p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I opened my eyes on Monday morning to a world tinted blue. It was the point in the earliest hours of the morning where the birds were only just waking up, where the sky was barely beginning to lighten. The air in my room was frosty thanks to the freezing Scottish weather. I rubbed my eyes tiredly before slipping out of bed. Now that I was awake, there was no more chance of me falling back to sleep. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I wander my room a bit and take my uniform out of the imposing wardrobe standing in the far corner of my room, and lay them carefully on the bed. The uniform was immaculately tailored and pressed to perfection. I ran my fingers over the soft material of the plain black blazer, then I traced the patterns of the embroidered school badge on the chest of it. The gentle material was a welcome feeling to my raw fingers that had been forced to play the piano until they were blue with bruises which was annoying because the bruises left by my mothers cane the day we got here were just beginning to fade. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"The school logo was a plain white triangle with a circle inside it and a long line going straight through its centre. The mark of the hallows of which the school was named after. I considered getting ready for my first day of school right away. I had so much pent up energy and I just wanted the day to get started already, but I was also nervous. Regulus and I had been home-schooled our entire lives. Father ordered we have the best tutors money could buy and our education was extensive and thorough. We were tutored in: Maths, English, Science, French, Latin, Greek, Art, Classical music, Politics, Ballet, Ballroom Dancing, History and Economics. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"Of course we excelled in most subjects quickly and so the workload kept piling up, and I couldn't handle it, so I stopped trying as hard. I did enough to do well, not to excel. Unlike Regulus. Regulus took everything in his stride. He never made mistakes, it was never too much for him. He was just born perfect and I hated that. I hated how he pretended that he loved maths and economics when I knew that he really loved art and poetry. And he was amazing at it. One of Regulus' paintings could be sold for millions if he tried but instead he chose to focus on what father thought was best. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I was good at all subjects too but I was really passionate about ballet and music. Music was so freeing, so calming, so exciting. It filled me so much joy to master a new instrument, and over time, learning new instruments got easier and easier. I was only permitted to play classical instruments though and after a few years, it got boring and trying. Dance was similar. I loved being able to cross the dance floor and leap into the air and land with the quietest thud. Ballet was one of my favourite things in the world but as I grew my father decided that it was too feminine for his heirs and we were forced to stop. Regulus stopped completely, he never mentioned ballet again, but I practised and stretched in my room in secret, never wanting to lose that part of me no matter how feminine my father deemed it. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"After a long time of being lost in thought, sitting crossed legged on my bed, I decided against getting ready just yet. I didn't want to mess up my uniform in any way and leave a bad impression. I was already nervous about seeing James and his friends after what he and his mother must have experienced when they came and dropped off a tin of cookies for me. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"My heart warmed at the thought of them, and I reached under my bed to get the now dwindling stash of cookies. I opened the tin and absentmindedly munched on one while I thought of the never ending kindness of Euphemia Potter. She'd never met me, only spoken to me over the phone. I expected to be just a client to her, but there she was, welcoming my family to the neighbourhood and leaving me a tin of spicy, chest warming cookies. She was truly a goddess and I had to repay her. Then I got an idea, since I had so much time left 'til I was even supposed to be awake, I'd sneak into the kitchen to bake the Potters something nice. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I crept into the kitchen from my bedroom, stalking down long hallways and avoiding creaking floor boards. The halls were dark and mostly cast in shadows other than slithers of light streaming in through the thick drapes covering the windows. My feet were freezing and practically turning blue by the time I stepped into the kitchen. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"The kitchen was a very gloomy room, with black stone floors and walls and a huge, dark wooden table in the middle of the room, with a singular, lit candle and a fruit bowl in the centre. I wondered briefly why there was a candle lit so early in the morning when my eyes landed on two people sitting crossed legged on the ground beside a creaking radiator. Their pale blue eyes were trained on me with identical expressions of annoyance. Narcissa and Regulus' heads were pressed together, on the ground between their crossed legs was a book that they'd clearly been reading before I walked in. For a brief moment I found it strange that they were together, but then again, they were the same, two peas in a pod desperately trying to please their parents. No wonder they found each other./span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"Their eyes were still stuck on me as I shifted on my now slightly numb feet and I crossed my arms definitely. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""What are you staring at!?" I demand after a long pause. Regulus blinked at me slowly but didn't answer, while Narcissa said "There's something on your face." I quickly reached up and slid my hands over my face to remove anything that might be stuck over it when I heard the two kids on the floor start laughing. "Oh Narcissa, you're so cruel! That's just how he looks!" Regulus guffawed. I scowl at the pair. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Don't baby brother, you get your looks from me!" I hissed. Regulus flashes me with his middle finger and I'm taken aback by how brazenly he did it, like he was used to doing it. "Regulus Black did you just swear!" Narcissa gasped, her voice shrill, her big, blue eyes wide. Regulus rolled his eyes at her and ducked his head, flipping over a page in whatever book they were reading and Narcissa started laughing again, her pale hands shooting to her face to cover her mouth as she threw her head back. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"My head whipped between them and I was utterly confused as to what was going on and I expressed as much as allowed. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Alright I don't know what's going on here since I know for a fact that neither of you have personalities but whatever."/span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"Both Regulus and Narcissa, who had returned to reading their book, heads snapped back towards me. "You can't speak to me like that!" Narcissa scoffed, obviously not used to people acknowledging her lack of ability to think freely. "Why ever not, Narcissa?" I asked with a sly grin on my face, as I leaned my elbow on the huge table. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""I'm your elder!" She seethed, her blue eyes flashing silver, her perfect cupid bow lips set in a thin, disapproving line. "Ha! I don't care! In case you haven't noticed, I don't have much respect for any adults around here!" I laughed. I was about to point out that she was barely even two years my senior when an easily recognisable, amused voice sounded from behind me. "Even me, baby cousin?" Andy laughed from behind me. I laughed with her and turned around to knock fists before indicating to the pair behind me, "seems our younger siblings have strayed from their beds." I said, acting out what I supposed to be a worried mother. "Well that just won't do." Narcissa said, shaking her head like what I knew to be a disappointed father. "Guess we'll just have to figure out why you're all down here to determine the punishment." Andy huffed. I grinned and turned expectantly to Narcissa and Regulus. Narcissa was pouting and Regulus slightly peeved, he'd never disrespect Andy as she was an adult but I doubt he actually respected her authority. "Reading," he said curtly. I raised my eyebrows at him but he wasn't looking at me, he was staring down at his book along with Narcissa who had clearly decided she wouldn't be deigning her sister with a response. I turned back to Andromeda ready to make another quip but she was staring at me expectantly with her hands on her hips. "What? I have to explain myself to you as well?!" she raised both eyebrows in answer and I huffed, "I'm making Mrs Potter and her family something, since they left me cookies." I admit, showing her the 5 cookies that were left in the tin. "That woman left you cookies?" Narcissa asked, her voice low with what I assumed was disgust. I spun around. "Yes she did and they were amazing! I've never had anything like them!" I declared. Narcissa tucked her white hair behind her ear and glowered at me so I threw up two fingers at her and poked my tongue out for good measure. "Sirius Black you dirty, uneducated boy! You're lucky I'm so warm next to this radiator or I'd get up and beat your arse!" She shrieked. I tried to picture dainty little Narcissa Black punching anything or anyone and had to fight back a smile. I glanced at Regulus and for a second he mirrored my amused expression before his face fell back into its carefully constructed mask. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Now now children, play nicely." a cold voice filled the room and every single one of us snapped to attention, even Regulus. "It's a bit early for you isn't it Bella?" Narcissa murmured, clambering to her feet. "Yeah well I couldn't sleep." Bellatrix said shortly. I turned around and saw my eldest cousin Bellatrix, leaning in the doorway, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, her wild, black hair cascading like smoke clouds around her face. "Anything we can do to help?" Andromeda said softly, stepping towards Bellatrix and resting a hand on her arm. "No thank you sister." Narcissa strode over to her sisters and the three of them shared a moment before Bellatrix looked between me and Regulus suspiciously. "What are you two doing here?" she hissed. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Not a morning person then." I mutter, a pale hand shot out and smacked my arm. I looked around shocked and saw that Regulus was standing beside me, giving me a warning glare that I returned annoyed. "I'm just observing!" I protested. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Well don't." Regulus snapped. I glared at him angrily. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Mother isn't here you know Reggie, you don't have to be against me!" I hissed. Regulus' eyes narrowed and he was about to say something when Andromeda stepped between us and threw her arms over both of our shoulders. I watched Regulus stiffen and grinned knowing that he hated physical touch. Good. He deserved to be uncomfortable- the git. Andromeda loosened her grip around Regulus' shoulder when she realised how rigid he'd gotten and laughed casually, "I don't know why father wanted sons so much when they're like this!" She used the hand draped over my shoulder to tug a lock of my hair, I smacked her hand away and laughed. "Hate to break it to you, but you guys aren't exactly rays of sunshine!" I retorted. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Yeah well you try being engaged to someone fifteen years older than you and still be bouncing around the halls like you owned the place!" Bellatrix snapped. Everything went silent as we all stared at Bellatrix who was walking away from Narcissa and going to fill a glass up with water. I examined Bellatrix properly for the first time since I'd arrived and saw that she had faint bags under her black eyes that, although we're still dark with rage, looked quite sad too. I also took in how small she was. Small and young, only 23 while her future husband was 38. "Quit staring at me." Bellatrix snapped, slamming the empty glass down on the table, making us all jump. "It's my duty to marry Adolphus which I'll happily do for the family. I'll do anything for my family and you lot better be prepared to follow in my footsteps." She snarled, but for once she didn't sound threatening, just miserable. All of a sudden I really wanted to give her a hug. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"The silence stretched out and I was getting really uncomfortable. "Anyone wanna try a cookie?" I blurt out, brandishing the cookie tin. Bellatrix, Regulus and Narcissa eyed the tin suspiciously. Andromeda was the first to move. "Sure! I'd love something to eat, that's actually why I came down here!" She said cheerfully, though her smile didn't quite reach her dark brown eyes. She took a cookie obligingly and took a huge bite. She chewed for a little while and the only sound was of the crunching coming from her mouth. Finally she looked up at the rest of us. "What're you waiting for! They're delicious!" She said waving around the rest of her cookie. Bellatrix and Narcissa looked at each other before sighing and taking a cookie. Narcissa ate delicately while Bellatrix took a large bite. Their eyes widened simultaneously and although their eyes were different colours, they looked very similar at that moment. "I hate to admit but that Potter woman can cook." Narcissa muttered begrudgingly. Bellatrix shrugged but took another large bite of her cookie. I turned to Regulus and shook the tin at him a little. "Wanna try one Reggie?". /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""I'm not a cat, Sirius." He snapped but after a beat he took a cookie and peered at it carefully. "Coming?" he asked. I shrugged. I had no idea what the flavour was, just that they were delicious and slightly spicy. I watched as Regulus took a small bite on the biscuit. "It's…good." He huffed and I couldn't help but grin happily before stuffing the last one into my mouth. "Gotta get myself more of these!" I sigh when I'd swallow down the last bit of cookie. Andy clapped me on the shoulder, "well, if you and James become good mates maybe she'll bake more!". Regulus looked up suddenly between me and Andromeda and I peered back at him curiously, wondering what had made him snap his head up so suddenly. I raised an eyebrow and he just shook his head and looked away. I sighed and swung myself on top of the counter. "Get down Sirius!" Narcissa gasped, looking deeply offended by my actions. "I like you Narcissa, I really do but you gotta loosen up!" I laughed, I tried to reach out and tug her long white hair but she danced out of my reach. "I'm extremely loose!" She said, defiantly sticking her nose into the air. I rolled my eyes and they landed on Bellatrix's who's lip was twitching and then suddenly the two of us were laughing. Her laugh was almost a cackle but it was so rare and hearty that I didn't question it. "What're two laughing at?" Narcissa asked, as her and Andromeda stared at Bellatrix wide eyes. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""You're far from loose Cissy!" She cackled and after a beat Andromeda was laughing with us and Regulus had a reluctant smile playing on his lips. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Oh I'll show you loose!" Narcissa screeched before plucking some grapes from the fruit bowl and firing at me, Bellatrix and Narcissa. Regulus escaped her wrath and stepped back to lean against the wall, watching us with a full smile now. 'It suits him' I thought briefly before a grape plopped against my eye. I laughed and ran around to the pantry, grabbed a handful of flour and chucked it over my cousins. I then sprinkled some over Regulus' head who swatted me away annoyed. We were all laughing when an angry voice filled the room. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""What are you kids doing in here! You wait 'til i tell your parents!" /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I didn't look back before I started sprinting out of the kitchen, Andromeda in step with me, just as I was about to reach the door I turned back to the rest of my cousins and my brother and yelled "Run!" and so the three of them sprinted after us. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""I'm too old for this!" Bellatrix huffed. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Au contraire!, I laughed, we're all very much the perfect age for this. I hear Andromeda laughing ahead of me. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I stopped outside my room, and Regulus;' was a little ahead of mine, while the girls' still had to go up another floor. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Goodnight cousins!" I said with a huge grin on my face. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Don't get used to this Sirius Black." Narcissa panted. Now that we were so far away from the kitchen we had slowed to a halt. "We are so in deep shit in the morning." Andromeda groaned. Bellatrix was silent, staring down the corridor./span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Let's not think about that and get a few more hours of sleep, yeah?" Andy said, wrapping an arm around Bellatrix's shoulder. Bellatrix allowed it for a moment before shaking it off. "You're right," she agreed. I've got brunch with the Lestranges in the morning and Narcissa has her vocal lesson." She nodded at us before turning to walk down the corridor, her two little sisters following before an alarm sounded from mine and Reggie's room. "God no," Regulsu groaned as he sank down his door and onto the floor. The girls turned around and stared wide eyed. "You've got to be kidding me!" Narcissa gasped, then she turned to glare at me angrily. I raised my palms in defence, "You were already in the kitchen when I got there! If you're tired, blame yourself or Reggie, not me!" she scowled at me then before turning on her heel and marching down the corridor. "Good morning!" I called after her, making her flip me off without turning around. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Gotta go Sirius, I'll see you at breakfast." Andromeda said before riffling my hair and following Narcissa in with Bellatrix in toe. I turned to say goodbye to Reggie but he had already disappeared. "Coward." I muttered to his door before slipping into my room. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I looked down at my bed and saw my uniform laid out and waiting patiently. I grinned when I thought about what real school would entail. My room was now filled with a gold tinted light and the birds were singing loudly. "It's gonna be a good day." I mused to myself. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I wander my room a bit and take my uniform out of the imposing wardrobe standing in the far corner of my room, and lay them carefully on the bed. The uniform was immaculately tailored and pressed to perfection. I ran my fingers over the soft material of the plain black blazer, then I traced the patterns of the embroidered school badge on the chest of it. The gentle material was a welcome feeling to my raw fingers that had been forced to play the piano until they were blue with bruises which was annoying because the bruises left by my mothers cane the day we got here were just beginning to fade. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"The school logo was a plain white triangle with a circle inside it and a long line going straight through its centre. The mark of the hallows of which the school was named after. I considered getting ready for my first day of school right away. I had so much pent up energy and I just wanted the day to get started already, but I was also nervous. Regulus and I had been home-schooled our entire lives. Father ordered we have the best tutors money could buy and our education was extensive and thorough. We were tutored in: Maths, English, Science, French, Latin, Greek, Art, Classical music, Politics, Ballet, Ballroom Dancing, History and Economics. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"Of course we excelled in most subjects quickly and so the workload kept piling up, and I couldn't handle it, so I stopped trying as hard. I did enough to do well, not to excel. Unlike Regulus. Regulus took everything in his stride. He never made mistakes, it was never too much for him. He was just born perfect and I hated that. I hated how he pretended that he loved maths and economics when I knew that he really loved art and poetry. And he was amazing at it. One of Regulus' paintings could be sold for millions if he tried but instead he chose to focus on what father thought was best. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I was good at all subjects too but I was really passionate about ballet and music. Music was so freeing, so calming, so exciting. It filled me so much joy to master a new instrument, and over time, learning new instruments got easier and easier. I was only permitted to play classical instruments though and after a few years, it got boring and trying. Dance was similar. I loved being able to cross the dance floor and leap into the air and land with the quietest thud. Ballet was one of my favourite things in the world but as I grew my father decided that it was too feminine for his heirs and we were forced to stop. Regulus stopped completely, he never mentioned ballet again, but I practised and stretched in my room in secret, never wanting to lose that part of me no matter how feminine my father deemed it. