Stuck at Grimmauld Place under house arrest while the Order come and go as they please, Sirius reflects on a person from his past that walked out on him a long time ago. When his thoughts and the house begin to drive him mad, he decides to do something about it. AU. SiriusOC (James's sister!). Please Read.
Chapter 1. Somewhere a Girl.
Sirius kicked the water bowl aside and after a few minutes of angry striding about the room, he turned to look at the other occupant hesitantly. Buckbeak stared straight back, yellow eyes meeting grey as they both silently fumed.
Ten minutes ago Sirius had come upstairs to feed the blasted bird after sitting through another long and dull Order meeting. Only he'd found Buckbeak's den to be empty, and after a weary exploration had happened upon the bird in his own bedchamber, with everything in sight torn to tatters.
He'd dragged Buckbeak back and now was wondering how on earth the bird could have gone amiss. He'd cast the wards himself! Clearly someone had magically broken them, but who? His first thought had been Kreacher but there was no plausible reason why the elf would want the bird to tear up the house he was devoted to.
"Everything alright Sirius?" Remus poked his head around the door and surveyed them with a quizzical eyebrow.
Sirius turned away from Buckbeak, deciding to deal with him later. He walked towards Remus and gestured he follow him once they'd locked the door.
"It appears someone decided to let Buckbeak out for a reason I can't fathom. I don't know if they set him loose into my room on purpose or if the bird just wandered in there. Needless to say, the damage has been done." They rounded the corner to the last room on the landing, where Sirius's door stood ajar.
Remus's jaw fell open as they walked inside. The drapes, antique Persian carpet and rich mahogany furnishings had been scratched to the point of tear, and every object in Buckbeak's wake had been smashed to pieces.
"Redintegro," Remus said quickly as he directed his wand across the room to coat it in magic. Few objects began to move and re-assemble, but those of a fragile nature like his vast childhood collection of glass Quidditch player figurines and frayed Gryffindor scarf stood motionless, seemingly beyond repair.
Ironically, the foreboding dark green drapes and matching bedspread had mended under the spell, as had other objects Sirius would have gladly seen destroyed. Sighing to himself, Sirius walked towards the bed and sat down. He then placed his head in his hands and sat like that for a minute, attempting to clear his thoughts.
"You know Buckbeak won't do it again. We'll just have to set up stronger ward charms. Or we could enchant your room so he doesn't break in," Remus offered helpfully.
"It's not that Moony," Sirius replied. "I know that bird can be wild, that things like this happen all the time. But I also know that if I just wasn't constantly feeling so frustrated, I wouldn't be plagued by trivial incidents like Buckbeak breaking free from his room."
His eyes spotted a small chest near the door that lay open on the floor, seemingly thrown that way by Buckbeak. Upon recognising what the chest was, Sirius quickly got up and made a lung for it.
He lifted it up by the hinges and to his horror found it empty. He threw it on the bed and began padding through the glass and rubbish on the floor in search of its contents.
"What are you looking for Sirius?" Remus asked quizzically. "Shall l help you find it?"
But Sirius was too busy throwing everything out from under his bed to see if the chest's contents had been chucked there. Dissatisfied, he got up and made his way towards the window where another pile of broken and undeterminable objects were strewn.
"Sirius?" Remus tried again, following him.
Only Sirius had begun to kick the mess frantically now, as if he had given up on finding what he was looking for and was taking his anger out on his broken belongings. Remus walked over and put a hand on Sirius's shoulder, gently pulling him away from the mess.
They walked towards the bed where Remus gestured for him to sit down. Sirius took a look at the chest on the bed, picked it up and placed it on his lap once he'd seated himself.
"I kept old memories in here," Sirius said in a small voice, his thumb tracing the outline of where the latch had once been.
"Memories from school?" Remus asked after a second, his curiosity getting the better of him. Sirius nodded.
"From the days of the Marauders and Quidditch?" Remus asked with a grin.
