Chapter 10: Plans, Tensions, and Breaking Points
Sirius was Siriusly happy. Sharpsword was a delightful Goblin to work with and he was fairly certain that the Muggleborn Relief Fund would be set up along with the Muggleborn Protection Project by the time he returned to school in the fall. Yes, things were going well. Stopping by Quality Qudditch Supplies, Sirius picked up his new broom, saluted the shop clerk, and waltzed back into the Leaky Cauldron before Flooing back to his childhood home. Regulus gave him a relieved look. "Mother's been going crazy, Siri. If I were you, I'd head straight to her sitting room. Hand over the broom, I'll put it up for you. Good luck," he said. Sirius groaned, having a feeling that his mother, who was rapidly falling to insanity, was going to be giving him another 'lesson' on how 'great' and 'noble' the House of Black was. He was not looking forward to it, though he did hope she wouldn't drive him away from the house once again. It wasn't exactly something he wanted to do. Though, his being in Slytherin this time around did help him slightly. If by 'help' you mean 'get Walburga and Orion Black to lecture him on his duty to the Great and Noble House of Black.' He sighed, then straightened as much as he could and did his best to glide into his mother's private sitting room.
"You called for me, Mother?" he said stiffly. That was when he noticed Lucius Malfoy standing in the shadows and a knife of ice entered his heart. So, it was that time huh? The time when his mother was so mad she thought Tom was going about things the right way. He fought down the huff of disdain the thought conjured up. As if that dissatisfied son of lovesick near squib and a haughty muggle, who's attitude he seemed to have inherited via genetics, could actually make the proper changes to wizarding Britian! All he'd do is drag them back even further behind the muggles, setting up a true feudal system and monarchy with himself as king before pulling an Alexander the Great and conquering the rest of the Wizarding world! He shook his head slightly and focused on his mother, shoving the image of Tom Riddle on a great white horse, holding a lit wand above his head and charging into other wizarding enclaves to conquer all of magical blood roughly out of his head. He could laugh about it with his friends and Regulus later. Right now, he had a madwoman and a Slytherin who gave the whole house a bad name to contend with. "What is it I can do for you today, Mother?" Sirius tried again, noticing that Walburga hadn't moved. Except her lips, which were just the slightest bit more drawn.
"Yes. Lucius here has agreed to educate you on the goals and ideals of the Dark Lord. I expect you to follow and work towards them," she answered. Sirius snarled, unable to hold back his ire any longer.
"Oh heck no! Do you even know who it is you are sending me to? Do you know his name? I know his name. I know his family. And he is no pure-blood. His mother was! She was one of the Gaunts. But was his father? Oh no! His father, was Tom Riddle. His mother, after she was throw away by the disgusted muggle lordling, named him Tom after his father and Marvelo after her father. And ol' Tommy seems to have inherited his muggle father's arrogant and malicious attitude via genetics. Personally, I don't understand how I'm not a raving lunatic, what with my genetics but you know what? I'll take what blessing I have. And you know what else?! I will never marry a pure-blood, mother. In fact, I'm planning on making my current relationship with a half-blood my only relationship. Should she die, I won't look for seven years. And at the end of seven years, I won't look anywhere in the magical world. No, I'll look among the muggles. They at least know what inbreeding does to people. Did you know, muggles have this stuff called technology and that, should you take a great deal of it back in time to the point at which the magical world appears to be stuck, it would appear as, wouldn't you know it, MAGIC! So I ask you, mother, are we really better or do we simply have a different view and see anything else as threatening to our way of life?" Sirius paused for breath and noticed his mother reaching for her wand. Lucius was frozen as he absorbed what Sirius was saying, though the Black didn't know how long that would last. "Expelliarmus! Proticifucs Totalis!" he called, pocketing both wands and regarding the now truly frozen forms before him. "Now now, Mother dearest, is that anyway to treat your Heir? I'm sure Regulus would make a fine Lord, but really, he'd much rather be an adviser or aide. He's said so himself! And Lucy, I know I hit a cord, but why the slow