Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Okay, I do own things, just not anything from Harry Potter.
Of Truths
Chapter 1: The Arrival
When Kreacher had announced to her that her "dearest" sister Lucetta Black had fallen fatally ill she had not been the least bit surprised. Nor that Lucetta's last wish was to give her her only child. Luciana Black, wife of Osric Black and disappointed mother of Sirius and Regulus Blacks, had expected the death of her whore of a sister for quite some times, and expected even more a child at her door. After her younger sister's constant grieving of her lack of a child (and let's not forget marriage) she had finally given birth to a bastard child by a man she had not remembered other than the name. The name of either child or father --- Luciana couldn't care less.
All she knew was that it was a boy and the fact that he was nine. Luciana could not imagine what it would be like to live nine years penniless, the clothes on her back most likely not even to her name. She pitied the child for this. As Kreacher continued on about her sister's death and the importance of the boy's welfare, Luciana had prepared herself for the most horrid, wretched child that God had ever made.
But in the week following, the day of the boy's dreaded arrival, Luciana was greeted by the most brilliant, well-mannered, and possibly the most beautiful child she had ever laid eyes on (after her own children of course.) He perhaps was a tad shorter than the average male ten-year-old, but he held an air of elegance and aristocracy that definitely made up for it. His black hair was neat and combed and he had the Black trademark grey eyes. He greeted her as he would greet a queen, forcing her to give a tight smile. She wondered if this was truly her sister's child. He was mannerly and not the least bit scruffy like she had imagined.
Luciana would never forget the name Uldaricus Black, no matter how awful the name sounded.
Regulus had taken him in as a brother (although a bit reluctantly) after that day. But Sirius hadn't at all after choosing to dislike anyone his mother liked.
Sirius used to tease him constantly with James Potter and the others when he was able to sneak them into number twelve, Grimmauld Place when his mother's back was turned. Sirius tried everything in his power to try to ruffle Uldaricus' feathers, but it was to no prevail. He would simply ignore them and hide behind Regulus whom he would affectionately call his brother. This both disgusted and amused Sirius. But Uldaricus didn't have to deal with his cousin's torture long. A year after their meeting, after Sirius's seventh year at Hogwarts, he had promptly left the house without a single glance in his direction.
Uldaricus had never seen anyone so anguished as Luciana that evening. She would sob one moment and then throw something the other. It was then when she pleaded for him to carry on the Black name. The ten-year-old boy had agreed eagerly if it would stop her crying, but he hadn't understood what he agreed to. But seven years later, when he had decided to carry on with his adult life without number twelve, Grimmauld Place, she reminded him of his promise.
She had pleaded him mercilessly, and Uldaricus could not refuse her.
---
Darius Black, no longer burdened with the name Uldaricus, followed Mad-Eye Moody through the tall grass and weeds of what was Grimmauld Place's current yard. He noticed a great difference between the house that he had left twenty-one years ago and the one that swayed pathetically now in the evening wind. Perhaps it was because of the lack of a moon in the evening sky.
"We would have gotten here earlier if it wasn't for that stop you had to make," Moody grunted, his magical eye rolling back to his direction.
Darius laughed nervously, "I'm sorry, but it was unavoidable." When Moody grunted again, his eye rolled back forward, Darius's smile faltered. He fingered the lump in the inside pocket of his cloak carefully. He had returned to Grimmauld Place for one reason, and one reason only: to fulfill his aunt's last wish. The guilt of his laziness to execute it nagged at his mind since he had left home, until his recent introduction to a colleague's close relative Severus Snape sparked an idea.
Flashback
Darius stood just outside the home of Severus Snape, his cloak covering him almost completely so he resembled nothing more than a shadow in the night. His blood pounded noisily in his ears as he knocked on the door a bit too hard from anticipation. Darius watched the outline of Severus' figure pass the window anxiously.
The door opened, Severus looking quite vexed, but then it softened slightly when he saw whom it was. "Black!" Severus greeted as warmly as he ever could, a small smile crossing his face. "What a surprise!"
"I would like to speak to you, if that is alright."
Severus moved back from the door and gestured for him to enter. Inside, Darius was enthralled by the shelves of books lined against the walls, his jaw going slack ever so slightly. He had never seen so many books in one place before, not even in Grimmauld Place's library. "This is amazing," he murmured to Severus, awed, but the ex-Death Eater only gave a tight laugh. "It isn't really." With that he ushered him to a chair and offered him a drink which he politely declined.
