Dark Beauty /Sirius Black/ [2]

Dark Beauty - 1.

Chapter 1

The whistling of the wind outside of the London home wasn't enough to drown out the chatter that was enclosed inside, of the young family of three, more than excited to finally see their friends after a two-week period of nothing except words inked on letters.

Adria Hopkins was bounding the stairs to her brightly decorated living room, her previously puffy cheeks matched with tear stained skin hidden under a thin layer of makeup she, herself, had painted on her features, amplifying them only slightly. Her pinafore dress tumbled over her in a mass of murky brown, and hidden under was a long blood red turtle neck that she had seen out one afternoon in the city, the style of the late seventies, it seemed.

She was stronger than she previously had to be, when her mother died way back in the summer just before her fifth year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry did she have the comfort of her family that surrounded her, her father, her wonderful boyfriend, and whilst she still had the latter, everyone had broken off, she wasn't so much as surrounded anymore.

Her father's funeral was something she would never forget, she had seen a new light to one of her wonderful best friends, seen how strong Arden Nelson was, she couldn't stop hugging the girl, crying into whilst Arden did nothing but hold her friend close, patting her comfortingly, whispering soothing words of encouragement to carry on, and whilst she didn't think she could, she did.

So, it was almost heart-breaking when she woke up one morning in her old house, an ache close to her heart when she passed her father's room with Jude clinging to her, and descending the stairs to see a perfectly wrapped note on the table in the hallway.

Dear Adria, it read.

In the style of Benji's handwriting, entirely odd against the scroll of parchment that Arden had given, Benji told her of his plans with Arden to run away, to go to Spain, get out of London, get out of Britain in a best attempt to clear his head.

There were no details, no specifics, no one knew why, but in a way, maybe some sort of twin telepathy, Adria knew why, she knew he needed a break, he was in the car with their father when it happened.

He thought he was okay, he thought his dad was okay.

It pained her more than anything not to have her family with her constantly, though, it was a relief that Jude was with her, and not Alfie. It was a painful month, the first after her father's death, when her brother didn't speak to her, call, or communicate in any way, shape, or form.

Any information about the boy was passed along from his now wife who, along with Adria's god daughter, visited as best as they could, sharing information that he was coping as best as he could, "he doesn't mean this, really."

But Adria already knew that, she knew that Alfie just wanted what was best for Jude, that the month-long custody battle in the much intimidating court wasn't to hurt Adria, or Sirius, but it was to make sure that the boy was in the best place, "he'd have a proper family, Adria - his cousin!"

"Well you're gonna have to pull him from my hands, Alfred, and I have a firm grip!" she would screech at her brother, tears streaming down her face as she left the court with Jude clinging to her and her hand clinging to Sirius'.

It was almost in Alfie's favour, by a slither, he nearly had the boy, but Adria soon turned eighteen, she could be a legal guardian by the end of June, and soon did July roll in, though she didn't want to mention this in any of her letters to Benji, she instead told Arden for her to pass it on.

It was the first week of July when the dreadful month ended and Adria finally was able to get custody of the boy, when the court did something she never thought it would and asked the boy barely old enough to tie his shoes what he thought, noticing that he wouldn't let go of Adria, even if Alfie begged him for his hand, or for a hug, his arms stayed tightly around Adria, and she wasn't letting go of him any time soon.