He felt the pain of her hand as she struck him across the face, and the sting afterward lingered in his heart.
"Get out."
He swept from the room, tears glistening upon his pale cheeks. She hated him. What had he done to make her this way? Was there something wrong with him? Was he like she said? Worthless. Slime.
The night bit at his nose as the boy wrapped his arms around him and jumped as the heavy brass gilded door swung shut behind him, leaving only a lingering metallic clang. He gazed up into the darkling skies as the last rays of the sun glinted gold behind the black trees. The first stars appeared above him and he knew where to look first, for his own. He sighed and brushed at his liquid silver eyes as a wet tear shone from it, still looking to Sirius for consolation. He wished that the stars could speak. Answer him as he silently screamed up to them for help…for anything but their bitter silence, as if the heavens too, resented his existence.
Sirius Black restrained a shout as the leaves rustled loudly below the cracked marble steps on which he now stood in a protective stance. He squinted into the bushes; grey orbs slits, and gleaming in the twilight.
"W-who's there?" He spoke with a quaver in his unsure voice.
Another shake and the leaves parted, their dark green hue swept aside and replaced with a bronze head.
"Me." A quiet whisper replied. Sirius shouted in surprise, his mouth stifled quickly by a small gloved hand.
"Sirius! Shh." The child's scarred face looked fearful momentarily then relieved as the only noise reaching his keen ears was the chirping of a nightingale.
"I can't talk." Sirius growled, his irritated tones muffled. His companion rolled his topaz pools and took his fingers away.
"Yes you can." Remus smiled.
Sirius huffed in annoyance.
"Are they hurting you again?" He asked, his calm voice betraying anger at his friend's family.
"No, will you relax, Remy?"
"But I know they have." Remus insisted shyly.
"They haven't, alright!? And I'm tired of you acting like my mothe-" Sirius fell silent and walked a few paces away.
Mother. He finished silently, sniffling mutedly. My demon of a mother. Remus frowned patiently and sank down with a tired sigh by Sirius, tugging gently on his hand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was doing it." He apologized as the Black son sat beside him.
"You aren't like her. I'm sorry. How are they at your place?"
"Father's worried again."
"You can't be that sick if you can trek a mile out here, can you? It's dangerous, Remy. Have you heard those wolves howling last night? They don't sound small to me. And you don't look that giant either, unless I have gone blind." Sirius ranted loyally.
"They're smaller than they sound."
"How would you know?"
"I –I don't know, Sirius. Let's talk about something else."
Sirius glared into the forest stubbornly but shrugged in consent.
"Let's talk about Hogwarts. Have you gotten your letter yet?"
"Yesterday." Grumbled Sirius dejectedly.
"I got mine this morning." Remus' weary face lit up in excitement.
"Aren't you happy?"
"Yeah, sure." Sirius brightened slightly. "I am, really! But I'll just end up in Slytherin, like the rest of them." He jerked his dark head to the right as if flicking off an irksome fly.
"No you wont, Sirius. You're different. You aren't dark, you're just…"
"Crazy."
"Crazy."
Remus laughed.
"And-just don't get your hopes set on Slytherin." Sirius snarled quietly.
"Just where I want to be."
Sirius grinned crookedly, and gazed thoughtfully back at the closed windows…A white gleam of a face flashed across the glass…a fury awakening in the snakelike black eyes which he dreaded to see…
"I think you better leave." Sirius jumped to his feet.
"Sirius! What is it?"
"You shouldn't have come. She knows, Remus. She knows you've been here."