"My poor girl," Lydia says , "why do we have to suffer?"

"I know little heart," Fleamont puts his hand on her shoulder, "but we must shoulder the burden for the sake of the world. Mortem would destroy the world and civilization if we didn't control him."

"I know," Lydia sobs, "but it still hurts."

"I know my dearest pearl," Euphemia soothed, "I know."

The scene shifts to 12th Grimmauld Place.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!" Walburga Black screeches on screen, "get down here this instant!"

"Why is she shouting so violently?" Marlene asks Sirius.

"I don't know," he shrugs, "she does this at least twice a day. It could be anything."

"What now?" Sirius lazes into the room, completely fed up with Walburga.

"Explain this!" she shoves a newspaper article into his face.

It was a Witch Weekly article she must have gotten from his Aunt Druella, who was standing nearby with his Uncle Cygnus. The article read as follows:

Hottest Couple?

Last week, the Ministry of Magic hosted a fundraiser that aimed to raise money for a magical orphanage. While many prominent guests appeared, none were more prominent than the members of the House of Black. The House of Black was represented by their heir apparent, Orion Black, alongside his lady, Walburga Black. The couple was accompanied by their children, Sirius and Regulus Black.

For all those who saw the handsome heir presumptive, it would seem that his heart is off the table. Young Sirius Black was caught with his longtime girlfriend, Lydia Potter. Black was caught kissing the bespectacled girl on the cheek , and Potter, in turn, was seen with her feet in his lap. The two make a gorgeous couple, and fellow schoolmates of theirs, who wished to remain anonymous, had this to say.

"Potter and Black are nearly inseparable," a recent graduate told one of our journalists, "never seen one without the other in all the years they were there."

"Potter and Black have been dating at least since third year," a fellow gryffindor student commented, "Potter is always in Black's dorm room."

"The two are remarkably fun," a 6th year student commented, "they love to cause chaos, and have such a cute relationship. They're completely in sync."

"Cute couple," another added, "just avoid Potter during her time of month if you want to avoid getting hexed. She's rather hex-happy then, and only Black can predict her. They're both very sweet though, and always look out for the younger years."

"Merlin's beard!" Sirius and Lydia shout, looking at each other in shock.

"I guess you really are stopping me from getting a date," Lydia told Sirius shocked, "guess I'll have to rectify that."

"I can't believe so many people actually believe that stuff," Euphemia shakes her head, "have they never seen a pair of close friends? I'm pretty sure that Frank wasn't harassed for his close relationship with Amara during his school years."

"I agree," Frank was in complete shock, "Mara and I had one or two people think we were dating, but nothing like this. Merlin's beard, it's bad!"

"No wonder Walburga's so mad," Sirius's face suddenly pales, "oh I am so in for it."

"I'm actually very worried," Lydia told her father, "the films haven't shown Sirius's home life before. I think something especially bad is going to happen."

"Utter BS," Sirius says casually, but his eyes betray his true emotions. He's panicking. "Lydia and I are only friends. Have been since my first year. You've already hexed me for that."

"They hexed you for being friends with Lydia?" Dorcas asked, "why?"

"They've hexed me for simply forgetting to flush the toilet," Sirius says much too casually, "why wouldn't my oh so perfect parents hex me for befriending a "filthy blood-traitor"?

"You've made a fool out of the House of Black!" Orion shouts, "I've had at least three colleagues ask me why my son was dating a blood-traitor! Even worse, Lord Greengrass refuses to consider marrying his daughter off to you, because he thinks you're taken! HOW DARE YOU CONSORT WITH A FILTHY BLOOD-TRAITOR!"

"Lydia isn't filthy!" Sirius shouts back, "she's a perfectly kind girl. What is your issue with my friend?!"

"That they're filthy blood traitors," Bellatrix snakes into the room, Rodolphus on her arm, "and half-bloods."

"That isn't good," Sirius panics, "they're all there. This is not going to be pretty."

