Hi! The basic format of these chapters will start with a section from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and then elaborate on it. Not sure how many chapters there're going to be, but they will only be loosely connected. This is not a structured story, but it does follow a certain timeline. I appreciate any and all reviews be it compliment or critique! (:

"Stand up straight," said Sirius impatiently. "Now, what are you up to?"

"Kreacher is cleaning," the elf repeated. "Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black-"

"-and it's getting blacker every day, it's filthy," said Sirius.

"Master always liked his little joke," said Kreacher, bowing again, and continuing in an undertone, "Master was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother's heart-"

"My mother didn't have a heart, Kreacher," Sirius snapped. "She kept herself alive out of pure spite."

- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, p. 109

Sirius toyed idly with his fork as his mother yelled, a sullen expression on his face.

"YOU'VE BEEN AT THIS SCHOOL FOR SIX YEARS, AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SHOW FOR IT? LETTERS TELLING ME ABOUT YOUR MISUSES OF MAGIC, MISBEHAVIOR, MISCHIEF, MISDEMEANOUR AFTER MISDEMEANOUR! HOW YOU'VE MANAGED TO DO IT IS BEYOND ME! IF YOU'D BEEN IN SLYTHERIN-"

Regulus cowered in his seat, casting terrified glances between his mother and his brother. Sirius frowned. Didn't she understand that he couldn't have controlled the sorting hat?

"YOU WOULD HAVE HAD PEOPLE LOOKING OUT FOR YOU-" He'd thought his entire life that he would be in Slytherin with the rest of them, with Bellatrix, Regulus, Andromeda, and with Narcissa.

"IDIOT BOY, ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?" He thought of laughing in the common room with them, how the firelight would glint off of Cissy's hair like spun gold, and how devilishly handsome he would look with his shirt untucked and his green and silver tie undone. But then he thought of James, Remus, and Peter and he felt guilty.

"YOU'RE FIFTEEN! BEHAVE LIKE IT! I SWEAR YOU HAVE A SHORTER ATTENTION SPAN THAN A FILTHY MUGGLE!" Regulus' frightened squeal distracted him from his musings and he looked up, irritated. His slate grey eyes widened as -

SMACK.

The sound of the slap resonated in the dining room before fading into a silence punctuated only by Walburga Black's irregular and harsh breathing. "Well," she said in an only slightly forced voice, "your cousins will be over for the night, please make yourself presentable. Apologize first," Her two sons remained frozen in their positions at the table.

"Apologize," she said again, her anger mounting again. Sirius' cheek was still stinging from the slap, and he could feel the heat in his cheek as an ugly bruise formed. Regulus quivered, still glued to his seat, charcoal eyes wide and frightened. Sirius turned his head slowly and gave his mother a look of utter hatred. She let out a mirthless titter, her chest heaving with suppressed fury. Sirius watched warily as Walburga's hand reached for her wand and laid it on the table, contemplating it.

"The Cruciatus Curse should help," she said quietly, however each syllable fell with frightening clarity. As she lifted her head, and the wand, Sirius repressed a shudder at the mad glint in her eyes, so similar to his own.

"Crucio!" She shrieked without warning, jabbing her birch wand at Sirius like a rapier. Regulus leapt a foot in the air and let out a strangled gasp. Sirius wanted to tell him it was ok, that his big brother was going to be fine, but then the pain started to kick in. He could hear a terrible screaming, then realized it was coming from him. It felt like someone was trying to simultaneously pull all of his limbs from his torso, stab him repeatedly with needles, and utter an Accio for his heart and it was responding by trying vainly to sever itself from his body. As if he was underwater he heard his younger brother screaming as well.

"Mother, stop it, you're hurting him! Stop it, please Mother, I'm sure he'll apologize! It's not his fault, please mother stop, STOP STOP STOP IT!" Regulus' voice broke on the last word and he gave up and sobbed dryly, pulling vainly at his mother's sleeve, trying to get her to stop the spell. Sirius' legs reflexively curled into his chest as painful spasms racked his body and forced him out of his chair and onto the floor, where he lay twitching for a minute after his mother had lifted the curse. She surveyed him imperiously and he was reminded strongly of his cousin Bellatrix.

