Growing up Pureblooded

Can't Sleep

Draco couldn't sleep that night, so he and Aries stayed up playing chess in Regulus's old room. "I'm really sorry about what happened to your mum, Draco," Aries said. "I don't want to talk about it," his cousin muttered. He moved his rook forward three spaces. "Check."

Aries raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want to do that?" "Of course I am," Draco snapped irritably. "I did it, didn't I?" Aries shrugged and took the castle with his knight. Draco stared at the board blankly. "Damn." "Your heart doesn't really seem to be in the game," Aries observed. "Do you want to do something else? Exploding Snap?"

His cousin shook his head and moved a bishop. "I doubt my heart will be in that, either. I mostly want something to pass the time." Aries yawned. "Why don't you ask Dad for a sleeping potion?" "What if there's news?" Draco replied in a small voice. "Mum could need me, and I shouldn't be able to wake up." Aries nodded at his cousin sympathetically, then moved his queen straight across the board. "Checkmate," he said with a grin. "Prat," Draco muttered.

The door opened, and Sirius came in. "What are you two still doing up?" he asked, though he didn't look anywhere close to going to bed himself. "I couldn't sleep," Draco said. "Aries was sitting up with me." Sirius nodded. "May I join you?" he asked. "Of course," Aries replied, and scooted over to make more room on the bed. Sirius sat down cross-legged. "Merlin, Draco," he said, glancing at the chessboard. "Aries crushed you."

Draco snorted. "I've been a bit distracted." "That's understandable," Sirius said. He chewed his lower lip before continuing. "Draco, could you give me and Aries a minute, please?" "All right," Draco replied, and hopped off the bed. "I'll grab us a couple of butterbeers from the kitchen, Aries." "Thanks," Aries said. "Could you get me one too whilst you're at it?" Sirius asked. Draco nodded. "No problem."

Once he shut the door, Sirius turned to look at Aries. "I have something important to ask of you," he said. "Feel free to say no. There's no pressure. I didn't even want to ask you, but Aunt Cassie convinced me to give you the choice." "What is it, Dad?" Aries asked. "You have this connection with Riddle, right?" Sirius began. Aries nodded. "How does it work? Have you any control over the visions, or do they happen randomly?"

Aries thought for a moment. "Mostly randomly," he said. "But when I had the diary, sometimes the visions would occur when I was thinking about something in particular." Sirius winced, as though it was painful for him to continue. "Do you think there's any way you could initiate a vision? Maybe use it to find out some particular bit of information?" Aries grinned. He liked where his dad was going with this. "Such as where he's stashed Aunt Narcissa?" "That's right," Sirius said. "You don't have to. It's risky. But..." He trailed off. "It could save Aunt Narcissa's life," Aries finished for him.

Sirius nodded. "Otherwise, I shouldn't even mention it." "I'll see what I can do," Aries said. Just then, Draco returned with their butterbeers, and Sirius broke out a deck of cards. They played until long after midnight, when the drifted off one-by-one on top of the large bed. Sirius fell asleep first, followed by Aries. Sleep claimed Draco last of all.