A/N - and this is a very important A/N, so please read it.
This story is rated M. It is not rated M because of sexual depictions (lemons) as there are none (for what will become extremely obvious reasons). It is not rated M because of language, there is none. It is rated M because this story is designed to do two things: make you think, and then offend you. The offense will come from the fact that I've (hopefully) made you think.
Also, note that this is an exercise intended solely to provoke thought. I am not personally expressing an opinion about anything in this story.
Let's move on.
A Moral Conundrum
Sirius Black showed up on a doorstep with a rather ornate door, positively reeking of power and wealth. Any lesser man would have been very intimidated, but he simply knocked. Sure, he could have taken the floo, but sometimes the simple ways were best.
A house elf opened the door.
"Tipsy at yours service, Lord Blacksy," the elf said, and ushered him in.
"Do you have any idea why I was invited here?", the elf was asked.
The elf shook its head vigorously. "Tipsy has nos idea, Lord Blacksy," she said sadly. "Please be waitsing."
So he did. He looked around at the ornate vestibule, with intricate carvings of animals and semi-naked people. It was ostentatious, even by Black standards. He shrugged.
Finally two people showed up.
"Lord Greengrass," he said.
"Lord Black," Cyrus Greengrass responded.
"Please come this way," Lady Greengrass asked cordially but neutrally, and they found their way to a sitting room with very nice furniture.
"I'm sure you're wondering why we asked you here," Cyrus said quietly.
"The thought had crossed my mind," Sirius said.
Lord and Lady Greengrass shared a look with each other, and while Sirius was trained to read people very well, he had a hard time with this look.
"We'll get right to it, then," he said. "We got some bad news a few weeks ago. Our youngest daughter only has a couple of weeks left. An inherited blood curse will take her life."
Sirius' face dropped. "I'm sorry to hear that."
Cyrus' face was stoic, but his wife wiped her face daintily. "Not half as sorry as we are," he said, quietly.
Sirius nodded. "I can understand that," he said. "It is a terrible thing to lose a child. But why did you invite me here, then? There's nothing I can do. You have nearly as much wealth as I. I -"
Cyrus interrupted him. "There is one thing you can do. If you're willing."
Sirius closed his mouth and let Cyrus speak.
"We'd thought Astoria would have a full life. We thought that she would get married. Bear us a grandchild. We thought -" his voice broke. His wife put her hand on his shoulder as he composed himself. "No matter, that's gone now."
Sirius was quiet.
"We wanted to give our daughter one wish before she dies. Anything she wanted. Anything at all. If it was within our power to grant it, we would. And her wish was quite - unexpected."
"What was it?"
"We'd prefer to let her tell you herself, as you are, indirectly, a part of it. Please follow us."
They walked somberly to a large door in the residential wing of the manor, and he knocked. The door opened, and Astoria was on the other side. She looked nervous, but strangely resolute.
"Please enter with our blessing, Lord Black. Tipsy will provide you with anything needed. We only have one request of you: Whatever happens while that door is closed, never speak of it to us or any other living soul." They walked away, and he looked between them and Astoria. Astoria stood to the side and allowed him in. She was dressed simply, wearing a white blouse and dark, knee-length skirt. He shrugged and walked through the door, and she closed it.
He sat down on a chair, and she sat on her bed. She played a bit with the hem of her skirt. She looked very nervous.
"Your parents tell me you had a wish to make, and that I was indirectly related to filling it. They also told me you have only weeks to live."
She nodded. "It's true."
"So," he asked, "What's your wish?"
She looked up at him. "I don't want to die a virgin."
He spluttered. "WHAT?," and moved to get up. She ran over and put a hand on his arm. "Hear me out. And then if you want to leave, I won't stop you."
He relaxed just a bit, and she returned to her perch. "I'm dying," she said. "There's nothing to be done to stop it. I'm only thirteen. I won't get to… I won't get to do anything that a woman might get to do. I'll never be married, I'll never have a child, I'll never… " her voice broke, "I'll never…" she put her head in her hands and quietly sobbed. He walked over and sat next to her, awkwardly putting his hand on her back.
She looked up at him, eyes wet. "Please do this for me. I'm asking you with all my heart, with everything I have. Please don't let me die a virgin."
=== Scene Break ===
Sirius walked out the door, found his way to the floo, and flooed home, profoundly sad.
=== Scene Break ===
Two weeks later, Astoria was dead. At the funeral, Sirius met Cyrus and his wife, and they exchanged pleasantries.
"Are you alright?," Sirius asked, quietly.
"As alright as anyone can be after losing a daughter," Cyrus said. "I told you I don't want to know. And I don't. But she seemed far more at peace after your visit. Thank you for that."
Sirius nodded. "It was the right thing to do. I'm sorry for your loss." He then paid his respects and left.
Sirius kept his promise. He never told what happened behind that door, and no one ever asked. It was a situation no one would want to be in, but he was at peace with himself. He knew he did the right thing, and made the last weeks of a young girl's life much happier than they would have been otherwise.
A/N: We don't know what happened behind those doors. Did he do what she asked? Did he not do what she asked? Did he run out? Did he do something a little different that might have been a little more meaningful to her? You don't know, and neither do I. I left absolutely everything to your imagination.
This is a blank slate story. It is a mirror into which you can look and see things that may not be comfortable. This is intentional.
Thanks for reading.
