Sirius got his long-anticipated reply from James the next day, much to his
enjoyment. Now that his friend was back for the rest of the summer, he'd be
free again - at least, to some extent. Staying with the Potters' was like a
tradition, the ritual dating back to the summer before second year, and it
was always the best two weeks of summer for Sirius.
"Padfoot,
New Zealand was boring. I'm sick of my mother insisting we go on these little 'trips' every year. Sorry to hear about the explosion. Don't say I didn't warn you about changing your courses - oh well, though. It's not the end of the world. Anyways, my parents are doing well. Dad has been extra anxious to get you over here since I told him what happened... It won't be long now.
Mindless babble, isn't that what it's called? I thought you were used to shit like that from your brother. Live and learn, though, like I always say. Must take the good in with the bad. Yes, sometimes there's a bit of an unbalance and the bad seems to flood over the good, but things will improve. Take Wormtail for example... need I say more?
I can't guarantee your life brightening up, but the rest of the summer sure as hell will - once you get your arse over here, that is. Hang in there.
-- Prongs."
The letter certainly cheered Sirius up, for the most part. He still kept himself locked away in his room as much as was possible, the thought of him leaving Grimmauld Place the only thing keeping him sane.
Nearly five days had gone by with no word from James, and Sirius was beginning to feel his hope slip away. On the evening of the fourteenth, Sirius had gone back into his mindless state, hoping to be left in peace and forgotten at supper. But a loud, clanging bell made him jump and sit up, eyes wide. He leaped out of bed and ran to the window, drawing back the dark curtain in a flash and pressing his forehead to the glass to catch a glimpse of who was at the door.
"Shit!" Sirius muttered, counting several black-haired people striding inside the house. His relatives had come. Sirius had hoped to escape before his mother had them over for their yearly visit while Sirius and Regulus weren't at Hogwarts.
Sirius strolled over to his wardrobe, looking for something decent to change into. He'd been roaming around in sweats for the past few days, and he knew his mother would be chuffed to bits if he didn't look his best for company. Deciding not to go completely all-out, he grabbed his plainest black dress robes and pulled them overtop of his clothes. He took a quick look in the mirror to smooth his hair back as attractively as possible, and then marched downstairs to the entrance, where Regulus and Mr. Black were greeting the rest of the family.
Sirius stood idly next to the old umbrella stand, dreading when he'd have to socializing with his relatives. The doorbell clanged again as Sirius's father was passing him on his was back upstairs.
"Make yourself useful and answer that," he said quickly, jogging up the stairs.
Sirius glared and went to open the door. Immediately staring back at him was a very attractive young woman, a few years older than Sirius. She was about half a foot shorter than him; had long, ink black hair, and dark makeup to match her depressed expression. She smiled quite brightly at Sirius.
"Andromeda," Sirius nodded and grinned.
"Hello, Sirius," she replied, reaching forward to give him a quick hug before coming inside. Following close behind was a younger girl of about thirteen, who was spiraling her blonde hair around her finger and walked past Sirius without even a note to his existence, and then and pretty girl around the same age as Sirius, who raised and eyebrow at him as she stepped in the doorway.
"Bellatrix," Sirius said, doing a graceful, sarcastic bow and smirking at her.
Bellatrix shot him a rueful smile and followed her sisters.
Sirius's aunt and uncle entered as well, both smiling politely at their nephew but saying nothing. Sirius rolled his eyes and shut the door, praying no more Blacks would be arriving. He sat on the bottom step of the staircase, elbows on his knees and head held up in his hands, and watched his family talking together.
A minute or so later, Andromeda approached Sirius and sat on the step next to him. "You're looking awfully gloomy," she said, folding her arms and looking around at the family just as cynically as Sirius was.
"I wanted to match your mood," Sirius joked.
"Touché," Andromeda grinned.
"Is this another outcry against your parents' law enforcement?"
"What?" Andromeda looked at Sirius, and noticed him looking her over. She looked down at the long, form-fitting black dress she wore, and fixed her posture a little, smoothing the silky material over her thighs and resting her hands on her knees.
"It's a little... loud... isn't it?" Sirius said, eyeing her black nail polish.
"Do you not like it?" Andromeda asked with a sassy smile, fluttering her long eyelashes.
