December 31st 1968:

The squib rights movement had been gaining traction since Eugenia Jenkins came into office. A muggle sympathiser- she was being labeled. Any marches taking place were now seeing backlash in the form of extremist pure bloods, rioting.

A rapping on Sirius' bedroom door caused him to lift his attention away from his copy of 'The Daily Prophet'.

"What is it Kreacher" sirius called out

"Young master Sirius is wanted downstairs in the kitchen, Mistress says he is late" Kreacher spoke in his usual raspy voice.

"Well we mustn't keep mistress waiting," Sirius replied under his breath sarcastically. He stood up from his bed and took one last look in the mirror; smiling at himself as if in practice for later, he headed downstairs. Hesitating as his hand closed around the door handle, he took a deep breath and opened the door.

Walburga and Orion Black were pretentious people and one could argue they had the right to be so. As one of the oldest, biggest and wealthiest wizarding families in Britain, each family member had a role to play, including their sons; Sirius, age nine and Regulus, age seven. The Black family regarded two things as key, their public image and their 'purity'.

They were headed to the Black annual christmas ball, which was held by the current head of the family, Alphard Black. (The very man who would be passing his every estate and possessions down to Walburga and Orion's first born son). So when that son walked into the room they occupied looking like everything except the heir to the black family name and legacy, you can imagine the kitchen audience's reaction.

"What in the name of my mother Irma do you think you're doing?" Walburga seethed so inwardly that you had to have really known her in order to be able to understand that this wasn't a question, but an accusation. Orion moved to calm her by placing a 'reassuring' hand on her shoulder. It was a robotic and cold display. Actions speak louder than words, and Orion was warning Walburga to not be so emotional.

"Go upstairs and change. Now" he spoke

"What, why? You said I had to wear white so I'm wearing my limited edition Velvet Underground 'White light/White heat' t-shirt!"

"Your mother obviously intended for you to wear white dress robes not this… this… muggle infected filth!" his temper was slowly getting the better of him.

"I don't even want to go to the stupid ball anyway. It's just so you both can show me off as the Black family heir so Uncle Alphard does not randomly forget about me and write me off his last will and testament." Sirius knew he had crossed a well written line. But before he had time to process this, his mother spoke.

"Crucio" Walburga aimed her wand at her son, she paused for a second, allowing the curse top fully take a hold, then said, "Now when I let you go, you are to go upstairs and change into the dress robes Kreacher left hanging on your armoire. Do you understand?"

"I hate you!" sirius roared in agony

"Do you understand, Sirius?" Walburga asked coldly

"Yes, okay, yes, please, just stop," Sirius begged his mother. And so she did.

As Sirius left the room, he heard his brother come in from the side staircase. He seemed to have been hiding there, evident to the slight tremble in his knees. His mother praised him for his attire and made no mention of his tardiness; like she did with Sirius.

The Black family manor was a grand old building, and in the eyes of the bourgeoisie; it was the main prize, the thing everyone wanted a piece of. As well as creating a rat race between families, it turned brother against brother. The manor was inhabited solely by Alphard Black and his house elves, apart from on special occasions, like New Years Eve, when the whole aristocracy was in attendance. Even then, everyone there was of 'half blood' or more. Any half blood that had been invited was rigorously vetted by the Black family to make sure their ancestry was 'pure' enough. There was an exception this year however, as the minister for magic, Eugenia Jenkins had been invited by Alphard himself, to the dismay of the rest of the family. With her weak half blood heritage and supposed sympathetic views towards muggles, muggleborns and squibs; she was far from the most favourable guest on the list.

When Walburga and Orion finally arrived with their children in tow they were barely within the 'fashionably late' time frame. They all greeted Alphard quickly (he was busy chatting to a young career politician). And then Sirius was whisked away by his mother before he had the chance to escape; Walburga dragged him around the room, introducing him to anyone who was of any importance, like a show horse up for auction. He was questioned about his political and economic views, his take on current affairs and if he had an inclination of who he wished to take as a wife; as if he wasn't only nine years of age. Sirius knew from a very young age that he was merely a beneficiary in his mothers eyes, and it hurt the most on occasions like this where it was being fully advertised to the world.

When he was finally able to escape his mother, Sirius went to hide in the kitchens with the house elves. Which, he found, is where his brother had also taken refuge.

"You okay Reggie?" sirius questioned, startling him

"Mother told you to stop calling me that"

"Mother can go to hell" sirius spoke curtly which caused regulus to flinch

"What're you doing here anyway?" Regulus deflected from the truth- which was that he enjoyed the House Elves' company.

