Englishman in the Encanto

Sirius Black found himself following the energetic Mirabel Madrigal, trying to make sense of the song she was performing for the small group of children that had come to the house, shouting for her to tell them all about ‘the family’.

When he’d seen her crestfallen expression as she was dismissed and the rest of her relatives ran about doing errands, Sirius couldn’t help but ask Mirabel if she would show him around, as Julieta had prescribed a walk around town for a bit of fresh air but he didn't know his way around and the adults were all busy with their chores.

After being reprimanded by her grandmother, the girl had been excited to help him in a way that was kind of sad and had kindly agreed to show him around but while she was showing him around the Casita, the children of the village had come around to ask her excitedly of the family and he’d told her to entertain the children, he’d wait, no problem and maybe he would understand a bit about where he was anyway. Perhaps he could find Buckbeak? He supposed the Hippogriff had hidden, he had instructed him to do so in case of emergency but he had no idea where.

He wondered why people were so interested in the family Madrigal. Not used to foreigners, Mirabel was a delightful girl but she was talking too fast for Sirius’s mind to elaborate the language, so he tried to understand for a while, catching words about gifts and miracles. He understood enough to understand that with ‘gift’ they meant ‘magic’ but it seemed so much different from the magic he was used to… he decided to hang back and let her finish entertaining the children before asking her for details.

Sirius followed after her as she danced and sang and showed the children a nice painting of the family on one of the walls in town. He looked at each of the members of the family, though he noticed that Agustín and Félix weren’t there. Was it because they didn’t have magical powers? It sounded mean to Sirius.

There was only one grown man with dark curly hair and a pale complexion – pale compared to the rest of the people here, in England he would be even slightly tanned: Sirius knew he was basically a representation of death himself to these people.

But that wasn’t what drew Sirius’s attention to the man represented in the painting. This painting clearly represented the family hosting him and yet he hadn’t met the dark-haired man whereas he had met all the other members of the family.

But Sirius wasn’t sure that he hadn’t met that man before. Curse Azkaban and how it had left his memories all fuzzy!

“Señor Black?”

Sirius turned to the soft voice that had called him. His lips turned upwards when he saw the girl with curly hair and the red headband, “Ah, Miss Dolores,” he said in greeting, “Can I help you?”

She approached him, eyeing the painting, “Hm! Actually, I was wondering if I could help you. Are you interested in that?” she asked, pointing, “Mirabel can be a bit too eager when talking about the family.”

“Mh,” Sirius said, turning once again to the painting, “It was a good song,” he said, “Your cousin is very enthusiastic about the family, that is obvious, but I am afraid that I did not catch all that she wanted to say.”

Dolores gave a squeak and went on to explain everything to him. How her grandparents had fled from people attacking their town and with many others had run away in the mountains. Her grandmother had held back with the children and the others while her grandfather tried to stop their attackers.

When he died the Miracle was activated, creating the valley they were in and their residence. Sirius looked around, interested in the concept, while Dolores explained that Abuela’s children had gotten gifts, magical powers, when they came of age, and that even the grandchildren had gotten gifts when they’d come of age.

Sirius wasn't sure he heard right: did 'coming of age' here meant five years old? As he absorbed everything Dolores was saying, he looked around, catching a glimpse of Luisa carrying a… bridge? And there was Julieta in the town square, handing out pastries. He watched as a guy with a broken leg bit into a sweet and soon after was running towards the church. This woman could give Madam Pomfrey a run for her money... her food would have come in handy all those times he, James, Remus and Peter had returned to Hogwarts after the full moon during their school years.

Sirius’s eyes turned once again to the painting on the building’s wall, “And the man I see here?” he asked, “I haven’t seen him at the house, have I?”

Dolores followed his gaze, though she didn’t need to elaborate on who the subject of the conversation was now, “That’s my Tío, Mami and Tía Julieta’s brother,” she said, “No, you haven’t seen him. We don’t talk about him.”