"Well?" she said, her voice haughty, dripping with Black regality. Sirius stood up shakily, wincing with every halting movement his body made. He felt as though he had been beaten for a week, then wrung, and finally hung out to dry in the sun. He was tempted to refuse to say the words she wanted to hear, but he remembered his brother's distraught screaming and decided to take pity on Regulus, after all, he had to live up to his self-sacrificing Gryffindor qualities. However, instead of bringing a smile to his face, the thought only made him feel wearier. He ran a hand through his silky hair, ruffling it for a second before it fell back into place.

"I'm sorry mother," he spat from gritted teeth, bowing his head jerkily so that she couldn't see his eyes burning with resentment and rebellion.

He stalked up to his room without another word, his brothers pitiful sniffles fading into the musty silence. "Get out of my way, Kreacher," he snapped angrily and wrenched his door open, slamming it behind him before collapsing onto the bed. Sirius glanced into the mirror, he did a double-take at the mark on his face. It was really worse than he had predicted, he thought glumly. However Sirius was instantly distracted as he sensed a presence outside of his door. A spell was whispered and the lock on the door clicked ominously.

"This is for your earlier cheek," his mother said sweetly, and he could practically feel the spite dripping from her voice. "Pity you won't be able to spend time with your cousins tonight. Be good, Sirius," Though he couldn't hear her footsteps, he could tell when she was gone. He fell back onto his bed with renewed anguish. She knew-! The despicable old hag knew he wanted to see Cissy! She was doing this out of pure spite for his refusal to give in to her earlier. He listened, hating himself for being a masochist, as the doorbell rang and his mother greeted her brother's family into her home cheerfully, as though she hadn't just abused her eldest son. Bellatrix had definitely gotten the crazy genes from his dear mother. He heard said crazy lady's husky voice.

"Rodolphus and I are going to look at your garden, Aunt Walburga, I do hope you won't mind," Sirius snorted. He knew they were just going to shag somewhere. The garden? That's the best excuse she could come up wtih? Bella and Roddy had gotten married almost two years ago but they were still going at it like rabbits. He shook his head as his mother and aunt tittered shrilly and let the young married couple do as they pleased.

"Auntie, have you heard about that dreadful new subject they're starting at Hogwarts? Muggle Studies! As if it weren't the dullest thing," Every muscle in Sirius' body was suddenly strung taut and all his nerve endings tingled. He would know Narcissa's voice anywhere. It was smooth as silk, but with enough veiled power underneath the surface to tell that she wasn't one to trifle with.

He unbuttoned his stiffly starched collar with relish. She was the complete opposite of Bellatrix, who displayed her power ostentatiously. His thoughts drifted back to Narcissa. He undid the rest of the buttons absentmindedly. He could visualize perfectly what she must have looked like as she said it. Her immaculate white teeth would gleam as she threw her head back to laugh softly, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her blond hair flowing about her shoulders. A soft knock on his door brought him out of his reverie and to his senses.

"Come in." He said dully. He doubted it was his mother, and he had been wondering if the door had stayed locked after the first fifty times he tried to open it. The door opened hesitantly and Sirius bit back a yelp as a pale face stared in, framed by elegant blond waves.

After passing the first hour in his room Sirius had flung his clothes around in a half-hearted temper tantrum. The boxers he was planning to wear tomorrow and the day after were strewn across the floor as were multiple Playwizard magazines and a box of half-eaten chocolate cauldrons. He had unbuttoned his shirt and it was just barely clinging from his shoulders, he had been shrugging it off when he had heard the knock. Narcissa wrinkled her small nose at the wreckage, which reeked of testosterone.

