Here we go, a Sirius Black story! Hope you guys like it.


Prologue: Cousin Lyrcoris

The first time Sirius saw her, he wondered:

"When did mental cousin Bellatrix turn blonde?"

His next words were:

"I said that out loud, didn't I?"

It had been one of the many Black Family gatherings where his parents would force both him and his brother, Regulus, to attend with their best clothes and best fake smiles. Like all the others before that party, it had started out bland as the adults gossiped and boasted to one another, leaving the children to tolerate each other.

Sirius didn't like his family, he thought they were conceited and overrated. Always had their noses up in the air, he wonders if they suffered from stiff necks. Except his little brother, Regulus. But he's a pansy and listens to his parents too much, he really had to do something about that little yet growing problem. There's also his Uncle Alphard who was cool and not a snob like his sisters, Sirius's mum and his Aunt Druella. There's also cousin Andromeda who was A LOT better than her snooty sisters, Narcisa and Bellatrix.

Speaking of Narcisa and Bellatrix, it appears to him that both Andromeda's sisters has attended the party. Narcisa still looked the same, still with her chin up, trying to look down on everybody despite the handicap of her height. Bellatrix, however, looked different. It wasn't just her unusually approachable aura or her calm, petite smile which differs from her normal belligerent scowl. And she was blonde. Not Narcisa blonde which almost looked bleached but golden blonde. Sirius forced himself to think it was the annoying kind of blonde, it was Bellatrix after all.

Hm... he never really pegged his dear cousin Bella to be a closet-Little-Miss-Sunshine. He thought her soul was too black for it to be possible, what with her first words being "Avada Kedavra".

And now we go back to the time in which Sirius had asked no one in particular when his bellicose cousin turned blonde. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't in the position to ask, both literally and figuratively.

Blondie-Bella turned to the boy beside her with a face of surprise. And then like a mask, the bewilderment began to crack to make way for barely suppressed laughter that Sirius thought complemented the rest of her face just wonderfully—IN a... horribly silly way... actually. After letting out a gleeful chuckle, she responded with:

"Yes, I believe you did."

Sirius's brows nearly shot up to his hairline at her reaction. Bellatrix Black. His cousin, THE pugnacious, out-of-placely-no-nonsense Bellatrix Black LAUGHED in response to being possibly ridiculed by her "filthy, blood-traitor of a cousin" with precisely zero percent hostility. Sirius almost had to punch himself to see if he was dreaming.

Well, six years of living with a person (namely, the horrid Walburga Black) could lead to some of their mannerisms rubbing off on you and thus Sirius swiftly recomposed himself and turned away from Blondie-Bella haughtily, an attempt to conceal his disbelief.

"So? When did you decide to turn yourself goldilocks?" Sirius asked, trying to sound unconcerned and bored.

"Hm... around the time I was born, actually," she responded with a hint of... playfulness...?

Wait, what?

"Pardon?"

"Believe it or not, I am a natural blonde, my dear," Blondie-Bella said with a frivolous smirk.

"What? I'm sorry, but Bella—"

"And what does my filthy blood-traitor of a cousin want with me?" Sirius wondered how Blondie-Bella could've talked without moving her mouth like those puppeteers in those wizarding comedy bars. As well as how she changed characters so quickly.

Turning around, he was met by a black-haired Bellatrix, nose in the air, Black Family scowl, and her I-am-definitely-better-that-you aura completely intact. She gave him a once-over before strolling to Blondie-Bella's side.

"Don't mind him, Cory, there's no need for you of all people to squat down to his level," Bitchy-Bella (as he decided to call the recently arrived Black haired Bellatrix to differentiate her from Blondie-Bella, done for the reader's benefit, of course) said, gesturing to Sirius with a roll of her eyes.

Blondie-Bella chuckled at Bitchy-Bella's statement. "Not to worry, Bella," Blondie assured Bitchy. "I was quite enjoying myself, actually."

Bitchy's eyes narrowed at this, a tight frown shaping her lips. "And what, pray tell, did he say that was so amusing?" she asked, obviously finding anything humorous in the situation.

"Oh don't be churlish, Bella, he was only enquiring as to when you decided to dye your hair blonde," Blondie replied. It was then hostility started emanating from Bitchy in waves. Blondie Scrambled for a save. "INSINUATING... that we looked very much alike."

With this addition to the previous statement, Bitchy's hostility was appeased and the creases in her forehead began to smooth out, giving her a rather content look. With a dignified huff, she replied, "Naturally."

Blondie gave a small smile at Bitchy's behaviour before turning back to Sirius whose mouth was hanging wide open after witnessing the look-alikes's exchange.

"I hope you find it in your heart to pardon my and my sister's extremely rude behaviour," Blondie aplogized, her smile still playing on her lips. "I don't believe we've met, I am Lycoris Black. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Bellatrix (he was sure it was her now) snorted from behind her "sister", earning a small prod on the shoulder. Sirius gulped, now that he knew she was definitely not his deranged cousin Bellatrix, she looked really—... seemed really... nice.

"Sirius... and... it is a pleasure... it is MY pleasure... thepleasureisallmine."

Lycoris laughed.