Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This work is merely for leisure and not for any profit whatsoever.
Summary: London is a big city. In cities of such size, many small details pass by unnoticed by most of the crowd. Homes become invisible, shops are glanced over and ignored, strange events and people are written off as one-time occurrences, and anomalies are unknowingly brushed aside. SI/OC.
A/N: I LIIIIIIIIIIIVE! *dives for cover* I. AM. SO. SORRY. (I'm pretty sure my writing style has changed a bit so there may be a bit of a disconnect from the previous chapter. Sorry about that. I'll come back and edit it when I'm not sleep deprived.)
Stars in the Silence
Harlequin
.
"Sickle for your thoughts? I doubt a mere knut would be enough."
"Which one? I've got about six floating in my head now," Aquila paused, smirking slightly, "Seven if you count me wondering why you're talking when you should be doing your homework."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's the same passage we've been translating since we were five. I can do this in my sleep."
Aquila shut her notebook with a sigh. "Your handwriting is never going to improve you know."
"Stuff it. And don't think you can distract me that easily - I want the one that's gotten you all frowny and the one that's making you go all emo. Seriously, we're all Black enough."
Aquila stared at him flatly.
"I can hear your angst. It's calling out to me, you know?" Sirius nodded sagely. "Now take a deep breath and let it go; wait till we're at Hogwarts before you go all Ice Queen alright?"
Trust Sirius to make a reference that won't even be relevant until half a century later. I can't even hit him for that.
"That angst isn't going to go away on its own- OW!"
Ignoring her twin's yelp, Aquila flipped open her book and pointed to the latest scripture she was working on. "I was working on a new scripture with Dad and we managed to get the schematics of the geometry needed for the scripture to draw in slightly more ambient magic than normal before he left for the ICC. I've already figured out the conversion sequence needed to work as the base, but I don't know what spell I actually want to convert."
Sirius blinked. "Huh. Silencio?"
"Created; needs fine tuning."
"Reparo?"
"Not interested at the moment."
"Incedio?"
"Completed that a while ago."
"Should I be worried?" Huffing at the dubious look Sirius was sending her, Aquila deadpanned, "You just suggested it."
"Mother's already teaching you how to stab people. Forgive me for being concerned that you're also capable of roasting people alive as well."
"I don't need my runes to do that for me," Aquila glanced at him, "And when did you get this sassy?"
"Around the same time you started using sarcasm," Sirius shot back. "The Softening Charm?"
"Spongify? I'm not putting that name in any of my scripts. Besides, I doubt I'll need that."
"That Smokescreen spell, then?"
"Maybe," Aquila frowned, "But it'll be too messy. Mother will throw a fit if I blow up any of the rooms here."
"So what? You're going to wait until Hogwarts- you are." Sirius sighed theatrically. "Oh woe-is-me, my reputation will be ruined."
Aquila threw her quill at him.
.
"What are you two doing?"
Aquila stole a glance at Regulus, standing at the doorway of the Library looking more amused than concerned, before returning her attention to Sirius. "He is making terrible puns and references. I am trying to stop him."
"No, you are trying to give me a bloody concussion - WATCH IT!"
Sirius ducked just in time to avoid being hit by her copy of Faust. "Oops. Would you look at that – I missed. What a pity."
"Why do you have that book?! You don't speak German!"
She threw another book at him, amusement bubbling as Sirius dodged comically, arms flailing as he tried to keep his balance - "You don't speak Japanese either!" - and rolled her eyes, "I can read German decently enough. And I know enough of Chinese to guess what the book's talking about."
"IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY! REGGIE HELP ME!"
"Against Aquila?" Regulus scoffed. "Not even Merlin could make me do that." And then he turned to Aquila all but beaming, "I'll get some more books for you."
Brat, Aquila thought fondly, ignoring Sirius's faux-wailing about traitors and little shits with practiced ease.
The unsettling feeling lingering in the back of her mind, however, was not so easily pushed aside. It had been there ever since the incident with Walburga.
Walburga hadn't made a threat when she'd brought up Aquila spending her time on Runes. No; it was a promise.
Suffice to say, Aquila wasn't keen on testing her boundaries; hence, why she'd avoided the Library like the plague for the last week. She was only in it today because Sirius had dragged her with him after lunch, away from Walburga, whose gaze had been too intent to be anything but a warning. Exactly what, Aquila still wasn't sure - and how it irked her.
