Astrophile [J.P]

Chapter 18

~ Now no one's knocked upon my door, for a thousand years or more

All made up and nowhere to go, welcome to this one man show. ~

***

It had been more than a week since Sirius had finally taken the toughest decision in his life and left the horrible Grimmauld Place, coming to the Potter's abode for the meantime. It hadn't been difficult to decide whether he wanted to leave his parents or not, what really was tough for him was the fact that he would have to leave poor young Regulus behind.

Regulus and Sirius had never been very close but Sirius still thought of him as a young pup who needed to be guided and taken care of. He knew Regulus was quite malleable as compared to him and could easily be reformed to his family's horrible ways if not guided in the right direction.

Sirius had tried to do his best in keeping him away from the dreadful prejudice inflicted deep in the minds of purebloods but had failed to do so for long. Regulus was the golden boy, the perfect Black son and the apple of his mother's eye while he was the curse on their family, the ungrateful son and an utter disgrace.

How could he expect that Regulus would choose to listen to him instead of blindly obeying his family like the perfect son he was?

Dinner was served and he was seated at the dining table with the elder Potters; Euphemia and Fleamont, and his best friend James. It had never been a thing for him to come down to dinner with his own family. He didn't remember any sort of family time shared between his brother and parents either except for the occasional parties they attended together but that too would be a lot formal for his liking.

And yet now this family bestowed the friendly warmth and comfort he had so longed for since years. He felt as if he was more a Potter than a Black. It had been only one week with them yet he felt a lot more at ease than he ever did in the past fifteen years. He felt as if he was finally at home.

"Sirius, dear, why don't you try a little of the herbed Yorkshire pudding? It's quite a specialty and I'm sure you'll like it," Euphemia handed him the platter and watched him tenderly as he cut out a slice for himself.

She couldn't help but notice how confident Sirius usually would appear to be but at times as this he would grow unbelievably quiet. She felt an equal love in her heart for both James and Sirius and felt sorry that the poor child had been treated so roughly by his own parents.

She knew deep down Sirius was a lot different than what he portrayed but it was only the influence of a strict family as the Blacks which had enhanced and brought out the stubborn rebellious side of him. In reality, he wasn't like that at all.

"I had to tell you something," Sirius finally spoke after the dinner was done and the dishes taken away by the house elves.

The three of them turned to face him, attentive to what he was going to say. Once again he felt a slight shock; back at home his conversation had never been given any importance and yet here they were all paying attention.

Knowing that he better get away with it than delaying any longer, he spoke up, "yesterday I wrote a letter to my Uncle Alphard."

"The one whose named after the star in some Hydro constellation?" James asked.

"Hydra constellation," he corrected him with a slight smile, "but I'm glad you remembered even that. Guess your tutoring really has paid off."

"Nah, I don't think so," James shrugged the compliment off.

He resumed the conversation, "he says he is living in a lonely neighborhood at Magnolia Crescent and wants me to come and stay with him. He is not well either, quite sick since many months so... It would be better I think if I go to him. But I needed your permission first."