Playing Christmas
Flashing red light
(Baby, baby, baby)
Baby, you're a star
Ursa lines her lips with the same merlot shade she fills it in with. She irons down the skirt of her black dress and flicks her hair back before she heads downstairs. Fleamont and Euphemia insisted they go down early, before the christmas party begins. Great, more time with them. She sits on the arm of the couch and puts on a smile to pretend they're one big happy family, Remus and Peter are there. Great, more people she doesn't like. “We didn't want to wait till after the party to give you your Christmas present” euphemia beams at them
“Are you ready?” Fleamont looks at the twins
“You didn't have to get us anything” Regulus says honestly
“Yeah, just letting us stay her is—” Ursa may not be being honest but she acts like she is
“Nonsense! Of course you're allowed to stay here,” they glance to Sirius who bites his tongue “and of course you're getting presents”
“Now come on!” They drag them over to the middle of the living room, already brimming with Christmas paraphenilia. Ursa misses good taste.
“Is their first real Christmas party the present?”
“Our family throws a Christmas party every year” Ursa reminds him with a frown
“Yes, but Christmas parties are supposed to be happy and fun, you'll see”
“That is not the present,” euphemia chuckles “this is” with a wave of her hand a large grand piano is revealed in the corner of the room
“James mentioned you three are great players”
Sirius stiffens and Regulus stares at its beauty in awe. Ursa walks up to it and strokes a finger through the smooth, shiny wood.
“Thank you.” Sirius says with a straight back and Remus puts an arm around him, he deflates into him “Ursa's the one always desperate to show off her skills”
“The pianist is untouchable,” she says with a smirk “thank you, it's very kind and thoughtful and don't worry Sirius, they're not going to hex you when you mess up the keys”
“Oh fuck off, i'm a far better player than you are. You play like a robot, there's no emotion—”
“By robot you mean flawless and I agree. Now Reggie, say thank you” she turns to her brother and snaps him out of his trance
“Thank you,” he steamers “I love it”
“I love you so much” James says with lovesick eyes, not daring to turn away from the lovely look on his boyfriend's face. Regulus smiles and without turning his eyes away from the piano, he kisses James' cheek
“We're so glad you like it” the Potters beam at them “why don't you play something?”
“Regulus is the best of us, but he gets shy about playing in front of people”
“You're so playing for me when we're alone” James whispers to him and he chews on his bottom lip
“I could…”
“Only if you feel comfortable priy”
Regulus nods and sits on the piano, he runs his fingers through the keys delicately, not yet pressing down on them, simply getting a feel of them. When he finally starts playing Peter ‘gets something in his eye' while the Potters very openly cry.
“That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard,” Fleamont sniffs when Regulus' fingers leave the keys and he turns to them
“Coming from the most beautiful person I've ever seen” James adds, sitting next to him and pulling him into his lap as he kisses his cheek, his jaw, his mouth
“Hey! Stop that!” Sirius swats them over the head
“Do you wanna play something too, sweetheart?” Remus wraps his arms around him
“Actually, I do” Sirius shoves the two love birds away from the piano bench and sits down. He puts his hands on the Ivory keys and freezes. Moony places his big warm hands on his shoulders, rubbing soothing circles
“Only if you want” he assures him. Sirius nods and with a breath he starts playing. It's a different song, angrier, and Ursa is right, he messes up two times where only the blacks can tell and he pretends nothing happened as he goes on playing
“I feel like I want to break something” Peter says when the playing halts
“That's how I usually felt while I played, Ursa always made sure to elbow us while we played and we weren't allowed to complain”
“Hey! That's not true”
“Yeah,” Regulus smirks, always her accomplice “she didn't elbow me”
“Hey! That's not true” Sirius calls out in the same manner their sister just did “she elbowed you even more than me!”
“It was an accident”
“No, it wasn't”
“Yeah, you're right, but it was so she'd let me perform on my own during events, your pain was just an added plus” she smiles and he flips her off, Lupin's hands tighten but he keeps his mouth shut.
The bell rings before anyone can say anything else
“Oh, our first guest!” Euphemia claps her hands excited
“Sirius, could you please go open the door, priy?”
“Sure,”
“Why don't you two go along with him dears, you look so good together”
“Of course” Sirius is the over excited puppy running to the door without a thought in his head, the other two blacks walk demurely behind
“What do you think,” Ursa hums to her twin “Andromeda or Santa Claus?”
Sirius opens the door and gasps “Andy!”
