Sirius Expelled

Sirius Expelled Part 13

"Andromeda Tonks!" Walburga spat, jabbing her wand at the tapestry. "A blood-traitor. I will not stand for that kind of treachery."
Orion walked across the tapestry, his eyes full of cruelty. He was menacing, like a snake getting ready to strike.
"An attack!" Walburga continued, her face turning bright with anger. "We must show these blood-traitors what happens and the price they must pay! We do not allow blood-traitors in this family and she is at the top of my list! She and her family must be punished for their betrayal"
"Isn't being burned off the tapestry the punishment?" Sirius asked as he tried not to panic.
Andromeda was his favorite cousin and her baby was a sweet child. He couldn't let them be attacked. Walburga turned a murderous gaze at her son and he shrunk, feeling the fearful gaze of Regulus to his side. Biting his tongue he looked up at the tapestry, avoiding his mother's eyes. After letting her glare radiate for another moment, Walburga turned back to the tapestry.
"Black's do not marry muggles, mudbloods or half-bloods, or even purebloods outside of the Sacred 28. She married a mudblood and for that she must pay."
"That's our job." Orion continued. "At the end of summer Andromeda, Ted and Nymphadora Tonks will be returning from the countryside. We're going to intercept their Portkey and attack. You two are both coming with us."
"Dad-" Regulus started but Walburga turned on him.
"Don't you dare interrupt your father!" she snapped and his eyes dropped to the floor.
Walburga inhaled, controlling her anger, and straightened her back, looking at her sons with a dark expression. 
"We will take no prisoners." Orion said, his voice changed with a cruel perception and Sirius's heart dropped.
"You don't mean..." he couldn't say it.
The grin that crossed Walburga's face confirmed Sirius's thoughts.
"Yes, Sirius. We're going to kill them." she said, a dangerous smile playing on her lips.
"Mum, she's family." Sirius begged, trying to control the welling panic that he felt. "You-you wouldn't hurt her, would you?"
"She's not a Black! She's a blood-traitor!" Orion yelled and Sirius's blood ran cold.
Orion Black didn't yell very often but when he did it was out of pure fury. He knew how to strike so badly it left Sirius in terror. Walburga acted on anger and emotion, using curses and pain to teach. Orion was slow and controlled, cruel and almost playing with his victims, dragging out their punishments until they begged for mercy and even then he didn't let them go. Sirius went silent, unable to comprehend this mix of terror and overwhelming panic.
"Go to your rooms. I don't want to see you today." Walburga snapped.
Regulus immediately left but the rebellious nature in Sirius's stomach wouldn't settle and he hesitated, trapped between his fear of punishment and his need to do good. Walburga saw the spark of rebellion in his eyes and she struck.
"Imperio!"
A fuzzy feeling filled Sirius's head before he could stop it. He winced hard and felt his arms wrap around his body as he tried to fight the curse.
"Go up to your room. Now." the voice in his head yelled and his body took a step.    
"No!" another voice inside him yelled and Sirius froze, his mind trying to comply but his body fighting the unnatural instinct.
His teeth ground as he was torn in two directions and Sirius winced. His breathing was labored as he fought back, trying to keep himself steady.
"Go up. Go upstairs. Leave. Now. Go."
The words put heavy pressure on Sirius's mind as he felt his resolve weakening. A scream of agony built in his throat as he fought with every ounce of willpower he had. Sirius sank to his knees, his hands over his head as he couldn't keep going. The scream grew until it couldn't be contained any longer, building again and again until he couldn't stop it. The scream broke free and Sirius shook the curse away completely. He was on the ground, shaking and gasping for air. Walburga's look of shock was priceless. In her mind, Sirius had grown weaker. He had come close to throwing off the curse a couple of times but he'd never fully done it. But as Sirius did grow weaker, he'd become tougher. More resilient and able to free himself of the unwanted. Sirius looked up at his mother and they met eyes for a few seconds before he turned and ran out of the room, locking himself in his room. His heart was pounding like it was about to fall out of his chest, loud in his ears as he gasped for air.
