The Christmas holidays were approaching, and the Marauders were sitting in the Great Hall, watching the others fill out the stay-at-school permission slips.
"Sirius, are you really planning to go home?" James asked, looking at Sirius, who remained indifferent. Remus looked over too; they had assumed Sirius wouldn't be willing to go back and had originally planned to stay behind with him. Instead, Sirius had told them he needed to return for this holiday to attend that damned pure-blood gathering.
He hadn't wanted to go at all, but the thought that Gloria would be attending made Sirius consider sneaking her away.
"Yeah. Got to watch the power plays and negotiations between the various families."
Hearing this, James merely patted Sirius on the shoulder.
On the train ride home, the Marauders sat together in a compartment, looking over their Transfiguration books and watching the scenery flash past the window—lively and harmonious.
Meanwhile, Gloria was also looking out at the scenery, an unreadable gleam in her eyes. Returning to that place meant meeting him—her father.
To be honest, Gloria felt some resistance. Aside from her studies, she rarely sat down with her father to have a proper conversation anymore. Of course, she didn't want to, either. In Gloria's heart, paternal love did not exist. Perhaps she had prayed for it once, but after she turned seven, she never wished for a father's love again.
***
Gloria happily ran toward her mother in the garden, throwing herself straight into her arms, letting that familiar warmth and scent surround her.
After a momentary daze, Chessie smiled and hugged her daughter tight. "You're back! Don't blame Mama for not coming to pick you up, all right?"
"Of course not. I'll never blame Mama." Chessie gently stroked Gloria's hair. "You must be starved. Come on, Mama made your favorites. Then you can go up to your room and check out the dress I prepared for you—it's your Christmas gift. You can wear it to the ball and show everyone just how brilliant and beautiful my darling is."
Chessie led Gloria to the dining table and seated her, speaking softly all the while. Gloria simply listened quietly; she never interrupted her mother when she spoke. This was their shared desire to talk, blossoming every single holiday during these long absences between mother and daughter.
Chessie smiled at her daughter. "Oh, by the way, how are you getting along with your friends at school?"
Gloria's hand paused. For some reason, she always felt as though the friends her mother spoke of carried a hidden implication. Still, she didn't dwell on it too much. "They're great, Mama. Did you miss them? Bailey said she wanted to come visit you, and Abby too. I made a new friend as well—she's a Gryffindor."
"Is that so? That's wonderful. When are you going to have them over to visit? How about the summer holidays?"
Chessie felt reassured knowing she had a few friends at school; she didn't want her Lia to always work so hard without even a single true friend, her smiles growing so scarce.
"No..." Gloria's eyes dimmed at the thought of Lily's identity. "Bailey and Abby are fine, but Lily... Father won't agree to let her come."
Even without asking, she knew how he could possibly consent to a Muggle-born child stepping foot into his manor.
Hearing Gloria say this, Chessie's smile faded somewhat. She knew her child so well, and naturally understood the unspoken meaning behind her words.
"Lia..." Chessie wanted to say something. Over the years, Lia's attitude toward her father had grown increasingly cold. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about mediating; she had even told Lia that her father didn't hate her. But ever since the incident when Lia was seven, even Chessie herself had begun to feel like a stranger in her own home.
Her husband placed more and more importance on status and interests, growing increasingly hostile toward Muggles. He was becoming someone even she hardly recognized, let alone a daughter who had been treated with stern severity from a young age. Those words of mediation ultimately dissolved into a series of sighs.
At the doorway, Kreacher's respectful greeting sounded, followed by the entrance of a man in a tailored suit. He possessed the exact same eyes and gaze as Gloria—golden hair and blue pupils, a handsome face, matched by an even colder expression than Gloria's, signifying the Head of the House of Sisyphus.
Mr. Stuart Sisyphus.
"You're back. Let's eat."
"Father."
Chessie and Gloria stood up. Gloria had already finished her meal, and after offering her greetings, she intended to return to her room to look at the Christmas gifts sent by her friends.
"Gloria."
That voice brought her steps to a halt. Stuart sat down at the table, looked at his daughter, and frowned.
