A Black Rose In A White Bush

A White Rose In A Black Bush



“Are you awake?” a voice whispered.

“Yeah. What do you want?” a voice grunted in reply. The first voice sighed softly.

“We need to have a talk about your past... before you were in Azkaban.”

Sirius looked up from his pillow at Remus who was sitting on their bed, leaning against the headboard.

“What about that time?”

“Did... did you ever have children, Sirius?” he asked hesitantly.

“No, I didn't. Why do you ask?” Sirius looked confused. Remus looked down and pulled out a copy of that morning's Daily Prophet.

“I think you should read this.” Sirius sat up groggily and started to read the front page, his face scrunching up in scrutiny. He reread the article once more and his eyes widened.

“Sarah Black…?” he whispered. Remus just nodded.

“I know it wouldn’t have been from your brother, since he’s dead. It couldn't be Bellatrix either, because if she did have children, she would have boasted about it to someone. And that only leaves you…” Remus trailed off.

“Why would I be hearing about this now? Shouldn't I have been told that I had a kid running around?” Sirius looked over at Remus, lost.

“Well, from what I gather, Sarah is one year younger than Harry is, and we all know that he was otherwise occupied during the welcoming feast his second year to know who was sorted. Dumbledore might have thought that Sarah's last name wasn't anything special, thinking that she had been given that last name, since she was adopted by Lucius Malfoy.” Sirius sighed quietly before snapping his eyes back to the article in horror.

“That greasy git has my child?”

“You don’t even know if she’s yours, Sirius. Don’t jump to conclusions.” He tried to calm Sirius down.

“I don’t care, whether or not she is my child, Snape shouldn't have custody over any child.”

“Sirius!”

“It’s true! I don’t trust him. C’mon, lets go talk to Albus.” Sirius jumped out of bed and headed for his dresser to get his robes.

~

“Did you two enjoy your treat last night?”

“Well, I for one didn’t, seeing as Lucky ate it.” Draco pouted over his lost treat once again, making Sarah giggled.

“Well, at least Lucky enjoyed it.” She was sitting next to Draco on the couch in Severus’ sitting room with the fire blazing away in the fireplace. Blackie was curled up in her lap, enjoying the attention Sarah was giving her while Lucky laid curled up in front of the fire, snoozing.

“I’m sure that Lucky did enjoy it, but you two need to get dressed. We have to go and meet Albus for a meeting. Hurry up now.” Severus turned around and walked back into his room. He closed the door behind him.

“Does he like his privacy or what?” questioned Draco. Sarah nodded, looking at Severus closed door with something akin to confusion.

“He sure does. But c’mon, we got to get ready.” Sarah stood up, gently nudging Blackie onto the floor to go curl up with Lucky. She reached a hand out to Draco. He took the offered hand and Sarah made mock grunting noises while she helped him up.

“God, you’re fat. Have you been eating tubs of lard, or something?”

“At least that would mean I have some meat on my bones. You’re skinnier than a tooth pick!” Draco ran to their room with Sarah chasing after him, laughing.

~

“Headmaster, I demand that a parental test be done. She has my name and there is a chance she could be my daughter. I have to know!” Sirius and Remus had flooed into the Headmasters office, Sirius wasting no time with asked Albus to test Sarah.

At the moment, Remus was sitting in a chair in front of Albus’ desk, while Sirius paced back and forth in front of him, his arms waving around, trying to make his point clear.

“Sirius, we’ll have the test done, and we’ll straighten this out; please, just settle down. I have a meeting with Severus, Draco and Sarah very soon. You two may stay here if you wish – if you promise to behave, Sirius – but don't worry. The test will be done before the end of the day, I promise. Now please, calm down.”

Before Sirius could respond, there was a knock on the door. Sirius quickly changed into Padfoot.

“Come in.” the door opened and in walked the three people of their discussion.

“Ah, it's good to see you three. How are you all doing?” the Headmaster asked them as Sirius changed back, making Sarah sigh softly and Draco grasp her hand.

“We’re doing fine. Well, at least I was before I opened this door.” Severus glared at Sirius as he said the last part.

“Come now, Severus. Surly you and Sirius can get along after all these years…” Sirius made a noise of protest in the back of his throat.

“Headmaster, me getting along with Black is as likely as the Dark Lord doing ballet.” Sarah buried her face in Draco’s neck, trying to smother her giggles.

