The Tree of Blacks (English version)

Merope

Alya, Sirius and Regulus ate in absolute silence. Sirius had a grim, frowning expression on his face, the flame of anger still burning on his cheeks due to the humiliation he had suffered in the living room. His mind was probably devising some mischief, with the aim of making his cruel mother pay for it.

The three children had almost finished their lunch when Walburga appeared again in the kitchen, emerging from the shadow of the stairs. She cast a reproachful look to Sirius, who stubbornly ignored her, finding much more interesting staring the scraps of the food on his plate.

The woman turned to Kreacher, who bowed profusely, bending over until his hairless gray head hit the cold floor.

"Kreacher, as soon as he's finished eating, keep Sirius here in the kitchen." she ordered coldly. The elf nodded reverently.

"What? Why can't I go play?" Sirius broke his silence, protesting warmly.

"Because you are grounded." Walburga answered dryly.

"For what? I didn't do anything!" he retorted.

Alya and Regulus were witnessing the scene without saying a word, pretending to be part of the furniture.

"Nothing?" Walburga hissed, narrowing her glacial eyes threateningly. "You showed up to the Muggles and caught their filthy attention to our house!" the woman's cold voice thundered all over the kitchen. Even Kreacher looked troubled, crouching silently in a dark corner.

"Four Muggle children have been hanging around our house all morning, throwing rocks at the walls and yelling things like 'Come out, witch!' or 'Show yourself, ghost!' "

Sirius did not answer, continuing to stare with admirable obstinacy at his silver plate. He stared straight ahead with an expression of simulated indifference, as if this reproach was not meant for him.

"You know the rules. Never let Muggles see you!" the angry woman claimed strongly.

Holed up behind a stiff silence, Sirius raised his eyes, staring at his mother defiantly.

Without taking her gaze off her son, Walburga sighed in exasperation, returning to her usual flat, cold tone:

"Very well: Alya Merope, Regulus, go upstairs. You are allowed to play until dinner." she told the other two children, who hardly dared to breathe. "Sirius, you'll stay here to study."

The woman picked up her wand and whispered an almost inaudible spell. A huge book appeared on the table. It had a hard and thick black cover and it looked very old. Sirius stared at the large volume with the same disgust as when looking at the corpse of a large repulsive insect.

The title engraved on the dark cover read:

'Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy'

Walburga waved the wand again and the book opened heavily, banging the black cover on the table, with a loud thud.
A title appeared immediately in black letters:

'Interaction with the Non Magical World: Risks and Dangers'

At that sight, Sirius locked his lips tightly. Anger and disgust sparkled in his eyes.

"You must read the chapter carefully. And then you must learn it. By heart." Walburga said, spelling out the last two words clearly.

"All of it? By heart? YOU ARE CRAZY!" he yelled, furious.

"Keep protesting and I'll make you study the whole book!" his mother silenced him with a cruel expression.

Sirius was about to burst out, but the risk of getting worse punishment stopped him. He just shot a look full of hatred at his mother who, in the meantime, had turned away from him, ready to climb the stairs.