"I hear you and Sirius Black are on good terms."
Gloria paused. "Yes."
"He is a Gryffindor, after all. And although Walburga doesn't say anything, that boy makes no effort to hide it, and he's friends with the Potter family's youngest son. That whole family is far too close to Muggles—and the Black boy is no different. You'd best stay away from them."
Gloria clenched her fists. "Whatever else they might be, they're still a Black and a Potter, pure-bloods. I don't see anything wrong with being on good terms with them... Father."
For this reason, Stuart seemed to hesitate before countering. "Hmph. Even so, don't take it too far. If you truly want to make friends with a Black, aren't the Slytherin Blacks a better choice?"
Stuart's gaze remained fixed on Gloria, as if determined to force an admission that she would distance herself from them.
"Who I choose to be friends with is my own freedom." Gloria raised her head to meet her father's eyes, refusing to back down in the slightest.
Stuart's eyes turned frosty. "What kind of tone is that! Can I not even manage you?"
Chessie frowned and stepped forward to shield against the escalating tension, pressing her hand down on Stuart as he started to rise. "Alright. Lia has always known how to handle things. Let's eat. Lia, go back to your room."
By the time Gloria came back to her senses, she had already said goodbye to her mother and was sitting in her bedroom. Looking at the purple gown laid out on the bed, Gloria somehow found herself thinking of the red robes Sirius wore. Red.
Aside from the red roses in the garden, the manor had never allowed any other red things to exist because her father loathed everything associated with Gryffindor. Yet the more forbidden it was, the stronger Gloria's rebellious streak grew—especially now.
She truly wanted to see the look on her father's face if she wore a red dress. In the end, however, Gloria chose not to do it, because this was a gift given to her by her mother.
"Someday..." Gloria whispered softly.
Someday, she would attain freedom—true freedom—and do whatever she pleased.
On the night of the ball, Sirius had been irritable the entire time. He had never been willing to stay in this place, and that restless mood only vanished the moment he laid eyes on Gloria.The moment she appeared, Sirius heard the sound of his heartbeat once more. A pale purple long dress, paired with that head of white hair—the alternation of purple and white transformed into heavy, dark ink, imprinted deeply within Sirius's heart.
Her impatient eyes lit up the moment she saw Sirius. The two of them looked at each other amidst the crowd, conversing in silence.
Within the mad and dark pure-blood families surrounding them, the two of them remained forever sincere and brilliant.
Watching his peers begin searching for dance partners, Sirius quietly slipped away from the conversing adults and made his way toward Gloria. Seeing that she had noticed him, he signaled to her with his eyes. Gloria glanced around, plucked a rose petal, and—though it was unclear what she did—the petal drifted through the crowd and flew toward Chessie.
Sirius saw Madam Chessie and Gloria exchange a smile, and then both of them gave Sirius a meaningful smile and a nod.
Sirius was momentarily stunned. Watching Gloria turn and walk toward the door, he hurriedly nodded as well and turned toward the exit.
Standing outside the door, Sirius felt his body and mind relax for a moment. Hearing footsteps behind him, Sirius turned his head to see Gloria letting out a sigh of relief.
"Where to?" Gloria asked, gathering her long hair. In truth, Sirius had no idea where they should go; he had only wanted to get out, to escape first, and let the rest take care of itself. So he fell silent, unable to speak for a long time.
Gloria looked at him and laughed without concealment.
"So you didn't have a plan at all, Mr. Black."
The young girl's unbridled laughter echoed in Sirius's ears, but he felt no annoyance. Instead, he looked at her with eyes full of indulgence. After a moment's thought, he took her hand and walked forward, treating it all as an unknown adventure—no matter where they went, even if it was just to look at the scenery along the way, as long as it was with her.
They walked quite a distance. Pure-blood families often liked to avoid Muggle areas, and the location of this gathering happened to be one of those, so desolate surroundings were hardly unusual. However, when Gloria's heel got stuck in a pit on the ground for the second time, she couldn't help cursing under her breath. Hearing this, Sirius chuckled and teased her.
"Hey, Lia, ladies don't use foul language."
