Black Roses

Black Roses

Lanni Weasley

Chapter One: Talitha Black

~*~

*Sirius's Point of View*

This summer has been a much better summer for me, I must say. I have not been cramped up alone in this house all summer; visited a few times; and then left alone to wallow in this terrible house full of many horrible memories. I have not been the only one suffering the nightmares. And I'm ashamed of myself. I'm glad that I'm not the only one suffering because I'm very selfish.

Someone that I hadn't seen for so many years showed up on the door step of the house with a warm smile and bright eyes that I missed. I hadn't seen her for fifteen long miserable years in Azkaban--convicted of a crime I didn't commit--and on the run.

Yet, I'd heard from her the week after I was sent to into Azkaban for life without a trial. And even though many considered her to be only an older teenager, she had owled me and everyone in the Law Department possible. I remember the letter well, and I think still have it.

~*~

Dear Sirius,

I'm sorry that you couldn't hear from me immediately. They wouldn't let me communicate with you at all. I am absolutely furious! I know for sure that you have not turned over to You-Know-Who. Have they checked you for the mark on your arm? Of course not, because they know for sure that you're a Death Eater and are too darn lazy to roll up a sleeve. You-Know-Who would not have a Death Eater without the Mark. Will they give you a trial? Sure, but it won't be fair at all because they don't want to waste the money because they're sure that you're a Death Eater and killed all those poor people. I'm trying my best to get you out of there. Hang in there, big brother.

As for Peter Pettigrew, I'm investigating his death personally and alone. I may only be nineteen and in the middle of Auror training, but I'm going to prove your innocence one way or another. I don't know how he did it, but I'm sure you know. Too bad they won't let you write a letter out of Azkaban. I have a suspicion that Peter Pettigrew's death was not ordinary. I'm sure that he did it.

Many people from Auror School have become afraid of me and don't pick on me anymore. Some of my friends are distancing themselves from me; they all think I'm going to turn into some evil Death Eater. Even though You-Know-Who is gone, they think I'm some Dark Arts master. Apparently, nineteen is the age when people turn into Death Eaters. Gosh, some people are so dimwitted.

Also, please--and I repeat--please do not blame yourself for James's and Lily's deaths. It was not your fault. I would've done the same with my friends. I would've fallen in the same trap. You-Know-Who was playing all of us; he was playing us like a game of exploding snap, and he won and lost, of course. Don't fight and bicker with yourself because it was not your fault. I hope you understand that.

Sirius, I was with Lily the morning before that night. She took me to have breakfast with her while you were gone and she said that she was worried about Peter. She told me that he was acting funny. I don't think she was considering that I'd do anything about it; after all, I'm only nineteen, but she knew that I would pass it on to you. I said I'd look into when I got the chance and tell you when I saw you, but I didn't do it that day; I didn't even see you that day.

If I would've just looked, maybe I could've warned them in time, but I didn't. I should be the one to blame. I did run into Peter that day though at night before he left. I was stopping by to pick up something and he was getting ready to leave. He was getting ready to set you up. I'm sure of it.

I'm trying to get you out of there. I really miss you. I really do. James was the best guy you could have ever been a friend to. He helped you so much. We just must remember all the things he did for us. And we must remember Lily. She was the best friend I ever had and she helped me over come a lot.

And we must remember young Harry. I've heard a rumor that he's staying with his aunt and uncle on Lily's side of the family--Muggles. I hear they're pretty bad, too. I'm talking to Professor Dumbledore about Harry. You're his Godfather, Sirius. I'm trying my best to bail you out, Sirius, and trying to get Harry out of his Muggle relatives' place. I can only do so much though. The Law Enforcement Department is not really listening to me because of my age.

I hope to see you soon. And don't beat yourself up, Sirius. I really miss you.

Sincerely,

Talitha

~*~

Although I knew that she would never get me out, I was just glad to know that she was trying hard. She'd owled me one more time saying that this would be the last letter most likely because they would not allow her to communicate with me anymore, fearing that she was becoming a Death Eater.

And the last I heard, the Department of Law Enforcement had her on trial for being a Death Eater at the age of eighteen, just months after my arrest. She was obviously proven innocent because I never saw her in Azkaban in all those years.

