Yes, I'm borrowing Ms Rowling's characters, and if she takes offence, she can sue me. You are not her, so you can't.
Dreams, Memories and Night-time Antics
Sixteen-year-old Sirius eyed his father curiously, but got up and followed him. Orion led him up to the attic. The two walked and climbed in silence; then, on the final staircase, Orion softly broke it.
"I know you and Walburga have your differences."
Oh, no, not one of those lectures …
"That's what happens when two strong personalities collide, I suppose…"
And here it comes … 'obey your elders', 'respect your family's bloody heritage', 'at least try to get along with her'…
"And frankly, Sirius, I don't think it's going to get better between you two."
Damn bloody right it's not. Why'd you think I was leaving?
"I'm not going to disown you, and I don't want you to feel I'm kicking you out …"
All right, what in hell is going on here?
"But … I think it might be best for everyone if you got away. If only for a while."
… What?
Did he just say what I think he said?
"In light of that …" Orion opened the attic door and sighed, then turned to smile sadly at his firstborn. "Happy birthday, Sirius."
…
"Is that a motorcycle?"
"A flying motorcycle. I know how you feel about broomsticks." Too narrow and breakable and easily blown out from under you. "I was planning to give it to you on your seventeenth birthday, but with things the way they are … I didn't think waiting a year was a good idea."
The bike was huge, black with silver chrome, a large and incongruous red and gold bow tied festively around the handlebars. (This was, Sirius noticed, the first time he'd seen red in this house that wasn't blood or in his own room.) A helmet, also black, was perched on the leather seat.
"It has an invisibility booster, as many protective enchantments as I dared put on it, and it can carry the weight of two bull elephants – not that I recommend carrying elephants around. I expect you to wear that helmet while riding, whether you're on the ground or not."
Orion pulled a small package, red with a gold ribbon, out of his robe pocket and pressed it into Sirius' hands. His son unwrapped … a guidebook on the proper maintenance and riding techniques for his motorcycle, and a masterfully done license of ownership and use, with his name and unmoving picture – "In case the Muggle … please-men … pull you over."
"Father …" Sirius searched for the right words, but eventually had to settle for, "Thank you."
"So." He jerked his head to see Regulus in the doorframe behind them, carrying Sirius' trunk. The redhead's face and voice were blank. "You're leaving."
"Yeah."
Gully held out the trunk and Sirius reached to take it. For a second their eyes met and he saw something – a challenge? a plea? – flash across his little brother's face.
"Kreacher and I finished packing for you. He's so happy you're going, he didn't even try to sneak anything nasty into it."
"… Thanks, Gull – Regulus," he corrected himself.
"Bye, Snuffles. Happy Birthday."
Regulus left. Orion flicked his wand, tying the trunk to the back of the new bike, and Sirius got on, pulling the helmet down on his head but raising the visor to say goodbye.
"It was partly his idea, you know," Orion commented. "To get you this … machine. Take care of it, alright? And yourself."
"I will."
"Do you know where you're going?"
"Well enough to get there in one piece."
" … Goodbye, Sirius."
" … Goodbye, Father. And … thanks."
He revved the engine and punched the invisibility booster. Orion cast a spell on the skylight, opening it wide enough for Sirius and his bike. The dark-haired teenager flew away and didn't look back.
Trapped once more in the house he thought he'd escaped forever, Sirius Black woke up and smiled at his first good dream and happy memory in years.
A few floors below him, Regulus dug through the glass-fronted cabinets in the drawing room, wearing thick gloves as a precaution against some of his mother's more volatile possessions. Where was it? He knew it had to be in here somewhere, he'd left very clear instructions … ah. His hand closed around an old chain and a few tugs revealed the locket of Slytherin.
"Kreacher."
CRACK!
The elf took one look at the locket in his master's hand and began sobbing wild apologies. Regulus had to drop the artefact and grab his elf to keep the hysterical servant from beating himself up.
"Kreacher, it's okay, I'm not angry with you, I'm sure you did all you could – Kreacher, stop hurting yourself." He let go and gently rubbed the elf's back until the sobbing quieted. "Feel better?" Kreacher made a soft choking sound and Regulus sat on the floor, pulling the old elf onto his lap and cuddling him like a child. "Kreacher, I forbid you to punish yourself unless directly ordered to do so, by me. And if that order is given, you will be told what your punishment will be, and you are forbidden to exceed or add to it. Understood?"
"Yes, Master Regulus," said Kreacher dully.
"Good. Now, Kreacher, I have a task for you." Calling on all his limited skills of manipulation, he added, "If you can't, I'm sure Sirius could do it instead."
Kreacher, now under orders to say nothing to or about Sirius that he wouldn't about Walburga or Orion, scowled but kept quiet. Regulus picked the locket back up.
