Simply Incorrigible [S.B]

Chapter 2

He glanced down at the festively decorated ballroom from the balcony, protruding elegantly from slightly below the high ceiling, where he was standing at the moment.

The large expanse of the ballroom was filled with guests, all dressed accordingly in silk or brocades. Sighing exhaustively, he loosened the bow tie which seemed to be choking him, and went back to just looking down at what the others were doing.

The same expressionless faces, the artificial surroundings and the whole mockery of it all seemed to annoy him. Not a single person appeared to be different from the typical stereotype of the Pureblood family demeanor.

He caught sight of his mother, Walburga Black, looking around with a cleverly disguised frown on her face, clearly searching for him. Reluctantly, he trudged down the stairs to where his parents were standing along with his younger brother, Regulus. 

He seemed not to be a part of that family waiting downstairs. Neither did he ever want to be considered as a part of them.

Sirius Orion Black, eldest son of Orion and Walburga Black, brother to Regulus, pureblood, descended from the Highly Noble and Respectable House Of Black, ranking among the most influential families of the Sacred Twenty-eight and at the moment, a habitual actor acting out his part even though it was annoying him a great deal. Putting up with all this pureblood fanaticism, portraying to be a member of such a society, expressing contention while inwardly, it all was nothing but a failed joke.

Walburga was about to question him about his sudden absence, but right that moment, the gates opened and the Carrows stepped in. She restrained herself and, sending a stern look at her son, averted her concentration to the guests that had just arrived. 

Sirius's eyes swept over the elder Carrows with the same disdain but stopped on the timid person accompanying them. Arielle.

A slight smile took over his face; in the whole gathering, this one person was the only one who wasn't much into the act of it all, except him of course. She looked different to him as she didn't wear the falsely polite smile, nor did she exhibit the perfect manners of greeting the host family with a curtsy.

Instead a tiny worn-out frown was evident on her face and her foot, though invisible under that dress, was tapping the floor impatiently. As if she too, like him, wished to get out of there.

His mother was proudly introducing her other son, Regulus, to the guests present, recounting his remarkable manners and gentlemanly personality. Sirius noted that no such attempt was made on the Carrows' behalf to introduce Arielle. He figured that he was not the only odd one out of the whole gathering. She too was in quite similar conditions.

No one was interested in looking their way; the two misfits in a gathering of elites. So he decided that he may as well make an acquaintance. Approaching her, he politely extended his hand, "May I have this dance?" 

The waltz music was slowly playing in the background, some couples had taken to the floor as well.

She was startled, not accustomed to the fact that someone (other than her parents), had addressed her directly. And more so, even asked for a dance. Knowing there was possibly nothing better for her to do, she agreed.

"And this is my daughter, Arielle," Valeria Carrow turned to grab her daughter so she could be introduced but was surprised to find her gone. She caught sight of Arielle waltzing with Sirius and an unmistakable wave of disgust spread on her features.

"Well, the lad she's waltzing with is my son, Sirius," Walburga replied noticing her gaze fixed on the two of them.

"Lovely," the words came out from Valeria through gritted teeth. She knew she couldn't possibly create a scene in the middle of so many people present, all of them highly respected and noble as all Purebloods are supposed to be.