatrix and her 5th year Slytherin friends had met up with he and James in the hallway on their way back from the loo. Bella had once again, like she had so many times before, teased Sirius about his impeding betrothal to her sister, Sirius’s other cousin, Narcissa.
“Will you really have to marry her?” James asked again, pulling a face.
“Nah,” Sirius shrugged. “She’s just taking the mickey.”
“If you say so,” James didn’t look convinced.
“C’mon, you know Bella. She loves to torment me,” Sirius answered, wishing he felt as confident as he’d managed to sound.
The boys shuffled their way through the que and nearly the moment they stepped off the train there came a loud shriek somewhere up the platform. Out bounded a short, and small, although plump woman. She was older, her black hair speckled with gray swept up into a messy bun at the back of her head. She wore glasses and a Muggle dress patterned with large, multi colored cabbage roses. Along side her strode what must have been her husband, tall and slender with a bit of a potbelly. He also had dark hair, although slicked to the side using sleek easy, and he was graying at the temples. He to wore glasses and Muggle clothing, brown trousers and an argyle sweater vest. They were coming at the boys, arms outstretched, wide smiles, and elated eyes.
Sirius had the fleeting feeling he was a small animal trapped in a hunter’s target.
The woman engulfed James in such an embrace that he was in danger of losing his head in her full bosom.
“James! Oh James just look at you!” The woman pulled James out of the hug by the arms and surveyed him.
“Looking good, young man! Looking good,” the man said, patting James on the shoulder affectionately.
Sirius watched, wide-eyed as the woman continued her ministrations, straightening James’s collar, patting down his disheveled hair, even wiping a smudge of what seemed to be chocolate off his cheek.
“Muuum…” James groaned.
“Are these your mates, son?” The man asked looking around at the other three.
“Yea,” James answered. “This is Sirius, and that’s Peter and over there that’s Remus.”
“Hullo boys, hullo!” James’s mother greeted them. “I do hope you can all come visit us over the holiday.”
“Psst!”
Sirius turned his attention from all the commotion to find Narcissa tugging at his sleeve and motioning her head towards a tall, dark wizard Sirius hadn’t expected to see. It was his father, Orion Black. He stood board straight, clothed in black tailored trousers and his usual embroidered waistcoat. He was clasping shut a watch and tucking it inside the waistcoat pocket lazily surveying the platform. Father and son’s eyes met and within moments a hint of a smile crossed Orion Black’s face. Sirius gave a small smiled back and most of his apprehension of the impending summer at Grimmauld Place washed away.
*~*~*~*
Father and son apparated into the front hall of Number Twelve. The house was dark but for the fire from the serpent shaped candelabras and chandelier casting an eerie glow over the many portraits that lined the walls. Some of the faces bid him a welcome back others simply nodded. Orion Black started towards the drawing room, but turned and addressed his son before entering through the doorway.
“You’re mother is resting. I don’t want her disturbed.”
“Yes Sir.”
Sirius, as quietly as possible, started to drag his trunk towards the staircase.
“Boy?”
Sirius turned back around looking up at his father.
“Yes, Sir?”
Orion Black crossed his arms and looked disapprovingly down at his son.
“I sent you away to school to learn, boy. Did you not learn a thing?”
“Of course, Sir,” Sirius answered, quite confused. His marks had been high, of course he’d learned loads.
“Then take out your wand and use it,” his father commanded.
“But Father, the decree for Underage Wizardry…?”
“Sirius, you are a Black…Toujour Pur. One of the oldest and purest families left. You are magic, it is who you are. It is up to parents to enforce that idiotic Ministry law and I make the rules here. In this house I say you will practice magic, underage or not.”
Sirius had a sudden burst of appreciation for his father and not to mention a glorious, fleeting vision of hexing Bellatrix into oblivion throughout the summer.
“Yes, Sir,” he smiled and his father smiled back.
Moments like this were few and far between with Orion Black. Sirius relished in the feeling. Feeling particularly lucky, he pressed on with something that had been on and off his mind since Yule.
“Father, may I ask you something?”
“I don’t see why not,” Mr. Black turned back around to face his son squarely.
“Well…cousin Bella’s been telling me that I’m to marry Cissy, and well…I don’t want...”
