Chapter 13:The Upside to being a Blood Traitor
"You're familiar with the term doppelganger?"
Sirius hid his smirk behind his book as Calamity sat down in the chair next to him. Her arm grazed his and he felt a thrill of excitement. But he was determined to keep the upper hand in this new game of public flirtation so he kept the book steady. This was becoming harder and harder to do as his puppy like excitement swung full speed at the approach of his new girlfriend. Despite his reputation as a flirt, he had not actually had many of those and the novelty was still new, especially with Calamity.
"I've heard of it," he replied too casually.
Calamity made a noise. He could tell without looking that she was aware of his attempt and failure at nonchalant.
"Well, Sirius Black studying in the face of a beautiful Hogsmeade day is a time when I feel like there is a doppelganger about."
Sirius turned the page determinedly. He'd have to come back to that page because he hadn't read a word. He had thought, perhaps hoped, that his book and relationship with Calamity might make it easier to focus- with all the tension out in the open. Instead his emotions had only grown to a height that surprised even him, though James and Remus did not seem shocked, which was infuriating. \
"Well, you know Calamity, we have N.E.W.T.s coming up and I'm trying to become a healer..." Sirius gave her a sideways glance pleased to see that she rolled her eyes, a goofy smile on her face that mirrored the feelings in his own chest.
"How can you possibly study when you could take me to Hogsmeade for a date,"Calamity asked, nudging the book lightly. "I'm a girl who deserves to be shown off."
"Who's this new Calamity," Sirius asked raising his eyebrows. "Shown off?"
"I'm a woman of high society," Calamity replied haughtily. Sirius closed his book and watched her flip her hair in what she must think was a high society sort of way.
"Alright, alright, Princess Clara," Sirius said grabbing her hand as she attempted to flip her hair again. Her smile widened as he brought it to the table, interlacing his fingers with hers. He'd lost the game of public flirtation, but it was a winner's loss.
"If I take you, do you promise we won't just hang out at the bookstore?"
Calamity looked surprised. "There are other things to do in Hogsmeade?"
Sirius opened his book again.
"I'm not taking you then."
"Fine," Calamity huffed halfheartedly. He heard the sound of books being pulled onto the table. He lowered his book and was astonished to see all of her textbooks on the table, opened with notes out. In a matter of nanoseconds she made it look as if she had been studying all afternoon-or planned to. Sirius felt this stomach sink. Oh bloody hell. He spotted her Advanced Potions book. She was going to study all afternoon. She was humming softly as she peered at the potion book. She was enjoying herself.
"Alright, alright," Sirius said. "You win. I concede. Let's go to Hogsmeade, but I'm going to Zonkos for the same amount of time as you are in the bookstore."
A wicked smile appeared on her face that Sirius could not help but react to with both concern and affection.
"If you're sure, Sirius," she said. "Don't forget your scarf!"
Hogsmeade was colder than expected, especially with the snow across the ground and the winter breeze. They spent some time in Zonkos, laughing and joking as Sirius halfheartedly planned a prank or two. After a warm butterbeer he wrapped his arm around Calamity's shoulders, licking her cheek for no particular reason and letting out a bark laugh as she wiped it away with a sound of disgust. He felt her slow slightly, head turned towards the bookstore as they passed and he stopped. It was only fair and damn it if she wasn't just the cutest thing in a bookstore.
"Let's go into the void," he said. Calamity's eyes widened with excitement and without hesitation she dragged him inside and down the aisle to the muggle literature section. Her face grew very serious as a Healer's might when faced with an unknown injury. She ran her hand along the book spines, taking one out, making a noise, and then either replacing it in the shelf or placing it into a quickly growing pile. Sirius watched with a smirk, but then something caught his eye.
He could see see Regulus entering the store, looking around as if double checking to see that he was not followed. Sirius glanced over at calamity and without looking up she waved her hand, sensing perhaps that he was antsy, even if she hadn't seen why yet. The bookstore was not too large and it was relatively easy for Sirius to spot Regulus again once he moved behind a shelf. He seemed to be talking to the cashier, who looked confused, then frightened. Regulus held up a card. Sirius glanced back at Calamity again, then to Regulus.
"Calamity I need you to buy a book," Sirius hissed hurriedly. She looked up, spotted Regulus just as the cashier's face blanched and drained to white. He pointed to the back door, an old almost unnoticeable exit. Regulus nodded and disappeared through it.
"Right," she said grabbing the top two books and rushing over. "Hello! are these any good? I'm looking for a really good book, but I just can't decide," she said chipperly to the cashier. He looked up, still clearly in despair.
Sirius smirked at his confusion and slipped through the door unnoticed.
Behind the door was an almost tunnel like back alley that smelled of mold and mildew. He moved quickly down the alley, hand gripped tightly around his wand ready to they had interrogated Avery, Sirius hadn't seen any signs of messages or trickery. Yet, here his own brother was skulking about with a familiar looking paper. They had written to Dumbledore after being thwarted by the Griffin, yet he hadn't said a word. Perhaps he hadn't believed them? Or his owl had been intercepted? Sirius scowled. Who could intercept an owl so close to its destination?
