Trust No One ~ ON HOLD

Howlers & Biscuits for Breakfeast

8:35 a.m.
September 2nd, 1971
Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, Scotland

James and Sirius were wrestling for the last biscuit while Peter watches and cheers them on. Remus, on the other hand, was shaking his head at them, eating his sandwich combined with 4 different flavours. A grey and white owl holding a red envelope files to Sirius's direction. Sirius and James look up and see Sirius's cousins from the Slytherin table, looking directly at him and the howler as if they expected it. Bellatrix, his cousin in 7th Year, who has curly, black hair and grey eyes staring at him with a mock of disapproval. Narcissa, his other cousin who was in 6th Year, looked almost concerned or pitied him but brushed it off like it was dust. She had piebaldism, making her hair have a white streak underneath. Next to Narcissa was Lucius Malfoy, a 6th Year who happened to be Narcissa's future fiancé. It was an arranged marriage put together by the Malfoys & Blacks though they seem to be falling for each other slowly. It will be finalised during winter break. Sirius takes a deep breath to calm and prepare himself then rips the howler open.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK THE THIRD! HOW DARE YOU DISGRACE THE NAME OF BLACK! YOU HAVE DISAPPOINTED THE WHOLE FAMILY IN ONE DAY! FIRST, CONSORTING YOURSELF WITH BLOODTRAITORS AND FILTHY MUDBLOODS THEN GET SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR! YOU WILL DO WELL TO RESTORE OUR NAMESAKE! YOU DISAPPOINTING-!

Before the howler could finish the Gryffindor Prefect, Frank Longbottom muttered, "Incendio" burning it to ashes. Sirius started at the pile of ashes with a blank face then got up. James quickly followed him then Remus then Peter who quickly grabbed a few pasties.

Bellatrix tells Narcissa to come with her to talk to Sirius. Narcissa finishes her tea and tells Lucius she'll be right back. She tries on her robe and shirt and heads out the Great Hall. "Sirius!" She calls after him. He doesn't look back. "Sirius!" She tries again as they walk closer to him and the others. Bellatrix grabs his ear and yanks him to look at them.

"Sirius, you don't ignore us. That is highly disrespectful. Okay?" Bellatrix said a very obvious fake sweet voice.

"What do ya want?" Sirius said which earned another yank.

"Try again." Narcissa spoke this time.

"How can I help you, my dear cousins," Sirius obviously said the last part mockingly. Bellatrix went to yank his ear again but Narcissa stopped her.

"Your mother wrote to us, she wants you to have lunch in the Slytherin Common Room." Narcissa says in a snobby way, pointing her chin up. Sirius winces at the words "Mother" & "Slytherin."

"When?" He says in a quiet voice.

"Tomorrow." Narcissa answers. Sirius nods. A long pause of silence as Narcissa and Bellatrix stare them down. Once they are satisfied, they will be the group of boys alone in the corridors.

"Chéri, are you alright?" Peter asked him, hesitantly putting his hand on shoulder like he's seen his father do with his ... well some family members. Sirius only offers a small smile to Peter.

"Do you want to head back to the dorm?" James offered.

"Yeah sure."

~ Meanwhile ~
9:35 a.m.
September 2nd, 1971
12, Grimmauld Place

Polaris was doing ballet practice and Regulus was practising piano playing Für Elise by Beethoven as usual until Orion told them they would practice for an additional 2 hours. Their regular practice hours were 5 - 5 1/2 hours but whatever to please their parents they supposed. Orion handed the tutors an extra 100 galleons. Tomorrow, they would switch places so Regulus did ballet while Polaris did piano. The following days would be the same just with different lessons like violin or learn a different language unless they had a performance.

Walburga was dealing with the rest of the Black family as they drilled her with questions. Questions like, "Is it true? Is Sirius really in Gryffindor?" "How could you let this happen?" "Will Regulus and Polaris turn out to be the same?" She felt pressured. She didn't want to disgrace the Nobel & Most Ancient House of Black. She dreaded what they thought of her. She knew she couldn't and shouldn't blame Sirius but she felt too pressured and needed someone to blame. She constantly wondered if she was good enough. She took her Uncle Lycoris's advice to make sure Regulus and Polaris do not turn out to be like Sirius. She now made them practise for 7 hours instead of 5, read their family history & books against mudbloods, preach their ideals of how mudbloods should be exterminated. The most unfortunate was when they were told Sirius had disgraced their namesake and were not allowed to speak to him until summer or Christmas if she was in a good mood which was rare.

She was a court scribe for the Ministry thanks to her Uncle Arcturus and Aunt Melania. Her family wanted her to have a good, respectable job which she enjoyed. Orion, on the other hand, was a cursebreaker. He became one for Polaris shortly after a certain incident involving her and Walburga. He originally was Arithmancer which he didn't enjoy as much as being a cursebreaker.

Walburga watches as Polaris attempts to perfect the Sissonne for the next play for her and Regulus are performing next month on the 3rd for Sirius's birthday. Polaris was unable to balance herself on the one-foot landing. She smiled before she caught herself as she remembered how she too struggled with the landing and balancing with the Sissonne. She turned her slightly to the right, leaning against the doorframe and watched as Regulus was rehearsing the Für Elise but kept missing one of the keys. It was supposedly one of Sirius's favourite songs or so he says.

A/N: Piebaldism is a condition making certain areas of the body like eyes, hair, and/or skin color become lighter than the natural/original color usually white. It is caused by melanocytes which is the absence of cells. - Source: MedlinePlus on Google.
Link: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/piebaldism/
Cheri means darling in French - Source: Google Translate
I searched ballet stuff so hopefully I used Sissonne correctly.