Some Day | Wolfstar

Ten - part one

(10 years old)

"No, mother. I don't want to learn the Dark Arts. Why do I have to learn the killing curse? I'm not going to kill anyone!" Sirius huffed.

Walburga Black stepped towards her firstborn, and placed a hand on his cheek, tracing the soft skin with her thumb. Sirius looked up at her smiling face. In a second, he cried out as a searing pain shot across his cheek. He stumbled back, holding his face.

"You hit me," he whispered, and tears welled up in his eyes. "Sharp observation skills, Sirius. Next time you dare say no to your mother, you will find yourself on the wrong side of her wand," Walburga threatened.

"Now, how do you pronounce the killing curse, Sirius?"

The little boy stared at her in defiance, lips pursed.

"You know your mother does not like repeating herself, don't you?" Walburga Black said softly. Sirius felt his mouth go dry. He wanted to run, but he knew it would only make things worse.

The little boy gasped when the witch pointed her wand at him. He saw the green electricity shoot from its tip, but was still surprised when it struck his chest.

He couldn't breathe.

He opened his mouth. Mother...

When he fell to his knees, Walburga laughed. "Weak, weak, weak!" she hissed. Sirius could only see her black skirt as she looked over him.

"Tell. Me. The. Killing. Curse."

"No," Sirius gasped. He had taken it so far. He could take some more. But he didn't know what hit him next, as he slumped on to the floor unconscious.

***

"Master, master!" Sirius opened his eyes. His whole body ached, and someone was shaking him. It was Kreacher, their house elf. "Thank the heavens, master is not dead!" He clapped. "Now I must leave, mistress Black wanted only to know if you were not dead."

Sirius realised he was not in his room. He couldn't recognise where je was. It was quite dark and very, very cold. There was only a half burnt candle, no fireplace.

Sirius curled up on the hard wooden floor, and fell asleep again. At least three hours had passed when he was woken up again.

"Sirius?" A small voice. Soft and trembling.

Ignoring the burning ache in his limbs, Sirius sat up. "Hey, Regulus," he grinned, opening his arms for his little brother. "Did she hurt you?" Regulus whispered as Sirius held him tightly. "No, no she didn't," Sirius whispered back.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Regulus wiggled out of his grip and reached into his pocket. "Mother said you wouldn't be given food. Only water. So I brought you a chocolate frog," he smiled. Sirius would've liked something less sweet, but he was too hungry to complain.

"It's Morgan, again," Regulus pouted. He had four of her cards.

"Maybe some other day," Sirius ruffled his hair, and popped the entire frog in his mouth at once.