Because she knew that there was a danger here. Grimmauld Place wasn't safe, not for her and definitely not for her brothers. Even more so seeing as Orion was in bloody Austria attending the annual International Charms Conference. Granted, she could, and would, send Kreacher to get him if anything happened, but still.
A sharp sting of pain flared as she laughed just a bit too widely, acting as if it was another reminder. No, she wouldn't try anything yet – she was on a short enough leash as it was.
She watched as Sirius reacted a bit too slowly, calculating eyes, almost hidden by an oath that was just a tad too forceful, trained on the still-present bruise on her cheek. Damn, she thought, he noticed.
Sirius had always been oddly perceptive of her. Perhaps it was a twin thing. That, or Magic; both were equally likely.
Aquila sincerely doubted that Sirius had forgotten about his earlier questions – there was no way he wasn't purposely goading her further into this bastardised version of dodgeball. No, it was more likely that he was helping her work off the stress that had accumulated ever since the incident.
He'd probably corner her at night before they went to bed for the rest of her answer, the brat.
Well, uncomfortable feelings aside, their little game was helping her relax. Although she was running out of books to throw…
"Reggie! You done?"
"Almost! I've gotten almost a doz- AARGH!"
Regulus screamed in pain, and Aquila was halfway across the room before she even registered it.
Barrelling past the shelves, she skidded to a halt, eyes wide, at the sight of her baby brother on his knees, books scattered around him, clutching his hand and tearing.
"Reggie!" Sirius cried out behind her. He ducked around her and pulled Regulus up and away from- from whatever that had hurt him.
There was no immediate threat that she could see – which meant that it was a one-time thing or a specific curse. And considering where they were, the latter was more likely.
So, Aquila thought as her nails dug through the skin of her palms, what triggered it?
Regulus was fine, until… Her eyes landed on the pile of scattered books. Cautiously, she knelt down beside them. Les Serments de Strasbourg, Magical Theory, Moste Potente Potions-
Her heart stopped. No. She wouldn't-
A Study of Runes.
Aquila drew in a shuddering breath and reached out a hand. She wouldn't. There was a faint tremble in her hand. She wouldn't.
The tips of her fingers brushed against the spine.
She wouldn't sink so low.
She picked it up.
Pain.
The book fell out of blistered fingers and landed with a muffled thump, pages bent.
Aquila stared at it with wide eyes. She did.
.
"KREACHER!"
Aquila stalked through the aisle, not even acknowledging the old Elf when he appeared at her command and followed behind her.
Walking up to her brothers, she paused, taking sight of the faint sheen of tears on Regulus' face and the thunderous look on Sirius'.
You need to be calm. If not for yourself, then for them. You can't snap now.
Aquila took a deep breath.
In for four counts, hold for seven, out for eight.
As gently as she could, she grabbed Regulus' hand, inhaling deeply and forced herself to review his injuries. Too red, Aquila noted, some swelling and blisters. Regulus was definitely in pain. A second-degree burn.
Not as bad as it could have been, Aquila told herself, breath shallow, it could have been worse. So much worse. Damn it all to hell.
"Kreacher," Aquila said softly, forcefully calm, with only a faint tinge of anger, "Go and get Dad. Tell him that Regulus' been burnt by a curse - I suspect it's the Flagrante Curse."
There was a tense silence. Why hadn't he-
"Kreacher cannot."
Aquila jerked, dropping Regulus' arm to pivot on her heel and slammed her palm into the elf's head, sending him sprawling. "That. Wasn't. A. Request." Aquila spat, nearly trembling with fury. "I order you to get Father."
Kreacher stumbled to his feet, his large ears drooping and head bowed low. "Kreacher cannot, Young Mistress."
Red filled her vision and Aquila lunged forwards, her control on her bloodlust all but shattering, only to be tackled from behind by her twin, sending both of them tumbling to the floor. She barely managed to break her fall and twist into a clumsy roll, landing into an equally ungraceful crouch.
Sirius was not so lucky and ended up sprawled on his back, cradling what most likely was a bruised elbow.
A stunned silence permeated the room, broken by a quiet whimper of pain from Regulus as he stood up. Aquila watched, still somewhat out-of-sorts, as Regulus walked over to Sirius and offered his hand - the uninjured one - to help him up.
Sirius accepted it with a grimace and a soft word of thanks, before he turned towards Aquila. "Calmed down yet?" Sirius asked quietly.
Aquila blinked, and then closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Yeah… Yeah, somewhat," Aquila sighed. She turned to face Kreacher, and felt a stab of guilt at the sight of him cringing at her movement. "Kreacher, I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have lost my temper and hit you. It was wrong." Aquila bowed her head. "I'm very sorry."
