An interesting coincidence for this oneshot (which has no relevance to Victory Day, but is entitled thus...) is being posted today... Happy Anniversary Potter fans! :D In honor of Voldemort's defeat, here is... Independence
The echo of her palm hitting his skin sounded through the kitchen. Silence lay over the room as a trembling veil – nearly motionless, but the tension caused a constant disturbance. The words she had yelled with the slap rang from the wooden floors and walls.
You are not my son.
All four of them knew it had been coming on for years now. Six years at least, but quite possibly longer. Had any one of them really expected him to turn back around and follow in the family legacy? He had been against their beliefs practically from the time he learned to talk. While the rest of his family had grown up despising Muggles and shunning their methods, beliefs and culture, he had found amazement in such things and embraced them as the solitary feature defining him from the rest of his family.
When his parents had brought the both of them to Diagon Alley and instructed them to behave themselves, he gave his younger brother a few Sickles and made sure he wandered off, only to sneak away once no one was looking and watch the Muggle street outside of the Leaky Cauldron.
When he had been tutored before going to Hogwarts he learned how to trick his tutor to give him less work to do and instead spent the time gazing out his bedroom window to the square below, becoming absorbed in the things he could learn, about what holidays they celebrated and what games they would play and how they lived differently from all that he had known.
His mother had found out when his younger brother told the rest of his family about the many hours he spent staring out the window. She had laid in wait in his room, sneering in distaste when his face lit up at the sight of the 'filthy Muggles and their good-for-nothing lives'.
He had been moved to a different room, one with a view that only looked out to the dank alley that served as a 'backyard'. He had also begun to receive dozens upon dozens of lessons about 'proper Pureblood behavior' and their important role in society.
But they hadn't been able to keep him back. He had rebelled as much and as often as he could. They hadn't been able to suppress his thirst for knowledge about the forbidden world he did not belong to. In fact, if they had done anything they had inspired him to be more and more outspoken and rebellious.
He had been sorted into Gryffindor because of his bravery (he said) and his recklessness and foolishness (all the rest of them said), which had only caused the rift to deepen between them. His parents had all but given up on him.
When Regulus finally attended Hogwarts and was sorted into Slytherin, it only added insult to injury. The rest of the family took it as an opportunity to remind Sirius of how much his brother would bring to the family name, of how proud they were of him. Of how he, so much more than Sirius, truly was a Black. Of how Regulus, perfect little Regulus, was destined for great things while Sirius, tragically untalented and disappointment-to-the-family Sirius would surely get himself caught and killed because of his gung-ho attitude.
Four long years of insults and rants and ravings by mad members of his family.
The Dark Lord's rise to power.
Numerous articles about Muggles being captured, found later to be tortured and killed.
Daily discussions about how much they agreed with this 'Lord Voldemort's' ideals. A perfect world free of half-breeds, Muggles and Mudbloods.
And it had all led up to this moment.
You are not my son.
He had been expecting it, no doubt about that. Maybe not that exact day, but he knew he wouldn't last the summer at his ancestral home.
The silence lasted only moments longer, before his mother spoke again. "Well, what are you waiting for? Leave this house now you filthy blood-traitor! I will not have your dishonoring reputation stain our family name one moment longer!"
Sirius' eyes were hard and cold with a determined look in them as he looked back at a woman who he definitely did not consider his mother. "Gladly," he ground out. "And I won't have to deal with the dishonor that your name brought to me for so many years."
Regulus sucked in a gulp of air sharply, but no one paid him any attention. Walburga Black was utterly livid – her face twisted in a cruel sneer.
"What did you say to me?" she asked dangerously.
"Nothing, Mrs. Black," Sirius responded sarcastically. "You must be hearing things. I only wanted to leave this hellhole peacefully." A cocky grin slid onto his face at the looks of pure rage on his parents' faces.
He wordlessly summoned his trunk (packed only that morning on a whim), which came soaring into the kitchen only a moment later.
"Don't bother to write," he said, stooping down to pick up his belongings. "I really don't need to hear from you and you won't be getting anything in return."
Not that they would, he thought to himself.
He headed toward the door, then turned back around to face the other three in the room, taking a last look at those who had just disowned him. Regulus gave him a measured look, which he returned. He nodded once, then continued out the door, the red mark across his cheek hidden by his curtain of tangled black hair.
He walked out of the door (which was hidden to those who didn't know of its existence), blending right in with his deliberately Muggle clothing.
He nearly took a look behind him, though he knew it wouldn't be visible from his position.
They're my family, something inside of him cried out. I should at least try to live with them.
The more logical and rational part of his brain argued vehemently. Honestly? How could you ever live with them anymore? You've known that this has been coming for months now.
But-
No. There's so much more to look forward to now. A life with those who actually appreciate you, freedom from a destiny you would have been forced into-
Alright! I get it!
He sighed and combed his fingers through his hair. He might not have a blood-related family anymore, but he knew of one family, the Potters, who he knew would be only too willing to take him in, according to the many letters he had already received from them earlier that summer.
And as he paid the toll for Knight Bus travel to Godric's Hollow, he felt rejuvenation at the amount of freedom he had, at the freedom he felt to think the way he wanted, to live the way he knew was right without oppression coming from every direction.
He was beginning a new chapter in his life, and he was determined to live it to the fullest.
Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review to tell me what you thought about it! :D
Competitions:
The FanFiction Wizard Tournament Competition: First Task, Prompts used: Quote ("It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."), Phrase (slapped in the face), and Genre (Drama).
The Wand Wood Competition – Ebony
The Greenhouse Competition – Rose (white)
The Color Competition – Purple (positive)
The Diagon Alley Competition – Twilfitt and Tattings
The Dark Side Competition – Salazar Slytherin's Locket