Frigus . Sirius Black (Mortem BOOK 2)

chapter thirty-eight

September 20th, 1979 - Ministry of Magic 

Now that the newest batch of trainees had taken their exams and graduated to verified Aurors, Sirius had once again resumed regular Auror business instead of being Head of Training. It was technically a demotion, but he didn't mind all that much. It got him closer to the action, to the thick of the war, and it was exactly what he needed to get his mind off of the fact that Nephera wasn't there. 

He had just finished patrols and submitted his report about what had happened, not that there was much to tell, of course. He had a few hours off work until that evening when he was joining the Prewetts and Alice in a covert operation to ambush a suspected Death Eater hangout. He knew it wouldn't work, not while people like Malfoy, Yaxley, and Dolohov still worked in the Ministry and had an arm and a leg inside Auror business. Still, Moody was taking as many precautions as he could, informing Aurors on a need-to-know basis, so maybe there was a chance. 

He was headed to the Leaky Cauldron to grab lunch with James when he heard footsteps behind him. He knew those footsteps, he used to listen for them all the time in Grimmauld Place so he knew when to come out of the room or not. In one swift movement, he had his wand in his hand, pointed straight to Orion's throat while the man himself was pinned to the wall, "What do you want?" he seethed through clenched teeth 

Anyone who knew of the raven-haired boy would testify that he wasn't scared of anything, that it was the other way around, people were scared of him. But those who really knew him, also knew that there was only one thing he was still scared of, Orion and Walburga. He couldn't help it, every time he looked at them, he was back to feeling like the five-year-old boy he was when his mother first turned her wand on him. 

But he had changed during the war, as all of them had. His anger issues had gotten even worse if that was possible, but the most important change came from when he and the rest of the boys were kidnapped by Voldemort. He hadn't cowered away from the Dark Lord, he was not about to take any of Orion's bullshit. 

The older wizard himself must've realized that, for he didn't lash out against him, "Son-" he started 

"Don't fucking call me that," 

Only then did Sirius realize his father's pale complexion, and the slight far-away look in his eyes. Orion Black would never voluntarily leave the house looking that way, looking so weak. Not unless he had no choice, "You're sick, aren't you?" he asked, stepping back 

"Your mother and I-" started Orion once again 

Sirius's glare hardened, "You're not my parents. My parents died a year ago, Monty and Mia did more for me in four years than you did my entire life," he spat 

The older wizard didn't take that too kindly, "we are the ones that brought you into this world, we are the ones who raised you-" 

"Who abused me, you mean?" 

"I gave you everything! And you repaid me by running away, by spitting on our family name! I'm offering you a second chance, now that Regulus is-" 

The second that name left Orion's lips, all self-restraint left Sirius as he drew his fist back and brought it back forwards, the noise of Orion's nose breaking filling the corridor, "Don't fucking talk about Reggie," he yelled, "Do you hear me? Don't you even fucking say his name!" 

James, who must've heard Sirius yelling, ran down the corridor and pulled him away from Orion, knowing that if anyone else were to find them it would be his brother facing the consequences, not the one who was really at blame, "Pads, pads," he grunted, "Come on!" 

With some difficulty, the curly-haired boy tore Sirius away, his eyes widening slightly at the pure anger in his grey eyes. There were very few times James had seen his best friend that angry, and it worried him deeply. Orion made a move to leave, but the Potter boy didn't allow him such a courtesy, grabbing him by the arm and tugging him closer so he could look straight into his eyes, "You come anywhere near him ever again, and I'll cut your head off and send it to that bitch of a wife you're tied to," he threatened in a low tone, "You got that?"