scars- r.lupin

Chapter One

(Christmas Break Second Year)

The first time he saw her wasn't something of a dream, more of a faded vision you can't quite grasp the meaning of. 

"Sirius... who is that?" Remus whispered, hiding in the dark contents of the Black household. His eyes remained on the frail girl sitting at the dinner table, her hands neatly folded on her lap as she blankly stared ahead.

"My sister," Sirius answered, as if the answer was obvious. 

"Your what?" Remus asked, nearly choking on his tongue. "You have a sister? She looks... nothing like you."

The Black household had a strict lineage of Pureblood, as in only "pure" wizards who never had any muggle affiliation. Every Black, especially living in this house, had dark hair. Yet, the girl sitting at the table looked nothing like a Black, not with her shimmering blonde hair elegantly tied back in a bow. 

"What a way with words Moony," Sirius rolled his eyes, glaring into the kitchen room where his mother was. "She's not like the rest of us here."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Remus squinted his eyes, trying to comprehend what was happening. 

"Because you're not supposed to know. Merlin, if I hadn't popped out of the womb the same time she did Mother wouldn't have told me either."

Sirius began the walk to his room before he noticed his companion still peering into the kitchen. 

"What? You have the hots for my sister?" Sirius asked. 

"No!" Remus hushed, following his friend.

"Sirius?" Walburga Black, Sirius' mother, shouted. Her voice was shrill, as if she spent most of her time using it to shout. "It is time for dinner. Send him home."

"He's staying for dinner," Sirius argued. Remus didn't talk much of his family life, but if the boys were able to figure out he was a werewolf, they were able to assume his financial situation too. 

"Sirius it's okay-," Remus whispered, grabbing his friends sleeve. "Thank you ma'am."

"I am not feeding the mouths of anyone like him. Do not argue," she threatened, not even looking or speaking to Remus. 

"I'm sorry mate," Sirius apologized, his fist clenched as he walked his friend to the door. 

Sirius was fuming. He wasn't gentle or cautious with his emotions, at least not that the Marauders had noticed. Sirius could feel his blood began to boil in seconds when it came to his mother.    

"Sit down." Walburga demanded sharply.

"I am sitting," he sneered, sitting lazily at the table and refusing to make eye contact with her.

"Look at me when I speak to you," Sirius cracked his knuckles as he forced his body towards her general direction. "Dorothea will be attending Hogwarts in the coming year."

Sirius' jaw nearly fell to the ground as his anger transformed into joy. He turned to share a large grin with his sister, who looked equally as surprised. 

"This break will be the last you speak to your sister," Walburga glared at Sirius as his smile melted away. "I do not want to hear any questions on why or how she is going. Regulus will be in control of Dorothea's life while she at Hogwarts. She will be in Slytherin and you will not associate yourself with her or any Black name."

Sirius nearly snorted at his mother's words. "Thea? In Slytherin? Good luck with that."

"You better wish to bloody Merlin your sister is sorted into Slytherin or I will kill you both," their mother shouted, eye bulging. "Go to your room. Both of you."

The two Black twins walked towards their separate rooms, but once out of their mothers eye sight, Sirius smiled reassuringly at his sister, who smiled back ecstatically . 

"You're getting out Thea," he mumbled before the two separated into their adjacent rooms. 

Once the night grew dark and Sirius was sure his parents were asleep, he tiptoed out of his room, whispering a Lumos to light up the hallway. Cracking his sister's door open, he called her name and waited for an answer.

"Sirius?" Her timid voice asked, peering from her mattress to see her twin walking in. He gently sat on her mattress, leaving his wand to brighten her room a bit.

"I'm really proud of you," Sirius whispered, wrapping his sister in a hug. "I don't know how this is happening, but I'm so glad."

"Thank you," Thea smiled. "Is it really better out there?"

"Merlin, it's so much better. She can't hurt you from out there."

"You think I'll be in Slytherin?"

"Slytherin? Not possible. You're the bravest I know, the most brilliant too. Probably the most kindhearted as well. You've got luck anywhere but there."

"I'm not brave like you Sirius."

"No, you are much braver than I am, than I will ever be. Remaining so hopeful, so kind through all of it? You deal with her shit, day after day."

Silence accompanied the room for a minute as the two sat, just enjoying the presence of each other, enjoying their connection. 

"I wish I could go with you now," Thea whispered softly, "it's a nightmare here. Worse than Azkaban."

Sirius face sadden at the words of his sister. He wished any day he could take the place of her. He might have it bad, but Merlin knows what she does to his sister. Just because she was born a different. In most magical families, a child born unlike the others are known to be a gift, talented and the lightness of her hair pointed to her good nature, supposedly. But this family didn't want good. 

"I know," Sirius sighed. "It won't be too much longer. She will be getting a lot harder on you soon. She doesn't want us close, but I'll figure out a way to mail you, to check in. Promise."

Thea nodded her head, but she knew better. She never got the letters, and her mother was certain to keep Sirius away from her now. 

"You should get some rest Thea. Have your nightmares been getting worse?"

Thea nodded her head, curling up in the small mattress on her floor. "Could you tell me more stories about school and your friends?"

Sirius didn't hesitate a second to ramble on about the latest trouble him and his friend had gotten in. Thea grew to know parts of the castle, the professors, and his friends- Peter, the sweet little boy that lacked the courage of a Gryffindor sometimes, James, who was cocky and mischievous, and in love with a redhead out of his league, and of course Remus, the brains of the group with a kind heart and a tongue whipped with sarcasm.