“Come on, let's go say hi to her” Regulus bumps her shoulder
“Ugh,” she groans and drags her feet the last trek to the entrance
“It's good to see you Andy” Regulus grins at her and she pats his hand fondly
“It's so good to see you too Reggie” he wrinkles his nose and she chuckles merrily
“I want you boys to meet my husband Ted, and my daughter—”
“Oh! This beautiful princess must be Nymphadora, your mother mentioned you in her letters!” Sirius coos while Regulus greets Ted
“My name is Dora and I'm not a princess, I'm a queen”
“Yes Sirius, bow down and kiss on her ring” Ursa says with a smirk and Dora beams at her, dangling her candy jewel in front of Sirius.
“Ursa,” Andy breathes “hi, I'm glad you're here”
“That makes one of us” she bops her nose and turns back to her brother “Sirius, the queen is still awaiting upon your bow”
James pops his big head into the hall and Regulus pulls him into his side with a smile before Sirius can snatch him up “This is my boyfriend James”
“Oh, it's an honor to meet you, your majesty” James bows down for Nymphadora
“I like him” both mother and daughter agree
“Did you like your surprise?” James smiles at the blacks
“You're the best prongs” Sirius pats him into a hug
“It was Moony's idea”
“Oh! You have to meet my boyfriend! Moony! Come here!”
“oh, thank Merlin it's the one you spend entire pages talking about, I was afraid you were never gonna figure it out”
“shut up” he mumbles with a light blush dusting his cheeks and Remus wraps his arms around him with a sweet peck on his cheek
“It's great to finally meet you, I've heard a lot about you”
“I told him all about the only woman in my entire family who isn't evil and slash or insane” he says with a nasty glare at Ursa and she rolls her eyes
“Oh, I don't know if—”
“Let him have his little tantrum, it's the only way he knows how to express his big boy emotions” she says sardonically and Remus rolls his eyes “do you want a tour of the house? I'm sure you've already met the Potters”
“I heard you have a boyfriend, I want to meet him! Is he here?”
“you want to know who managed to break through the barriers of her cold, dead heart. Understandable”
“How many times do I have to tell you, Siri? Just because it doesn't beat for you doesn't mean it's dead” James gets between them before it can escalate.
I wanna watch you like a movie
I wanna put you on the stage
I wanna know what you'd do to me
I wanna put you on the tape
It isn't long before the house is brimming with people and of course Ursa flutters her lashes at every single one of them. She keeps Peter as an accessory on her arm, tugging on his leash whenever he wants to break free. She has his mother cooing at what a sweet couple they make and he doesn't doubt she's already planning their wedding in her mind, thinking what their kids would look like. Peter must admit, it’s a sight. The way Ursa sways grown ass adults to wrap around her little finger is almost a craft. He'd call it an art if it was done by less ulterior means. Truly, the way she cracks thought people's psyche with a mere glance at them is something that makes all of Sirius’ stories make sense and add up. And if he were in the mood of admitting things, he'd admit it's impressive. He isn't though, so no one needs to know he thought that.
He pays attention though, he takes notes, it's not his fault it's actually quite fascinating watching her work. A man with silvers in his hair that works with Fleamont slips them a glass of champagne coyly “I won't tell them” he whispers and Ursa takes the glass out of Peter's hands
“Not looking forwards to my boyfriend making a fool of himself, thank you very much” she gives the glass back with a laugh “I've seen him drunk, it isn't pretty”
“I'm always pretty” Peter says because he has a chance to be called pretty by one of the prettiest people he knows, he won't give it up. And he knows she'll hate it. Ursa is unscrupulous on all things except taste, this must be torture to her
“You're the prettiest of them all” she makes it sound so ridiculously lovesick and heartfelt it almost fools even him. She kisses his cheek and it seems devoutly loving.
“Oh how I miss those days in youth” the man sighs “I'll get out of your way, I'll leave you two to it” they smile politely and pretend to chat while people walk past them. It almost takes him by surprise when she loops her arms around his neck and kisses him.
“Sorry to interrupt,” the man’s bushy beard is striped with silver hairs but his mane doesn't have a single one, it doesn't have anything but one perfectly cohesive shade, a block of jet black hair.
“Hi Jocovic,” the man’s a friend of his parents as well as the Potters, he's the annoying sort that tries too hard to get along with the kids whenever he's around
“I believe your mother was searching for you, Peter” the man grins a friendly smile at him but Peter has always thought he tries too hard for them to
“I better go find her then, excuse me” he turns on his heels but Ursa tugs him back and loops their arms together so they walk in tandem. Apparently she's going to see his mother too.
“Oh, I wouldn't go with him if I were you darling, she seemed upset” the man puts his hand on Ursa and she pinches the inside of Peter's arm, the wrong way to ask for him to save her from this conversation.
“Keep her company for me, will you?” He smirks at Ursa but she smirks at him in return
“I have a brilliant idea! You know I promised Mr and Mrs Potter I'd play something for them, I'll dedicate it to your parents, maybe that way they'll go easy on my muse” he raises his eyebrows at her, her muse? Really? How dull is this man she wants to escape him this badly?
