"Did you truly believe that you would get away with that?"

Sirius only continued to cower before his father.

"Please, Dad." Sirius begged "Please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Didn't mean what, Sirius? To dishonor your pureblood ancestry and kin?" Orion threw his head back and laughed "don't make me laugh. That's what you do. You can hardly be a pureblood at all, the way you so conspicuously lack proper pureblood pride. I can scarcely believe you're my son."

"Please, Dad-" Sirius whimpered in a last ditch attempt to gain his father's mercy.

"Ha! Please? It's too late for please, Sirius."

Orion shoved his hand into his robes and brought out his wand. Sirius flinched and Orion smirked.

"Oh your punishment won't be near as merciful as what I could inflict upon you with a wand." Orion looked away briefly to light the lamps on the wall with the wand he had retrieved, then returned his gaze to his son. "I can guarantee that."

With his father out of the way, Sirius could see the door that his father had not bothered to close. Seeing his chance, Sirius bolted for the door wildly and didn't get past the man in his way. Orion grabbed the boy in mid step by the arm and whipped him around.

"YOU DARE TRY TO ESCAPE!" Orion screamed into his terrified son's face, "YOU DARE TRY TO LEAVE UNPUNISHED!"

"SOMEONE, HELP ME! PLEASE!" Sirius cried desperately, knowing that no one would.

His father's wrath was terrifying, even when it wasn't directed at him. But now, in this small cellar, alone with a man who had far too much talent and experience with torture and who was far too keen to put it to use, Sirius had a very good reason to be scared. He would pay the price for his failed reckless escape.

Then Orion's demeanor changed. He became calm, or, as calm as you could possibly be when you were completely, utterly furious. His face relaxed from its enraged expression and gave itself over to a sneering smile. He started a small chuckle deep in his throat. Sirius was panting with fear and had started murmuring 'oh crap, oh crap, oh crap' repeatedly.

Orion did not let up on his grip on his son, but in Sirius's opinion, it wasn't really necessary anymore. He was rooted to his spot in fear. Sirius tried to get his breathing under control, instinctively trying to keep his father from seeing his fear. Orion chuckled.

"Weak." He accused his son, releasing him and turning away for a moment to pull something out of his cloak; this time, a long leather glove.

"Do you know what this is, Sirius?" Orion asked with a smirk.

"A-A glove?" Sirius stuttered.

"A gauntlet, Sirius, a gauntlet" Orion said, pulling it his right hand, flexing his fingers. "This is a very special gauntlet, Sirius."

Orion turned his eyes over to his son, away from the glove. Sirius did not speak. He had been slowly moving towards the door, backwards, but he stopped now that he had his father's attention. Orion cocked his head.

"Care to ask why?"

"W-Why?" Sirius avoided eye contact.

"Be more specific, Sirius."

"Why is it so special?" there were no tears in his eyes yet, but a sob had worked its way into his terrified voice.

Orion only smiled. He took a half step closer.

"Because I can put this gauntlet inside of you…" Orion said with a wry smile. Sirius gulped and shook, "I can put my hand inside your chest and feel your very heart… I could squeeze it until it stopped beating inside you…"

"Dad… please… no…" Sirius whimpered; his hands over his head.

"The time for apologies and mercy is long since gone, Sirius. Take off your shirt." Orion barked.

"w-what?"

"Your shirt, Sirius. Take. It. off."

Sirius nodded frightfully, unbuttoning the shirt and sliding it backward off his body. He heard the soft whump sound it made when it hit the floor behind him, then began on pulling off his undershirt. Orion watched his son undress with an evil gleam in his icy eyes.

Sirius let the t shirt hit the floor as well, and Orion advanced. Sirius tensed, squeezing his grey eyes shut tight and clenching his jaw. Orion flexed his fingers inside the gauntlet.

Then Orion struck swiftly. Sirius cried out as his father's hand closed on his hair, yanking his head up and out of the way. Sirius saw a bright flash of light behind his eyelids and his father's hand entered his chest.