Sirius sat nervously at a table in the Hog's Head, eyes fixated on the front door. He had chosen a seat in one of the tavern's particularly dark corners, knowing that privacy was necessary for this impending meeting. Hand trembling, he brought his glass to his lips,wincing as the cheap firewhiskey burned his throat going down. He glanced at his watch, biting his lower lip. They had agreed to meet at nine, and it was nearly half past. What could be keeping him? At last, he caught sight of Dumbledore entering the establishment, forcing himself to remain seated, lest he draw attention to himself. Sirius watched Dumbledore exchange words with the barman, fingers drumming nervously against the table. "Can he just hurry up already?" he muttered under his breath.

At last, he came to join Sirius at the table, taking a seat across from him. "You said you needed to meet with me, Mr. Black?" he asked, blue eyes twinkling.

Sirius nodded, a chill running down his spine. He hated when Dumbledore stared at him like that, with his piercing gaze; it felt as though he was seeing through him to his very core, a thought which shook him considerably. "I... I killed someone. A muggle... They said it was my... initiation..." he trailed off, tugging at the left sleeve of his robe. His forearm ached dully, the mark having been put there mere hours before.

"You have done well so far, Sirius. They have allowed you to join their ranks. They trust you," Dumbledore remarked, unperturbed by his confession.

"But I... I killed him. An innocent muggle. Doesn't that... make me as bad as them?" Sirius sputtered, sloshing some of his drink onto himself.

Dumbledore observed him a moment, a single eyebrow raised. "You have done what was required of you for the task you have at hand, Sirius."

"But you can't really expect me to just go along with this, can you? Am I supposed to just do what they say? Kill more people if it is asked of me? I don't think I can do this, sir-"

"When you accepted this mission, I told you that it would be far more dangerous than you could ever imagine. You have succeeded in doing what we need of you; infiltrating their ranks. You can not back down now," Dumbledore interrupted, his tone stern.

"But sir, I'm not a killer, I-"

"You will do whatever it takes to assist the Order in defeating Him and his followers. Whatever you must do to maintain your position among their ranks, you must do. Every kill is justified for the good of the cause. The greater good far outweighs whatever the costs may be," Dumbledore continued, standing suddenly.

"Go home to your wife, Sirius," he instructed. "And remember, it is for the greater good."

Sirius was bored. Far beyond simply bored, actually; mind-numbingly, infuriatingly bored. A full year had passed since he and his fellow Marauders had finished their time at Hogwarts. At the time, Sirius had been excited, intoxicated by the promise of adventure and the bright and shining future he had destined for him. However, as was often the case in his life, things had not gone exactly as planned. For instance, his dream of becoming an auror had been quickly dashed away. His parents had seen fit to that, their influence barring him from holding any post with the Ministry. That had been disappointing, certainly, but he had gotten over it, as soon after he had been asked to join the Order of the Phoenix, an underground resistance fighting against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Surely, joining the fight against Voldemort would satiate his desire for adventure and excitement. But alas, his dreams of fighting alongside the senior members of the Order had yet to come to fruition; a year had passed, and still Alastor Moody insisted that he continue to contribute to the cause from the sidelines, claiming that he was too young, too reckless to be trusted to join in combat. To further exacerbate matters, his friends had all but abandoned him. James and Lily had managed to surpass their already nauseating degree of coupledom by tying the knot. Six months after graduating, James had moved out of the flat he had been sharing with Sirius in London, relocating to Godric's Hollow to a charming cottage with the newly Mrs. Lily Potter. Sirius could have handled the distance, could have overlooked the obnoxiousness of their lovey-doveyness had he not received the ultimate snub; James had rejected his numerous requests for company, instead electing to spend his free time amongst other couples.

"When did everyone start paring off, anyway?" Sirius muttered despondently, swirling the amber drink in his glass. Another evening had come and passed, leaving Sirius with nothing but firewhiskey for company. Remus wasn't much better, he thought, bringing the glass to his lips. He drained the glass, carelessly wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. Remus, ever the proud individual, had refused his and James' offers of financial support, instead electing to work at some Muggle library for a pittance. He too had been barred from work at the Ministry, although admittedly for a far more sinister reason. Still, Sirius reasoned, being a werewolf hadn't held Remus back completely. After all, he thought darkly, he had been trusted to participate in missions for the Order. Peter had all but disappeared, too busy caring for his ill mother to be bothered with his so-called friends, his brothers.

