Footsteps echoed through the halls of the most ancient and noble house of Black. The footsteps were fast approaching. Sirius knew exactly who these belonged to; it wasn't hard to know really. He had infuriated his mother plenty of times before to know that it was her storming towards him. She was hosting an event for high and powerful pureblood families. It just so happened that Sirius was utterly bored by this event. He didn't know why it was so important. No one at his age would be there, plus what was a five year old meant to do at a party filled with dark and sinister looking people. Anyone would be scared out of their wits if they even saw the less evil looking associates.
The footsteps grew louder and Sirius braced himself for his mother's wrath, by the way that his mother was walking he knew that he would be in a lot of trouble. It had never bothered him what his parents thought. They were hardly lovingly and caring toward him and his brother, Regulus. They only wanted the family name to be up held and the family bloodline to be carried on. The way that pureblood families keep the blood lines pure is by marrying off their children with in a select few families. Sirius had always wondered if this was the right way of living because if it was he didn't want any part of it. What he had gathered from his favourite cousin Andromeda was that there was a better life, better people out there in the wizarding world. There were people out there that didn't care how "pure" you're blood was or how rich your families is, it didn't matter on bit and these people who didn't care where people who care for you as friend and if you were lucky they would even consider you as family.
Sirius wished he had friends that weren't from the circle that his family was involved in. He wanted to meet people that were new and fun. But most of all he just wanted someone who would care for him. Sirius longed to cared for, his parents definitely didn't care for him. He was just a possession to them and when the highest and influencing family came along they would through him to the dogs. Forced to marry someone even if they didn't mean anything to each other, even if they didn't love each other, it didn't matter, if was all for the cause. The causes for "pureblood".
His mother had finally reached her destination and to her utter shock Sirius's bedroom door was locked. Walburga Black banged on her son's door and yelled obscenities at him. What Sirius could gather from her high pitch wailing was that if he didn't come out of his room her would have to deal with his father and his door would come off permanently. Sirius knew that wasn't an empty threat. Sirius weighed his options and they didn't look to good, even though he hated doing what his parent wanted he wasn't dumb and he had so common scene unlike the rest of his family. His mother was oblivious to the fact that the he had opened the door when Sirius saw his mother she had her wand out read to blast his door off their hinges. Walburga was at a loss of words when she looked down at her son, a smug looking smirk on her pale face. She turned and set off at a quick stride down the stair toward the formal gathering. Sirius rolled his grey eyes in disgust and annoyance. He hesitated in following his mother wondering if he had to; against his heart he followed her.
Walburga kept walking and said "You're finally learning Sirius, you won't win this battle, and you as the heir of the noblest house of Black represent us. If you do not obey your father and I tonight your life will be more miserable then you could ever believe."
Sirius huffed he couldn't believe her, how could she think that he would even care a hoot. He was five and most five year olds didn't know the difference between left and right let alone the difference between purebloods and blood traitors. He didn't want this but he knew he couldn't do anything about it.
'Well maybe not for the next 6 year, then I can do whatever I want' Sirius thought bitterly.
They had arrived all too soon in Sirius opinion, they had just reached the landing when there was a loud knock at the large front oak door. His mother muttered under her breath about how all the guest should have had arrived, well all the respectable ones at the least. She went and opened the heavy door only to be surprised at the fact that it wasn't ANY family it was the Lestrange's. If Walburga was surprised she didn't show it, but instead she plastered a fake smile on her face.
"Marcus, Selene welcome, come in come in." She said in a false voice
"Walburga, good to see you, how is everything, the children?" Mrs Lestrange eyes rested on Sirius a little too long for his comfort.
"Everything is marvellous, Sirius where are your manners take Marcus, Selene and the children's cloaks now hurry up." She scowled at him for being impolite.
He felt like arguing that he shouldn't have to and that was what house elves were for but he knew it would be no use. He obeyed his mother orders. The Lestrange's all dumped their cloaks on his out stretch arm with even caring, once they had dropped their cloaks the Lestrange's followed his mother into the ball room to join the rest of the guest. Sirius was waiting for the last cloak but it never came he knew that there were five Lestrange Mr and Mrs Lestrange, Rodolphus, Rabastan and Ankaa. But one of them did put their cloak on the large pile in hand he turned his head to the right to see if they had entered the ball room only to five retreating back about to enter the next room.