reaction? Well, what's done is done now isn't it? Now, just to recap. Mother, no way on earth am I joining the Dark Hypocrite. Lucius, you look like a girl so do something about your hair before your nick-name is permanently changed to Lucy. Mother, you're a madwoman. Lucius, do consider the dangers of inbreeding. And now, a last parting shot to both of you. Mother, don't push me because I won't push back. I'll vanish. And I'll take Regulus with me. He has already agreed. Lucius, there's nothing I can do for you at this point. Your mind is made up, I can tell. Oh yes, I'm not as dense as you seem to think. All I can do for you now is tell you this. I will be the one to catch you. Rain, shine, pain, happiness, terror, island or continent, a change of name, a change of face... none of it will help you. I will track you, I will hound you, I will chase you until the end of the world and will not rest until you are locked up and your fortune frozen until the next Lord Malfoy should rise up. I've said it before and I'll say it again: no-one harms me and mine without retribution. A petty trick or a mostly harmless prank and that retribution will be more akin to a slap on the wrist. A deliberate attack that results in serious injury and my retribution will be as swift and painful as possible. Kill someone I care about and there is no hole deep enough, no mountain tall enough, and no country far enough away to save you from a painful, humiliating, showy, and permanent end by my hand. Remember that, both of you. It might just save your lives," he said before dropping their wands and exiting the parlor, allowing the body-binds to fall as he stepped foot on the landing. Regulus had fallen in step as he moved up the stairs and now turned to his brother, a solemn look on his face.
"That... was a stupidly reckless and excessively Gryffindor thing to do, Sirius. I hope you're strong enough to handle the fall out," he said before entering his room and closing the door. Sirius sighed and entered his own room.
"I know, Reggie. I know," he whispered to the dark room, tears sliding down his face without his conscious knowledge. Regulus had brought forward memories of a different life, of a dead man. Of the Death Eater Sirius had pushed away and helped form, however indirectly it was.
/*/
Sirius didn't know how long it was that he sat there crying, but it was long enough for his eyes to be painfully red and dry when Kreature came up to fetch him for dinner. He had half a mind to tell the wizened little elf to just leave him alone, to say that he wasn't hungry, but then Regulus' words echoed back to him and he stood. "Inform my parents that I shall be down shortly, Kreature. I need to wash up a bit before I can face them," he said stiffly, though the old house elf could see the pain and wariness in the young wizard's eyes.
"Young Master Sirius Black sir, I will tell the Mistress yous not feeling well. Yous stay and rest, Young Master Sirius Black sir," he said, pushing the young Heir to his bed. Sirius tried to protest, but Kreature snapped his fingers and switched Sirius' robes with his pajamas then shoved the now bemused Black into bed. "Yous rest, Young Master..."
"Sirius." Kreautre looked up at the interruption to be greeted by a smiling, and clearly bemused, Sirius. "Just call me Sirius, Kreature. If you're going to help me avoid my mother for a few more hours, you can call me by just my name. Just..." he paused, then nodded, "don't tell mother. She wouldn't understand." Kreature smiled, an odd sight even after all the years Sirius had spent relieving and re-doing his life.
"Kreature understands, Sirius," he said before popping away. Sirius chuckled, then lay back and closed his eyes.
"I wonder if Regulus would believe me if I said I was bullied into bed by Kreature," he mused before falling asleep.
/*/
As it turned out, Regulus gave him a commiserating look. "He's done that to me often, usually when I stayed up too late reading or had a mild cold. He can be a bit... fussy... sometimes," the younger Black said. Sirius smiled at him as he sat down to breakfast.
"Yeah, I can believe it. I'm just worried about how mother will take all this," he said. Regulus gave him another sorry look before sitting 'properly as befitting the Ancient and Noble House of Black.' Sirius sighed, but assumed the posture as well. Walburga Black swooped in and sat regally, Orion following with a vaguely sullen look on his face. Sirius was mildly confused at this. He had never known his father to be sullen. He made a mental note to talk with his father once he retired to his study. However, he had to get past breakfast with his slowly maddening mother glaring at him. Joy.
