Cigarette Burns - Sirius Black

Ch 60: Those Three Words

Tonks returned with Morrigan to 12 Grimmauld Place. The house was in disarray as they walked through to the kitchen, laundry scattered everywhere, everyone arguing with one another. Morrigan looked at everyone shocked and confused. 

"What the hell is going on here?" She asked loudly causing few to pause their arguments momentarily. 

Remus and Sirius approached Morrigan both equally stressed. "I don't know how to make them stop," Sirius said worriedly. 

"I tried my teaching voice but nothing is working," Remus added gesturing to the arguing teens.

"Yes well seeing you stressed isn't helping them either," Morrigan pointed out. She huffed mumbling a string of curse words under her breath before standing on a chair. She yelled across the room as loudly as she could, "Enough!" 

Everyone paused and looked up at her. Before anyone could open their mouths Morrigan held up her hand commanding the rooms attention, "We will discuss why you are arguing later. Right now your parents are under a lot of stress and you lot are acting like selfish brats." Morrigan looked at the pairs arguing. "Ginny and Hermione, go sort out the laundry. Harry and Ron go dust the house and do a tidy up." 

Ron frowned, "But-" 

"I don't want to hear it," Morrigan interrupted, "go, before I tell your mother and make your lives a living hell." 

Knowing not to argue with Morrigan when she was putting her foot down the teens left the room, starting their tasks in silence. Sirius looked up at Morrigan amazed at how she managed to control the situation, "You need to teach me how to do that." 

Ignoring his praise Morrigan looked at the two men, "What the hell happened?" 

"Well Ron was getting mad at Ginny for dating Dean, so Ginny started teasing Ron about some god awful necklace he received from Lavender. Then Harry and Hermione started bickering as they were telling each other to confess their hidden love for the Weasleys, and none of them would listen to us," Remus explained his expression showing how exhausting it was looking after the teens. 

"And the house is in such a state because?" 

"Honestly I don't know," Sirius said running a hand through his dark hair, "I don't know how Molly does it." 

"Alright well I'm here to cook, in the meantime tidy up the kitchen and keep an eye on everyone." 

Everyone complied with her orders, sensing that she wasn't in any mood to have a debate or argue with any of them. So they left her be, leaving her to hum to herself as she cooked dinner for the large group of people living at the house. 

It didn't go unnoticed by Sirius that something was troubling her. He could tell by the way she would blankly stare at the pans and then scrunch her nose ever so slightly. He glanced at Tonks who looked at the girl with a pity filled expression. He walked over to Tonks and spoke quietly hoping Morrigan wouldn't be listening in to their conversation, "Is she alright?" 

"She's stressed," Tonks explained, "her grandparents left her their Manor and a bit of cash, but it came with a condition." 

"A condition?" 

"She can only claim her inheritance after she has her first child." 

Sirius frowned, "Why is she in a rush to get the inheritance?" 

"I think the pubs going under," Tonks sighed, "you should have seen the leaky cauldron, it was completely empty except for Morrigan and I. Everyone's too scared to leave their homes. People are terrified. Muggles too I suspect."