The Newcomer | Marauders Era | Sirius Black

The Reasons and The Sorting 2

Ali's P.O.V-

Tomorrow's the day Severus and I jet off to Hogwarts. Since he's done this before Dad thought it would be a good idea for me to leave with him. Saying goodbye to my father I go to Aunt Eileen's house to spend the night since Uncle Tobias wouldn't be there.
"Work supposedly, but something tells me he's really off cheating or getting drunk. Merlin help the person who ends up fucking him." says Severus as I get there and he's helping me with my bags. "Person? You don't assume it's a woman Sev?"
"No not really," we start heading up stairs to the guest room. Really a room with a bed that Aunt liked sleeping on when her husband was here and he'd already fallen asleep, if he hadnt planned on taking advantage of her. "a man with that much anger and that violent and that drunk has to be hiding something. My theory is he's secretly gay and can't accept it. So he acts hypermasculine and tries to assert his dominance any time he can." he grunts has he's placing my biggest bag on the bed "Only a theory though."
"Makes sense I suppose. He's compensating for a feminine feeling inside himself by acting like an ass. Wish he'd compensate in a more useful way. Maybe building things for the house he's tearing apart. Or maybe going into a career more traditionally masculine that makes more money if he's not going to let his wife work. Rudimentary theory but you've got a good idea."
He smiles at me chuckling,
"Haha, yeah I agree. He should pour his insecurity into something more useful, maybe stop acting like a belligerent twat so people at his work would take him seriously and he might move up the ranks."
"You're so smart Severus. I don't know why you and my dear Aunt are stuck in this shit situation. Like God punishes those who deserve it least."
"Thought you were an atheist Ali."
"I am, this being one of the reasons why."
"Ha, you're very bright yourself Ali. Reckon you're a perfect fit in either my house or Ravenclaw. Hope its Slytherin though."
"Yeah me too, would be nice to have you in my house cousin. Hey Sev can I take a quick shower?"
"Sure, there's a shower down the hall. There's a muggle radio too if you want to listen to music as you shower. The left faucet is a bit...fucked to be frank thanks to my father. Got drunk one day and fell on it. Anyways, press on it hard while you're opening it for hot water but other then that you should be fine. Scream if you need anything."
I take my toiletries out Of my bag and head to the bath. After a quick shower I go down stairs to see my Aunt, at least talk to her a bit before Sev and I leave for a year. "Hi Aunt Eileen."
It seems I might have taken her out of deep thought since she looked as if I had startled her.
"Oh, hello dear. Are you excited to be going to Hogwarts with Severus tomorrow?"
"Yeah, really. Seems far out despite a certain group of boys making everyone's lives hell."
"Ah, I reckon you're talking about the infamous 'Marauders'."
"You know of them?"
"Yes. Severus was reluctant to tell me about the bullying until one summer he came back with a large bruise spanning the left side of his cheek and neck, gave him veritaserum and he sang like a canary."
"I suppose you tried to do something about them too?"
"Of course, but it seems as if those boys are untouchable. God forbid something happen to the headmaster's precious godson and his mates."
After talking angrily with each other about the jackasses I subtly changed the subject.
"Sucks Severus has to go through pain not only at school but also in his own home."
Saddened, his mother looked away.
"Yes. Alexandra dear, I've been meaning to apologize to you about what you and your father had to hear the other day. I hadn't been anticipating for Tobias to come home early. Or at all, I thought he would have been going to be the pub and staying there for a few hours and drink his wage away."
Going to the cupboard she asks over her shoulder
"Would you fancy some tea, love?"
"Sure thank you."
"Peppermint with two sugars?"
"Yes please. Aunt, how did you get involved with Sev's father?"
"You mean your uncle?"
"That man is not my family. But yes that's who I'm referring to."
Sighing deeply she hands me my tea. "Well, I was young. I was angry at my family and sick of their pureblood mindset and I wasn't being judicious."
Sipping down at her own tea, she seemed to relax a bit.
"I met Tobias a year and a half before I became pregnant with Severus. Before he found out I was a witch he was very sweet. He'd dote on me, buy me roses even with his meager salary. He knew almost everything about me as a person. He knew of my distrust with my family, my insecurities, my faults, and he over-looked them. One day I found out I was pregnant. At first when I told him he asked me to marry him immediately and being young and scared I accepted without a thought."
We both sip our tea, feeling the heavier atmosphere
"I figured I could tell him about my being a witch later on and it wouldn't matter. We got married, I invited some family but only your father showed. And instantly took a dislike to Tobias, saying he got a bad feeling about him, that he didn't trust him. I dismissed it, saying he doesn't know him, that he's a sweetheart, that we loved each other. Anyways we got married and had Severus. I came clean to him a few days after he was born and stupidly thought it wouldn't be a big deal."
A tear running down her face, she wipes it and sips her tea to relax, seems to help a bit
