Grey Eyes

6. Ada

Sirius sat stiffly in a red armchair by the bookcase, a goblet of cranberry cider in hand. He stared at the fireplace across the room, his eyes unfocused as he lost himself in the shifting flames. His hair was slicked back, as his mother had requested, but several little clumps of his bangs had already come loose and framed his face. His collar was high and stiff and his clothing felt like it was constricting his chest. But he had only to play the part of a contented nobleman's son for a few hours more. Violins chorused in a quartet in the corner and Sirius knew it was only a matter of time before his mother requested that he play the piano.

Despite the hundreds of history books that told otherwise, Walburga Black was convinced that nearly every instrument had its origins in Wizarding society, not Muggle. She had a tutor teach both of her sons piano from an early age, and when they were small, she enjoyed exhibiting them like parlor tricks. Though despite how much he disliked being asked to perform on command like a pet, Sirius had always enjoyed music. His piano lessons were one of the few things he could remember looking forward to in his years before Hogwarts. Even though he hated practicing his scales.

"Sirius?" Sirius looked up to spot his mother smiling down at him, her hand resting on the shoulder of a buxom young lady. Sirius immediately rose to his feet. "This is your second cousin once removed, Ada. She's about to graduate from the Academy this year. With top marks. It would do you two well to get to know each other." Walburga winked at Ada as she stepped away.

Sirius gave Ada a brief bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ada smiled. "The pleasure is mine." Her speech was tainted with her German accent.

"Would you like a seat?" He gestured to the armchair he'd been occupying.

"No, thank you." The two stood there awkwardly for several seconds as Ada glanced about, hunting out her family members. Sirius smiled at the musicians, pretending he was admiring their instruments. He had no idea what his mother expected them to talk about. "I remember you," Ada spoke up again, surprising him. "I was five. You were still in diapers. We came to visit on our summer holiday."

"Oh?" Sirius asked, raising his brows.

"Yes," Ada smiled. "You and your brother were in the sandbox. You dumped an entire bucket of sand on his head."

Sirius smirked. "I did?"

Ada giggled. "Unfortunately, that is all I remember. I suppose you don't remember me?"

Sirius shook his head. "I'm sorry." Just then, he caught sight of his mother watching them with a satisfied expression before turning to nod as Ada's father told her something. A thin line formed between Sirius' brows. What interest was their conversation to his mother?

"I am so happy to be in England," Ada said, drawing Sirius' attention back to her. "Not as cold here as it is at home."

Sirius forced himself to smile. Ada was pretty and couldn't hide her cleavage if she tried. Even with three years on him, she was Sirius' height. And as Ada bashfully returned Sirius' smile, the intention behind his mother's actions hit him. She was introducing the two in the hopes that they would one day wed, just as she and Orion had. Sirius blushed though he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because Ada's eyes wouldn't leave his face, as if she liked what she saw, or maybe it was the base fact that they were related. Either way, the whole situation made him terribly uncomfortable.

He hadn't ever even dated a girl, much less considered marrying one. And he'd only kissed a girl once. At the start of the year, James had dared Sirius to do something to Lily Evans while she and Severus were milling about on the shores of the lake. Something that would get Severus mad. So after a half hour of convincing, Sirius had strolled over to the two, muttered something about the weather, then made sure Severus was watching as he kissed Lily on the cheek. Her wand was drawn before Severus' was and Sirius bolted out of sight and hid in the dormitory for over an hour. Severus had tried to chase him but had tripped. Lily was as infuriated as she was confused, and James seemed equally torn between amusement and annoyance that Sirius had decided the best thing to do was kiss her. It had been a stupid dare, anyway.

"Sirius?" Ada was saying his name, as if she'd just asked him a question, and indeed she probably had. Sirius had gotten so caught up in his anxiety over the situation that he had stopped listening.

"What?"

Ada looked as if she didn't know whether to be annoyed or amused. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

Her lips flattened, as if she disapproved, and she glanced over at her parents who were conversing with the Blacks. Sirius sighed then forced another smile. "Look, it was nice to meet you. Enjoy the rest of your holiday." He gave her a half bow then headed upstairs as swiftly as he could, yanking on his collar. He could hear Regulus laughing in the sitting room as he passed, entertaining several of their parents' friends. Regulus had an ability to keep a conversation going like no other.

Once in his room, Sirius flung open his window and closed his eyes, breathing deeply of the cold air. The chill grounded him once more, reminding him that he would soon be back at school, away from his parents and all of their plans for him. After a few moments, he sat on his bed and shrugged off his suit jacket, loosening his bowtie. He was thankful that Bellatrix's family was on holiday in France, visiting some boy she liked named Lestrange. Otherwise, this party would've been even worse than it already was.

"Sirius?" Walburga's voice echoed up from the bottom of the stairs.

Sirius closed his eyes and took a moment to compose himself before replying. "Up here, Mum."

"We're about to have tea. Come back down, please."

Sirius arched a brow. She hadn't been so civil with him all break. She must be within earshot of other guests. "Actually, I'm feeling a bit ill at the moment."

There was a pause then the sound of feet on the stairs. Sirius hastily tightened his bowtie. Walburga appeared in his doorway, holding up her burgundy dress with black beads so that she could walk. She stepped into his room, her heels clicking, her black hair swept up into a bun, looking rather Victorian. "Funny. You don't look ill to me."

Sirius locked eyes with her. "I think it was something that I ate."

Walburga studied him for several moments then quietly shut the door. Sirius tried not to tense at the action and kept any anxiety he felt from his face. "Ada is a pretty girl, is she not?"

