“Up! Now!� said a cold voice, rapping sharply on Sirius’s bedroom door, giving him his usual morning greeting. “I have never met one who sleeps as much as you! Your brother Regulus is already up and about, and breakfast has been ready for a half hour already!�


Sirius heard footsteps walking away from his door. He turned over and groaned. He was very tired but thought it best to wake up quickly. His mother always jumped at the chance to criticize him and compare him to his precious brother, Regulus.


Regulus was his mother’s favorite, and in Sirius’s opinion, the biggest brat on Earth. Sirius was constantly compared to him and reminded of how his brother was a much better son than himself. He loathed this more than anything else, and it became his favorite activity to torture his little brother every chance he got. Of course, Sirius had gotten many punishments for this, but it was just much too tempting. His father often told him he was a disgrace to the entire family. Not that this bothered Sirius, because he did not care for anyone in his family.


The reason that bothered Sirius most was this: They were all pureblood, and considered anyone who was not a disgrace to the name of wizards. He did not agree to this. His whole family was coldhearted, and whenever he heard them start on this subject he felt hot anger inside of him. It was not fair.


Because of this, his parents had treated Sirius badly. They never lost a chance to tell him how much he was a what they called “a blood traitor�, or in his words a pureblood that is kindhearted. Also, blood traitors most often went to Gryffindor.


Like most pureblood families, the Blacks were Slytherins at Hogwarts, who were enemies of Gryffindor, and that was worrying for Sirius. This year he would be starting his first year there, and he was very excited, but nervous. First, he did not want to go to Slytherin, because of what he had heard, they were very cruel and had a bad reputation. And second, he knew that if he wasn’t sorted into Slytherin, his whole family would probably throw him out or treat him worse than they did now. As much as he loathed his family, especially his mother, he did not want to be thrown out on the streets with nowhere to go.


Speaking of Hogwarts, Sirius was beginning to wonder where his letter was. As nervous as he was, he couldn’t wait to get away from his family and was anxious that maybe he wasn’t a wizard after all and would never receive the letter.


It was the thought of this letter that drove him to get up from his bed, throw on some clothes and walk slowly downstairs, yawning on the way.


When he arrived downstairs he was met with glare from his mother while Regulus was complaining loudly.


“Why do we always have to wait for him? He’s so slow and my breakfast is already cold,� Regulus whined.


“He’s just come down now, you can start eating, Regulus.� said his father coldly. “Late again, Sirius?� he observed looking at him sharply.


“Well, it’s the weekend and I was tired! Normal people sleep later on weekends!� Sirius replied angrily. His mother gave him a look that scorches. Then he sat down grumpily next to Regulus, who moved his bowl away so Sirius couldn’t put something in it, but Sirius was in no mood for that. His day had just barely started and already he was in a bad mood.


He was in the process of eating his porridge when there was a sharp tapping at the window and he looked and saw two owls. “The usual,� thought Sirius, “The Daily Prophet for dad and some letter from an aunt or uncle for Regulus.� But he was wrong. One owl had the Daily Prophet and flew towards his father, but the other flew directly at him and landed gracefully in front of him. It was a handsome tawny. Sirius’s eyes opened wide in amazement. He had never received a letter before, but he knew what it must be. He quickly untied the letter and the owl took off again through the open window. It was addressed:

Mr. S. Black
The Smallest Bedroom
12 Grimmauld Place
London

Sirius turned the letter over quickly, and sure enough the seal had a serpent, a lion, a badger, and a raven all surrounding the letter H…the Hogwarts crest.


He broke the seal and opened the letter:


Dear Mr.Black,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list o all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,


Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress


He opened the other piece of paper, which was a list of all the books and equipment he would need. Before he could take a good look at it, it was snatched out of his hand.


“I will go to Diagon Alley to buy this today,� said his mother.


“I want to come! It’s my stuff!� argued Sirius.


“No,� said his mother coldly. “you will be staying here with your brother. I am going to lock you in your room, because I will not come back today to find this house in ruins�


His anger was getting stronger. “What about Regulus?�


“I trust him to behave while I am gone.� she said. “You, however, I cannot trust.�


“I-�


“Silencio!�


Sirius was left mouthing silently, his face getting redder with anger by the second. With a spell, his mother dragged him up the stairs and heaved him up on his bed. Then the spell was removed. Before Sirius could make an escape, the key clicked in the lock, and his mother’s feet retreated back down the stairs. Minutes later, he heard the front door closed.


Great. He was locked in his own room until his mother came back home, which wouldn’t be for at least three hours, and he sat down fuming on his bed.

Sirius sighed. He had spent an hour trying every means he could think of to get out of his room. Finally he had to accept that he wasn’t going to get out until his dear mum got home, so he sat down on his bed in defeat.


He could hear his brother Regulus downstairs listening to the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network), and suddenly he had an idea.


“Hey Regulus!� Sirius called. There was no answer.


“Regulus, come here!� he called again. This time he heard footsteps.


“Yes?� he heard Regulus’s voice call uncertainly.


“I have to go to the bathroom! Let me out!� Sirius said.


“Mum told me not to let you out.� Regulus answered.


“Oh, please? I really have to go!� he asked in a fake desperate voice.


“Sirius, I won’t fall for that!� said Regulus.


“Please?� Sirius asked again.


“No! I’m not stupid, Sirius!� Regulus replied stubbornly.

But Sirius knew his brother well, and he knew exactly what to say.

“Regulus, you dumped some of your stuff on my bed!� said Sirius casually.

“You c-can’t touch it! M-mum will p-punish you!� he said with panic.

“Ah! If only I could go to the bathroom!� said Sirius, again casually.