He used a much more intimate nickname. In truth, he was still a bit nervous about it, but even if Gloria disapproved, he didn't want to change it. After all, if he called her that a few more times, she would get used to it.
Fortunately, Gloria only paused, without refusing.
"Oh, come off it, Sirius. Don't try to impose that pure-blood elegance and self-restraint on me; that would be far too stifling."
Gloria pulled her hand free from his grip and simply slipped off her shoes, thinking of being even more unrestrained. But just as she tried to take a step, her body suddenly lifted into the air and landed in Sirius's arms. Looking down at her fair feet, a dark look flickered in Sirius's eyes, though he kept Lia from noticing. He said cheerfully to the girl in his arms, sharing his sudden thought:
"I've got it. It's not too far to the seaside from here. If you want to run wild and free, we might as well go there."
After all, I've been wanting to take you there for a long time.
"The sea?"
"Yes, the sea. I've always wanted to go see it, but I rarely get the chance."Sirius carried Gloria in his arms like this, walking steadily forward. Looking at the person before her, even though they were only twelve years old, she could already tell how handsome Sirius would grow up to be—this young boy would mature into a dependable Sirius Black who could provide a sense of security.
Just wondering, did the young boy right now notice the girl's reddening earlobes and her racing heartbeat?
Looking out at the endless sea before her, Gloria's eyes shone with boundless light. She loved the wind that blew here and loved this feeling of absolute freedom.
Reluctantly, Sirius set the person in his arms down, watching her lift her skirt and run forward like the wind. With a beaming smile, she looked vibrant, carefree, bold, and dazzling.
Slowly, Gloria came to a halt. Lowering her head, she watched the surging waves and let the seawater wash over her hands. The wind whipped her long hair around, and as Gloria reached up to gather it, a pair of hands caught hers. Gently, Sirius smoothed down her hair, produced a ribbon, and meticulously tied it back for her.
A wave of novelty washed over Gloria. She touched the ribbon, her peripheral vision catching a flash of dazzling red. "You actually know how to tie hair? And this—when did you prepare it?"
Sirius rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Ahem, I decided to when Evans and the others were doing your hair."
After finishing her hair, he glanced up at the sky and sat down casually. "Judging by the sky, it's going to rain. Shouldn't we head back?"
Gloria didn't look at him, nor did she look at the sky.
"I don't want to go back. I don't feel like seeing him."
"Your father?" Sirius turned to look at Gloria.
"Mmm."
"You seem to really resent your father."
Gloria's gaze dimmed. Thinking of her father, she spoke softly.
"He is a blind man. He cannot see the expectations and affection around him, blindly pursuing power instead. He is never satisfied—mad, paranoid, obsessed with blood purity."
At this, Gloria paused and looked at Sirius.
"Just like your mother, the Sisyphus family is gradually turning into a blood-supremacist House of Black."
"The Sisyphus family is a bit different from other pure-blood families. They have numerous siblings, and every child of age has the chance to become the final heir, provided they are the most outstanding one.
Because of this, he appears contradictory and ridiculous. It is already difficult enough for pure-blood wizards to have children, and in the future, pure-bloods will only become fewer and fewer. Yet they still waste time, on one hand seizing power while on the other trying to maintain blood purity. You cannot have your cake and eat it too."
Sirius listened in silence. He shared the same predicament as her, so naturally he understood. Looking up at the heavily overcast sky, Sirius stood up and extended his hand toward Gloria.
"Let's dance, Leah."
Gloria was momentarily startled, then smiled and placed her hand in Sirius's, using his leverage to stand up. At that moment, raindrops began to fall slowly, leaving only the two of them in the surrounding world.
Sirius looked at the vibrant red in her hair.
"You know, Leah, I've always thought you would look amazing in red."
"Really? Then it looks like I'll need to prepare some red clothes."
Two burning hearts drew close together. As they looked at each other, the sound of a beating heart—whose, they could not tell—echoed in their ears.
There was no music here; the beating hearts and the howling sea breeze became the sole melody in this wildly free dance. They danced through the curtain of rain, spinning in the ultimate romance.