“Has another pureblood lass already caught your fancy?” His father winked at him.
“No, Sir!” Sirius answered, horrified.
“There are very distinct lines and only certain sorts are worthy of the Black name. You understand that, boy?”
“Of course, it’s just that…”
“Sirius, there will be a time and place for this discussion and for now it is neither.”
“But, I just want to know if…”
“Boy, I’ve given you my word on this. That is all.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Sirius took out his wand and pointed at his trunk.
“Locomotor Trunk!”
*~*~*~*
“Shut up, Bella!” Narcissa yelled.
Girls.
Sirius sighed. He was missing his mates and the Boy’s Club immensely. It was only two weeks into the summer holiday and their three female cousins had bombarded him and Regulus for nearly a week now and it was doing his head in.
“You don’t even know what you’re talking about!” Narcissa added.
“I know plenty. I told you I overheard father and Uncle Orion talking, Cissy.”
“Father wouldn’t let me marry him!” Narcissa threw a disgusted glance at Sirius. “He’s just a child!”
“Oi! You’re only a year older than me you realize?” Sirius objected.
“Yes, Father would,” Bellatrix said silkily, ignoring Sirius’s interruption. “Our most important task is keeping our bloodline pure. And, Sirius, although a mangy toe rag, is heir to the House of Black.”
“I’m not marrying him, heir or not,” Narcissa pouted.
“What makes you think I’d want to marry you?” Sirius stood up, put his hands on his hips and inquired indignantly.
Narcissa merely crossed her arms in front of her chest and rolled her eyes at him.
“Just think of what your babies will look like. Fair like you or dark like Sirius? I hope you have dozens of stupid, little, pale-faced black haired heirs!” Bellatrix cackled.
“Bella, you nasty, wicked little bitch!” Narcissa screamed at her sister.
“I think it’s funny,” Bellatrix snickered.
“It’s not funny,” Sirius yelled at her.
“Either way I’m sure they’ll be beastly little sprogs.”
Bellatrix cackled wildly at her own wit, Sirius growled at her, and Narcissa fraught with frustration, let out a high-pitched scream.
“Would you all just shut up?” Andromeda shouted from the corner.
As Andromeda had been quiet most of the evening, and in a particularly foul mood all day, all involved abruptly stopped arguing. Bellatrix made it quite clear she was still amused, Narcissa stomped over to the opposite corner her oldest sister to pout, and Sirius strode over to where Regulus was quietly playing on the floor with a box of exploding snap cards and sat down opposite him.
Regulus glanced up at Sirius through his dark fringe without lifting his head.
“When do they leave?” he whispered.
“Not soon enough,” Sirius grumbled.
He watched while Regulus built a particularly high and crooked house out of the cards. Every now and then adding one to the towering creation himself. He even sneaked in a small sticking charm without, he hoped, Regulus noticing. Sirius chanced a glance over at Andromeda and saw his cousin sitting stock still in her chair, her knees up to her chest, biting on a fingernail and staring out the window.
“What do you suppose is wrong with Ana?” he quietly asked his brother.
“I dunno,” Regulus shrugged, looking over in her direction.
Narcissa was still pouting in the other corner when Bellatrix let out a dramatic sigh.
“I’m bored,” she groaned.
She took out her wand and pointed it at the green velvet pillows adorning the sofa and directed one to crash into the card house causing the entire deck to explode between them.
“Bella!” Regulus cried.
“That was uncalled for!” Sirius leapt to his feet, striding towards Bella.
Bellatrix laughed and Narcissa started giggling, apparently forgetting her own troubles and Sirius was nearly to Bellatrix when Andromeda stood up and strode in between them.
“You’re all acting like children!” she pushed Sirius aside and glared at Bellatrix before stalking out of the room.
*~*~*~*
He should have realized it wasn’t a good idea when it was Bellatrix who had suggested the game. And now here it was, three hours later and he still couldn’t find Regulus. Reluctant as he was to disturb Andromeda due to her foul mood, he was desperate for her help, so he knocked quietly on the door to the guest bedroom she had holed herself up in.
“Ana?”
No sound from behind the door. He knocked again.