"It's just a bit dark," Sirius said honestly.
"Hmm," she sounded, pulling a strand of dark hair that was in her eyes behind her ear. "My mum refused to let me work where I wanted, so while I'm still living with her and doing nothing with myself, I'm using a gothic appearance, which she hates, as a way to get back at her. I didn't think I'd end up liking it myself."
Sirius nodded his understanding. "What was it that you wanted to do?" he asked, but before he could get an answer, his mother and father were making there way down the stairs. Sirius and Andromeda stood immediately. Mrs. Black eyed them suspiciously before clearing her throat and announcing to her guests that they could make their way down the hall to the banqueting hall for supper. Sirius and Andromeda waited for their family to drift into dining room before following.
Sirius hated the dining room. It was a huge, high-ceilinged room featuring a long table that sat at least thirty people. There were portraits of Black ancestors covering the walls as well as antique tapestries, and three imposing chandeliers to light the room. The head of the table sat two people, where Sirius's parents were most obviously going to sit. Sirius made to sit next to his brother who was two seats down from Mrs. Black, Andromeda following him. Mrs. Black noticed Andromeda just about to sit in the seat next to her son and spoke up quickly.
"Andromeda, dear, why don't you sit next to your sister?" she said, smiling and gesturing towards the empty spot next to Narcissa.
Andromeda gave Sirius a fleeting look but knew it was pointless to protest, and sat on the opposite side of the table next to her little sister, looking gloomier than ever. Sirius's Uncle Alphard took the seat next to him instead, smiling cheerfully.
Kreacher instantaneously went around serving the guests once they had all found their seats. Sirius noticed that he had a new addition to his wardrobe to make himself appear a little more formal: a small black sheet was wrapped around him like a toga. Kreacher got to Sirius and Uncle Alphard last, holding a tray with several silver glasses, some containing red wine, the others pumpkin juice.
"Would Mister Alphard like a glass of wine?" Kreacher asked. Sirius thought he was acting a little cheesy and rolled his eyes.
"Oh! No, thank you - just some juice is fine -" Uncle Alphard started.
"Al, please!" Sirius's dad said, taking a sip from his own goblet. "Father left this one to me - the very best of his collection, mind you, not that tasteless stuff that thicker than blood that he drank daily. Please, I insist."
Alphard smiled weakly and allowed Kreacher to set the wine down on his place set. Kreacher then pushed some of the pumpkin juice in Sirius's place and left swiftly to bring the food out.
The family started talking again, this time led by Mr. Black, remarking about the items he got in the will and comparing his fortunes with his siblings. Alphard was one who did not join the conversation, and started muttering quietly. Sirius didn't know if he was speaking to him or not.
"He knows I don't drink, always has known... Acts offended, too, when I don't take any wine. Pretends to be insulted when I don't drink it. Honestly, every year!" Alphard said. He made to grab his glass and skillfully swapped it with Sirius's, which sat quite near it, then drank from pumpkin juice instead.
Sirius looked down at his lap to hide his grin. "Are you sure you want to be doing that? It won't be so bad to just not drink it - they'll slaughter you alive if they find out you gave it to me, though."
"Aye," Alphard said, setting down his goblet and strumming his fingers on the table. "Drink it up, boy, and they'll never know the difference. Besides, you looked like you could use a drink."
Dinner progressed, the same talk about family heirlooms going on. Sirius examined everyone as he ate and drank, not listening to their worthless banter. Narcissa ate very little, frowning upon everything Kreacher set in front of her and complaining frantically to her mother. Andromeda ate less than her sister, leaning back casually in her chair and drinking her third glass of wine. Bellatrix was talking heatedly to her aunt about the rights of purebloods, both in agreement Muggle borns shouldn't be treated with what respect they do earn. Sirius caught her eye a few times, smirking at her and getting a glare in return. Regulus was talking pompously to his aunt about his goals for the future.
Sirius shook his head to himself and pushed his plate a few inches away from him. It must've been the impact of having more uptight family members around him, but he felt sick and out of place. He was even more disgusted after dinner, when dessert was served and the wine glasses replenished, when his father purposed a toast. The entire family raised their glasses and chanted together "Toujours pur." Sirius rolled his eyes and said nothing, noticing two others doing the same as him: Andromeda, who shot a nasty look at her mother, and, to Sirius's surprise, Uncle Alphard.
