AU, because Sirius is still in the family at nineteen, but is fed up with it.

I'm on a Florence + the Machines/Imagine Dragons/OneRepublic kick. So the chapter titles and such will probably sound something like their songs. That being said:

"If this is to end in fire/ Then we should all burn together/ Watch the flames climb high into the night..." - Ed Sheeran, "I See Fire"

He'd had enough crap with his family as he grew up. It started getting bad before he went to Hogwarts, but once he got Sorted it seemed like some sort of doorway had opened up. The only reason he was probably still around was because of his grandmother, Irma, as she had gotten a cane somewhere around his sixth year and threatened to drag him back by the ankles with it after a good whollop over the head. His uncle Alphard seemed to be the only one who would listen, and they got quite close over the years, and even at nineteen he was still very close to Sirius. Regulus wavered between Sirius's views and their family's, and so some days Sirius got quite tired of him, but most he would remind himself that Regulus was younger and therefore would have to be taught.

His cousin Andromeda had his highest respect and admiration, as she had ran off and married a Muggle-born, Ted Tonks. She'd promptly been blast off of the tapestry, but Sirius wrote to her every week as she used an assumed name. She'd had a baby girl and named her Nymphadora, and Sirius had said "it seems as if you want her to get teased." Everyone else thought he was writing someone from the Ministry, where he worked as an Auror with James Potter, his best mate and former flat mate.

James had asked him if had wanted to move in together after Hogwarts, and Sirius had jumped at the chance. It was great while it lasted, but then Lily had to go and say 'yes' to his marriage proposal and that was that. They had both insisted that he could stay, but he'd sat them down as if they were children learning about a very important subject and stated that they were a new couple and therefore would enjoy the time alone. Also, Lily would probably annoy the hell out of him and he'd start to hate her if he lived there. So he packed up again and lived in a small flat closer to their friend Moony's little patch of woods.

He went to Grimmauld place once a week, every Sunday, playing the good proper eldest son and grimaced through ravings about Muggles and blood purity and – worst of all – if Voldemort had the right idea.

He hated everything Voldemort stood for. He hated everything he did and would've done anything to take him down. He'd joined the Order of the Phoenix, and he and James – in all of their Gryffindor glory – decided to get tattoos to commemorate the occasion. Remus and Lily had laughed and chided the two while Peter grew pale at the idea of needles going after him. It'd stung for a month, but he usually kept it hidden by his shirt or some sort of charm when he went without one. It was a pretty useless idea, actually, as no one was supposed to know about the Order anyway.

Anyway, he'd been filling out paperwork – or, really, ignoring paperwork – at the Ministry when a letter from his mother swooped in and landed on his desk, the owl taking flight and departing out of the window as Sirius groaned across the wall to where his friend was stationed.

"What's the matter now?" James asked dully, used to spontaneous outbursts from his friend whenever paperwork was involved, as he'd dealt with it for about nine years.

"Letter from the Wicked Witch of the West herself," Sirius sighed, ripping it open and staring at it dully.

Dear Sirius,

"Nope, it's from Reg," he corrected with a hum, "Mother dearest always starts her letters off with 'listen here you unfortunate offspring of mine.'"

Dear Sirius,

We've had a bit of a commotion this past week, which you'll more than likely hear about tomorrow

"Shit, is today Saturday?" he questioned, ignoring James's chuckling.

Dear Sirius,

We've had a bit of a commotion this past week, which you'll more than likely hear about tomorrow, but I thought it best to give you a warning. See, Grandmother Irma and Uncle Alphard were walking along Knockturn Alley and found a girl lying in a dead-end street. She was covered in bruises and cuts and so they brought her here. She wouldn't wake up for three days, and Mother nearly had a fit because she didn't know who she was, but she doesn't look at all familiar so she couldn't have gone to Hogwarts.

Anyway, she woke up a couple of days ago. Her name is Hermia Delacour, from France, her brother is married to some half-Veela woman, but she graduated one of the top of her class and hardly has an accent. She'd been walking along Knockturn alone the night before and someone mugged her, the only thing she had left on her was her wand.

See, the reason I'm warning you about all of this, is because Mother has arranged a marriage between you and her.

"What the fuck?" Sirius crowed, gaping at the letter as James walked over to his side and read over his shoulder.

I tried telling Mother that you wouldn't like that at all, and even Hermia protested, stating that she didn't even know you, but Mother is hell-bent. I figured you would need a day to get it all out of your system before properly meeting her. Honestly, if all you're worried about is looks, I think it'll be fine. We've talked some, and she is extremely smart, but I can't tell how well you two would get along just yet. In any case, you'll meet her tomorrow.

At least try to behave,

Regulus

"Holy shit, can she do that?" James questioned, gaping at his paling friend. "I mean, don't you get any say at all?"

"Not in the Black family," Sirius croaked.

"C'mon, there's got to be some law against arranged marriages, we can get them," James urged, already standing and moving to some legal books that were mostly there for decoration.

"I've looked before, it's still in the process of being passed," he said as he rubbed his eyes, "By the time it's illegal, I'll have five kids."

James was silent for a while. Sirius had dated a lot during school, and never really stuck around with any girl longer than two weeks. They never held his interest and he got bored of them during that time. But still, this was all quite unfair to him, as he should at least have some say about who he was to spend the rest of his life with. He was then very thankful for his parents and Lily, but felt guilty for some strange reason.

"At least she's pretty?" he tried, wincing when Sirius groaned once more, thunking his head against his desk.

"What's a matter, Black, can't handle paperwork?" Moody grumbled as he passed.

"Actually, sir, his mother has just arranged a marriage for him," James answered.

Moody stopped, turned and blinked once or twice at them before sighing, "It was bound t' happen. Surprised you made it this long."

"You were expecting this?" Sirius crowed.

"Your family is all about arranged marriages," he shrugged, "You didn't know that?"

"Well, I'm glad someone else knows about my family more than I do," Sirius declared.

He had no idea that there was someone who knew even more.