“What?” Sirius turned sharply to her, “Why?” Dolores hesitated, looking away. It was enough for Sirius, “I see…” he said, turning back to the painted image of the man, “What a pity…”

Dolores stood there in silence for a moment, watching as he stared with a faraway look at the painting of her family, though she knew he was looking straight at her uncle.

“Señor, is this your first time in Colombia?” she asked.

“Mh…?” Sirius replied, still not tearing his eyes from her uncle’s face, “Once, years ago… my friend and I got stranded in Colombia for a few days… that’s how I met that person actually.”

“Ah, that person for whom you learnt Spanish? Is that person Colombian like us?” Dolores smiled at Sirius’s beaming face. He didn’t smile enough because he looked so much younger when he did, “Señor, I wanted to ask…”

“Yes?”

“That person –”

“Dolores!” came Abuela’s voice close enough that Sirius could hear it as well.

“Hm!” Dolores squeaked, jumping at her grandmother’s call, “I’m so sorry, I have to go back to the house!”

Sirius nodded at her, “It’s alright, go, I’ll meet you back at the house,” he said pleasantly, “Lovely chatting with you, honey!”

Sirius waved at her as she left and went back to look at the picture of the family. The man in the picture looked familiar.

Stupid Dementors. Sirius frowned. He could barely remember his face. He knew he would know at once if they were to meet, because the heartbreak he’d felt at knowing they had to part ways had been soothed only by James’s presence and many, many gallons of alcohol. But much like most of his good memories James’s influence made them bittersweet. The Dementors couldn’t take those memories away when there was so much sadness. Sirius was glad. The short time he’d had with him had been the highlight of his life – yes, even compared to his happy time with his friends. Especially now, Sirius thought bitterly. And wasn’t that sad?

All his good memories of his friends were tainted now by James’s death and Peter’s betrayal. The memories he had of that person were untainted if not for the fact that he’d been heartbroken when he’d realised he had to leave so now it was branded in his brain, thanks to Azkaban. He’d told Remus and Peter about that person, of course, as friends would, but James had been the only one to know the true range of Sirius’s heartbreak. He’d been the one to hold him as he cried his eyes out.

Sirius snorted, amused by the sight of Mirabel passing by as she literally danced around trying to fend off the horde of children following her like baby ducklings. There had been three children at first, and now it was at least seven. How had they multiplied so quickly?

Trailing after Mirabel and the children, Sirius couldn’t very well keep up with them, being, as he was, on the mend from his sudden plunge into the Colombian jungle. He smiled at Julieta as she passed him on the way back to the house.

“Everything alright, Señor?” she asked.

“Alright, yes,” Sirius said, though he supposed the panting while walking didn’t help his case, “Please, do call me Sirius. It’s been a while since I was able to mingle with people. I am glad to do it in such a happy place. Mirabel was telling me about the gifts of the family. That’s why little Antonio was so excited, right?”

“Yes,” Julieta said, “The door is waiting for him.”

“I’m sorry to intrude on your celebration. I didn’t mean to impose on such a festive time.”

“Oh, I’m sure you didn’t mean to end up here injured that way either. It’s no trouble for us, at all. We’re always happy to help.”

She smiled, “I’m sorry I can’t walk with you, Sirius, I have to hurry back to prepare for this evening.”

“Thank you,” Sirius said and he truly meant it, “Please, do not let me keep you from your errands.”

Julieta gave him an appraising look, “When you arrive home, come into the kitchen. You could do with a snack.”

He nodded, “I could never refuse such a kind invitation.”

Julieta beamed and hurried home, while Mirabel tried to distract the children by recounting once again all the members of the family to the children hounding her. Sirius saw her talk quickly to a rather handsome young man who looked confused at being brought into the conversation but the girl moved on as quickly as she’d approached him.

Sirius managed to catch up with her when she finally slowed down almost at the entrance of the Madrigal residence.

“Mirabel!”

Sirius was surprised by the harsh tone of Madam Madrigal and looked up to see her look at Mirabel disapprovingly.

“What are you doing?” the woman asked in a clipped tone.

Mirabel was clearly very flustered as she hesitated and then grinned nervously, “They – they were just asking about the family…”

“She was going to tell us about her super-awesome gift!” one of the children, a little girl, shouted excitedly.