"Um, I've brought you food," she murmured and nudged the door open with the tray she was holding in her hands. Sirius' mouth watered at the onion soup and bûche de noël. That's right, he had forgotten it was almost Christmas, what with all the fighting at home, it hardly seemed possible that a time for family appreciation and affection could be so quick on their heels. As she picked her way delicately through the rubbish heap, something crumpled under her feet. She looked down and caught a glimpse of two very endowed witches in minimal clothing blowing kisses at the reader before Sirius whisked it up and chucked it elsewhere. She set the tray on his lap a little forcefully, pursing her lips. However Sirius was distracted by the pretty blush that colored her cheeks. He cleared his throat, more for his own benefit than anything else.

Her blue eyes met his once before she turned around and made her way back to the door. She tugged once, twice, then stared at the panel of wood, disbelief clear on her face. Sirius mouthed a thank you towards his ceiling.

"Wand?" he suggested with feigned hope. Narcissa shook her blond head. She had left it downstairs, as she didn't think she'd need it. It was a sort of insult to one's hosting skills to insinuate that you thought you were going to need your wand in their house. Even among family the practice of carrying your wand on your person was looked down upon.

She traipsed back to his bed and sat beside him. There was a comfortable silence for a while as he ate his soup and she flipped through a Quidditch magazine. "Why does it look like a tornado's been through here?" she said in feigned disgust. Sirius pulled a face at her.

"Oh dear Cissy," he sang mockingly, "you wouldn't know, living in a house with mostly womenfolk." He wrinkled his nose in fake distaste. "I'm a man." He puffed out his chest only half-jokingly.

"I'm not sure what tipped me off," she said dryly, snagging an old edition of Playwizard with her toe and laughing when Sirius blushed and snatched it. He glanced briefly at the cover (Seven Sexiest Seers: Wanton Witches of the West) before hurling it in the general direction of somewhere-far-away. Narcissa's gaze fixed itself on his cheek. Her eyes narrowed imperceptibly.

"What happened?" she said so quietly Sirius almost didn't catch her words. "What?" he blurted, caught unawares. Narcissa's sky blue eyes stared pointedly at his cheek. "What happened?" she said again, not much more loudly than the first time. Her fine-boned hands put the magazine down delicately and she reached out to Sirius. His grey eyes slowly traveled from her eyes to her outstretched hand and then back. He felt as though his mind was working unbelievably slowly.

Narcissa tutted and shuffled closer. She grasped his chin as if he were the fragile one (with her skinny arms and legs like porcelain? Not likely. The Gryffindor in his mind sputtered indignantly as his Slytherin counterpart purred, content to let her do as she pleased). She turned his face slowly towards her and leaned across to scrutinize his slapped cheek. As he realized what she was doing he jerked out of her grip and stared at her self-conciously, but she merely repeated the action. He groaned inwardly. Their thighs and chests were touching and Merlin he could feel her steady breathing against him as his pulse steadily increased.

Her breath tickled his cheek and he could smell her hair (was that jasmine?). His gray eyes darted around the room in agitation as he started to get uncomfortably hot. Think of mother, he told himself. His lips twisted in distaste and it was almost enough to distract him from the present situation.

Narcissa trailed her fingertips lightly over the blotchily flushed skin and this time Sirius really did groan. She snatched her fingers back and stared at him with wide blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," she whispered. "Yeah but she did," he said with a rueful smile. Narcissa didn't smile back. "Who?" she pressed. She still hadn't moved from her position of leaning around him. Their faces were still so close together that when she had said 'who' Sirius felt the exhale across his own lips. If he just moved forward a little bit. No, he told himself firmly. That is the line. I'll let you have your twisted fantasies but that's too far, the voice said adamantly. It sounded a bit like Remus.

"My mother, who else?" Her eyes flickered away from his to the bruise and back, willing him to elaborate. "I wasn't listening as she...reprimanded me," Sirius hoped Narcissa didn't want any more detail. But when she masterfully raised a perfect blond eyebrow he gave up. "So she slapped me. And then she wanted me to apologize. I refused. She used Crucio. I apologized." Even now the words left a sour taste in his mouth. Narcissa merely looked unsettled. Sirius was somewhat disappointed. He had been looking forward to the dramatic reaction but her blue eyes showed no hint of tears, no gasp of shock had escaped her pale pink lips.

