Another Dark Star

Chapter 2

Sadira woke early next morning and decided to visit her Dad. She Apparated to Grimmauld Place and knocked. Molly answered with a look of shock followed by pleasure as she ushered her niece in.

“Morning Molly, how’s everyone today?” she asked cheerfully.

“We weren’t expecting you back so soon dear. We thought you and Sirius had an argument last night.”

“No, nothing like that. Speaking of which, where is Dad?” she asked.

“Say that again, please?” a soft voice said from the direction of the staircase.

“Dad.” She repeated, smiling at the man to whom the voice belonged.

“Never did I think I’d hear anyone call me that.” he said, taking her face in his hand.

“I thought we might continue catching up.” She smiled at him.

“Can you talk while you clean? There’s still lots to be done.” Suggested Molly.

“Come on Molly, she just got here. It’s her day off.” Sirius protested.

“We have to make the place liveable if we’re to use it as headquarters.” Molly countered, handing him a spray of Doxycide and a bucket.

“It’s ok, I’ve nothing better to do anyway,” Sadira assured him. Actually she hated cleaning with a vengeance but she really wanted to talk to her dad without a fight with her formidable aunt. She also suspected Molly was still mad at Sirius and she didn’t want to aggravate the situation further.

They talked for hours; cleaning up the library, dusting, de-pesting, tidying and in Sirius’ case, purging the house of anything alluding to the Black family. Sadira was fascinated with what could be called her ancestral abode. He spoke little of his family and childhood, only of his time at Hogwarts with Remus who had been his good friend, and his best friend, the famous James Potter, father of the Boy Who Lived.

She surmised that she had inherited her rebellious streak from her father. After all, his pranks and schemes sounded like the sort of stunt she used to pull with her cousins Fred and George. (Where did you think they learned it all?)

She also avoided talk of her childhood except for the time she spent at the Weasleys’. She told him how she had been ostracised by the Slytherins in her first year for having no father and associating with her Gryffindor cousins Bill and Charlie. However, after the Gryffindor Quidditch team made a very public threat against anyone who picked on her, on Charlie’s command, she was left to her own devices. She told him she had got the top marks at school, usually with little or no hard work and he proudly informed her that he had been the same.

Soon the room was clean and they felt they had begun to bond. His easy going nature and dry wit, and her caustic wit and wicked sense of humour complemented each other and by dinner time they had grow very fond of one another. Remus looked happy for his friend as Sirius descended the stairs with his arm round Sadira and hers round him. Tonks and Moody came out of the dining room into the kitchen.

“What’s going on?” Sadira asked her friend

“Dumbledore called a brief meeting. I’ll fill you in later, he’s gone now.” Tonks replied. “How’s things going with Sirius?”

“Fine. Me and Dad have been cleaning up the old place for ‘Captain Molly’.” she joked.

“Dad?” Tonks asked wide-eyed. “Sounds like you are getting well.”

“There’s no point wasting more time. We have a chance for a good father-daughter relationship now. I’m not wasting it.” She replied, sitting on the table next to the chair where Sirius was seated.

He smiled at her and grabbed her hand as a dark figure appeared in the doorway.


“Still seducing men twice your age, Prewett?” drawled a soft deep voice.

“Severus!” exclaimed Sadira, jumping off the table and advancing toward the snarling professor. "It’s not like that.”

“Spare me the excuses. It is none of my concern who you throw yourself at.” He replied coldly as he moved down the hall.

“How dare you, you condescending prick. For your information, Sirius Black is my father.” She snapped at him.

He stared at her in shock. He looked her up and down as she glared back at him. The other residents appeared at the top of the stairs, interested by the commotion, as Sirius came up behind Sadira.

“Are you alright Pet?” he asked, staring daggers at Snape.

“Fine Dad; I think I need to have a word with the Professor in private.” She said levelly, gesturing to the parlour. He conceded and strode into the room followed by an extremely cross Sadira.

