Chapter 8
Life had felt lighter since Stella did not have to see Mulciber anymore.
But recently it seemed to get heavier again.
Christmas time was coming up. It was mostly a time to appreciate the pretty things about winter and this holiday and there where so many pretty things: candles especially the scented ones, the snow turning the Hogwarts grounds into a winter wonderland and girls dressed up in comfy Christmas sweaters with prints like Christmas trees or bells on them.
But even though sipping hot chocolate in between classes seemed to make life better. The thought of the upcoming holiday didn’t.
Stella tried to avoid thinking about it, but it got hard when everyone got so excited about their first time back home since school started. They where expecting little Christmas dinners, light conversation and the nicest gifts.
With the Black family there where different things to expect. The black Christmas party was more of a performance then something to enjoy. It was the Black family’s way of showing how perfect they are. It meant that the twins had to be on there best behavior.
Walburga got even stricter than usual during Christmas time and that scared Stella since their family was already angry about the houses the twins got sorted into.
But for today Stella needed to forget about that. She needed one more day of relaxation, just one more day of not feeling watched every step that she took. People just waiting for her to fall.
“Pandora are you ready to get breakfast”
“Yeah let me just get my sweater”
Pandora grabbed her blue bubbly and jet soft sweater, which to anyone else wouldn’t seem like a christmasy outfit, but coming from pandora meant that she was totally happy about the holidays.
Stella asked Pandora about their families Christmas tradition over some pancakes with cinnamon.
“Well we go out and dig through the snow to find one plant that usually isn’t alive during winter, but is still green. Then we eat it so we get as strong as the plant. Once that is done we eat tons and dance a bit to some Christmas song.”
“Wow that sounds nice”
Pandora looked and her knowingly
“Couldn’t you join us”
“I would love to but I have to attend the black family Christmas party”
There was no way around it.
She new that as they walked the grounds of Hogwarts, as they had a snowball fight to forget about it and as they packed their suitcases for the following holidays.
The next day Stella decided to already say goodbye to Pandora on the way to the Hogwartsexpress, she handed her a little gift to open on Christmas Eve and hugged her.
Then she hurried to catch up with Sirius and his mates.
“Hey Sirius hold up”
Sirius didn’t seem as chipper as the rest of their group, or rather Peter and James’s mood. Since Remus was staying in Hogwarts.
“I think we should go find the family and try to sit with them, mother is mad enough as it is” Stella explained as soon as she caught up with him.”
“Oh you always have the moral high ground, with all that blood purity bulshit” he snapped at her.
Stella was taken aback by his tone, his voice was never full of hatred when he was talking to her.
“Sirius I’m not them.” She said quietly.
The look in Sirius eyes changed as if he saw her in a new way all of a sudden.
“I’m sorry, you’re right we should sit with the cousins.” He hugged his friends goodbye and hopped on the Hogwartsexpress with Stella walking in the direction of the purebloods compartment.
“Hey is it because you’re scared of the punishment”
“I’m not scared.”
Stella didn’t understand why he would lie about that, but she didn’t say anything about it.
“Oh finally joining us I see” Belatrix welcomed them. Sirius gritted his teeth.
They sat next to Andromeda.
“Oh I would love to see what Walburga will do when you’re behind closed doors. She’s gonna teach you to behave even when you’re far from home” There was an evil grin on Belatrix’s face.
“Really Bella, their 11 leave them alone”
“Oh Dora you wouldn’t know about valuable lessons, would you”
There was this tension the entire train ride. The twins where almost relived when they arrived.
That lasted until they saw their parents.
Standing there stiffly. There was no “hello” or “how have you been”. They just took the twins luggage and handed it to kreacher their house elve.
They took the twins hands and apparated with out a warning. Stella’s stomach twisted and it felt hard to keep it’s contents inside even when they landed in front of Grimmauld place.
“Inside now” Walburga ordered. It was clear that she was trying to avoid the press.
“Kreacher take their stuff to their rooms” “Yes Master”
She pulled the twins into the living room. Stella just caught a glimpse of her little brother on the top of the stairs before she was pulled away. She hoped he wouldn’t listen to what was about to happen.
“You!” Walburga poked her wand at Sirius’s chin, forcing him to look her into her eyes. There it was again in Sirius’s eyes that hatred from before.
“You disobeyed my orders multiple times, you brought shame to the noble house of black. I have no choice but to take these measures.”
“Crucio”
Sirius fell to the ground in an instant. He was twitching and screaming. It was the most horrible sound.
Stella counted the seconds in her head.
“1..2..3..4..She has to stop this is to long what if he doesn’t make it this time”
“Stop it. Please stop it” Her mother lowered her wand.
“You are to be silent.”
“Crucio”
Stella had known this curse was horrible, but never could she have imagined to what extent. She was never important enough to be punished like this. It was only ever Sirius.
The pain consumed her in mere seconds. She couldn’t breathe or think, she just wanted to die, so she wouldn’t have to feel this ever again.
After what felt like a lifetime it stopped. Somehow she had ended up next to Sirius on the floor. He looked at her for a second before he went unconscious. Stella noticed the clicking of her mothers shoes and the door closing behind her.
Then it all went black.