Sirius stared at Gloria’s retreating figure, lost in thought. He found something inexplicably lonely about her back. It was thin and frail. He stood there, staring down the empty corridor, deep in contemplation.
Then, James’s voice broke the silence.
"Oh, so this is where you’ve been! Why’d you run off? Hunting for secret passages? Hey? Sirius?"
Startled back to reality, Sirius shook the thoughts from his head, threw an arm around James’s shoulder, and headed toward the Charms classroom.
"It’s nothing. Just saw a bit of a show. Come on, let’s get to class."
A week passed quietly. Yet, Hogwarts—which should have been peaceful—was anything but. The little Gryffindor lions who loved midnight prowling wouldn’t just sit idly in their common room. Sure enough, two mischievous lions stepped out of the castle, heading toward the Forbidden Forest.
They had spent the week exploring nearly every secret passage in Hogwarts, so they naturally sought something more thrilling. As luck would have it, Sirius spotted that beautiful little serpent again.
"Hey, Sirius, isn't that the white-haired girl from Slytherin? Slytherins go on night walks, too?" James whispered, amazed to see the green-robed figure.
Sirius didn't answer. He simply watched her cradling something. Standing before her was the gamekeeper—Hagrid—who towered over her. During their week of exploring, the boys had accidentally wandered to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and met Hagrid, so they were familiar with him.
Hagrid watched what Gloria was holding, his face full of pity. He patted the girl’s shoulder and guided her toward the edge of the woods.
"James, come on. Let's go see."
"Huh? Oh, wait up, Sirius!"
They didn't have to go far before they saw a flickering light—the lamp Hagrid was holding. When they arrived, they saw the giant man quietly wiping his eyes. In front of Gloria lay a shallow hole.
"It's alright, Hagrid. You go back. I’ll stay a while longer. I’ll leave once I’m done."
Hagrid hesitated, then set the lantern gently beside her, gave a few words of instruction, and turned to leave. This wasn't the deep forest, so he wasn't worried about her safety.
Sirius watched her back, feeling that same trace of loneliness again, as she gently lowered the object in her arms.
Sirius saw it clearly now: a snow-white cat, with faint red wounds on its shoulders. He finally couldn't help himself and walked over to her side.
"Sirius?" James looked at him, confused, then glanced at the Slytherin girl. He thought better of it, kept his distance, and watched the perimeter of the forest, keeping an eye out for Hagrid on his rounds. *I’ll just ask him later,* James thought.
Sirius walked up beside her and crouched down, looking at the cat, then at her. He didn't speak. Silence reigned.
Gloria sensed someone near, glanced at him, but didn't respond. She just stroked the fur of the kitten, which was no longer soft. Her eyes held no tears, no regret, no reluctance—only numbness.
"I tried everything. I even went to Madam Pomfrey. I tried every healing spell I knew, but it still died."
It was just like when she was little. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how she begged, she could never keep the things she wanted to hold onto. Gradually, she stopped hoping for anything. She figured this time would be the same.
Gloria looked at the cat one last time, then began to cover it with earth, burying it bit by bit. She was so lonely, burying her only friend.
Gloria stared at the patch of soil, her eyes vacant. She stopped caring about what was behind her, as if all her strength had suddenly left her. She lay down on the ground, closed her eyes, and let her mind wander.
"Sirius Black."
The person beside her spoke suddenly, catching him off guard.
"Yeah?"
Hearing her say his name, Sirius responded instinctively. When she didn't continue, he just stared at her in silence.
Gloria slowly opened her eyes, looking at the pitch-black sky through the canopy of the Forbidden Forest, reflecting on her short eleven years of life.
Because of her strange hair, her father had never liked her. The Sisyphus family was deeply rooted, with power extending far beyond England. Their members were everywhere, not just at Hogwarts. The family had many children; if the Head of House wished, he could simply adopt a child from a side branch to groom.
Her grandfather had considered having her parents produce a "normal" heir, but her mother refused, her father remained silent, and because she had been born sickly, her father blamed her for it.
Gloria knew it. Her father hated her.
In her memories, he had thought about strangling her more than once, but she was his only child. Moreover, Gloria’s talent was the highest among her peers. Her uncle's children were far beneath her, and she was considered an elite even among other families.
So, her father changed his mind. He chose to raise his daughter, pretending to dote on her, domesticating her, while simultaneously putting his heart into raising his brother’s son. He planned to marry his daughter to his nephew, ensuring he kept the power and the strength while preserving the purity of the bloodline. He was raising a puppet, fully committed to the family’s interests.
From a very young age, Gloria understood what kind of man her father was. Being raised as the heir, she understood the filth of the family, and she loathed it all.
In that place, only her mother treated her like a child. Her mother encouraged her, hugged her, and told her with those gentle, resolute eyes: "Gloria is Mama’s pride, Mama’s glory."
That place was not a home. Only where her mother was could Gloria call home. But she had to be strong, to protect her mother and herself. So, she learned to disguise herself, learned to be ruthless, and stained herself with the cruelty of pureblood life—but she would always be the most pure and brave daughter by her mother’s side.
Her father made her learn about all the ancient pureblood families, and naturally, the Blacks were among them. The eldest son, Sirius Black, was someone with great talent but a rebellious streak. Her father always scolded him for being a fool and a disappointment, but Gloria didn't think so.
Sirius Black.
Why was she able to lower her guard around him? How could he see a different side of her so easily? Gloria didn't understand it, yet it felt as if she did.
Was it because he was a Gryffindor?
A Black becoming a Gryffindor—what an incredible thing. He had done what she had always wanted to do but could never achieve.
Named after the stars, yet carrying a name of darkness; that surname must be a shackle for him. He was able to escape that prison—at least, he had taken the first step. How could she put it? She was, in truth, a little…
She turned her head, her deep blue eyes meeting his gray ones. She suddenly smiled, a pure, genuine smile that left Sirius stunned, watching her, unable to move.
"I actually quite envy you."
*Envy you that one day in the future, you will truly be like your namesake, shining forever, seen, and remembered.*
She finished that thought in her mind, then stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. She smiled again, but this time, there was a flash of cunning in her eyes.
"Tell me, are all you Gryffindors this bold? Shouldn't you be heading back? Aren't you afraid of getting detention?"
Without waiting for Sirius to react, she turned and left. As she passed James, she gave him a cool, passing glance and kept walking.
Since Sirius was a little different to her, she would let things take their natural course. Gloria would not run from anything, nor would she fear anything. She would follow her heart.
Now, she had some accounts to settle. A cold light flashed in Gloria's eyes.
Would the bottom of the Black Lake be warmer than the towers?
The cold snakes coiled, cold-blooded creatures, a freezing lake. And the indifference, the innate pragmatism, left the place devoid of any human warmth.
Someone had killed the friend and support that brought her warmth, and there was a price to be paid. A viper knew who to recruit, and who to strike.
That night, cries for mercy echoed through the common room. Some heard them, but no one intervened.