-~- Chapter 1 – Unwanted Visitors -~-
"Well isn't this just the shittiest way to spend a Summer holiday?" sighed Sirius as he threw himself back onto his four poster bed.
It was early August, and Sirius was all set to be starting his final year at Hogwarts in just a few weeks. Sirius was the first to admit that he was no academic - he loathed school - but right now he wanted nothing more than to get back to the ruddy place!
He'd been playing Exploding Snap on his bed for the past hour and a half. He had gone to Reg's room to ask him to play - yes he was so bored he had resorted to his goody-goody little brother - but he wasn't in his room.
He thought that had been odd, the git practically lived in his room studying. But he'd shrugged it off and pushed it to the back of his mind.
So now he was lying on his back staring up at the silk canopy of his bed, his long lustrous black hair splayed around his over stuffed green pillow. He hated the colours of his room - all dark green and polished dark wood - but his parents refused to let any red or gold into the space. His striking grey eyes scanned his surroundings - the desk in the corner filled with joke products, the tall wooden armoire opposite his bed that held a bunch of Witch Weekly's Top 10 hottest Witches magazines, his bedside table where his wand rested...maybe he could wreck some havoc? Jinx Kreacher again?
Nah - too boring. He'd done that yesterday.
He was about to just give up and go to sleep when he heard what sounded like hooves against hard cobbles on the street outside. He sat up and squinted in confusion at the bay window across the room.
The weather outside was beyond awful, who the Hell would be mean enough to make someone sit outside and control a horse to drive a carriage in it?
He pushed himself up off the bed and crossed the room to look down at the street. A clap of thunder sounded throughout the dark and stormy sky causing him to jump, but he composed himself quickly and reminded himself that he had some snooping to do.
When he saw who it was stepping out of the carriage his reaction was varied. First he wanted to projectile vomit. Then he cringed...which turned into a grimace, which ended up as a sort of strained smile.
If he'd had a choice of seeing Voldemort or Bellatrix stepping out of the carriage, he reasoned that he'd rather it was Voldy.
But then again, taking into account Bella's recent - errrr...activities?...they were basically the same person anyway. So he really shouldn't have been contemplating hexing the bitch from his bedroom window - but he was.
He could not STAND his cousin. Ye, she was older than him by a good 10 years and was more advanced in magic - right now anyway - but he'd love to tell her what a deranged psycho he thought she was. It wasn't just her personality that made her completely mental, it was her appearance too. Her long, thick, shining black hair billowed around her head as the wind whipped her face and she seemed to relish in the chaotic weather around her, giving a sadistic smirk when she saw a few Muggles down the street slip and slide in a deep puddle on the pavement, before flicking her hair over her shoulder and stepping aside to let the others out of the carriage.
'Bitch,' Sirius thought to himself.
The urge to curse someone subsided slightly when he saw his other cousin step out into the rain, pulling her silver travelling cloak tighter around her slender body.
Narcissa wasn't his favourite either, but she was still better than Bella. Even though her head was completely covered, he could tell it was her. The strand of curly blonde hair was so unmistakable that it couldn't be anybody else. She hurried up the stone steps of Grimmauld Place and took shelter under the wooden doorframe. Narcissa was always one to fuss over her appearance, can't have her makeup getting ruined can she?
He sighed when he saw his delightful Aunt and Uncle step out, their black cloaks clipped tight around their neck and casting quick, suspicious looks around the street. They were always on-edge in the Muggle world. They couldn't stand the people as far as they could spit - which wasn't far. Purebloods never did anything like that.
His grimace turned into a sort of smile though when his final cousin stepped out of the carriage. Andromeda sighed when she saw the house infront of her - she hated it just as much as Sirius. She tucked a strand of long brown hair behind her ear and gathered her cloak to climb the stairs with her family.
He'd been so engrossed in watching them that he jumped when he heard the doorbell ring and that's when it sunk in that they were here. Why were they here?
