Chapter 2: Orion's Watch Dog
When Polaris Black entered the room, five-year-old
Sirius knew immediately something was wrong.
Sirius had been told to wait downstairs and be quiet
as soon as he'd come in from playing with James.
Being a naturally curious child, Sirius has asked his
father, "Is Orion coming?"
"Yes, Sirius, your little brother's on his way,"
Polaris had told his son. "You stay here and be good
for Eryk. I'll be back."
Now, his father had returned, but Orion was nowhere
to be seen—and neither was Mum. "Dad? What happened?
Is Orion okay?" Sirius jumped to his feet.
Polaris sighed. How could he explain this to a
five-year-old? "Yes, you're brother's fine. A
normal, healthy little baby."
Sirius looked up at his father with chocolate brown
eyes. "So what's wrong?"
"Your mother... your mother's not doing too well,
Sirius," Polaris told his son honestly. It would do
the child no good to lie to him. "But she wants to
see you."
Sirius smiled. "It can't be too bad," the boy said.
"I mean, she wants to see me..."
Polaris tried his hardest to smile back.
Sirius walked into the room to see his Mum. Dad had
made him promise not to be too loud. "Mum?"
"There you are," she said. "Come see your brother."
Sirius approached the bed almost reverently, much to
his mother's amusement. "That's Orion?"
"This is Orion," she confirmed.
Sirius smiled down at the baby. "He's going to be
fun! We can play, and I can teach him stuff..."
"Sirius, I need you to promise me something."
He looked up at his mother with concerned eyes.
"Sure, Mum."
"I need you to promise that you'll look out for your
brother." She looked at him with the chocolate eyes
he had inherited. "I need you to help your dad take
care of him."
"But... you'll be there..." Sirius' eyes filled with
tears.
"I hope so, love. I hope so." She gave her older
son a hug. "But if I'm not..."
"I'll watch out for him, Mum. I promise."
Sirius sat down in the chair, holding Orion and
waiting for his dad. One of the nurses had shown him
how to hold the baby, and Sirius held his little
brother carefully just like she'd shown him.
Polaris emerged. It was clear that he'd been crying,
even to his son. "Sirius... your mother just..."
Sirius' eyes grew wide.
"She died, Sirius," Polaris croaked.
As the tears fell, Sirius remembered. //I *will*
watch out for Orion, Mum. I promise.//
When Polaris Black entered the room, five-year-old
Sirius knew immediately something was wrong.
Sirius had been told to wait downstairs and be quiet
as soon as he'd come in from playing with James.
Being a naturally curious child, Sirius has asked his
father, "Is Orion coming?"
"Yes, Sirius, your little brother's on his way,"
Polaris had told his son. "You stay here and be good
for Eryk. I'll be back."
Now, his father had returned, but Orion was nowhere
to be seen—and neither was Mum. "Dad? What happened?
Is Orion okay?" Sirius jumped to his feet.
Polaris sighed. How could he explain this to a
five-year-old? "Yes, you're brother's fine. A
normal, healthy little baby."
Sirius looked up at his father with chocolate brown
eyes. "So what's wrong?"
"Your mother... your mother's not doing too well,
Sirius," Polaris told his son honestly. It would do
the child no good to lie to him. "But she wants to
see you."
Sirius smiled. "It can't be too bad," the boy said.
"I mean, she wants to see me..."
Polaris tried his hardest to smile back.
Sirius walked into the room to see his Mum. Dad had
made him promise not to be too loud. "Mum?"
"There you are," she said. "Come see your brother."
Sirius approached the bed almost reverently, much to
his mother's amusement. "That's Orion?"
"This is Orion," she confirmed.
Sirius smiled down at the baby. "He's going to be
fun! We can play, and I can teach him stuff..."
"Sirius, I need you to promise me something."
He looked up at his mother with concerned eyes.
"Sure, Mum."
"I need you to promise that you'll look out for your
brother." She looked at him with the chocolate eyes
he had inherited. "I need you to help your dad take
care of him."
"But... you'll be there..." Sirius' eyes filled with
tears.
"I hope so, love. I hope so." She gave her older
son a hug. "But if I'm not..."
"I'll watch out for him, Mum. I promise."
Sirius sat down in the chair, holding Orion and
waiting for his dad. One of the nurses had shown him
how to hold the baby, and Sirius held his little
brother carefully just like she'd shown him.
Polaris emerged. It was clear that he'd been crying,
even to his son. "Sirius... your mother just..."
Sirius' eyes grew wide.
"She died, Sirius," Polaris croaked.
As the tears fell, Sirius remembered. //I *will*
watch out for Orion, Mum. I promise.//