Not A Black

Sirius stared at the letter in his hands, he didn’t want to open it. He was scared to open it. It was the first week of 7th year, he had left his family home this summer, for good. He had had enough. He didn’t want to endure any more of those snide remarks and taunts that his family threw at him. He didn’t want to be beaten to a pulp every time he defended himself or his friends. He had expected the letter. Of course he had.

He shoved the letter into his pocket and continued eating his breakfast, ignoring the questioning and concerned glances his friends gave him. He was sitting at the Gryffindor breakfast table with Remus, James, Peter, Lily, Marlene, Dorcas, Frank, Mary, and Alice. Their groups had merged at the end of the last year, and they had spent all summer writing to each other. Although, some of them still called each other by their last names. Of course, everyone knew what had happened this summer, and they had been careful not to mention anything of the sort.

Sirius glanced over at the Slytherin table, looking for a particular dark-haired Slytherin. He quickly found him and saw that Regulus was pointedly avoiding his gaze. He shifted his focus back onto his breakfast but suddenly, he didn’t have an appetite anymore. He looked up and noticed that everyone had stopped talking.

“What?” He asked.
There was a chorus of “Nothing!” and everyone started talking once again. No one noticed the owl that landed right in front of Lily Evans as she quickly took the letter and hid it away too.

It was a Sunday, most of them spent the day doing nothing. Sirius didn’t have anything to do, so he was left with his thoughts, which was very unfortunate for him. He couldn’t stop thinking about the letter. He was hiding in the dorm and everyone else was downstairs. He had made up an excuse to leave the chatter of the common room. He was fiddling with it when his partner entered the dorm, a knowing look on their face.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” he said as his partner came and sat beside him.
“That’s okay,” Remus said and took the letter from his hands. They kept it at Sirius’ bedside table and took Sirius’ hand, lacing their fingers with his. Sirius leaned into Remus and put his head on Remus’ shoulder. Remus leaned into his touch and rested their head above Sirius’. They both closed their eyes and sat in silence for a while.

The door banged open and they jumped apart. James came in and eyed them both.
“What were you guys doing?”
“Nothing. We were just… talking,”
James narrowed his eyes but didn’t push it. It was clear that he didn’t buy it one bit.
“Okay, whatever,”

He went to his trunk and opened it, looking for something. Remus awkwardly stood up and went to their bed, flashing a small smile at Sirius. He smiled back at them, but his thoughts returned to the letter. He went to pick it up.

“Oi mate, you coming?” James called from the door. Remus had left.
“Yeah, just a second,” he replied.
James understood, and nodded.
As James left, Sirius picked the letter up and twirled it in his hands. He debated against opening it now and later. He decided on later, when everyone would be asleep and he would have more privacy.

He stood on the Astronomy Tower, his escape. He usually came here with Remus, but they were tired as the full moon was approaching.
He opened the letter, planning to read it as if he were ripping off a band-aid.

We, the Blacks, have never been so ashamed as to call you a part of our noble family. You have disgraced our precious family name and have stained it for generations to come.
Your name has been burnt off of the family tree, and you are no longer our son. We have had enough of your misbehavior, and our teachings have not been enough to make you follow our rules. You are hereby disowned. We do not take responsibility for your actions from now onwards.
Our only son, and heir to the Black fortune, Regulus, has made our family proud in ways you will never understand. Do not come back to us, ever, or the consequences will be severe. You are no longer a Black.