The Last Marauder Standing || Sirius Black

36-The "Truth"

"Um... okay..." I trailed off, confused as to why I felt nothing at all. Yes, I hated her, but she was one of the last family members I had left. "And... how did it happen? Um... who was involved?" I stuttered, playing nervously with my hair. McGonagall looked a bit alarmed at how calm I was.

"He-who-must-not-be-named sent his followers to your house in the night" She informed me. "It is possible they did this because, in the eyes of the purebloods, your family is what they call 'blood traitors'" She explained. "Anyone who isn't perfectly pureblooded is at risk of being hunted"

"Right..." I trailed off. What do I do now? Then it hit me. Sadie. "Did you happen to tell my sister?"

"Not yet, I was going to pull her out of class after you," She told me, but I shook my head.

"No! Please, let me tell her. I'm her only family left" I begged. McGonagall considered me for a moment, then nodded her head.

"Very well. We will at some point have to discuss living arrangements for her during the holidays" She told me, probably still shocked that I could have a normal and civilized conversation right now.

"Um... She can stay with me, of course" I told her. "I have the money for my own apartment. I was planning on moving out right after graduation anyways" I shrugged.

"Very well..." She trailed off, paused, then spoke again. "Is there anything you wanted to tell me about your grandmother?" She asked carefully. I thought back to her slapping me across the face, cutting my arm, and using an unforgivable curse on me. I shuddered just at the thought of it and hoped McGonagall didn't notice.

"Um... well, let's just say I wasn't her favorite grandchild" I shrugged, and while McGonagall looked suspicious, she didn't press further.

"Well, I am so sorry for your loss" She nodded, and I shrugged a bit, still not bothered by it. I'm hoping it was more the shock that kept me numb than me being an awful person.

"It's okay... I just need time to think... and tell my sister" I sighed. That thought made me so sad. Sadie loved Griselda so much. She was like a mother figure to her.

"I understand. You can take the day off from class if you need it" She nodded, and while I didn't really want to miss class, I felt that I should anyways. I didn't want to seem THAT heartless that I could just get on with my day after news like this. News that I was an orphan again...

"Thank you. May I go now?" I asked, and she nodded her head. I got up to leave her office and headed to one of the courtyards to clear my head. It was cold outside but I didn't care. I sat on a bench under a tree and thought about what just happened.

Griselda was gone. Forever. I tried thinking about my relationship with her before my parents died, and while I didn't see her often, she was a normal loving grandmother. Maybe I've already mourned the loss of that woman. The woman I used to love. Or maybe I just never stopped feeling like an orphan, even when I was under her care.

Once she took me and Sadie in, she changed. I always thought she was closer to Sadie because I was always away at school all year, but she always treated me like something she had to deal with rather than love. As if I made her life hell when I was home. Sadie always seems so happy with her when I'm, not around, and so shocked and confused when she was mean to me. Clearly, she had better memories of her than I did.

I tried to focus on any good memory I had of her, and I focused on my ninth birthday. Sadie was only 4 at the time, and Griselda had come over to see our family. My parents set up a party for me at home since I wasn't allowed to have any of my muggle school friends over to my magical household. Besides, I left school that year because I began showing magical abilities. I remember showing Griselda how I could make books fall off the shelves simply by focusing and talking to them, and she cheered for me. She grabbed me and hugged me and was so excited. She thought I would be sorted into Ravenclaw like her and my mum, so she gave me a Ravenclaw pin my mother wore in school. I was so excited to have it, only a few years away from attending wizarding school.