A/N: this plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone, so i decided to write and this is what turned out. Updates may be sporadic due to life and that my other Harry Potter story will be prioritised. This could be reallt really bad as I'm not writing from personal experience (thank goodness). Anyway, reviews telling me whether it's good or not would be highly appreciated - even if you're tellig me to delete it as quick as possible because it's awful :) Anyway - enjoy.
Harry was making his way back from Hogwarts, his head still ringing with what he'd just overheard. He barely noticed where he was going as he kept thinking about Black's betrayal, when he felt a sudden jolt behind his naval and found himself tumbling into the unknown with nothing to hold on to.
Shocked and disoriented, Harry found himself stumbling down an unpleasant part of what he assumed to be London by the towering buildings in the distance. The street lacked the snow that Hogsmeade had; and Harry found that although he didn't have his cloak he was no longer cold. Some of the dead looking trees were carrying blossoms, and a few of the desolate gardens had managed to produce a few sad looking daffodils. A sign post indicated the street as 'Grimmauld Place.'
Harry soon realised he was helplessly lost. The only places he'd been to in London were Diagon Alley and King's Cross Station. Realising this, Harry continued down the deserted street, his heart beating loudly in his rib cage.
To Harry's relief, he spotted a young boy before he'd gone very far. The boy was small, and had inky chin length black hair, but what excited Harry was that the boy was wearing robes. Harry desperately hoped that this boy was a wizard and had parents who might be able to help him.
"Excuse me, I was wondering if you could help me," he said loudly, hoping to catch the boy's attention, but the boy didn't seem to hear. Harry hurried closer as the kid wondered further away from Harry.
Suddenly, the boy stopped and stared at something in the distance; a little girl with brown pigtails playing with a skipping rope.
"Hello," Harry said, slightly quieter, realising that for some reason the boy couldn't hear him. Harry had been in a situation where no one could see or hear him before; that had been in Riddle's diary. Harry hoped this wasn't another of Riddle's memories.
The boy was moving cautiously towards the girl, who'd spotted him and stopped playing.
"Do you want to play?" she asked, offering the rope to him. The boy nodded eagerly, and took it from her.
"I'm Sarah," the girl introduced herself.
"Sirius," the boy replied.
Sarah looked confused, and Harry felt a little confused too. He hoped he wasn't in Black's memories and that he'd simply heard the boy wrong.
"Well, of course I'm serious, why wouldn't my name be Sarah?" the girl asked, bringing Harry back to their conversation.
"No, my name is Sirius, S.I.R.I.U.S," the boy said, spelling out his name so she understood. Harry felt his heart plummet. 'Great' he thought, 'I have to sit through Black's whole life.'
Harry watched the two children play for quite a while, until he spotted rather ugly woman watching them. She was made even uglier by the glare that marred her face.
"Sirius Orion Black!" the woman screeched, sounding very similar to a harpy. "Get over here NOW you disgusting brat!"
The boy hurried over to her, looking terrified, glancing briefly back at Sarah. Harry guessed the woman was his mother as they had the same crystal grey eyes.
The woman grabbed Black's elbow tightly and yanked him back down the street, Harry following unseen behind them. He didn't know why he did it; but something about the woman reminded him of Aunt Petunia. He found himself worrying about the man he had come to hate.
Harry followed the two Blacks into number 12, dashing through the door just as it closed.
As soon as she was inside, Mrs Black threw her son across the room and started screaming: "You Abomination! How DARE you dirty yourself by consorting with muggle FILTH!"
"B-but she was nice…we…we were playing," the boy tried to explain, his young voice quiet and confused. Harry had to admire his courage for standing up to the horrible woman; but stopped and reminded himself of what this boy would become.
As Black spoke, his mother seemed to grow taller; and began to smile a cruel smile. Harry recognised this smile as boding nothing but ill from experience with his Uncle, and felt his heart beats increase.
"Kreature," she called, sounding dangerously pleased. A creature Harry recognised as a house elf appeared at her elbow. This elf had the same bat like ears Dobby had, but his smile was cruel and his nose was snout like.
"Mistress called Kreature," he said, his voice not as squeaky as other house elves.
"Show Sirius what will happen to him if he continues to consort with those below him," the woman sneered.