“Thank you for that lovely visual, Snivellus. I bet you just sit around thinking of those things just to make other people sick.”

“Sirius, shut up.” Sirius’ mouth closed reluctantly as he stared at Remus. Severus rolled his eyes and took the seat farthest away from Remus while Draco and Sarah shared one, Sarah sitting on Draco’s lap calmly.

“Now then. Severus, Draco, Sarah – I set up this meeting so that we could talk about the arrangements that will need to be made now, since Severus is now your legal guardian.” Albus looked to Sarah and Draco. “Both of you have the option of either staying in your dorm rooms or, you can live in Severus’ chambers for the rest of the school year and so on.” Sarah turned her head and whispered something into Draco’s ear.

“Sarah and I choose to stay in Sev’s chambers.” Albus nodded, unfazed by the nickname Sarah and Draco use for Severus, and looked to look at him.

“Do you have any objections to that, Severus?”

“No, I don’t Headmaster. I actually prefer that they do live in my chambers, especially Sarah, since –”

“You are such a sicko, Snape! Wanting–”

“Sirius, don’t force me to make it so you’ll never be able to talk again.” Remus warned and Sirius glared, clenching his jaw.

“As I was saying, Black. I would especially like Sarah to live in my chambers because her house mates don’t take to her and are most likely to pull something.”

“I agree. But now, Sarah maybe I ask you a question?” Albus looked expectantly at Sarah as she narrowed her eyes.

“What?” she asked suspiciously.

“Do you know who your father is?”

“Yes, I do.” she answered smartly.

“May I ask who?”

“I think you know “who” he is, you just want me to say who he is so you’ll have some documentation of who my father is. Because, I know you know who he is, and I know that you know that I know who he is.”

“You are right, Sarah. I would have preferred for you to say who, but if you won’t, then I will have to perform a Parental spell to get the answer that you won’t give me.”

“Well, you could do that, Headmaster, but you would have to have the consent of the person in question who you would perform it on and, their legal guardian's consent. And I’m not sure about Sev, but I do not give you my consent, and, if you do perform it on me anyway, I can sue.” She said smoothly, crossing her arms across her chest, sitting up straighter in Draco's lap. Severus smirked; proud that Sarah knew how to take care of herself so well.

“Actually Sarah, I believe you are mistaken,” Albus spoke calmly, “I just need to have the consent of the legal guardian to perform it on the person in question, and if the legal guardian isn’t their real mother or father, then I don’t have to have anyone’s consent.” Without warning, Albus pulled out his wand and spoke three words,

“Dei genitori rivelare.” Sarah glared daggers at the Headmaster through the blue mist forming in front of her.

Two names appeared in blue writing in front of Sarah.

“How.. how could you?” Remus spoke first, causing Sirius to flinch as if he'd been hit.

“I don't know! I don't remember doing anything! I might have been drunk or, or something!” he defended weakly.

“Can you give me one reason why I should believe that, Black?” Remus spat angrily. Sirius flinched again.

“Remus...” he pleaded.

“Shut it, Black.” Remus stood up and and marched the door. Sirius just stood there, watching him go, making no movement to stop his obviously hurt and angry friend and lover. His shoulders curled inward as he stared at the floor.

“Headmaster... maybe we should come back later... and let you deal with Black..” Severus stood and helped Sarah stand up from Draco’s lap. Albus nodded and waited for them to exit the room before he spoke.

“Sirius.. do you have any idea how she can be Sarah’s mother?”

“No.” weakly.

“Do you remember doing anything at all with her?”

“No.” affronted.

“Are you willing to subject yourself to veritaserum?”

“Yes.” The Headmaster nodded and opened one of his desk drawers and pulled out a small vial filled with the clear liquid. He poured a few drops into a cup of tea and handed it to Sirius. Sirius drank it.

“What is your name?” Albus asked.

“Sirius Octavious Black.”

“What is the name of the man who gave away Lily and James to Voldemort?”

“Peter Pettigrew.” Albus nodded.

“Were the answers to the questions I asked you earlier all true?”

“Yes.”

“So in no way were you with her, at least in that way to produce a child?”

“No.”

“So you have no idea how she can be Sarah's mother?”

