Part 2!

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DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THIS, EXCEPT FOR ANY CHARACTERS YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE. JK ROWLING IS JESUS!

CHAPTER 86

"I was out on the street in Diagon Alley today, about to go into Madame Prinpernelle's and this frumpy little muggle came up to me and asked me where Gringott's was and how it worked." Walburga spat, cringing with disgust.

"I don't know why they're allowed in the alley." Orion said, shaking his head.

"If it were up to me, they'd all be thrown in the fire." Walburga said, staring at a candle in front of her. She then swiftly turned to her eldest son, her voice was stern. "Sirius, you do not speak to those filthy mudbloods at school, do you understand?"

"Why?" Sirius asked, his voice calm.

Walburga's eyes looked as though they were about to pop out of her head.

"Why?" She said, through gritted teeth. "Sirius Orion Black, have your father and I taught you nothing?"

Sirius wore a straight face.

"These…animals, these vile beings, have been stealing magic from pure wizards for centuries. They do not deserve to be a part of our world."

Orion and Regulus remained silent, Regulus stared at his plate.

"We don't own the world, mother." Sirius said quietly.

"What did you just say to me?" She hissed, leaning over the table towards her son.

"We don't own the world, mother." Sirius repeated, a little cheeky. "There are billions of other people on this planet. Not just pure wizards."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You can go to King's Cross next week by yourself then, Sirius."

The scene changed to young Sirius wandering around the station, Audrey and Sirius followed.

Young Sirius wore a look of bewilderment; he scanned the platform for other magical people. Audrey noticed three familiar faces in the distance, the only others in the station at the time. She stared at them for a while; there was a longing look in her eyes. Sirius grabbed her hand, squeezing for support.

It is so sad to realize that as time moves forward, we lose our memory of those we've lost. I had forgotten what they looked like, they were only a blur in my memory now.

Edik began to walk towards young Sirius, while young Audrey and Isaac stayed behind.

"Are you looking for Platform 9 ¾ son?" He asked, looking at Sirius kindly.

"Yes, sir. My mother told me what it is, but I'm not sure which barrier it is." replied Sirius.

"Ah, yes. It's a bit of a tricky thing." Edik replied, his eyes sparkling. "Do you see that brick wall right there? The one between nine and ten?"

Sirius nodded.

"That's where you're going to go." Edik smiled.

Sirius looked hesitant.

"You do it at a fast walk or a slow jog, depending your preference." Edik said with a small smile.

"Thank you, sir." Sirius replied, looking over his shoulder at Isaac and Audrey.

As a boy, it perplexed me that there were wizards that were so kind, though Edik Dalio wasn't technically a wizard. I didn't know that at the time, of course.

The couple emerged from the pensieve.

"I know you know what happened afterwards." Sirius continued. "I was sorted into Gryffindor…I didn't tell my parents, but they found out through my cousin in Slytherin."

I vaguely remembered Sirius mentioning his cousin during our school days…or maybe I hadn't paid enough attention to the details. I spent at least four years hating him after all.

"Narcissa?" Audrey asked, piecing it together.

Sirius nodded.

"Bellatrix and Andromeda had been sorted into Slytherin when they attended, everyone in the school at the time we came in knew that the Black family was to Slytherin as the Prewetts are to Gryffindor."

"Wasn't Andromeda disowned?" Audrey asked, cocking her head.

"Yes." Sirius said softly. "She was disowned for marrying Ted Tonks, a muggle born."

"Good for her." Audrey smiled.

That's just one of a million reasons why I loved her; despite her protests she knew we shared a brain.

Andromeda was the only cousin he had ever liked, though that was a recent change in the last few years. Albus had brought her and Ted to an Order meeting. The reunion was awkward for Sirius at first until Andromeda sat with him after and explained everything.

"Going home for the breaks was difficult." Sirius began, running a hand through his hair.

He always did that when he was nervous.

"I was not well received by my parents when I strode back into Grimmauld place. The first thing my mother did was hit me upside the head for being sorted into Gryffindor. My parents were relentless over the holidays, insult after insult, curse after curse, hit after hit."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Audrey whispered, biting her lip. Some tears rolled down her cheeks.