“Ana, it’s Sirius. May I come in?”
A few moments passed and still he heard nothing, he was sure she was in there. She had been moody her entire visit and Sirius was beginning to wonder what her problem was. For now it didn’t matter, he needed to find Regulus before dinner and he needed Andromeda’s help, for Bella and Cissy were useless.
“Andromeda, c’mon.”
“Go away,” came a broken voice.
“Ana, please. I need you to help me,” Sirius answered.
“No, go away,” she answered, a bit more force behind her voice this time.
Sirius was losing what little patience he had.
“Ana, open the door or I’ll bribe one of the portraits to slip in there and annoy you.”
No answer…
“Uncle Lycoris sings a merry rendition of A Wizard’s Wand…”
Again, no answer…
“He’s got about a hundred and five verses. It could last for hours, it gets more rude as he goes on…”
Silence.
“C’mon!” Sirius shouted, banging on the door. “Let me in!”
“Leave. Me. Alone!” she screamed.
Sirius leapt back from the door, stared at it a moment, swore then kicked it.
“Fine!” he shouted. “Sit up here all alone and moan if you want, I’ve got things to do!”
And he turned and stalked off wondering what had gotten into his favorite cousin. But it didn’t matter, he had more pressing problems, he had to find Regulus before dinner or he’d have to answer to his parents. Things had been going very good so far with them, both his Mother and Father were in splendid moods since he’d gotten home from Hogwarts.
One particular evening his father had even allowed him to sit up late with him in his study and given him his own small goblet of port. They sat up discussing Sirius’s favorite spells and his natural abilities. Sirius couldn’t remember the last time, if ever; he and his Father had had an evening like that one. It made Sirius feel almost grown up talking to his Father the way he did.
He turned down the third floor hall when he heard Bellatrix on the stairs on her way up. She cooed when she saw Sirius alone.
“Aww, you still haven’t found precious little Reggie?”
“No,” Sirius mumbled.
“Good luck,” she snickered and closed the door to her own bedroom.
Sirius found Narcissa in the family library, flipping the pages of a huge tome of outdated spells. She looked up at him lazily as he entered and sat down opposite her on the richly colored sofas facing one another.
“Cissy, where is he?” He resigned. He was tired and frustrated and hungry and therefore starting to get in a mood himself.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged with a small, pleasant smile.
“I’ve looked everywhere,” Sirius grunted, pounding the cushion with his fist.
“Apparently not everywhere,” Narcissa rolled her eyes.
Sirius glared at her.
She tutted.
“Why don’t you just use your father’s Delineation?”
“My father’s what?” Sirius pulled a face.
“The parchment with the tracking charm, idiot,” she answered with another roll of her eyes.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh don’t act so thick. Father has one on us girls. It’s a Black Family tradition,” she added. “Wait, you’ve never seen it?”
“Seen what?”
Narcissa sighed, “Forget it, perhaps Uncle Orion doesn’t have one.”
“Whatever,” Sirius grumbled. “Will you just help me find him?”
She ignored him.
“Cissy, tell me,” he whined.
She smirked and continued turning the pages, slow and mechanical, ignoring him, enraging him to the point of hexing. Sirius stood, pulled out his wand from his back pocket and pointed it towards his cousin.
“Put that away!” she demanded.
“Tell me where he is, or you’ll have one giant boil for a face!”
“Put that away first!”
“Where is he?”
“Fine! He’s in the attic!”
“The attic?”
“Yes. Now stop pointing that at me!”
“It’s dark up there,” Sirius admitted.
“So?”
“So, you know he hates it up there!”
Narcissa giggled wickedly, “Well, you’d better go rescue him then, hadn’t you?”
“Cow!” Sirius leapt up and yelled at her before running towards the door.
Narcissa pulled her wand and hit him in the back with a Tripping Jinx. He swore at her again before clambering up and running out the library doors and sprinting up the staircase.
By the time Sirius pushed opened the small attic door he was out of breath. The room was pitch black but for the little bit of light from the hall that shown through the open doorway.
It smelled musty up there, and filled with ages old heirlooms and furniture and portraits covered in cobwebs and inches of dust. There was a clearing in the middle of the old creaky wooden floor and there sat Regulus, knees pulled up to his chest and his head down on his knees, and Sirius could see he was sobbing.
