Regulus Black- Drowning

Lestrange Manor

(Authors note: I wasn't sure but I've put Andromeda as 17 in her last year in Hogwarts, Cissa is 5th year and Bella graduate a year prior making her around 19. Also the current time is just before Siri goes to Hogwarts so probably around 1970 September, so he hasn't had his letter yet as he's a November baby and I think he would start September '71)

Lestrange Manor could easily rival the size of Grimmauld place. Its ornate pillars framed an entrance into the grand house. It was an old victorian style building and its pointed roofs gave it the appearance of a castle, a haunted one at that.

It was the type of place muggle children would fear and cower from but for a certain almost eleven year old it was an empire to conquer with tricks and trouble. Where others saw an institution of insanity, Sirius Black saw opportunity.

For the first time in what seemed like forever Sirius began to see the bright side. The light at the end of the tunnel was no longer clouded by a mist of Black and he had to admit it felt nice having something to look forward too. He wouldn't be silenced or stopped and he would not be broken, He was who he was and he was finally starting to like that.

Regulus Black hastily pulled away from his mother's arm when the dizzy feeling of side apparation faded. He scrambled so quickly he hardly saw where he was going until he caught sight of the gaudy home.

"Regulus!" Walburga hissed at him a look of dissatisfaction found refuge on her sharp face. "Blacks do not stare!" She scolded before grabbing his frail wrist in her pale,bony hand and pulling him inside.

Sirius followed his Mother also, Orion walked behind Sirius almost as if to make sure he wouldn't 'do a runner' As Sirius had once been caught joking about. He hadn't meant it, he hadn't had he?

His parents guided him and Regulus through the building passing many hunched over house elves on the way. Sirius wrinkled his nose, he had never been fond of house elves.

Regulus and his brother were brought to a doorway when Orion cleared his throat and instantly both boys turned in attention.

"You are both permitted to walk the grounds before the ceremony starts." He spoke as if rehearsed, his face gloomy. "You are to make no scenes, messes or general inadequate behaviour" he continued directed more so at Sirius than Regulus.

Regulus looked unsettled at the idea of being alone in a house which honestly felt as though it would swallow him alive but he tried his very hardest to look unfazed.

On the contrary Sirius saw once again an opportunity, the universe had practically given this to him and as long as he had a say in it, it would not go wasted.

Soon a high pitched squeal brought Sirius out of his thoughts. He became more aware of his surroundings and looked around the large darkened dining room, he saw a pretentious black wood table, carved vines snaked up the legs and flowers into the middle of the table where the crest of the sacred 28 stood engraved in the wood.

His eyes eventually landed on the source of the mysterious squeal as Andromeda Black forced him into a tight embrace, pulling him away from his family, from Regulus and into a corridor.

She was far and away his favourite cousin and boy did she know it.

She had fair skin permanently painted with a bashful blush. Her smile was soft and so unlike that of her mother's and sister's, it seemed to light up her family inherited cloudy blue eyes. Her ash brown hair held a voluminous wave that on occasion even Sirius found himself envying.

To put it plainly, she was pretty though that hardly gave her ethereal beauty justice.

"SIRI!!!" She squeaked again her tone almost unnaturally enthusiastic. She pulled away and held him by the shoulder to view him. Her eyes searched his and he couldn't help but let out a laugh at her antics.

"Andy!" He smiled back, her positivity was quite frankly contagious. Despite her being almost seventeen and about to graduate Hogwarts she somehow maintained a certain aura of childlike wonder and endearment. He was soon pulled in for another hug.

"How are you?" She questioned happily though her eyes held a note of concern.

Sirius felt it would be wrong to spoil her joyous mood so he simplified his answer.
"Good." He said plainly "I'm excited about Hogwarts!" He said much more upbeat now he did not have to fake his excitement.

Andromeda seemed to practically light up with glee. "Oh!!! Sirius you'll simply love it!" She chatted passionately "The food is amazing! The rooms are pretty so are the grounds! And the classes- oh the classes!!" She quickly got caught up in her joy but Sirius tried his very best to follow.

"And Siri, there's a town called Hogsmede with the best joke shop ever!!! It's called Zonko's and you'll be.. like ... In love with it!!!" She rambled uncontrollably.

He smiled to himself for a moment as he observed her open joy, people like Andy in the type of world they grew up with were rare. That sort of raw energy and unfiltered emotion was so scarce in the families they were raised in. A part of Sirius always feared he would lose his sirius-ness but looking at the way Andromeda had somehow remained so unflinchingly happy gave him hope.

"-The Slytherin common room is a bit cold but it has a lovely view of the Black lake!" She continued to talk.

"The Black lake?" Sirius chimed back in.

"Oh!! It's SO COOL! It has real life mermaids and a giant squid!" She seemed to be even more ecstatic at Sirius interest.

For a moment there in the bleak corridor Chatting with Andy, Sirius forgot about where he was or what he was doing. There was no blood purity or sacred 28. It was just him and Andy. For the first time in a while he was simply Sirius and he loved it.