Written For:

- Day 31 of 366 Days of Writing Challenge: Accidental Magic

- Deck of Cards Club: 7 of Spades: (challenge) Write about losing a loved one, (prompts): (word) pain, (action) throwing knives at a wall

Pairings/Characters: Walburga, Sirius

Word Count: 244


Love of a Mother

Spun the stars on her fingernails, but it never made her happy, cause she couldn't ever have me.

"Get out!" Walburga screamed at her son from her position on the kitchen floor. There were tears staining her face, and her grey-streaked hair was falling out of its tight up-do. Sirius hovered by the doorway to the kitchen, feeling quite awkward.

He preferred it when his mother was screaming, angry and raging with him. But seeing her broken and cowering, sobbing her pain onto the tiled floor. He was breaking her heart.

"Mother," Sirius began, keeping his voice level and low. "I'm sorry, Mother." He was sixteen years old, and about to leave for the Potters' house. This would be the last time that he probably ever spoke to his mother. Carefully, he placed a hand on her shoulder, as if to be comforting.

She threw his hand away with a jerk of her shoulder, and her burst of anger caused a violent display of accidental magic. The drawer closest to her flew open, and every piece of silver cutlery sprang from the drawer and threw itself at Sirius. He ducked and dodged sharp steak knives, turning to see that they had struck into the plaster of the wall behind him.

He grabbed his bag and backed towards the door. He should have known not to underestimate his mother—even if she was beginning to grieve the loss of her eldest son.