Losing control like that; like I was some animal. Pathetic.
She heard Kreacher sniff. "Young Mistress is not to be bowing or apologising. Kreacher is Bad Elf for not being able to follow Young Mistress' order, nor offer help for Young Master Regulus' wounds."
Aquila stiffened and her eyes narrowed. Behind her, she heard Sirius' breath hitch. So, he realised it too.
Aquila raised her head and met Kreacher's solemn eyes. "You aren't to blame Kreacher. Tidy up the Library then go back to your duties now, we will not call on you for a while."
As Kreacher dismissed himself, Aquila turned to her twin. His head was bowed and his breathing was heavy, but otherwise he was still. "We're on our own for now," Aquila muttered and moved towards Regulus. Gently but firmly, she gripped his shoulder and guided him to one of the plush chairs.
It was a small comfort to have Regulus lean into her, as well as accept her help in getting him seated. At least her momentary lapse of control hadn't turned her brothers against her.
Carefully, she took Regulus' hand and studied it silently, noting down the blisters and swells, as well as when Regulus winced in pain. In the back of her mind, Aquila noted how tiny his hand was, even against her own child-sized ones.
Regulus had always been small for his age.
Aquila had to bite her cheeks to stop herself from snarling. Instead, she plastered on a smile - fake, so fake; everyone can see through it, are you even trying? - and pressed a kiss to Regulus' forehead. "Come, we'll need to soak your hand. It's burnt pretty badly, so it's going to sting at the beginning. But it'll get better," Aquila promised.
Despite his pain, Regulus sent her a watery smile and nodded, leaning into her as she pressed another kiss to his forehead.
Aquila smiled, a tiny bit more genuinely this time, and tugged Regulus out of the Library.
As they exited, she looked over Regulus' head. Sirius had yet to follow them, choosing merely to nod jerkily, as if he had sensed her gaze, but Aquila wasn't overly concerned. In fact, it was probably better this way, because Sirius was pissed.
Her own temper was a hair-trigger from exploding again. The last thing any of them needed was for one - or all - of them to do something monumentally stupid because of their anger.
"Tea set's in the second cabinet."
.
"You need to soak your hand in the water for a while. Put it in slowly – it's going to hurt." Aquila switched off the tap and carefully rolled up Regulus' sleeves. "You let us deal with Mother. So no matter what you hear, you don't move."
Aquila wasn't quite sure which was more distressing – the fact that she had to leave her baby brother to tend to his own injuries or the fact that Regulus only nodded solemnly in response.
Aquila plastered on another smile.
I am a terrible sister.
Mipsy is right there. Walburga only knows about Kreacher - Mipsy can help Regulus.
But all her plans hinged on Mipsy remaining unknown to the Blacks.
Regulus would never betray us. You know the lengths he'd go to keep a secret.
She knew.
"We'll be right back."
Terrible, horrible sister.
.
Sirius sat stewing on his bed, spitting out slews of expletives – some of which Aquila did not recall ever teaching him, not that she really had the mind to notice them now.
No, the moment she closed the door, she busied herself with throwing a tea set – an ugly, pretentious, gaudy thing one of her distant cousins had sent her for her last birthday – at the walls and relishing in the sound of china shattering, fully intent on releasing all of her fury in the least bloody way she knew.
The sounds of china breaking punctuated her twin's cursing, and Aquila was mildly amused that Sirius wasn't limiting himself to just English. The broken shards tumbled onto the floor, joining the pile that Sirius had already made. It was surprisingly therapeutic.
Minutes passed by like this until Sirius spoke up. "Mother ordered Kreacher not to help us."
Aquila paused briefly, her grip on her tea pot tightening. "Yeah." It was testament to how pissed Sirius was when he didn't so much as flinch when she threw the pot and the shattered pieces flew dangerously close to both of them.
"And now we can't get to Dad."
Aquila turned to face Sirius, silently noting down that his eyes were glowing. Perhaps she should be more surprised that Sirius was now silver-eyed, but she really didn't have the mind to care about that just yet. Magic was most likely the answer anyways.
In the back of her mind, Aquila wondered if her own eyes were glowing as well. A quick glance at their mirror showed that, no, they weren't. Pity; having those eyes would undoubtedly help with intimidation.
"Not conventionally," Aquila agreed. She walked over to her bed and knelt down. It took her barely a second to find the loose floorboard and she pried it open just as quickly.