Sirius looked up and gestured towards a slightly bigger chest on top of his cupboard, unharmed due to its location. "Nah Marauders and my Quidditch gear are all in there."
He turned back to the chest in his lap with a sad smile. "This was where I kept my memories of her."
oOo
The sun shone brightly down on the vast green fields that neighboured the lake of Hogwarts. Unlike the previous weeks, today the grass was dotted with tens upon tens of sixth year Hogwarts students, celebrating the last of their end-of-year exams that morning.
On the right side of the lake, which was mainly populated by Gryffindors, sat the marauders albeit slightly away from the rest of their house.
James and Peter were stretched out on their backs soaking in the sun. Remus sat on Peter's right, hunched over a Transfiguration book he was using to compare the answers he'd written for their test that morning. Sirius meanwhile, bored from sunbathing, had sat up now too and was staring at Remus as if he was delusional.
"Come on Moony, put that bloody book away! Can't you just relax like the rest of us and enjoy that exams are FINALLY over!"
James laughed from his spot as Remus looked up at Sirius, pinking a little. He decided to put his book back into his bag before stretching his legs out next to Peter, lounging back on his arms in a similar fashion to Sirius.
"I say we celebrate tonight, BIG," James said with a grin.
Sirius nodded to himself but still felt really bored. He was just so relieved that exams were over, and felt like he wanted to be doing a million other things than lying on the grass like everyone else.
As his eyes surveyed the seas of students laughing in the sun, his gaze suddenly landed on a small group of four Slytherins sitting directly across from them on the other side of the lake. His mouth broke into a devious grin.
"Tonight is a bit of a while away isn't it Prongs? Why wait, when we could get the party started now."
The other three turned to him questioningly, James even raising his head from the ground. But Sirius kept his gaze fixed on Snape, which alltoosoon they followed before comprehension dawned on them.
"Count me out of this one," Remus said immediately before lying down.
"Such a killjoy Moony!" James laughed. "I think it will be Brilliant." He turned to look at Sirius and they both nodded at each other.
"What d'you reckon we should do?" Sirius asked him as his face took on a more serious expression.
"I've still got that stuff we bought from Zonko's a month ago, we could go grab my cloak as well and freak the shit out of him!" James began animatedly as he sat up.
Sirius considered it but then shook his head. "Time-consuming. By the time we grab it and come back Snape could have left. Why don't we just…" he trailed off as his eyes scanned around them. His gaze landed on the lake, lips curling.
"Give him a nice, cool bath."
James laughed in approval and Peter voiced his agreement while Remus groaned.
"Alright I'll sneak over there and hide behind those bushes," Sirius gestured to the shrubbery a few feet away from Snape and the three Slytherins. "Then you two come over to try and distract him. Try and get him as close to the lake as you can, and then I'll jump out and hurl him in!" Sirius roared with laughter, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Sounds fine by me! I'll tell him Sluggy needs to see him or something," James added with a sly wink.
Sirius nodded and then stood up. He was just about to walk away when James shot him a questioning look.
"You're going over now? Shouldn't we wait for his friends to leave first?" James asked as he eyed the three Slytherins wearily.
Sirius turned to look at them too. He recognised Avery on the left who was sat next to Mulciber, and in between he and Snape sat a girl in Slytherin uniform Sirius couldn't recall from anywhere.
"Oh come on, Avery and Mulciber? I know Mulciber's big on the dark arts but last week he cried like a pussy after Jonathan Davies beat him up for what he did to Mary. I don't think Avery has the balls to challenge three of us. Besides, I don't think any of them would really defend Snape. He's a bit of an outcast in his own house, our smelly Snivellus," Sirius said with a smirk.
James nodded absentmindedly though he didn't look convinced. Sirius ignored him and turned away, slowly walking past the Gryffindors as he headed for the bridge.
"Sirius!There you are!" A shrill voice hollered at him from a few feet away.
