#aphard black

[enbysiriusblack]

the black family

regulus- timothee chalamet, sirius- eren guvercin, orion- hugh grant, walburga- eva green, alphard- clement sibony, cygnus- guillaume canet, druella- laura dern, narcissa- florence pugh, andromeda- kiera knightley, bellatrix- katie mcgrath

[laceswan]

Chapter 3: Settling In

The old brown hat was lifted from her head, and she stood, slowly walking to the Ravenclaw table. She was in shock. How? It made sense logically, she didn't really posses Slytherin qualities. But still, her mind was spinning. Everything she expected had just been tossed out of the highest tower. She sat by Xenophilius, who soon saw the look on her face. "Hey, what's going on?" "Hmm? Oh, I just didn't expect this." "Did you want something else?" "Sort of. I-It's not like I don't like Ravenclaw, I just-" She turned to look back to her friend across the room. He wasn't looking, just eating his food and probably reading a book under the table. She couldn't help but long for him to look back at her, give her that same reassuring smile from before. "I thought I'd be in Slytherin." Xenophilius simply nodded, with a gentle look of understanding. The two of them sat and watched the rest of the ceremony. Soon, Theodore joined them in Ravenclaw. This was no surprise, he had mentioned on the train that he expected to be sorted into Ravenclaw. As they got to know him, it became clear that there really wasn't any other choice. Xenophilius greeted him with a smile as he sat down. "Are you happy about your sorting?" "Yes, it is just what I was expecting." "And you've already got friends here!" "That's right, I do. I'm glad I met you all." Yvette smiled, realizing that she did still have friends with her, even if they weren't Regulus. "I'm glad I met you guys too." "Lucky you both got into Ravenclaw, don't you think?" She thought about his question for a moment. "No, I don't think so. I think it was fate." They all had a laugh after that. The banquet continued, and Yvette quite liked the people around her. They were sophisticated regardless of background, they could have the best of conversations and most wonderful discussions. Perhaps Ravenclaw would be a good fit. When the meal concluded, all students were to leave the great hall. Yvette scurried across to find those headed to the dungeons and grabbed a certain wrist before he could follow. He turned around, clearly about to yank his hand away until he saw her face. He softened, standing still instead of flinching away. "Hey, I haven't seen you today." "Yeah, I guess we haven't. How are you?" "I'm good! I've made all kinds of new friends." she said with a giggle. "That's wonderful. Are they Ravenclaws?" "Yes. How's Slytherin?" "It's alright. I thought you would be with me though." Both of them were a bit saddened by his comment. "Yeah, I thought so too." The two of them stood in silence for a moment, as if their shoes and the floor were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. However, Yvette was soon able to look to the optimistic side of things. After all, house wasn't everything. Her face brightened and she pulled Regulus' attention as she spoke. "I guess it's not that important though. We can still hang out, we just won't be in the same house." "I guess... But still-" "I know." This wasn't what either of them wanted. Just yesterday, they were talking about all the fun it would be, in the Slytherin common room. Aphard told Yvette that sometimes creatures of the Black Lake could sometimes be seen from the windows, and she couldn't help but dream of all the wonderful creatures she would meet. There was a giant friendly squid that Yvette couldn't wait to befriend, as well as selkies and grindylows that often got a bad rep, but Yvette was sure that they could be docile for the right people. Of course, she would still be able to meet all these creatures, but being in Slytherin would have put her that much closer to them. The Ravenclaw head called out from the stairs, and Yvette scurried off, leaving Regulus by the dungeon entrance.

Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were walking up systems of moving staircases. The staircases were grand, limestone winding things that ran high into the tallest towers of the castle. They shifted and changed, moving from wall to wall at random intervals. Yvette was moving forward, looking around at all the moving paintings and stain glass windows, when she heard her name called from behind her. She looked back, and saw nothing. And yet, when she turned back around, she heard it again. There was a tap at her shoulder, and she looked back again, now seeing a panting and winded Sirius. Her face lit up, immediately hugging him close. "Hi! I haven't seen you in a while!" Sirius chuckled at her bubbly attitude. "Well, you can't be rid of me that easily. Come on, I want to introduce you to my friends." He tried to pull her along, but she stayed put. "Sirius, I've got to go to my common room. It's the first night." "What's life without a little thrill?" He held a mischievous smirk, as always, encouraging Yvette to bend the rules a bit. "It's the first night!" Sirius rolled his eyes. He briefly hugged her once more before saying goodbye and walking off to the Gryffindor common room.