Black struggled as Kreature grabbed his arm just above the wrist. The elf and boy disappeared with a crack, and Harry found himself disappearing too somehow.
They ended up in a long dark room lit by a single candle; which had almost melted out. In the middle of the room, a long line of coffins took up most of the space. On the far wall lots of different sized rusty manacles were hung up at different heights. Kreature was dragging Black towards one of the smallest. The boy was struggling maniacally the whole way, but Kreature kept a hold on him.
"Do not worry young Master," Kreature spoke softly to Black as he attached the manacle to his left wrist. "The demons only come out when the lights are out." Laughing maliciously, the elf clicked his fingers and disappeared with a crack, leaving Harry alone with a boy who couldn't see him.
Black struggled with the manacle for a while; before he gave up and slumped against the wall he was chained to. Harry noticed his wrist was red where the metal had rubbed it, and his face was red from tears. He was scared. The boy couldn't sit, so he was still standing what must have been hours later when the candle finally burnt out.
Harry felt his heart beat increase; and heard Black get up and start struggling once again. He could hear the boy's frantic gasps as he tugged at the chain. The room was pitch black; Harry couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. A sound like that of running your fingernails down a blackboard echoed through the stone room, causing the struggles from Harry's left to stop. Unmistakable footsteps echoed in circles around the room, along with occasional sniffing sounds. Harry's imagination provided terrifying images of coffins opening and half decayed bodies wondering hairs breathes away from where he stood.
After what felt like an age; due to the constant panic as the sound of footsteps drew nearer than further, another crack sounded, ad Harry's breathed out in complete relief: Kreature was back. A new candle replaced the used burnt out one, providing a small amount of light that was still too bright for Harry. Whilst his eyes were adjusting, he heard an echoing bang. When he looked up, startled, he saw that the room looked just as it had before the light went out.
He looked left to watch Kreature release Black from his spot on the wall. The boy was shaking like mad and he'd lost all the colour from his face. His breathing was erratic and a few stray tears still adorned his face. Harry couldn't blame him. He himself had been frightened by the ghastly room and he knew that as this was a memory nothing could hurt him.
Kreature once again grabbed Black's arm and disappeared with him; once again Harry coming along by an invisible force, this time appearing in a study. Black's mother sat behind the desk, regarding her son with seeming disinterest, though she was still wearing her evil little smirk.
"Now, my son," she said calmly, almost lovingly. "What did you think of that dirty muggle you met earlier?"
Black didn't answer. He stared determinedly at the floor.
"Surely you don't want another trip into the morgue Sirius. It didn't seem to agree with you." She was still smiling. Black was frantically shaking his head.
"No, the morgue didn't quite do the job. I think starvation might do the trick; and I'm certain Orion will want a say when he gets home." The woman didn't seem to be talking to Black anymore, but to herself. "Kreature, take Sirius to his room and make sure he stays there."
The elf, who'd been standing in the doorway, nodded and once more grabbed the boy's wrist and dragged him out of the room. Harry didn't follow. He was shocked. Black's childhood was looking to be worse than his own. The future mass murderer had been abused as a child for being fascinated by the muggles on his doorstep? Though the boy was being severely punished for said fascination; but didn't that mean the parents were to blame for all his future crimes?
Harry's musings were abruptly interrupted by a female, echoing voice.
"Have you figured out why you're here yet?" she asked. The speaker was a pale white figure, but Harry couldn't make out any of her features. He could tell she had long hair and that she was beautiful, but couldn't make out any details.
"I'm watching the memories of Sirius Black," Harry stated, not sure how he felt about Black now. He hated the man he became, but worried for the curious child who'd become his father's best friend.
"That is correct," she replied, "But it isn't why you're here."
"Who are you?" Harry asked, "Why am I here if not to watch his memories?"
"You're here because in the past people have suffered needlessly, and will continue to do so in the future." The girl suddenly looked sad, "As for who I am, you'll have to figure out for yourself. "
"Why don't you show me the future then, I can't change the past!" Harry exclaimed; feeling irritated.
"I cannot show the future, Harry Potter, only the past and present, and you'll see who I am eventually."
Yeah - vertial chocolate to whoever figures that out before I tell you - but if you do don't tell anyone and give it away - promise? Anway - review and Please tell me what you think!