𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 ━ Golden Trio Era

━chapter 6

Chapter 6
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SIRIUS WATCHED HIS GODKIDS, THE REMAINDER OF HIS PANIC FAILING TO DISSIPATE. Specks of anxiety clutched onto his shoulders, but the man was unable to wash it off, too attached to the familiar feeling.

His eyes refused to leave the bandages wrapped around Adhara's arms; her hands clenched so firmly that Sirius wondered if her nails would rip through the gauze.

Harry sat in front of her, watching her intently. Unlike Sirius, who was too consumed with fear to find his usual mask of anger that he used as armor, Harry had no trouble being angry.

His godson heaved in a deep breath. Finished with his shouting, with his crying, he had nothing else to say. He was still mad because that was a trait he shared with Sirius: getting angry at the world when it got too unfair.

Harry was angry, but no words were exchanged between both teens. Maybe it was because they were aware of Sirius' presence outside the room. Or maybe they just didn't know what to say.

Adhara, on the other hand, wore a blank mask. She revealed nothing. If it wasn't for her shaking fingers that were curled tight, Sirius wouldn't be able to tell she was troubled.

There was a scar on her neck, almost like a fissure on her mask. Sirius wondered if it would reveal anything.

Adhara was hard to read. Regulus was hard to read, too, but there was a time when he wasn't. A time when his little brother would look at him with his big grey eyes, and Sirius instantly knew what went on inside his head. No words were necessary.

But that was before. Before...well. Before everything.

Sirius stepped away, leaning against the wall. He let his eyes slip shut. Adhara's vacant eyes lingered in his mind. It amazed him just how much she reminded him of Regulus sometimes. Every time he looked at her, Sirius was hit with a pang of guilt.

For failing her, for failing Regulus. Guilt, pain, dread. A bitter taste on his tongue. The throbbing in his head was becoming louder and louder, and he didn't know what he had to do to diminish it.

A brother he killed. A child he let down.

Sirius managed to do that twice.

"Sirius."

He didn't bother to reply.

Remus continued to talk to him anyway. "I spoke with the Grangers. Turns out Adhara's stayed with them before. She'll feel more comfortable here."

Sirius' head hurt. Of course, Adhara felt more comfortable here. Why would she want to live in the same house as the man who failed her?

He failed Regulus once. And now, he did the same with Adhara.

"Another thing. You'll have to go to Aleyne. We didn't exactly have the opportunity to bring her stuff with her."

However, unlike Regulus, Adhara was here. Sirius still had time to make things right.

"Their caretaker, 'Matron' they called her. She might try to sue for kidnapping."

There was once a time when Sirius would do anything to separate himself from his last name.

Sirius snorted. "Sue me? For what? She hurt my niece. If anything, she should worry about me pressing charges."

"Will you? Press charges, I mean?"

But with his name came power. And power seemed to be quite useful.

Still leaning on the wall, Sirius rolled his head around to finally look at his boyfriend properly. "The Ministry wrongfully imprisoned me for twelve years. They kind of owe me a thing or two."