Black as Night (Sirius Black)

Hides the Face, Lies the Snake

Decided to publish this chapter on its own and not make you wait for me to write another! The second part is almost done too though and should be posted in the next day or so. Please vote and/or comment and let me know your thoughts! 😘

Chapter title from "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden
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Sirius knew immediately it was the vase. Ben had probably been showing off for his new mate Professor Snape. Rhiannon was already working to piece it back together with her expertise in housekeeping spells by the time Sirius and Colleen reached the living room.

"Ben! I'm serious about the vase— for the last time!" Colleen exclaimed. "You have a whole room full of toys— why do you insist on playing with something so breakable? You know that vase was in your father's family for a very long time!"

"I'm sorry, Mummy."

Colleen sighed and brought the boy into her arms, obviously unable to stay angry at the adorable little lad for too long. She gave a quick thank you to Rhiannon for fixing the family heirloom.

Snape raised an eyebrow in Sirius's direction, an indication that he'd witnessed Ben's magic and agreed with his assessment of what they were dealing with in terms of the boy's present and future abilities. The professors departed immediately after that, Rhiannon promising to return the following weekend to spend more time with Colleen— and bring some more books, much to Snape's chagrin.

Sirius and Colleen handled Ben's bedtime together for the first time, Sirius reading him a story about a little black dog who was friends with an owl. The boy wizard drifted off to sleep a few pages from the end, and Sirius smoothed his hair with a smile. This is what it should have been like with Harry, if he had only done things differently. The realization gave him a haunted feeling, an unease that immediately made him want to escape.

"Angel, you think we could just sleep tonight?" Sirius asked, stretching with a yawn once they reached her bedroom. He realized it was the opposite of what he'd asked her for in the kitchen, and he felt terrible. But it was an improvement; normally when these feelings hit he would have headed straight to a bar.

Colleen responded with a frown. "But Rhiannon gave me a candle and a crystal to use tonight, and Severus gave me these little gummy things that are supposed to help me practice," she protested. "The woman expects us to burn through seventeen candles, Sirius."

He laughed and shook his head. "Look at you, such a good little student. I just have a lot on my mind tonight."

"It's Rhiannon, isn't it?"

"What? Of course not. Harry, actually. I got kind of emotional, I suppose, tucking Ben in tonight. And thinking about my brother. I was asking Severus a lot of questions about him while we prepared dinner earlier. They were in Slytherin house together. Overall, he probably spent more time with Regulus than I did. I just feel like I never got to know him at all."

Sirius sank down on the bed, and Colleen immediately came behind him to rub his shoulders, kissing his head softly.

"I'm sorry, Sirius. Of course we can rest. This is all so silly anyway, when you compare it to what all is going on, and everything you've been through. Crystals and candles can wait."

She kneaded her sweet hands into his neck and he closed his eyes, concentrating on the feeling of the tension slowly releasing from his body. He was enormously thankful for her, and he knew he should show her. But when these moods struck, they held on tenaciously.

"It's not silly, and I'm excited to help you practice. I just need to take care of something first. How would you feel about visiting my house tomorrow?"