Growing Up

Part 61.

At first, Sirius couldn't tell if sleep deprivation was causing him to hallucinate, or maybe it was just his post-traumatic stress coming to haunt him. His mind raced to decipher what was true, all receptors of reality firing at once causing his head to buzz with feverish terror.

Bellatrix Lestrange was at his door.

"Sirius?" Kreacher called again, this time louder. His voice wavered with blunt horror, he was more afraid than Sirius was.

Bellatrix Lestrange was at his front door.

"Oh, fuck!"

Running down the stairs, nearly tripping over the last few, all he could think of was Harry. His hand reached for and gripped the railing to keep him from falling.

Bellatrix stood at the door with her hands folded, her fingers laced together amidst the rings on every finger. Her long black dress flowered with dark lace, and her corset made Sirius cringe with the intensity of its stiff curve. He wondered if she could even breathe correctly, but this was a fleeting thought. Her face looked young and bright, that would be a first.

"Cousin Sirius!" She screeched, her manic eyes piercing him.

Bella hadn't changed much. Her crazy black hair was still the same and her smile still had that feral look as it had so many years ago. When was the last time he had seen her? It had been years. The sight of her brought a thick fog to his memory and her presence was a gift basket of memories his mind had blocked out.

"Bella," Sirius responded with careful confidence.

She pulled him into a hug as he returned it cautiously, inching away. His initial terror did not die down with this awful embrace. His family were not people who hugged. It was a handshake or bow of the head. This made his stomach drop lower into his feet.

He took a step to the side, allowing her in against his better judgement or survival instinct. Her boots echoed as they traveled through the hall, and she took account of the setting.

"Looks the same," Her eyes darted around the room.

"Yeah, didn't have the heart to change it," His voice was smooth despite his deep-rooted dread that would soon turn to anger.
"Reggie and Mother would kill me if I did, anyway." 

Bella's eyes went wide.
"Lucy is here? And Walburga?"

Bella using Regulus' nickname brought light and airy feeling to his head. Sirius shook off the chill creeping up his spine.

He tilted his head up to the left as he poured his coffee. "In the portrait room."

"Oh," She stood still as she continued on looking. "Right."

In her scan of the house, her mouth curled in what Sirius could only guess was a smile. Maybe it didn't register properly because it was genuine. The blue room caught her attention, she knew the rest of the rooms in the house were a black or grey. She began to walk to Harry's room with her claws out, reaching for the door.

"No-" Sirius yelled and grabbed the back of her dress before she pulled away.

Bella's long fingernails scratched the door as she pushed it open, peeking inside. Harry lie asleep on his bed, snoring softly as his father did.

"Relax, I won't hurt the boy."

"Yeah, okay. You said that about Lucy, too." Sirius grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, closing Harry's door. Bella had made a stammering sound, but Sirius had mistaken this for disagreement. Disagreement it was not.

Remus stood still in the kitchen, blinking at the two silently as if he had foreseen it. A mixture of a hangover and shock might've triggered this response.

"Moony! This is- uhm-"

Remus held up his hand in protest. "Too loud." Grumbling, he rubbed his temples and walked over to the coffee pot. Remus took a breath in and let a long sigh out, pouring the coffee into the large mug that sat comfortably in his hand. The other reached for his eyebrows, creasing them together.

"Why is Bellatrix Lestrange standing in my parlor?"

Bella turned her head to Sirius, waiting for him to say something. Sirius shrugged, siding with Remus.

"Well, I suppose I should explain myself," She rocked on her heels anxiously as if she had something to be afraid of. As if she wasn't the most frightening force in the room. Well, perhaps at the moment Remus was.

"I'm getting married. And I know we have past... issues-"

Sirius scoffed but let her continue.

"It's tradition to tell someone from our family about the union. Narcissa has shunned me, Andy thinks i'm crazy,"

Sirius smiled at the thought of his cousin Andromeda. She was the only one he truly liked. She ran off with a muggle a few years back and he hadn't seen her since. Her bright face glistened in his mind, his pearly smile made him grin.

Bellatrix sighed and turned to him, her lips pursed.
"You're the fuckup. I knew you, of all people, would understand."

Remus watched the two converse, taking note of the similarities. They stood the same, that over-confident posture. The curly hair sat in frizzed ringlets, Sirius' only slightly more put together. Different environments, same results.

"Who is it you're marrying?"

Bella smiled wide and folded her hands.
"His name is Tom, he's a Slytherin, unlike you."

"You're pushing it," Sirius smiled lightly, an eyebrow raised.

"He's nice," She spoke as she looked down.
"You wouldn't like him."

"Then he's probably great for you."

Remus stared at the two wide-eyed as he looked back and forth. He tried to focus on the warmth of his coffee cup than the horrifying similarities. Amidst the odd conversation he never thought would be held in his kitchen, soft footsteps slapped the floor behind them, startling the group. Harry rubbed his eyes with his knuckles, a brown stag stuffed animal hanging from his other hand.

"Who are you?" Harry asked quietly, glaring curiously at the witch-looking woman in front of him.

"Hi..?"

"Harry"

"Harry. Im Bella, Sirius' cousin."

Bella kneeled down in front of him with her hands on her knees. She bared her sharp teeth at him, trying to smile her creepy grin at him.

"I don't like her near him," Remus whispered, leaning over to Sirius.

"I'm not sure how much I like it either."

Harry looked at her like she had just smacked him or maybe deeply insulted him. Sirius froze, watching Bella's eyes dim and narrow as she stood at his height. He glared at her silently.

"Ha!" She cackled and stood, staring at her tied up heels. Sirius jumped at the intensity of the switch against Remus' shoulder.
"I like him."

"Harry, can you go find Kreacher?" Sirius babbled frantically.

Harry nodded, his eyes fixed on Bellatrix as he walked away.

Bella adjusted the seemingly ripped pieces of fabric hanging by her dress. Upon inspection, they weren't torn at all. The purposeful placement of the hanging lacy fixtures from her dress created a goth, chaotic feeling.

"So?" She asked.

"Right! About that-"

"Hey, You wouldn't have to worry about a babysitter. Harry could come."

Remus began to laugh abruptly, choking on his sip of coffee and cupping his hand to his mouth in an idle attempt to stifle his obvious laughter. His eyes tracked up to her face and he cleared his throat.

"Sorry. I had-" He pointed to his mug and to his neck, gesturing sarcastically.

"Don't mind him," Sirius pushed him away and spoke to her directly.

"We'll consider it."

Word count: 1263