Chapter 33
‘Are you one of us now, Black?’ someone called down the table over lunch.
Sirius shrugged. ‘Nominally, I guess. Haven’t been read into the whole thing you’ve got going on here. I’m here for Harry, and Harry likes your boss, so I guess I like him too.’
A few surprised chuckles met his nonchalant statement.
‘Why are you here for Harry?’ another voice called.
‘He’s my godson.’ Sirius said with a soft smile, looking down at Harry beside him.
‘What was Azkaban like?’ someone asked, and Sirius’ expression froze, his eyes going distant and dim.
At the head of the table, Tom looked up quickly. He gave Harry an apologetic look as he flicked his wrist, activating the spell he’d used previously on the boy. Harry gave him a wide-eyed look, but he didn’t seem too distressed.
‘Bad.’ Sirius said quietly.
‘Dementors?’
‘Guards. Beat the ever-loving fuck out of me.’ he said, in the same quiet, flat tone.
Several gasps ran around the table.
‘The guards beat you? But… Well, I mean… they said you never even had a trial!’
‘And you’re the Lord of a Noble House!’
‘Why did they beat you?’
Sirius took a shuddering breath. ‘Ancient and Most Noble House. They beat me because they could. Who would stop them?’
Ringing silence met his words, accompanied by various expression of horror.
Sirius looked at the Dark Lord, a bitter, broken smile on his face. ‘Are you interested in supporting prison reforms? I’ll take the Mark right now if you are.’
The Dark Lord gave him a pitying look, and Sirius scowled. Fucking pity.
‘We will talk later.’
Harry reached out and tapped at Sirius’ arm, shuffling in his seat. He wanted to lean over and hug him, but his chair was a bit too far away. Harry reached his glow out and wrapped it around the man instead.
Sirius shivered. ‘Thanks, pup, but I’m alright. You keep your magic close, you need it too.’