"Your mother told me you had some... dangerous... ideas. Care to... elaborate?" Orion fished. Sirius flashed him a Slytherin smile, meaning it was nearly non-existent.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I shall spare you the rhetoric and go with the bare bones. The Dark Lord is a hypocrite. His father was a muggle, his mother was a near squib terrified by her father and brother, and he is mentally unstable. He will lead this world we live in to war with itself, far too many people will be killed, he'll drag us back into the Dark Ages, and if I were to marry a pure-blood there would likely be genetic deficiencies due to recessive genes of a less that savory nature coming forward and causing madness and poor magical power, among other things. Also, I don't care about the so called purity of blood. I care about life, friends, and family and should anyone threaten these things I hold dear, I will not hesitate to strike back and do so relentlessly until the damage done has been repaid three-fold," he told his father. Orion nodded, a spark of defiance briefly appearing in his eyes.
"I don't see this being dangerous. If anything, it pulls the fangs off the viper. As long as he does nothing to shame our house..."
"He has shamed me!" Walburga shrieked. Sirius sighed and laid down his napkin.
"I had hoped that we might avoid this mother, but I see you have not taken my warning seriously. Push me to follow a madman into war, and I will leave this house without ever looking back and I will take Regulus with me. I'd prefer not to have to do that, but with the way you're acting, you might not leave me any other choice. Good day mother, and do not forget my warning. You are down a strike, two more and you're out of luck," he said before sweeping out of the room. Regulus sighed as well before abandoning his pure-blood mask.
"Well Hypogriff droppings, that could have gone better," he said, scowling. With a sigh, his face relaxed and he shook his head. "I didn't really want to have to leave, but it's looking more and more likely that I will have to leave. Oh well, what comes will come and I'll just have to go with it... until I can do something about it that is," he said before standing and following his brother out the door.
/*/
"You do realize that you just threw down the gauntlet... right?" Regulus said. Sirius sighed, glaring at his innocent(yeah right!) ancient runes homework.
"I couldn't let it go on, Regulus. I still hold out for father, but Mother has gone round the bend. Have you seen how she pushes Tom's ideals? I had to give my ultimatum tonight. I know enough to support myself, and likely you as well, should we have to flee. Besides, the Potters took me last time, and they've all grown rather fond of you. Perhaps they'll take us if need be," the elder Black brother answered. Regulus sighed as well.
"Sirius... I'd rather not have to leave. I know I don't have the same memories that you do, of how horrid this house became, but there are a few good memories here I'd rather not leave. And there could be even better memories made here, if I'm given the chance, once the war is won. Please, don't rush things," he said. Sirius looked up at his brother, a brother he had grown to know and love far more than he originally had. He saw fear and uncertainty in those stormy gray eyes. His head felt with a sigh.
"I'm sorry, Reggie. I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't run away until sixth year and then after that I jumped straight into war. This time will be different. I'm different this time around, and so are many others. We have time, brother. We have time," he said, standing and placing a hopefully comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. Regulus sighed, but nodded with a brave smile. Sirius felt his heart swell with pride. Regulus, who had been so easily lead astray, was willing to state his fears, to contradict the plans laid out before him. His little brother was willing to go against what he had been told, to be brave. "I'm proud of you, Regulus. You've grown up well, little brother. I'm glad I got the chance to see it," Sirius said with a grin. Regulus' smile turned from warily brave to brightly happy.
"So am I, Sirius. I'm glad I got the chance to know you." Sirius shook his head, a faint smile still clinging to his lips.
"Go on, get changed. We're sneaking out," he said. Regulus' eyes lit up with puckish glee. Whoever said that the younger son of Orion and Walburga Black was a perfect little pure-blood prince who always followed the rules didn't know what he was talking about. Regulus was just as much a rebel as his big brother. He was just quieter about it.
"Can we go to that burger joint?" he asked. Sirius smirked.
"I would have thought the bookstore. What, you hoping we'll run into what's-her-face again?" Regulus flushed slightly.