"It's okay Sirius," Fleamont pulls Sirius closer, "you're going to be okay."

"What are you even doing here?" Sirius says dismissively, but inside, is freaking out more. Bellatrix was the single, most dangerous person in the room, and having her angry at you wasn't a good idea. "Shouldn't you be groveling at your lord's feet?"

"You've humiliated me!" she shouts, whipping her wand out, "my own cousin consorting with blood-traitors! The Dark Lord won't be pleased. How can I show my face in polite company with the shame you've brought on our family name?"

"Anyone you hold company with is most certainly not polite," Sirius shoots back at her, trying to back up to the door.

"Enough!" Bellatrix shouts, "CRUCIO!" Sirius screams and twitches, as Bellatrix holds the spell, before stopping, and allowing Walburga to cast.

The hall burst into shouts, not expecting to see the cruciatus used. Many in the hall felt awe at Sirius's bravery, still keeping his beliefs despite knowing his fate. Many felt heartbroken at the fate of the poor boy, who really didn't deserve such a fate.

"Sirius!" Lydia shouted, jumping into his arms, hugging him. Sirius himself freezes, not wanting the entire hall to see his suffering.

"Merlin," Amelia Bones's hands flew to her mouth, "that's torture!"

"You dare!" Lydia stands up, and her eyes turn bright silver, "you dare torture my best friend. I ought to give you a taste of your own medicine! Sentire quod aliis inflixis-" (to feel what you have inflicted on others)

"Stop," Fleamont held his hand out, causing the silver to burn out, "allow me." Fleamont stunned Walburga and Bellatrix, and cast a small death charm on them.

"To sleep in replay?" Sirius translated the death spell, "what does that do?"

"You're better off not knowing," Fleamont says, but at Sirius's begging look, relents, "it should make them feel all the pain you felt, but not actually harm their body or mind. It just makes them feel it in their dreams. I don't believe in torturing people. It should serve to make them feel a little guilty."

"You deserve this blood-traitor!" Cygnus spits at his nephew, "Lucius, my dear son-in-law, would you like a shot?"

"Of course Father-In-Law," Lucius steps up, pulling his elm wand from its cane, "I'd love to get some practice in. I hope to impress our Lord at the next raid."

"A true believer," Narcissa kisses Lucius, "allow me after dear."

"Of course my love," Lucius reassures her, "I'm sure your classic cutting curse will do nicely. In the meantime, I think I'll use the Conjunctivitis Curse."

"Excellent choice," Druella fawned over her son-in-law, "perhaps the girl fell for those stunning gray eyes of his. They're the trademark of being a Black, and he has lost that right."

"Thank you Mother-In-Law," Lucius said, "it means a lot." Lucius proceeds to cast the curse, causing Sirius's eyes to swell, and an unbearable irritation. Sirius screams as it happens, and fumbles in his pocket for his wand, now that the cruciatus has stopped.

Narcissa, however, took that as an opportunity to send a cutting curse at him, causing nasty blood wounds to appear on his person. Hissing in pain, Sirius finally locates his wand.

"My turn," Rodolphus's deep voice is only heard by Sirius, as his eyes were unable to see.

"PROTEGO HORRIBILIS!" Sirius shouts, casting a powerful shield in front of himself, Rodolphus's spells merely poking holes in the shield. He silently cast a smokescreen spell, and began to run out the house.

"GO SIRIUS!" Lydia Potter shouts, "you can do it! Leave those bastar-"

"Language!" Euphemia warned her daughter, "whilst an apt description, there are still children here."

"Sorry Mum," Lydia shrugged, "going to call it as I see it."

"SIRIUS!" Walburga shrieked, and sent a cutting spell that, if he hadn't shifted, would have cut his head off.

"I guess Padfoot really did save me from my parents killing me," Sirius said depressively.

