𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗭𝗞𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗡 [𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍]

Chapter Twenty One: Too Much Wine

‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ ･⋆✵⋆･ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

Sirius had been home for little over a week now and Walburga was still giving him the cold shoulder. She hasn't spoken a word to him directly since his return and frankly, Sirius was grateful for that because he'd expected her to Crucio him on the spot for having the nerve to be a Gryffindor, no pun intended.

Few days into the break, Sirius was sitting in the basement kitchen of Number 12, Grimmauld Place, eating a late breakfast of Kreacher's frustratingly delicious cooking.

Walburga sat at the head of the table, making sure Sirius and Regulus ate like true well-bred purebloods and not like a pair of monkeys.

Kreacher was adding more beacon to Sirius's plate, muttering things about blood traitors, when the elaborate fire place roared to life, disturbing the suffocating silence that had previously reigned in the kitchen.

Walburga got up and knelt in front of the emerald green flames. She smoothed out her dress and cleared her throat.

"Hi." said Mrs. Euphemia Potter, her face appearing in the flames. "Do you happen to be Mrs. Walburga Black?"

"Yes. How can I help you?" said Walburga coldly. She mistrusts anybody who's blood status she didn't know.

Mrs. Potter flinched at Walburga's cold tone but forged on bravely. "It's an honor to finally meet you. I'm Euphemia Potter but you can call me Mia."

"Yes?" It was obvious that Walburga was getting irritated from the start of this conversation but now she was down right angry. The name 'Potter' isn't known to help her digestion.

"I won't take up too much of your time." continued Mrs. Potter. "I'll get to the point. My son is planning on having a few friends over for the summer holidays and I wanted to know if you're willing to let Sirius join us, Walburga?"

Walburga smiled a tight lipped smile. "It's Mrs. Black to you, Mia. And no. Sirius can't join you. We have plans to spend the holidays as a family. Good day to you."

"Well." Mrs. Potter cleared her throat uncomfortably. "It was nice to have met you. Thank you again for your time."

The flames were extinguished and Mrs. Potter's face disappeared.

Walburga turned to Sirius and spoke directly to him for the first time. "Room. Now."

"But I didn't do anything." Sirius protested.

"Go to your room and don't come out until I tell you to." she said in a louder voice.

Sirius pushed his plate away and stood up to leave.

"And Kreacher? Lock away that owl of his." was the last thing he heard his mother say before he took off running to his room.

"Bad seed, I tell you." the portrait of Sirius's aunt, Elladora Black, tutted as he passed her to climb the stairs.

"Shut up, you batty old gnome." Sirius growler at her before closing his bedroom door.

‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ ･⋆✵⋆･ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

Sirius's bedroom was big and well furnished like everything else in Grimmauld Place. But it felt empty, cold and drab compared to his Gryffindor dorm.

He spent the next few days in there, just doing nothing and trying not to die of boredom. He was allowed to leave for visits to the bathroom and that was it. Kreacher brought food to his room. Even dinner, to which attendance was usually mandatory.