cloudy with a Chance of freedom

chapter 15

Skull grinned at the caged traitor with the gaze of a snake about to devour a particularly unfortunate mouse.

Blaise looked at the rat with an expression of dawning realization as to the true nature of the creature. Viper was purely impassive.

"A true pity I cannot experiment on him properly," sighed Verde.

"As much fun as that would be, he's still of some use. I won't chance those sheep keeping Sirius in that place with how foolish the so-called 'justice' system is in the enclaves," said Skull. "That being said, odds are that no one will complain if we cite that he owes us a blood debt and just happens to disappear after people no longer care about him."

Verde's grin was positively insane.

"Why couldn't you have been this interesting from the start?"

"Because these fools nearly broke me and I had no reason to indulge in my Black heritage. Took a few decades as the Cloud Arcobaleno for certain 'morals' to die off properly and for me to enjoy dealing with scum like this. Besides, if we time this properly then Snape will have patented the potion recipe I gave him right as Sirius meets Remus again," said Skull.

"Why should that matter?"

"Because Sirius will read the tagline I gave Snape about how I see werewolves right before Lupin goes to apologize for not trusting him and might drive him to the point that Lupin will hex him on principle."

Because there was no way in hell Sirius Black would ever pass up a chance to annoy the hell out of his last remaining friend by making several comments about how the werewolf curse was the "furry equivalent of a communicable period". If he had managed to retain enough of his old self to make those horrible Sirius/serious puns, then he would latch onto that line in a heart beat just because he could while lamenting that no one thought of it while they were in school so James could join in.

"I still can't believe you compare the werewolf curse to a woman's period," said Viper in fond annoyance.

"Just be glad I'm not letting Cygnus have the chance to marry you off to someone who might be one of our cousins because your core has been fixed," said Skull.

"What?!" said Viper.

"I got a letter from Arcturus saying Cygnus and Druella were planning to use their status as your grandparents to start making inquiries about marrying you off to better the family," said Skull. "Which fell through almost immediately for several reasons, chief of which the fact that they threw you out under false pretenses and I took you into my branch of the family as my sister. According to Arcturus and the goblins, I can reject any marriage proposals made by them despite the fact they're your grandparents."

Viper looked very relieved at that. She wanted nothing to do with the people who kicked her out so callously on the streets when she was a child. All because of circumstances that had never been in her control to begin with.

"That being said, Arcturus made it clear that he expects you to marry in a way that benefits the family or at least have a contract drafted up to an acceptable male before he croaks."

Viper looked somewhat displeased hearing that, but she trusted Skull not to marry her off to someone completely intolerable.

"You have someone in mind, I hope."

"Fon. It keeps them from pushing one of their girls on me who would only marry me out of duty, and it means I know you'll be in good hands. And if I word it right then everyone will be happy, since I think you two would make a cute and slightly terrifying couple."

Verde coughed into his hand and looked away. He remembered the discreet flirting between Fon and Viper, before the curse put a sudden and painful halt to it. Fon still liked Viper, but she had put so much effort into breaking the curse that their feelings were never reciprocated.