Chapter III:

Author's note: As you know Harry Potter characters aren't mine. Sorry for any stupid mistakes that may be found in the text.

England 1205 (a year later)

Lord Sirius Black paced around the room as he patiently waited for his sister to enter. He couldn't understand why she had deemed it necessary to change from her former outfit when she'd found out he was coming.

You'd think that the pains of wearing a corset would change her mind; women could be so vain. He knew very well that Lillian wasn't like most women and that she only did it to please, but Good Lord did it get on his nerves. "It doesn't take that long to change a stupid dress!"

All this gallivanting and riches were characteristic of the society in which they lived in. Women were seen as mere toys meant to please men who were bored with their own pathetic lives. They were considered as objects essential for one night and were thrown away when something new came along.

Women were inferior by nature and men couldn't put it against them if they were dumb, it was their sex that dictated what they could and could not do. Of course, some did have a tad of knowledge but no logic or reason whatsoever. What was the point of knowing things if you couldn't even put them to good use? That was the big question of the century.

But women weren't the only ones to blame, of course not! You see, as soon as a girl showed any sign of intelligence, her parents would send her off to the convent. It was like a boarding school where girls learnt the ways of life. Cooking, dressing, sowing, speaking, reading, walking and, most important of all, how to obey one's husband were the daily courses. At a young age, women were sentenced to a life of strict rules and seclusion. How could they ever learn to live in society if they were being taught by those who isolated themselves from it?

The education offered to the "inferior sex" was, as you can see, very limited. Only those who were willing to learn in secret developed some sense and Lily was one of them. Sirius could bet that if Gruder had found out she could read and write he would have inflicted even more pain on her. Lily had only told her brother part of the story and had left out the late night visits, she didn't want him to get involved with her personal affairs.

Sirius was one of the few who actually believed that women were good for something other than reproduction. Long had he listened to Lily's thoughts on the way men were running things. Her opinion was that women were as capable as men, if not more and that someday, they would crack. As a widow, she knew what being submissive meant; Gruder had practically beaten the thought into her mind.

If what women were doing was wrong, men could only blame themselves because they had kept them in the dark their whole lives. Men wanted women to be stupid and yet they were so surprised when they actually did something stupid. What a contradiction!

Sirius sat down on one of the chairs set around the table just to get up again when the door to the parlor opened. Lily came speeding in wearing a well fitted green dress with flowery designs on it. She immediately jumped on Sirius, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as he swung her, making a 360.

When she finally let go of her strong grip on him, Sirius led her towards the couch. They sat laughing for a while; Lily still hadn't grown out of that awful habit of pitching herself on her brother as a sort of greeting. She weighed a ton with that dress!

She seemed to be taking advantage of her time as an unmarried woman, but that wouldn't last long. Sirius hated to do this to her, she looked so happy without that old man telling her constantly what to do. He sighed and shook his head. "God I feel like such a traitor."

"It took you long enough to come and see me. Why did you make me wait so?" asked Lily, still smiling.

Sirius turned away from her and stared out the window. "It would be winter soon in the Highlands," he thought to himself.

"Sirius, what is going on? Do you wish to tell me something?" Lily prodded.

He laughed. She always could tell when something was wrong or maybe he was just bad at keeping secrets. His face became serious again, this is one that he would have to share.

"Lily, you have been a widow for about a year and…" he got up and went to stand by the window. "You are very beautiful. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"Yes, you remind every single time you come here," she replied a bit put off.

"Many men appreciate that in a woman. Most would kill to marry one so pretty." This was more a fact than a question, she noticed. Something was wrong but Lily would leave Sirius to his own thoughts; he'd never looked this calm before.

"Have you enough money to pay the fee to King John so you can stay unwed for another year?" He'd turned towards her and was now giving her this look of pity.

"No, but I was hoping you would…"

"Lily, I don't have enough savings left in my account to pay such a heavy sum."

"I don't understand." Her grin had now disappeared leaving her frowning as she looked to her brother, confusion written all over her face.

"Someone has asked for your hand in marriage."