Sirius groaned. He knew that voice too well. He turned his head towards the owner, making sure his fake smile was in place.
Ten feet away Diana Nebula sat pouting in a circle of Gryffindor girls, most of whom he doubted she considered her true friends. She'd ridden herself of her Gryffindor tie and her shirt was untucked, with about five or so buttons undone that revealed a generous amount of cleavage. Sirius tried not to stare.
"Come over Sirius! I've missed you darling," she said with an eager smile as she beckoned him over. He was about to gesture to her that he was in a rush but to his horror she stood up and started brushing the grass off her skirt, which caught the attention of a lot of males seated nearby. He dreaded to think what she would do to make him go over there, so in an attempt to escape a scene that would alert the Slytherins, Sirius complied.
The ten or so girls in the circle had stopped what they were doing and were following him with their eyes, some even slightly wide-mouthed. All except Lily Evans of course, who shot him a look of pure loathing before placing her face deeper into her book, if that was at all possible.
"Diana I'm in the middle of something, can't this wait?" Sirius said in an annoyed tone when he finally reached her.
She raised her eyebrow suspiciously.
"That's what you said after our exams yesterday. And then this morning."
Sirius heard a snort, which he assumed had come from Lily Evans, the little chit. Why James was so obsessed with her was beyond him, he'd never met a more uptight girl in his life. Well, not counting his mother.
"I didn't mean it like that Diana… it's just, I've just been really busy recently," he said but before he could protest, she closed the distance between them and placed her arms around his neck, pulling him into her so that she could peck his mouth.
He'd never minded showing public affection to girls, but her hold on him made him very uncomfortable. She'd probably been a big mistake to hook up with, but he'd been frustrated with revision and had needed someone to take the tension away.
'In a way that only a woman can,' he smirked to himself.
But it had gone on for far too long and now that their exams were done, he supposed it was time to break up with her and move on. Maybe he'd do it at the common room party tonight, after he'd drunk a few and wouldn't be too bothered.
Her hands reached for his biceps and one started trailing lower which made Sirius step away from her suddenly.
"I really am in a rush Diana. Let's just talk in the common room after supper yeah?"
She stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout, but eventually nodded.
"Thanks love, I'll see you later. Ladies." He said loudly to the girls with a dazzling smile. He saw Mary McDonald glower at him as she began adjusting her skirt to give him a good view of leg. Sirius winked at her slyly once Diana had started walking back, figuring he'd need someone else to occupy his time before he left for the dreaded holidays.
Sirius resumed his walk towards the bridge, trying to weigh up the pros and cons of both girls. Diana had a better body by far, with curves in all the right places and shapely features. Her voice and habits got on his nerves though. Mary on the other hand had a pretty face with big blue eyes, but could almost pass as flat-chested, which told Sirius at once that they wouldn't last. But he supposed her company would be much more pleasant, and couldn't see her making the same public spectacles as Diana.
He was on the bridge now, walking across it wearily with his gaze fixed on the Slytherins. They looked caught up in their conversation, which made it easier for him to sneak in between the trees and move silently behind the bushes that were surrounding them.
Once he'd crouched on the ground as near to them as could be, he stuck his eye through a gap in the hedge and surveyed the situation.
The Slytherins were only sat three metres or so away and appeared to be deep in debate, Avery and Mulciber looking very heated whereas the girl with long messy black hair looked bored. He couldn't see Snape's face as he had his back to Sirius, which was hunched over a book.
'How can people still want to read after exams,' Sirius thought to himself incredulously. He felt the weight of someone's stare on him but when he looked back at the group they were all looking at each other. Sirius sharpened his ears in order to listen.
"I hate to say it too but Slughorn is barmy!" Avery boasted.
Mulciber nodded. "He told me all this rubbish about how he'd known," he quietened his voice to a whisper, "You-Know-Who before he was powerful.I couldn't believe it! Do you reckon the old man has finally gone off his rocker?" He looked at the rest of them confounded.
