Readers…I hardly ever beg for reviews but I really want to know your reaction to the title and the ending of this chapter. Please! And yes, I know if a kid said this to me they would end up in trouble but... this is Sirius mother we are talking about?! LOL... This chapter is my attempt to lighten things up a bit.
Chapter Twenty-Five
"Talk to the Hand Mother!"
Before returning to school, Harry and the Tonks family, with Sirius, stopped off at Gringotts to check out his family's vaults. Harry was shocked to see what was stored in the vaults. It was like walking through the past of every previous member of the Potter family. He didn't find anything that really interested him though. James had picked out everything that interested his son. So, the group left the vault as it was and headed towards the International Floo Network.
Harry and Tonks said good bye to their family, then vanished through the floo network together. Sirius, Andi and Ted then headed towards the Black family home. Sirius was going to become a blood lord over the Black family. He wasn't looking forwards to it, but for James he would do anything.
The three of them walked up to Number 12 Grimmauld Place and stopped at the front door. Sirius really didn't want to go in. He stood there not moving for a long time. Andi finally got tired of waiting and opened the front door herself. The three of them walked in with Sirius bringing up the rear.
Sirius stood there looking around in shock at how bad the house looked. He hadn't been here since he ran way after his fifth year. He only took one step into the hallway before he heard her.
Mrs. Black started scream and cuss Sirius out. He turned to see his mother's painting hanging in the hallway. "Oh, not that..." Sirius said muttering to himself.
"Blood traitor!" Mrs. Black screamed.
"Hello, Auntie," Andi said smiling sweetly, but inside she was screaming. If there was one member of the Black family that Andi didn't ever want to see again, it was Sirius' mother. She hated the woman. She hated her more than she ever hated her own mother and Andi didn't care too much about her either.
Ted noticed the curtain and pulled it closed. "I hate that woman," he said. The others nodded and went on to the tapestry room. This is where Sirius was going to have to take the oath.
Ted stood by the door watching as Sirius walked to a stone pedestal to prepare to take the blood oath. Andi was walking around looking at all the names burnt out on the wall before her. She sighed as she stopped at her name. Sirius turned to look at her. "It will be okay. I'll put it back after I'm done here," Sirius said.
"I was hoping that it was already back. I mean you did reinstate me into the family," Andi said.
Sirius pointed to where his name should be and said, "It seems it doesn't count because according to the wall, I'm not part of the family either," Sirius said before turning back to what he was doing.
Sirius pulled a knife from his robe pocket and cut the palm of his ring hand open. He placed it on the pedestal. As the blood seeped freely from the wound, Sirius started to say the oath of the Blood Lord.
"I, Sirius Orion Black, Son of Orion and Walburga Black swear an oath of allegiance to the Black family. I will uphold the family honor and protect the blood line," Sirius said.
Suddenly a strange light filled the room blinding everyone in it. Sirius fought to cover his face but he couldn't move his hand from the pedestal. He heard Andi scream and suddenly the room went black.
Sirius could finally pull his hand free from the pedestal. He pulled his bleeding hand free and pulled his wand. The wand tip light up and he looked around the room to see the others holding their wands high in the air. "What happened?" Andi asked.
"I don't know. Frank didn't say this was going to happen," Sirius said.
Suddenly the lights came on again and everyone was shocked to see that the tapestry had changed. The names that were crossed off could be read again. Sirius also noticed that there were two new names on the tapestry. He was just about to say something about them when he heard screaming in the hallway again.
Sirius, Andi and Ted went into the hallway to find out what was going on. They arrived at Mrs. Black's painting to find a man not much older then Sirius trying to choke the woman in the painting. "You old bat—you *itch—you murdered me," the man was saying over and over again as he kept on shaking the woman in the painting.
Sirius stood there stunned. Ted and Andi were puzzled by this and asked, "Who is that?" Andi asked.
"Father," Sirius said finally finding his voice.
The man let go of Walburga and turned to look at Sirius. The man smiled and said, "Hello, son." Walburga ran from her painting and vanished from sight. "That's right hide, you old hag. I will get to you later." Orion yelled after his wife's treating back.
Sirius, Andi and Ted looked at each other stunned. It was Sirius that finally asked, "Father, I thought you didn't have a portrait made."
"Is that what the hag told you?" Orion asked Sirius. Sirius nodded and Orion growled. "I figured as much. Son, everything that hag told you is a lie. Come on, lets go in my den and we can talk."
"What den?" Sirius asked just as his father vanished from the frame.
"Go down the hall, it will be the only open door," Orion's voice called out.