"No! No, this… this can't be true. Who would ever…" she stuttered, "What did you say?" she yelled, marching up to him.

"I didn't say anything. I couldn't, not in front of King John."

"King John? What does he have to do with any of this?"

"He's authorizing it, unless you find another suitor before the due date," Sirius replied crossing his arms behind his back.

"When?"

Sirius took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering. "Two weeks."

He could se the anger boiling in Lily's eyes and thought that if looks could kill, he'd be lucky to survive.

"TWO WEEKS!" she shrieked, "What am I supposed to do, flirt with every single man until I find one who is less of a boar than all the others?"

She was out of control, flailing her arms about while striding across the room. "Most unladylike," Sirius thought. He even caught a couple of swears. "I wonder where she got that from. Certainly not from me," he smirked.

Lily quit her tirade and came to a stop just a few centimeters away from her grinning brother.

"And what, may I ask is so funny?"

Sirius uncrossed his arms. "You're incorrigible."

He was making fun of her. He had the audacity to laugh at her when she was in need of his guidance.

"I see nothing amusing with my situation and wipe that ugly smile of your face, Sirius Black."

"Calm down Lily. We'll figure this out, you and I. We always do," he soothed, wrapping his arms around her. He could feel his shirt dampening and new she was tearing up.

"All I've ever wanted since I was a little girl was to be loved. Why can't all men be like you Sirius?" He could barely make out what she was saying since her face was buried in his shirt. He hugged her harder, not wanting to ever let go.

"If every man were like me, you'd probably get bored. You know, we're not all that bad. And stop your crying, you're going to ruin my new top; wouldn't want that money going to waist."

"You always manage to make me happy Sirius, that's what I love about you." Those big green eyes were staring up at him with such praise and hope. "She really is wonderful." His hand was caressing her round face with such care as his eyes focused on her luscious pink lips. "If I could just…"

He inched his face closer and so did Lily. She felt like she was in a dream, who knew Sirius could be so gentlemanly and romantic?

Lily released herself from his grasp, her breath had caught in her throat and she felt faint. Sirius lowered his hand to his side and looked to the floor; it was embarrassing, he'd been so set on lifting her spirits that he had lost control. He mentally punched himself.

"Lily, I…"

"Who?"

"What?"

"Who asked for my hand?" This came out in a frightened whisper.

"Lucius Malfoy."

As soon as this was said, Sirius ran to Lily's side: she'd fainted. He knew it would be too much for her to handle but the fact that her suitor was Malfoy made things even worse. He was as bad, if not worse, than Baron Gruder had been. They were both members of the inner circle at court and shared the same views on most subjects.

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Malfoy was a bad man and had committed many atrocities in the name of the King. He was most known for having killed his wife; Narcissa had been forced to marry the tyrant after her older sister Bellatrix had eloped with her lover. The poor girl had only just turned twelve when her parents had sent her off. Lucius had been respectable, at first, but had soon started to mistreat the child.

One day, Gruder invited them to dinner; Lucius had forced Narcissa into coming even though her condition did not permit it. As soon as she'd walked limping through the door, Lily knew that she'd been heavily beaten, the bruises were proof enough. Right away, both husbands had marched off to the study, Lily and Narcissa were left to themselves.

They did not speak, they didn't need to. There was nothing worth talking about and clearly the girl had been in pain, she didn't seem able to sit still for a minute. Lily knew that feeling, it's what would happen every time Gruder would spend the night in her room. Lily couldn't bear to look at Narcissa any longer. She'd been dishonored, humiliated, raped, her whole innocence had been taken away form her. She hadn't even reached puberty yet!

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Sirius had also felt sorry for Narcissa for he too had seen the extent of Lucius' barbarism; the man had broken both the girls legs because she'd refused to come down for supper! He'd ran up the stairs in a fit of rage and had said that if she didn't wish to go down, he'd drag her down. Instead, he pushed her causing her to tumble down the stairs and brake. She'd died a week later from her injuries and nothing had even been done.

Sirius refused to put his sister in the hands of that killer. He'd go to him in the morning, he'd make him an offer he couldn't refuse. The Laird owed him.