"No! I'm still hungry. Your little outburst interrupted my lunch. I only got three bites," he said. Sirius laughed, but agreed. He did like burgers after all.
/*/
It had been such a promising week. Then Tobias had to walk in while he was doing his practical potions work. When the yelling started, Severus suddenly realized something. He had friends. He had good friends. He had good caring friends. Friends who would take him in. A slow smile, a rather rare sight even at the best of times, slid onto Severus' face. "Shut up you ignorant, abusive, and down right deplorable alcoholic jerk," he said slowly and evenly, his face seemingly emotionless though there was amusement and relief hidden there for those who looked.
"What did you say?" Tobias asked, trembling with anger. Severus stood, shoulders back and jaw set.
"I said, 'shut up you ignorant, abusive, and down right deplorable alcoholic jerk,' father," he said, pouring all his loathing and anger into the word 'father.' Tobais quivered, but Severus was already moving. Robe, shirt, tie, socks, book, caldron, belt, pants, and then Tobias' fist smashed into his jaw.
"You insolent brat! I feed you. I clothe you. I put a roof over your head. And how do you repay me? Disobedience, disrespect, and girlishness!" Severus stood and continued packing his trunk. Stack of books, two more robes, five more socks, some underclothes, another tie, and another blow. Not a sound escaped from Severus, not a single tear fell. "Don't ignore me child!" Tobias roared. Severus slammed his trunk closed and rose, lifting the worn trunk as he did so.
"Goodbye, Tobias, and good luck feeding your habit without me, because I am never coming back," he said, his voice low, slow, and deliberate. Tobias' screams followed him as he thumped down the stairs. The door crashed into the wall, but Severus didn't feel a thing, didn't wince. He just kept walking. Arnold tried to stop him, but Severus had had enough. He swung his trunk at his bully of a brother and kept on walking. He didn't stop until he reached the Evans' house. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and knocked. Mrs. Evans answered and once she saw the bruise on his face gasped and dragged him inside.
"Sit, sit! I'll get some ice for that bruise. Oh, you poor boy! How often has this happened?" she gushed, worry evident in her voice. Severus froze for a moment, then relaxed slightly.
"Far too often," he said softly. Lily came dashing down the stairs into the kitchen. She froze when she saw that Severus was there, but once he turned, the vivid purple bruise showing, she squeaked and rushed over to him. Her arms wrapped around him and her tears fell onto his shoulder. Awkwardly, Severus returned the hug. "It's alright, Lils. I left, and I'm never going back. Even if I have to live on the run, I'm not going back," he said, hoping it would reassure her. Instead, she stiffened. Worried, Severus pulled back a little. Her eyes looked like pools of green fire. He swallowed nervously. "Lily?" he asked.
"Mom, we're moving," she said. Mrs. Evans looked at her younger daughter in confusion. "Severus needs a place to stay, one his father doesn't know about. We're giving it to him." Understanding lit in her mother's eyes and she nodded.
"I'll talk to your father about it, but I'm fairly sure he'll agree. You and your friend can start looking now, if you like," she said. Severus didn't move, didn't speak. He was too shocked that his desperate bid for freedom had apparently worked. Then Petunia spoke up.
"What's he doing here?!" she shrieked, "and why are we moving for him?!" Severus winced, then remembered who she could grow up to be and grew thoughtful.
"Petunia, wasn't it?" he asked, sitting back, thinking about what he could do depending on how she answered. Unknowing of the Slytherin's intentions, Petunia nodded. Severus gave her a smile, though only Lily could see the scheming in the expression, and said, "I've always liked petunias. Though they aren't quite as dear to me as lilies, I could grow to love them." Lily face palmed.
"That was lame, Sev, and you know it," she said, shaking slightly. Severus shrugged, a rather Potter like smirk on his face.
"Look at who I hang around, Lily. Do they seem like the kings of cool?" he asked. Lily chuckled.
"No, not really. Though, James and Sirius might be contenders for that title," she answered. He shook his head.
"I can't pull off their style, so it's best I make my own," he said. Then Lily turned deathly serious.