The common room was beautiful. Sky blue drapes lined every massive bay window, showcasing a stunning view of the stars and night sky. Marble statues and ivory-coloured walls were decorated with the most ornate of patterns. Inset arches held bookcases, like their own personal library. Yvette and all the other first years stood in awe of it all, some gazing up at the constellations painted on the ceiling, others looking out the windows that towered above the ground. The upperclassmen guided the first years up the stairs to their dormitories. Their luggage was already brought up there, including pets. Panettone was peaceful, sitting by a four poster bed that Yvette assumed to be hers. After unpacking, Yvette and the other girls headed back downstairs to relax with in their new common room. She spotted Theodore and Xenophilius sitting by a window with a book and star chart. The three of them sat there, on the plush blue carpet, looking out at the stars and enjoying their first night in the castle. The light of the common room was dim, warm from the gente flicker of the fireplace and candles. But there was a bay window with drapes that could be drawn in a way to block out the firelight. Xenophilius, Theodore, and Yvette spent most of their night there, gazing in awe at the constellations. The sky was certainly different out here. Growing up her whole life in London, Yvette only knew a handful of stars, perhaps she could spot Orion or Ursa Major on a clear night, but here, she could see so much more. And she was so much closer, in a tower in the highlands. The excited and almost electric energy of her day was finally able to relax here, with new friends and the stars to keep her company.

Light streamed in through each crack in the drapes, gently rousing Yvette from her sleep. She watched as the other girls woke up as well, saying their tired morning greetings and changing into their robes for the day. It had been a few weeks in the castle, Yvette was developing a routine. She would wake up, head to the Great Hall and eat something, then go to her classes. Being a first year, she had classes with other first years, which meant that Elsie, Xenophilius, and Sirius and all of his friends were not in class with her. However, it did mean that she had some classes with Regulus. After classes, she would go to somewhere peaceful and get her work done. That usually meant the common room or somewhere by the lake. As time went on, she began to spend more and more time with Sirius. While Xenophilius and Elsie had been the ones to show her around most of the school, he had given her all the inside information of the best places to hide from anyone, and where to sneak around. He also introduced her to his friends, James, Remus, and Peter. They were sweet, welcoming her as a little sister almost right away. The same qualities that Sirius loved in Yvette, mainly her empathy and kindness, were ones that the rest of his friends were likewise drawn to. Even if she wasn't nearly as chaotic or mischievous, Yvette fit right in.

The weeks became months, and Yvette began to notice something. Every now and again, Remus would disappear. Just for a night or two each month, he would be nowhere to be seen. He was quiet during the day, an then just disappeared, nowhere to be seen, until the morning. She kept it to herself, figuring that it would be rude to meddle in his personal business. But then he ended up in the medical wing one morning. She went to visit him as soon as she could, quickly followed by the others. "Remus what happened? Are you alright?" He smiles weakly, clearly devoid of much energy. "Yes, yes I'm fine." "You don't seem all that fine. What on earth were you doing?" He didn't respond for a moment. "Nothing, don't worry about it." Clearly, he didn't want to reveal his whereabouts from the previous night, and Yvette chose not to pry, instead leaving that up to James and Sirius. And still, as they barraged Remus with questions, he remained stubborn as ever. Eventually, they all gave up, instead changing the subject. Remus was able to recover, returning to classes within a few days. And then again, in just a few weeks time, he disappeared once more for a night, and returned shrouded in bandages and lying weak in the medical wing. And this was the final straw. Yvette had stayed silent for too long now, and things were getting more serious. She decided to speak up. So before they walked in to visit Remus, she pulled them all aside for a moment. "You guys, I can't be the only one that's seeing a pattern here." "What do you mean? Pattern with that?" "With Remus! He disappears for a night every few weeks, and in the morning he's wounded and lying in there." "Hey, yeah! This isn't the first time this happened is it?" "What do you think he's doing?" The four of them pondered for a moment or two, trying to think of anything reasonable that could be regularly hurting their friend. Nothing came to mind. Remus was never up to anything nefarious, at least, nothing the others weren't also part of. And he wasn't acting suspicious in any way. Just staying stubborn and not telling them anything. Asking him was no help either, for he said nothing and always changed the subject. Once they had left him to rest, they made a plan to meet again later.