A hand reached from a shadow and pulled him in, slamming him against a wall, a wand lighting in front of his face. He had been distracted by his own thoughts. He cursed under his breathe.
"Sirius?" Regulus' face came into view, looking surprised. It morphed into concern as he glanced over his shoulder at the sound of a stray cat. "What are you doing here?"
"Was just about to ask you the same thing, Reggie," Sirius hissed. "You gave that cashier quite a fright."
"You saw that and followed me," Regulus said. Sirius nodded and Regulus looked over his shoulder again. Sirius noticed that he looked tired- more tired than he had before. Or was that the wand light playing tricks?
"Reggie, what's wrong," Sirius asked. He had never been one to abandon his baby brother. Not to his cousin's teasing and not now. Regulus said nothing, just pulled Sirius' sleeve half dragging him down the alley and through a new door. Sirius found himself in a tea shop.
"Stop being an idiot. This is above your area of expertise," Regulus snapped.
"Regulus," Sirius grabbed onto his brother's wrist before it slipped away. "I can help. There's still time-"
"Don't," Regulus said and with an almost apparition like quality he disappeared through the door, throwing Sirius a final apologetic look before shutting it behind him. Sirius turned the knob but the door didn't open. He tried an unlocking charm, but still nothing. He cursed loudly and kicked the door, making pain shoot up his leg. He stared at the door trying to ignore the pain, which was throbbing as if he'd broken a toe. All he could think about was regulus' tired wand lit face.
"Merlin, Reggie,"Sirius said resting his forehead against the door suddenly exhausted. "What are you doing?"
He dwelled on the exchange his whole walk back to the castle. He knew he had failed Regulus, had let him fall into the bad crowd and follow in Narcissa and Bella's footsteps, but what could Regulus be doing in the alleyway between shops. What could he have said and shown the Cashier to make him go so white. Sirius knew his father was a supporter of the deatheaters and their message, but he had never thought... how deep were the Blacks in the dark business going on? Were they... He stopped remembering the night time visits at Grimmauld Place, the strange men introduced as "business associates," The long history of the Lestranges and other purebloods who he had grown up around at social affairs and functions. Now Regulus was tied up in all of that.
"Padfoot?"
Sirius looked up to see Remus watching him from a comfy seat next to the fire. Sirius looked around confused by the red and gold interior that he saw. In his sullen mood he had walked back to the Gryffindor commonroom.
"I thought you went to Hogsmeade," Remus said confused. "I just saw Calamity. Are you okay? You look horrible."
"Oh Merlin," Sirius howled so loudly that a group of third year boys working on homework glared at him.
"Padfoot, is that you" Jame started, appearing at the bottom of the stairs. But Sirius only had time to wave to him and call "I'll explain later," before rushing out and up to the Library.
Once outside he had to lean against the door to catch his breath. He steeled himself for the tirade that he knew would come when he found Calamity in the library and he deserved it. He just needed to make sure his temper didn't get the better of him- that Black temper was apparently the only thing to successfully be passed down.
Calamity was leaning her chair slightly back onto two legs while staring thoughtfully at the ceiling at the same table they had occupied in the morning. He watched for a moment feeling guilt building as she tapped the feather of her quill against her lips in thought, a frown etching deeper and deeper into her face. As if feeling his hesitant gaze her eyes darted to him suddenly and she brought he chair down hard onto the floor.
"Calamity I'm so sorry, I just- I don't know what happened,' Sirius said hurriedly rushing to sit next to her and looking at her pleadingly. She blinked at him as if being jarred from a dream and orienting herself to the new surroundings.
"What?"
"I didn't realize I'd left you at the bookshop until I got back. I ran into Regulus and he was so odd it just- I think he's in real trouble."
"Sirius," Calamity said and he was surprised by her gentle tone. "I know."
This had been the last answer he had anticipated. "You do?"
"When you didn't come back after ten minutes I figured that something happened and so I went to find Dumbledore. And told him about what we saw and where you went."
"You... to find Dumbledore?"
"I was just worried you were hurt. Especially when Remus and James said they hadn't seen you."
"Worried..."
"Yes," she gave him a puzzled look. "Why do you keep repeating what I say?"
He shook his head to clear it of the daze.
"What did Dumbledore say," he asked lowering his voice so no one could hear.
"Not much. Just thanked me for telling him and said he would add this information to the other pieces you and James sent him. He said you were fine, that Regulus wouldn't hurt you."
"Right, well he didn't," Sirius said. He explained the brief exchange and his distracted brooding, his realization. He finished with a pondering, "I guess I got out of that family just in time."
Calamity said nothing, just watched him as if reading him like a character in one of her pulled her charms book toward shim, trying to distract himself from her gaze.