(It wasn't a secret she kept for Sirius - she knew for a fact that he had a similar hiding place under his own bed. They shared almost everything, except clothes, for obvious reasons, and the things they placed in their respective hiding places. Those were personal, private and not for the other to see.
Sometimes they'd share something, but not always. Blacks loved to hoard secrets, and they respected and loved each other too much to ever abuse their shared knowledge.)
Aquila pulled out a wand Mipsy had filched from her father's study months ago, a bundle of rope and a sack of coins. She handed them over to Sirius. "You remember the window we used for Halloween?" Sirius didn't bother nodding, Aquila didn't bother to wait. "Use the rope to get out. Call the Knight Bus and go to the Leaky Cauldron, the innkeeper should allow you to use the Floo Network for a Floo-call. Call Great-Aunt Dorea, ask if you can borrow an Elf to get to Dad-"
"And you're going to stay here to distract Mother," Sirius finished, his eyes still glowing before he closed them with a sigh. When he reopened his eyes, they were back to their usual light grey shade. "Stay safe."
"... You too. And see if you can get some burn-healing paste from Diagon as well," Aquila added quietly. "Otherwise I'll filch some from Mother's Potions Cabinet."
.
Aquila watched in silence as Sirius climbed down the ladder. The moment his feet touched the ground, he took off running down the street, leaving the rope ladder to flutter in the afternoon breeze.
"Mipsy." Aquila didn't acknowledge the Elf's arrival, her eyes still fixed on Sirius as he rounded a corner and disappeared from her sight altogether.
Mipsy, to her credit, sensed something off with Aquila and kept silent, allowing her to stew in her thoughts for a moment.
"Illusion on the rope. Only allow Sirius and yourself to see it. After that, find Sirius and stay with him, but keep out of sight." Aquila glanced down at Mipsy. "Make sure that he's safe."
Terrible, horrible, selfish little eagle. You'd never let your wings be clipped.
She pushed the thought out of her mind.
Sirius would be on the Knight Bus now. Even if the bus was packed, given their relative closeness to the Leaky Cauldron, he'd be at the pub within five minutes. It wouldn't take nearly as long for him to contact Dorea, and even less for their great-aunt to send an Elf to fetch Orion.
Orion would come back, that Aquila was absolutely certain off, International Charms Conference of not. That meant that Aquila only had to stall for ten minutes at worst.
She could do that. No – she would do that.
Aquila spun on her heel and strode out of the room, still deep in thought.
Because if she wanted this to work, she had to understand Walburga. Why had she done this, what was the motive - the underlying drive. Preferably, without going into a homicidal rage again.
(Which was really proving quite difficult, but by Merlin she would keep calm.)
Volatile emotions aside, it barely took her a moment to get it. Walburga had wanted to prompt an emotional reaction for her. An emotional, magical reaction. And if she or her brothers had to get hurt, that would have just been a necessary sacrifice in the grand scheme of things.
Aquila's eyes narrowed. Walburga wanted to get a rise out of her? Fine, she'd give her a bloody rise.
Walburga would be having her tea now, and Aquila would join her.
.
"You placed the Flagrante Curse on those books."
She had to be careful. Confronting Walburga off the bat meant that Sirius' absence would be discovered faster. Waiting too long, or even using a poor choice of words, ran the risk of tipping Walburga off.
So, Aquila forced herself to sit through all the mindless pleasantries, positioning her body just so. As if she was struggling to form the right words, as if she hadn't already planned out exactly what to say, what to portray, what to expect, before even knocking the door.
It's been five minutes, Aquila thought to herself, Sirius would definitely have reached the Leaky Cauldron by now.
Ergo, when Aquila finally did speak, her hand was clenched around the teacup, her words were blunt, with a hint of anger, and in a tone that just invited Walburga to try and contradict her.
Walburga didn't disappoint. "Yes. I did."
"Why."
Walburga sipped her tea, sending her an inscrutable look. "I had hoped that it would be a good incentive. Clearly, it wasn't."
"Incentive," Aquila whispered, already feeling the threads of control straining. Because it was one thing to theorise, but to actually hear Walburga speak so callously- "Incentive?! You hurt Regulus-"
Aquila yelped at the sudden sting of pain on her cheek, nearly dropping her teacup in surprise.
"Mind your tone, young lady." Walburga slipped her wand back into her holster. "Regulus is inconsequential-"
The cup shatters.
Blood seeped through her tightly clenched fingers, dripping onto the table. Aquila barely registered the pain in her hand when a powerful, angry hex slammed into her shoulder and sent her tumbling off her seat.
