A/N: Last of Sirius and last of Bellatrix with him! I definitely want to explore the consequences and implications of this scene more one day, but for the moment, this is where it is! Happy reading and see you soon with chapter 25!

WC: 1,306

Friday 25th December 1970, 3 PM

It's snowing outside, Sirius notes. Nothing like the clear, clear sky of Wednesday, where, for some reason, he forgot all about the animosity he usually harbours for his brother, his cousins, and a sudden urge to go play in the snow over came him. No, today, the sky is murky and full of the snow that suffocates the ground. A very white Yule it will be this year.

The opening of presents wasn't much fun this morning. As usual, he got a new quill and some parchment from his parents, and even that, he could tell, they gave to him begrudgingly. Regulus gave him a card, and then he got a couple of things from Zonko, which made him smile, but truthfully, he's not sure there was any true emotion behind those gifts, and it wasn't just some sort of familial obligation that made them get it. Besides, he wants nothing to do with his family right now.

Lunch is a somewhat tense affair, for some reason. Like every year, the elves have outdone themselves, but not a word of thanks is spoken for them, even though the food is absolutely delicious, and maybe that's the only positive side of Yule, if he must find one.

Cissy and Meda come down all dressed up, but something between them has changed. He's not the only one who's noticed it, but he says nothing. They stand apart from each other, and barely speak to each other. Actually, they barely speak at all, which isn't quite unusual, but strikes Sirius as odd.

"Did you have a nice Yule, Sirius?" Mother asks him, when lunch is almost over, and they're all still at the table, drinking coffee or alcohol.

"Yes," he replies. He doesn't bother adding 'Mother' the way she expects him too, just because he can, and just because she doesn't really want to know if he had a nice Yule, but rather because she's asking him to thank her.

Everything she says is carefully planned out: there is the answer she wants, and which Sirius never has, or refuses to give. Everything she says always has this double meaning, this hidden intention. She's never truthful, so he doesn't know why she should have his respect.

"What about you, Regulus?" Mother asks his brother next, and this time, her tone is warmer, of course it is. She genuinely wants to know if ickle-little Regulus had a nice time.

Some part of him knows that the animosity he harbours for his brother is his mother's fault, but even being conscience of that doesn't mean he'll change. Regulus likes being Mother's favourite, after all, and he's not sure Regulus would still be the favourite if Sirius suddenly became the perfect Slytherin Pureblood son she's always dreamed of.

It often strikes him how false all of the relations in his family are fake.

"It was wonderful, Mother!" Regulus exclaims.

It was wonderful, Mother! Sirius repeats in his head scornfully and rolls his eyes. Cissy notices but doesn't say a thing.

"Did you get everything you wanted?" she asks.

Of course he bloody did. There were presents overflowing from his stocking. Sirius was a little jealous, but not too much.

"Of course, Mother. I thank you deeply," he replies.

Merlin. That weird way of speaking Regulus has is pure brain-washing. It's hours and hours of Mother asking him to repeat and endless grammar lessons from the various tutors he's had. Sirius refuses to talk that way, apart if he's using an extremely ironic tone.

"Very good," Mother says, satisfied with the son she's managed mould into her idea of perfection. If only he wasn't born first.

"Did you like your presents, Walburga?" Uncle Cygnus asks.

"Well, of course, Cissy darling got me-" the adults dissolve into easy meaningless conversation, the sort that only happens when they've all filled their stomachs – or not, given the way the women only pushed their food around their plates, apart from Bella – and they're all sated and can't bother with actual conversation.

"Did you get what you wanted, Sirius?" Cissy asks, for some reason, probably because social etiquette demands that she does.

"No," he says this time, because Cissy opened the door for him, and it's not Mother, so may as well be annoying, "I wanted a tattoo."

It's not particularly true but it's the one thing he's sure his mother will never ever agree to.

"Sirius," Mother warns, her tone getting dangerous, as always, but he's no longer scared.

"Well, I do," he states.

"Sirius, you are far too young," Aunt Druella says.

"And Purebloods do not get 'tattoos', those are for the commoners," Uncle Cygnus adds.

"Well-" Father starts to say, but a few looks around the table shush him.

"But," Regulus starts.

"Yes, darling?" Mother asks.

"Cousin Bellatrix has a tattoo," he says quietly.

Bellatrix suddenly sits up straight, in a defensive pose. She positively glares at Regulus who shudders back into his seat. Sirius is extremely amused and a smirk starts forming at his lips. Cousin Bellatrix, as Regulus said, is not looking cool and composed, like yesterday, but rather stiff and icy.

"Bellatrix, what is this?" Uncle Cygnus says coolly.

"Nothing," she dismisses, "That you need to know of."

"Then perhaps you will show us then," he continues.

"Maybe there's nothing to see," she ripostes.

"Are you suggesting that Regulus was lying?" Aunt Walburga says.

"Perhaps he saw wrong," she retorts.

"Regulus?" Aunt Walburga, "Might we know what you saw?"

Regulus looks at Mother then at Bellatrix, unsure of what to say. Sirius can tell this is definitely not the moment to be laughing, but heck if he won't. Mother, Regulus and Bellatrix are all glaring daggers at each other. It possibly the best Yule yet.

"A- a-"

"Regulus," Bellatrix warns.

"Bellatrix," Mother threatens, "Regulus."

"It was a skull, with- with- a snake around it, on her arm."

Uncle Cygnus stands up immediately, throwing his chair to the ground. Bellatrix gets up too, and glares into his eyes, defying him.

"Bellatrix, what have you done?" he roars. "Do you even know-"

"I know perfectly well, what I am doing!" she screams back and rips back her sleeve and on her arm, there is indeed, a dark, dark tattoo with a skull laughing at them and a snake. She brandishes it forcefully, pride radiating off her.

Narcissa gasps, and looks positively torn. "Bella!"

"Bellatrix Black!" Uncle Cygnus rages. "After everything we've done-"

"You've done nothing!" she shouts, "And he's finally allowing me to do something! Actually make a change, instead of those stupid laws you keep submitting-"

"You have no idea what you're saying!"

"Oh, I know perfectly well! You're useless! The only way anything is going to happen is through him! He is our future and our hope."

"Bellatrix," Aunt Druella says aghast, "How close are you, to say things like that?"

"As close as I need to be," she retorts.

"But you lust realise the risks," Father says.

"Risks are the only thing that are going to get us anyway."

"Bella, I won't allow it!" Uncle Cygnus rages.

"It's too late for you to say that," Bella says with a laugh. "And do you really want to disown men Father dearest?"

Uncle Cygnus stays silent.

"Just what I thought. I'm going to Rodolphus'," she declares.

"Rodolphus too," the words are strangled in Aunt Druella's throat.

Bella only cackles as she exits the room and whisks out into the cold December air and the snow falling in buckets outside.

Sirius doesn't truly know what they're even talking about, but he knows this has been an immense amount of fun, watching Bellatrix and Mother scream at everyone. He takes a sip of water and smiles into his glass to avoid getting more reprimands from Mother, but he's sure this Yule'll stick with him forever.