"What was that?" he whispered to himself. "Why did you do that?"
    The confused state of his mind was unbearable, as if he was trapped in his own mind, a caged state. He'd never thrown off Walburga's spells before. Sirius realized that he was shaking, his body lost and scared. There was a flash of excitement and pleasure mixed with fear.
    "Adomendra." he said out loud, remembering the conversation that had come before the curse. "No."
    Not Adomendra. He couldn't lose her. She was his favorite cousin, the one that cared about him when he needed it. She had followed her love, Ted, and had her daughter, Nymphadora. They couldn't die, they just couldn't.
    "Think, think, think." he muttered to himself, pacing around his room. "There has to be something you can do."
    His steps were gentle but frantic as he paced, feeling the twinge of panic building as he tried to push it back. Sirius was lost in thought, unable to figure out a plan to save his cousin. He didn't trust himself. When it came to Regulus, he would do whatever it took to save him. But how could he make a choice? He'd killed that boy to save his brother and then he expected Reg to kill the girl for him. Was he really that selfish?
    "No, no, no." Sirius whispered out loud. "You can't think about that right now. Just-just come up with a plan to save 'Dromeda."
But try as he might, he couldn't come up with an idea. There was no way to escape the wrath of Walburga Black. Sirius plotted and planned for an hour, every idea being thrown into the garbage. His mother was too smart; there was nothing he could do. Finally, Sirius gave up, knowing he only had one option. He got up and left his room. Knocking on Regulus's door, he swallowed hard and sighed.
"Reg?"
Regulus met his eyes and the terror faded. He gave a faint, forced smile.
"Reg, I need your help." Sirius said, feeling guilty inside.
He didn't want to force his brother to help him but Sirius was out of choices. There was nothing left for him to do. Regulus nodded and opened the door wider, allowing Sirius inside. He walked in, silently, and sat on his brother's bed.
"Look, Reg, you know I wouldn't ask you if I didn't have to."
A wave of nausea crossed Regulus's face. His throat contracted and he struggled to breathe for a moment. Glassy eyes reflected fear as he looked down.
"I can't do it." he whispered, his voice trembling in fear. "I hear the boy and girl screaming in my dreams. They were terrified. I killed her and then I couldn't save you. I'm not as strong as you, I can't do it. You saved me and I failed you. But I cannot do this. Not to 'Dromeda, not to her husband or her daughter. I can't."
As he spoke his throat kept shifting as he struggled to get the words out and breathe at the same time. His body was shaking like a leaf in the wind. He seemed to be lost in dazed thoughts and Sirius felt worry for his brother on top of his own.
"Reg." he started, gently taking his brother's hands in his own. "It wasn't your fault. I was mad and in pain at the time, but I don't blame you any longer. I'm hurt but I don't blame you. I get it, it was an impossible position to be in and we had to make our way through it."
As Sirius spoke he felt thoughts racing around his mind. A wave of memories, flashing in his mind. He rubbed his hand over Regulus's bedspread, trying to stay in control of his emotions.
"We're getting there." he said. "It's slow. It's hard. But we're going to do it together. I don't know what to do about Adomendra. That-that's why I came to you. Because you're so smart and brilliant and I believed that you could help me. We're going to find a way around Mother's plot and we're going to get through it. I promise."
Regulus nodded, shutting his eyes and taking a breath. When he opened them again the fear was gone, replaced by a cold, steel look. His mind was spinning, running like a well-oiled machine and his mind was only a gear. Sirius knew he was using this reasoning to block out his fear, but it had to be done. Emotions couldn't be in check while something so terrifyingly traumatizing was happening. So Sirius and Regulus began to plot because they were the Black brothers. They were good. They were going to get through it, together. It would be okay.
End of Part 13