"Are you trying to make a move on my sister, Severus?" she asked. Severus swallowed heavily, then looked at the floor.
"You're the earth and heaven to James, and from the sounds of things... that's not going to change. No, the only thing changing is James' attitude and that change might be happening sooner rather than later. I just... need to get over you. Because... you're very dear to me, Lily. You're the first person who saw Severus Snape, not Tobias' errand boy or Eileen's mistake. It... meant a lot," he said, his voice growing fainter as he spoke. Lily looked on kindly, while Petunia sniffed dismissively at him.
"Are you sure you aren't an errand boy or a mistake?" she asked. He looked up at her, the fire in his eyes flaring a little, and said,
"I am Severus Tobias Snape, and I am no-one's errand boy. Nor am I a mistake. Too long have I believed it, too long have I tolerated the abuse my own father gave to me. No more. That is why I'm leaving. Your sister was simply kind enough to... actually... she was rather forceful. She just assumed I'd stay with you and your family and that you'd all pack up and move so Tobias wouldn't be able to find me. Really, Mrs. Evans, I'm sure I'll be just fine on my own." Mrs. Evans shook her head.
"I'm not leaving a brave, scarred, young man like yourself alone. You need to be shown love, and care, and encouraged to be all you can be. And I'm going to be the one to do it. Once you and the girls find a decent place and we're all moved, I'm going over to Tobias' hut and making him sign you over to me. You'll be Severus Snape-Evans, if you'd like, by this time next month," she said. Severus gave her a bewildered smile before she was gone, bustling away to do goodness knew what. Petunia was now looking at Severus in consideration, as though his outburst had changed something of her view of him. It was a bit uncomfortable, but when he considered what her future could be, Severus was willing to integrate himself into her life as the most interesting and reasonable person around. No-one should go from love to hate to abusing their own nephew.
/*/
Peter stared at the mirror. 'Peter was a lackey in every sense of the word, even after Hogwarts,' 'Peter betrayed them, leading the Dark Lord right to them,' ' Wormtail, Peter, was trying to get out of the country. I couldn't let the vile betrayer go, so I cornered him. That was when things really went pear shaped. He shouted that I had betrayed James and Lily, then blew up the street, killing at least a dozen muggles, then transformed into his rat animagus form and fled into the sewers. I broke down in hysterics, laughing and saying I had killed Lily and James. I was arrested and thrown in Azkaban without so much as a by your leave,' Sirius's voice chimed in his head. But now, nearly half a year after the fact, the words left unsaid, perhaps not even thought in the torrent of emotion and memory Sirius was experiencing, came to him. 'Because of Peter.' No, he thought. Because of Wormtail. Not Peter. Wormtail. The way Sirius had said that name... it was like poison to him. "I am not Wormtail," Peter said firmly, standing a bit straighter and lifting his chin a bit higher. He wasn't the handsomest of boys, nor was he one of the fittest, but looking at himself then, Peter saw something he hadn't before. He saw a fighter. A fire kindled in his chest, coursing through him, a hot determination to be a better man. He gave a single sharp nod and allowed the fire to die down, but it did not go out. And Peter didn't really want it to either. 'Wormtail betrayed everyone,' Sirius had said. Not Peter. Wormtail. "I won't be Wormtail," he muttered as he stalked into his room. His mother had heard him, but didn't bother entering his room. He had so many pranks set that only he knew how to get past that no-one dared to even touch the handle of his door. Alone in his messy room, Peter took stock. Sirius hadn't really said much about the Other Peter aside from what he had done as Wormtail. He frowned, then realized, he couldn't sit still any longer. So he cleaned. Clothes sailed into the hamper, books were shoved onto previously minimally used shelves, papers were straightened, projects organized, clean clothes folded and put away, his trunk was emptied and his homework spread out on his recently cleaned desk. Three hours later, Peter stepped back to survey his work. He nodded to himself. It looked a lot more like the room of a young man with drive, rather that of a boy who didn't take anything seriously. Thinking about his pledge to Sirius, Peter picked up his defense text and sat down on the bean bag chair Sirius had gotten him to read it. He was going to become strong enough to protect his friends. He owed it to them.
