Chapter 10. Andromeda & Rekindled Memories

The killing curse failed. Voldemort never thought he’d see this day, but there it was.

He was completely certain that his curse struck Sirius right in the chest. But what confused him was the destruction it caused since the killing curse wasn’t something that left a mark on the body. So the question was, how did Sirius’ chest get blown apart?

And the biggest question was...

“How? How is your chest healing so fast?!” Voldemort shouted in question and confusion, his voice borderline demonic. “None can survive the killing curse, even less those with a hole in their chest.”

“Hahaha...” His mouth bloodied, and his clothes dirtied; Sirius laughed like a maniac while standing straight. The hole in his chest was still healing at a rapid pace, and his heart was visibly beating. “Shut your damn mouth, you ugly thing. That’s what I will call you. ‘Thing’; because with those looks, you’re clearly not human. What did you mutate yourself with? Snakes? Lizards? Cockroaches?”

“Aaaaa!” Voldemort lost his mind right there and swung his wand again. “Avada Kedavra!”

Boom!

Once again, it struck Sirius’ chest and blew it apart. But this time, Sirius only groaned while remaining standing. His chest bled profusely but started to get healed in no time. The crazed laugh from Sirius’ mouth never stopped reverberating. It became hard to point out who the actual Dark Lord was.

“Hahaha ... That’s it? That’s all you have, Thing?” Sirius mocked and walked forward. “Narcissa, let’s go. Bella, you need not serve this filth. There’s no need to follow some dimwit, no-name Dark Lord.

For all we know, Voldemort could be some filthy squib who experimented to gain power ... just look at him. Does he look human? Noble? Handsome? And he wants to be the ruler of the wizarding world? I won’t even let him lick my shoe, let alone be a ruler.”

“Silence, you blood traitor!”

“And what are you? Specie-traitor? Who gave away his humanity for some cheap power? Grindelwald was a million times better than you. Evil, but at least he didn’t lose his humanity,” Sirius kept mocking him in the hopes of a slip of the tongue from Voldemort.

“Come to me—The Black Family does not kneel to some half-human ‘Thing.’ How is Voldemort any better than a Goblin or a Centaur? Just being able to speak doesn’t make one a superior being.” The attacks were quite personal and jarring. He wanted Voldemort to shout his true name so his roots could be traced.

Why aren’t you two coming with me? Sirius did feel desperate at the same time.

You don’t need to be scared anymore. Narcissa, what are you waiting for?

But right then, he noticed the look on Narcissa’s face. The look of acceptance, fear, sadness, and helplessness. He could see she was struggling in her thoughts. She was no longer just Narcissa Black, as the Malfoy name was also attached to her.

“I can protect you all.” Sirius desperately voiced. “Dark Lord is nothin—”

“Avada Kedavra!”

“Ugh!” Sirius coughed blood but didn’t fall to the ground. He defied the fundamental laws of magic right before them, instilling genuine fear into Voldemort’s being. “Bella, you?”

Ah ... That look. He noticed the doubts in Bella’s eyes as well. Her crazed smile was no longer there despite the crazed looks. She appeared confused and, at the same time, conflicted. Her loyalty had already been earned by the Dark Lord, after all. But Sirius had also proven he could stand against the Dark Lord.

Am I too late? Sirius wondered.

“Do you think this will end well for you?” Voldemort stopped blasting his magic and took a more measured approach. “You are powerless before me. You will never be Lord Black after this. You are a traitor, and the entire pureblood community shall know from today.”

Cough!

Immortality never came without a price. Sirius did feel weak from the loss of blood. But he couldn’t give up there.

“Haha, like I give a fuck,” Sirius roared and raised his right hand and showcased a fine, bloody middle finger. “From now on, I will hunt you down like the pig for slaughter you are, Voldemort. Run wherever you can, hide wherever you will, but I will always be at your back. Remember this night. Remember what happened today. You can’t kill me, but I will definitely kill you!”

Pained, heartbroken, he stepped back to Regulus again. His gaze never left Narcissa and Bellatrix; it was the same for them.

Tears in Narcissa’s eyes? You haven’t given up then? He noticed the subtle emotions. Bella, I know there is some sanity there. I hope you don’t forget me.

“REMEMBER!” Before he escaped with Regulus, he roared. “Doors to my house are always open for you two—Lord Black is immortal, eternal, and—victorious!”

“You will not escape!” Voldemort flew forward with his strange magic, his red demonic eyes flashing brightly. “Only death awai—”

“Hahaha.” Sirius laughed maniacally. “Take us, Kreacher!”

Pop!

And just like that, the house elf appeared and disappeared with the two of them, only leaving an empty space for Voldemort to attack and roar in rage. The night hadn’t only gone wrong but also left him frightened for the first time.

At that moment, Dumbledore wasn’t Voldemort’s only greatest fear. A new name was now added to that list. An unlikely man with an unlikely ability. One who evaded death and laughed at its face.