“Okay, okay! I’ll let you out!� said Regulus panicking.

Sirius smiled to himself with satisfaction. He heard the key in the lock and the door swung open.

“Go! And hurry up so Mum doesn’t find out.� said Regulus.

Sirius walked to the bathroom, with Regulus right behind to make sure he didn’t make an escape.

Sirius went inside and closed the door. He waited for a few minutes, and then flushed the toilet.

Then he washed his hands in the sink and stepped out.

“Okay. Hurry up! Go back to your room!� said Regulus.

“You know, I don’t think I will.� Sirius said casually.

“B-but you have to!� said Regulus, the blood rising to his face.

Sirius shrugged. “Now, you can come here quietly.�

Regulus had no choice but to go. He knew Sirius was much smarter and stronger than him. So Regulus followed him back to his room, looking terrified.

Sirius stopped before the door to his room. He grabbed the key from Regulus’s trembling hand and pushed him inside.

“You can stay in here. I’m sure you’ll find it quite accommodating.� said Sirius in a mocking voice, and shut the door and locked it.

He walked downstairs and turned on the WWN, smiling in triumph.

Sirius spent several hours leisurely doing whatever he wanted

Five minutes before his mother was expected home, he walked upstairs to his room. He unlocked the door and went inside.

Regulus was sitting on his bed, his face flushed with anger, and his arms crossed.

Sirius smiled mockingly at him. “Having fun?�

Regulus glared at him.

“Mum will be home soon. I’m sure you won’t tell her anything, will you?� said Sirius. He knew his brother wouldn’t dare tell her. He was too scared of Sirius.

Regulus didn’t answer.

“I’m so glad. Don’t say anything, or else.� said Sirius. He drew a finger across his throat. “Now leave!� he said holding out the key.

Too terrified to do otherwise, Regulus walked to the door, closed it, and locked it. Sirius heard his feet retreating down the stairs.

Sirius sat down with a satisfied expression on his face. His brother was so gullible.

He lay on his bed comfortably and waited for his mother to arrive home.

Five minutes left…

Four minutes left…

Three minutes left…

Two minutes left…

One minute left…

Then he heard the front door open. If he listened hard, he could hear what Regulus was saying:

“Hello Regulus, dear, has all been well?� he heard his mother’s voice ask. He couldn’t hear Regulus’s response.

“Good. Go get Sirius.� He heard Regulus’s feet coming up the stairs. The key clicked and the door opened.

“Come on. Mother wants you.� said Regulus.

Sirius fixed his face into an angry scowl. “Okay.� he said. Then Regulus led the way down the stairs.

“Take your stuff to your room. Then fold it away in your trunk. The owl is also for you, because I will not let you use the family owl anymore. It is too much of a hassle to have to wait for him to come back when I need to send important letters,� said his mother.

He found his stuff dumped on the dining room table. There was also an owl in a cage. He picked it up and started heaving it up the stairs. It was very heavy.

When he finally managed to get himself up the stairs, not without a lot of huffing and puffing, he hurried as fast as he could to his room and dumped his stuff on the bed, then he carefully set the owl on top of the wardrobe. He sat down next to it and lifted up a parcel. It was lumpy and soft like fabric. He opened it, and out fell his brand new robes for Hogwarts. They were black with the Hogwarts crest embroidered on the right side. He tried them on, and they fit well enough. He folded them neatly and set them aside. Next he opened another, this time hard, parcel. It was his schoolbooks. Sirius looked through them and then set them aside too. He didn’t have much interest in books. He picked up another parcel. It was a basic set of potion ingredients. He looked through them with interest, and then set them aside. He picked up the last parcel, which turned out to be owl treats. He pushed some of the treats through the bars of the cage. The beautiful snowy owl hooted happily and nipped his finger affectionately. Then he snapped up the treats.

Sirius sat down on his bed, watching the owl thoughtfully, debating on what to call him. Then he decided.

“I will call you Harry,� he said. He had always liked that name. The owl gave another hoot of content, as if satisfied by the name, and then put its head under its wing and went to sleep.

Sirius spent most of the rest of the time at home before he went to Hogwarts in his room. He had become very attached already to Harry. He was a faithful bird who was very obedient and willing to do whatever he said. Sirius would let him out the window every day and watch him soar around the neighborhood gracefully. He was a good flier and was very strong, but was graceful in every move he made. Sirius had decided to try teaching him tricks.

He had already taught him to catch an owl treat in his beak while flying around his room. Harry had turned out to be very good at this, so he continued to teach him more and more. Soon Harry had mastered every trick Sirius had taught him. He could now do anything from loop-the-loops in the air, to tailing Regulus until he went crazy, to obey all sorts of commands like “stay�, “fly�, and his favorite, “annoy Regulus�.

His mother highly disapproved of this and soon banned Sirius from letting Harry fly around the house and made him keep Harry in a cage during the day. Sirius was angry, but decided it was best not to argue. So he was confined to letting Harry out for an hour during the evenings to hunt.

As September the first came nearer, Sirius’s excitement mounted. He could not wait to go to Hogwarts and get away from home. However, he didn’t have to wait until Hogwarts for something exciting to happen.

About a fortnight before Sirius was to go to Hogwarts, he was sitting at the breakfast table eating, when the mail arrived. Sirius looked up, hoping to get something more from Hogwarts, perhaps information about his classes. To his surprise and delight, one of three owls flew toward him carrying an oddly shaped package.

“What did he get, mum? That’s not fair! I didn’t get anything!� wailed Regulus.

Sirius’s mother looked at him sharply. “Well, open it!� she barked.