/*/
Remus sighed and shoved the book away, staring out the open window. He was restless. It was like an itch under his shoulder blades. Standing abruptly, he stalked into the living room. "May I visit James, father?" he asked, hoping the man would say yes. Mr. Lupin smiled at his son, glad that he was actually asking to visit a friend.
"Sure, just let me fire call the Potters and see what they think," he said. Remus nodded and after several minutes of bouncing on his toes, he was entering Potter Manor.
"Remus!" James called, bounding down the stairs to meet his friend. Remus smiled wanly, and finally realized what it was he felt he needed to do. He needed to talk.
"Can we go to your room?" he asked. James paused, searching his face, then nodded and lead the way.
"So... what do you need to talk about?" James asked, lounging against his desk. Remus sat with a sigh on his bed.
"Me," he said. James quirked an eyebrow. "About the future I could have had, the person I could have been," he clarified. James nodded and sat down, knowing it might take a while. He wasn't exactly disappointed. "What was I doing, James? After you and... I wasn't there for... what was I doing?! And then there's the little fact that I was such a pacifist that I let you get away with bullying. How many people did we drive to darkness with our crass actions? Look at what seemed to have happened with Severus! Or Regulus! Did I... was I... were we... pawns? In some massive chess game where we couldn't even see the board? Did we even care? Dumbledore had been dosing us for goodness knows how long and... did we care? Did we question? It didn't seem like it. I know this seems like a delayed reaction but... there was school and homework and pranks and... heck even Quditch! And I don't even play! I threw myself into it, not wanting to think about... that. But now... I have to. Regulus told me he had found Severus by the kitchen, so he must have had his breakdown, now it's my turn. I don't know James, I just... I want to do better this time and I think... I want your input. You're different this time around, Sirius said so, and I trust you. If I... stood up a bit more, questioned you, tried to stop you, did... if I were a proper prefect... would I lose you?" Remus said, words pouring out of his mouth as though they could wait to get out even as he struggled to find the proper phrasing. James smiled and stood.
"Remus... you will never lose me, nor Sirius, nor Peter. Not this time," he said, gripping his friend's shoulders. "And Remus, I can speak for Sirius or Peter, but I want you to be all you can be. Now more than ever. Stand up, stop worrying over what people will think of you, and fight for what you believe. It's what we'll all have to do. And it's thanks to you that Lily never hexed me. If it weren't for you and the rest of the Marauders... I wouldn't want to be around me. So... just... do what you think best, alright? I'll support you all the way," he finished. Remus gave him a slightly shaky smile and grasped his forearm.
"Thank you," he said earnestly. James nodded, then took a deep breath.
"I guess it's my turn now, huh?" he asked. Remus gave him a curious look.
"You haven't had yours yet?" he asked.(James turned to the reader and said, "No, because the authoress was too lazy to write all this back in chapter 8, or even chapter 9 when she did Severus'. Honestly, she's a lazy little kitten who can't be trusted to get things done on time. But, now it's my turn for deep, character building, introspection. It's on now!" before turning back to Remus and re-entering the normal time stream of the plot.)
"Nah, I've been doing like you. Throwing myself into school and pranks and Quiditch. But now, you've kinda opened the floor. The me Sirius pretty much avoided describing... he was what I would have been if Dumbledore had kept on dosing me. I would have been immature, rude, arrogant, borderline cruel, and terribly irresponsible until at least seventh year and by then... it'd be almost too long for me to grow into who I should be, into who I needed to be. Even now I can see myself living that life. Embarrassing myself by asking Lily out time after time, being a git by harassing people, not applying myself to my studies, and ultimately failing to protect those dearest to me. I... he... was blind and all-too-trusting and... I don't want to be that guy anymore. I'm with you, Remus. It's time I started growing up. There's a war going on, and I'm going to fight, and I'm going to win."