Sirius, Andi and Ted turned to look down the hall. It was then that everyone noticed that the house had changed. It had doubled in size and the darkness that had surrounded them had vanished as well. The house was still dirty, but it was more welcoming.
The three of them found the den and located Orion Black hanging on the wall above the fireplace. There was a large desk beside his portrait with bookshelves that lined the room. There were also two comfortable chairs nearby.
Andi and Ted sat in the chairs and Sirius took the chair behind the desk. He looked up at his father in shock. "Why haven't I seen this room before?" Sirius asked.
"Because after your mother murdered me, she lost control over the parts of the house that were mine," Orion said.
"Murdered you?" Sirius said shocked.
"That's right, son," Orion said sadly. "She murdered me. You were only five at the time. I was getting sick and I knew something was wrong. I found out that I was being poisoned. I knew who was behind it. I also knew why. Walburga wanted her son—Regulus to be the next Lord Black.
You see, Sirius, Walburga isn't your mother. Your mother died giving birth to you. I married Walburga because she needed a husband. I did it to protect the family honor. I never realized it until after we were married that by marrying her it would destroy the family. She was planning to get rid of me and then you. This would make her son Regulus the next Black Lord.
I couldn't save myself but I knew I could save you. So, before I died. I placed that ring on your finger. I named you my heir and bonded the house to you. I forced my house elf Kreature to protect you. He was to eat or drink any poison that Walburga put out for you. House Elves are immune to our poisons. Poisons might drive them crazy but they won't die from them. He was told never tell you. He was also ordered to make Walburga believe that he was loyal to her. I also told him that if Walburga ever found a way to harm you, he was to murder Regulus."
Sirius, Andi and Ted didn't know what to say. The three of them sat there stunned beyond words. Kreature suddenly showed up. He bowed in front of Sirius. "Please, Master, forgive Kreature," Kreature said.
Sirius was shocked at this. Here was creature that he hated. This thing before him was always there to cause him trouble. He was knocked—Sirius stopped. He knocked things into his food that would prevent him from eating. It was poisoned. Sirius looked down at Kreature his heart softening towards the little creature for the first time in his life and said, "I forgive you."
Kreature started to kiss Sirius feet. "Thank-you," Kreature said over and over again.
Sirius finally had enough and pulled free. "Go clean the house," Sirius ordered.
"Yes, Master," Kreature said. Andi was sitting there laughing at Sirius because she knew how he felt about Kreature.
After the little house elf left, Orion and Sirius sat and talked about his real mother. Andi and Ted had left them alone. They knew father and son needed some private time. Andi went to the tapestry room to check out the changes. She found Sirius' real mother's name there. She found out that his mother was originally a Potter, and was in fact James Potter's aunt. She ran her finger down a bit more to Sirius' name. This is where she found something shocking. "I don't believe it!"
"Believe what?" Ted asked reading their section of the tapestry.
"Sirius had married Winter Moody, and they have a child together," Andi said.
"She's alive?" Ted said shocked. Winter had been in his house at Hogwarts. She was in Ravenclaw and had been at the top of their class. It shocked everyone when Sirius and Winter started dating soon after school ended. They were so different from each other that it was hard to see them together.
"Yes, and she had a son. Sirius has a son," Andi said looking at her husband with wide eyes.
"I wonder if he knows?" Ted asked.
"He does," Sirius said as he walked into the room. Ted and Andi turned to look at him. Sirius smiled and said, "Siros was born just after Harry. Winter and I didn't tell anyone about him or relationship because we both knew how dangerous the times were. So, she took our son into hiding. I didn't know they were alive until I saw their names."
"Why hasn't she come out of hiding by now?" Andi asked.
"It was years ago. She could have a family by now," Sirius said.
"She is married to you!" Andi snapped.
"--was married," Sirius corrected.
"Pure bloods don't divorce and we both know that. There is no way she could have married anyone legally," Andi said.
"Andi, it doesn't matter even if she isn't married. We aren't the same people," Sirius said and he looked at the wall one time and turned to leave. "Come on, let's check out the house."
Sirius, Ted and Andi had finished the tour of the house and were heading out. Mrs. Black was back in her frame. She started to yell and scream at Sirius calling him all sorts of nasty names. Sirius turned looked at her. He smiled and said, "Lady, I heard a muggle say this, the other day on the streets and I think it fits." He raised his ring hand placing it out in front of his face. "Talk to the hand because the face doesn't give a damn!" Walburga Black's painting stopped screaming and turned to dust. Sirius smiled and said, "Final peace!" Andi, Ted and Sirius continued on their tour of the house, chuckling.
Kreature showed up moments later and gladly cleaned up the mess. You could hear the other paintings cheer and celebrate for the first in years. The house was finally free of Walburga Black.