Amazed, Sirius unwrapped the parcel, and out fell a broomstick. Sirius gently lifted it up and looked at the handle. He gasped. “A Nimbus 1000!� he whispered to himself.

“WHAT! MUM THAT’S NOT FAIR, I DIDN’T GET ONE! YOU BETTER GET ME ONE TOO! TAKE IT AWAY FROM HIM! IT’S NOT FAIR!� screamed Regulus, who then went into a screaming tantrum.

Sirius was in awe. He had a Nimbus 1000! A real Nimbus 1000! The best broomstick there was! But who would have sent him this? Most of his relatives didn’t like him, and he didn’t like them back, and his parents certainly wouldn’t have bought him something so expensive. He searched through the wrapping and found a small card. It read:

Dear Sirius,

Congratulations on being accepted to Hogwarts! I‘m proud of you. I think you will enjoy it there very much, and will do well. You always were very intelligent.

I hope you enjoy this present. I know that first years are not allowed brooms, but I also know that you like quidditch, and are good at it, so you can start practicing for tryouts for the team in your second year.

I hope you will be happy in the house you are sorted into, and make many new friends! I may not see you for a while, so until then, good-bye!

Yours Sincerely,

Uncle Alphard

Uncle Alphard! Of course, he should have known. His Uncle Alphard was one of the few relatives he liked. He was not at all like the rest of the family. He was a kind, wise man. He had told Sirius many stories of his childhood and had shared with Sirius on many matters. These stories had helped Sirius realize that being pureblood wasn’t everything. His uncle also shared his opinion in this, and confided that he did not much care for purebloods who acted like they owned the world, like his family. Sirius received letters from his Uncle very rarely, but enjoyed it when he did.

Sirius became aware that Regulus had calmed down. He was sitting at the table his face red and his eyes puffy, but looking murderous. His mother was staring at him coldly, obviously trying to contain her anger.

“Who sent this to you?� she asked angrily.

“Uncle Alphard,� he replied happily. He knew she wouldn’t take it away because it was sent to him by a family member, and she didn’t know Alphard was opposed to purebloods like his family.

She snatched the letter from his hand and read it quickly. “Take it to your room now,� she said sharply. “You are only to use it in the backyard if no one else is there, and you may only stay in the backyard. I will not have you flying out of its boundaries and being seen by muggles.�

“Can’t I go now?� Sirius asked. He couldn’t wait to try it.

“Fine!� she snarled, and he picked up his broom and hurried outside.

It was pleasant out; warm, but not hot, with a breeze. Sirius mounted his broom and kicked off. He grinned. The handle was sleek and shiny, and maneuvered skillfully through the air with the lightest touch. He knew now why they called the Nimbus 1000’s the very best broom there was. It was amazing! He felt that it shamed the old Cleansweep he had received when he was small.

And as he streaked through the yard Sirius felt truly happy, for once, something he hadn’t felt for a very long time.

“Get up!� an angry voice called, knocking hard on the door. “If you don’t get a move on you will miss the train! Get ready now! There’s no time for breakfast, you will have to get it on the train,� and he heard feet retreating downstairs.


For once, Sirius got up and dressed quickly. Today he was going to Hogwarts, and he couldn’t wait. He had packed his trunk the previous night. He had wished that he could bring his broom, but he knew that first years could not have them, so he picked up his Nimbus 1000 and set it gently on his bed. Then he lifted his trunk with one arm, and held Harry in his cage with the other. He opened the door and laboriously dragged his trunk down the stairs, being careful not to swing Harry around too much. When he got to the bottom he took deep breath, and then managed to heave his trunk to the front door.

His mother, father, and Regulus arrived only a moment later. “How are we getting there?� Sirius asked.

“Your father has gotten us cars from the Ministry,� his mother snapped. “Now move!� she said, shoving him through the door.

They all went out, and his father shut the door behind them and tapped it with his wand. Sirius could hear all the locks locking themselves.

He then dragged his trunk to the car as quickly as he could. The ministry driver helped him shove it into the trunk. He then opened the door and squeezed into the back seat. The drive did not take long, but it was very uncomfortable. He was squashed against the side with Regulus in the middle and his mother on the other side, and his father sat up front next to the driver. When they arrived at King’s Cross station, Sirius was quite glad to get out of the car.

Sirius’s father led them into the station to the barrier between platform 9 and 10. He walked right through the barrier. Sirius followed him, fascinated. He stepped into the platform and saw a sign reading Platform 9 ¾. He looked around and saw a scarlet steam engine bearing the name The Hogwarts Express.

His mother, brother, and father appeared beside him.

“Hurry up and get on, or you will miss the train!� said his mother hurriedly.

“Good-bye. We won’t be seeing you until Christmas,� his father said crisply.

“Good-bye,� Sirius said, and then turned and walked toward the train.

He got on, and walked down the train searching for an empty compartment. At the end he saw a compartment with only two boys who looked his age.

“Excuse me, is it alright if I sit here?� Sirius asked.

“Yeah, sure!� said one of the boys. He was slightly thinner than Sirius and had black, very thick and messy hair that stuck up at odd angles, which gave it a very windswept look. He wore glasses and had hazel eyes.

“Are you new here?� he asked. Sirius nodded.

“Me too. I’m James Potter, and this is Remus Lupin,� said James, gesturing at the other boy. He was also very thin, with light brown hair, had penetrating eyes, and wore clothes that looked very shabby and worn compared to James and Sirius’s.

“Hello,� said Remus, smiling sadly at him.

“Here,� said James. “I’ll help you with that trunk.�

“Thanks!� said Sirius, and together they managed to load Sirius’s trunk and Harry onto the rack. Sirius took the seat directly across from James, but before Sirius could ask him anything, the compartment door slid open and a boy with small watery eyes and thin colorless hair stuck his head around the door. He was very short and was much plumper than the other three in the compartment.