"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Severus asked, sitting down in a chair in front of Darius's. Unsure of where to begin, Darius started from when his mother fell ill. Severus listened to him intently, nodding from time to time or pouring himself more wine, until he had finished.
"But I fail to see what a Pregnancy Potion would have to do with this," he said after the story was concluded, "There is always Bellatrix."
Darius snorted at the sound of his cousin's name. "I would prefer not, Severus," he said lightly, "Besides, I have already chosen my host."
This earned a raised eyebrow. "Oh? It is obviously Regulus you've chose, but he has been missing for quite some time, as you know. So who else could there possibly be that you would require a Pregnancy Potion?"
There was silence, and then, "Sirius."
Severus spluttered into his wine. "HIM? Of all the people you could have chosen-"
"Narcissa is married, Regulus is missing, Bellatrix is not an option at all, and the rest of the family are either ghastly looking or not Blacks. Need I say more? Besides, I believe it would be best if it was one of Luciana's own children." Severus continued to stare at him hysterically but then sighed as if he accepted his decision. "You have made up your mind, I guess?" he murmured, taking another sip of his wine. Darius nodded vigorously.
"Very well then," he sighed again, "I will be able to finish the potion in a week or so. Is that good for you?"
End Flashback
Darius could not get rid of Mad-Eye's stares after the stop at Severus's. But as he had said, it was absolutely unavoidable. As they neared the door, his blood began to pound in his ears as it always did when he was anxious or nervous. Living with Sirius was not something he had imagined ever doing voluntarily.
Moody tapped his wand against the flaking door which issued a series of tumblers to activate until finally a chain was heard and the door opened slightly. The sound was a kind of wake up call to the realization of what he was planning to do. Inside was almost completely purged in darkness except for a few candles that floated near the ceiling. With this dim light, Darius was able to make out every cobweb, crack, and spoil that marred the walls.
"Are you coming or not?"
The gruff voice broke Darius out of his reverie. He smiled and nodded.
---
Remus and Mrs. Weasley watched in distress as Sirius paced the kitchen, nearly pulling his hair out from the roots. "Look, Padfoot, everything is going to be fine," Remus tried to soothe him as Mrs. Weasley continued making their supper. Sirius simply snorted and increased his speed.
"No, it isn't," he muttered after pacing for some time, plopping down into a seat at the table, "He's coming for revenge."
Remus laughed at that. "Revenge? Please Sirius. I bet he is more mature than to attempt to get revenge on something that happened as children!"
"Don't be too sure of that," Sirius muttered. He opened his mouth to say more, but then Kreacher plodded into the kitchen and announced the arrival of their guests in tone far more chipper than usual. Sure enough, the echoing thuds of Mad-Eye's leg sounded from behind the door. Sirius stood up so fast his chair skidded backwards and teetered on two legs before falling back to four. Remus followed suit (although at a slower pace) and stood. Even Mrs. Weasley stopped cooking supper, wiping her hands in a kitchen towel, to greet the new guest.
Moody walked in followed by a tall, ebony-haired man who smiled slightly at them. Sirius smiled weakly in return, as if it was hard to twitch the corners of his lips up. Remus was a bit taken aback since Darius looked much as he did when he last saw him. Sirius also vaguely noticed that he seemed to look a tad malnourished.
"A lupin and your cousin of course," Mad-Eye introduced, in which Darius only nodded although his gaze lingered with Sirius'. "And this is Molly Weasley." Darius shook her hand with a little, "Pleasure to meet you." Remus then asked Moody if he wished to stay for dinner, but he declined and turned to leave, giving Darius a rough pat on the shoulder and Sirius a look that madehim scratch the back of his neck.
There was an awkward silence until Remus said, "It's been a long time, hasn't it Darius?"
Sirius blinked. "Darius?" he interrupted.
Darius frowned. Had Sirius really forgotten his name? "It's my name, Sirius," he answered stiffly, trying his best to conceal the malice in his voice, "Luciana changed it a little after I moved in, if you remember." The corner of his mouth twitched at the look of deep thought that crossed Sirius's face. This is almost funny, he thought bitterly. Meanwhile, Lupin stared at Sirius astonished.