Sirius liked conflict. He always had. During his teenage years, he had found a giddy thrill in disobeying his mother's demands by associating with blood-traitors and muggle-borns. Now that he was older, he still found enjoyment in getting a rise out of Moody and the older Order members by gallivanting around with his childhood friend, Evelyn Greengrass. Though he'd never admit it to James or the others, Sirius secretly preferred the company of pure-blooded women, specifically Slytherins. He found their icy demeanor preferable to the hot-tempered Gryffindor girls and silly, giggly Huffelpuff girls he had spent his teen years fooling around with in secluded corners of the castle. He had dated a few Ravenclaws, but had found their serious, bookish sensibilities unnerving. Moody chastised his relationship with Evelyn constantly, insinuating that she, as a pure-blooded Slytherin, was the enemy and could not be trusted, which only encouraged Sirius to continue seeing her.

Growing aggravated with his solitude , Sirius decided to go out to continue drinking. He apparated to the London entrance of the Leaky Cauldron, swinging the door open to enter the establishment. As he had predicted, he spotted a lithe blonde seated at the far end of the bar, staring down into her cocktail. Sirius grinned, shoving through the crowd to make his way towards her. "Fancy seeing you here, Evie," Sirius greeted her, grabbing her martini glass from off the bar. He took a sip, wincing as the taste of juniper berries overwhelmed his palate. "Merlin, Evelyn, what are you drinking, straight gin?" he sputtered, slamming the glass back down.

Evelyn smirked, calmly raising the glass to her lips, tossing her head back and draining its contents with a single gulp. "Naturally, darling. What else would I be drinking?"

"Fair point," Sirius agreed, taking a seat beside her. "So... I assume he's with the wife, tonight?"

Evelyn sighed, signaling to the bartender to fix her another drink. "Narcissa was quite insistent that he spend more time at home," she affirmed, her lips forming a scowl.

"It appears word got out that his 'business trip' was a long weekend in Paris with moi," she continued, taking a sip of her drink.

"Cissy always was insanely jealous of you, you know," Sirius noted, pausing to give the bartender his drink order.

"I mean you two dated all through school and... she was fuming, you know, when it seemed likely that he was going to ask you to marry him," he continued, taking a sip of his glass of firewhiskey.

Evelyn clicked her tongue, taking a dainty sip of her drink. "Yeah, well, you saw how well that all worked out," she muttered.

Sirius sighed. "You know that Malfoy had no choice but to go along with the marriage. A Black-Malfoy union was a necessity; Lucius' father dwindled away most of their family fortune. A degenerate gambler, that one was. Cissy wanted Lucius, and she knew she had the money to to throw at his family to convince him. He married her for the sake of his family."

"I know. Doesn't change the fact that he spurned me for the sake of them," she retorted, staring down into her glass.

"You didn't really love that wanker, did you, Evie?" Sirius queried, taking a swig of his drink.

Evelyn frowned, again draining her glass. She waved her hand, summoning the bartender to bring her another. "I did, actually. Or do. You are well aware of my feelings for him, Sirius. His marriage hasn't changed that. It would have been nice to marry him. To be a wife, and have a home of my own."

"You haven't exactly gotten a rotten deal out of it, have you? I mean, living the life of a kept woman?"

"On her dime, no less," she agreed, smirking. "I suppose it has its perks."

"So what's new with you?" she countered, taking a sip of her freshened beverage.

"Absolutely nothing. Jamie doesn't want to hang out with me anymore because he's all married and boring and only has couple friends, now. When did everyone decide to pair up, anyway?" Sirius complained, rolling his eyes.

"I know what you mean... I don't exactly have any suitors... you know how it is. Lucius would hex them into next week if anyone so much as asked me to dinner-"

Except me," Sirius interrupted, smirking.

"Except you," she agreed. She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his, her touch soft as her hand grazed his jaw, stroking it momentarily before entwining itself in his shoulder-length raven locks.

"So," she whispered, her lips still pressed to his. "Your place or mine?"

Sirius woke with a start, staring blearily at the clock on the dresser across from his bed. 5 A.M. Fuck. Groaning, he threw his covers off of himself, pulling himself out of bed. He grabbed his jeans from the pile of clothing on the floor, where he and Evelyn had hastily tossed them aside upon arrival to his flat early that morning. He grabbed his tee shirt, not bothering to turn it right side out, slipping into his shoes and grabbing his wand off the nightstand. With any luck, he thought to himself, he would only be fifteen minutes late for the meeting.