“C-can I sit here?� the boy asked nervously. “Everywhere else is full.�

“Yeah, sure,� said James, standing up and helping him load his trunk onto the rack. The boy sat down next to Sirius.

“Hello,� the boy said nervously. “Er…I’m P-Peter Pettigrew.�

“Hi, I’m James. James Potter,� James said, “-this is Sirius Black,� he continued, jerking his thumb at Sirius. “ –and this is Remus Lupin.� he finished, gesturing at Remus.

“Oh. Are you new too?� Peter asked in his high, squeaky voice.

“Yep.� replied James. “What houses do you reckon you’ll be in?� he asked. “I know for a fact I’ll be in Gryffindor. Everyone in my family was. How about you, Sirius?�

Sirius scowled. “My whole family is a Slytherin lot,� he noticed that James’s face had tightened. “but I’m not proud of it!� he added quickly. “I don’t want to be in Slytherin. I hate my family, and because of what they’re like, I’d really rather not. I reckon my mum would kill me if I didn’t…so I don’t really have a choice, do I?� he grimaced, thinking of having to spend a whole seven years locked up with a bunch of stuck up pure-bloods.

“I think I’ll get put in Hufflepuff. I have no brains at all, and I’m dead clumsy,� said Peter, his head drooping sadly.

“Better than Slytherin,� muttered Sirius darkly.

“What about you, Remus?� James asked.

“Oh, I don’t know,� said Remus vaguely, who had been staring out the window, and continued to stare out of it. His voice has a hint of sorrow in it.

Sirius and James exchanged looks. Sirius searched around for something to say, but was saved the trouble by the arrival of an old witch pushing a cart full of treats. “Can I get you anything, my dears?� she asked.

“Yes,� James replied, pooling out his money. “I’ll have a little of everything, please.� The witch took the money and dumped a ton of candy and treats into James’s arms. “We’ll share,� he added to Sirius and Peter. Remus was still staring out the window.

“Anything else?� she asked.

“No, er… I think we’re ok,� said Sirius, grinning at James, and the witch bustled off to the next compartment.

“Thanks!� said Sirius. “My parents never give me money for anything. They don’t trust me with it.�

“No problem,� said James, setting it all on the floor. “Help yourself.�

James unwrapped a Chocolate Frog and crammed it into his mouth. Sirius picked up the box of Bertie Botts’ Every Flavored Beans, and put a cream colored one in his mouth. He chewed for a moment, and then choked and spit out into his hand.

“Bleh! Earthworm!� Sirius said.

James roared with laughter.

Peter, Sirius, and James continued to eat their way through the sweets until they were full. Then they played a game of Exploding Snap. Remus continued to stare out the window, deep in thought. They had just finished the first game when Remus shouted excitedly “Were here! Were here!�

The three of them moved quickly over to the widow and pressed their faces against the glass. They gasped.

They were fast approaching a huge, magnificent castle with many turrets. In front of it was a very big black lake. With the huge castle silhouetted against the starry night sky, it was quite sight.

“We better put our robes on,� Remus said. They all quickly changed into their robes and continued staring out the window as Hogwarts drew closer.

Slowly, the train began to stop. They took their trunks and pets off the rack, and entered the already crowded hallway. The train completely stopped, and the students began to get of the train. The four of them stuck together and managed to get off the very crowded train and onto the platform. They heard a deep voice calling “Firs’ years! Firs’ years, over here, please!� They hurried toward the voice and saw it was a man twice as large as any normal man with long, dark, tangled hair. A bunch of other first years were gathered around him. They joined the group.

“A’right, is tha’ all?� he asked, counting them. “A’right. Follow me.� All the first years followed him, looking very nervous. Except for James, who was grinning excitedly. They arrived at the edge of the lake, where a bunch of small boats were waiting for them. “Everyone get in. Four to a boa’,� the man said. Peter, Remus, Sirius, and James got a boat to themselves.

When everyone was settled comfortably into their boats, the boats went off across the lake. None of them talked. When they reached the other side of the lake, they all climbed out of their boats and followed the man through a huge set of double doors. He led them through the castle to a small chamber. “Wait here,� the man said, smiling at them kindly. Then he turned and left the chamber. They all waited in silence. A few minutes later a very stern looking woman with black hair pulled back into a tight bun. She had square glasses and beady eyes.

“Please follow me. The sorting ceremony will start in a moment.� The followed her through the door into a huge hall, which had four long tables, two on each side of the room and filled with students. In the front of the room was a single table where who Sirius assumed were teachers sat. In the very middle of the table sat a very old man with long a long white hair and beard.

“That must be Dumbledore,� James whispered to him as they walked to the front of the hall. “My parents told me about him,� James continued. “They said he’s brilliant, the best headmaster Hogwarts has ever had.�

The woman stopped in front of the teachers’ table. She picked up a roll of parchment and an ancient looking wizard hat. “When I call your name,� she said loudly to the first years. “-come and sit on the stool.� Sirius now noticed a stool standing right next to where the woman was standing. And so the sorting started.

Sirius was very nervous. He was shifting from foot to foot anxiously. And then finally she called, “Black, Sirius.�

“Good luck!� James whispered to him.

He walked quickly up to the stool and sat down. The woman put the hat over his head. He heard a voice in his ear. “Hmm…a tricky one, eh?�

Sirius desperately thought “Not Slytherin, please not Slytherin.�

“Not Slytherin? Your family does well there, although I can see you’re different. Hmm…well, not Hufflepuff. No, no, that would not suit you at all. Well, I suppose… GRYFFINDOR!� shouted the hat. The table on the far left cheered. Sirius grinned and walked over to the Gryffindor table. He saw James grinning at him and cheering.