The day I saw her on the door step again...I felt all of the happy memories flooding back to my mind. All the way from her small feet to each black thread of her hair, I missed her so much. I finally saw her again. I finally got to see my sister.

~*~

July 2^nd, 1995

Sirius sat on the couch by the fire alone. There was nothing to do. He was just left with his thoughts about the Department of Mysteries and how he had almost been killed...Harry had thought he had died, but he had not. He had just been injured. And somehow, he had found himself on his couch, bleeding. But that was just a memory now, and he was all alone.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden and unexpected soft knock on the front door. Sirius was more dazed at by pondering of who would knock softly. They usually rang the doorbell and awoke the portraits, everyone did. There was another soft knock on the door. Sirius cautiously made his way to the door. He stood by the door, silent. There was another soft knock on the door. Sirius warily put his hand on the doorknob.

What if it was a Death Eater? His cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, might be able to get in, right? No, she didn't know the secret password anymore. So it had to be a member of the Order of Phoenix, right? But what happens if Kreacher told Malfoy more than they thought? No, they used the Veritiserum on him; he was telling the truth. So...who could it be? No one had told him that they would be visiting any time soon. He threw all caution to the wind and opened the door.

Immediately, Sirius's breath was taken away. It was impossible--or was it? It couldn't be--or could it? It wasn't her--but it was. It was Talitha Black, his little sister by one and a half years. Her long black hair flowed in the wind and strands of it in her face; her green eyes were bright; her robes hung on her slim figure loosely. It was her. He hadn't seen or heard from her for fifteen years. And it was her.

"Sirius...I...I...missed you...a lot," Talitha whimpered. Her voice quivered as if it were about to break any second. It was soft and gentle like he had remembered. Her smile was smile, but enough to bring anyone down.

"I...missed you too," Sirius replied. Tears filled her green eyes and she threw her arms around her older brother. She began to cry and cry and cry non stop.

"You don't know how much I've missed you, Sirius!" Talitha sobbed wildly. He shut the door so the neighbors wouldn't suspect anything. "I've been so alone! The only one left! For fifteen years, they wouldn't let me communicate or visit you! I wish I could've seen your face again! I really did! I told the Ministry forever that it was Pettigrew! It was Pettigrew, but they blew me off! I'm so sorry, Sirius! I'm sorry that you ever had to endure Azkaban for thirteen years. If you hadn't escaped, you would still be in there, no thanks to me. I'm sorry that I failed you so..."

Sirius picked his fragile sister's chin up so she could look his straight in the eyes.

"Don't say that because you didn't fail me, Talitha," he told her firmly. "You kept fighting for me when no one listened to you. I...I really appreciate that." Talitha would probably never know how much he did appreciate her efforts to save him.

"I begged them to let me talk to you, but they kept saying no! I was scared, Sirius, that they'd already given you the Dementor's Kiss without telling me!" Talitha cried out weakly. "Then, I learned of your escape. And they...and they..." She trailed off and closed her eyes.

"What did they do?" Sirius asked her softly. She opened her eyes and collapsed on the couch. Her eyes drifted into the fire.

"They still thought I was a Death Eater, even after the Wizemgott found me innocent, and then you escaped and being that I'm the only other Black left, they thought that I had helped you escape," Talitha explained quietly, her eyes staring at the flames licking the logs viciously. "They said that I wasn't fired; they said it was nothing personal--but it was. I was suspended from my Auror duties for eleven months."

"What? They did that?" Sirius said loudly in disbelief. "They wouldn't even let you contact me! How could you help me?"

"I don't know," Talitha sighed. "I never asked them, but I did get it back." Sirius stared at his sister in disbelief. She had been suspended because she was his sister. He was already mad at the Ministry for not giving him a fair trial, but this was too much. He shook his head.

"I...heard about what happened in the Department of Mysteries," Talitha blurted softly. Sirius looked back at her. "I heard that they all thought you were dead. What happened?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange hit me with a curse and I fell through the Veil. I thought I was dead. I thought it was a green jet of light, but the next thing I knew, I was sitting on this couch, bleeding," Sirius answered thoughtfully.