“Lumos!” Sirius panted, the light from his wand casting eerie shadows throughout the crowded room.
Regulus’s head jerked up then squinted at the light. He hastily wiped at his eyes with the back of his hands. Before Sirius could say a word, an old wardrobe wobbled furiously back and forth as if something inside were trying desperately to get out. It startled both brothers but Regulus let out a little, high-pitched squeak.
“What is that?” Regulus asked.
“I dunno,” Sirius said, eyeing the wardrobe warily.
“The ghost told me it’s a Boggart trying to get out,” Regulus explained in a small, broken voice. “He said it feeds…” he sobbed. “It feeds on little children.”
“What ghost?” Sirius asked, looking around the room.
“The one that lives up here,” Regulus’s voice came in short spurts.
“Why are you up here? Why didn’t you just come downstairs?”
“I can’t move,” Regulus sobbed.
“C’mon,” Sirius reached for Regulus’s upper arm to help him up. “Let’s get out of here.”
“No!” Regulus shouted.
Sirius jumped back, “What’s wrong?”
“Look!” Regulus pointed at the floor near his feet.
Sirius looked down bewildered. He noticed a green circle that surrounded Regulus, it looked as if it had been painted on the floorboards. Regulus sat stick still, afraid to put a toe out over the curved line.
“What is it?”
“Bella put it there,” Regulus whispered.
“What is it though?” Sirius asked.
Regulus drew a rattled breath and wiped at his eyes again before answering in a hushed tone. “Bella said if I crossed the circle, it would…”
“It would what?” Sirius asked.
“She hexed you, Sirius,” Regulus cried, his voice cracking, his eyes watering once again. “She said if I cross the circle you’ll die!”
It took a minute for Sirius to register what Regulus was saying. So that’s why he’d stayed up there for hours in the pitch-black attic, a place he would never go before, stick still and never daring to put a toe outside the circle, because Bellatrix had tricked him into thinking if he crossed over it, something would happen to Sirius. Sirius dropped to the floor and sat next to his brother and put his arm around him as Regulus cried.
“Reg,” Sirius sighed. “You have to stop being so bloody gullible.
Regulus looked up and sniffed, “What?”
“Nothings going to happen to me if you cross this stupid line. Bellatrix didn’t hex me.”
“How do you know?” Regulus asked.
“Look,” Sirius explained. “Bella is a wicked witch and she’s got her artillery of hexes and jinxes, but she couldn’t kill anyone. Well, especially not one of us.”
Regulus drew a long breath, “You think so?”
“Of course she wouldn’t,” Sirius half smiled. “We may hate one another, but we’re family.”
Regulus shrugged, “Yea, I suppose.”
“C’mon,” Sirius nudged him with his shoulder. “Come down with me and we’ll find her and Cissy and you can watch me give it to them good.”
Regulus didn’t look thoroughly convinced.
“I think I know a hex that will really make you laugh,” Sirius smirked.
Regulus wiped his eyes once again and the hint of a smile crossed his face. He sniffed again and said, “I’m glad you’re home.”
*~*~*~*
Sirius sat haughtily at the long dinner table with all the family. He chewed on his potatoes with a smug smile. Regulus’s eyes were still red and puffy as he sat next to his brother, but as he chewed his roast he too could not hide his pleasure.
Bellatrix and Narcissa sat opposite them, not pleased at all.
Sirius and Regulus had found the girls in the first floor sitting room. As Regulus distracted them Sirius hexed Bellatrix with Densaugeo, causing her teeth to swell and jut out down past her chin, and on Narcissa he used Langlock, making her tongue stick to the roof of her mouth. The girls had screamed, causing Druella Black to run in to see what the commotion was. Sirius had hastily explained to his Aunt what Bella had done to Regulus. She then complimented him on his magic and told her daughters she would remove the hexes before bed, but for the evening they would remain this way as punishment.
Both girls were having a rather difficult time attempting to eat. Instead they sat, arms crossed and pouting. Each time Sirius glanced at Bella and her gigantic otter teeth protruding out of her mouth, he snorted with silent laughter, which caused Regulus to shake with a fit of giggles.