This seemed to draw Snape's attention away from his book as he raised his head in their direction.
"Sounds just like something he would say; every time I drop the names of some of father's friends, Slughorn always seems to know each one and say they go way back. Load of tosh if you ask me, he's not pureblood enough to know that many influential people," Avery smirked as he loosened his tie.
The girl didn't reply but it looked like she was trying hard not to.
"What do you mean not pureblood enough? He's got a decent bloodline" Mulciber countered.
"Even with that, he associates with mudbloods. I mean look at the way he favours Evans and Miller, it's sickening. Father said no one would trust a blood traitor like that no matter what their bloodline," Avery said smugly.
"That may be the case, but I don't see how Slughorn sounds far-fetched here," Snape broke in almost instantly as if to steer away the conversation. "If You-Know-Who is a talented wizard from this country, then he must've attended Hogwarts at some point or other. And Slughorn has been here for decades," he drawled in a bored tone.
Sirius was completely lost as to whom they were talking about, but the sudden voice of James garnered his as well as the Slytherins' attentions.
"Enjoying the sunshine Snivelly? Just saw Sluggy in the Entrance Hall and he told us to come fetch you."
The Slytherins narrowed their eyes at him and Peter in unison.
Sirius had to give it to him; James acted the part well, looking genuinely impatient as if he was in a rush to get back. But as for Peter, he felt like whacking the little boy around the head. He stood there like a nervous wreck about to wet his pants.
Sirius watched Snape turn his head about and assumed he was scanning for a trap. He finally turned his head back to James and said with a tone of disgust, "I'll go see him in a minute."
James didn't seem to expect that and it was slightly obvious as he hovered a little longer than necessary. Mulciber began to draw his wand and as soon as James saw it he began backing away.
"Very well Snivellus. I'll go tell him you're too busy sticking your large nose in that book to go over. Your funeral."
James turned around and began walking away confidently, Peter running to keep up. Mulciber placed his wand back into his robes as the rest of them visibly relaxed.
Snape followed James with his eyes however, his face looking hesitant. Then to Sirius's glee, Snape slowly closed his book and placed it on the ground beside him, before rising to his feet.
"Don't be ridiculous Severus," the girl spoke for the first time. She had a low voice that sounded haughty, but her manner made the other three look at her respectfully.
Snape appeared to consider her words before saying "Slughorn told me earlier this morning that he wanted to discuss my career with me after the exam today. If Potter wanted to pull something, surely he would have done so already?"
The girl said nothing but rolled her eyes. Sirius felt like laughing out loud. Their plan had been spot-on! He turned his head and spotted James waiting with Peter behind a hedge along the path to the bridge. Sirius smiled.
He quickly contained himself as Snape nodded to the Slytherins before walking in the direction that James and Peter had gone. Sirius drew his wand slowly and watched the events unfold as if in slow motion.
Snape was nearing the hedge and as soon as he was a metre away, James and Peter quickly jumped out from hiding.
"Expelliarmus!" James shouted instantly as he caught Snape's wand. He twirled it in his fingers with a smirk before throwing it to Peter. Sirius quickly jumped out of his hiding spot and slowly weaved his way through the trees so that Snape wouldn't see him.
James had begun to circle Snape and appeared to be taunting him, which was pissing Snape off. Sirius could see Snape trying really hard to conceal his panic and this made him smile inwardly.
Sirius was only a few feet away now, but Snape still couldn't see him because his back was turned. They were close enough to the lake for Sirius to be able to blast Snape into it without getting too close. He could barely contain himself.
"Don't you have other ways to amuse yourself Potter," Snape spat at James in disgust as his eyes frantically scanned for a way out.
"Tut-tut Snivelly. Not so tough when you're not surrounded by your little Slytherins are you?" James laughed.
It was at that moment that Sirius lunged out from the trees and bounded towards them. He could see almost every eye on the other side of the lake watching the commotion with rapt interest, and when the sound of his stride finally drew the attention of Snape he turned around. The look of horror on his face was priceless.
