Sirius Black's Twin

Dinner

"Elbows off the table, Lyra," Walburga commanded.

Lyra signed deeply and took her elbow of the table. "Can I ask why you're trying to make us look like the perfect family?"

"Your cousin is coming over," Walburga said.

"Please tell me it's Dromeda," Lyra said.

"Andromeda is not your cousin," Walburga said. "She was disowned for being a blood traitor. Then having a child with it!"

Orion put a comforting hand on his wifes shoulder and nodded with sympathy.

Sirius and Lyra glanced at eachother and rolled their eyes. This was what happened every time Andromeda Black - now Andromeda Tonks, was mentioned. It was amusing at first, but now it was quite boring.

"So Cousin Narcissa. . .?" Lyra inquiered. Though she disliked Narcissa greatly, she would rather spend time with her then Bellatrix.

"You know very well it's your cousin Belletrix," Walburga snapped.

Both Lyra and Sirius groaned. They had been looking forward to dinner, since they haven't eaten breakfast, but the news that Bellatrix was coming had ruined their appatite.

"So," Walburga said, straightening up at the head of the dinner table which - normally - the husband was supposed to sit at, but Walburga wore the pants in this relationship. "We haven't seen your cousin in almost two whole years, and I want her to go away remembering us as a respectable, grown up family with charming children."

Sirius snorted.

"Hem hem," Walburga cleared her throat. "So I'm putting down some rules. Rule number one; no elbows on the table, Lyra. Rule number two; you will adress Bella as 'miss' Bellatrix, unless she says otherwise."

"No way!" Lyra said, fuming. "She's our cousin, not the Minister!"

"You will do as your mother tells you," Orion said, his voice having a bit of warning in it.

Lyra sat back in her chair, arms folded and bottom lip poking out like a four year old.

"And you will act like mature adults, Lyra," Walburga said. Sirius smirked a little at his sisters face. "And the last rule; remember your manners."

"Oh, I almost forgot about those!" Sirius said, smacking his forehead. "Thatnks for reminding us, Mum."

"Yeah, thanks," Lyra said cheekily.

Walburga glared. "Kreacher will bring in the three courses."

"Has he been told to remember his manners?" Srius enquired. "Because I think he called me a name yesterday."

"Kreacher has more manners then you two put together," Walburga snapped. Then she blinked, her eyes searching around the table. "Where is Regulus?"

"Probably cleaning his Voldemort Collection Box," Lyra said dryly. "I think he polished it five times already."

"Oh yes, the Dark Lord," Orion said smiling proudly. "Regulus plans on joining him."

"If he hasn't already," Sirius muttered.

"Good thing too," Walburga said, just as proud. "It's about time someone like the Dark Lord comes around. All these Mudbloods running free, breathing in the same air, it still sickens me."

Sirius' jaw clenched, a muscle jumping in his cheek. Lyra put on a calm face, but inside she was fuming - wanting so badly to take that proud look off of her motthers face.

"Go get Regulus, Sirius," Walburga commanded. "He has to be here before Bella comes. They are very close, aren't they?"

Lyra rolled her eyes. Of course they were close, they were about to become Death Eaters. Sirius got up from the table and left the room to go get his younger brother. Just when he left, Kreacher came in with a large tray he was holding over his head.

"The Appetizers, Misstress Black," Kreacher said, putting the tray in the middle of the table and beaming at Walburga.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Walburga said fondly, she picked up one of the sandwhiches and took a small bite out of it. "Mmm, splendid as always, Kreacher."

"Thank you Mistress," Kreacher said happily, before hurrying out of the room.

Lyra rolled her eyes and restrained from putting her elbow on the table.

Sirius and Regulus came down the stairs, both of them looking very much alike, though Sirius much more handsome. Lyra smiled a bit when Sirius sat next to her, and Regulus on her other side, and thought how lucky she was that she didn't have to sit next to Bellatrix. Sirius, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.

The doorbell rang and the family heard Kreacher running towards the door in the hallway, eager to see his Miss Bella again.

"Miss Bella!" Kreachers croaky voice said. "They are waiting for you in the dining room."

"You can take my coat, Kreacher," said Bellatrix's voice, that sounded like a coo,

Sirius grimaced, one of his least favorite people in the world was going to sit next to him through dinner. The only one he could hate more then Bellatrix was his own mother, but that just might be because he was forced to see his mother every day.

Bellarix burst through the door, wearing a deep purple cloak that complimented his pale complextion and dark eyes.

"Aunt Walburga," Bellatrix said, a charming smile lighting up her features. "It was nice of you to have me."

"It was nice of you to visit," orion said, getting up from his seat and shaking his neice's hand. "We were just talking about what a splendid woman you became."

"Wait till you hear the news," Bellatrix said with a wink. She sat next to Sirius. "My dear cousin, Sirius!"

Sirius' scowl deepened.

"I've missed my baby cousin," Bellatrix cooed in a baby voice. "Your sixteen already? Oh, it feels like only yesterday you were in diapers."

A muscle twitched in his mouth.

"And Lyra!" Bellatrix said, staring at her other cousin as though she couldn't believe her eyes. "Your actually pretty now! Just two years ago you were the most scrawniest girl I had ever layed my eyes on! I must admit, I thought there was no hope for you. . ."

Lyra glared furiously at her, very offended.

"So tell me, Lyra," Bellatrix leaned forward, her eyes glinting. "Did you snatch up Cormac Stars yet?"

Lyra's face turned differant shades of red, her eyes wide. How would Bellatrix know about her crush? The only one she ever told was her diary. . .

"REGULUS!" Lyra was on her feet, glaring at her brother next to her, who looked very scared. "HOW DARE YOU GO THROUGH MY DIARY! I SHOULD WRING YOUR NECK!"

"Lyra, sit down," Orion said, looking slightly panicked.

Sirius looked entertained with what was happening, very much ejoying his brother cowering in fear. Bellatrix looked highly amused at the ruckus she caused, though they weren't even halfway through appatizers. Walburga looked furious, though she feared that Bellatrix would never visit her ever again because of the behavior of her daughter. Orion looked as though he expected this to happen, though not so soon.

"THEN YOU TELL THIS LUNATIC-" Lyra jabbed her finger at Bellatrix, who frowned at the name she was called. "ABOUT CORMAC! YOU SHOULD SLEEP WITH ONE EYE OPEN TONIGHT, KID, BECUASE YOU JUST MIGHT WAKE UP WITH NO HAIR!"

Lyra stormed out of the room, but not before taking the tray of sandwhiches and the jug of pumkin juice.

There was a silence, which Sirius chose to break. "Well that was fun."