all that i can give - sirius black

chapter eleven

October 31st, 1975.

Halloween fell on a Friday that year, which Natalie thought was extremely convenient for what was sure to be a large amount of hungover students the next day. She had already heard eleven different people talk about how they would sneak various alcohols into the ball.

She, however, would not be participating. She could not even begin to imagine the punishment she would receive if she were to be caught.

Contrary to popular belief, the Leonie family was very strict. The ways in which they were strict were much different from how many people would imagine, though.

For example, Natalie had been able to date someone who was not her betrothed. For most pureblood children in Britain this was not the case. You were betrothed from as young as birth, and that person was the only person you were allowed to be romantically involved with for your entire life.

For boys, private dalliances were allowed. As long as they stayed private, who cared? Girls, on the other hand, were not allowed any type of romantic involvement with anyone who wasn't their betrothed. No exceptions.

This would have been true for Salvo and Natalie had they not been raised in an Italian household. In wizarding Italy, betrothals were not made until as old as twelve. Families wanted to see magical promise in their child's betrothed before ever signing a contract. Potential for powerful future magical children had to be seen coming from the pairing, or no contract would even be drafted.

Salvo had his eyes set on Charlotte from the moment he reached third year. The contract was made shortly after.

Natalie would have been given a contract in second year if not for her unstable magical core. It was hard for potential matches to sign a contract when the other side of their pairing had an unpredictable future.

Because that is what families in their culture valued, stability.

But that was all besides the point. The point was, as lax as her parents were to the public eye, they could be strict about certain things British parents wouldn't be and vice versa. Even though punishments varied in severity, they still existed.

If her father or mother could not stand to follow through with a certain punishment they always found someone who could. Someone who didn't start to falter at her tears, like her father. Someone who was fine with pushing her limits, unlike her mother.

And while drinking wouldn't have been the scandal of the year, the chances of getting caught were higher than if she was casually drinking while secluded in her room. Professors would be looking for drunk students. Students who would be publicly reprimanded.

And that would be what caused the punishment. The shame on her family's name that came from what her parents would say was pure idiocy. Especially since they allowed her to have a glass of wine or two when she asked. Or if her father took out the brandy and she asked for a small glass, there was no hesitation when he answered a casual yes.

Salvo was doing the same, steering away from drinking at the ball that night unlike the rest of their peers. If not for their parents' reactions, then certainly so he did not piss off Charlotte. That might be scarier.

Regulus, on the other hand, was indulging himself along with Barty Crouch and Timothy Carrow. And his parents did not struggle to punish him in the same way Natalie's did her.

So she had to watch him tonight. She had asked him to escort her to the ball to make that job easier, but he had said something about a surprise and so Severus was taking her instead. Even with their recent fight, which she had not been expecting.