Sometime later the last person was sorted and the woman picked up the stool and hat and took it away. Peter, James, and Remus had also joined him at the Gryffindor table. Dumbledore stood up and everyone in the room immediately fell silent. Sirius could tell that all the students respected him, and he knew why: Dumbledore gave off a sense of power and complete control.

He beamed at all of them. “Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts. There will be a time for a speech, but this is not it. Time to eat!� most of the students laughed and sat down hungrily. Immediately all the platters filled with food. It was a magnificent feast, and although Sirius was stuffed from all the sweets on the train, he managed to eat a fair amount of it.

When everyone was done the plates were magically wiped clean and Dumbledore rose again. “Well, now I must give you the start of year notices. All students should know that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds, and…� But Sirius wasn’t listening. He was now feeling very tired and found he could barely keep his eyes open. Several minutes later, he heard the scraping of benches and realized that Dumbledore must have dismissed them. He stood up and followed James out of the hall. The prefects led all the first years up to Gryffindor tower, and through a hole behind a portrait of a fat lady, who apparently guarded Gryffindor tower. They arrived in the common room, which was a cozy room with a few overstuffed armchairs surrounding a crackling fire. He dimly registered being led up to the boys’ dormitories and taking the bed by the window, next to James’s. He changed out of his robes, and fell onto his bed.

And in the moment before he fell asleep, he decided something: He didn’t care about what his family thought anymore. He had been made a Gryffindor, and not a Slytherin, and he was proud of it.

Sirius woke up in the morning very well rested. He rolled over to look at his alarm clock; it was still early. He rolled back over and lay in bed for a while, wondering what his very first day at Hogwarts would be like.

He heard a yawn coming from the bed next to him. He looked over and saw it was James.

“ ‘morning, James,’ said Sirius, grinning at him.

James merely yawned loudly again and opened his eyes. He slowly seemed to wake fully, and grinned back at Sirius. He then got up to change into his school robes. Sirius did the same, and by now the other three had woken up.

Peter and Remus were also in their dormitory, as was a boy called Andrew Beldon. He was very good-looking, like Sirius, with light skin, short dark hair, and bright hazel eyes.

When they had changed, they all went down to the common room together. It was crowded with many people chatting excitedly about the day to come. As they squeezed their way through the crowd, Sirius crashed into someone and they both were sent flying in different directions. Sirius picked himself up off the ground and went to see if the other person was okay.

The girl looked his age, was very pretty, and had dark red hair and inquisitive green eyes. She was being helped up by another pretty girl with long dark brown hair and dark, gentle eyes.

“Are you okay?� Sirius asked her.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry,� the girl with the red hair answered. “Are you new?� she asked.

Sirius nodded.

“So am I. I’m Lily Evans, and this is Isabel Gail. She’s new too,� said Lily.

“Hi, I’m Sirius Black,� answered Sirius. “Well, er, we should be getting down to breakfast.� He looked around for James. He was leaning against the wall waiting for him. “Oh, and this is James Potter,� he added. James nodded to them, then turned to Sirius.

“The rest have already gone down. C’mon,� said James, and he led the three of them to the great Hall. They introduced the girls to the other three, and then dug in.

While Sirius ate, James was pointing out who all the teachers were. His parents had told him a lot about Hogwarts before he came.
“That one that did the sorting last night, she’s Professor McGonagall and she teaches Transfiguration. My parents said she’s really tough. And the fat one over there is Professor Slughorn, who teaches potions. Oh, and the giant one’s Hagrid. He’s the gamekeeper. That’s Dumbledore of course, and…� James went through all the teachers, describing them to Sirius.

When they were done eating, Professor McGonagall handed out their schedules, and they headed off for their first class, Transfiguration.

Sirius sighed as he entered the common room after the last period of the day. It had been exhausting, but Sirius had enjoyed it.

Their first subject, Transfiguration, which was taught by Professor McGonagall, had been very hard. Only two of the people in the class had been close to able to turn their feather into a ribbon. Lily Evans was one. She had managed to turn it into a ribbon, but it still had a spine going down the middle. She was very smart, and had known the answer to every question Professor McGonagall. She had proudly told an impressed Professor McGonagall that she had already read all the textbooks before coming to Hogwarts. James had rolled his eyes at this, and when he tried he had turned the feather into a perfect ribbon with ease.

James had also proved to be very good at Defense Against the Dark Arts. So had Sirius, and they both agreed this was the most exciting subject. They were both terrible at potions, and found History of Magic very dull. Sirius and Remus had proved to be good at Charms, while James was not so great. Poor Peter was very clumsy, and not very good at anything.

Lily Evans however, was the best of the whole year. She had mastered almost every task in each subject, including making a very tricky potion perfectly. Her friend, Isabel, was particularly good at Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. She was very smart, like Lily, but was much quieter.

In all subjects they had been given homework, and Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus had set to work in front of the fire in a bunch of squishy armchairs. Sirius sped as quickly as he could through his homework, and then sleepily climbed the staircase to his dormitory where he changed quickly, collapsed onto his bed, and fell asleep.

The first month passed by in a blur. The homework was piled on and Sirius had little free time to spend. On the rare occasions in which he did, he spent the time out on the grounds with his three friends: James, Remus, and Peter. He was very close to them, especially James, and they were almost like his brothers. Recently, the four of them had found their place in the school.

One night, James had been digging through his trunk when he had found a cloak with a note from James’s father on it. It had read:

Dear James,
I used this a lot when I was at school to explore the castle, and I thought you might like to have it. Use it well!