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"After a long time of being lost in thought, sitting crossed legged on my bed, I decided against getting ready just yet. I didn't want to mess up my uniform in any way and leave a bad impression. I was already nervous about seeing James and his friends after what he and his mother must have experienced when they came and dropped off a tin of cookies for me. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"My heart warmed at the thought of them, and I reached under my bed to get the now dwindling stash of cookies. I opened the tin and absentmindedly munched on one while I thought of the never ending kindness of Euphemia Potter. She'd never met me, only spoken to me over the phone. I expected to be just a client to her, but there she was, welcoming my family to the neighbourhood and leaving me a tin of spicy, chest warming cookies. She was truly a goddess and I had to repay her. Then I got an idea, since I had so much time left 'til I was even supposed to be awake, I'd sneak into the kitchen to bake the Potters something nice. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I crept into the kitchen from my bedroom, stalking down long hallways and avoiding creaking floor boards. The halls were dark and mostly cast in shadows other than slithers of light streaming in through the thick drapes covering the windows. My feet were freezing and practically turning blue by the time I stepped into the kitchen. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"The kitchen was a very gloomy room, with black stone floors and walls and a huge, dark wooden table in the middle of the room, with a singular, lit candle and a fruit bowl in the centre. I wondered briefly why there was a candle lit so early in the morning when my eyes landed on two people sitting crossed legged on the ground beside a creaking radiator. Their pale blue eyes were trained on me with identical expressions of annoyance. Narcissa and Regulus' heads were pressed together, on the ground between their crossed legs was a book that they'd clearly been reading before I walked in. For a brief moment I found it strange that they were together, but then again, they were the same, two peas in a pod desperately trying to please their parents. No wonder they found each other./span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"Their eyes were still stuck on me as I shifted on my now slightly numb feet and I crossed my arms definitely. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""What are you staring at!?" I demand after a long pause. Regulus blinked at me slowly but didn't answer, while Narcissa said "There's something on your face." I quickly reached up and slid my hands over my face to remove anything that might be stuck over it when I heard the two kids on the floor start laughing. "Oh Narcissa, you're so cruel! That's just how he looks!" Regulus guffawed. I scowl at the pair. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Don't baby brother, you get your looks from me!" I hissed. Regulus flashes me with his middle finger and I'm taken aback by how brazenly he did it, like he was used to doing it. "Regulus Black did you just swear!" Narcissa gasped, her voice shrill, her big, blue eyes wide. Regulus rolled his eyes at her and ducked his head, flipping over a page in whatever book they were reading and Narcissa started laughing again, her pale hands shooting to her face to cover her mouth as she threw her head back. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"My head whipped between them and I was utterly confused as to what was going on and I expressed as much as allowed. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Alright I don't know what's going on here since I know for a fact that neither of you have personalities but whatever."/span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"Both Regulus and Narcissa, who had returned to reading their book, heads snapped back towards me. "You can't speak to me like that!" Narcissa scoffed, obviously not used to people acknowledging her lack of ability to think freely. "Why ever not, Narcissa?" I asked with a sly grin on my face, as I leaned my elbow on the huge table. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""I'm your elder!" She seethed, her blue eyes flashing silver, her perfect cupid bow lips set in a thin, disapproving line. "Ha! I don't care! In case you haven't noticed, I don't have much respect for any adults around here!" I laughed. I was about to point out that she was barely even two years my senior when an easily recognisable, amused voice sounded from behind me. "Even me, baby cousin?" Andy laughed from behind me. I laughed with her and turned around to knock fists before indicating to the pair behind me, "seems our younger siblings have strayed from their beds." I said, acting out what I supposed to be a worried mother. "Well that just won't do." Narcissa said, shaking her head like what I knew to be a disappointed father. "Guess we'll just have to figure out why you're all down here to determine the punishment." Andy huffed. I grinned and turned expectantly to Narcissa and Regulus. Narcissa was pouting and Regulus slightly peeved, he'd never disrespect Andy as she was an adult but I doubt he