“My lovely, sweet doll” he pulls her into a kiss just to tease her but she's far too tense under his hands for him to feel anything but guilt and regret for doing it. He pulls away quickly and is careful not to touch her, he hopes it isn't obvious what he's doing “take it away” she grins at him and he deludes himself into believing there's some gratefulness there.
She gathers people's attention with ease and delivers some niceties to the Potter he's sure aren't heartfelt and finds Peter's mother in the crowd, she grins at her “I hope you like this, Peter mentioned it's your favorite” he didn't even know his mother had a favorite song, or how on earth she would know that, but he'll take the positive points she's garnered him with his mother. It does dawn on him that it means he owes Ursa some points now. That never bids well.
She plays smoothly, flawlessly, back straight and graceful. It stiffens when the song ends and Fleamont pats some fatherly hand on her shoulders, complimenting her skills. The pianist is untouchable. He knows a chance to settle the score when he sees it. Also, he may hate the girl but her boundaries for touch obviously stem from trauma and yada yada yada, not even she deserves that. So he makes a joke, simple and easy joke, about getting his hands off his girl and just like that Fleamont chuckles as his hands drop away.
“Alright, enough showing off” Sirius scoffs after two songs and it's a breath before a guy he doesn't know is hunched over the piano bearing down on her. And taking a sneaky look down the front of her dress. It's a turtleneck. That must be exhausting. His night is going to be exhausting, with a sigh he goes over to rescue the devil in distress. Dora gets there first though, and props down on Ursa's lap like it's a seat. Judging on how quickly she excuses her off it, she's not a big fan of touch even when it comes from an adorable toddler. She does agree —probably reluctantly— to hold her tiny hand as they walk. On their way past him Dora grabs his hand and yanks him along because according to Nymphadora those who are in love should be together or whatever. He doesn't have the heart to tell the little girl they're not in love, Ursa might not even have a heart. Still, they head to the kitchen where there's trays filled with food they can munch on so he doesn't complain. Ursa scolds both of them and makes them wash their hands and use forks. Still, he isn't sure how Ursa ends up feeding the three of them while Dora babbles away.
It's a while before the kitchen door swings open “Dora, here you are! We were looking everywhere for you” Ted grabs his daughter and tickles her, Andromeda walks up behind him
“Oh— Ursa, I— actually, I hoping you and I could talk”
“Doesn't everyone?”
“Ursa, please hear me,” Andromeda glances to her husband and a knowing understanding flows between them as he swings Dora over his shoulder and ho ho ho stumps away with a giggling toddler
“No offense but I'd rather not”
“Please, I just want to apologize for—”
“Don't.”
“Apologize for what?” Peter frowns, a reminder that he's still there in case they need it, this seems kind of peivate
“Nothing. She has nothing to apologize for”
“But I do, you were just a kid, I should've protected you—”
“Can you stop with the soap opera?” She rolls her eyes at the tears in Andromeda's face
“I owe you an explanation, I—”
“This isn't me trying to be nice, I'm not nice, this is just the truth. You don't owe me anything. I wasn't entitled to your ‘protection’ or whatever. I understands our family prides itself on its entitlement, but people don't owe each other shit. People don't owe you safety, love or attention. If my parents didn't even owe me that then you sure as hell didn't either, so stop making a martyr of yourself, I don't quite flawlessly on my own”
“Can't you see all the things you just mention are things you're owed? I'm a parent now, so I know all the things you listed are things we owe our children, things our parents should've provided for us”
“Lucky dora.”
“They failed so we had to look after each other. I should've warned you, I knew how he was, what he would try to—”
“Try” she emphasizes
“I never stopped him, I should’ve stopped him” she sobs “and then I left you with Bella,” she chokes the words out “I knew she wasn't right, I knew you weren't safe with her, I should've forced you back to your house, back to your brothers and—”
“Stop.” The fire her eyes command convert into dismissiveness “Stop being dramatic, I was fine, I am fine, nothing that wouldn't have happened if I went back”
“That's not what Cissa said”
“Then she was probably trying to make you feel guilty. Besides, she doesn't know shit. If it hadn't been for Regulus I'd be seated right beside our lovely Bella right now, I didn’t want to leave, he made me, I quite enjoyed my money and my jewels and my family”
“Did you enjoy the abuse? Did you enjoy the torture? The suitors?”
“She does miss Evan” Peter jokes because he's uncomfortable and wants them to remember, again, he's standing right here
“That's not who—”
“—Est-ce que tout cela a un but ?” does any of this have a purpose? The conversation delves into french and Peter loses track of the conversation, something about a pear? Or maybe that's just his mind hearing what he wants because the caramelized pear the house elves just got out looks divine.
