'YOU BRING SHAME TO US! YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BELONG TO THE BLACK FAMILY!'
"TRUST ME! I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT EITHER!" Sirius and his mother were having another one of their classic fights. This one, like so many others, was to do with the fact that he didn't fit in with the black family. Sure he looked the same, had the trademark black gorgeous hair and dazzling smile, but he was nothing like the rest of his family. They detested muggles, blood traitors and anyone who wasn't a pure blood. They also were heavily involved in the dark arts. Sirius on the other hand loved all things muggle. He didn't care about blood type, one of his best friends was a halfblood werewolf! He would rather die than take up the dark arts. Sirius was not at all like his family. "I'M GOING!"
"FINE, GET OUTOF THIS HOUSE; I KNOW YOU'LL ALWAYS COME TRAILING BACK". Sirius grabbed his wand from the kitchen table then stormed out into the night. He walked down his street and into muggle London. He passed many bars, cafes and theatres but he didn't want any of that right now, he just wanted to be alone. After walking for a long time, he decided to stop by a playground that he and his brother used to secretly visit, before they had grown apart. Street lamps lit the way for him and soon he saw the park that was lit up with a few street lamps. He thought he'd visit for a while, maybe sit on the swings for a bit. The problem was, somebody was already there. A girl of about 16 (the same age as him) was sat on the swings, clutching a bottle of vodka. She had long dirty blonde hair, a pale, tear stained face and big starry midnight sky eyes; a deep blue with what seemed like flecks of silver in them. She wore a pair of tattered doc martens, a long pale blue skirt and a thin black band t-shirt that clung to her incredibly skinny frame. Sirius couldn't help notice that she was very pretty. Beautiful even. Not wanting to let her know that he was there, he chose to sit on a bench that was hidden from view of the swings but where he could still see her. He didn't know why but he almost felt like he was intruding on a private moment. As if she was completely naked. Because that's how she seemed, so vulnerable. So fragile. He watched her take a few swigs of her vodka bottle and was shocked to see that it was almost empty. 'She better not have drunk all of that' he thought. Wait, what? Why was he thinking about others? He had his own problems. But still he stayed and still he watched. As more light snow began to fall, he couldn't understand how she wasn't cold. There was snow on the ground and a chilly December wind biting through the air. He was in a jacket and jeans and there she was; bare ankles and arms. Then, it hit him. She was in too much pain to feel anything. She was numb. He'd felt like it a few times. Tonight, the fight hadn't been so bad but he thought of many other times when it had been.
* K*
"Nobody cares about you anymore, not me, not your father, not even your own brother" his mother shouted.
"That's not true" Sirius said, his voice shaking with tears from thinking about Reg, his only brother.
"Yes, yes it is Sirius" came a calm voice from the stairs. He turned around. It was reg. All the beatings he'd taken for him, all the things he had put up with. And now his own brother had turned against him.
That was the first time that Sirius black had felt numb.
It seemed like hours that he watched her for and to be honest, it probably was. She just sat there, only moving to take occasional sips from her bottle. After a while, he supposed it was time for him to leave so he carefully stood up to go. Unfortunately, as he did, he stepped on a fallen branch with a loud crack. The girl quickly turned her big starry eyes to the spot where he stood but he had quickly ducked behind a tree. She slowly took her eyes off the spot but Sirius had been sure she'd seen something. As he silently walked out of the park, he thought about where he was returning to. Somewhere in the distance he heard church bells going off. Twelve chimes. It was midnight. Merry Christmas.
He returned home and went straight to sleep; the next day was Christmas. His family gave him nothing of course but he was filled with the happy thought that his friends had gotten him something. They'd all agreed that it was too dangerous to send it to his house. His mother would probably confiscate it. The next few days passed by in a painful blur but soon it was time to return to Hogwarts. Sirius made sure that his case was packed then walked down the stairs. His mother was waiting at the bottom. "I will escort you to the train but don't think this means that you are forgiven." She said crisply.
"Wouldn't want to be" Sirius mumbled under his breath. His mother cast a disillusion charm over both of them before they walked outside and apparated off the top step.
They arrived at the barrier for platform 9 and three quarters without saying a word. "Goodbye, I shall see you either in the next half term or in the summer" she said then bent down closer. "And if you even think about doing anything to shame our family then you'll be getting another taste of that curse" she whispered then walked away without another word. He shivered involuntary. The cruciatus curse.
* K*
"YOU THINK YOU'RE STRONG BOY BUT YOU'RE NOT! SEE HOW YOU FEEL AFTER THIS! CRUCIO!" Screeched his mother. The pain was almost unbearable. It felt like a thousand knifes were slicing into every part of his body. But still, he would not scream. He would not give in.
He put the memory out of his mind and then walked through the barrier to platform nine and three quarters. He scanned the crowds for the faces of his best friends but he seemed unable to find them. He saw many familiar faces and many 'hello's and 'great to see you's were thrown at him, to which he returned similar greetings along with his cocky grin. He looked through the crowds again when suddenly he was staring into a starry midnight sky. The girl. They had eye contact for less than a second but in that time; Sirius black had never felt more vulnerable. It felt as if she could see into his soul. She was quickly obscured from his view from the moving crowds of people but he kept his eyes rooted to the spot where he'd seen her. "Hey padfoot!" shouted a voice from behind him. When he didn't move the voice shouted again; "Padfoot!". Another voice joined in with shouting his nickname and Sirius (after registering that someone was calling him) turned to see who it was. There stood his three best friends; James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. "You were like, in your own little world there paddie" laughed James.
"Yeah, just thought I saw something" he murmured, looking back at where the girl had been.
"Or someone…" Remus said slyly.
"Yeah, was she fit? I imagine you'll have slept with her before the sorting hat has even sung its song." James joked. Peter let out a small laugh. "Haha, yeah, just another one to add to my list" Sirius lied. Soon the boys all began talking and went to get onto the train.