Sprawled on the dark floorboards, Aquila didn't so much as twitch. Because the fury she felt from the Grimoire incident and the mindless rage Sirius barely pulled her out off were mere sparks compared to what she felt now.
"A witch," she heard Walburga hiss, "does not disgrace herself by lowering to physical violence to showcase her displeasure, much less a Black."
Hypocrite.
Aquila felt a distinct disconnect between the swirling mess of emotions inside her, and the smooth, almost zen-like calm her body portrayed as she stood up.
Feet together, legs straight, back arched, hands cradled loosely and face blanked. Just like she'd been taught.
It was almost like she was running on autopilot.
She didn't even flinch when Walburga Summoned the shards of china out of her palm.
"You'd do well to focus on yourself, daughter. No more distractions." Walburga flicked her wand.
The shards floated into the air and slowly merged with each other. Aquila felt herself blink as something rushed past her head. It's her latest notebook, she noted in the back of her mind. Various other items zipped past her, books of all sizes, various articles of clothing and loose pieces of parchment, all coming to rest in a moderate pile on top of the table.
She blinked again, somehow already knowing what would happen.
In a mockingly slow, lazy fashion, Walburga flicked her wand again. For a split second, the tip glowed white before the light was drowned of by an eruption of flames.
Aquila's work – her notes, her scriptures, her treasured puppets – were completely destroyed within seconds. She blinked again, her attention still fixated on the teacup.
Her lack of reaction must have unsettled Walburga because the witch only commented on how her control of her emotions was improving, before she stood up and left the room altogether.
(Disappointed, that voice hissed in her mind again, you've always been disappointed.)
It could have been hours later - though instinctively, she knew only a few minutes had past - when Aquila felt like she was herself again.
She reached out and picked up the tea cup. The white porcelain was perfectly smooth; not even a hairline crack remained. Elegant. Flawless. Aquila placed it back onto the table just before her shoulders start to shake.
And then, in the empty room, she laughed. She laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. Clutching her sides until her dress was stained with haphazard streaks of blood because oh, that's how it is.
She had tried to love Walburga. She had tried to love the witch, as any daughter should love her mother. But Walburga had made it so easy, so justified to hate her.
(But what was justice anyways, save vengeance given a pretty, righteous name?)
A fine line between love and hate indeed, Aquila thought. Perhaps, if she was a good person, or a better one or even just a different one, that line could have be wider.
But Aquila had never been one to delude herself.
No matter, she told herself, hearing the roar of flames from the foyer. It's done.
.
If Walburga's ire was something to be cautious about, then Orion's rage was truly a terrifying thing, Aquila concluded, hearing the sounds of crashing and shouts echo as she walked down the hallway. The paintings around her twittered and muttered, and Aquila had no doubt that this particular piece of gossip would have circulated through the entire pureblood circle twice by dinner time.
Because if whispers of Aquila falling out of favour with Walburga had sent everyone buzzing, this? This was practically scandalous, headline news.
Belatedly, Aquila knew that she shouldn't be feeling so detached and aloof. She should be more emotional. She should be with Sirius and Regulus, comforting them. She should be ordering Kreacher to put up a Silencing Ward – Orion was back; he would've already revoked Walburga's order.
There were a lot of things she should be doing to lessen the trauma her brothers would experience. Instead, Aquila soaked up the grim satisfaction that bubbled inside her, nearly relishing in the sounds of Orion's displeasure.
Favouring petty revenge over her siblings' welfare, how very Black of her.
In the back of her mind, she wondered if that made her a bad sibling.
(It probably did. But then again this was her after all. Normality wasn't a thing for her; she didn't get normal, not even in the Wizarding world.)
A/N: I. AM SO. SORRY.
I swear I didn't mean to take so long but – life. I really didn't plan on so much angst either ;-; the next couple ones won't be nearly half as angsty, promise! (Probably…)
But anyways, I would like to hear some story ideas from you guys, mainly any ideas regarding the Marauders, Regulus, Lily, Snape, even things you'd like to see happen in the magical and muggle worlds during the earlier Hogwarts years. (Because I've got a Plan until, roughly, the Sorting period, and in the later years. It's just the in-between that's bugging me.)
Also, there'll be a new canon character coming in about two or three chapters – care to guess who? ;)
And now please excuse me as I go cram in the last of my prep for my university interview tomorrow (ノ ゜Д゜)ノ ︵ ┻━┻