actually respected her authority. "Reading," he said curtly. I raised my eyebrows at him but he wasn't looking at me, he was staring down at his book along with Narcissa who had clearly decided she wouldn't be deigning her sister with a response. I turned back to Andromeda ready to make another quip but she was staring at me expectantly with her hands on her hips. "What? I have to explain myself to you as well?!" she raised both eyebrows in answer and I huffed, "I'm making Mrs Potter and her family something, since they left me cookies." I admit, showing her the 5 cookies that were left in the tin. "That woman left you cookies?" Narcissa asked, her voice low with what I assumed was disgust. I spun around. "Yes she did and they were amazing! I've never had anything like them!" I declared. Narcissa tucked her white hair behind her ear and glowered at me so I threw up two fingers at her and poked my tongue out for good measure. "Sirius Black you dirty, uneducated boy! You're lucky I'm so warm next to this radiator or I'd get up and beat your arse!" She shrieked. I tried to picture dainty little Narcissa Black punching anything or anyone and had to fight back a smile. I glanced at Regulus and for a second he mirrored my amused expression before his face fell back into its carefully constructed mask. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Now now children, play nicely." a cold voice filled the room and every single one of us snapped to attention, even Regulus. "It's a bit early for you isn't it Bella?" Narcissa murmured, clambering to her feet. "Yeah well I couldn't sleep." Bellatrix said shortly. I turned around and saw my eldest cousin Bellatrix, leaning in the doorway, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, her wild, black hair cascading like smoke clouds around her face. "Anything we can do to help?" Andromeda said softly, stepping towards Bellatrix and resting a hand on her arm. "No thank you sister." Narcissa strode over to her sisters and the three of them shared a moment before Bellatrix looked between me and Regulus suspiciously. "What are you two doing here?" she hissed. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Not a morning person then." I mutter, a pale hand shot out and smacked my arm. I looked around shocked and saw that Regulus was standing beside me, giving me a warning glare that I returned annoyed. "I'm just observing!" I protested. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Well don't." Regulus snapped. I glared at him angrily. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Mother isn't here you know Reggie, you don't have to be against me!" I hissed. Regulus' eyes narrowed and he was about to say something when Andromeda stepped between us and threw her arms over both of our shoulders. I watched Regulus stiffen and grinned knowing that he hated physical touch. Good. He deserved to be uncomfortable- the git. Andromeda loosened her grip around Regulus' shoulder when she realised how rigid he'd gotten and laughed casually, "I don't know why father wanted sons so much when they're like this!" She used the hand draped over my shoulder to tug a lock of my hair, I smacked her hand away and laughed. "Hate to break it to you, but you guys aren't exactly rays of sunshine!" I retorted. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Yeah well you try being engaged to someone fifteen years older than you and still be bouncing around the halls like you owned the place!" Bellatrix snapped. Everything went silent as we all stared at Bellatrix who was walking away from Narcissa and going to fill a glass up with water. I examined Bellatrix properly for the first time since I'd arrived and saw that she had faint bags under her black eyes that, although we're still dark with rage, looked quite sad too. I also took in how small she was. Small and young, only 23 while her future husband was 38. "Quit staring at me." Bellatrix snapped, slamming the empty glass down on the table, making us all jump. "It's my duty to marry Adolphus which I'll happily do for the family. I'll do anything for my family and you lot better be prepared to follow in my footsteps." She snarled, but for once she didn't sound threatening, just miserable. All of a sudden I really wanted to give her a hug. /span/span/p
p style="line-height: 1.2em; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"The silence stretched out and I was getting really uncomfortable. "Anyone wanna try a cookie?" I blurt out, brandishing the cookie tin. Bellatrix, Regulus and Narcissa eyed the tin suspiciously. Andromeda was the first to move. "Sure! I'd love something to eat, that's actually why I came down here!" She said cheerfully, though her smile didn't quite reach her dark brown eyes. She took a cookie obligingly and took a huge bite. She chewed for a little while and the only sound was of the crunching coming from her mouth. Finally she looked up at the rest of us. "What're you waiting for! They're delicious!" She said waving around the rest of her cookie. Bellatrix and Narcissa looked at each other before sighing and taking a cookie. Narcissa ate delicately while Bellatrix took a large bite. Their eyes widened simultaneously and although their eyes were different colours, they looked very similar at that moment. "I hate to admit but that Potter woman can cook." Narcissa muttered begrudgingly. Bellatrix shrugged but took another large bite of her cookie. I turned to Regulus and shook the