Raised voices were heard for some time. The twins tried to listen in with the Extendable Ears but all they heard was a few snatches; “jealous obsession,” “trust,” and “reputation,” when suddenly the door was wrenched open and Sadira shouted back into the room.

“...and don’t try and shift the blame this time, Severus. You caused the situation. You gave up on me a long time before I left.”

She stormed out the door and straight up to her room and slammed the door. The children hid as Snape left the parlour with a slightly flushed and incredibly furious face.

Molly heard the fracas from the dining room where she and Hermione were cleaning.

“What was all that about?” she asked Sirius.

“I have no idea, but I’m going to find out,” he replied stonily, heading up the stairs and knocking softly on her door.

Sadira opened it slowly and walked to the other side of the room, staring out the window. She appeared shaken and close to tears. Immediately his instinctive rivalry with Snape and wishes to protect his daughter overruled his conscience telling him to be careful.

“What’s Snape done now?” he asked, not bothering to conceal his hatred of the man

“Nothing,” she replied shortly. “I just wasn’t expecting to see him again, especially not here.”

“I heard what you said. What did you mean when you said he gave up on you? Did he give you a hard time in school?” he asked. She laughed, a cold mirthless laugh.

“Oh no. He was very supportive all through school. Better than any of the other teachers. But some time after I left, things ...weren’t going so well.” She tailed off.

“Why, what do you mean after school? Did you keep in touch?

She looked at him with a conflicted look on her face, biting her lip.

“What? Get to the point,” he snapped at her. He hadn’t meant to be short with her but he was concerned and her evasiveness was trying his patience.

“I SHAGGED HIM! WAS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR?” she yelled, not realising he had left her door ajar.

His face became ashen and his knees failed him. He fell to sit on the bed in shock. She sat next to him and took his hand.

“Look, it was a long time ago. We were in a relationship for over a year but it ended badly. I suppose both of us are still harbouring a bit of bad feeling.” She explained.

“THE DIRTY OLD SOD, I’LL KILL HIM!” Sirius stormed, getting to his feet.

“No you won’t. I dealt with him myself. It’s nothing to do with you. As I said, it was over ages ago.” She ordered.

“Just tell me this, did he ever do anything inappropriate while you were still his student?” he asked through clenched jaw. She looked shifty and didn’t answer.

“I WILL kill him” he raged.

“No! Just leave it. I don’t want anyone dragging up my past.” She objected.

“Fine, but I always hated him anyway so don’t expect me to pretend to be nice to him.”

“Fine!” she retorted as he left.


“Did we hear correctly dear cousin?” asked Fred, poking his head round the door.

“Yeah, did you just say you screwed your Head of House?” finished George.

“Wind yer necks in you two, it’s none of yer business.” She snapped, reverting to her accent under the strain.

“Merlin’s pants! I don’t know whether I’m impressed or sickened.” George added.

“Yeah! Seducing a teacher is impressive; especially for a goody Head Girl, but Snape? He’s repulsive!” added Fred.

“He is not repulsive!” she stormed.

“Aw, still not over him?” taunted Fred as she slammed the door.



The twins wasted no time in informing people of Sadira’s secret. Hermione was shocked, Ron and Ginny were appalled and Molly was furious. Sirius asked them not to discuss it to spare Sadira’s feelings, but he was fuming also. When he told Dumbledore about it as further proof that Snape couldn’t be trusted, the elder wizard said that he still trusted him and would ‘speak with Severus on the other matter separately’.

When Sadira came down for breakfast next day after having closeted herself in her new room, she was met with looks ranging from disgust to disbelief through to curious. She seated herself as far as she could from the other diners and ate in silence, head held high but meeting no-one’s eyes. She poured herself a cup of black coffee and downed it in between bites of a half slice of toast before rising from the table and heading out.

“Wait, don’t go yet, have a proper breakfast first.” Molly insisted gently.

“Thanks Auntie Moll but I have to get to work.” she replied flatly, grabbing her jacket and bolting out the door.