fatal love

Chapter 40

A/n-
I literally wrote a whole chapter 39 and hated the idea so let's just forget that ever happened

He was locked in his room all weekend, though he didn't expect much less. He was starving by Sunday evening - Kreacher dropped some food at the foot of his bed each day, but it was barely anything - and yet he'd never felt better.

His body felt his once again. He'd taken it back, and it could never be used again. It was his, and his only. He slept better that weekend than he had in a year, and he savoured every single moment alone, because he knew he was only there because his mother had no other option. She'd lost her winning card.

Andy would be so proud of him. He wanted to write her right then, but he knew he couldn't. As soon as he was back at Hogwarts, though. He'd done exactly what she'd told him. He'd fought back - and he'd won.

His door was reopened on Monday morning, and he went to the library, fixing his mother with a cocky grin as soon as he met her eye. He flopped into his seat ungracefully, daring her to say something.

His mother conjured another chair and sat opposite him. "I've asked your brother not to join us, today," she said, speaking very carefully. Her posture was perfect, and her face was a perfect blank canvas. "I thought you and I could talk."

Sirius sat up straighter, suspicious. "Why do you want to talk?"

"I know you can be an Heir that I can be proud of, Sirius. I see it in you. You excel in our lessons, you run loops around Regulus. And last night, you resisted the Imperius Curse. One that I cast."

"What's your point?"

"That one day, you'll grow up to be a powerful wizard. One that can be a credit to the House of Black. But you need to leave behind these silly ideas of blood equality, and remember your heritage. Remember where your loyalties really lie." She was looking him in the eye, and it felt dangerous, and threatening.

"You can't make me do anything anymore," Sirius said quietly, shifting uncomfortably.

His mother smiled coldly. "I can't Imperio you anymore. Don't think I don't have a hundred other ways to make you do whatever I need you to do."

Sirius stared at her shivering.

"Do you understand, Sirius?"

He nodded once.

"Very well. You may leave."

Sirius stood up, hurrying out of the room as quickly as he could without looking like a coward, and going straight to the safety of his bedroom. That was Walburga Black, without a doubt. That was the lady that everyone feared.

He sat on his bed, trying to stop his heart from pounding. As the fear left his body, however, it was replaced by anger. Why was he scared of her? He'd beaten her - he'd defeated her - he shouldn't be scared of her anymore. In fact, he refused to be scared of her. And no fucking way was he giving up "silly little ideas" like blood equality. Fuck that, and fuck her.

In a fit of rage, he pulled the posters Marlene had given him out of his trunk. He stuck them haphazardly on his walls, using Remus' Sticking Charm. He realised one of them had a muggle woman with no top on riding a motorcycle - it was a cherry red, with black flames painted on it. That one was his favourite, and he stuck it on the wall opposite his bed, so he could look at it all the time.

That night, he crept out of his room, hours after he heard his parents go to bed, praying that Kreacher was asleep as well. Tentatively, he made his way down stairs and tiptoed into the basement. There, the walls were lined with jars and boxes of every potion ingredient in existence, rare and common, legal and illegal.