tin at him a little. "Wanna try one Reggie?". /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""I'm not a cat, Sirius." He snapped but after a beat he took a cookie and peered at it carefully. "Coming?" he asked. I shrugged. I had no idea what the flavour was, just that they were delicious and slightly spicy. I watched as Regulus took a small bite on the biscuit. "It's…good." He huffed and I couldn't help but grin happily before stuffing the last one into my mouth. "Gotta get myself more of these!" I sigh when I'd swallow down the last bit of cookie. Andy clapped me on the shoulder, "well, if you and James become good mates maybe she'll bake more!". Regulus looked up suddenly between me and Andromeda and I peered back at him curiously, wondering what had made him snap his head up so suddenly. I raised an eyebrow and he just shook his head and looked away. I sighed and swung myself on top of the counter. "Get down Sirius!" Narcissa gasped, looking deeply offended by my actions. "I like you Narcissa, I really do but you gotta loosen up!" I laughed, I tried to reach out and tug her long white hair but she danced out of my reach. "I'm extremely loose!" She said, defiantly sticking her nose into the air. I rolled my eyes and they landed on Bellatrix's who's lip was twitching and then suddenly the two of us were laughing. Her laugh was almost a cackle but it was so rare and hearty that I didn't question it. "What're two laughing at?" Narcissa asked, as her and Andromeda stared at Bellatrix wide eyes. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""You're far from loose Cissy!" She cackled and after a beat Andromeda was laughing with us and Regulus had a reluctant smile playing on his lips. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Oh I'll show you loose!" Narcissa screeched before plucking some grapes from the fruit bowl and firing at me, Bellatrix and Narcissa. Regulus escaped her wrath and stepped back to lean against the wall, watching us with a full smile now. 'It suits him' I thought briefly before a grape plopped against my eye. I laughed and ran around to the pantry, grabbed a handful of flour and chucked it over my cousins. I then sprinkled some over Regulus' head who swatted me away annoyed. We were all laughing when an angry voice filled the room. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""What are you kids doing in here! You wait 'til i tell your parents!" /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I didn't look back before I started sprinting out of the kitchen, Andromeda in step with me, just as I was about to reach the door I turned back to the rest of my cousins and my brother and yelled "Run!" and so the three of them sprinted after us. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""I'm too old for this!" Bellatrix huffed. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Au contraire!, I laughed, we're all very much the perfect age for this. I hear Andromeda laughing ahead of me. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I stopped outside my room, and Regulus;' was a little ahead of mine, while the girls' still had to go up another floor. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Goodnight cousins!" I said with a huge grin on my face. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Don't get used to this Sirius Black." Narcissa panted. Now that we were so far away from the kitchen we had slowed to a halt. "We are so in deep shit in the morning." Andromeda groaned. Bellatrix was silent, staring down the corridor./span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Let's not think about that and get a few more hours of sleep, yeah?" Andy said, wrapping an arm around Bellatrix's shoulder. Bellatrix allowed it for a moment before shaking it off. "You're right," she agreed. I've got brunch with the Lestranges in the morning and Narcissa has her vocal lesson." She nodded at us before turning to walk down the corridor, her two little sisters following before an alarm sounded from mine and Reggie's room. "God no," Regulsu groaned as he sank down his door and onto the floor. The girls turned around and stared wide eyed. "You've got to be kidding me!" Narcissa gasped, then she turned to glare at me angrily. I raised my palms in defence, "You were already in the kitchen when I got there! If you're tired, blame yourself or Reggie, not me!" she scowled at me then before turning on her heel and marching down the corridor. "Good morning!" I called after her, making her flip me off without turning around. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;""Gotta go Sirius, I'll see you at breakfast." Andromeda said before riffling my hair and following Narcissa in with Bellatrix in toe. I turned to say goodbye to Reggie but he had already disappeared. "Coward." I muttered to his door before slipping into my room. /span/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; color: #333333; font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; margin-right: -2.04331pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span id="docs-internal-guid-686a6a21-7fff-3a2f-3e25-47e0b41168b3"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"I looked down at my bed and saw my uniform laid out and waiting patiently. I grinned when I thought about what real school would entail. My room was now filled with a gold tinted light and the birds were singing loudly. "It's gonna be a good day." I mused to myself. /span/span/p