"And I'll be right there with you," Remus said with a smile, grasping his forearm in a bracing, brotherly way. James grinned, but now it was tinged by his resolve, untempered steel entering his bearing. Remus gave a wry smirk. Yes, there was steel there, just as there was in Sirius, though very very rough in comparison. He briefly wondered if there was a similar steel developing in himself, but pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Right now, they were on vacation and Remus needed a release. "What do you say we plan a prank on Sirius?" James grinned wildly at him.
"Oh, it is on!" he crowed, and the two of them settled down to plan. They may have decided to become soldiers of necessity, but they were still pranksters through and through.
/*/
Sharpsword sent Sirius an owl a little over a month after their initial meeting, and the young Black was all too happy to oblige the Goblin's request of a meeting. "What can I do for you, Master Sharpsword?" Sirius asked as he sank into the chair before the Goblin's desk.
"Read over these papers and sign on the dotted lines. I'm fairly sure everything is in order, but only for the Fund. The Program is proving quite... bothersome," the Goblin answered. Sirius raised an elegant eyebrow. "You see... we need... authorization..."
"Given by the House of Black," Sirius said firmly, authority rolling off him. Sharpsword gave him a rather unimpressed look. "It's my plan, my program, my houses, my say so. If you can't make the Ministry go along with it, send the old fuddy-duddies to me and I'll persuade them. I can be quite persuasive. Ask anyone you like, they'll agree," Sirius said easily, already reading and signing the various forms and papers and legal what-not. Sharpsword would have been lying if he said he wasn't at least a little impressed with the young man for the way he handled himself in the political world he was finding himself in. Sirius glanced up, then smirked, the scars on his left cheek stretching oddly. "Don't worry, Sharpsword, I have that effect on a lot of people. Just don't ask for an autograph. You're got enough of my signatures floating around," he said jokingly. Sharpsword shook his head. And the kid said he was a hundred and fifty. More like fourteen. Then he stopped for a moment, in his own mind, and thought. Wasn't that how old he appeared? A young man of thirteen about to enter his fourteenth year of life? Was it his personality, an act, or a defense? He minutely shook his head. It didn't really matter.
"I don't think so. Sign here," he said, shoving another form under Sirius' pen. Said youth let out a rather long suffering sigh.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked wryly. Sharpsword grinned.
"Why Black, you know how to play?" he said, in a completely un-Goblin-like manner. Sirius paused, then continued reading, signing, and moving on. Five more signatures and he let out a half-sigh-half-whimper.
"Sure I know how to 'play,' but this is getting ridiculous. How much of this do I have to go through just to help people?" he asked. Sharpsword sighed as well.
"Far too much in my opinion," he said. Sirius looked up at this.
"You know... wizards are taught that Goblins don't care for much beyond their gold, their forged items, and war. What are Goblins told of wizards?" he asked. Perhaps not the best question for the situation, but certainly not the worst. He could have asked if Sharpsword was really a Goblin or if he was a cursed wizard. That one could have gotten him killed. As it was, Sharpsword simply smiled at him, though when a Goblin smiles it is rather disconcerting.
"That they do not care for more than their gold, their women, and bloodshed." Sirius shook his head.
"I'm going to write a book one day. 'The Big Book of Misrepresentations' I'll call it. Should be simply massive," he said. Sharpsword chuckled. If it were only about Goblins, it would be a fair sized book. Should it include other magical beings not of the human variety... it would be quite large.
"I'd like a signed copy," he said dryly. Sirius returned, in an equally dry tone,
"There are more than enough of my signatures in this office alone." Sharpsword chuckled. Oh yes, he liked this wizard. He was fun to talk to.
/?/
Disclaimer: No. I do not own this.
Anyway... I like Sharpsword. I don't care if he's out of character for a HP Goblin, he's fun. Hard to write, but fun. Next up... Sirius' reaction to the changes in his friends and a sickening amount of Jily fluff. I blame the romance spammers. Simply too many 'how Lily came to realize her feelings' stories out there. Don't worry, I'll try to contain it to this one chapter and then let the story carry itself. Key word 'try.' My muse is strange. Anyway, let me know what you thought.
Proverbs 5:2 (because 3 didn't fit at all)
"That you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge."