Note: I'm so, so sorry for the long wait, but between Christmas and New Year and exams, I just had other things on my mind.

So here comes the last chapter. Thanks to all those who have read this whole story and reviewed! It means a lot to me! I hope you in enjoy the last part.

Last Chapter – Don't you dare to die

Sirius left his cousin's room, his mind set. He felt a strange elation. Yes, he would finally be free! But there was something he wanted to do before he left this wretched place forever. Sirius turned to walk down the corridor, when he heard Narcissa call after him. "So who was the letter from? I know it wasn't Lucius." He turned to see her leaning against the balustrade. "Thanks for not telling anyone." Her gaze flickered up.
"I didn't do it for my sister, I just –" Narcissa started.
"Yes, you did. Don't be so desperate to hide everything that makes you moderately likable." Sirius grinned. His cousin frowned. For a moment she looked like she might start argue, but then Narcissa just rolled her eyes. "I was send upstairs to get Andromeda, I think Regulus went looking for you."
"Oh good.", said Sirius. "I was just going to look for him myself."
"I think you're losing it.", stated Narcissa dryly. "That curse of Bella's must've damaged your brain severely."
But Sirius had already gone up to the second landing to look for his brother.

He found him knocking on his guest room door. Upon hearing Sirius approach, Regulus turned around frowning. "I'm supposed to tell you to come down again.", he said crossly.
"I will in a minute." Sirius opened the door. "Mind if we talk for a moment."
Regulus eyed him very suspiciously. "Why?"
Because, Sirius thought, I think you, like Narcissa and Andormeda, may be a good person somewhere deep down. Because I think it is not too late for you, because you are not like Bellatrix.
But he said: "Don't know, it Christmas, right?" He sat down on the bed.
"Right…", Regulus said slowly still looking sharply at him form were he stood leaning in the door frame. Sirius noticed for the first time how very much like him his brother was in appearance. Though slightly smaller and thinner, he had the same dark, shaggy hair, the same high and pronounced cheekbones, the same hard, grey eyes and even the same ever so tiny ever-mocking curve in his lips that made girls go crazy. But he was holding himself differently, always taking as little space as possible. Like an house elf, trying not to draw attention upon himself. Sirius's eyes fell on the deep green shirt Regulus was wearing.
"Do you have new Quidditch ropes?"
Regulus looked surprised. "Yeah", he said, somewhat unsure. "We bought them for the whole team, just before the end of term."
"So, how do you think are Slytherin's chances on winning this season?" Sirius asked conversationally.
"Very bad, if you pal Potter doesn't happen to break his neck during practice."
Sirius laughed. "Didn't know you could be funny, Reg."
"Fuck you.", his brother mumbled. "Just say what you came here to say in the first place!"
Sirius sobered immediately. "Do you really want to be a Death Eater?"
Regulus lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm pretty sure, I want to."
"Why?", Sirius couldn't help that tiny bit of desperation creeping into his voice.
Regulus starred at him for a very long time. When he finally answered, he took his time, choosing each word very carefully. "Because I think it would be a nice challenge. And it certainly is the thing to do, if you want to change something. And change is very important. This world would be a much better place if the wizards would rule the muggle world as well. Everything would be so much better. I know he can do it, and I want to be part of it."
Sirius was too tired to start yet another argument about right and wrong with a family member, so he just asked: "Is that really what you believe?"
Regulus nodded. "Yes, it is. I know you don't agree. I don't care."
Sirius stood up. Maybe he had been wrong about his brother, maybe it was already too late for him.
"Well, we should go down. Go ahead I'll be there in a minute."
Regulus nodded once more and left the room without another word or glance.