Where was she? I just saw her before.
"You need help there Sirius?" a soft and sweet voice asked.
Sirius jumped at the sound of Ankaa's voice, making the four cloak leap out of his arms.
"There you are, I couldn't see you over the pile of cloak" he mumbled. Ankaa laughed lightly and sighed softly
"I know, I know I need to grow but it just ain't happening" rolling her eyes " you need any help?"
"if you want but if my mother found out that you helped then i am a goner, i will be ranted about everything like manners and etiquette ...."
Whilst her said that Ankaa had already picked up the entire lot of cloaks and was already walking to the coat cupboard. Sirius had to blink before he released what she was doing and he bounded toward her to help her. Ankaa gave him a sweet smile and she received one back.
"Well now that is done what is there to do?"
"You are asking me what to do, you are the one that always finds something to do"
"Yes well, that is because they are usually at my house, but this is your house Master Black so it is your turn to find something to do got it." She put her hand on her hip just to emphasize her point.
Sirius swallowed and tapped his head thinking "mm are you hungry or thirsty?"
"Nope, how about we go get something each and go outside it is too stuffy in here what do you think?"
"Okay I will go get food you go and get some drinks meet on the deck in five" Sirius taking charge, grinning ear to ear.
They two enter the ball room and separated to go fetch what was needed for the evening, not wanting to re enter to the party, and be subjected to the evening entertainment until necessary.
It didn't take long for either of the two find what they wanted as house elves running around with trays of food and drinks. Ankaa was first to the deck already having sat downing Sirius came and sat next to her. She looked up when he slipped out of the side door unnoticed to any of the guest. Sirius had a plate of crackers and dips. Sirius tentatively placed the platter down before sitting next to Ankaa who had returned her gaze to the night sky.
Silent engulf the two, with only snippets of the party conversation slipping through the door. The silence was comfortable but it was broken when Ankaa spoke.
"Sirius?"
"Hmmm"
"Do you ever feel out of place?"
"How do you mean?"
"Well like, you aren't like everyone else, not believing in the whole pureblood thing?"
"Yeah all the time, it is as if I am a black sheep in the misted of all these other sheep willing to be told what to do without thinking."
The silence returned but both of the children were in deep thought. Even if the was uncommon for two five year old these two had to grow up faster than other children. That is what happens when you have no body to care and nurture you when being a child. You grow up fast and you don't experience what it is like being a child with dreams and fantasies.
"Only six more years Annie, until we won't have to be around these people, we will be at Hogwarts and we a can do whatever we want." Sirius said this while staring at her face.
A lone tear made it way down Annie pale face "I'm not going to Hogwarts Sirius. They are sending me a way to this school in Russia or somewhere, they teach you how to fight or something. Father says that I need to learn those skills for the greater good of the cause. I don't want to go, I don't want to learn how to fight, I just want to be me. Whoever that is, whatever it is."
Sirius didn't know what to do, he had never seen Annie so distraught and he had never needed to comfort anyone before. He awkwardly placed his around her shoulder and pulled her into him.
"When do you start?" he mumbled into her dark brown hair
Annie pulled away turned, sniffed and answer in a soft voice "Two years time"
"Well we will just have to make every moment count, huh?" Sirius nudged her.
She laughed lightly "how are you going to do that Mister Black, you know my parents, they don't like us being friends. With me being..." she stopped suddenly she looked at him. HE had a questioning look on his face
"With you being what, Annie? What haven't you told me?"
"Betrothed to Nott. It was only official about two week ago" ashamed Annie was looking anywhere other than Sirius's face. If she had been looking she would have seen the look of shock, hurt and anger.
"What how could you let them do that? How could they do that to you? How?"
Not wanting to show how she felt about the situation she just shrugged her shoulders
"They can't make you, I won't let them. Your my Annie, you don't have to."
She couldn't take it anymore. Everyone just kept telling what to do and she was sick of it. She was stuck in between two sides. It felt as if they were tugging at her arms, pulling them towards their side. Sirius on one side and her family on the other. She knew if she chose one side there would be a major consequence. IF she chose her family she would lose Sirius and if she chose Sirius she would lose her life without a second thought. She was absolutely sick of it. But she knew that her life lay in the hands of her decision.
The Light or the Dark. What side did she want to be on?
Maybe it would be a good thing that she is going to that school. That might give her some time to think of who she is.