*How is it possible, Sirius is wondering, to skate through school without a care, breeze through Auror training, and then suddenly have all that easy talent come to a screeching halt and be forced to take up studying? But that's what has happened. He has to give Peter some credit; Arithmancy is beastly difficult and the wards he's looking into are increasingly complex. But the Auror office has taken to relying on him for wardbreaking, and now that it's a specialty he has to stay current and keep getting better. He could have been a curse-breaker or an obliviator or even played the market and turned into a moderately affluent layabout, but no: some fit of nobility, and the desire to stick with James, had put him at the Auror office. And now he's a bookworm. He can sense the horror at these bald facts bubbling up inside what's left of his sixteen-year-old self, but there it is
( ... )
*He bowls right over her. Short of the cursing, it's by the book: his pair of cuffs appears and he snatches her wrist up and snaps one manacle around her wrist before she can get away.*
--under the authority of the Ministry for Magic and the Auror office. If you resist arrest, that's additional charges.
*Obligingly, she stands. A voice in her head that sounds very much like her mother's informs her crisply that she can't hiss and spit and kick no matter how much she'd like to, she's in public, and any of all of this will go in the Prophet even if Roddy will get her out in a quarter of an hour, she's got to behave--
But she can't seem to stop laughing.*
What do you honestly think this will prove, you look like a madman--
*And an imperious little tilt of her head to the wide-eyed waiter, even as Sirius is cuffing her wrists.*
*With his hand that's not hanging onto her to prevent her disapparating, he fishes in his pocket for a Galleon. He knows he's overpaying for the tea and he doesn't care, but if this is going to work at all it has to be as clean as he can make it. His tea is his, dammit. And then, when they get in--if Alice is on duty--she cracked that other man, maybe she can crack Bella--and the rote words are pouring out of his mouth.*
You don't have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you don't mention when questioned something which you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. I'll side-along you in myself, if that's all right with you.
You're fucking hilarious, Sirius, you are just too much.
*She doesn't crane her neck to talk behind her--her voice has always been the carrying sort on its own.*
I think this childhood grudge has gone a little far, don't you? I mean I'm as sorry as the next person that Mummy didn't kiss you enough but there's no need to take it out on me--
*There's a retort on the tip of his tongue that says far, far too much about himself and his mother than he wants to show to Bellatrix, so instead he does the only thing that will shut her up: he clicks the other manacle around her wrist, not even bothering to pull them around her back, and Disapparates, Death Eater in tow.*
*Bellatrix has never been arrested before, nor seen the inside of the DMLE.
It's common.
The man from the Prophet, though, looks like Christmas has come early. It seems within seconds there's Apparating colleagues and purple smoke and blinding flashbulbs everywhere. Bellatrix does her very best to look photogenic and, truth be told, is rather enjoying the attention, the considerable Drama of what is happening---and, of course, reassuring herself over and over that there is no proof and this is only a lark and that Roddy will be there any second and that Sirius will be mucking out thestral stalls for the rest of his life if she has even a bit of influence.
It's because of such thoughts that she manages not to snap at anyone, to stay jovial and droll with razor-sharp posture and a thoroughly regal bearing. The photographs, Bellatrix is quite sure, will turn out excellent, and as she's led into another room--very dismal, very common--she hopes that Twinky will have the foresight to have a bath drawn for her when she gets home, and
( ... )
*Alice had been walking out of the filing room next to the interrogation corridor when she saw them. Everyone knows Bellatrix Lestrange, whether from her family or the high class pages, everyone knows. To see Sirius dragging in his own cousin, a confirmed Society Death Eater, was more than a little jarring
( ... )
*Bellatrix has been looking around at the shabby walls with the mildly curious expression of a woman in a museum. She couldn't look more out of place here, with the harsh light glinting off her jewelry and rich robes, but she sits prettily, almost enthroned in the rickety chair, and looks up at the Auror without much change in expression.*
*For all the information Alice has on Bellatrix, there's nothing quite like seeing her. Her completely detached demeanor is unsettling, and Alice feels she has to match it. Tucking her hair back, she moves from sitting across from Bellatrix to be closer to her in the seat at the end of the table.*
Alice Longbottom.
*For a moment, she considers her conflicts, but the words "Hello Alice" flash through her mind and suddenly she starts her set up.*
*Two little syllables and a little lilt of the tongue, as if she's trying it on for size in her very cultured way of speaking. Bellatrix blinks, her brow creasing, making a show of it: where do I know that name from again?*
Ah yes! Of course.
*And a slow and plastic smile, spreading across her face.*
*Alice is doing her best to reflect the Bellatrix's attitude, but it takes a moment to swallow the memory Alice is sure Bellatrix is reliving and move back to her endgame.*
You know, you look just like someone I worked with, back at St. Mungo's.
*The last words dangle off her tongue, coming out a little slower than the rest of the sentence - it's a bit theatrical, but the pay off could be worth it.*
*The smile drops right off her face, and the sudden glint in her lined eyes has nothing to do with the harsh lighting overhead. She is, briefly, murderous, truly frightening. But she smiles, then, as smoothly as she can.*
That's Andromeda. She was my sister. We are now estranged.