Sirius couldn't help his eyes from narrowing at his mother.

"Close to your age, too. You two would make a good match."

Sirius half rolled his eyes as he looked away.

Walburga crossed to his open window and slammed it with unnecessary force. "I know these things take time to warm up to, but you could have a wonderful future with her. She's foreign. She won't understand the shame of your sorting, which means she is one of your only prospects."

Sirius furrowed his brow. "Prospects?"

"Indeed." Walburga clasped her hands before her and turned to face her son. "You want to make your father and I happy, do you not? Is that not what you asked for – to be good enough for us?"

The line between Sirius' brows deepened.

"Then you will get to know Ada. Right now. And this summer. And the next. And the next. And one day you will thank me."

"Mum," Sirius half-whined.

Walburga held up her hand. "You're welcome."

"This isn't fair. You can't force us to –"

"That is all." Walburga gathered up her dress again and exited with an air of such authority that Sirius knew it was useless to argue back. There was no way he would wind up like her and his father. Well-matched, pure, and completely disinterested in each other. The only affection the two ever displayed was for show in front of guests. Sirius didn't know if he even ever wanted to get married, but he did know that he didn't want that.

After another fifteen minutes or so, Sirius swallowed his pride and headed back downstairs. He made a beeline for Regulus who was eating, intentionally ignoring Ada who cast him a smile as he passed. Sirius grabbed a plate and loaded it up with enough food to keep him busy then sat down beside Regulus. When Sirius ignored her for several more minutes, Ada finally grabbed a plate and joined the two.

"Ahem?" Walburga tapped on the piano, smiling sycophantically at her eldest, causing several in attendance to chuckle.

Sirius hadn't even had time to eat more than a few bites yet gave in to his mother's smile. At the very least, he would be away from Ada. Returning his mother's false smile with one of his own, Sirius rose to his feet and headed over to the piano. Walburga remained at his side, clasping her bejeweled hands as she beamed at her guests. Sirius took a deep breath then rested his fingers on the keys. He began to play Chopin's Waltz for piano No. 1 in E flat major ('Grande Valse Brillante') Op. 18, B. 62. The room swiftly fell silent as the hauntingly beautiful melody slithered into each and every ear. Regulus grinned. His brother had always been far more gifted at music than he, and it had been so long since he'd heard Sirius play that he'd almost forgotten how live music could make him inadvertently hold his breath.

Sirius played by ear and made a few mistakes, which made him even more determined not to look up at all lest he get distracted. For four minutes, he was entirely absorbed in his fingertips and the sounds they were making. The rest of his cares faded away until it was just him and the music, alone like two old friends. When he played the last key, he was slightly startled by the loudness of the applause that erupted around him as the guests clapped. Even his mother was patting the back of her hand.

Looking at the people around him would remind Sirius of his present, so instead, he launched into "The Holly and the Ivy," then "God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs" and slew of others until his music had become nothing more than a background conversation piece and he could play on in solitude. When at last he stopped, he was congratulated on his skill by so many that by the time the evening was over, his cheeks hurt from so many fake smiles. Ada continued to try to pry her way into conversations, but Sirius politely ignored her. He had never been happier to see a guest leave.

He and Regulus sprawled out on the sofas and stripped themselves of their ties and unbuttoned their vests before they kicked off their shoes. Regulus sighed. "I'm stuffed."

Sirius rubbed his face. "I'm starved."

Regulus tossed a pillow at his brother. "Why, exactly, was our second cousin once removed acting like she knew what we were talking about all the time? She doesn't even speak enough English."

Sirius parted his lips to tell his brother the truth, then thought better of it when he realized that he could still hear his parents in the hall, farewelling their last guest. "Later."

"I really am stuffed," Regulus groaned, resting a hand on his stomach.

The door clicked shut with a chorus of "Happy Christmases," then their parents returned to the room. Orion sank down into an armchair, rubbing his eyes, while Walburga strolled over to Sirius and whacked at his feet with a fan she was carrying. Sirius furrowed his brow but didn't move. "To your room," she snapped.

"What?" Sirius asked. "But I did what you asked."

"You seem to have selective hearing. Or else you would remember that I forbade you from being in contact with that Potter boy."

Sirius did his best to keep emotion from his face. "I haven't –"

"If you lie to me, I will only be more cross. Now on your feet."

Sirius repressed a sigh and hefted himself up.

"I've already written to your Headmaster requesting a change of dormitory."

Sirius' lips parted to argue but Walburga held up a hand, silencing him.

"I don't understand," Regulus said. "What's he done?"

"It's none of your concern, dear," Walburga replied without taking her eyes off of Sirius.

"Yes, it is," Regulus climbed to his feet. "You're both obviously upset. Now, what's going on?"

"Regulus," Orion warned.

"Dad!"

"Enough!" Orion bellowed, rising as well.

Sirius glanced between his father and little brother and could tell that if Regulus asked any more questions, his father would consider it disobedience and lash out at him. He had to end this now before he dragged Regulus down with him. He caught his brother's eye. "Forget it, Reg. I messed up." Turning his gaze back to his mother, Sirius forced calm into his voice. "Happy Christmas."

Once back upstairs in his room, Sirius could hear Regulus following suit, entering his own quarters. Digging his hands into his hair, Sirius forced himself to focus on the fact that there were only a few more days until New Year's, after which he would be back at school. Even if he was no longer allowed in the same dormitory as his friends, his mother's influence couldn't reach so far as to separate them during the day. Nor could she ever again keep his brother from him now that they'd begun to repair what she'd taken such pains to break.

Please let me know what you think!