"Sirius, what are you going to do for holidays,"she said finally. He winced unintentionally. He had been avoiding thinking about the holidays, his first one since he had left Grimmauld Place.
"Dunno," he said trying to sound casual. "Suppose I'll stay here or go to James'. What about you? St. Mungo's isn't taking volunteers since the attack."
He looked up quickly. They hadn't discussed the attack or his presence at the hospital in months. Calamity didn't seem bothered.
"Dunno," she said simply. She gave Sirius' hand a squeeze before turning back to her work, scribbling something on her parchment.
The day before term ended Sirius received an owl from his cousin, Andromeda. At first he was surprised. After all, she had married that muggleborn and been burned off of the tree. he had tried to reach out once, but had gotten no reply. Perhaps she had thought it was best to let her cousins remain untouched by outsiders. Now that he wasn't part of Toujours pur, perhaps she felt it safer to write.
Sirius,
Ted and I would love to have you and any friends stay with us over holidays. Would be lovely to catch up. Ted says I should warn you that we have a five year old- Nymphadora. Write back soon with your answer.
Love,
Cousin Andy
Calamity sat down next to him, waving Lily, Margaret, and Susan over. Lily sat down next to James and Sirius was pleased to see that Lily blushed at a comment made by James.
"I swear they'll be together by spring," Susan muttered.
"Don't mind her, she's in a foul mood," Margaret explained.
"I'd bet they're together by New Years," Peter said.
"That's a terrible bet," Remus said. "We start holiday tomorrow. They won't see one another."
"Dunno," Peter said with a shrug. "I just have a feeling."
"You think they'll see one another over holiday," asked Susan.
"We're sitting right here, you know," James snapped.
"Fine," Remus said turning to him. "Will you and Lily be seeing one another over holidays?"
James said nothing but simply shoved Remus away from him.
"What do you think you''ll be up to, Padfoot,' James asked. "Coming to the Potter abode?"
Sirius glanced at Calamity who was looking at the crossword puzzle in the Daily prophet, only half listening.
"I was thinking I'd stay at my cousin Andromeda's, she just invited me. I was going to see if Calamity might join."
Calamity looked up surprised, then a smile broke across her face.
"Sure," she said. "Sounds fun!"
The first thing Andromeda said when they appeared in the fire place was, "My God, Ted, he's brought a girlfriend."
"Tell me it's a muggleborn," joked a tall fair haired man moving forward to shake Sirius' hand. "Ted Tonks."
"Erm," Calamity looked nervous, "No,sorry."
"Not muggleborn, but an American," Andromeda observed.
"Well, we can't all be so lucky," Ted said shaking Calamity's hand.
"Let's not bore them, Ted," Andromeda said in a hushed tone looking up at the ceiling. "Nymphadora's asleep. We can have some adult time."
"Oh right," Ted said pulling Fire-whiskey from the the cabinet. "Care for a bit?"
"Tonks, you devil," Sirius grinned. He glanced over at Calamity whose smile looked a bit more nervous.
"They have this in America," Ted asked pouring what Sirius considered to be a liberal cup. He gave Andromeda just a splash of it.
"Nymphadora duty," Andromeda explained.
"They have it, but I can't say I've partaken so heartily," Calamity said watching as Ted's pour seemed never ending.
"These days feel like a good time to start," Ted smiled. He raised his glass. "To blood traitors and mudbloods."
After the first round was had, there was a second. The third led to Ted Tonks declaring that the British would rule once more and challenging Calamity to a game of chess. Andromeda and Sirius watched from the doorway as the two, slightly swaying every so often, played the most serious game of chess Sirius had ever seen. Calamity closed one eyes in concentration and Sirius let out a bark like laugh.
"Hush, Sirius," she snapped waving at him and almost falling off her chair. "I'm thinking."
"Sirius, since their distracted, I wanted to talk to you."
Sirius turned to Andromeda. She held out an envelope and he took it, seeing the black family seal.
"Uncle Alphard passed away," Andromeda said. Sirius glanced back up at her. Of all his relatives to die, that was the saddest. He had always like Uncle Alphard. He had always taken Sirius our of Grimmauld place and been like a real family with him- not any of that ridiculous pomp and circumstance.
"He always had a soft spot for you and I," Andromeda said putting her hand on Sirius' shoulder comfortingly.
Sirius opened the envelope and a key fell into his hand.
"He left me a bit of money, but the rest is for you. The key is for his vault. He wanted to make sure you were taken care of."
Sirius felt a swell of excitement and sadness.
"I went today to see the account, make sure it was closed and all the paperwork was in order," Andromeda explained. "And it is a lot of gold. Dospend it wisely."
Sirius remembered a particular motorcycle magazine he had packed in his bag- a pipe dream he had not entertained as a possibility until this moment. "Oh I will be very responsible."
"That sounds worrisome indeed," Andromeda said with a smirk.
Ted made a loud sound of disappointment from the other room and Calamity whooped. She'd won the game.
