Afraid || Sirius Black [1]

80

Waking up the next morning Sirius headed to the bathroom doing his business and exiting after cleaning his hands. On his way back to Madison's room he bumped into Lochlan who was heading to the stairs. "Oh, morning, Sirius, sleep well?" He asked the boy, stopping on the top step.

Sirius nodded, "I did, thanks Mr Parker."

"I told you, call me Lochlan." The man smiled, "actually, do you mind if I have a little chat with you? Down in the kitchen?"

Sirius nodded, following Maddie's father, thankful he decided to pull a shirt on before leaving the bedroom. The men entered the kitchen, Lochlan putting the kettle on and motioning for Sirius to sit. "Is everything okay?" Sirius asked, nerves starting to form.

Lochlan made himself some tea and Sirius some too how the boy had the night before and joined Sirius at the table.

"Yeah, I just wanted a talk without the girls. Don't worry it's not one where I'll threaten to kill you if you hurt Maddie, but I will if you do. I just wanted to check up on Maddie, and not from her point of view." Said the man sipping his tea. "After what she had told us last year when Dumbledore requested us to come to the school, Maddie needing to talk to us. She said she didn't want to go back to Hogwarts. I just want to know how she has been this year, I heard about the suicide of one of Mattei's friends."

Sirius nodded completely understand where Lochlan was coming from. "I get you, I think Maddie is doing okay. She was upset at the death of Edvardus but nothing compared to Mattei. She hasn't really been upset or anything other than that. In fact, she's been rather happy to be fair."

"That's good to hear. She tells us a lot but I know she is keeping things behind. It gets me worried, you see, she's our only child and very sensitive. She always has been. We think it's down to her mother's father dying. They were very close, like two peas in a pod and when he died unexpectantly one night when Madison was actually staying at his house, her grandmother dying years before, Maddie went to wake him up and found him there. She was only four, she didn't know what had happened and was there for hours trying to wake him, crying because he wasn't and when we went to pick her up we found her and she wouldn't let go of him.

She didn't sleep much did she? She didn't eat either when grieving did she?"

Sirius was shocked. He wasn't expecting to find out his girlfriend found her grandfather dead at the age of four. However, it did make things much more clearer. It was a reasonable explanation for why she was so sensitive.

"She didn't. We practically force fed her the smallest bits of food. As for the sleeping, she stayed in with one of us each night. We took turns so that we all got the chance to sleep as well because she didn't sleep well at all. Especially the first night. M-Remus had her for the first week straight and he was falling asleep whilst walking."

Lochlan was skeptical about the idea that Madison shared a bed with all of her friends especially the boys (except Remus and now Sirius), he obviously still wasn't aware of his daughters sexuality and how being in with the girls could have other consequences as well, despite the fact the girl was grieving.

"Right. Thank you for that, at leat I know she was okay..." he glanced at the door at the sound of movement from upstairs until a door shut a moment later the shower was turned on. "Erm...however I did notice, she has cuts on her arms....do you know where they came from?"

Sirius stiffened, freezing at what he had been asked. He wasn't sure whether he should tell Lochlan the truth or not. He knew he had the right to know, being her father and all but he still wasn't sure. "Please, Sirius, just tell me she doesn't hurt herself."

"She doesn't." Sirius stated quickly.

Lochlan was confused, "then how did she get them? Did someone do it to her, was it the tournament?"

The boy got an idea, "she got it from the tournament, she fell on a rock getting the egg back in the first task, scratched her arms up badly."

"I don't remember seeing them this time last year."

"She covered them up, she normally does with makeup or a charm that she found in a book. I keep telling her that she wouldn't, they don't change her looks or anything and that she shouldn't be ashamed of them. They show bravery but she won't have none of it. Maddie is rather stubborn."

"She gets that from her mother."

"No she does not! She gets that from you! 'Oh honey I will make breakfast, but you'll burn it, 'no I wont, yes you will, no I won't!' So blooming stubborn." Chuckled Darcy entering the room. "Anyway, you don't want to keep talking about her, she just got out of the shower and will be down in a minute." She winked and began to prepare breakfast.

Lochlan shook his head, "You're lucky I love you." He stood up and kissed his wife's cheek, "I'm going to go get a paper from the shop." He grabbed his coat and left the house.

"Sleep well, dear?" Asked Darcy who began to fry some bacon.

"I did, thank you." Sirius replied just as Maddie entered. "Morning, sleepyhead."

"Morning, Mam, morning, P-Sirius." She greeted the boy with a kiss on the cheek and sat beside him. "Ma' can you do my hair please?" She asked as her hair dropped down her top.

"I'll do it." Said Sirius taking his wand from his pocket, which he strangely took with him to the bathroom when he first woke up. He used the charm to dry her hair.

"Thank you, I forgot you're of age now." Maddie smiled leaning her head on his shoulder. "What were you doing up anyway? You normally a late riser."

"I needed the toilet this morning and on my way back to bed I bumped into your dad, we had a little chat and some tea." Sirius replied placing his arm around the girl. "What time are the others getting here?"

"Around ten why? Oh, let me guess. You're missing your boyfriend?"

Darcy choked on the coffee she had made and began to drink. "I'm sorry?" She turned to her daughter.

Madison giggled, "Oh didn't I mention. Sirius has a boyfriend, James, James Potter. He's straight for me but gay for James."

Darcy tutted, "one day your little jokes will get you in some deep trouble, missus."

Madison continued to giggle, "I couldn't resist. No homo, though. I except all. Remus is coming over around nine," she said to Sirius, "Lyall and Hope are staying too, keep my parents company. Mam, is Harley over?"

Darcy nodded, "Yes, I believe so, I think the little monkey asked to spend the holidays with her aunt and uncle. I don't suppose she fancied going on a trip to Italy when she had the option to see Remus, Lyall and Hope. She'd choose them over the world."

"I love Harley, she's so cute!" Gushed Madison, "don't you think, Sirius?"

"Very."