Silhouette | J.Potter

Chapter 1

My mother's room smelled like her, jasmine. Her four-poster bed recently changed with white silk sheets that matched her curtains to make her more comfortable. I sat beside my mother, holding her thin, pale green, boney hand as I listened to her laboured breathing. When my mother's eyes' fluttered open, a small smile passed onto my lips; she was hardly ever conscious these days. I felt her hand squeeze mine as I started stroking it with my thumb. Her eyes watered slightly as she stared at me.

Her top lip was burnt from sneezing sparks so that she couldn't pronounce some words clearly, but it had been long enough now that I could interpret her words easily. "Your father is Orion Black, he has two sons now and lives in rural England. I can feel death coming to take me soon; when I'm gone, seek him out. Louis will protect you, and anything else you may need is in the top draw of my desk; I love you, my darling child," Her french accent and soft tone were comforting, but her words terrified me.

I felt tears prick my eyes but I promised I would never let any tears fall in front of my mother; she didn't need to see my pain. I made sure to watch her chest rise and fall, up and down. My breath hitched when I looked into my mother's vibrant Veridiant eyes. They were the reason green was my favourite colour.

Suddenly her eyes began to close, her chest stopped rising and her eyes dulled losing all of their vibrance. My bottom lip quivered, and tears flowed. I collapsed to the floor, and I cried, never letting her smooth hand leave my grasp. That moment in the present devoured me, darkness swallowing me whole, as I mourned the future I would have without her.

~

I didn't know how much time had passed until Louis nestled his head against my side, and I saw the moon reflecting off his fur, he was a black panther acting like a lost kitten, and I needed my lost kitten. I threw my arms around him, sobs racking my body once again.

I took in a deep breath as if I hadn't taken in oxygen in a thousand years, my rib cage pressing against my lungs. I looked at my mother's body that was highlighted with the sunrise. It made my heartache, but she needed to be buried, and I need to make sure I follow my mother's final instructions.

I walked to my mother's office and, using her quill. I wrote a letter to the nearest hospital.

Cher Monsieur ou Madame,

Ma mère est décédée de Dragon Pox et nous avons besoin d'un équipage propre. Le défunt doit être enterré dans la parcelle funéraire de Clemente, dans le jardin nord.

Cordialement,

Iris Artemis Clemente

In English:

Dear Mr or Mrs,

My mother has passed from Dragon Pox and we need a clean away, crew. The deceased should be buried in the Clemente burial plot in the north garden.

Sincerely,

Iris Artemis Clemente

I called for our white dove, Estelle. Tied the letter to her leg, quickly releasing her out of my mother's skylight.

I was frozen for a moment looking at the morning sky. I have two brothers. I opened the top draw of my mother's desk. It was filled to the brim, with news clippings in both French and English, pictures of me growing up and opened letters with a different coat of arms, one a shield split into four and many others that had a "B" in the middle.

I felt light-headed, overwhelmed by the information, and then I collapsed.

I woke up, a wet tongue pressing against my cheek. I let out a loud groan. My head was aching.

I sat tense in my mother's chair and read the letters. The singular letter was an invitation to a school my mother had spoken of: Hogwarts. And the rest appeared to be from my father.

Dear Cosette Clemente,

My wife has carried her baby to infancy. I do not need our child as an heir. But as you are still carrying a member of the noble house of Black, I will financially compensate you for the child's needs. My wife knows of your pregnancy, but give the child your name as until she is of age. It would be bad for her prospects if anyone was to learn of her parentage. Teach her all things a lady of pureblood lineage should know. Any urgent letters concerning the child's health should be sent to The Black Manor.

Sincerely,

Orion Black

How cold, but I now had many more questions. I went to my room and collected my belongings on my bed, anything I needed for a month's travel and anything I couldn't live without. I opened and emptied a large leather chest that remained in the corner of my room filled with muggle objects I had collected in secret. When I was done packing my belongings, I sighed, and I was filled with a wave of sudden anger. My mother had hidden so much from me. My father chose to be absent from my life, and for all I know, going to find him would tear his marriage and family apart.

I called out to Louis. The cat pranced over to me along the cold wooden floor my mother refused to buy rugs for. I pulled the cat in close and whispered the magic phrase of my mother's enchantment into his name tag, turning him into a tiny kitten. He was now easily mistaken as harmless.

I sent Louis to our Floo fireplace and pulled the chest along the corridor. I have never been happier about my bedroom being on the bottom floor. I ran to my mother's desk and emptied the contents of her top draw into my chest. I caught a glimpse of my appearance. I looked awful. I combed through my curly hair with my fingers calming it, and I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hand to remove the obvious puffiness from hours of crying.

I stepped into the fireplace, Louis in one hand and my luggage in the other. I picked up a handful of Floo powder, my heart pounding. "THE BLACK MANOR," I screamed, careful to enunciate each word clearly.

I closed my eyes and held my breath, keeping my belongings close to my person and refrained from fidgeting; by Merlin, this felt like travelling by Floo for the first time all over again. I felt my feet land on the ground. I waited a moment to open my eyes as I heard dropping cutlery, scraping chairs, and suddenly I felt the tip of a wand at my throat. I opened my eyes to an older man with deep brown, tired eyes and dark curly hair cut neatly.

"Iris Artemis Clemente, my mother is dead," I said quickly. When the wand was removed from my throat, I let out a sigh.

"Omar, take the girls belongings to the largest guest room away from Walburga Black's chambers," A house-elf with a cut on his right cheek appeared, and teleported away with all of my possessions I had with me apart from Louis. "Sirius, Regulus this is your half-sister. My illegitimate daughter,"

I turned to my brother's, who both seemed shocked. They looked very similar, yet extremely different. I was pulled from my trance when I noticed a sudden movement, my father had jerked his hand out for me to shake. I shook his hand as I was taught to. The man ran his eyes over my appearance, his eyes paused when they reached Louis, but quickly continued their scan.

"You will go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, with us. Welcome to The Noble House of black. No Mudbloods. No half-bloods. No blood traitors. When you go to Hogwarts this September you will be sorted into Slytherin, don't disappoint the name like your older brother," I saw one of the boys wince, I assumed he was the elder. "Sage, bring in another plait and portion of lunch, Iris shall be joining us," he said his voice dull from the little speech he just made.

I released Louis from my arms and waited for a portion of food to appear so I knew where to sit.

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