"I'm glad I'm home, sort of," Talitha sighed. "I really missed you. I felt so alone and empty."

"I know, I missed you too," Sirius said. He patted his little sister's head and she giggled.

~*~

So the summer at Grimauld 12 Place has not been a sour and lonely one. It has been filled with all the good memories. They have been filled with laughter. When the Weasleys weren't here, I usually awoke late and bored, but since Talitha came, I've been waking up a little earlier and to the smell of breakfast or lunch, depending on how long I sleep in.

We've caught up a lot and I've learned a lot about my sister's life. But one thing still bothers me. Being that I'm her big brother, I'm naturally worried about her boyfriends and what they do. She laughs at me and I know it's silly, but being that she's my little sister, I'm worried.

We sat at breakfast eating some waffles she cooked and talking. I poured some syrup as she walked back from the counter and sat her glass full of orange juice down. She sat down in the seat across from me and crossed her legs

I felt a question get caught in my throat. I hadn't asked her it since she came because I wasn't sure if she was ready to answer it. I wasn't sure if she was strong enough to answer it yet. But she was, I supposed.

I cleared my throat. "Talitha," I prompted, and she looked up at me in the face. "Remember when I was arrested?" Talitha stared at me. I was sure that she was pondering about where I was going with this topic, but nodded her head.

"Yes, I remember that," Talitha said softly. I looked into her light green eyes.

"Well, when I was arrested, where did you go? Where did you live?" I asked her. She stared at me. "I mean, you were only eighteen when I was sentenced to Azkaban. You were barely out of Hogwarts." Talitha sat in her seat and contemplated it.

"Well...I was obviously causing a lot of trouble with my ranting about your innocence, but I was also only nineteen year-old with no home or money whatsoever--since I had just gotten fired--to support myself so the Law Department tried to send me back here with mum and dad," Talitha answered. "I mean, they foreclosed on your house immediately so I had nowhere to go; I had no money at all."

My eyes about popped out of my head. If she came back here, they might have just disowned her and sent her to an orphanage or beat her senseless. My father was known for abusing his authority over me harshly before I ran away when I was sixteen. I partly felt bad because I had left Talitha there, but she had given no hard feelings.

~*~

January 6^th, 1974

"What have I taught you, Sirius?" his father growled. There was another blow and another stumble backwards. Sirius banged into the wall and fell to his knees. He hated it, but he took the pain without a fight. "Sirius, what have I taught you?" Sirius bit his lip so hard that he was sure that it had started bleeding.

"You've taught me everything that I don't believe is correct," Sirius muttered. This got him a knee in the stomach and he groaned as he crumbled to the ground. The pain in his gut was ghastly, but he held in the tears. If there was one thing he learned in this terrible place he called his home, it was not to show pain or weakness. He took a painful deep breath and pulled himself back on his feet. His father was fuming hatefully.

"And I still hate you." A fist connected with his jaw and stumbled backward awkwardly again. He spit blood out of his mouth and into his hand.

"You don't deserve to be called a Black," his father snarled. Sirius glared at his father in his hateful eyes; his eyes were just as relentless.

"And I wish I wasn't one, father," Sirius mumbled. His head was thrown against the wall and a fist in his gut. In dreadful pain, he sunk back to his knees and put his head so close to the ground that it was touching it. He thought that he might have a broken rib; it sure felt like it. He was winded badly and couldn't breath, but he held it all in.

He heard his father stalk away irately. Everything was quiet for seconds and he just wished the pain would go away. Then, he heard the pitter-patter of small feet coming his way. Which one of them was it? He saw the black shoes between his hairs. Someone looked upside down at him in an attempt to see through his mass of messy, sweat dripping from his black hair.

"Sirius...are--are you alright?" her voice asked timidly, quivering. He cursed himself in his mind. He didn't like for her to see him like this--weak and pitiful. She was a soft and impressionable girl. She was sensitive to everyone's feelings. She was very empathetic and kind. She was the one who he sucked the pain up for--his little sister, Talitha.

