Abused – Truth Trouble

I've come a long way since my first year. I've become way more active and outgoing. No longer am I considered the shy, quiet kid of Gryffindor. James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew really changed me in ways I could never imagine, but it was for the greater good. Now I can't find a single group I'd rather be with other than these blood traitors, half bloods, and mudbloods. James is from a purebred family, but the Potters are known for their traitor-like ways. Remus has a muggle mom and a wizard dad. Finally, Peter was the very first one of magical ability in his whole family. But even though these people are the type I was supposed to hate, I couldn't find a more loyal and trustworthy group than them. That's why they're the only ones who know my secret.

Don't get me wrong, I've gotten close, but making it out of the Great Hall with a Howler before it blows is a tricky thing to do. Still, the drive to keep my family a secret is strong. Sure, people know I'm related to Bellatrix and Narcissa, but everyone's been convinced that they're the bad eggs of the family, not the other way around. I've been doing a good job, if you ask me. I can only hope I'll be able to keep it all up.

I sit at the breakfast table, eating some bacon when James and Remus walk in. I smile and wave to the kid with untidy black hair and glasses, and the other with the brown hair and sleepy-looking eyes. James waves back cheerfully and sits down across. Remus plops down next to him, not really caring about his position. "Hey, James! What's goin' on?" I ask, grinning. James grins too, filling his plate with eggs and bacon. Then he grabs a banana and offers it to Remus, who just glares at him. He grins at me.

"Hey, Sirius. Nothing's going on, unless you count Remus's temper." He grins wider. I give him a quizzical look. "Of course you know Emmeline Vance, right?" I nod. I'd gone out with her last year. "Well it seems lover-boy has a crush," James says, nodding over to Remus. I grin. "And, to make it better, he knows her favorite animal. It's a monkey!" James gave an uncharacteristic squeal and turned back to Remus. "You're certain you don't want a banana?"

"Shove off James," Remus says and looks at me. "That's not the reason I'm snappy. You and James woke me up five times last night with your stupid pillow fight. Then he wouldn't let me sleep in. It's Saturday for Christ's Sake! Really, how can you two stay up that long, get up before me, and not be tired?" I just shrug.

"Good morning to you too," I say and then I turn to James. "Hey, pass a banana, would ya?" James throws one over and I eat it. The whole while Remus glares at me. I put the peel on my plate, and I'm about to say something when we hear a screech from the owls that are bringing the mail. "Ah the mail!" I say, and then I search for my owl. I find it, but...oh no, there's a red envelope attached to it. I've gotten a Howler...again. I stand up abruptly, waiting for the letter to drop, wondering what it is this time.

The red letter is dropped, and I catch it in midair. I don't have to tell James and Remus that I'll be back, because they know I will be. The second the red touches my hand, I start to bolt towards the door. This is hard because the door is on the other side of the Hall. I look at the letter when I pass the Hufflepuff table. It's starting to tremble. I try to run faster, but it's hard to stay at this speed... I pass the Ravenclaw table...it's starting to steam. Only one table away from the doors. Unfortunately, this is the worst table. I hear somebody yell, "Trip him!"

This somebody sounds a lot like Bellatrix... But that doesn't cross my mind for more than a millisecond because in the next moment I'm on the ground and the letter has been knocked from my grasp. I hurt from falling, but I pay no attention as I stand up and grab for the letter. Only...it's not there. I look up and see a boy with long, greasy black hair. He's smiling terribly with his black eyes that look different and darker compared to his pale skin. I don't like this boy, but I'm desperate. I do the only thing I can: beg.

"Snape, don't... I need that letter, please!" I say, making a grab for it. He steps out of my reach just in time. I start to panic. The letter could go off at any second. "Please, give it to me, I'll... I'll do anything. I'll make sure James doesn't bother you ever again. Please, just... Please..." My desperate state is starting to show through my voice. I see his lips curl into a nasty smile.

"Why, Black, it's so generous of you to offer, but..." He looks around to our peers. "Well, you see, Black, we've all been wondering what your little secret is. It would be wrong of me to satisfy you over everybody else in the room." I glare at him, and I yell, "Just give me the damn letter!" He just smirks and, as the letter is starting to flame, throws it a few feet away from us. I know I can't get to it in time, so I just stare in horror as it combusts and I listen to the words of my mom flow out.

'Sirius Black! How dare you pull that stunt in front of your dad's friends! It's those mudbloods from Gryffindor that are doing this to you! I swear you'll be lucky if he doesn't kill you when you come home for the summer! I DON'T CARE IF YOU MESS YOUR LIFE UP, BUT DON'T RUIN IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY! I don't want you doing something like that again! If you do, I'll be forced to come up to Hogwarts!'

The words ring through the Hall. There is complete silence save a few snickers from Bellatrix and her gang. I can't take my eyes off the small pile of ashes that used to be the Howler. If I had looked, I would have seen James and Remus with their mouths open, staring at me and Snape, who was still standing in front of me, though now he was in a trance. He broke it with a quiet, cold laugh. "Well, well, look what the blood traitor of a Black was hiding?" This broke my trance. I glared at Snape, with complete hatred in my eyes. I didn't like him that much before, but now that was different. Now I hated him.

I take out my wand and mutter an incantation under my breath. In a moment Snape stops grinning and is banged against the wall behind him. I am shaking with rage now, and I yell, "Let that be the beginning of the worst years of your life. Because from this day forward, I will make your life miserable, and you will dread waking up in the mornings!" With that I ran out of the Hall, not wanting to face the detention I'd be sure to get, and definitely not the whispers that would be going around the school.

I won't care if James and Remus follow. I'm sure that they'll forgive me for not returning to the table. They always understand those things. Right now, I really don't care about anything except the humiliation I'll be sure to suffer. After all, everyone will know that I lied to them and they'll take it two different ways. One group will understand why I tried to keep it hidden. The other group will think that I'm just a lying little creep. But it doesn't matter... What matters is everyone knows. My secret is out.