Days passed, and they learned nothing about Remus' mysterious whereabouts. The autumn chill was bringing the first frosts of winter. The air was crisp and just a little too cold for a stroll by the lake. Yvette always admired the turning leaves, though by now, they were all gently rotting on the ground. The sky was grey, shrouded with clouds and fog. Rain was on its way, though not quite arrived yet. The castle had plenty of nooks and crannies, all sorts of corners one could sit, relax, alone and undisturbed. A personal favourite of Yvette's was a narrow staircase, with wide, shallow steps that led up to a small ledge by a window. While most of her frequented alcoves were shown to her by Sirius, this one she had found on her own. It wasn’t miniscule, enough to seat three or four people, but still cozy. There wasn't much up there, like it was built for the window itself. All the floor ever did was collect dust, awaiting someone to find it. And in a bit of exploration one night, it was found. Yvette went there to relax, sometimes with friends, or sometimes alone. On this day, with her was Regulus. She had brought him here only a little while ago, and as they walked up the stairs, he stopped, tired and leaning against the wall. A thin layer of perspiration clung to his skin, matting the locks of raven hair that fell close to his head. It bounced with his heavy, winded breaths. "Tell me again how you found this place?" She laughed, waving off his sarcastic comment. "Oh, it's not too bad. Besides, I think it's worth it." "For what? Some dusty old broom closet that's needlessly high above the ground?" "Yes! A cozy little room no one will bother us in, with a great view of the lake." Regulus rolled his eyes as they continued to travel the stairs. They sat on the floor and relaxed, working on the daily prophet crossword with a portable muggle radio playing softly in the background. "Hey, aside from me, who do you hang out with?" Regulus didn't quite know how to answer that question. He knew people, the people he sat by in classes or the people he crossed in the corridors, but he never spent actual time with them. None of them were like Yvette. And even if they were, he couldn't bring himself to care enough to find out. There were a few people he talked to, just a select few that he sat with in the common room. But he didn't like them. They were acquaintances, family friends, again, not like Yvette. Yaxley and Rosier were people he had to associate with, lest he endure further the wrath of this mother. No one he talked to was friendly, welcoming like her. Or perhaps they were, but a part of him was far too scared to find out.  "I don't think anyone, why?" Yvette donned a slight downturn at the edges of her lips. She couldn't imagine having so few friends, it saddened her, really. "Well, some of my friends are going to be in the library tomorrow night, maybe you would like to join us? I think you might like them." "Oh? Who are they?" "Just a few second years. Gryffindors." Yvette was prancing around their names. She knew that it might not work, in fact she expected it, but it was worth a try. The brothers had a rift torn between them since Sirius' first year, and got wider by the day. There was a time when the three of them would play, mess around and have fun, and though it was a tad childish, she wished that they could be close like that again. Regulus was hesitant, not quite keen on meeting new people. "Names?" She couldn't avoid it anymore. It was now or never. "Peter, James, Remus, that crew. I think you've heard me talk about them?" "Maybe..." Those names sounded familiar, but Regulus wasn't sure why. Apparently just some friends of Yvette. She must have mentioned them at some point. "Anyone else?" "Yeah... Sirius." Regulus' face tightened ever so slightly. Mention of his brother never failed to bring his mood down. "Oh. I think I'll pass." "Ok." Yvette was a bit sad, but she hadn't expected much. It seemed she would be walking alone to the library to meet them.

