Winter In The Shade | Sirius Black x Female Ravenclaw Reader

XXVII

You watched as Regulus reluctantly exited the room, orders clear from Walburga to stay close but not to interrupt her. Your body couldn't move, from its position next to the soft couches the only thing you felt was the weakness on your knees, buckling every now and then with the shake of your upper body. Your hand found support on the back of one of the couches, tight grip around the hard part of the furniture.

The click of the lock on the door made you blink rapidly, moving your eyes from the door to the woman turning to you with a soft grin. She tilted her head to one side as she moved slowly towards you, her wand in between her hands with a lazy grip on it from both ends. Her hand twisted around the lower end, lifting it in the air as you instinctively turned your face away. When you felt nothing, you dared to open your eyes, watching her smile widening with amusement.

"Just a silencing charm." she explained, moving to sit at the edge of the couch across from you "For privacy, of course."

You were finally able to move, walking behind the couch with a physical barrier between you and her, some form of comfort. "Why would you want that?" you asked defensively, "You've got you wanted, Sirius is here."

"Yes, he is." she affirmed, pointing her hand to a small table at the corner of the room "Bring that tray, dear." she asked. You hesitated, glancing over your shoulder at the spot she motioned, with slow steps you picked up the silver tray from the table, cups arranged neatly next to a steaming teapot with the faint smell of cranberry coming from it. She observed you with hawk eyes, her attention never shifting from you as you made it all the way to the table where she awaited you. A firm nod was all her response as she lowered her eyes to grab one of the cups, her chin always lifted. "You never answered my question." she said while pouring the hot contents of the pot on her cup.

"What question?" you asked in a whisper.

She lifted her eyes to meet yours, motioning to the tray with one hand "Would you like some tea?" she asked.

Your stomach turned at her words. Her pretend kindness towards you, polite words with shadows dancing around them, it made you sick. Knowing what Sirius had confided in you about her, your own assumptions to Regulus' behaviour when you both were at Hogwarts, what she had shown you with just a couple of hours of being in her presence. A shapeshifter, hidden from all who were near her, maybe even herself.

"No, thank you." you answered politely.

She clicked her spoon on the brim of her cup, placing it over a small cloth as she nodded in acknowledgement. "You are," she paused, her eyes wandering for a moment in her mind "Unique." she settled to say. "Not many have managed to capture the attention of both my children. Sirius, I am not surprised, you are very much like him even if you didn't see it yourself."

"We are not similar." you commented shyly, not wanting to let many words out to her.

She chuckled lightly, picking up the plate where her cup rested "I'm his mother." she reminded you, her eyes roaming from your eyes down to your middle and up again "I believe I know what I'm talking about."

Your nose twitched up, lips in a thin line "And do you know your son at all?" you asked sharply, not being able to swallow your words but just to modify them, excluding Regulus from your own question.

Her previous chuckles turned amused, the glint in her eyes brighter as she settled her plate down "Look at you, dear." she pointed with her hand "You already sound just like him. Speaking out of place and with the same defiance only he could muster."

You looked down at yourself with fragile confidence, noticing how she spoke truth with her words. You were not the same you once had been, actions you would have never dared to do now seemed like a logical possibility.