Love,
Your Father


“What is it?� Sirius had asked, frowning.

“It’s an invisibility cloak!� said James in awe.

And that had started their career in Hogwarts as troublemakers, or the Marauders, as they called themselves. James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus had explored the castle every night from then on and had so far discovered many secret passageways that they used as shortcuts to get to classes.

They also had found another use for the cloak. Sirius had many cousins in Slytherin that had been teasing him maliciously about being in Gryffindor. They were all much older than he was and Sirius could do nothing to get revenge. But that was where the cloak came in.

One day, after one particularly bad fight with Sirius’s cousin, Bellatrix, the idea came to them. They nipped back to the dormitories during lunch break and got the invisibility cloak. It was harder for all four of them to maneuver under the cloak, so it was only James and Sirius. When they got back they went to the great hall, covered in the cloak, over to the Slytherin table and found Bellatrix talking to a bunch of older Slytherins. They then snuck up behind her and set her robes on fire, and quickly stuffed the cloak into James’s bag. When they heard a scream coming from the Slytherin table and saw Bellatrix running from the hall, her robes ablaze, it was very hard for them to contain their laughter.

This was very amusing for them, and they hadn’t been discovered so they kept doing it during meals. It became almost routine every day, and none of the Slytherins had any idea who had been doing it. In fact, no one besides James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter knew about it all, until one day.

One day their victim had been another of Sirius’s cousins, Lucius. They did their normal routine, and it went smoothly, as usual, until Lily Evans and Isabel Gail, saw the cloak lift a little to reveal James and Sirius’s ankles. James and Sirius had quickly covered them again, but the damage had been done. Lily and Isabel were smart enough to figure out who had been hexing the Slytherins.

Although they both had, and in Lily’s case, grudgingly, agreed not to tell, they had kept at a distance, mostly from James, who was the leader of the group. Sirius was regretful about this because he had become good friends with Isabel, and couldn’t talk to her much anymore.

Even though Lily was angry with James, James had still somehow managed to get a crush on her. Every time he passed her he would rumple his hair, turn his walk into a kind of cocky stride, and call out “All right, Evans?� and she would merely scowl at him. Sirius had found this quite annoying and had hoped that since she remained angry with him, this would stop. However, it didn’t, and Sirius, Peter, and Remus would roll their eyes every time James did this.

But at the moment Sirius had more pressing worries. He had noticed that Remus Lupin had become quieter as the month wore on. His friend had also become very pale and sickly looking. Sirius had asked him many times if he felt okay, and Remus would nod and attempt a smile, which came out as more of a grimace.

One night, after Remus and Peter and everyone else had gone to sleep, and Sirius and James were sitting in front of the fire in their favorite comfortable armchairs, Sirius decided it was necessary to bring up the subject of Remus.

“Er, James?� he asked.

“Huh…what?� James answered, snapping out of his daydream.

“Well, I wondered if you’ve noticed anything different about Remus lately.�

“Yeah, he has been acting strange,� answered James.

“I know. I think there’s something funny going on. He barely talks to any of us anymore.�

“And why’s he always so sick? I mean why would he deny that he was?�

“I dunno, but I think we should find out.�

“How?� asked James, frowning.

“I dunno, but what ever it is, he obviously doesn’t want to tell us, so I think we should just be extra nice to him, and watch him closely.�

“Right,� said James distractedly. “Well, I’m off to bed.�

“I suppose I should be going to,� answered Sirius, and he followed James up the stairs. He changed quickly and sank into his bed, thinking. He sighed. Well, he thought, I suppose I’m going to have to figure this out by myself, since James isn’t going to help me. He shifted his body into a more comfortable position and fell into an uncomfortable sleep.

It was a cold miserable day in February and Sirius, James, and Peter were seated around the fire in the Gryffindor common room. It was very late, and as usual, they were the last people left.

It was also another day that Remus had “gone to visit his sick mother�. He heard the scratching of James’s quill against the parchment, with the occasional break to check his textbook, and Peter carefully turning the pages of the book he was reading. Sirius, however could not concentrate. His mind was on Remus.

In the beginning he had believed Remus, accepting that it was quite normal for his mother to fall ill, however, he only “visited her� once a month at around the same time each visit. If Remus’s mother was seriously ill, surely he would visit her more often than that. It didn’t make sense, and Sirius had become suspicious.

He was tapping the end of his quill absentmindedly on his parchment, lost in thought. He shook his head to clear it. He had to finish his essay. He glanced quickly out the window and then turned back to his parchment. He froze, and turned slowly to look back out the window, and there shining brightly back at him, was the moon, a full moon. And then everything clicked. His disappearances being monthly, coming back covered in bruises, looking more and more sickly as his “visits� approached.

“Sirius, mate, ‘you okay?� James asked him.

Sirius realized that his mouth was open, and quickly shut it.

“Yeah, fine,� he replied, attempting to smile.

James noticed nothing and turned back to his work. Sirius decided he would keep his discovery a secret for now. He wanted to ask Remus first. He knew how awful it was to be a werewolf. One of his uncles was one and had told him how painful and dangerous it was. Sirius swore to himself that before he admitted he knew to Remus, he would do whatever ever he could to help his friend and make his transformations somewhat better.



* * *


The next day Sirius woke early from awful dreams of werewolves and other frightening creatures. He lay, panting, on his bed, trying to get a grip on himself. Once he had calmed down, he changed into his robes and went down to the Great Hall. He was surprised to find Remus already sitting there, looking tired and sickly with many new bruises and scratches.

“’morning,� he said to Remus in a would be cheerful voice.

