The Black Family's Wild Family Ways

Sirius Black looked at his mother collapsing in the portrait, his expression complicated.

He had run away from home at sixteen, been struck from the Black Family tree, and should have been stripped of his inheritance long ago.

He had thought he could enter the family vault at Gringotts because of the bloodline he could never sever. Now it seemed that his inheritance had never truly been taken away.

"You stubborn old hag..."

Sirius turned and walked back, with Kreacher following behind him somewhat reluctantly.

When it saw Regulus's corpse, its bloodshot eyes widened so much they nearly fell out of their sockets.

With a thud, it dropped heavily to its knees on the threadbare carpet.

"Young Master Regulus..."

Tears streamed from beneath Kreacher's sagging eyelids.

Crying, it crawled over.

Sirius kicked it away with a look of disgust. "Get lost, you useless thing!"

The muscles in Vincent and Harry's faces twitched wildly as they both looked toward Dumbledore, who shrugged helplessly at them.

The Black Family's ways were certainly wild.

The mistress of the house had screamed and cursed nonstop, the House-elf had shown little respect for the family's sole heir, and the eldest son had become extraordinarily violent the moment he returned home.

After getting kicked over, Kreacher rose and continued crying as it crawled toward Regulus.

Sirius hesitated for a moment, then lowered his raised foot.

"Stop!"

As if it could not hear him, Kreacher crawled right past him without a care.

Sirius raised his wand, then lowered it and strode over.

"Young Master Regulus..." Kreacher stretched out a hand before him, seemingly wanting to touch him.

"Kreacher thought that in this lifetime... in this lifetime, Kreacher would never see you again..."

Its hand hung in midair, never touching Regulus.

Sirius stopped behind it, looking exceptionally impatient.