He whipped his head around when he heard a rapping on his bedroom door and he scrambled across it to open it up. He opened it to find his twisted little House Elf standing there with his bat-like ears perked up and a wicked sneer on his face.
"Master Black and his Lady ask that young Mr. Black come downstairs. They is wanting to talk to you," he leered up at Sirius.
"About?" Sirius asked curtly.
"Kreacher does not know," the elf grinned before giving him one last preying look and disapparating with a snap of his fingers.
Sirius glared at the spot the elf had been standing in just a moment ago. That was another thing Sirius couldn't stand. Kreacher. He was such a rotten little snitch, and if there's one thing Sirius hated, it was a snitch.
He would have preferred just staying in his room rather than going downstairs and seeing his messed up family, but he'd been summoned. There wasn't much he could do now.
He trudged down the stairs, one by one, peering over the banister as he did so to look at the floors below. He could hear Kreacher greeting his Aunt and Uncle as they walked through the front door, Bellatrix insulting him, Narcissa saying nothing - as usual - and Andromeda thanking him for taking her cloak...and then his Aunt scolding her afterwards.
''A Black never thanks anyone Andromeda. Everyone should be honoured to do something for us, we are of course-"
"Noble members of the House of Black," Sirius mimicked his Aunts stern voice perfectly. He rolled his eyes and took his time walking. He wasn't in any rush to get down there.
He was considering ordering Kreacher to tell them all that he'd disappeared or something, but he stopped when he heard a dark, throaty chuckle to his right. He turned his head to glare at whoever it was, and was surprised for a second.
Regulus was leaning against his doorframe, his arms folded and his dark blue eyes fixed on his older brother.
"Well aren't you in for a treat?" Regulus asked sarcastically, leaning forward slightly to peer over the stair railing to the floors below.
"Fuck off," Sirius countered. It was a rubbish comeback, but right now he didn't care. "Where were you?" he asked suspiciously. His little brothers dark, shoulder-length hair was glistening and water droplets fell to the floor.
Regulus followed his brothers scrutinizing gaze to the puddle of water forming around his feet, and he returned his look with an passive one. "Out."
"Where?"
"Oh I wouldn't be too concerned with me dear brother, I'd be more worried about yourself," Regulus smirked, much to Sirius's fury. What did this little git know that Sirius didn't?
"Tell me what you know and I won't hex you," threatened Sirius, his hand twitching towards his wand in his jeans pocket.
"I think we both know what's about to happen - our three cousins turning up, all females, their parents meeting with ours. I have to say Sirius, even I gave you more credit than this - don't they call you somewhat intelligent at school?"
Sirius simply blinked at him. What the hell was he on about? "Cut the crap Regulus, what's going on? What do you know that I don't?" he asked again, more pleadingly than anything else. This was starting to freak him out.
"I've already said too much, run along now and meet Mummy and Daddy like a good little boy," Regulus teased, turning on his heel to close his bedroom door.
Sirius glared at him. "You've said too much? You mean that's all your little snitch, Kreacher, would tell you? Well what if I were to tell Mum and Dad that you've been sneaking out? Would Kreacher cover for you then?"
Regulus only smiled back at him knowingly. "Alright, you know want to play this game? Fine - I'll give you one more clue in return for your silence."
"Done," Sirius shrugged, trying to act casual about it when he was actually desperate for information.
Regulus surveyed him - it wasn't like his brother to give in so easily. But oh well, he must be desperate. "We both know what happens to a male member of the Noble House of Black the Summer before he becomes of age. It's an ancient Pureblood tradition - and it looks like Mum and Dad are standing by it-"
"SIRIUS BLACK III! WE DO NOT LIKE TO BE KEPT WAITING!" came a shrill cry from below, and they both recognized it as their dear mother's angry voice.
"-Have fun," Regulus sneered before stepping into his room and shutting the door.
Sirius scratched his head in confusion before sighing and beginning his descent again.
He had no clue what to be expecting from this family meeting - but one things for sure...if Regulus was smirking about it, chances are it wasn't good.
Oh how he was right.