The moon was high and full that night, shining pale through the uncharacteristically clear night. She entered the library and searched for her friends, to find that a certain was was missing. Yvette walked over to the table they were crowded around and greeted her friends with barely a smile before asking her question. "Where's Remus?" None of them knew. Yvette attempted to shrug it off, for there was work to be done. She had an upcoming potions quiz to study for, so she found a book at got to work. There was one brew in particular that required to bask in the undisturbed light of a full moon for one night, which pulled her attention out of the window. Staring at the moon, something hit her. It wasn't a book or a crumpled piece of paper, but the beginning of an epiphany. "Do you guys remember when Remus was in the medical wing last time?" "Last month, why?" "No, like what day, when in the month?" "I don't know, some time around the first week perhaps, but why? What does this have to do with your potions work?" Yvette did not respond, instead quickly moving off to some other part of the library. She came back with a bundle of parchment that rolled out to reveal a moon calendar. She scanned through it until she found it. Just last month, around the first week, there was a full moon just like the one that shone through the window. Yvette thought back to each time he disappeared. They were always spaced about a month apart. Curiouser and curiouser. Yvette stood, her hands planted on the parchment rested on the table. "Alright what's going on? What on earth are you doing with a calendar?" "You guys, don't you see it? Each time he disappears, it's on a full moon!"

[rebelblck]

NPC  RELATIONSHIPS :  alphard  black

Sirius’ relationship with his Uncle, Alphard Black, was complicated at best. While Sirius’ rebellious antics as a young man caused immense frustration and pain for his parents, his Uncle always seemed to find his antics humorous. He always appeared to have a supportive word to offer to Sirius whenever his arguments with his parents and younger brother Regulus reached his ears however, this support was only ever offered in secret. Alphard rarely, if ever, spoke out in defense of Sirius or Sirius’ views and values unless they were alone and it was always done in some roundabout way that protected Alphard from any negative consequences.

Alphard always presented himself as sympathetic to Sirius’ hardships and even shared some of Sirius’ views on the hypocrisy, arrogance and ignorance of the pureblooded elites that their family fraternized with, however, he never done anything about it. Alphard never rose his concerns nor his own beliefs with his colleagues or other relatives, he took advantage and manipulated the very system that Sirius hated so much and chose to conform despite his own feelings and like the rest of the House of Black, when Sirius was disowned, Alphard no longer contacted him.

It isn’t until his death, that Alphard attempted to make a personal stand against their family by willing his immense wealth to Sirius as he had never married nor fathered any children of his own. Upon Alphard’s death, Sirius had been disowned by the House of Black for over a year and by showing his support and care for his nephew, was also blasted off of the family tapestry.

Though Sirius accepted the inheritance, he could not bring himself to respect Alphard for his act of rebellion as it was made on his deathbed, when he knew that he would suffer very little consequences as he would not have to live with his actions. As a young man, Sirius considered Alphard a coward and it isn’t until he’s a man, living in Grimmauld Place showing the family tapestry to Harry that he reconciles his own feelings with his Uncle and accepts that in his own way, Aphard had cared for him and had simply been too afraid to do more than what he was able to in the end.

[siriusbleak]

■

■ - Bedroom/house/living quarters head canon

After being left a large inheritance by his Uncle Aphard, Sirius left the Potters house respectively and got himself a flat in Bromley, in the outskirts of London. A lot of his belongings are fairly new, since when he left the Black family home, he could only carry a trunk-ful of things. The curtains are always pulled out, unless Sirius can’t sleep, otherwise he’ll open the curtains and just stare at the stars. The bedroom, much like the flat in general, is a minimalistic, organized chaos. To anyone other than Sirius, it would seem as though he hadn’t cleaned in years. Besides the greyscale furniture, none of his belongings or decor seem to match between the Gryffindor memorabilia, the old muggle band posters he kept, stuff from the last tenant, and a few old bottles and corks of his favorite liquor. None of this matters though, since he goes sometimes days without being at his flat, either on a mission for The Order or knocked out in a room at The Leaky Cauldron.