Ursa claims to be bored and stalks back out but the pears are too good to pass out on, also, he doesn't crave her company in the slightest. Although he wouldn't mind making out some more, he wonders what the fire Andromeda spiked in her tastes like. A better person would go after her to make sure she's okay. Instead, peter dives into the pears. He uses a fork though, to make up for it, he knows she'd appreciate it.
I wanna hear you talking dirty
I wanna see it on your face
I wanna feel you put the work in
I wanna watch you entertain
“Hey, can we talk?” Sirius finally gathers the courage to corner his cousin and her eyes trail after something but she sighs and nods. Sirius leads her through the hallway and up to her room. He shuts the door behind them “there's no easy way to say this, but, uh, I thought you should know, uh, it's about Uncle Alphard”
“I know Sirius, I heard, you don't have to tell me” she puts a hand on his back but he shakes his head
“Not, uh, not that. It's, uh, when we went to visit him he, uhm, he had, uh, a theory.” He rubs his hands together “I'm not sure if it's right, but you deserve to kno—”
“Spit it out, you're making me nervous, what?”
“He thinks— thought that it was Ursa, that she…” he swallows the words
“You think Ursa killed him?” She frowns at him and he shakes his head
“I don't know, he surely thought so”
The word that snakes out of Andromeda's lips takes him by surprise “Good.”
“What?!”
“Sirius, I know you have this wonderful idea of him, but writing you a stupid letter after you left the family doesn't turn him into a fucking saint”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that instead of wondering whether she did it or not maybe you should be a bit more concerned about what he would do to deserve it, why a fifty year old man would be so convinced his fifteen year old niece would poison him”
“What are you talking about? He knows her, and also she hates him!”
“Didn't you ever wonder why she hates him? That maybe he was a scum who fucking deserved what he got?”
“Wha— Andy you're not making any sense! What did he do?!” His face bleeks “Did he do something to Ursa?”
“It's not my place to tell you what he did, just know he fucking earnt his hatred”
“You can't fucking leave it at that! Are you kidding me?!”
“You should ask her. And do me a favor, cut her some fucking slack. Trust me, she deserves it”
“What is that supposed to mean?!”
“It means maybe you should take a look at your father's business transactions these past six months”
“Wait, what? The more you say the more questions— What the hell Andy?! Stop being fucking cryptic and—”
“I can't tell you her secrets, that's her choice, but I can point you in the right direction to sniff around”
“Andy—”
“It's late, I should go, it's already past Nymphadora’s bedtime, it was nice to see you, cousin”
“Wha— you can just bloody leave after that!” He chases after her down the hall but she doesn't slow down.
He halts when he catch the timber of his sister's voice carrying through the hallway in the opposite direction. He doesn't know why but he follows it “—yeah, not so lucky for you though, my circumstances changed too, so I'd move my hand if I were you”
“Oh darling, I don't think—” the grumbly voice rings a bell but he doesn't wait for recognition to sink in before he charges ahead, bullhead. He's caged her in against a corner with a hand where her thigh meets her ass and his silver hairs brushing her forehead. He rips the disgusting old man off his sister and sucker punches him. He's ready to charge at the man but a force shoves him back, Ursa with a bored grip of her wand. She nods for the man to stand and whispers something Sirius can't hear. With a glare the man materializes a paper and hands it over.
“Merry christmas to you too” Ursa beams at the man’s retrieving back as he stomps away. She turns to her brother with a murderous glare “don't do that again”
“That grampa made a move on you!”
“So?”
“So?! Why did you stop me?! I was about to put him in his place—”
“If you punch every person who makes a move on me you'll have to deck half the party” she dismisses it with a wave of her hand
“What?!”
“It's a joke Sirius, relax.” She tells him with a roll of her eyes
“It isn't funny.”
“Oh, but you look so adorably pathetic slumped down on the ground” she coos at him and he slaps her hand away. The smile snaps off her face and a threatening glare replaces it as his entire body begins to burn “let me make one thing crystal clear, dear brother, I have never and I will never need you to come and ‘rescue me’. More importantly, I don't want you to. So don't ever try that again.” She flicks him over on the forehead and he slaps her wrist as the burning sensation dissipates
“Last time I bother caring about you!” he calls after her
“Thank you, was that so hard?” She grins and he rolls his eyes
“What's that anyways? What's that paper?”
“Stocks for his very lucrative company in exchange for keeping you hush”
“Not everything is about money, did you know that?”
“Yes. Some things are about power”
“That's not—”
“Keep your nose out of my business. Got it?”
“Yes. I don't know why I even bothered” he huffs and she turns away with a satisfied smirk.
Fuck me all night
(Show me, show me, show me)
Show me who you are