The air was cold, sending a chilling shock up his spine. Sirius stood facing away from his parents, yet he could feel their cold glare on him. He couldn't decide which was colder, the frozen wind blowing by, or the gaze his parents where sporting.
"Well, start moving! We're meant to be there early!" His father gave him a rough shove forwards, the smaller being losing his balance quickly, falling down onto the hard concrete ground below.
"Watch where you're going you brat! You're supposed to look presentable!" Orion snapped at him, harshly yanking him up by the collar of his button down.
He desperately wanted to snap back at his father, but something in his brain told him not to, he could tell his parents weren't in a very good mood.
"Yes father." He grumbled, and began to walk out into the street, refusing to look back at his parents, who were walking behind him slowly, still glaring at him as if to silently judge him.
"Boy, stop walking." His father barked, yanking him backwards.
"Because of you we're late. We'll just have to apparate there." His voice was emotionless as he grabbed his wife and Sirius' hands, gripping Sirius' a little more forcefully than he had to.
They arrived in Diagon Alley with much time to spare, but unfortunately, the time blessed would not be spent enjoying the beauty and joy of Diagon Alley, but suffering quietly in Borgin & Burkes, the dust filling his lungs crudely.
"Ahhh...Bella! How nice to see you again." His mother smiled at his cousin, who had walked into the store, a slightly shorter, blonde headed Narrcissa beside her.
"You too Aunt Walburga." She replied, hugging Sirius' mother happily.
"What are you doing here in Diagon Alley? You graduated two years ago!" His father exclaimed, his normally stotic face erupted into a smile.
"Oh, I'm shopping for Cissy here, she's starting her 5th year." Bellatrix slung her arm around around Narcissa with a slight smirk, harshly pulling her close. Narcissa had a look of discomfort on her face as Bellatrix boasted about her sister proudly. She pulled away from her elder sister and sat beside a quiet Sirius, who bitterly glanced at his older cousin.
"Hello Sirius." She whispered, her voice shaky. Her hands rested in her lap politely. She was a true Black.
"Hey..." He replied, not particularly caring whether he sounded rude. He could care less at the moment.
"How are you?" She asked, her voice tight. Sirius glanced at her, his stare reading, "Are you seriously asking?"
As much as he wanted to say that, he instead let out a weak, "I'm fine, you?" Her eyebrow raised suspiciously, as if to say, "You're talking to me?"
"I'm fine." Sirius nodded, a small, bitter smile forming on his face as he realised this was the longest conversation he and his cousin had had in 5 years, since Narcissa began Hogwarts.
"Well, come on Cissy, we better go pick up the rest of your books." Bellatrix said, pulling her sister to her feet.
"Aunt Walburga, Uncle Orion, goodbye." She said with a smile, bowing slightly as she walked out the door, a slightly confused look on her face.
After all his items were picked out, the trio apparted back home, where Orion shoved him inside, rage on his face.
"What the fuck was that you scum?!" His father yelled, pushing him to the ground. His mother walked past the two without so much of a second glance.
"What did i do this time?!" He yelled back, groaning as his father pounded his foot onto Sirius' chest, knocking the breath from his lungs.
His father began mindlessly yelling at him, stomping on him angrily. Sirius felt a horrible pain in his chest and he gasped, his rib was probably broken.
"Father?" Sirius looked back to see Regulus, his younger brother, standing on the staircase.
"Regulus! G-go back upstairs." Sirius yelled, earning a smack from his father.
"Go upstairs Regulus, I'll be up in a little while." He father said, pausing his beating just long enough for Sirius to stand up and scramble upstairs, heading into his room.
He crawled under the bed, the makeshift hangout area underneath the bed covered in dust. He blew off the pillow and blanket, checking for spiders before laying down, facing the wall. A box sat in front of him with photos and cards in it. He smiled, these were all the photos and cards he and James had gathered in the 4 years they had known each other.
"Siri?" Regulus called out, opening the door to his brother's room. Sirius cursed in his head, his brother was always so damn curious.
"Where are you? Mum and Dad left to go out somewhere...Please come out..." Sirius sighed, kicking off the blanket before sliding out from under the bed.
"Why was dad beating you?" He asked innocently, sitting down on the bed beside his older brother.
"I don't know Reg, but I promise he'll never lay a finger on you."