“Haaaaaaa!” empty roars, that was all Voldemort could afford that evening.

Pop!

Sirius and Regulus appeared back at 12 Grimmauld Place. It was as dark and depressing as ever, but that night, it felt haunting. Sirius felt weak, but he knew that time was of the essence. He had to take drastic steps to make sure he stayed as Lord Black.

“Regulus, no matter what. Do not come out of my room tonight,” Sirius ordered his younger brother. “By the time the sun shines, everything will have changed.”

“Where are you going?” Regulus questioned.

“To do what must be done.” That was all he could tell him since elaborating would remind him of the sin he was about to commit.

Sirius locked Regulus in his room on the top floor and went out. His chest had healed by now, but the gaping hole in his shirt was still there. He looked like a demon with all the blood covering him.

“What happened to you, boy?”

“This brings me back.”

He walked through the corridors while the various portraits tried to pass comments. But in the end, he stopped before one portrait and took it off the wall. He took it along and continued to make his way to the ground floor and then towards his parents’ room. He was light on his feet and kept his wand at the ready.

It was all dark. The sound of snoring was audible in the bedroom. The large bed with its net curtains rested in the center edge of the big room. Orion Black and Walburga Black slept calmly.

By tomorrow morning, the entire pureblood community will know I opposed Voldemort. I cannot, must not lose my lordship over the Black family.

He muttered to himself, seemingly trying to convince himself that what he was about to do was the right course of action. Accepting that what had started as his personal fight to stay alive and prove the oracle wrong had turned into this, something so much more.

“Sirius?!”

Orion Black woke up to a haunting feeling. He felt suffocated for no reason, but when he opened his eyes and raised his head, he saw it, almost giving him a heart attack. At the foot of the bed stood Sirius, unmoving. The light was faint in the room, but Orion noticed some dark stains on his face.

Woosh!

Sirius flicked his wand, and two wands came from under the pillows and into his hands. Then, he raised the portrait towards his parents and let it do the talking.

“Shame of the House Black. The two of you have ruined this family!” The man in the portrait roared with anger. “I, Phineas Nigellus Black, became the Headmaster of Hogwarts to earn our family some name, fame, and respect. So we can be stronger and hold more sway over Wizarding Britain. Yet, here you two lay with no care after ruining my legacy. Thrown to the feet of some upstart Dark Lord you don’t even know.”

“Sirius, what is this?” Orion Black couldn’t stop staring at Sirius’ bloodied form. Somewhere deep down, he knew what might be coming. “What happened?”

“Hmm?” Walburga woke up as well and sat up on the bed. “Sirus? Have you finally gone senile? What are you doing in my room? Have you forgotten all the manners you’ve been taught? Is this the best you can—”

Sirius sighed and looked at his father with pity. “She can’t read the room, can she?”

“Silence, Walburga!” Orion boomed in anger at his wife. “Sirius, tell me what happened. Whatever it is, we can find a solution.”

“It’s too late. I gave you time, and you failed me.”

“Failed this family.” Phineas Black added.

“Failed what?” Orion almost pleaded for an answer.

Sirius raised his wand towards them. With a small wave, two vials appeared on the couple’s bedside tables. “I saw Voldemort just a while back. He keeps Bellatrix like his dog, while Narcissa and Lucius are his personal butlers. He was about to place the Dark Mark on Regulus to use him as his servant—and wanted me to join.”

“D-Did you refuse the Dark Lord?” Walburga gasped. “How dare you!”

“Drink the poison,” Sirius had doubts, but Walburga instantly cleared them with her words. “The ancient Black family, so powerful throughout ages. And you two wanted to turn us into the Dark Lord’s stooges. I opposed that ugly bastard and lived. But you won’t—drink it!”

Orion Black looked at the poison vial on the bedside table. “If you kill us, you’d be seen as something worse than the Dark Lord! A madman who killed his own blood!”

Sirius scoffed, “Think about it like this, ‘Black Patriarch and his wife committed suicide! Is Sirius Black’s rebellion against the Dark Lord the reason!’ This will be the Daily Prophet’s front page headline tomorrow morning.”

“Haha, that’s my boy!” Phineas Black laughed and praised Sirius. “No doubt, you will take Black Family to the next phase.”

“Drink the poison,” Sirius insisted again and pointed his wand at them. “I know what I’m doing will haunt me for the rest of my life. But I’d rather kill you than allow Voldemort to use the Black Family for his treasonous activities.”

Walburga looked like she wanted to lunge at him and scream, but the tip of Sirius’ wand, pointed at her, kept her calm. “Dear, why stoop so low? Let us talk and—”

“Drink it,” Sirius repeated, his face now devoid of any emotions. “A mother who sells her children to a deranged dark lord is no mother. If you can’t, I will help you.”