"Padfoot,
New Zealand was boring. I'm sick of my mother insisting we go on these little 'trips' every year. Sorry to hear about the explosion. Don't say I didn't warn you about changing your courses - oh well, though. It's not the end of the world. Anyways, my parents are doing well. Dad has been extra anxious to get you over here since I told him what happened... It won't be long now.
Mindless babble, isn't that what it's called? I thought you were used to shit like that from your brother. Live and learn, though, like I always say. Must take the good in with the bad. Yes, sometimes there's a bit of an unbalance and the bad seems to flood over the good, but things will improve. Take Wormtail for example... need I say more?
I can't guarantee your life brightening up, but the rest of the summer sure as hell will - once you get your arse over here, that is. Hang in there.
-- Prongs."
The letter certainly cheered Sirius up, for the most part. He still kept himself locked away in his room as much as was possible, the thought of him leaving Grimmauld Place the only thing keeping him sane.
Nearly five days had gone by with no word from James, and Sirius was beginning to feel his hope slip away. On the evening of the fourteenth, Sirius had gone back into his mindless state, hoping to be left in peace and forgotten at supper. But a loud, clanging bell made him jump and sit up, eyes wide. He leaped out of bed and ran to the window, drawing back the dark curtain in a flash and pressing his forehead to the glass to catch a glimpse of who was at the door.
"Shit!" Sirius muttered, counting several black-haired people striding inside the house. His relatives had come. Sirius had hoped to escape before his mother had them over for their yearly visit while Sirius and Regulus weren't at Hogwarts.
Sirius strolled over to his wardrobe, looking for something decent to change into. He'd been roaming around in sweats for the past few days, and he knew his mother would be chuffed to bits if he didn't look his best for company. Deciding not to go completely all-out, he grabbed his plainest black dress robes and pulled them overtop of his clothes. He took a quick look in the mirror to smooth his hair back as attractively as possible, and then marched downstairs to the entrance, where Regulus and Mr. Black were greeting the rest of the family.
Sirius stood idly next to the old umbrella stand, dreading when he'd have to socializing with his relatives. The doorbell clanged again as Sirius's father was passing him on his was back upstairs.
"Make yourself useful and answer that," he said quickly, jogging up the stairs.
Sirius glared and went to open the door. Immediately staring back at him was a very attractive young woman, a few years older than Sirius. She was about half a foot shorter than him; had long, ink black hair, and dark makeup to match her depressed expression. She smiled quite brightly at Sirius.
"Andromeda," Sirius nodded and grinned.
"Hello, Sirius," she replied, reaching forward to give him a quick hug before coming inside. Following close behind was a younger girl of about thirteen, who was spiraling her blonde hair around her finger and walked past Sirius without even a note to his existence, and then and pretty girl around the same age as Sirius, who raised and eyebrow at him as she stepped in the doorway.
"Bellatrix," Sirius said, doing a graceful, sarcastic bow and smirking at her.
Bellatrix shot him a rueful smile and followed her sisters.
Sirius's aunt and uncle entered as well, both smiling politely at their nephew but saying nothing. Sirius rolled his eyes and shut the door, praying no more Blacks would be arriving. He sat on the bottom step of the staircase, elbows on his knees and head held up in his hands, and watched his family talking together.
A minute or so later, Andromeda approached Sirius and sat on the step next to him. "You're looking awfully gloomy," she said, folding her arms and looking around at the family just as cynically as Sirius was.
"I wanted to match your mood," Sirius joked.
"Touché," Andromeda grinned.
"Is this another outcry against your parents' law enforcement?"
"What?" Andromeda looked at Sirius, and noticed him looking her over. She looked down at the long, form-fitting black dress she wore, and fixed her posture a little, smoothing the silky material over her thighs and resting her hands on her knees.
"It's a little... loud... isn't it?" Sirius said, eyeing her black nail polish.
"Do you not like it?" Andromeda asked with a sassy smile, fluttering her long eyelashes.
"It's just a bit dark," Sirius said honestly.
