Power

Chapter Fourteen

Seraphina left the picture in her daughter's room.
After Sister returned home from her date with a boy named Harold and told her mother every detail, she went to her room.
"I don't like the dude." Brother said.
I think he's charming.
"Yeah, you thought Tom was charming too."
Sera shot him an unamused look, but he looked very amused with himself.
A door down the hall banged open and Sister barged out.
"Mother, what is this?" She held the picture out.
I thought you might like it.
"Is that my father?"
Brother sat up straight from his slumped position on the couch at his cousin's question.
Yes.
"Why now, Mum?"
I figured it was time. Was I wrong?
"No. Tell me about him." She grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her to the couch, looking at her with the curiosity that is so beautiful on the face of an innocent child. "Mum?" She asked, holding both of her mother's hands in hers.
But how would one tell their daughter that her father was, more or less, the epitome of evil?
How did one tell her daughter that her mother was even worse?
"You have his hair." Brother said. "Dark and curly, except your father's was curlier."
Seraphina had half expected Brother to interlope in their conversation and tell the truth, but he had done the exact opposite.
And Seraphina was not about to ruin it with the truth.
He adored you.
But that was the truth.
"He was... ambitious." Brother said.
He was brilliant.
"He was powerful--a great wizard."
He was... Seraphina stopped talking. She had been going to say Tom was a "good man," but she realized that he wasn't, not really.
When I was your age, I had this boyfriend. Seraphina, a stickler for eye contact, broke her daughter's gaze. His name was Isaiah, and he... He raped me. Tom--your father--knew, but that's it. He just kind of figured it out. I didn't learn this for years, but apparently he gave Isaiah a piece of his mind.
She left out the part about her killing him.
"You were r-raped?" Sister asked.
"Where is he now?" Brother demanded.
Seraphina looked up to her nephew, looking and feeling like a frightened child.
Sirius looked murderously angry.
He's dead.
"I hope it was painful." He growled.
It wasn't.
"It should have been--Is that when you stopped talking, Aunt Sera?"
No. It was later.
A couple minutes later, but still later.
"I'm going on a walk." He said, and walked out.
"Mummy, did you just lie to him?" Sister asked.
No. What's wrong?
"I'm sorry, Mum. That's terrible." She threw her arms around her mother.
It's okay. If you don't want to know, I can erase your memory of it.
"No. I want to know. You're my hero. I love you."
I love you too, darling.
And she wiped her memory.
When Brother came back in to find his cousin as though everything was okay, he gave his aunt a withering glare.
"Mum, I need to speak with you."
He was so angry he didn't realize he slipped up.
Seraphina followed him out. Yes, dear?
"Why is this the first I'm hearing about this?"
It's not something I go around telling everybody.
"Why didn't you tell me before he died? I would have--"
Keep your soul innocent, darling. Please.
"I would have killed him." He said anyways.
That would be rather difficult, as I did that years before you were born.
He looked surprised.
He shouldn't have been.
He knew his "Mum" was a murderer.
Do I need to Obliviate you as well, Brother?
"No."
Is that all you wanted to talk about?
"Y-Yes."
Don't mention it to Sister or Vivian.
"Yes ma'am."
Seraphina nodded.
"I... I'm sorry I called you Mum. I didn't mean to. I..."
It's okay, darling. Seraphina smiled.
"I love you, Aunt Sera. I don't... agree with most of what you believe, and I feel like a horrible person every time I come over here but I keep fucking coming back and it's all your fault." He said, angry once again.
I'm sorry.
"Why me, Aunt Sera? You kill people. Why are you so damn nice to me? How do you love me and Sister and Vivian like you do and then go and kill people? I don't understand--I have to get out of here." He turns to walk out.
She grabs his arm. It's okay, Sirius. You're safe here. You're safe from me here. I promise.
"I know, and that's even worse."
I'm sorry you feel that way.
"I'm going to be gone for a while."
Where are you going?
"I can't tell you. Don't let Sister get angry with me."
She probably will be.
"I know. I just really have to go somewhere."
To Harry Potter?
"You said I was safe from you!"
That wasn't Legilimency, Brother, that was me knowing you. It's okay. I won't harm the boy. He's safe. I do all I can to protect him.
"... You do?"
Yes. I don't want you hurt.
"T-Thank you, Aunt Sera."
Of course.
"You should remind me of this stuff when I'm being an asshole. You shouldn't let me act like that."
You're a grown man.
"And I'm an asshole. Promise you won't hurt Harry?"
I never would.
He nodded. "Okay. Then maybe I won't be gone so long."
They went back into the living room where Sister sat over stationary.
"What's with the pensive look, Sister?"
"I think I want to date Theo."
You just had a date with Harold.
"But Theo."
"Why don't you date neither? You don't need a boyfriend."
"But I want one."
You don't need one, darling. You're an independent young woman.
Sister smiled, as she did every time her mother gave her a compliment. "Thank you, Mum."