CHAOTIC . . . sirius black

just relax, james

(  7  )      ⌇ CHAPTER SEVEN —— ❛ ♜ ❜ CHAOTIC

# ꒷. i am a bit peeved, i'll admit % ❜

"HERE WE ARE," Fleamont said, looking at the red steam train before him. He looked at the three kids, then his wife, then around the platform. "The Hogwarts Express," he said dramatically.

        Ember looked around the platform, her eyes landing on a familiar curly headed boy. "Bye dad, bye maman, I'll owl you later, alright?" Ember said, quickly excusing herself.

        "Are you coming home for the Easter holidays?" Euphemia asked, but her daughter was already long gone. She tutted in annoyance, then turned to Sirius and James as Ember weaved through the crowds.

        "Reggie!" Ember called, making the boy turn in look. She almost immediately regretted speaking so soon, seeing his cold faced mother in front of him.

        He smiled softly at her, nodding her over. "Hey, Em," he said.

        Walburga Black raised an eyebrow. "Reggie?" she questioned.

        "Sorry, Mrs Black, force of habit," Ember apologised.

        She gave a forced, unnatural smile. "Nicknames are a form of endearment," she said.

        "Ember Potter, ma'am," Ember introduced herself, unsure if the woman remembered her or not. She held out her trembling hand, quickly shaking Walburga's hand.

        "I remember," she said with a slight nod. "Answer me honestly, girl, did Sirius . . . visit?" she questioned with a stern look.

        Ember's heart sped up. Did Sirius not tell his mother where he was going? Did he run away? Was it permanent? "I'm not sure, Mrs Black, I wasn't at home much over the holidays. I stayed with a friend," she lied.

        Walburga stared at her for a moment, until Regulus spoke up. "We should get going, mother. I'll letter you when I get to school, alright?"

        Walburga nodded. "Go and be good."

        The two students nodded, hurrying away.

        "Sorry," Regulus mumbled. Ember dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand. "So where were you all break, then?"

        "At home," Ember told him. "I panicked, I didn't realise she didn't know where Sirius was."

        "So he was there?" Regulus asked softly as the approached the steps onto the train.

        Ember grabbed the railing with one hand, then jumped up. "Yeah," she said with a frown, giving him a slight nod. "He didn't tell you?"

        Regulus shook his head, "Come on, let's talk in here." The pair sat in an empty compartment, closing the door behind them and taking their seats. "Sirius and mum got in a big fight one night, she was . . . furious. I don't know what it was about, but they got into the fight before dinner, and during dinner it kept escalating . . . until my mum was so mad she took him out of the dining room. I thought Sirius went to his room after that, but then I didn't see him again. I figured he went to like the Leaky Cauldron or maybe a friend's place."

        Ember moistened her lips. "He showed up in the middle of the night, super drunk and just — he was a wreck. I gathered that him and your mum got into a fight, but I didn't know the details."