Sirius was walking quickly through the dark streets of London. He was on his way to his uncle. He certainly was not in the best mood, because today he had gotten a telling-off from his boss. Although it wasn't what it sounded like, for his boss was Mad-eye Moody and it was more of a stare down than anything else.
It really wasn't his fault that his best friend James Potter had played a prank on him again. Okay, to be honest, maybe it was his fault. After all it was him that had started the prank war, but still the telling-off he had gotten from his boss was really unfair. James had been the one who had charmed him, a charm that made him want to dance. It really wasn't his fault, and it would have been funny had he not had to have that conversation with his boss.
Deep in thought Sirius heard the steps behind him a tad too late and became immediately alert. He tensed and grabbed his wand from his coat (that really looked a lot like a cloak if he was to be honest with himself). He tried to see the reflection in the window of one of the shops on the other side of the street. But he could only recognise a young woman with a huge shopping bag. She was dressed like a real muggle, a fairly good sign that she couldn't possibly be a Deatheater, due to the fact that most purebloods couldn't see the difference between a nightgown and a dress. Sirius relaxed a bit, but nonetheless didn't put his wand back into his pocket again, but kept it in his hand.
While Sirius turned left he and assured himself again that no deatheater was behind him, he tried to imagine how his hated cousin Bellatrix would look in a flower-nightgown. He had seen Lily (James' wife) once in such a nightgown, when a few weeks prior he brought a very drunk James home who wasn't able to apparate anymore apparently. The nightgown was somehow befitting for the Muggle-born Lily, but Bellatrix would look ridiculous in it. Even more so because she probably wouldn't know that it was not a dress but a nightgown and wouldn't know when to wear it. He laughed and his laughter echoed in the dark alley his mood was getting better and the conversation with Mad-Eye nearly forgotten.
Sirius went around another corner, he had apparated a few streets away from his uncle to cause as little as possible attention, to prevent the magic track he would have left if he had apparated next to his uncle's house. His uncle was hiding and he was better left undiscovered. This were dangerous times and he had to be careful not to attract any attention.
Finally he saw his uncle's house in front of him, it was a typical Muggle terraced house. He saw electric lights burn in some of the windows. When he had first explained electricity to his uncle, he was immediately impressed, on the contrary to the rest of his family (except his cousin Andromeda), for they were all prejudiced purebloods that sympathized with Voldemort or were Death Eaters themselves.
Sirius was very glad that he was practically adopted by the Potters. Luckily he still had them, his uncle and Andromeda, although he just recently lost contact with her because she had fled with her young daughter and her muggleborn husband some time ago.
He finally arrived at the front door, stepped onto the three steps in front of the house and rang the bell. His uncle opened immediately, as if he had been standing on the other side of the door. "Sirius, my dear boy! I'm so happy to see you! You had us worried, we expected you to be here a bit earlier to be honest!" Alphard looked quite worried as he said this. 'Us' who else was here?
"Oh, uncle, you don't have to worry about me! You'd have to worry more about the Deatheaters if some would actually be able to get me at some point." Sirius said with a grin while he closed the front door behind him. "This foolish behaviour is exactly the reason why I worry. You behave as if we weren't in the middle of a war!" Alphard still looked at him with concern in his eyes, but then he turned around and walked towards the living room. Sirius followed him. "You said 'us'? Who else is here?" Sirius asked.
Alphard opened the door that lead to the living room and there on the couch in a bright turquoise cloak with a totally not matching bright yellow hat, sat Albus Dumbledore. Sirius' former headmaster and also leader of the Order of the Phoenix, of which Sirius was a member. "Professor Dumbledore! What are you doing here?" Sirius looked quite shocked to see his former headmaster outside of his old school or order meeting. Had something happened?
Alphard sat down in his armchair. "I accidently- well no, not so quite accidently read something quite disconcerting about you, Sirius, that I thought I should tell you about. And it was so important to me that I wanted to tell Dumbledore about it too." Sirius just got more worried. "What do you mean? What did you hear?". What could possibly be so important that Alphard wanted to talk not only with him but also with Dumbledore? Was maybe one of his friends in danger? "Please sit down boy, no one is in immediate danger," his uncle reassured him as if he had read his thoughts, "I'm sure you'd like a cup of tea, you'll probably need it."
Sirius wanted to speak first, then sat down but back and waited until his uncle had finished pouring his tea. He looked down at his hands and thought about what it could be they wanted to talk with him about, he looked up and looked at Dumbledore. But Dumbledore's face had an unreadable look and his ever twinkling eyes didn't tell him anything either.
Alphard had poured his tea and sat down again in his chair. "Thank you," Sirius said in a low voice. "Okay, let me explain something first. I think then you will also understand why I first informed Albus and not you even though this information concerns mostly you. "
Yes that was indeed a question Sirius had asked himself just seconds ago. "As you know, you and I have both been blasted of the Black family tree. A matter which I think didn't really concern us that much." Sirius could not suppress a brief grin.
"But on contrary to you, I'm still a member of the House Black, even if no snobbish pure-blooded Black would ever want to admit it publicly." Alphard grinned at Sirius and Sirius laughed out loud, he could just imagine how much it would irritate his dear mother that she couldn't totally get rid of Alphard.
"And because I'm still an official member, I have to be informed about weddings and funerals. Now, no one actually does that, even though it's the law. My, our, family thinks that when they don't write me, if they do not let me know these things, I could also not complain about them. First of all, I have no idea why they think I would complain or care anything at all about what happens with the rest of the Black family. Except you and Andy of course, Sirius." Alphard looked at him, his frown that had gotten deeper and darker the longer he talked about his family turning into a smile once again. "But second of all, they can't bypass a law written with dark magic almost 500 years ago." Sirius looked confused. "But uncle Alphard, what are you saying now? I'm sorry but this sounds a bit freakish." Alphard took a sip of his tea and continued his explanation. "What I'm say in is Sirius, that even though they don't want me to know, this morning I still got a letter about an engagement concerning a family member. The law writes the letters Sirius, isn't that genius." Alphard exclaimed looking far too excited in Sirius' opinion about a law written and activated with dark magic. While he was wondering why this information was so important and in which way it could concern him, his uncle laughed when he saw Sirius' face and Dumbledore looked as if he found the whole situation just far too amusing.
"Who has gotten engaged then? And what does that have to do with me? "Alphard looked briefly over at Dumbledore, who then answered him.
"It looks as if your parents engaged you, Sirius."
But although he heard Dumbledore remark, it was still incomprehensible to Sirius, only after a few seconds he understood what Dumbledore had just said.
"I beg your pardon?! I'm engaged?"