"I'm going to become a bird – a phoenix – and put this locket on. When I chirp, I need you, without touching the locket or its chain, to snap my neck and jump back as quick as you can." Before the elf could have a total panic attack, Regulus added, "I can't die, Kreacher, I'm a phoenix – an immortal. I want to see if phoenix fire can break this thing. If not I'll have to find a basilisk fang or something … bloody hell, I wish I could contact Peter," he added in a mutter. "So, will you do it?"
"If Master is sure Master won't be hurt … Kreacher will."
"You're a good elf, Kreacher; I owe you for this." Regulus shifted to his Animagus form, tossing the necklace before his hands changed and hopping awkwardly to catch it around his neck. He chirped.
The ancient elf delicately grasped the base of the phoenix's skull and gave it a sharp twist, offering an apologetic sob. There was a snap and a fwoosh and Kreacher jumped out of range of the flames.
Regulus felt like a white-hot wire had been pressed to the back of his neck. It was the same sensation he'd gotten twelve or so years ago from Bellatrix's killing curse. The pain vanished in seconds, and the warmth of his own fire surrounded him like a dry sauna.
Once the blaze had died down, Regulus shifted back to human and felt a cold metallic weight over his heart.
"DAMN IT TO THE DEEPEST CIRCLE OF BLOODY FLAMING HELL!"
Dudley woke up to a rustle and several thumps. Ron was crawling out from under his bed and beginning to search under Dean's. Moonlight caught his face and revealed slightly puffy, reddened eyes.
"You okay, Ron?"
The other boy jumped, but seemed too upset to really care that he'd woken someone.
"I can't find Scabbers! He wasn't on my trunk where he usually sleeps and he wasn't on the sheets or under the bed either!"
Dudley rolled out from under his warm covers to join the search.
"I'm sure he'll turn up, Ron. An animal that small can squeeze in almost anywhere." That last part had sounded a lot more comforting inside Dudley's head.
"What if someone's cat gets him? Or an owl? Or Filch spots him and puts out traps?" Ron moaned suddenly. "Percy's going to kill me. Scabbers was his rat."
"Maybe he went to Percy's dorm, then," Dudley suggested. "I've heard of dogs doing stuff like that, going 'home' to their old owners."
"Good idea." Ron got up and feverishly made for the door. "I'll go check – "
"Wait." Dudley squinted at the clock on his bedside table, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him, then checked the windows; it was still dark. "Ron, it's four in the morning. Percy won't thank you for waking him, nor will his dorm mates. Let's make a plan before we get anyone else up – when did you last see Scabbers?"
"Sometime before yesterday. I didn't even really notice at first he was gone, he's so quiet and lazy, and then I woke up and realized …" Ron gestured helplessly.
"If he's been gone for a couple days he may've gotten to the kitchens. How about I search the Common Room? Once your brothers wake up we can ask Percy if he's seen Scabbers lately, then we can ask the twins where the kitchens are. If we don't find him tonight we can put up 'Missing Pet' flyers or something."
Ron nodded, looking relieved, and all but bowed Dudley out the door as he went back to searching under beds.
Maybe the twins kidnapped Scabbers as a joke …better not suggest that to Ron or Percy, though. Neville might have some tips for finding pets what with how Trevor keeps vanishing. Now, if I were a rat in the Common Room, where would I be?
Dudley went on his hands and knees, checking under furniture, pulling out cushions the check inside the furniture, and paranoidly checking the rugs for suspicious lumps before lifting them anyway, just in case.
"What are you doing?" Dudley jumped and banged his head on the edge of a low table. Some forgotten textbook teetered and fell, giving Dudley's blond head a second smack.
"Oh – hullo, Percy."
He got to his feet with his practised innocent smile (but not too innocent, which would look faked), then snatched up the book and replaced it on the table, now grinning like a loon.
Percy wore his prefect badge on his dressing gown and a scowl on his face. He crossed his arms as he stared Dudley down.
"What are you doing up, Dursley?"
"Er …" Not wanting to get Ron in trouble, Dudley fell back on his and Harry's old habit of half-truth. "One of my dorm mates lost his pet and I'm helping search. I figured if I came into the Common Room early enough I wouldn't have to disturb anyone." Percy raised an eyebrow.
I wish I could raise just one eyebrow like that.
"It's not in here, so – I'll just – go, now. G'night!" Dudley bolted past Percy and up the stairs to his dorm. Ron looked up hopefully. Dudley shook his head. "No luck. I looked everywhere I can think of, then Percy showed up – I didn't tell him," he added hastily. Ron sighed and looked deflated.
"Thanks, Dudley."
Sorry I haven't updated in ... geez, that's a long time. This, as you can see, is a filler chapter to insert some details and get my creative juices flowing again. Hopefully some actual story progress can be made in the coming months.
For my Animorphs fans, those stories are not abandoned. They should be updated sometime before Christmas, although that will likely also be a filler chapter.