Sirius raised his wand mid-stride to aim the perfect hurling hex. It was on the tip of his tongue when a sudden force similar to that of a giant lifted his feet off the ground, and as if he was the lightest object alive he felt himself being thrown head-first into the lake.
He kicked frantically in the air as he saw James and Peter's horrified faces staring up at him, before colliding with the wet and grimy water. He fell in deep, and began kicking hard to get to the top.
As he re-surfaced he felt two large weights hit the water consecutively, but couldn't see or guess what they were.
He quickly swam to the edge and got out, feeling almost every gaze piercing into him. He heard Diana scream "Sirius baby are you alright?" but strictly ignored her and climbed up to where he'd been running through moments before, when the sound of laughter suddenly drifted to his ears.
He emerged at the edge of the field and was surprised to find Snape standing alone, wand in hand. How on earth had he gotten his wand back and where were James and Peter?
Snape started laughing as he shared a look with something behind him. Only when Sirius craned his neck did he finally spot a second person standing there, which instantly helped piece together what had just happened.
Standing two metres behind Snape was the girl with messy hair who had been seated with him, Avery and Mulciber only moments earlier. Her wand was still raised in the direction of the lake and she was supporting the smuggest, quintessentially-Slytherin smirk he'd ever seen. Sirius couldn't believe it. She must have been the one who'd hurled him into the lake. A girl, who was at least two heads shorter than him, had thrown him Sirius Black into the lake.
"Maybe you should hide a bit more discreetly next time Black," she spoke in her haughty voice, laughing at him with her eyes as she walked over to Snape. Sirius felt his mouth go dry.
Just as he was contemplating a response he heard something splashing in the lake as if it had just re-surfaced, and turned around to find James and Peter, the former looking positively thunderous.
"You little bitch!" James shouted in their direction as he swam furiously towards the edge, spitting out water as he went. He climbed out of the lake while Peter merely stayed there, not willing to engage in more fighting.
James marched passed Sirius and over to the girl and Snape, sticking his hand into his robes to draw out his wand. Only after repeated searching did he realise that his wand wasn't there. He started looking about the ground to try and determine its whereabouts before the girl spoke.
"Didn't think I'd forget to disarm you before I threw you in, did you Jamesy?" She said in a sickly sweet voice as she produced his wand and began twirling it in her hand. Sirius quickly dove into his own pockets and sighed with relief when he found he still had his. He quickly ran over to help James.
"Give that here! Why don't you run along and play with the other prissy purebloods. We shouldn't touch what isn't ours Lizzie," James spat at her dangerously.
Sirius looked between James and her in puzzlement as he drew out his wand and aimed it straight at her and Snape. How did James know her? Sirius couldn't recall seeing this girl anywhere, not even in the Potions or Defence classes he shared with the Slytherins.
"Oh I was playing along quite nicely before your oaf of a friend decided to stalk us from the bushes. Breathes rather loud doesn't he, quite canine-like I'd say," she added casually.
Sirius suddenly panicked but then realised there was no way on earth she knew the truth to her words. He raised his eyebrow at her in an annoyed fashion before casting a quick glance at James, when the look on his friend's face made him freeze. James looked absolutely thunderous, and in that instant Sirius turned his head back to the girl in horror.
'She knows! But how?' Panic began to take over Sirius's senses as he steadied his wand in a daze.
"Shut your mouth now!" James spat at her threateningly. Snape glanced between the two with suspicion, trying to figure out what was going on. Somehow Sirius found his voice.
"Why don't you just give back his wand so we can all be on our way. There's no need to put up a fight for your slimy boyfriend," Sirius said to her with a sick look.
He heard James grunt but when he looked at his friend he saw his eyes glancing between the other two in a horrified fashion. Sirius wondered if he was missing something. Was James jealous of what he'd just said? Why did he seem to know so much about this Slytherin girl?
'And why does she seem to know SO much about me,' Sirius thought bitterly, making a mental note to ask James about it as soon as this was over.
This time the girl turned towards him and their eyes locked. It was then that Sirius managed to get a good look at her face. She appeared slightly tanned from lying in the sun, and her hair looked even more unruly than it did from afar. She was nothing extraordinary at first glance, in the sense that she wasn't obviously pretty, but she had the potential he supposed. Her eyes were big and brown framed by elegant eyebrows, but other than that her taunting smirk ruined any chance she had of being called beautiful.
"And why should I do that? So that you can carry on with your petty pranks and childish games as though you own the place?" She raised one of her elegant eyebrows as her look became more piercing. Sirius felt a sudden tightening in his chest.
"W-well," he managed, trying to ignore the voice of his mother in his head nagging him that Blacks didn't sputter. Before he could carry on James interrupted.
"Just give it back and we'll call it quits Lizzie. I see McGonagall coming over so if you want to save your neck then giving back my wand would be a wise move."
Her eyes moved away from Sirius to survey James, her expression unsure.
"Is he right Severus?"
Snape quickly glanced across the lake, his jaw clenching when he spotted McGonagall.
"She's coming."
Suddenly James's wand was thrown in the air towards them, but he caught it in an instant, being the skilled chaser that he was.
Snape and the girl called Lizzie lowered their wands as they began moving backwards. McGonagall was near now so Severus turned around to make his way back to where they'd been sitting earlier.
Just before the girl turned away from them, she looked directly at James and spoke in a low voice that Sirius strained to hear.
"Slytherins are never wise."
Before Sirius could digest those words McGonagall happened upon them, barking at them to put their wands away immediately.
"Why were you two in the lake of all places!" She scolded loudly as she inspected their wet and filthy state of attire.
But Sirius could only nod, not hearing the rest of what she said except that they had detention and needed to go back and change immediately.
As soon as they left her and were well out of ear-shot of anyone else, Sirius turned to James.
"Does she know James? When she said 'canine-like,' did she mean what I thought she meant?"
James sighed, not meeting his face. He said nothing for a few seconds, and looked like he was in the middle of an internal battle.
"Don't worry about it Padfoot. She won't tell anyone, I can promise you that," he managed finally.
Sirius didn't know whether to be horrified that she knew or outraged because James had something to do with her knowing.
"Are you into her? Is that it?" He asked in bewilderment, his suspicions getting the better of him.
"No. I'm most certainly not," James said in a firm voice. Whenever James spoke like that it meant he didn't want to talk further on a subject.
Sirius sighed. He'd see if he could get it out of his friend at tonight's party.
oOo
"Sirius! Remus! Dinner's ready you two!" Molly Weasley's voice boomed from the base of the stairs.
Remus got to his feet slowly and carefully took the chest from Sirius's hands before placing it on the bed.
"We'll look for its contents after some food eh? Plus I'm sure Harry wants to spend some quality time with his Godfather."
It had the desired effect as Sirius found himself slowly warming to the thought of seeing Harry. He'd only arrived two nights ago, and Sirius couldn't have hoped for a better salvation from the dreary atmosphere of Grimmauld.
He rose to his feet and followed Remus out of the door before proceeding downstairs to the dining room.
Upon entering they were shooed to seats down the far end of the table by Molly, where Harry, Ron and Hermione sat opposite Tonks, all laughing happily. At the opposite end nearest to the door sat the majority of the Order members, including a few stragglers that must have stayed behind after the meeting.
Sirius caught Harry's eye, who shot him a wide grin before beckoning him over. He slipped into the seat opposite his godson on Tonks' right, while Remus took the one on her other side. Tonks turned to him with a raised eyebrow, which matched her hot pink updo down to the shade.
"Where'd you disappear to after the meeting Unc? We had a wrestling challenge muggle-style and I managed to take down Mad Eye! Was looking to exercise my innate strength on the wizarding world's most notorious fugitive," she said with a wink. Sirius smiled and tried not to roll his eyes at his newfound nickname, invented by Remus and Tonks with all the sole intention of bruising his ego.
"Have you been bragging for an hour because it's the first time you've ever tackled someone Nymphadora," Mad Eye interrupted over them as he appeared behind Harry. He raised his finger at her, mechanical eye turning wildly.
"Why don't you go wrestle a death eater or two and then gloat that you've achieved something."
Out of the corner of his eye Sirius saw Tonks' hair turn a dangerous shade of red.
"Shut it Mad Eye! You can bark orders at me in the Ministry but here you're not my boss, so quit acting like a sore loser!"
She got to her feet and just as things were about to kick off between them Sirius rose to get her to sit back down while Arthur came over and steered Mad Eye away. Tonks shrugged Sirius's arms off and just stood there looking annoyed, but a sudden hand Remus placed on her arm made her sit back down slowly.
When Sirius cast a suspicious look between the two wondering if everything was as innocent as it looked, Remus quickly removed his hand.
"Sirius we were going to go into Diagon Alley tomorrow to get school supplies, fancy coming? You know, as my pet dog? Don't worry I can forego the leash if you want," Harry grinned as he began helping himself to roast chicken.
Sirius smiled widely as Tonks laughed at the leash barb, nudging him in the side.
"Suppose I could do, don't see any harm in it. Think we'll be too heavily guarded by the Order for anyone to pull something funny."
He was just about to raise his fork to his mouth when Molly's voice cut across the table.
"I do hope that you are joking Sirius!"
Everyone else at the table looked at her. Sirius placed down his fork.
"And why would I be? I can go with him to Diagon Alley if I wish, it's not like death eaters will suddenly swoop in and attack us with everyone lingering about."
This seemed to make Molly angrier.
"And put him and yourself in immediate danger? When there's still a manhunt out there for you! You think the death eaters will just notice you and do nothing?"
Sirius had only been talking about it lightly- of course he knew the risks. But he didn't take to being spoken to like that in front of everyone, by Molly Weasley nonetheless.
"What I do with my godson is absolutely none of your business Molly," he answered in a steely tone. "I do everything in his best interest, so you would do well to stay out of matters that do not concern you."
He heard a fork drop and someone choke on their drink. Molly's eyes on the other hand were now narrowed to slits.
"Someone's got to say something when you plan on gallivanting with him in broad daylight to Diagon Alley! You think you're being responsible when all the death eaters are waiting out there to spot you in your animagus form? It's time you started taking some responsibility for-,"
"ENOUGH!" Sirius boomed as he slammed his left fist down on the table, creating a large dent. The whole table went silent. Even Molly looked taken aback.
"Don't you ever speak to me like that again. If you live in my house, then you will never speak to me like that." Sirius tried to ignore how much he sounded like his own father. Everyone was looking at him now awe-struck, like he was some sort of monster.
He rose to his feet, throwing down his napkin as he turned away from table. He couldn't even bring himself to look at Harry, he was absolutely furious.
Without a further word he stalked out of the room, ignoring Tonks' beckoning that he hadn't touched his dinner.
He went straight to the old drawing room and grabbed a full bottle of whisky from the cabinet, the only one he hadn't consumed yet. With that he stalked up the stairs angrily and headed to his room, slamming the door shut behind him.
He gazed at the mess with distaste before kicking his shoes off and lying down on the bed, raising his head up to take a long gulp of whisky. It warmed him up like fire, blocking out all the anxious and depressed thoughts he'd become accustomed to lately.
He took another few sips before closing his eyes, thinking of more pleasant things.
Meanwhile downstairs commotion had started again in the form of everyone criticising Sirius's behaviour. Harry sighed loudly as he looked away from Arthur talking to Mad Eye about setting stronger wards on the house to keep Sirius in, and resorted to playing with his food.
"Chin up Harry," Tonks said with a wink as she took a swig of pumpkin juice.
Harry sighed again. "I don't get why everyone's making such a fuss about everything. I think it's really starting to irritate Sirius as well." He sounded annoyed.
"Everyone's making a fuss because it's you they're worried about Harry," Remus spoke firmly.
Tonks considered his statement before adding "Sirius is just a bit down s'all. He gets lonely here, I don't think he handles his emotions too well and ends up drowning himself in drink, which let's be honest never helped any of us," she grinned.
"Down? By the looks of it he's already gone bloody mad," Ron said with a full mouth, making Hermione roll her eyes.
"I don't get why he's so lonely here," Harry continued. "I mean, we're here aren't we? He gestured towards Tonks, Remus and his trio. "Plus there's always around twenty people hanging here every day, if anything it would be hard to try to be alone."
The answer was on the tip on Tonks' tongue but she couldn't say it to him. It would just be too… strange, plus it was Sirius's personal business so he should really be the one telling Harry.
Tonks looked to Remus, silently begging him for help. To her relief he complied.
"I think what Tonks is trying to say Harry, is that Sirius is stuck in a house he grew up hating. And even before he went to Azkaban, he wasn't under house arrest 24/7 watching the people he lived with lead more fuller lives that he couldn't," Remus said calmly.
The clogs in Harry's head appeared to be turning as he digested the information. But it still didn't seem to be making sense to him.
"I always thought he was lonelier before. Where did Sirius live before he got thrown into Azkaban? It can't have been with my parents if they were living under the fidelius charm in Godric's Hollow…"
Tonks could feel herself growing nervous under the tension and tried to mask it by helping herself to more pumpkin juice, but her hands were shaking the whole time.
"Erm, in a house not far from your father," Remus supplied, trying to look nonplussed. Tonks saw Hermione's eyebrows shoot up and tried to offer a distraction.
"Pumpkin juice Remus? How about you three?" Neither of them took any notice of her.
"So then he was living alone, which doesn't explain why he'd be finding it so hard now, does it?"
"Who was alone?" Mad Eye's voice broke in as he walked over. Tonks felt instant relief at not having to approach the question, but she hoped Mad Eye wouldn't carry the topic on further.
"I was talking about Sirius, before he went to Azkaban. I just don't get why he feels so lonely now, surely he'd be used to it since then?" Harry said simply.
Mad Eye suddenly laughed loudly before downing half of his glass.
"He was as alone back then as Voldemort's followers were innocent."
Tonks' eyes widened in alarm but before she could interrupt Mad Eye cut her off again.
"Always complainin' he was, anytime I tried to get him to go on a mission that lasted more than a day! Though for a second I don't doubt it was all down to the hold she 'ad on him," he said as he rolled his mechanical eye and mouthed the word Women.
Tonks stood up quickly with the intention of steering him away, but Harry's voice rose again.
"She?"
Tonks grabbed Mad Eye by the arm to try and turn him away, giving him a very pointed look.
Mad Eye paused to stare at her incredulously before saying in a sarcastic tone, "Chill out you-I ain't drinkin on the job. 'Ere have a look if yer so keen." He raised his glass for her to inspect it, making Tonks roll her eyes at his naivety.
"I need a quick word with you Mad Eye," she said firmly before guiding him towards the door. To her relief he didn't complain. They were almost out of the room and just then Mad Eye turned his head to look at her. He looked like he'd just remembered something and was about to share it.
Then to her horror, his head swivelled a fraction of an inch away from herface before he shouted over his shoulder,
"Oh yeah, and by She I meant 'is wife."
Tonks heard a fork drop before she turned to Mad Eye with scarlet hair again, this time whacking him around the head as hard as she could.
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NB: Thank you for reading this chapter! I will try to get number 2 up soon. It's been a VERY long time since I last wrote on here, a neglected habit that I hope very much to resume. Please let me know what you think: the good, the bad and the downright shocking.
Thanks guys :)