Surely enough, Sirius was the last to arrive to the Order HQ. He slipped into the room where the others had gathered, attempting to draw as little attention to himself as possible. Sinking into a chair between Remus and Fabian Prewett, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Glad you could fit us into your busy schedule, Black," Moody noted irritably, shooting him a disdainful look.

Sirius remained silent, clenching his fists in anger. It's not like they let me do anything of significance, anyway. Who cares if I arrive on time or not?

The meeting had dragged on for what felt like forever, the room stiflingly hot. On several occasions, Sirius had felt himself drifting off, only to be jolted awake by Remus' elbow jabbing him in the ribs. Once the meeting had adjourned, Sirius lingered around for a while, listening halfheartedly as James went on about some dinner party that had been attended by various couples from the Order. A party he had not been invited to. Peter had barely taken the time to greet Sirius with a quick hello before rushing off. Remus had left abruptly as well, though not before taking the time to scold him sufficiently. "Are you kidding me? Showing up still drunk from the night before? Really, Sirius?" he had muttered, rolling his eyes as Sirius stumbled to make an excuse for his behavior.

Sirius rolled his eyes, arms crossed. What does he know? he thought miserably, frowning as James and Lily conversed with another couple they had seemingly become close with, the Longbottom's. What else do they expect me to do with my time? It's not like I have a job or any bloody friends to spend time with. Not like they trust me to do anything of importance for the Order. Sirius' thoughts were interrupted by Moody clearing his throat, scrutinizing him.

"Black, a word, please?" he asked, his tone clear that he was not asking.

Sirius nodded, following Moody out of the meeting area, to the hall, which was now deserted.

"Do you think that this war is a joke, boy?" Moody growled, wasting no time with pleasantries.

"No, of course not," Sirius replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know how you can continue to ask us to allow you to participate in any of our missions, given your behavior," Moody continued, frowning.

"I'd be in auror training, sir, if not for my father-"

"So arrogant. With your piss-poor attitude and disgraceful behavior, I would reject you from the program, myself, boy. I don't care if you scored the highest of your class on your NEWTS or were considered clever beyond your years because of all the hi jinks you and your little group of friends got up to while you were in school. This is a war, Sirius. If you are not under constant vigilance, and don't do exactly as you are told, people can get killed," he interrupted, his eyes boring holes into Sirius'.

"Look at yourself. You constantly show up for meetings late, looking disheveled. It's obvious that you don't care about this, don't understand the significance of what we are doing here. You're just like the rest of your lot, Black; an arrogant rich boy with more money than sense. You think everyone here isn't aware of your playboy tendencies, Black? Showing up here, clothes rustled, reeking of sex? We're all well aware of your indiscretions with that Slytherin girl of yours, and it would do you well to cut ties immediately. I've said it before and I will say it again; she can not be trusted. You need to start thinking with your head and not with your dick. That is, if you actually want to be a part of this, be of any real use to the Order."

Sirius stared ahead, willing himself to keep his expression blank, neutral. "Can I go now?" he asked politely, digging his fingernails into his palms, his anger threatening to reach a boiling point at any given moment.

Moody waved his hand dismissively. "Go on, then. Get out of here."

After a night of heavy drinking with Evelyn, Sirius woke to a splitting headache. He groaned, his eye twitching as he heard a relentless tapping on his bedroom window. "What do you want?" he muttered, dragging himself out of bed, one hand pressed to the side of his head, the other opening the window.

A gray barn owl entered the room, shoving her leg out, impatiently. Fumbling with the knot, Sirius untied the scroll of parchment from her leg, glancing around the room for a bit of left out food. "Sorry, got nothing for you," he muttered, wincing as the bird took a nip at his right ear. "Ugh, get out of here, then," he shooed, shutting the window once the owl had retreated. He seated himself on the edge of his bed, struggling to focus his vision on the parchment as he unrolled it, to read. He sighed, tossing the note to the floor. Dumbledore wants to meet with me. Immediately. Fuck, he thought miserably, squeezing his eyes shut. "Moody probably had a word with him. Probably wants me kicked out of the Order," he muttered, lowering his torso down, so that he was lying flat on his back. "Fuck."

Sirius quickly showered, grateful that he had sent Evelyn on her way the night before, after a quick shag. Once dressed, he apparated to the Order HQ, his heart pounding in his chest. Please don't let them kick me out, please don't let them kick me out, he thought nervously, nodding at the familiar faces he found scattered about the headquarters. At last, he found himself face to face with Dumbledore, who greeted him with a warm smile. "Ah, Sirius. So glad you're here at last. I would like a word, ahem, in private, if you will."