Sirius walked into the crowded living room five minutes later, dressed in his traveling cloak, his suitcase in his hand. To his great relief he saw that Rudolphus had already left. Bella too was gone, probably to see him off.
"And what do you think you're doing?", his mother snapped as she caught sight of him.
"Well, I'm leaving, mother." He was staring fixedly at her; partly because he wanted her to feel his whole contempt, partly because he was too scared to glance at Andromeda or any of the others.
"And what is that supposed to mean?", she started to screech.
"It means: Goodbye! I would say, it was nice to have known all of you, but I hate to lie. I've had enough of this whole rubbish. One more day with this family and I will go insane for sure!" Sirius said all of this in a rush, still only staring at his mother. He could feel the disbelieving glances of his relatives upon him. It was a suffocating feeling.
There was a very long, ringing silence. Then, Mrs. Black started to screech again.
"Then get the hell out of here! Don't you dare to come before me again, you piece of trash! You're no longer a son of mine. Now leave before I curse you!"
"Is this your final decision?", his uncle asked sharply, his cold blue eyes resting calmly yet hatefully on his nephew. Sirius glared right back and gave one short nod.
"If that is so I ask you to leave my house this instance, if you should ever dare to set foot in here again I will most certainly kill you."
"That's no problem" Sirius responded just as coolly. He felt a sudden rush of relief. He had finally done it. He turned on his heels, now facing his brother and two younger cousins who had silently and quite aghast witnessed the drama. His eyes fell first on Andromeda's beloved face. Her soft, dark eyes held his gaze and offered comfort and understanding. She gave him just the tiniest nod of appreciation and he knew that she as well had decided to leave this place and family for good in near future. Breaking free from her look his eyes fell on Narcissa's beautiful and cold features. For just a fraction of a heartbeat her light blue eyes met his. Confusion, sadness and anger gleaming in them, but then she arranged her expression back into the frozen mask of perfection and looked away. Regulus stared at him in disbelief. Envy, rage and revulsion mirrored in the eyes that were so much like his brother's, but also the tiniest bit of admiration for the thing his older brother just did. But maybe Sirius just imagined that.

The heavy oak door slammed shut. The dark night surrounded him like a velvet cloak, the cool air somehow made everything seem so simple. He should have done this long ago. His footsteps crackled as he made his way down the stone path.
"An exit worthy of a brave Gryffindor hero.", sneered a familiar voice from the shadow of a tree. Sirius stopped abruptly. He should have known. "I only acted on your advice, Bella. I chose my side."
Bellatrix laughed humorlessly.
"There is no point in trying to stop me or make me change my mind." Sirius said firmly.
"As if I would try to.", she jeered taking a few steps out of the shadows. "You know, I just love to hate you. This way it is so much more interesting and satisfying to hate you. I'm not particularly keen on spending every holiday with you either."
Sirius turned. "Don't act all tough, Bell.", he mocked, "You can admit that you are mad at me for breaking your heart."
"Yeah right.", she snarled. "That's my line, bloodtraitor."
"Oh I forgot, you don't even have a heart, do you?"
"Oh I do. But I already gave it away", she retorted.
Sirius lifted his eyebrows. This statement didn't fit his cruel, merciless cousin at all. "To Rudolphus?"
Bellatrix broke into laughter. The shrill, rattling sound made Sirius shiver.
"Rudolphus?", she giggled almost girlishly. "Oh no, dear cousin" Suddenly her voice changed. Soft, deep and sweet, a little hoarse; it was the most terrifying sound Sirius had heard this evening. "To him, the Dark Lord." Bellatrix whispered the words, as though they were fragile beings and speaking them without care would cause them to shatter. He could almost sense something like love in them.
"You are disgusting."
Bellatrix just chuckled. "I probably am.", she mused as if she was actually giving this statement some serious thought. "But you will pay, dear Sirius." She sighed sarcastically. "You are just a piece of trash, a traitor and you will be treated like one." Then she added speaking softly "I will kill you."
"Very charming offer, Bellatrix." He saw her curling her lips.
"I'm serious, Sirius", she yet again chuckled girlishly. "I am going to kill you. You always were a worthy opponent. I'm looking forward to it."
Sirius laughed. "So why don't you do it now? Are you afraid or are there actually feelings or family bonds to hold you back?"
Bellatrix clicked her tongue and sniggered. "Still any hope left? Then let me crush it. I want to relish that moment, when your day has come. It is not now. You shall see the Dark Lord rise, shiver in fear and then when you have realized how wrong your decision was, I will have mercy on you and end your pitiful life."
And with a dreamy tone to her voice she whispered more to herself than to him "I will be the last thing you see on this earth. I want to see the light fading from your eyes, I will tear your hurt and ripped soul out and watch it flutter away."

Sirius would have liked to see the look in her eyes but it was too dark and her hair hid most of her face. He noticed he never paid attention to her eye-color, he tried to remember but he had no idea if they were blue like Cissy's, brown like Andromeda's or steal-grey like his.
"Well, till we meet again then Bella." He said, turning.
"See ya.", she called as her walked out of the iron gate, "And don't you dare to die before I find you. You would spoil the greatest moment of my life."

Years later when Bellatrix fulfilled her promise, the last thing Sirius saw was the victorious flicker in his cousin's insane eyes. The most unfitting color, he thought, falling through the vale. A pair of chocolate colored eyes, which had lost every trace of humanity, followed his fall, gleaming in the green light of the curse and in euphoric triumph.

That's it. One last review, pretty please?