the_debt_of_time

"Kill the brother."
"No!" Walburga screamed and fell to her knees before the hooded figure. "My Lord, I beg you,
kill this whelp instead." She gestured to Sirius's shaking, bleeding, sweating body adding, "My Regulus is
as noble and pure as you could ever require. Even at his young age, he would willingly seek your approval
and bear your mark."
"Is that so?"
Walburga bowed her head. "I will fetch him for you, my Lord."
"No need." The man shook his head. "Bring him to me when he turns sixteen; in the meantime,
what will we do with this stubborn heir?"
"Break him."
At the sound of Lucius Malfoy's words, Sirius growled; he felt his body go stiff before he could do
anything else. It was not a Full Body-Bind Curse, as he was still able to struggle, but Malfoy had his wand
trained on him, forcibly extending Sirius's left arm.
"Willingly or not, he will be marked; he can prove himself worthy of it later," Lucius hissed,
walking forward and stepping on Sirius's hand to hold him in place. "My Lord, if I may do the honours?"
The hooded figure seemed to ponder the request for a moment before nodding.
Lucius turned and stared down, silver eyes so wide Sirius could almost see the grin behind them.
Malfoy leant down and pressed the tip of his wand into the flesh of Sirius's arm.
Sirius let out a howl as the skin began to burn. Knowing he had to do it to stop the Dark Magic
from touching him, he turned violently, snapping the bones in his arm and breaking the contact with Lucius's
wand in the process. The pain was cold and sharp, but it was bearable compared to the Cruciatus.
"Stubborn, stupid Gryffindor!" Lucius hissed.
"I tire of this travesty," the stranger said, and he stood to leave the room. "Do not call me again,
Orion, Walburga, until you have a worthy child." He Apparated with a booming CRACK!
"You rotten blood-traitor!" Bellatrix screamed, throwing another Cruciatus that made the cold
pain in Sirius's broken arm feel like fire.
"Bella, enough!" Walburga shouted. "Leave him. We have to make plans. I'll deal with this stain
on my House later."
In response, Sirius defiantly spat more blood onto her ugly, expensive rug.
The drawing room emptied slowly, as the occupants left one by one.
Sirius remained, bleeding on the Persian rug, watching as it slowly stained red. He could not help
but smirk at the sight as he fell in and out of consciousness. Gryffindor red, he thought with a chuckle.