"How could you have forgotten your cousin's name if you lived with him?"
Sirius's expression turned slightly sheepish. "I just don't remember-"
"It's probably because you never paid me much mind," Darius said venomously although he tried to sugar-coat it with a soft smile, "Though, really, I never expected you to in the first place."
Remus glared at Sirius when he gave a tight smirk and retorted, "I guess you're right, Uldaricus." Darius pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing.
"Your supper is finished," Mrs. Weasley announced suddenly before Darius could respond to his cousin. "I'd best be leaving now," she continued, already walking off.
"Thank you again, Molly," Remus said, his voice kind yet stiff, his eyes firmly set on Sirius. Both his and Sirius' attentions then fell to Darius when he stood quick and unexpectedly and shook Mrs. Weasley's hand again. "Allow me to take you back to the fireplace, that is if you Flooed here!" He said in an overly-cheery voice, taking the startled woman's hand and swiftly leaving. Remus felt even more pity toward Darius at his need for a quick getaway, but Sirius on the other hand thought of it as humorous.
"He hasn't changed at all after twenty-eight years, has he? He's still the same coward." He began to laugh but quickly silenced himself after a glance at Remus' expression. "What?"
"You are probably the most horrible person on this earth, Padfoot," the werewolf said hotly, "Whether you like it or not, he is your cousin and is going to live with you."
Sirius scowled. "Look, just because he's my cousin doesn't mean I should like him."
"Would you do it for me?"
"Do what? I'm not going to accept him as family if that's what you mean-"
"All I'm saying is that you should at least try to patch things up with Darius since he'll be living with you." Sirius snorted. "Besides, it's not his fault that you were unfriendly as kids. I vaguely remember you being the one to always volunteer teasing him," Remus then added in a more forceful tone, "You didn't have a real reason either, did you?"
Sirius glared angrily at his friend and stood. "Just drop it, Moony," he growled before stomping out of the kitchen and up the stairs, ignoring Remus when he called out his name. After hearing the door of Sirius' bedroom slam above him, Remus slumped back into his chair and kneaded his eye with the palm of his hand.
"He's so immature . . . "
"He probably didn't," Darius said softly from the door, making the werewolf jump, "About having a reason, that is. But then again, he didn't want to associate with anyone his mother favored." He leaned against the wall, his arms folded, his eyes looking at anything but the man at the table as he continued. "But I guess he does have a deeper reason for hating me, a more obvious and understandable reason that I have to admit I agree on."
"No, he shouldn't have any reason for hating you!" Remus defended, "He was the one who started everything! You had nothing to do with it!"
Darius laughed tightly and shook his head. "No, you're wrong, Lupin. Very, very wrong. I had everything to do with his hatred of me." He fell silent after that and Remus had to coax him to go on, patting the seat beside him. Darius slumped into the chair and sighed. "Say that you and your mother didn't get along at all; you were the exact opposite of what she wanted." Remus nodded stiffly. "Then one day, someone that you neither she nor you knew came and stole her affections. Even though you were that woman's child, she loved a complete stranger more than you. Wouldn't you hate that person?" Remus didn't respond, but Darius didn't need an answer.
"But still, after twenty-eight years couldn't he have realized that it wasn't your fault?" Remus responded finally in a quiet voice, eyes still on the younger. Darius avoided his gaze, his own eyes set on his hands as they wrung a napkin. Why hadn't Sirius seen that it wasn't his fault after all that time? He then began to realize how much he really didn't want to be there. He loved his aunt dearly and would do anything in his power for her, but, for some reason, living with Sirius felt far too much. Bottled up adolescent frustration and distress welled in his chest, causing his eyes to prick with tears, his vision blurring slightly. He refused to cry, however, and stood slowly.
"If you don't mind, Lupin, I'll be going to bed now."
Lupin stared up at him, forehead creased deeply in concern. "I'll stay here for awhile, if you'd like, just to keep Sirius in check."
Darius shook his head slightly with a small smile and then repeated, "I'll just go to bed now."
Remus sighed and nodded solemnly. "Wefixed your bedroom for you," he stated softly, his eyes never leaving Darius as he murmured a soft "thank you" and exited the kitchen. As soon as he was out of sight, Remus slumped back in his chair and cradled his head. This was definitely going to be a long night.
Chapter 1 End
A/N: Feedback would be greatly appreciated!