“Oh,” said Dolores in her squeaky voice, appearing next to her grandmother carrying something in her hands that Sirius couldn’t exactly discern: fabric, a tablecloth? “Mirabel didn’t get one. Hm!”
Oh. Sirius echoed Dolores as he watched Mirabel stand there, frozen, obviously not knowing what to say. Ouch. My, Dolores, that was tactless! Sirius shook his head as Dolores walked away with her Abuela.

“You didn’t get a gift?” a little girl asked.

“Huh – Er –”

“Mirabel! Delivery!”

A portly man from the village was approaching Mirabel and the children and Sirius felt the need to close the distance between him and the girl who had so kindly shown him around town. It seemed as if his feeling was right because the man beamed at Mirabel good-naturedly but his words weren’t as nice.

“I gave you the special, since you’re the only Madrigal kid with no gift. I call it the ‘not special’ special since – huh – you have no gift!” the man said enthusiastically, dumping a huge basket in Mirabel’s arms.

“Thanks…” said Mirabel with a strained smile. It was a credit to her manners that she managed to smile awkwardly. Sirius knew he wouldn’t have been so kind in her place. In fact, he wasn’t feeling very kind now as he watched the scene.

The man didn’t take the hint because he did turn to leave but then turned back again grinning happily, “Oh! And tell Antonio good luck!” he said, “Last ceremony was a bummer! Last one being yours that did not work!”

Now he knew why she’d been trying to fend off the children. Imagine telling everyone of your family’s talents and then have people insist that you talk about yours and you have none, not that Sirius thought that Mirabel had anything to envy to her family. She was a bright young woman, clearly smart and good-natured, especially considering this new information Sirius now had. Of course, the children were too young to understand Mirabel’s feelings but it took a different kind of strength to be so light-spirited when everyone goes on and on about how you’re not ‘special’ that they even make you list your family’s magical powers when you have none. Doing so with a smile on her face and such love in her words? Sirius had to admit, he knew he wouldn’t have had that strength of character. Or that patience. Everyone could attest to his short temper. When he was a boy, his parents had gone on and on about how he wasn’t good enough but he was always aware of his worth as a wizard.

“If I were you I’d be really sad,” said one of the little girls to Mirabel.

“Well, my little friend, I am not!”

Sirius cocked an eyebrow at the blatant lie. How could she not be? Not even for the fact itself but because of how everyone treated her.

“Because the truth is that, gift or no gift, I am just as special as the rest of my family!”

Sirius was standing just behind her as the group watched Mirabel’s sister Luisa heave a full cart on one hand, her aunt Pepa make a rainbow and her other sister Isabela decorate the whole house with flowers.

“Maybe your gift is being in denial,” said a little girl in braids.

He stepped forward and grabbed the basket from Mirabel’s hands, “Let me help you with this, treasure,” he said quickly before addressing the children, “I think Miss Mirabel has given you enough of her time, let her go, please.”

“You talk funny!” said a little boy. Sirius had noticed him from the beginning. He’d always have a cup of coffee in hand. Who gave coffee to a young child like that?

Sirius smiled, hoping he didn’t look too scary for the children, “I guess I do,” he replied, “Now run along, you little rascals.”

Surprisingly the children obeyed him right away. Huh. Colombian children must have been very respectful of their elders, even if they were strangers.

He turned to Mirabel again, “Come along, treasure,” he told her, “Where do I put this?”

Mirabel unfroze, and immediately tried to take the basket back, “Oh! No, no, Señor! You’re recovering from your wounds, I cannot –!”

“It doesn’t do for a young lady like you to struggle with this huge thing when there’s a capable man available,” he replied, hoping it sounded gentlemanly and not sexist, “Don’t worry, I can handle bringing this inside the house. Come now, where do I put this?”

Mirabel hesitated for a moment, then her shoulders slumped, understanding that she wouldn’t win the argument, and she held out a hand, “This way, Señor Black.”

“Call me Sirius, treasure,” he said.