Broken Crown ━ Remus Lupin (2)

PROLOGUE

— prologue —
BEFORE

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            THE BLACKS WERE a noble family whose name held much power. Known for their long heritage and being one of the last pureblooded families left, along with their prejudiced views, everyone in the wizarding community knew who they were. In some, their name struck fear, but others pride. And while they didn't have a plethora of friends, they had many acquaintances which they could hold a civil conversation with.

         The family had three children, all different but very alike if you saw them behind the closed doors and sometimes icy façades. The eldest was named Sirius, who was a disgrace to his family and practically disowned by them.

         The reason, he was sorted into Gryffindor in his first year of Hogwarts, and everyone knew that the Black family was strictly Slytherin. Walburga, the mother, constantly yelled at him and was called a blood-traitor by any Slytherin that passed him.

         Then there was Remelda, their only daughter. She was their pride and treasure, the one who would marry into a wealthy family and do nothing but tend to their children – and, of course, the marriage would have to be arranged because the family did not need her to choose someone smaller than them. No, they had it all planned. Remelda was to marry fellow Slytherin Demetri Harrow once the two finished their education at Hogwarts.

         Regulus was the youngest. He wasn't a disappointment. Just like his sister, he made the family proud by being sorted into the beloved house of Slytherin and was often seen with Lucius Malfoy and other powerful pureblooded wizards. To say that the knowledge that their youngest son was being taken on by someone as known as the Malfoys made the two parents swell was an understatement.

         It was a summer night before school started, and alone in her room, Remelda could hear her mother yelling at Sirius. She loved her brother dearly, and often flinched at her mother's harsh words that she used against him, because to her, he was the best big brother someone could ask for.

         "Good for nothing blood traitor!" her mother roared at her brother, causing her to cry and shudder. "You're just a waste of space!"

         The yelling went on for a few more hours, late into the night. Sirius returned to his room with bruised arms and slashes on his back – a gift that would never fade from his mother. He wanted to desperately to leave, but then he thought of his siblings, and he had to protect them.

         Speaking of his siblings, Remelda slipped out of her room and into his, which was just across the hall. "Sirius?" she called, her voice meek and shaking.

         At the sound her voice, Sirius put on a smile, bringing the scared girl into a hug to comfort her. He felt a dampness on his shoulder – tears from her eyes, which broke his heart. Sirius knew how much Walburga's yelling affected everyone, but usually Remelda never cried in front of him. He never questioned it, the Black siblings were taught to be brave and to never let your emotions show – and most of the time, the teachings stood.

         "Come on," he beckoned, bringing her to the bed, the little girl still rubbing her face into his shoulder.

         "A-Are you okay?" she asked in a squeaky voice.

         "I'm fine, Mel," she squeezed her tightly before releasing her, letting the little girl see his face. "Everything's alright."

         Remelda returned to her original position of hiding in his chest. The knowledge that he was there beside her wasn't enough, she had to know when he moved – had to feel him to make sure this was all real. She cursed herself for being so weak, but how could she hide it? Remelda cared deeply for him, for Sirius was her rock – her anchor. And the knowledge that he had been hurt from their mother hurt her as well.

         "I'm scared, Sirius," she admitted quietly, careful not to disturb the silence of the household. The last thing they needed was an angry Walburga in the room, claiming that she was no better than him.

         Sirius had set an example for herself and Regulus; don't be in Gryffindor, or bad things will happen to you. And although none of them truly wanted to be in Slytherin, they feared what would happen to them if they weren't.

         "Don't be afraid, there's nothing to fear," he assured her, lying them down into a more comfortable position, allowing her to curl up upon him.

         "B-But she hurt you," croaked Remelda, "what if she hurts me? Or Regulus?"

         "You know she won't do that," he tried to smile, but smiling didn't feel right in that house or the current position the siblings were in, "and if she tries, I'll protect you. Alright?"

         Remelda didn't speak, she just shook her head and balled her fist with a chunk of his shirt, gripping onto him tighter. "Okay."

         Numbly, she just continued to lay on his bed and let the tears (which started and stopped periodically) pour out onto his shirt, and Sirius played with her hair, calming her even more.

         "What's it like?" she whispered to her brother, "Gryffindor?"

         "Wonderful," he began, "It's not the house itself, it's the people in it. James is still trying to get a date with Evans, take her to Hogmeades and maybe snog her if he's lucky. Problem is, she hates his guts. He just says it's a minor detail."

         During his speech, he let out a laugh, which made Remelda look up to him in awe. The last time she heard his laugh was during the school year, since their house brought nothing but misery.

         "And then there's Remus. He's the smart guy, only deals with our crap because he has to, I think he would find new friends if he could. But he's stuck with us, and we aren't letting him go! Remus has anger issues, but we're working on it. He won't tell us what caused it, though I'm looking into it. Probably find out the reason soon. You would like him."

         "I would?" she asked quietly, her eyes still wide as she looked at her brother's happy look.

         "You would." Sirius declared. "The last of us is Peter. I don't really know how we became friends, maybe it was because we're roommates and you automatically become friends with the people you room with. At least, that happened to us. He's a good bloke, knows his way around the school and best route to the kitchen. Kind of reminds me of you. Quiet until you have something to say."

         Remelda cracks a smile. She didn't have friends like that. Maybe, yeah, she had Alfie, who seemed like the only one who she could classify as a friend. But they weren't close, not like her brother and his friends.

         "I love you, Sirius," she says so quietly that she wasn't even sure if he heard her.

         "I love you too, Mel, I love you too."