"Hmm," she sounded, pulling a strand of dark hair that was in her eyes behind her ear. "My mum refused to let me work where I wanted, so while I'm still living with her and doing nothing with myself, I'm using a gothic appearance, which she hates, as a way to get back at her. I didn't think I'd end up liking it myself."
Sirius nodded his understanding. "What was it that you wanted to do?" he asked, but before he could get an answer, his mother and father were making there way down the stairs. Sirius and Andromeda stood immediately. Mrs. Black eyed them suspiciously before clearing her throat and announcing to her guests that they could make their way down the hall to the banqueting hall for supper. Sirius and Andromeda waited for their family to drift into dining room before following.
Sirius hated the dining room. It was a huge, high-ceilinged room featuring a long table that sat at least thirty people. There were portraits of Black ancestors covering the walls as well as antique tapestries, and three imposing chandeliers to light the room. The head of the table sat two people, where Sirius's parents were most obviously going to sit. Sirius made to sit next to his brother who was two seats down from Mrs. Black, Andromeda following him. Mrs. Black noticed Andromeda just about to sit in the seat next to her son and spoke up quickly.
"Andromeda, dear, why don't you sit next to your sister?" she said, smiling and gesturing towards the empty spot next to Narcissa.
Andromeda gave Sirius a fleeting look but knew it was pointless to protest, and sat on the opposite side of the table next to her little sister, looking gloomier than ever. Sirius's Uncle Alphard took the seat next to him instead, smiling cheerfully.
Kreacher instantaneously went around serving the guests once they had all found their seats. Sirius noticed that he had a new addition to his wardrobe to make himself appear a little more formal: a small black sheet was wrapped around him like a toga. Kreacher got to Sirius and Uncle Alphard last, holding a tray with several silver glasses, some containing red wine, the others pumpkin juice.
"Would Mister Alphard like a glass of wine?" Kreacher asked. Sirius thought he was acting a little cheesy and rolled his eyes.
"Oh! No, thank you - just some juice is fine -" Uncle Alphard started.
"Al, please!" Sirius's dad said, taking a sip from his own goblet. "Father left this one to me - the very best of his collection, mind you, not that tasteless stuff that thicker than blood that he drank daily. Please, I insist."
Alphard smiled weakly and allowed Kreacher to set the wine down on his place set. Kreacher then pushed some of the pumpkin juice in Sirius's place and left swiftly to bring the food out.
The family started talking again, this time led by Mr. Black, remarking about the items he got in the will and comparing his fortunes with his siblings. Alphard was one who did not join the conversation, and started muttering quietly. Sirius didn't know if he was speaking to him or not.
"He knows I don't drink, always has known... Acts offended, too, when I don't take any wine. Pretends to be insulted when I don't drink it. Honestly, every year!" Alphard said. He made to grab his glass and skillfully swapped it with Sirius's, which sat quite near it, then drank from pumpkin juice instead.
Sirius looked down at his lap to hide his grin. "Are you sure you want to be doing that? It won't be so bad to just not drink it - they'll slaughter you alive if they find out you gave it to me, though."
"Aye," Alphard said, setting down his goblet and strumming his fingers on the table. "Drink it up, boy, and they'll never know the difference. Besides, you looked like you could use a drink."
Dinner progressed, the same talk about family heirlooms going on. Sirius examined everyone as he ate and drank, not listening to their worthless banter. Narcissa ate very little, frowning upon everything Kreacher set in front of her and complaining frantically to her mother. Andromeda ate less than her sister, leaning back casually in her chair and drinking her third glass of wine. Bellatrix was talking heatedly to her aunt about the rights of purebloods, both in agreement Muggle borns shouldn't be treated with what respect they do earn. Sirius caught her eye a few times, smirking at her and getting a glare in return. Regulus was talking pompously to his aunt about his goals for the future.
Sirius shook his head to himself and pushed his plate a few inches away from him. It must've been the impact of having more uptight family members around him, but he felt sick and out of place. He was even more disgusted after dinner, when dessert was served and the wine glasses replenished, when his father purposed a toast. The entire family raised their glasses and chanted together "Toujours pur." Sirius rolled his eyes and said nothing, noticing two others doing the same as him: Andromeda, who shot a nasty look at her mother, and, to Sirius's surprise, Uncle Alphard.