Back in the common room, the Marauders gathered around the fireplace, the mysterious scroll in hand.
"You do it, James," Sirius urged, pacing around like a restless cat.
"What exactly are you afraid of?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow as he watched Sirius's nervous energy.
"Yeah, James, why are *you* hesitating?" Peter added.
James glanced at the others and took a breath. "It's not like we're going to find anything life-changing," he muttered, trying to reassure himself.
He slowly held the scroll over the fire. Letters began to appear on the page, faintly at first, then sharper:
**DO YOU REALLY KNOW YOUR MOTHER**
Remus blinked, then shook his head. "Right… nothing life-changing at all."
"What? What did it say?" Sirius demanded, stepping closer.
Peter shifted uncomfortably. "It's… probably just some sick joke, right?"
"Give it here," Sirius said, grabbing the scroll.
He stared at the words, expression hardening. "What… I don't know. What is there to know about her? She's just an abusive banshee who couldn't care less about her children."
"Sirius, relax. Just breathe," James said, placing a calming hand on his shoulder.
"There's no signature, no clue as to who sent this, except that seal with a crest " Peter observed, frowning. "Could it be some kind of plot against your family?"
Sirius shook his head. "If it were, they wouldn't have sent it to *me*. I'm not the heir. If this was serious, it'd go straight to Regulus."
James hesitated. "Are you sure?"
Sirius looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… are you sure you're not the heir?" James asked cautiously.
Sirius looked at him, brows furrowed. "Of course I am. I saw Walburga blast me off the family tree herself."
James glanced around at the others before explaining, "I always thought that only the head of the family could formally cast someone out. You know that, right?"
Sirius stilled. Remus chimed in, "Did you ever… I don't know, talk to your father about it?"
"What about him? He was barely there," Sirius muttered, avoiding everyone's eyes.
Peter broke the silence. "Maybe this is where we start. If we dig deeper, we might find something. And you could tell Regulus—if he needs to know."
Sirius shook his head. "No… not yet. If this is some elaborate scheme, I don't want to drag him into it."
"Hey," James said firmly. "You've got us. We'll figure it out together."
"Yeah, we're the Marauders," Remus added with a smile.
"We've got your back," Peter agreed.
Sirius managed a small smile, feeling reassured as he looked around at his friends. Whatever the scroll meant, they'd face it together.
****
Later that night,
In their dimly lit dorm room, the four Marauders were spread around, each lost in his own world. Sirius stood by the window, staring out at the darkened grounds, his expression distant and pensive. James sat at the edge of his bed, holding the scroll Sirius has received earlier and turning it over in his hands, his gaze lingering on the crest in its seal at the bottom end of it .He wondered if he should ask his father about it. Remus sat on his own bed, casting occasional glances at Sirius, his mind drifting to the mystery of Sirius's mother. And in the corner, Peter was fast asleep, his soft snores a steady background noise.
After a moment, Remus got up and walked over to Sirius, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Sirius flinched slightly, but he didn't pull away.
"You know," Sirius began in a low, raw voice, "I've always wanted her to be proud of me. Just once, I wanted her to... to hug me tight, maybe kiss my forehead like a real mum would and... and..." His voice broke, and his breathing grew shallow and fast as his feelings overwhelmed him.
"Sirius, take deep breaths. Calm down," Remus said softly, rubbing his shoulder in slow circles, trying to ground him.
After a few moments, Sirius managed to steady himself. His voice was bitter as he spoke. "I just don't understand how I could have been so wrong about her, Remus. I mean... I thought I understood my mother."
James looked up from his bed, speaking carefully. "Maybe we're missing something here, something important. I've always wondered... how you're really your mother's child."
Sirius turned, eyebrows raised in confusion. "What do you mean by that, James?"
James got up and moved closer, sitting down beside him. "Look, this might sound strange, but... you don't exactly look like her. Not completely, anyway."
Remus frowned. "James, what nonsense are you going on about?"
James held up a hand. "Just listen. Yes, Sirius has the classic Black features—grey eyes, dark hair. But look closely. His eyes... they have a hint of hazel in them, and his face, it's a little softer than you'd expect. It doesn't quite match either his mum or his dad, does it?"
Remus shook his head, looking skeptical. "James, they're a pureblood family. There's no way they'd... well, they wouldn't make someone outside the bloodline their heir."
"Maybe," James said, undeterred. "But think about it. Regulus has hazel-brown eyes, and his features... they're different from what you'd expect from, well, an inbred Black family. Doesn't anyone question that? And Sirius's character—he's so different from them in every way."
Sirius looked between them, confusion and frustration flickering across his face. "This is pointless. The Black family tree is enchanted—ancient magic. It doesn't lie. It says I'm Walburga and Orion's son, so that's got to be true."
Remus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Then why the letter, Sirius? Why all these cryptic hints? Maybe they want you to dig deeper, to find out something they've kept hidden."
Sirius scoffed, turning back to the window. "I don't know, Remus. Maybe there is something I don't know about her, but honestly, what's the point? Why even go through all this? Why can't we just leave it alone, right, James?"
James blinked, caught off guard. "What—uh, yeah, sure."
"Come on, Prongs," Remus said with a chuckle. "What you're suggesting isn't even possible."
But James wasn't ready to let go. "Look, I know you trust your family's magic and all. But just to satisfy my curiosity... why don't we go to Gringotts and get a parentage test done? Just to be certain. It's quick, just a little blood."
Sirius gave him a skeptical look. "Are you serious, James?"
James shrugged, yawning. "Yeah, why not? But for now, let's get some sleep. I'm knackered."
Sirius shook his head, rolling his eyes. "What nonsense is he going on about?" he muttered.
Remus raised an eyebrow, his voice calm. "Well, you've got to admit, he has a point. What's the harm in trying, Sirius? It's just a little blood, after all."
Sirius sighed, looking uncertain. "I don't think I'm anyone else's child, Remus. I think... I know my mother."
Remus gave him a gentle nudge. "Come on, Sirius. It's just a check. What are you afraid of?"
Sirius's gaze drifted back to the window, questions swirling in his mind as the room fell silent once more.