Sirius uses his dog nose to sniff around, eyes still blown up, and runs far in the other direction, Walburga not noticing him due to the smokescreen and his changed form. Sirius runs and runs, until he feels as if he reached a safe spot and shifts back. He knew he had to find his way to the Potters. He feels in his pocket for his mirror, and when he finds it, he immediately mutters, barely comprehensible, "Lydia."

"Good," Lydia breathes, "we'll be able to help him."

"Paddy," Lydia rubs her eyes, "what's going on?"

"Need help," he croaks, barely able to speak, "can't see. Malfoy cast a conjunctivitis curse. I ran out as Padfoot, so they couldn't find me. I'm going to need to shift back soon, especially if they try tracking spells. Hurry."

"Mum! Daddy!" Lydia shouts on the other end, "Sirius needs help! He's cursed, and probably being hunted down."

"We're coming, Sirius!" Fleamont shouts, "approximate location?"

"Somewhere near Grimmauld," Sirius croaks, "look for a grim." Hearing shouts, he immediately puts the mirror in his pocket, and shifts into a dog. He quickly hides in a bush, before passing out from blood loss.

"This is horrifying," Lily whispers to Marlene, "and we've accused him of not knowing anything because he's a rich, pureblood boy. We should've known better."

"We should apologize," Marlene whispered, "it was highly insensitive."

"I don't think he'd appreciate it," Mary Mcdonald, who overheard, pointed out.

"I still think we should," Marlene held, but quieted as the film continued.

The scene shifts to Fleamont bringing him into the house, and using the animagus reverse spell to unshift him. He immediately hands Sirius to Euphemia, who was the better of the two at healing spells, and went to his lab to brew the oculus potion. It was the only thing that could cure the conjunctivitis curse. Lydia is seen helping her mother, who is surprised at how handy her daughter is at healing spells. After finishing, Euphemia calls for a house elf.

"Take this money," she hands some money to the house elf, "and go to Diagon Alley. Buy some proper clothing and toiletries for Sirius. I'll shrink one of Monty's shirts for now."

"Thank you," Sirius thanked Euphemia, "you two have always taken care of me, even though I'm not your son."

"You are," Euphemia squishes next to him, and hugs him, "you are our beloved son, no matter what your genetic code chooses to say."

"Will he be alright?" Lydia asks worriedly, "I'm pretty sure he's been crucio'd. His muscles are twitching abnormally, and I've read it's a sign of cruciatus exposure."

"Then there's nothing we can do about it," Euphemia sighs, "he'll have to live with the nerve damage. I'll have your father brew a nerve strengthening potion, which I hope could deal with the issue. That would be the best case scenario. Otherwise, it'll just be something he'll have to grow to live with."

"I hate them," Lydia says as she sits beside Sirius's bed, "I really hate them."

"So do I love," Euphemia hugs her daughter, "I'm sure he'll recover though. It was touch and go, and he lost a lot of blood, but I gave him a blood replenishing potion, so he should be fine. Now, I want to talk about your unusual talent and knowledge of healing spells."

"Sirius and I make bombs on the regular," Lydia deadpans, "I'd be highly concerned if we didn't teach ourselves how to heal each other. We became animagi for Merlin's sake! Of course we can handle advanced healing."

"A thing your father and I will be discussing with you two," Euphemia frowns, "although, knowing you, there were noble intentions."

"Do you think my gift for Sirius is ready?" Lydia asks softly, "I ran the calculations, and it seems promising."

"I'll have your father look it over," Euphemia promises, "And we'll see what he says. Then we can do animal experiments, before we can give it to Sirius."

"What are you planning?" Sirius asks Lydia, "because you've mentioned things like this a startling amount of times."

"The films will probably show it," Lydia says softly, "but I really want it to be a surprise."

"I'll wait," Sirius says, "but now I really want to hex someone."

"Hex Malfoy," Lydia advises, "no one in this room would stop you. Probably."

So that's what Sirius did.