"What is it Cissy?" he snapped waspishly as she continued to stare at him.

"You know," her voice suddenly sultry, "you should have been in Slytherin," she stroked his other cheek. "You have such nice skin, Sirius, pity Aunt Walburga ruined it...for now, Sirius" She drew his name out like a caress. Sirius swallowed, his adams apple bobbing. Then he realized something. He grabbed her hand with his own and thrust it away from his face. "She told you?" he seethed.

This time there was no question who 'she' referred to. Narcissa shrugged. "It's common pureblood practice to abuse one's children," she said with a trace of bitterness in her voice. "At least in families as mad as ours. These are mad times, but our family's madder. All of us have hearts blacker than our name." she laughed lightly, but Sirius could detect no amusment. He smiled sourly. "My mother doesn't have a heart."

"What, you think she keeps herself alive out of pure spite?" Narcissa suggested with a hint of a smile. Sirius nodded. "Exactly."

He suddenly realized her hand was still in his.

He marveled at how small and cold it was compared to his own. He took a good look at the girl sitting next to him. Even though a couple years younger, he was much bigger than her. Sirius was a proud 6 feet and 4 inches, but he doubted that Narcissa was even 5'8" at most. His broad shoulders and lean, muscular frame made the blonde seem unusually slim. She fidgeted in her grey dress robes, and Sirius realized he was staring rather obviously. Narcissa was watching him with amusement, and as he met her gaze, flustered, she smiled sincerely for the first time. It took his breath away.

He leaned forwards maddeningly slowly, and she mimicked him almost teasingly. Their foreheads touched and they stayed like that for a moment. Sirius grinned playfully and Narcissa blushed, looking away and then coquettishly back at him through her eyelashes. He groaned for the third time that night and they both fell into the kiss desperately. Narcissa grabbed at his hair and he wrapped his arms around her waist and back. Sirius boldly deepened the kiss and they fell back onto his bed.

He pinned her wrists down triumphantly, his knees on either side of her hips. He took pride in bringing out this side of Narcissa Black that she shared with nobody else, not even her own sister. Sirius took in her mussed blond hair, her chest heaving, her usually immaculate dress robes creased, her normally pale cheeks flushed, and her blue eyes bright. She smiled up at him, dimples forming in her cheeks. He bent down to take another kiss from her when a sharp rap on the door startled them both. Sirius yelped and fell off the bed and Narcissa peered down at him worriedly. When she realized the comedic nature of the situation she laughed and Sirius scowled at her.

"Hellloo? Cissy are you in there? We're ready to leave!" Bellatrix called impatiently from the other side of the door. Narcissa leapt off of the bed and tried to fix her hair, straighten her slate robes, and arrange her face into the perfect mask it had been. Sirius traced her lips with his thumb and smiled cheekily. "I like you better before. You seemed so alive," Her pink lips curved into a dimpled smile reminiscent of the one she wore earlier. Standing on her tiptoes she kissed his cheek before hurrying out the door (which was unlocked once more), blushing furiously. Sirius stood dazedly in his room for another minute. Grinning fiercely he ran a hand through his hair and whooped loudly.

"So Narcissa," said Bellatrix with a knowing smirk. "Made a man out of our dear Sirius, did you?"

"What? No!" Narcissa said aghast. "Nothing like that!"

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" Bella leaned forward curiously. Narcissa smiled secretively and looked out of the carriage window. Content with that answer, Bella crossed her arms victoriously and leaned back against the arm of her confused husband.

« On n'aime que ce qu'on ne possède pas tout entier. » - Marcel Proust - "We only love that which we do not wholly possess."

I decided to make the quotes for these chapters French, since the Black family motto (Toujours Pur) is also in French! (: Review, s'il vous plait, I would love to know what you thought of it!