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Eduardus Limette Black
I was the only one cared about Alexis.
It was evident that Alexis wasn't normally from being born. She never cried, never, not once, not even as a baby. Mother always chimed on about how noisy the rest of us; especially Phoebe, who had enough power behind her lungs to light up the Ministry of Magic.
But not Alexis. Alexis was silent from minute she slithered out of the womb.
She didn't really talk to anyone, just stared at them with her expressive eyes. It was only me that she spoke to when she did, and even then nothing ever made sense.
I knew she had always been obsessed with Phoebe and her eyes. She liked everything in order; she didn't like something to be the odd thing out. We were all dark haired, dark eyed and pale skinned. Phoebe was dark haired, blue eyed and pale skinned. She thought it was a mistake in the making of us all; and that mistake had to be fixed. It wasn't a surprise that Alexis went as far as to scoop her older sister's eyes out, though. Alexis had done worse.
She committed her first murder when she was just six years old. The house-elf, who she consistently teased after she discovered she was able to do magic – that house-elf was discovered in the kitchen cupboard with a pair of scissors rammed between the shoulder blades.
But I truly didn't expect Mother to kill Alexis.
I was so angry when I discovered her body; wrapped in a grey blanket and presented on the dining room table, as if her carcass was a trophy. No one was around; they were all focusing on Phoebe, precious Phoebe, trying to fix her beautiful pretty eyes and make them go back into her sockets.
I was being a little harsh to Phoebe, maybe so. It wasn't her fault she was born different, just like it wasn't Alexis' fault that she was born with her unusual mannerisms. But I loved Alexis the most out of all of my siblings.
Licorus was too busy to have an interest in me, even though he was my only brother. Father spent all of his time with him, teaching him, praising him, and trying to make him into the greatest little Black wizard that the world would see. Hesper, while she was always nice to me, was always trailing around after Licorus and our father, trying to prove that she was just as good as her twin. Phoebe spent most of her time shut up in her bedroom. Alexis was the only one who I could talk to, even though she never spoke back. And I knew she loved me the most.
So I couldn't just stand by when I found out what happened to my little sister. Hesper told me, in hushed tones, what had been the cause of her death, and I couldn't bear it. I flew into an unholy rage, and charged into Phoebe's bedroom. Mother was stooped over Phoebe's limp body, feeding her potion with a metal spoon, and there was a bloody rag tied around her face where her eyes should be.
I dragged Mother back by her long, grey-streaked hair, and balled my hands into fists. I commenced to punch her in the face, over and over again, until my knuckles were splattered red, and stronger arms were dragging me away. I turned around, the scarlet haze over my vision fading, and Father loomed into view. He was the last thing I saw of my family, as he raised his own fist, and shattered my cheekbone.
When I awoke, I wasn't in my own bed.
It took me only a few hours to learn what had happened. Mother and Father had unceremoniously shipped me off to an orphanage. I had been presented only as 'Eduardus Limette', instead of 'Eduardus Limette Black', so it was apparent I wasn't even worthy of my family name anymore.
What I expected to feel was pain; sorrow at being abjured from my bloodline. But I was surprised to feel nothing for the rest of my family, just chronic emptiness at the loss of my sister.
I may have been the first Black to be disowned, but I was sure mine wasn't the first or the last secret that would echo through the halls of Grimmauld Place.
oOo