*Elegantly, she retrieves a slender gold-tipped cigarette from somewhere in her robes--but she has no wand to light it with, and she looks expectantly up at Alice.*
As Sirius is from his parents. Troubled young man. Long grudge. I expect that's why I'm here.
*The slip is unmistakeable and unnerving, but Alice cordially lights the cigarette and continues on with Bellatrix's attitude as if this is all a formality.*
Yes, well, we can never be too sure, can we?
*Her stomach turns over as she chases that anger Bellatrix displayed. This is wrong, and she knows it. But they need her to slip up, they need her to drop her façade just for a minute...*
And you're right, yes. Fantastic healer, and such a nice husband, Andromeda Tonks.
*It's transparent, transparent, transparent. And she must behave. Roddy will have her out in minutes, and this woman is silly and thick-limbed and common and is simply pushing the most obvious button and that is all.
Bellatrix inhales and, after a long and considering moment, exhales a tremendous quantity of expensive-smelling smoke and arches a single haughty eyebrow.*
This may surprise you, but I don't feel particularly up to discussing family scandals with you.
Particularly considering we're apparently in the process of creating another. Sirius is new to this office, isn't he?
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--under the authority of the Ministry for Magic and the Auror office. If you resist arrest, that's additional charges.
Reply
But she can't seem to stop laughing.*
What do you honestly think this will prove, you look like a madman--
*And an imperious little tilt of her head to the wide-eyed waiter, even as Sirius is cuffing her wrists.*
Charge it to my vault--yes, all of it--
Reply
*With his hand that's not hanging onto her to prevent her disapparating, he fishes in his pocket for a Galleon. He knows he's overpaying for the tea and he doesn't care, but if this is going to work at all it has to be as clean as he can make it. His tea is his, dammit. And then, when they get in--if Alice is on duty--she cracked that other man, maybe she can crack Bella--and the rote words are pouring out of his mouth.*
You don't have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you don't mention when questioned something which you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. I'll side-along you in myself, if that's all right with you.
Reply
You're fucking hilarious, Sirius, you are just too much.
*She doesn't crane her neck to talk behind her--her voice has always been the carrying sort on its own.*
I think this childhood grudge has gone a little far, don't you? I mean I'm as sorry as the next person that Mummy didn't kiss you enough but there's no need to take it out on me--
Reply
Reply
It's common.
The man from the Prophet, though, looks like Christmas has come early. It seems within seconds there's Apparating colleagues and purple smoke and blinding flashbulbs everywhere. Bellatrix does her very best to look photogenic and, truth be told, is rather enjoying the attention, the considerable Drama of what is happening---and, of course, reassuring herself over and over that there is no proof and this is only a lark and that Roddy will be there any second and that Sirius will be mucking out thestral stalls for the rest of his life if she has even a bit of influence.
It's because of such thoughts that she manages not to snap at anyone, to stay jovial and droll with razor-sharp posture and a thoroughly regal bearing. The photographs, Bellatrix is quite sure, will turn out excellent, and as she's led into another room--very dismal, very common--she hopes that Twinky will have the foresight to have a bath drawn for her when she gets home, and ( ... )
Reply
Reply
And you are?
Reply
Alice Longbottom.
*For a moment, she considers her conflicts, but the words "Hello Alice" flash through her mind and suddenly she starts her set up.*
You look so familiar, forgive me, you are...?
Reply
*Two little syllables and a little lilt of the tongue, as if she's trying it on for size in her very cultured way of speaking. Bellatrix blinks, her brow creasing, making a show of it: where do I know that name from again?*
Ah yes! Of course.
*And a slow and plastic smile, spreading across her face.*
Hello.
Reply
*Alice is doing her best to reflect the Bellatrix's attitude, but it takes a moment to swallow the memory Alice is sure Bellatrix is reliving and move back to her endgame.*
You know, you look just like someone I worked with, back at St. Mungo's.
*The last words dangle off her tongue, coming out a little slower than the rest of the sentence - it's a bit theatrical, but the pay off could be worth it.*
Reply
That's Andromeda. She was my sister. We are now estranged.
*Elegantly, she retrieves a slender gold-tipped cigarette from somewhere in her robes--but she has no wand to light it with, and she looks expectantly up at Alice.*
As Sirius is from his parents. Troubled young man. Long grudge. I expect that's why I'm here.
Do you mind?
Reply
Yes, well, we can never be too sure, can we?
*Her stomach turns over as she chases that anger Bellatrix displayed. This is wrong, and she knows it. But they need her to slip up, they need her to drop her façade just for a minute...*
And you're right, yes. Fantastic healer, and such a nice husband, Andromeda Tonks.
Reply
Bellatrix inhales and, after a long and considering moment, exhales a tremendous quantity of expensive-smelling smoke and arches a single haughty eyebrow.*
This may surprise you, but I don't feel particularly up to discussing family scandals with you.
Particularly considering we're apparently in the process of creating another. Sirius is new to this office, isn't he?
Reply
*It may not work, but Alice isn't ready to give up just yet.*
But I never got the chance to ask 'Dromeda, what was it that got her disowned? Her choosing to work or her Muggleborn husband?
Reply
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