"Well i'm not exactly a big fan of these swoirées and neither are you by the looks of things" Sirius considered his brother for a moment. Regulus looked just like Sirius, except he could be described as rugged where his brother was more scrawny than brawny. He had the look of someone who needed to be protected. "Want a drink?" Sirius pointed at the drinks trolley next to them, filled with all kinds of alcohol

"Im seven, of course i don't want a" regulus was stopped short by his brother.

"Shut up, someone's coming! Quick, hide under here" Sirius instructed his brother as he pulled himself onto the bottom shelf of the large drinks trolley, which was concealed by a decorative cocktail tablecloth. Two men walked into the kitchen, they appeared to be guests of the party.

"I'm telling you Mulciber, it's uncouth. The biggest blood traitor there is, attending the most coveted pureblood event of the year, it's completely injudicious on Alphard's behalf!" the first man spoke.

"I think he's going mad in his old age, isn't he Dolahov? That or it's some elaborate joke soon to be revealed" the second man, seemingly named Mulciber, replied.

"Riddle won't like this when he finds out. He's going to take it as a personal assault against his creed" he paused "Where is that god forsaken house elf?" The first man, Dolahov, complained again.

"The Blacks are supposed to be in a sort of apathetic entente with us, so it definitely doesn't make sense. But who knows what goes on in that crazy old bastard's mind?" Mulciber sneered and Sirius could hear the contempt in his voice.

After grabbing a bottle of Daisyroot Draught, they both stormed off; supposedly in search of the house elves that were obviously too busy serving guests at the party, to be in the kitchens at that moment. Not fully comprehending what he had just overheard, Sirius clambered out from under the drinks trolley and resolved to focus on his original plan of the night: to make the party more fun.

"Anyway, if you don't mind brother, I'm going to go and drown my sorrows in the library." Sirius grabbed a bottle of Firewhiskey and turned on his heel, not giving Regulus a chance to protest or question his actions. In actual fact, Sirius was heading to the library, but not to drown his sorrows (as much as he wished to do so). Spending countless summers in the Black manor meant that Sirius had discovered, what he thought to be, all of the secret passageways which lead from one room to another. So he knew that in order to get to the dining room, (specifically the refreshments table) he would have to take the passage in the library, which was disguised as a portrait of Cygnus Black I. He crept through the manor, making sure not to be seen by any party stragglers, and practically barrel rolled through the doors of the library; it's fair to say that he was a fan of James Bond (Sirius' cousin, Andy, had secretly gifted him a muggle book entitled 'Casino Royale').

"Sirius?" It took a couple of seconds for Orion's brain to catch up with his eyes, "Get the fuck out!" he roared.

Sirius looked from his father, to the man he was entangled with on the coffee table, to the man's trousers (which were around his ankles), to his fathers trousers (which were unzipped) and back to his fathers face that was red with anger or embarrassment. When the shock had dissipated from Orion's face, he began to aim his wand. Sirius reacted the way most nine year olds would in this situation; he ran.

….

Sirius did end up executing his 'plan' afterall and it was a success, in his opinion; it was the reason why he was taken home early. He was just adding Gigglewater to the Pumpkin Fizz filled fishbowl when his mother had grabbed him so hard that Sirius had talon marks engraved into his neck for days after. She practically dragged him to the nearest fireplace and didn't let go until they stepped out onto the kitchen floor of Twelve Grimmauld Place. His father had followed with Regulus at his side, after seeing the commotion.

"What happened?" Orion asked, his face was as stony as Walburga's; they were unreadable.

"I have never in all my life seen such disrespect to the name of the House of Black- contaminating the drinks with merlin knows what!" Walburga suddenly exclaimed, she was furious.

"It was only Gigglewater mum!" sirius protested

"I don't care if it was water from the lake of Avalon itself! You are a foul, insubordinate, disloyal excuse for my son! Why can't you be more like Regulus? What do you have to say for yourself?" she ranted.

"Thanks mother, for your kind words, now if you don't mind i'm quite tired and would like to retire to bed" sirius said in a bored manner.

"Don't you dare speak to your mother like that" Orion snapped

"Don't I dare? Don't you dare! I know what you were doing tonight. What happened to 'Toujours Pur' father?" Sirius spat at Orion.

Now, actions speak louder than words, don't they? So Orion's fist collided with his sons' left cheek, knocking him out clean, onto the floor.