crowned jewel ~ sirius black

Chapter Eight- An Unexpected Visitor

Dear Reg,

I'm really missing you right about now.  I know it's only been a week, but my Princey withdrawal is really hitting me hard.  I wish you were here right now..... please try and convince your mum to let you come stay, if only for a night. 

I'm re-reading Hamlet right now.  Now that I'm used to Shakespeare's writing and actually understand what's going on I'm finding your annotations and footnotes a million times funnier.  Who knew a tragedy was just an over dramatized comedy in disguise?

How's Sirius treating you?  Jamie's been oddly quiet, and it's scaring me. I wanna pull something on him, but I'd hate to do it without an audience.  I'll save our little list for when school starts again.

That's really all that's been happening, honestly.  I hope you're doing well.  I know you're probably reading some fancy poetry or divulging the secrets of the universe right now, but I'd love to hear from you when you have a minute.

I love and miss you,

Gem

The fact that Gemma hadn't heard from Regulus wasn't entirely surprising.  Though she wrote him basically everyday, like she promised, he usually had less to say and was always weary of his mother reading what he wrote.  He would usually tuck his letters into a book and send it that way, as to be inconspicuous.  Knowing he had to do stuff like that had always irked Gemma the wrong way- she couldn't imagine living in that much fear.  It was probably the reason for Regulus's.... questionable views.

"Who am I kidding," Gemma thought bitterly, watching her letter get carried away by owl. "Mrs. Black turned my perfect best friend into a fucking Death Eater.  Those views go way beyond questionable....."

She sighed tiredly, and trudged down the stairs to get a bite to eat.  It was a beautiful, early Sunday morning, the type that Gemma simply adored.  Even in the summers she was accustomed to waking up early; it was another way she kept close to Regulus, as she was always the one waking him up.  The minute she entered the kitchen, however, she nearly dropped dead from shock- James was sitting there.  Awake.  Before noon.  Reading a book.

"It's kinda hard to read when you're staring at me like that, Baby," he said after a moment, his eyes trained on his book.

"Are you sick?" Gemma blurted out, exasperated. "You have never in your life woken up early in the summer."

"I was in an inspired mood."

"I have about forty reasons on why to believe that is a lie."

"Can you voice them later, at least?" He had yet to look up from his book. "I'm reading."

"But why?"

"Can't a bloke do something productive for once without being drilled with questions?" 

Gemma simply stared at him, trying to sort out this truly shocking scene.  When she found no indication of a prank or a lie within James's face, she shook her head to brush the oddity off.  She grabbed an apple from the cabinet for breakfast, then went into the garden for a morning walk.

The garden behind the Manor was massive.  It was lush and well kept, bursting with flowers of all colors and hues.  The grass was pristine, meeting the stone walkways perfectly, not growing over the edges.  Different bushes and trees and flowers sheltered the paths, creating a multitude of routes to take.  A grand forest of pine wood secluded the backyard entirely, creating the perfect secret garden for the family to enjoy.