Sirius nodded, following silently as Dumbledore led him up a flight of stairs, to the second floor. "There's far more privacy up here," he had explained, leading him into a small office.

"So," Dumbledore began, hands folded. The pair had taken seats on opposite sides of a desk. Sirius felt a vague sense of deja vu, finding himself yet again on the opposite side of a desk with his former Headmaster. "I understand that you have expressed great frustration to Alastor about your role in the Order, thus far."

Sirius nodded, shrugging. "I thought... I'd be of more use, than what I've been allowed to do, thus far, sir."

"You were indeed one of the brightest of your year, Sirius. Easily one of the most brilliant minds I have encountered during my tenure at Hogwarts. Your NEWT scores were particularly impressive. Especially given that you seemed far more consumed with making mischief than studying," Dumbledore continued, his bright blue eyes twinkling.

"Thank you, sir," Sirius replied, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"It's a pity, really. So much raw talent. You would have made an excellent auror, had you not been barred from the Ministry because of your family," Dumbledore noted, eyeing Sirius sadly.

"Moody doesn't seem to think so," Sirius scoffed, his lips twisted into a scowl.

"While Alastor is an excellent auror, he doesn't have much patience for anyone who doesn't share his temperament," Dumbledore replied, smiling slightly.

"He told me that I'm too reckless, that I don't care about the Order-"

"And that you're an arrogant rich boy, yes? Don't look so surprised, Sirius. You of all people must know that not much gets by me, am I right?"

Sirius nodded, unsure of how to respond.

"I have a proposal for you, Sirius," Dumbledore started, folding his hands yet again on the desk.

"What?" Sirius asked, curious.

"Given your skill set and other particular factors, I have a mission for you. Before you accept, I need you to understand that what I am asking of you is a very grave task. Once you accept, there is no backing down," he began, choosing his words carefully.

"What is it?" Sirius asked, anxious.

"The mission is a very dangerous one, and highly classified, at that. If you were to accept this mission, you would have to sever all contact with your friends. That means James and Remus and Peter, too, Sirius," Dumbledore continued, eyeing him sternly.

"But.. But they're in the Order, too. Why couldn't they-"

"Any connection with them could compromise the mission, Sirius. Before I go any further, are you still interested?" he interrupted, staring intently.

"Yeah. I am. What... What's the mission?" Sirius replied eagerly, gripping the armrests of his chair.

"I would like to request you to reenter the pure-blooded social circle, reclaiming your place as heir to the Black family."

Sirius stared blankly, unsure whether what he had heard was correct.

"Given your lineage, you could be of much use to the Order by infiltrating the pure-blooded, and by association, the Death Eater social circles," Dumbledore explained, his eyes piercing Sirius'.

"And what exactly do you want me to do? Spy on them?"

"Well, yes. Gather intel. Earn their trust and secure yourself a position within their ranks. We need someone on the inside, Sirius. It is the only way I can see us winning this war."

"How... How the bloody hell do you expect me to manage that, sir?" Sirius sputtered, his heart pounding in his chest. "I've been disowned and disinherited. If I even tried to return home to Grimmauld Place, Mum would probably hex me to death."

Dumbledore smiled suddenly, a mischievous look in his eyes. "If I do so recall, you are somewhat involved with the lovely Evelyn Greengrass, are you not?" he asked, curiously.

"Yeah..." Sirius agreed.

"So, use Evelyn. A marriage to a pure-blooded Slytherin should do nicely to broker re-entrance into the fold, Sirius," Dumbledore elaborated, in response to Sirius' puzzled looks.

Sirius sighed, staring down at the floor. "I... I don't know if I could... I mean... Would I really have to leave my friends?" he muttered, chewing nervously at his lower lip. And my family, he thought miserably. I'd have to return to my hated, dreadful family.

"May I remind you, Sirius, that you have been consistently begging for a chance to prove yourself worthy of taking a more active role in the Order, have you not?"

"Yes," Sirius agreed, hesitantly.

"This is an ideal opportunity to do so, wouldn't you agree?" Dumbledore pressed.

"Yeah... I... I'll do it. I'll do it.. Just... One thing. Please?"

"Ah, terms. What is your request, Sirius?"

"She doesn't get hurt in this. Evelyn. Whatever it is that I have to do, you'll protect her. Right?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Of course."

"Okay, then. I'll do it," Sirius sighed, resigned.

"Very well. Then you should begin immediately. I suggest you go and find Evelyn, and put the beginning stages of this mission into place by securing an affirmative marriage proposal," Dumbledore noted, nodding.

"Yes, sir."