He lifted his head up agonizingly; his arms were crossed over his gut. He tried to give her a warm smile through the pain, and he did. But she saw right through it, he could see it in her light green eyes. She stared at him with a troubled glint in her eyes.

The twelve year-old girl stood up straight, and he noticed that her hands were hidden in her pockets, but he could see them fidgeting. Had she seen what had just happened? Or was it something even more menacing?

Sirius smiled tenderly at her. "Of course I'm alright," he replied, his voice was not strained but sounded rather normal. She frowned at him and sat down on the ground. She folded her legs Indian style.

"You're lying," Talitha simply said, sounding hurt. She could always see right through him and she had seen him on the ground in pain. "I--I know you are..." Sirius straightened up and didn't care how sore his body was. He scooted closer to her on the ground.

"How do you know?" Sirius asked her delicately. She looked up into his light green eyes. He could see the tears threaten her eyes.

"Dad...dad doesn't like how I am friends with Kathy Richardson. He doesn't like it how I am not in Slytherin, but in Gryffindor. He doesn't like it how I don't uphold the Black ways. He says that I am just like you--stupid and worthless," Talitha whispered almost inaudibly. Sirius leaned in closer to his little sister. "Am I, Sirius? Am I stupid and worthless? I feel like it..."

Sirius felt a wave of grief wash over him. His poor little sister was enduring the verbal torture. He had gotten it a few times, but it had washed over him like water. Talitha was a very different story. She believed their father, and Sirius's hatred for him grew even greater.

"No, no, you're not those things," Sirius told her firmly. "In fact, I'd say you are the exact opposite. You are a very intelligent and bright young girl and you're very precious to me. I know I would die if something ever happened to you." Talitha smiled softly, but then frowned again.

"Does he mean to hurt us so badly?" Talitha asked. Sirius was confused. What did she mean? "Does he mean--mean for it to be painful?" Sirius stared down at his little sister.

"Like...emotionally or physically?" he asked her. She was twelve, but she looked so small and fragile. She took a deep breath and looked up at her older brother.

"Both," Talitha replied. She looked down at the ground. Sirius felt terrible. He felt greatly sorry for his little sister. He embraced her in a brotherly and kind hug. A tear from his eye fell on top of her head and soaked into her hair.

"Oh, Talitha, I'm so sorry that you have to endure this," Sirius told her benevolently. "I'm so sorry I can't stop this madness for you."

Talitha merely nodded her head understandingly.

~*~

That memory had been a very rough one for me after I ran away to live with James and his parents. I had nightmares of the memory and of what my father could be doing to hurt her. I had lived with it and finally felt a little at peace at Hogwarts when I'd confronted her. She said our father had done nothing because he had been so angry at him for running away. I shook the memory away.

"Well, did you come back here?" I asked her. She smiled faintly.

"No, I didn't come back here," Talitha answered contently. "The Potters were very kind. They knew of my situation when you were there and they believed that you were innocent, somehow. Mr. Potter explained that they would take me in. I stayed with them until I left for Auror training."

I nodded my head, relieved that I had finally asked her. I felt a lot better now. I could feel good now that my parents were gone. "I wish I could've thanked them," I grumbled.

"Don't worry; I thanked them every chance I got," Talitha told me. She smiled brightly and I smiled back at her. It was good to have her home. She looked as though she had something on her mind, too. And then, she told me.

"Um...I have a new job," Talitha announced. I raised an eyebrow. She'd been going to the Ministry of Magic for some time for her Auror duties. "I mean, I still am an Auror, but something else has come up. Professor Albus Dumbledore has asked me to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts this year."

I smiled. I really would miss her, but she was perfect for the job and it might help clear her name even more.

"That's wonderful," I said, cutting my waffle. "You'll do great."

"Really? I wasn't so sure if I could," Talitha chortled, "but thanks for telling me that. I really needed it. It's partially because they don't want another problem with their last D.A.D.A. teacher, Professor Umbridge. I think that the students are still reeling after her and are a little more hesitant."

I laughed at this. I remembered Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George talking angrily about the women, but mainly Fred and George scheming about what to do to her. Talitha grinned.