Remus only nodded in return and returned to his food. Sirius didn’t press him to talk. He knew that he had just been through a horrible ordeal. Not long after, James, Peter, and Andrew joined them.

“’you okay, Remus? You look awful!� Andrew asked Remus, with concern.

“Oh, yeah, just tired,� he replied, trying and failing to force a smile and returned to his food once again.

Andrew looked at the other three, as if asking for answers. They just shrugged and began eating.



* * *


Later that night they were once again gathered around the fire with the addition of Remus and many others, as it was still early. Sirius had finished his home work early and decided to do something he had never dreamed he would ever do; Research. He wanted to find a way to help Remus and thought it was best to start in the library where he could do it peacefully.

He stood up and gathered his things.

“Where ‘you going?� James asked.

“Library,� He replied and James goggled at him.

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?� James asked, astounded.

“Yeah. See you later!� He said, and walked out of the portrait hole.

When he reached the library, he had no idea where to start. He looked around and found a promising looking volume. He lifted it off the shelf and began his search.



* * *



It was getting very late and Sirius hadn’t found anything. He was sitting at a small table covered in books all titled along the lines of Werewolves: A Guide to the Cures and Dangers and Everything You Need To Know About: Werewolves. He was currently browsing through the latter when a paragraph caught his eye.


Werewolves are considered by some to be among the most dangerous and foulest creatures on this earth. Unlike most creatures, however, the werewolf’s transformation is involuntary. That is what differs between an Animagi and a werewolf. An Animagi is able to change their appearance at will, whereas a werewolf is forced into the transformation. When an Animagi is present during a werewolf’s transformation, it is able to control the werewolf, making it more human, without acquiring serious injuries.


There was the answer. Right in front of him. They would become Animagi! He grinned excitedly. It was the perfect plan. They would be able to accompany Remus during his transformation and make him feel better! Sirius stuffed the old book in his bag, haphazardly put the other books back on their shelves, and raced out of the library.

He arrived at the common room several minutes later and entered the portrait hole gasping for breath. James, Peter, and Remus were once again the only ones left and all three turned around to watch him come in.

“What-� James began, but Sirius cut him off.

“Remus, can I talk t’ you for a second?� Sirius asked, still winded.

“Er…Sure, I suppose,� replied Remus, uncertainly, and Sirius led him off to a corner of the room.

The other two looked at each other perplexedly and shrugged.

Sirius and Remus came back a few minutes later, Sirius grinning from ear to ear, and Remus smiling uncertainly, a little behind him.

“Well,� Sirius began, “I’m sure you’ve both noticed that, er, Remus has been a little…off color lately, and well, a couple weeks ago I became kinda suspicious. And, well, I was looking out the window the other day, and-�

“Sirius, get to the point before I die of boredom,� James cut in, grinning.

“Alright,� Sirius took a deep breath, “Remus is a werewolf,� he said. Silence greeted this announcement.

After a minute or two of silence, James spoke. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I should’ve realized! I can’t believe…� he caught the extremely relieved look on Remus’s face. “You didn’t think we were gonna desert you, did you? Because friends are friends and we wouldn’t no matter what! The Marauders stick together, whatever furry little problem you may have!�

They all laughed. Even Remus. “Well, I was doing some research and I found a solution! Something that could really help him out!� Sirius said eagerly.

“What?!� Peter asked excitedly.

“Become Animagi! That way we can keep him company during his transformations!� Sirius replied, his eyes sparkling.

“You’re a genius, Sirius! Never in my life did I think I would ever live to see this day! Sirius Black doing research!� James teased, putting his hand on his heart and looking up at the ceiling.

Sirius slapped him playfully, and they all laughed.




* * *



The next several weeks went by in a blur, and before they knew it, May had arrived. The four Marauders had sneaked into the restricted section not long ago and had found instructions on how to become an Animagi.

Every night they had read part of them, because it was very complicated, with many advanced potions to brew and complicated spells involved. Remus, who was the best of the four with numbers, had calculated that it would take about three years to finish. This news, however, did not deter the others. They assured Remus that they would do it, no matter how long it took.

It also made Remus feel better during his transformations that his friends supported him and helped him through those hard times. He would remember that one day he might even have fun with his friends during the transformation, and would smile.

It was a bright sunny afternoon, and the Marauders were sitting in the Great Hall eating lunch, when James brought up a truly amazing fact.

“Sirius, I just realized something. We have been so caught up with Remus’s furry little problem, that we haven’t pulled any pranks lately,� said James, who looked horrified at the idea of the Slytherins having a moment of peace.

“Oh God! I forgot about that! We need to do something,� Sirius said, and they all leaned in, as they always did when plotting something.

“Who should be the next target?� James asked quietly.

“How about that greasy, big-nosed, git of a Slytherin that tripped and spilled my potion yesterday,� Sirius replied with venom. “He’s a friend of my dear cousin’s and he’s in our year.�

James grinned evilly. “Excellent, he’s the one who blew his big nose all over me too. His name is Snape. We’ll kill two birds with one stone.�

“First, he needs a nickname so we can talk of our plan in company. Ideas?� James asked.

“How about Snivellus?� Pete piped up.

All four sniggered. “Perfect. Let the games begin!� said James and they put their heads together to plan.



* * *



“Phase one begins shortly. The target approaches,� James muttered. And they turned to see Snape entering the great hall. As he passed their table James aimed his wand at him and muttered “Flora decorum.�

James quickly stashed his wand back in his pocket and swiveled around to watch Snape. On his head was a wreath of flowers with little birds twittering around it. There was a moment of silence and the whole hall erupted in laughter, except for the Slytherins. Snape’s eyes narrowed and he tried to yank the wreath off his head, but it wouldn’t come off. He quickly attempted to run out of the hall, still tugging at the wreath, but when he reached the door, he slipped on a greased patch of floor, and fell in a tangle of birds and flowers.

