Pawns & Players - Sirius Black

-25-

The war of good and evil is mightiest in mightiest souls, and even in the darkest time, the heart will maintain its right against the hardest creed  - James Anthony Froude

She walked her way silently inside the dark room the figure was sitting, leaning over an ancient bronzed picture. A young woman in a wedding dress standing next to a man, seemingly her husband, a faint smile tainted her lips but the mournful dark eyes denied it. She must've sensed her entrance as she spoke, eyes still locked on the picture.

"My parents forced me to marry your father when I was 16" Her voice wasn't sad, or regretful, simply emotionless, as if the soul that kept her alive was gone and the body was carrying death inside.

She didn't feel pity. Maybe she should have. She couldn't lean in to comfort her. Instead, the so despised truth had found its way out.

"Why are you doing it then ?"

Finally lifting her head from the picture and directing herself to her daughter, she looked up.

"You know how it feels, you know what it does. Why do you do it ?"

"If they had let me I would have married a Muggle. Words couldn't convince the youth out of me. That day I discovered that some things are necessary" Placing the old picture back into the box, she stood up, straightening her long skirt, she continued.

"Your father was always perfect, the perfect pureblood son every family wanted, I wasn't, and I felt that every day of my life" 

Her voice had started to handle more emotions and her pensive narration reflected her past.

"We are no ordinary people with great responsibility and no choice. Be unfair, be corrupt, but never weak."

-

August 7th, 1974. Everything was as dull as always, the curly set of hair sitting on the balcony next to her had grown over the summer, his piercing eyes resembled his older brothers' but had a smaller face with a sharper jawline compared to him, much less cheerful than a year ago, he turned his head towards her.

"Sirius was worried, you never visited us"

"I spent the summer in France with an old family friend, mother couldn't stand my music taste I would say" She laughed, throwing the cigarette held between her hands off the balcony to the dark in front of her. "Your uncle Alphard is a prodigious man by the way. Send my greetings with a Rolling Stones album the next time you see him, will you"

"I'm going to try out for Quidditch this year"

"Too bad you'll have to play against me"

"You might be a great seeker, but so am I."

Both had challenging eyes but the girl decided to change the subject as the short leather dress she was wearing didn't allow her to dive after the Snitch.

"What happened to the Niffler I gave you a few years back ?"

"Her name is Persimmon," His voice sounded slightly offended indicating he had already told her that name before. "And she's doing great. I bring her to Hogwarts with me every year"

"That's interestin-"

"You could've written us a letter." His eyes finding the moon back again. "Sirius went to your house every day and your mother would never answer his questions. I was worried sick, thought you were at St. Mungo's"

"I wanted to"

"Why did they send you to France ?"

"You know my mother, everything ends in a fight with her."

"She likes to control you, why would she send you to another country ?"

"They found my letters with Lily"

"Why didn't they just lock the owl ?"

"They did. The letters kept going in and out"

His wondering eyes were following the girl, disappear back into the ballroom, inviting him with her tilted head, and giving him a suggestive look, they approached the music where the other brother was standing, waiting for them.

He had grown taller and his broad shoulders and chest made him look older than his actual age. Resting his back loosely on the table behind him, he was speaking with an elderly woman, laughing rather charmingly when he excused himself to come next to them.

"Flirting with a 45-year-old woman Black ? Low, even for you"

"What can I say Alexander I'm a dog, but unlike you, I'm nearly fifteen and show interest to people in my level of maturity" Fixing his collar politely and grinning arrogantly, he answered back.

"You show no interest in anyone, and don't turn 15 until November so calm down"

"Spending the summer with an alcoholic seems to have left its smell" He remarked, surprising both his brother and the girl in question.

"You knew about that ? How and why didn't you tell me ?"

"Reggie, my dear brother, you were too busy kissing mother's arse all summer, and uncle Alphie loves me more than you."

"He couldn't tell anyone" 

"And of course he always follows the instructions given to him, but even to me he only told after a month or so"

"I wasn't kissing her arse, just being nice to her after you drove her mad all summer"

"By doing what exactly ? Saying that killing innocent humans wasn't the best way to spend our time ? Listening to music from my room ?"

"That wasn't music. You bought an entire bewitched sound system to make sure no one heard anything except electronic guitar and screaming men, what were you waiting for her to do ?"

"Good one Black"

"I know Alexander"