Andromeda on the other hand was sitting quietly, as if lost in thought, merely pushing her food around her plate with her fork. Sirius was in such a good mood that he wished Ana would smile with them. It wasn’t often the boys got the upper hand on the two younger girls and he knew something must be very wrong with his oldest cousin to make her not join in the fun.
Sirius’s father and Cygnus Black sat at opposite ends of the grand table, both back in their chairs enjoying some port. Sirius’s mother sat to the right of her husband, as did Druella Black. Two of Sirius’s uncles had joined them for dinner as well. Alphard, a bachelor, who was his mother’s brother, sat to the right of her, and Ignatius Prewitt who married Sirius’s aunt Lucretia from his father’s side.
They were all discussing a wizard with whom they’d all known back in the day. They seemed to agree that this wizard was someone with whom things would be set straight once and for all with the Wizarding World. Sirius caught bits of the conversation in between snickering at Bella and Cissy and glancing at Ana. He heard his father say something about the “Nights of Walpurgis” and then wink at his mother, and then Uncle Ignatius joke about the good ole days of Hogwarts. His Uncle Cygnus added that this Lord Whatshisface had the “right idea” and his own father mentioned that it wouldn’t be long before the “right people” would come to power in the Ministry.
Soon Kreacher came in hauling a large serving trolley filled with desserts.
“Why are you so grumpy?” Sirius leaned over and whispered to Ana.
“Shove off,” she sneered.
Sirius gave her an incredulous look then stuck his tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes back at him.
Bellatrix mumbled something and Andromeda glared at her. Bella smiled, which only made her look even more ridiculous, which made Sirius snort out a laugh. Bella glared at Sirius then mumbled something else, something that Andromeda must have understood because she gave her sister a look and told her to keep her mouth shut.
“What did Bella say?” Regulus asked innocently, moving his plate over as Kreacher set a large plate of pudding down in front of him.
“Nothing,” Andromeda muttered.
“Kreacher knows what’s wrong with Miss Andromdea. Kreacher has heard things,” the house elf croaked.
Andromeda’s head whipped around and she looked horror struck at the elf.
“Kreacher can also…read,” the elf added with a wicked smile.
“Shut up, you mangy old coot,” Andromeda spat.
The house elf smiled more broadly and said, “Kreacher would never say anything unless his Mistress asked it of him.”
“I told you to shut up!” Andromeda, looking rather shaken, shouted at the elf.
“As you wish,” Kreacher bowed so low his long, pointy nose hit the floor.
“What is all this?” Walburga Black demanded.
“It’s nothing!” Andromeda blurted out.
“Andromeda!” Druella Black shouted. “You will not talk to your Aunt like that.”
“Yes Ma’am,” Andromeda looked positively green in the face now.
“Kreacher,” Walburga Black demanded. “What’s this about?”
“No!” Andromeda shouted, and as the word left her lips Druella Black pointed her wand at her oldest daughter and shouted, “Silencio!”
Andromeda gulped and grabbed at her throat, eyes wide in horror. She looked at her mother, and then to her father, everyone was now rounding on the elf as he spoke.
“Kreacher knows why Miss Andromeda has been moody,” the elf stood up straight, as if at attention as he answered his mistress. “Kreacher has found letters to Miss Andromeda from a boy.”
“What boy?” Cygnus Black demanded.
“A boy called Tonks,” Kreacher explained. The elf started smiling as he continued, his eyes widened as if he were enjoying this all too much. “And a Mudblood at that.”
“What?” Druella Black shouted.
Sirius’s mother gasped and threw her hand to her chest. His own father slammed his goblet down on the table and down his uncle Cygnus stood with such force that his chair fell backwards.
The house elf chuckled. Seldom did Sirius see Kreacher actually smile or appear to enjoy himself, but right now, the elf was obviously giddy with glee. Sirius thought it odd. It was almost as if everything were being played out in slow motion in front of him.
“Oh, and that’s not all Kreacher knows,” the elf continued.
Andromeda stood up; her eyes wide with horror, shaking her head, her mouth moving, trying to speak but no words would come out. Everyone else stared at the house elf.
