Chapter 21
Family Ties

"I got my ears pierced again!" Maj said, bounding through the door of the Shrieking Shack before gracefully, and to Pence, painfully, on the werewolf's back one morning in early May, after the full moon.
"Augh! Get off me!" said Pence, trying to push Maj off.
"Siri-love! Join me!" Maj said, starting to bounce.
"Remmy, help!" yelled Pence. Sirius sat down before Remus came and kicked him off onto the ground, and then grabbed Maj and set her down on top of Sirius,
"Stay off my girlfriend." he said. Sirius nodded,
"Righto Moony," he said, then looked at Maj who was still sitting on his stomach, "Hey there, Majhica…" he trailed off, giving her an evil grin.
"Oh no!" Maj got off Sirius and crawled to the other side of the room.
"Maj…I love you baby," Sirius said, sliding over to her. Maj ran over and hid behind Remus,
"I love you too…but keep your clothes on, lecher!" she said. James stood up,
"Did you say you got your ears pierced…again?" he asked. Maj nodded and said,
"Sirius and I were up before you guys, so we pierced my ears!" Maj showed them how there was now a hole above her originals.
"Nice, Maj," said Pence, standing up with a struggle.
"So, everyone's okay?" asked Remus, "No broken limbs or anything?" Everyone nodded and started back to the castle. By the time they had gotten back, breakfast had already started. As they went to sit down, Sirius noticed people glaring at him, whispering things, and shying away as he walked by. He didn't like that very well,
"What's your problem?" he shot at a frightened-looking group of Hufflepuff first years. A fifth year handed him the Daily Prophet. Sirius scanned it with his eyes, then peeked over the top of the paper,
"You're mad at me because the price of Nifflers has gone up?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not that, you dolt!" said the boy, flipping to the front page. It read,
"After nearly a month, the band of anti-muggle rebels, currently known as 'Death Eaters', strike again. Around five this morning, Bellatrix Black, 19, was seen with a group of Death eaters in Havenshire. Black tortured and killed Paul and Gloria Richmond, muggle parents of Ava Richmond, 17, who is currently attending Hogwarts. When confronted, Black and the others apparated to an undetectable location. Ministry officials say that they are doing all they can to find these Death Eaters and their leader, Lord Voldemort, and stop them once and for all."
 "Bellatrix is your cousin," the Hufflepuff boy said, taking back his paper, "because of her, Ava was taken out of school a couple of hours ago."
"My cousin's actions have nothing to do with mine!" Sirius said, practically yelling.
"How do we know you're not like her?" asked a Gryffindor 7th year, "You're related aren't you? You're probably just like the rest of your no-good family!" Without thinking twice, Sirius stepped up and walked across the table to where the boy was sitting. He stepped off the table and grabbed the boy by the front of his robes, pulling him up to a standing position. Sirius was so angry; he could care less that the entire hall was now watching him. He pulled out his wand,
 "Don't you ever say anything like that again," he growled, "I'm not like them. I was never like them, and I never will be, understand?" The boy rolled his eyes,
"And what are you going to do about it if I don't?" Sirius dropped his wand and drew back his fist,
"SIRIUS!" Maj yelled, as she and Pence ran forward and grabbed a hold of Sirius's arms.
"Get off of me! I'm going to put this bastard in his place!"
"Mr. Black, I believe that's enough," a calm voice said. Pence and Maj turned; Dumbledore was standing behind them. Sirius acted as if he didn't hear him and continued to struggle against the hold Maj and Pence had on him. Pence bit his arm…that got his attention,
"What the hell did you do that for!" he yelled at her.
"Because," she said, "Dumbledore's trying to talk to you, you ungrateful brat!"
"How dare you speak to me like that, you little bitch!" Remus stood up from the table, but before he could say anything, Pence slapped Sirius across the face.
"That is quite enough, Miss Auryion," said Dumbledore, putting a hand on her shoulder. Pence let go of Sirius and glared at him,
"Yes, sir." she said quietly, before turning and walking out of the hall.
"You've done your part also, Miss Santose." Maj nodded, let go, and took a seat by James.
"Now, Mr. Black," said Dumbledore, "I believe we need to have a little talk in my office." he nodded towards the door, and out they went, Sirius leading the way.
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When breakfast was over, Sirius still hadn't returned from Dumbledore's office, so the rest of them went on ahead to the common room.
"Be right back," Maj said, and went up to the girl's dorms to check on Pence. James, Peter, and Remus sat down,
"Geez…" James said, "Bella killed Ava's parents…horrible, huh?" Remus nodded, but Peter didn't,
"It's bad that they died and all…and that Ava left school," he said, "But wouldn't it be nice to be apart of something that powerful?" Before either of the other two had the chance to comprehend Peter's words, Maj came back down the stairs,
"Pence won't talk to me and she won't get up," she said, "Moony, d'you wanna try and talk to her?" Remus nodded and walked up to the dorm. Mere seconds after he had left, Sirius walked into the common room and came to sit down.
"Hey love," Maj said softly and went to sit by him.
"So," James said, "What went on in Dumbledore's office?" Sirius paused before answering,
"We talked about my family, and then how I know I'm not like them, and that's what matters, and then he told me that I shouldn't lose my temper like that, and try out for Beater next year to vent my anger…" Maj hugged him,
"Poor boy," she said.
After about five minutes, Remus came down the stairs with an arm around Pence, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying. They sat down and Pence put her head against Remus,
"I think you owe Pence an apology," he said quietly, looking at Sirius. Sirius messed with the hem of his T-shirt for a moment before saying,
"I'm sorry, I really am. I just was so pissed at everyone…I didn't mean to get mad at you, too." Pence nodded and gave a little smile.
"So!" James said rubbing his hands together, "You're going to try out for Beater, huh?"
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Friends to Acknowledge:
-Lynx (Lynx Emerald)
-Yun-chan-san (sama-kun) (YUKIKITTY)
-Padfoot (ANGEL xx)
-Prongs (Trouble Finds Me)
-Div
We love you guys!