What Sirius Overheard
Somewhere in Little Hangleton…
Sirius Black sat back on his haunches right outside the rickety wooden door, straining to hear the conversation on the other side. Dog ears were more in tune to the environment, but Sirius was sorry he hadn't been able to sneak into the room where the conversation was going on. He had a bad feeling that whatever it was that was going on would not be a good thing. There were only several voices within that room- mostly male and perhaps a female as well, although Sirius wasn't sure. The conversation was heated even though the voices themselves were soft and restrained. It was seemingly an argument that was desperately trying to be restrained.
Sirius moved forward and tried to get most of his doggy body against the door so he could hear as well as possible. But it was almost of no use, since the words were still muddled for the most part.
He almost let out a frustrated bark.
But just as he had decided that listening in was futile, suddenly, there were footsteps on the floor inside the room, and Sirius realized that someone was moving towards the door. He silently scrambled away from the door, and waited expectantly. The door never opened, but now, Sirius could hear the owner of the footsteps clearly. He had never forgotten that voice, since its owner had been a bane in his existence at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry so many years ago. He thought of Harry, who had just begun his last year at the school. At how amusing it was that Harry's arch nemesis was also the son of the man who had been such a thorn in the side of him and his closest friends.
Husband of one of his first cousins.
General pain in the arse.
Lucius Malfoy.
It was he who stood behind that door, the owner of one of the four voices. Sirius grew cold as he heard him speak.
"I don't care who does it."
There was a deep laugh next to him and Sirius recognized the voice of Antonin Dolohov to whom Lucius replied harshly.
"You underestimate my wonderful sister in law, Dolohov."
Then there was a very familiar laugh.
Sirius felt his blood run cold momentarily. How long had it been since he had heard that laugh? Several years? Maybe more? Had it been at Hogwarts? His mind moved quickly. No. Of course. It had been when she had been put away at Azkaban. For torturing the Longbottoms. She had laughed even then, when they were arresting her and sentencing her life in prison.
It was the same, cold, unfeeling laugh as well. He rolled his eyes.
Dear, wonderful Bellatrix.
Sirius sat back once more, thinking with great depth. Was that the last time he had seen her? He couldn't remember much of what had happened before his time in Azkaban. As the murmur of the voices behind the door rose and fell, Sirius was filled with a deep and endless sense of gloom. He was now certain that whatever was going on in that room was not good. Nothing good had EVER come from any situation that involved Bellatrix Black Lestrange.
Absolutely nothing.
She had been one of the most popular girls in Slytherin house, and yet probably the most vicious and mean. She had then married Rodolphus, who only nurtured the nasty, sadistic side that Bella had always possessed. The couple had embraced everything that Lord Voldemort stood for and had become two of his most loyal followers.
Sirius shivered slightly as he remembered the way she had looked when she had been arrested for torturing the Longbottoms. And she had never once shown remorse for her actions.
Never once.
She had gone to Azkaban for life, and even when arrested she had screamed her allegiance to her lord, and that she would do it again if given the chance.
And she had laughed. Just as she was at that moment.
Sirius shuddered.
Footsteps seemed to rouse Sirius from his dismal thoughts. Then Lucius was speaking again.
"Take care of it, then. I can't have anything or anyone standing in my way now. The time for that is OVER."
Sirius back away from the door and bounded around the corner of the living room he had been in. Best none of them see him anyway. Especially Bella, who was particularly fond of torturing small, innocent animals for amusement. As he hurried towards the back of the house to find an exit, Sirius began wondering whom to go to first.
Something was definitely brewing. With time, things would begin to boil over, but he hoped to stop whatever it was.
