To Have A Home

Chapter 8

Sirius frantically set down his mirror as his mother stormed through the door.
"Your father and I have been talking," she said sinisterly, "and we've agreed that it's finally time. It's been years of you mingling with mudbloods and blood traitors alike, and I've had ENOUGH. You give us no other option."
"What are you going to do?" Sirius replied, hoping to sound defiant, but his shaking voice gave away his fear. Walburga raised her wand, and Sirius realized what was about to happen a split second before it did.
"CRUCIO!" Pain unlike anything Sirius had ever felt spread through his body. He had gone through a lot of abuse in his life, but nothing even came close to this. He could hear himself screaming without even realizing that he had begun to.
Meanwhile, James watched the scene in horror through the mirror. He had never imagined this could happen... sure, Sirius' parents were awful, but the Cruciatus Curse... that was something only really dark wizards used. It was said to cause unbearable pain that could drive someone mad if used enough times, and there, right in front of James' eyes, it was being used on his best friend.
"If you don't shape up before summer holiday, this will not be the last time this happens, Sirius." Walburga turned and left the room, leaving Sirius shaking in a heap on the ground.
"Sirius, I —" began James, but a startled Sirius looked up, grabbed the mirror, and ended the connection. James sat in his room, his throat dry, his hands shaking, not knowing what to do.
"James, sweety, it's time for dinner," called Mrs. Potter.
"Coming, mum." James had an internal argument with himself throughout Christmas Eve dinner. Should he tell his parents what he saw? How would Sirius react if he found out that James told them.
"Are you okay James? You've hardly touched your dinner," noted his dad. James paused, and then made a decision.
"Do you know Sirius' parents?" he asked. The Potters exchanged worried glances.
"We know... of them. And what they're like," Fleamont said cautiously.
"Have they ever... er, have you ever heard that they've... used the Cruciatus Curse on anyone?"
"I've heard a lot of things, but nothing as serious as that. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was talking to Sirius on these two-way mirrors we have and I kind of... saw something."
"WHAT? They... they did that to him?" Euphemia said, looking furious, disgusted, and sad. James gave a small nod and looked down at his feet.
"Unfortunately I don't know what we can do about it," said Fleamont. "Trust me, I want to," he added, as both his wife and his son looked up at him furiously, "but Walburga and Orion will be able to deny it. They have a lot of connections and can pull strings, and I hate to say it, but if they're willing to torture Sirius, they'll be willing to use the Imperius Curse and force him to say it's a lie. But make sure he knows he is more than welcome to stay with us." James nodded once more, and hoped that he would be able to convince Sirius to move in with them.