The (Not So) Strange Mixture

Summer 1976 (Part One)

Warnings: The Blacks and their A+ parenting, mentions of abuse, a deep conversation between Sirius and Andy about what happened, crying (because duh), and of course the pregame to Sirius's banishment. yay.

"Just keep your head up, don't let them intimidate you" Regulus whispered, pushing open the front door. Sirius nodded, having shed his jacket and tie already. The two boys entered their home, the same chill coming over their shoulders. "Mother! Father!" Regulus called, placing the house key on the entryway table. Sirius sighed, setting his trunk down by the stairs. "Ah, there are my sons" Walburga cheered, standing up from her chair in the kitchen. Regulus nodded his head. "Hello Mother" he said. Sirius nodded as well. "Now Now, why so tense boys? It's the summer, free time to enjoy your time off, and Sirius, why the tears?" Walburga wondered, approaching her sons. "Where's father?" Regulus cut it. "In his study, something about pureblood status and angry ministry workers" Walburga answered. "Well, we should leave him to his work then" Sirius agreed. Regulus and Walburga both looked back at Sirius. "If I can be excused Mother, I'd like to unpack and write to Amaryllis" Sirius interrupted. "Of course, of course," Walburga agreed. "Thank you" Sirius replied, faking a smile at her. He grabbed his trunk and rushed up to his room. Closing the door before he let a choked sob fall from his lips.

He set his trunk down on his bed as he began crying, silently whimpering. He sat down on the side of his bed, looking out the open curtained window. The bedroom door opened once more, then closed instantly. "Why the waterworks?" Walburga tutted. Sirius sniffled, wiping his eyes. "You-You wouldn't understand!" Sirius answered. "Now Now my darling heir, which one of those horrible boys hurt you...you think I couldn't see the bright red mark on your neck?" Walburga asked. Sirius reached up, gently brushing his finger over his sore throat. "Upset your friends flew the coop? Oh, they won't come back, I promise" Walburga sighed. "My friends hate me!" Sirius corrected. "Oh, poor Sirius, what happened?" she asked, mocking her concern. Sirius felt her cold, manicured hand placed on his shoulder. The grasp usually made him flinch, but surprisingly, it didn't.

"Everything went wrong! This is not what I thought school would be!" Sirius cried. He covered his face in his hands, crying into them. "Come now Sirius don't cry, you'll get wrinkles" Walburga hushed. She lifted his head, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "There, no crying, you wouldn't want to look weak around others, would you?" Walburga warned. Sirius shook his head, wiping his face a second time. "Now what happened? Who do I need to banish from that awful school?" Walburga asked. "No one! God, Mother, can't you ever think about anything but yourself!" Sirius shouted, standing again. "Pardon me?!" Walburga scoffed. Sirius leaned against the windowsill. "I betrayed all my friends and backstabbed them in an attempt to feel better about myself! Now the future of our relationship is literally up in the air and it's all my fault!" Sirius worried. Walburga stood once more. "Now come on Sirius, did you really think you'd hold them all together for long?!" she snapped. Sirius cried again, shutting his eyes. "Aw, poor pathetic, Sirius Black! Who honestly thought people would care for him!" she added, teasing him mockingly. Sirius rubbed his eyes again, turning them even redder than they were.

"Being nice gets you nothing! Did you think I had any friends growing up?! No! I knew who I was and how my life would be, and you should too!" she barked. "But-!" "You think my mother was nice to me?! I didn't like her either so what?!". Sirius turned around, facing her again. "I think you're so brainwashed by those physically damaged blood traitors that you thought they'd actually care about you! I've told you before, and I'll tell you again- no one will ever care for you beyond your status! And you've just witnessed it head-on!" she hissed, waving her arm elegantly. "I didn't mean to upset them!" Sirius corrected. "Of course, you didn't, Sirius, you could never do anything wrong...you're a Black, whatever you say...it goes!" Walburga agreed. Sirius shook his head again, crying harder. "That's not what happened at all! Why can't you just listen to me?!" he begged. Walburga scoffed, crossing her arms in front of her elegantly. "Consider yourself lucky boy! If you take another unfortunate misstep...you can consider yourself banished from this family!" she snapped. Sirius turned around again, hiding his tears from her. "And then...you truly will have...no one!" she added. She then turned and excused herself from the room. Locking Sirius in his room as she went. He began sobbing again, ducking his head into his arms.