Paid In Blood - Revised

Chapter 18

Sirius Black left his room early on Boxing Day, already dressed for the day. He was all alone in the house, as Remus had departed for family business the previous day, shortly after they'd had Christmas lunch with the Tonks family. Not wanting to be stuck inside Grimmauld Place all day by himself, Sirius had decided to call on his only remaining family besides Harry, which happened to be the Malfoys. Unsurprisingly, he received a chilly welcome from his dear cousin Narcissa and her spawn Draco, but still, they had begrudgingly invited him in for tea.

After a rather unpleasant breakfast tea with the Malfoys and much deliberation on his part, Sirius decided he would need to visit one more family member that day. He wasn't looking forward to it, since it would require he visit Azkaban, but family had come to mean much to him lately. It would have to wait until later though, as his verbal jousting with Narcissa had left him feeling peckish.

Sirius apparated back to Number Twelve and started making his way towards the kitchen, where he and Remus usually had their breakfast. He knew Kreacher was already preparing his morning meal, so Sirius took his time, knowing the old elf would also be taking his.

Kreacher, that was a strange one.

The old elf hated him - both for breaking the heart of his mistress and for being a shame to the Black name. That's at least what the elf had claimed in their last meeting before his incarceration. However, ever since he'd returned to Grimmauld, Kreacher had been mostly polite to him and his guest. It struck Sirius as odd, but he certainly wasn't going to complain.

Once he had finally claimed the Black lordship, Kreacher had become even more submissive, and Sirius wasn't sure that he cared for their new dynamic. True, Sirius had always hated the crazy old elf that his mother and brother had loved so much, but he was starting to become concerned. What was driving this change in behaviour? Was the old elf finally dying?

As Sirius passed through the entrance hall, he caught a glimpse of the ornate frame out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't sure what possessed him to approach it, but there he was, standing in front his mother's portrait. Walburga Black's eyes opened and stared in disdain at her wayward son.

"What do you want, boy?" she asked him spitefully. "Is it not enough that I have to endure the shame of birthing you? Is it not enough that I have to watch as you disgrace the house of my ancestors? Must I also have to endure the sight of you this early in morning?"

"Eloquent as ever, mother dear," Sirius sighed, the grin vanishing from his lips.

"How else do you plan on further shaming me and your house?" she demanded. "Do you ended to abandon our ancestral home to go live amongst the muggles? Or perhaps the Lord of House Black is going to sully his reputation further by continuing to service his filthy werewolf lover?"

"My what?" Sirius choked.

"A werewolf of all things?" the former Lady Black demanded haughtily. "Does your deviance know no bounds?"

"MY WHAT?" Sirius shouted again, obviously shocked by his mother's words.

"At least I can rest assured that my line will end with you, boy," Walburga continued. "Narcissa's son will succeed you and bring the noble House of Black back to the pinnacle of wizarding society, where it belongs."

"Now that's enough," Sirius commanded authoritatively, his demeanour now cold and angry.

"First of all, good morning, you damn hag, or have you forgotten the so-called manners you forced me to learn?"

Walburga glared at her son, but he defiantly met her gaze and continued on his rant.

"Second of all, Remus is absolutely not my lover. He is my closest friend, a brother, even – regardless of his furry little problem. He's been more of a brother to me than my own flesh and blood ever was, and yes, I'm referring to your precious Death Eater son."