"He went ballistic. Saying I'm a liar, that I deceived him. That I was probably Satanic. After that he got more and more distant. After a year or two he got angrier, more demanding. The first time he hit me was when Severus was still a baby, not even toddling yet. He got tired of my taking too long with Sevvy and he slapped me across the face. Just like that, out of the blue. He said he'd be waiting for me in bed, and when I got there after I had put the baby to sleep he got very violent and started ripping off my clothes..."
More tears poured down her face as I reached to hold her hand on the table
"I'll spare you the details of what happened next."
I brought some chocolate my father brought from Switzerland over to her, I didn't want it and she looked like she needed it more. I unwrap it and hand it to her.
"Oh no darling thank you. No I'm fine, last thing I need is to get fat so Tobias has another thing to beat me for."
"Dont be ridiculous Aunt Eileen, just a bit to calm youself down at least."
She sheepishly takes the piece I had extended to her and eats it, slowly calming down.
"Aunt I do have to ask, why do you stay with him. You know Severus and you are always welcome with my dad and I. We love you guys."
"Oh darling, that's another story all together. When I got married to Tobias my family disowned me, I didn't have anywhere to go, and by the time I had been getting abused by him my family stopped talking all together, or so it seemed. I didn't even get the letters your father had sent me, only to now find out Tobias has thrown them in the fire place whenever we'd get them."
She got a hard look on her face
"Frankly I'm not too upset that the rest of my family, apart from your father, hate me. When they found out I was pregnant they called Severus an abomination. Said he wasn't a Prince and that he isn't in their family."
Fury grew in my chest, who are they to kick a baby out of the family?
"Because being inbred is much better then being a mudblood, isn't it?" I said with a dark laugh
"Hehe, yes dear. Exactly my point. Well darling it's late. I'm sure Severus is probably already asleep and you should be too. You both have a lot to do tomorrow."
"Aunt Eileen, you know that any time you need to talk you can come to me. You've been like a mother to me and I love you."
Tearing, she brings me close and hugs me, kissing my forehead.
"I know dear, thank you. I love you, too. I'm so sorry about you mother by the way, love. She was lovely, I only wish I could have seen her more then a handful of times before that dreadful night."
I smile sadly at the memory of my mother. She had come back from visiting some family in Mexico. When she got outside there was a delinquent outside and the details are muddled. Basically he wanted something, she refused to comply and he killed her. Just like that. My mom's side of the family called my father the next day and we buried her within a week at a cemetery near our home in California.
Heading upstairs after saying good night to my aunt I see Severus.
"He rapes her. I didn't know he rapes her. I thought he only cheated on her, felt relieved he cheated on her almost, since he would need her for one less thing. But he rapes her."
"I didn't know you had been listening Sev. You could have come down."
"No, if I had come down she wouldn't have said half the things she said. Reckon to protect me, so i don't think even iller of my father."
After a moment of silent fury and saddness, we decide to go to sleep. Although I think it's safe to say neither of us got much rest.
I got up the next morning feeling no more refreshed then I did the night before. Getting my robes on and putting my curly dark hair in a pony, I run down stairs with my bags to meet sev and his mom at their car. Getting there Sev and Eileen seem rushed.
"Okay loves, remember. Platform 9 3/4, run in if you're feeling nervous or hesitant."
"Mum don't worry, I've done this before I can teach Ali easily."
With that we got to the platform, said goodbye to Aunt Eileen and got in the train right on time.
"Ali quick try to get an empty booth."
A bell-like voice a few feet away says
"Not to worry Sev, I've managed to find one."
I turn to see a red-haired girl with bright green eyes and freckled skin smiling at him.
"Lily, hi. Sorry we couldn't come together this year, I had to help my cousin since it's her first year going to Hogwarts."
She looks over to me and analyses me head to tie
"You don't look eleven."
"Probably cause I'm not. I'm going on thirteen. I'm Alexandra." I say as I extend my hand for her to shake it.
"Oh, I met you about six years ago, didn't I Severus?"
"Yes, she's my cousin. She just moved here permanently from America."
"Oh that's lovely! I've heard America is amazing."
"I'd say we're mediocre at best but thanks."
As she giggles at my dry humor she invites us to sit in her booth and shut the door.
As we get comfortable she looks at me
"So Alexandra, why are you moving here?"
"Well my dad got a job in the Ministry of Magic here. I figured I'd rather go with my father and continue my magical education, rather then stay with my family and no-mag friends. Plus, I don't think I could live without my dad since my mom's dead and I've only got an aunt and uncle in Cali, and I wanted to spend time with Sev and Aunt Eileen. Well pretty much a ton of reasons really haha."
"So wait, you didn't go to Ilvermorny in America?"
"No, Ilvermorny is in Massachusetts and I lived in California. That's over 1,000 miles. My dad wasn't open to sending me to an American Witchcraft school or even let me get an American wand. I had to wait to come here before I could get any of that."
"That sounds dreadful. Did you go to a muggle school?"
"Yeah, it's fine I suppose. I mean it has its problems but what school doesn't."
"That's fair. So Sev, how is your mother?"
"Same as always." he replied with a sullen look on his face
"I'm sorry Sev."