The Marauders: Year One (female)

2. The House of Black

Sirius's fingers grappled with the tight, lacy collar of her dress robes. It was a special occasion, the departure of the Black heiress to Hogwarts, and the whole family was there.

Her mother, Walburga Black, had insisted that Sirius and her younger sister, Regula looked their best, as her cousin Bellatrix, and her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange would be there.

Bellatrix was a follower of a man called the Dark Lord, or Voldemort. The Dark Lord hated Muggles, and believed in purging the Wizarding World of all those unworthy in his eyes. That included Muggleborns, or Mudbloods, Blood Traitors, and half-bloods who dared to oppose his agenda.

Sirius's parents idolised the Dark Lord, and what he stood for. Whilst they would not get directly involved as Bellatrix had, they supported his cause financially, and caused trouble for the Muggles when they could.

Orion Black deeply resented the Statute of Secrecy, and he would often walk around in his wizard attire, hexing any Muggle who dared to look at him oddly or to speak to him. He should have been in Azkaban by now, but the Ministry didn't dare, as the Blacks were a high profile pureblood family, and their pockets were lined with riches enough to turn away the eyes of the Ministry.

Orion sat at the head of the table, with Sirius and Walburga by his sides. He raised his goblet of mead. 'To the family heiress! And the continuation of the pure bloodline of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black!'

The other members of the Black family murmured their assent as they raised their goblets.

Sirius squirmed uncomfortably in her chair, and tugged at her collar. She made eye-contact with Andromeda, and Uncle Alphard, and they both gave her wistful, yet encouraging smiles.

Walburga grabbed Sirius's hand under the table to stop her squirming.

Orion continued with his speech. 'Of course, Sirius will be sorted into the noble house of Salazar Slytherin, as the Blacks have been for centuries.'

Here, he glared at Sirius, as if to warn her of what would happen if she was not sorted into Slytherin.

Sirus suppressed a chuckle; she had no intention of being put in Slytherin. It couldn't be all bad, as Andromeda was to be the head girl in Slytherin this year, but on the whole, from what Sirius had seen, Slytherins were just a bunch of gits and purist bullies.

Regula looked at Sirius with awe. Sirius wished she wouldn't. She wasn't fit to be any sort of role model for her sister, one that wouldn't get her killed by the family, anyway.

Looking at Bellatrix's dark, shining eyes, glowing from within with a mad light, Sirius shuddered. She wondered how many Muggles and Muggleborns Bellatrix killed this year.

It wasn't like Regula would follow in Sirius's footsteps, though. She was a follower, and was far too afraid of what Orion and Walburga might say or do, if she rebelled in any way. She would end up a brainwashed puppet, just like the rest of them.

Orion's loud voice shook her from her thoughts. 'Learn and study well at your subjects, so that when the time comes, you can join the Dark Lord, and serve him well!' Orion beamed, and Bellatrix cackled joyously.

Andromeda rolled her eyes, and Narcissa hid behind her hair.

Sirius did not reply to her father. She gave him the smallest of nods, knowing that by this time tomorrow, she would be an outcast in this family. They already shunned Andromeda for dating Ted Tonks, a Muggleborn, but she was at least in Slytherin. Sirius fully intended to be sorted into Gryffindor, the House which was surest to make her parent's blood boil in their veins.