She always bit her lip when she was ready to explode. I don't know why I didn't think that this would bother her so much… I suppose it was because it still bothered me a lot.

"I only told James at first." Sirius said quietly. "It wasn't that I didn't trust Remus or Peter, but I just didn't feel comfortable bogging them down with my problems. They had their own to deal with…especially Remus."

Audrey nodded, still biting her lip.

"Regulus would not talk to me in front of our parents…but he felt some sympathy, he only spoke to me in private. He was always so naïve and sweet; he loved everyone…I didn't understand how he could. All of the vicious words that our parents, aunts, and uncles would say." Sirius shook his head; Audrey put a hand on his arm.

"Coming home only got worse as the years went on, and I spent more time away from home. Second year on, I was invited to spend Christmas with the Potter's. Henry and Elly were always informed by James about my situation at home. Which lead to them offering me a safe haven during the summers…but I didn't want to impose on them."

"But you did live with them the summer after our sixth year." Audrey said, remembering.

Sirius nodded.

"That was the only time I had an extended stay with them. My Uncle Alphard died in September of our sixth year, and he left me all of his money. My mother was enraged, and burnt myself and her "traitor" brother from our family tree…not that it bothered me. It was quite the relief." He said thoughtfully.

"As you know, Regulus and I barely spoke at school. Two different houses, two different entities entirely." Sirius said, and then he looked at her. "I know he's spoken to you a few times over the years."

Audrey nodded, remembering how Regulus was always so strange to her. She remembered all of her encounters with him; they were always a little uncomfortable. He always seemed to know something…and he looked so much like his brother.

He stirred his wand around the pensieve for a moment.

"The very end of our last year, I spoke to my brother, just before graduation."

The couple followed a slightly younger Sirius down the outdoor corridor of the castle. It was a sunny afternoon, Audrey looked around. She had forgotten how lovely Hogwarts was, it was all a blur really.

They continued to follow the younger Sirius, until up ahead they noticed Regulus.

"What is it?" Sirius asked, approaching his younger brother. Audrey could tell from the tone that he wasn't thrilled to see him.

"I just wanted to see you, that's all." Regulus said, looking out onto the lake.

Sirius snorted.

"You're skeptical." Regulus mused, not taking his eyes from the water.

"Naturally, dear brother." Sirius spat, not in the mood for mind-games. "What is it that you want?"

Regulus swiftly turned to face Sirius.

"I just wanted to tell you that you're not going to see me again."

Sirius looked perplexed for a moment, but then registered something.

"Show me your arm." Sirius said.

"What? No." Regulus gave him an odd look. He looked a little frantic.

Sirius wore a hostile expression.

"Show me your arm." He said again.

Regulus backed away, but Sirius was quick. He blocked a punch from his brother and rolled up his sleeve.

My brother hadn't taken his arm back quick enough…I saw it…and it wasn't hard to miss.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Sirius said, horrified.

"I'm an adult, Sirius. This was of my own accord." Regulus replied, his eyes narrowed.

"NO IT WASN'T." Sirius roared, taking a step forward. "You're barely sixteen, and you've never thought for yourself! You've never stopped and questioned anything, you've always followed what Walburga and Orion have shoved down your throat since before you were born!"

Regulus' face contorted into a sad expression, but he hid it quickly. Audrey wasn't sure if Sirius' had noticed.

Regulus didn't have a rebuttal; he turned on his heel and strode away.

Sirius and Audrey emerged.

"He knew you were right…" Audrey said quietly, looking at her husband.

"That's what I thought." Sirius replied, looking down for a moment. "I wish things didn't go down like that. I was so scared for him…once you have that mark…"

"I know, Sirius." Audrey said, blinking back some tears as she thought of Severus. She wondered where he was now…was he even alive?

"I have so many feelings about my brother, and none of them I can really explain." Sirius said, wringing his hands. "Most days, I hate him…I hate what my parents made him into…I hate what he did to himself."

"That's why-" Audrey began but she was interrupted by a tiny scream coming from down the hallway.

The couple bolted from the chaise and ran down the hall.