"Yeah, I heard about Fred and George Weasley's escape," Talitha noted. She snickered. "They remind me of some people...but whom?"

I grinned because I knew who she was talking about. She smiled.

"I know, the Marauders!" Talitha laughed. "It was always James, Remus, and you." I noticed that she didn't say Peter's name. It was like that she didn't believe he was a Marauder anymore. As far as she was concerned, if you turned on your friends, you weren't considered their friend ever again. She held grudges.

"So, am I going to have to start calling you Professor Black?" I chuckled. Talitha chortled. "The students are all going to be afraid of you every time you pick up a wand, you know."

Talitha shrugged her shoulder casually. "It's a chance that I'll have to take if I want that job and I really do," she sighed nonchalantly. She took a sip of orange juice. "I haven't seen Hogwarts for years and I sort of missed it. I wonder if anyone I knew is a teacher there."

I suddenly frown, remembering who was teaching there. She saw me scowl and stared at me.

"What's wrong, Sirius?" Talitha asked. I looked up at her.

"Someone we both know is teaching there," I muttered. Talitha nodded her head serenely. "Snivellus is teaching there, Talitha. He's the Potions Master."

"Oh, Snape is teaching there?" Talitha exclaimed. She shook her head. "Oh, great, I'll have to deal with him all year."

"And he's worse than ever," I sighed. Talitha was frowning, but was not scowling angrily like I was. She bit her lip and sighed deeply.

"Well, I'll just have to get use to him again, I guess," Talitha said uncertainly. "I mean, I haven't seen him for so long, not since they caught him as a Death Eater...heh...I was the one who caught him, Sirius. Oh, Bloody hell, how will he react when he sees me teaching?" She sighed again and shook her head slowly. She grinned and rolled her eyes when she saw me look a little worried.

"You know, I wonder how he does think of me now," she sighed. I did not only hate Snape during my school days because he was annoying and that we were mortal enemies. Only James, Remus, and Peter knew an even deeper reason of my hatred for him.

It was during the days of when my big brotherliness was at its top. I was in my Seventh and final year at Hogwarts and Talitha and Regulus were in their Fifth Year. Snape was in his Seventh Year in Slytherin. Snape just so happened to fancy Talitha, a lot, which made me really angry. I remember Talitha dodging him in the hallways and me telling him to stop following her. He'd always say that he was "going to class" when I knew he wasn't. I'd usually just hex him.

"He better not still like you," I muttered. Talitha suddenly choked on her orange and sat it down while howling with laughter. "I mean it! I won't be there to tell him off!"

"Oh, please, Sirius, now really, I think I'm old enough to tell him off by myself," Talitha guffawed incredulously. "Plus, it's been--like, what?--thirteen years since I've seen him. And if he still likes me, I'll be amazed, really. I'm the one that caught him after all. I think that that's enough for him to hate me. And I only hope he does." I laughed. Talitha was trying to make me laugh.

"I also think that Dumbledore wants me there so that I can watch after Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the trouble magnets," Talitha said, changing the subject. "I mean, with...Voldemort still walking around out there free, who's to say that he won't come to Hogwarts? I'm just excited that Dumbledore trusts me and thinks that I'm that good of an Auror."

I nod my head. Talitha was still getting use to saying Voldemort's name. I knew she didn't feel comfortable saying it, but she was and I respected it.

"You're a great Auror, Talitha," I told her firmly. Suddenly, someone rang the doorbell and the portraits started screamed. Talitha about jumped out of her seat. Since her stay here, she hadn't heard the portraits scream like that. The last time she had been here, our mother had been alive and not in a portrait.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Talitha questioned loudly, combing her fingers through her black hair. I laughed loudly. She only swore like that when she was freaked out.

"Mum's portrait, she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on it and they scream when awoken," I explained. Her eyes were wide, but she nodded. "I'll get--"

"The door, I'll take care of the portrait," Talitha interjected. She knew I was about to say the portrait. "Just close the curtains, right?"

I nodded my head. She walked swiftly out of the room and up the stairs. I watched her disappear and gave a sigh. Talitha can sometimes be so rude, but I think she got that from being around me too much for her own good. After all, I am a great example.