Chapter - 20 : Discharge and Dilemmas part - 3

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"Where's he been all this time?" Mrs Black demanded. Then she shifted in her frame to look down at Harry. "Where've you been all this time, boy?"

Harry glanced rather uncertainly at Sirius, not sure what to tell her. "In France," he said at last. "Ma'am," he added, deciding that it would be a good idea to be polite. So far the portrait wasn't shrieking like a banshee and Harry really wanted to keep it that way.

"France?" Walburga Black repeated, looking horrified.

"Yes, with his mother," Sirius said. "She left England after I was sent to Azkaban, and took Orion with her. You should remember her I think - Evelinda Aubrey."

Mrs Black sniffed disdainfully. "Oh, that Gryffindor girl. Well I suppose her family was respectable enough, in fact Lady Hortencia Aubrey was a good friend of mine… but France, Sirius. I hope you're undoing the damage that living there must have done. No grandson of mine will end up with nasty French habits."

"Oh I don't know," Sirius said, his grey eyes glinting mischievously. "I was thinking of sending him to Beaubatons as soon as he turns eleven."

"What!" she shrieked, suddenly resembling the enraged painting Harry remembered. "Absolutely not! I won't allow it!"

Harry wondered if this was how all arguments between Sirius and his mother started; Sirius making some stupid comment to wind her up and Mrs Black taking him seriously.

"You're can't stop me, mother. You're dead. You have no claim to authority any longer." Sirius looked thoroughly pleased by that fact.

"That's it! I was prepared to forgive you, but now I see you're still an ungrateful Blood-traitor! Out! Get out! I won't have you in my house!" Mrs Black was red-faced and furious.

Sirius looked as if he was about to make a scathing retort, making Harry wince at the yelling that would no doubt follow, but then he paused. "Why did father visit me in Azkaban? Why did you let him?" he asked.

Walburga didn't reply immediately, her piercing gaze searching her son's face. "I thought you were clever enough to answer that question yourself," she said coldly.

"I'm not. I can't," Sirius said, almost desperately. "I don't understand it."

She glared at him, but nevertheless answered. "It's because we loved you once! We never stopped."

"Then why did you drive me away! Why did you burn me off the Family Tapestry! How could you treat me the way you did yet claim to care for me?"

"You were angry and disrespectful, always consorting with blood-traitors and causing trouble. You needed to learn that your actions had consequences!"

Sirius stared at her incredulously. "And threatening me was the way to teach me?"

"It was how I was raised, how I was taught to raise my own children," Mrs Black said haughtily. "It worked with Regulus –"

"Until he got himself killed by Voldemort -" Sirius interrupted impatiently.

"And he was respectful and obedient and a credit to the Family -" Mrs Black continued, raising her voice.

"Oh yes, serving a madman who tore the wizarding world apart -"

"He made your father and me proud!" she shouted.

"Yet you never told him that and he died thinking you never deemed him good enough!" Sirius yelled back. There was silence.

Harry stared at Sirius, never having given much thought to the relationship between him and his parents before. He knew Sirius had hated his family's beliefs and had run away from home, but he had never wondered whether Sirius still cared for them at all. It was rather stupid of him really; Harry himself had always disliked the Dursleys and the feeling had certainly been mutual, but when it came down to it they were still family. Harry was glad his Uncle had taken his advice in the end and left Privet Drive; it had been good to know his only blood relatives were safe.

"I regret that now," Mrs Black said quietly. She seemed to hesitate before forcing herself to continue. "I regret much in my life. When I think of what I left behind when I died - one son dead and another imprisoned along with my favourite niece, with another niece disowned - I wonder how our Family fell apart from one generation to the next. Do you think I'm happy with how things turned out?"

"Maybe not," Sirius retorted. "Yet it was your fault! Your prejudice made sure Andromeda was disowned. Your pureblood pride forced Regulus to join the side that ultimately got him killed! Your hatred drove me away!"

Walburga's painted canvas face suddenly looked very old and very tired. "I thought I was doing what was best for the Family," she said.

Sirius also seemed to lose the anger that had been driving him. He heaved a heavy sigh and leaned tiredly against the wall. "And in the end you destroyed us."

"Not all of us," Mrs Black disagreed. "You're still here… you're alive and you have a son and the Black Family will continue. Though no doubt differently from before," she added sourly.

"I wasn't serious about Beaubatons," Sirius admitted. "And I do think family is important, though I'll never agree with that stupid Toujours Pur motto."

"But why not? Think Sirius," the painting urged. "Your precious mudbloods and blood-traitors threw you in Azkaban without a trial. Why support them after that? Join your family. Blood is stronger than any other bond."

Sirius shook his head in denial of her words. "No, that'll never be on the cards. My friends may have abandoned me, but it was Voldemort and his Death Eaters who killed James and Lily. I refuse to have anything to do with the pureblood ideology that cost me my best friends. Voldemort and his supporters will always be my enemies."

"I see you refuse to be swayed," Mrs Black said, her face expressionless.

Sirius gave a sharp nod. "Correct."

They stared at each other for a long moment. "Determination and a lust for revenge," Mrs Black said finally, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Those are Black traits and you have them in abundance… you always did."

"I may be a Gryffindor and a Blood-Traitor, but I've never denied being a Black," Sirius reminded her. "I came here because this is my home. It's where I want to live and raise my son."

The portrait folded her hands primly. "Very well then," she said. "Orion, I welcome you to the Ancient and Noble House of Black… and Sirius, welcome home."

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