“No.” Albus sighed and rubbed his eyes. He didn’t know how something like this could happen. Unless she obliviated him, but that didn’t make sense. It had to be something else, because there is no way that she could be Sarah’s mother. It just wasn’t possible.

~

Severus, Draco and Sarah sat on the couch in silence. Lucky and Blackie were in Sarah and Draco's room, curled around each other on the bed. Severus and Draco were looking everywhere but at Sarah.

“What is with you two? Just because she’s my mom, doesn’t mean I’m any different than I was before. That I’m any different from the Sarah you both know.” Sarah said angrily, crossing her arms across her chest once more.

“We know. It’s just... just that... well...” Draco trailed off, looking to Severus for help.

“It’s just that we do know that it doesn’t change who you are, but just the fact that we now know that she is your mother, well... we can’t help but think of how you’ll start to act like her. We’ll start seeing things, small characteristics that we didn't notice before that will tie you to her son and that’ll just be a bit weird for us. After knowing you all these years and all.” Severus tried to explain to her.

“Sure it will. I’m off to bed.” Sarah pushed herself up from the couch and walked into the room she shared with Draco. She walked into the adjoining bathroom that was connected to their room and started a bath.

When the tub was filled with steaming water, Sarah stripped of her clothes and threw them into a small pile near the door. She slowly stepping into the water, and sighed as she stretched out, relaxing her muscles. She dunked her head under the water and held her breath. She moved her head up enough just to let her nose break the surface of water, resting there for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth of the water.

She sat up fully and reached for her wand on the counter, spilling some water onto the floor. She flicked her want and set it back down as music began to play softly, echoing slightly in the bathroom. Sarah closed her eyes and started to sing along, her voice smooth and sweet, relaxing back into the tub,

“Well, I will go down with this ship,
and I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag above my door.
I'm in love and always will be.

I know I left too much mess and
destruction to come back again.
And I caused but nothing but trouble.
I understand if you can't talk to me again .
And if you live by the rules of "it's over,"
then I'm sure that that makes sense.

Well, I will go down with this ship,
and I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag above my door.
I'm in love and always will be.

And when we meet,
which I'm sure we will,
all that was then
will be there still.
I'll let it pass,
and hold my tongue,
and you will think
that I've moved on.

Well, I will go down with this ship,
and I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag above my door.
I'm in love and always will be.

Well, I will go down with this ship,
and I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag above my door.
I'm in love and always will be.

Well, I will go down with this ship,
and I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag above my door.
I'm in love and always will be.

Well, I will go down with this ship,
and I won't put my hands up and surrender.
There will be no white flag above my door.
I'm in love and always will be.”

Sarah grabbed her wand again and warmed the water up so that it was steaming. She reached for the shampoo and started to wash her hair as another song started to play. She started to sing along to the song again and she dried herself off.

“Hey you, living for tomorrow
you sell your dreams for a pocket of change.
Hey you, smoking' up your sorrow,
Just pointing fingers at someone to blame.
Hey you, you turn your back on your children
it's left you in that big burning bed.
This life's like living in the gutter
All this pain just makes you feel dead...” She started to brush out her hair, easily brushing through any tangles, and studied herself in the mirror quietly.

“Well... I guess I have some resemblance to her. If only just a bit..” Sarah thought aloud to herself. She set the brush down, rubbing the towel through her hair, getting rid of most of the water. She started to poke and prod her face while staring at her reflection.

“This is ridiculous. So I look a little bit like my mother. So what? That’s not a bad thing.” She growled and marched back into the bedroom, her towel firmly wrapped around her body. She didn’t see Draco in the room, Maybe he’s going to sleep on the couch since he can’t seem to stand me right now... she thought sadly.

She walked over to one of the two dressers and opened the top drawer. She pulled out a pair of black silk short shorts and a small black silk tank top to match. She quickly changed into her pajamas and began to snuggle under the warm blankets on the bed. She laid her head down, twisting her hair up and let it flop onto the pillow, staring at the ceiling.

I guess having her as my mother isn’t so bad... she thought as she closed her eyes and pictured the two names written in blue.

Sirius Black and Lily Evans.


A/N: Just to let you guys know, writing the whole “You know that I know that you know that I know” thing can get really confusing, really fast. And, the translation of the spell Albus performed is “Parental Reveal.” It's Latin.