Kreacher’s voice became menacing, “Kreacher knows that Miss Andromeda is an ungrateful, little brat, who tarnishes the House of Black with her filthy ways.” The elf began speaking faster, “The Mudblood has tainted the eldest daughter of my family. The little brat has disgraced my Mistress and her family.”
Andromeda lunged for the elf, Kreacher screeched as her hands went around his neck. Druella grabbed her daughter by the arm and wrenched her from the elf, and that’s when the elf said silkily,
“Miss Andromeda is with child.”
*~*~*~*
The four of them stood outside the room. Sirius, Bella, and Cissy had their ears pressed to the closed double doors.
“What does all this mean?” Regulus whispered.
“Shut up, Reg!” Sirius hissed.
“I can’t hear what they are saying,” Narcissa said.
“She’s a disgrace,” Bella sneered.
“Shut up, Bella!”
“Is that all you can say, Sirius?” Narcissa asked.
“Yes. Shut up!”
“You’re just angry she didn’t tell you,” Bella taunted.
Sirius glared at Bella then muttered, “Shut up.”
Bella smirked, “Well, well…looks like I’ve touched a nerve.”
“What’s going on?” Regulus whined.
“Shh!” Narcissa hissed.
Sirius walked away from the door to the opposite wall and slid down to sit on the floor. Bella sat down on one of the chairs flanking a large bureau. Narcissa sat opposite Bella, sighed and said,
“They must have put an imperturbable charm on the door.”
“Sirius is pouting,” Bella giggled and pointed. “Look at him, Cissy!”
“I’m not pouting,” Sirius grumbled.
“Are!” Bella answered. “You’re upset because Ana never told you.”
“Not true!”
“Is true! You think she thinks you are special. You think she trusts you.”
“She does!” Sirius answered.
Bella shook her head, “No she doesn’t, or she would have told you.”
Sirius simply glared at her.
“Is Andromeda going to have a baby?” Regulus asked.
“Yes,” Sirius answered.
“No!” Bellatrix hissed.
“Yes she is,” Sirius argued.
“She may be now, but she won’t be for long,” Bella retorted.
“What do you mean?” Sirius asked.
Bella laughed, “You really are an idiot, Sirius.”
“What do you mean?” Sirius asked again, this time more heatedly.
“Mother and Father will never let her keep that filthy Mudblood’s baby!”
At these words the doors blasted open and out walked a white-faced, physically shaking Andromeda. Her tear stained face was set with determination. Sirius looked up at her from the floor, hypnotized by her expression. She walked slow and proud out past the four children scattered in the hall and never looked back as she headed towards the front door.
Sirius’s head whipped around and he peered inside the room. Cygnus Black stood facing the large fireplace, his back to the door his daughter had just exited. Druella Black sat on the arm of the sofa, her face hidden in a lace handkerchief. Sirius father stood tall, arms folded across his chest staring over at the family tapestry while Sirius’s mother pointed her wand at it, blasting a hole where Andromeda’s name was.
Sirius scrambled up clumsily off the floor and ran towards his cousin as her hand touched the serpent shaped door handle.
“Ana,” he called.
She paused but did not turn around.
“Ana!” he yelled, almost desperate moving towards her. She stood motionless at the door. “Wait!”
“Sirius!” his father yelled from the room.
Sirius stopped. He could feel his father’s eyes on him.
“Ana,” he said quietly.
Hand still on the doorknob, she bowed her head, her shoulders were shaking. She was crying. Sirius watched as she took a deep breath, still never turning around to face him, he heard her small, broken voice say.
“You’re not like them, Sirius,” she sniffed. “Remember that.”
“Ana!”
“Sirius Orion Black!”
Sirius quickly turned around to see his father standing in the sitting room doorway, face enraged, shaking his head in disapproval.
Sirius heard the front door behind him quietly clasp shut.
She was gone.
Letter from James Potter to Sirius Black
July 1972
Sirius,
How’s the summer so far, mate? Mine’s been pretty good. I’ve been swimming in the river at the edge of the moors and it’s been brilliant. I’ve made a raft for us to float on. I can’t wait until you get here. You have asked your mum and dad, haven’t you? Write me soon!
James