The four Marauders were roaring in laughter, barely able to breathe, and watched as after a few minutes Snape managed to untangle himself and run out of the hall, his face burning.

The bell rang and the four got up and headed off to their classes, chests still heaving with laughter.



* * *



The second phase began at dinner. Snape arrived at dinner, his wreath of flowers still on his head; apparently he had not figured out how to get rid of them yet. Many people giggled as he entered. He glowered at them and sat down.

Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus grinned. “Nice spellwork, James,� said Remus.

“Thanks,� he replied, then added, “It’s time Sirius.�

Sirius nodded. He raced out of the hall and to the dormitory to get the invisibility cloak. He threw it on and went back down to the Great Hall. He crept silently over to the Slytherin table and found Snape sitting next to his cousin, Bellatrix. His bag was right underneath the bench. He silently eased it out, hid it under the cloak, and went back to the Gryffindor table.

“Got it!� he whispered in James’s ear.

James nodded, beckoned to the other two, and they walked up to Gryffindor tower.

The common room was empty because everyone was still down at dinner, so they sat down in front of the fire and opened Snape’s bag. They extracted his books and he passed them out to the four of them. They all opened the books, then rummaged in their own bags and found their quill and ink. Sirius opened the book he had been given. It was potions. Sirius grinned. This was going to be fun.



* * *



The four Marauders were sitting in the hall the next morning finishing breakfast. Last night they had replaced Snape’s bag back under the table, and were ready for the outcome of phase two that morning.

The bell rang and they headed off to potions. They entered the dungeon and sat down together. Professor Slughorn beamed down at his class. “’right,� he said “Open your books to page 312. Today we will be learning about basic healing potions.�

The Marauders flipped to the right page and smirked at each other before glancing over at the table of Slytherins in which Snape was sitting. Snape had just opened his book and gasped. His eyes narrowed and it looked as if steam was pouring from his ears.

“What’s that writing, Severus?� asked another Slytherin at his table.

Snape tried to hide his book away, but didn’t succeed. The Slytherin pulled it from his grasp and they all gathered around him to read it. Snape sat in is seat, rigid.

The Slytherins stared at it for a moment, and then burst into laughter. They were rolling in their seats

Snape snatched the book back, but it was immediately taken from his grasp once again by James. He pretended to study it for a moment, then held it up so the rest of the class could see. The whole class roared with laughter now also, for every single page was covered in hearts inscribed with:

S.S. + B.B.

Slughorn looked confused. “Now, now! Settle down, settle down!� he said. Eventually the class settled down and took their seats. Snape wrenched his book from James’s grasp, and took his seat too, fuming. The moment he sat down the Slytherins whispered “You like Bellatrix? Rodulphus is gonna kill you!�

“No!� Snape hissed vehemently.

“Then why did you write that all over your book?�

Snape didn’t answer.



* * *



It was one of the best days of the Marauders’ lives. The same thing happened in every single one of Snape’s classes, and it had spread all around the school. Whenever people passed him they would whisper “Going to write Bellatrix some poetry now?� and they would walk away sniggering.

The Marauders agreed that this was the best prank they had ever pulled. And as they were waiting in line to enter the Potions dungeon the next day, James whispered to Snape “This’ll teach you to never cross the Marauders again.�

Snape looked furious, and whispered back, “I will get you back for this one day, Potter, if it’s the last thing I do.�

The Marauders smirked. “Yes, yes, I’m sure,� said James, patting Snape on his head, which he had finally managed to relieve of the wreath, then making a face of disgust and wiping his hands on Snape’s robes. “I’d wash your hair if I were you, Snivellus,� he said seriously, and the four Marauders walked inside the dungeon, smirking once again.

And from that day on, Snape and the Marauders hated each other. Well, not even hated--they loathed each other, and all five knew that they always would. And also from that hate of Slytherin, their bond of friendship was sealed, and they knew that the Marauders would stick together until the end.

It’s only a pity that it couldn’t last forever.

Before Sirius knew it, the school year was ending. It had been the best experience of his life, and he didn’t want to leave. He dreaded going home. He knew his mother would be even angrier at him since he was sorted into Gryffindor. But at least he had something to sustain him; his friends.

They had all promised to write and he knew that he would spend the summer in his room, replying. He knew James especially would take time to write because he knew what the other pure-blood families were like, and loathed them just as much as he did. And then something happened that made the summer look almost bearable.



* * *



It was his last few hours of freedom for a very long time, Sirius thought, as he watched with dread as Hogwarts grew smaller and smaller. It had been the only true home he had ever known.

He was sitting with other Marauders in the compartment. They were talking about what they were doing this summer, and Sirius had no wish whatsoever to be part of the conversation, so he continued to stare out the window. Just then the train took a swift turn and the wonderful castle that Sirius loved so much was gone. He sighed.

“Sirius, mate, it’s not like you’re never gonna see it again,� James said, grinning.

“Well, you’d miss it a lot too if you had my family to come back to,� he replied darkly.

“Yeah, I suppose,� said James.



* * *



Sirius was watching a game of wizard chess, in which James was beating Peter badly, when the train began to slow. Sirius groaned and lifted his trunk off the rack. He stepped off the train and onto the platform with James at his side.

James drew him to the side of the platform. “Hey Sirius, I asked my parents and they said that you could come over for part of the summer,� said James, his eyes sparkling.

Sirius spirits lifted. “James, you’ve saved my life, you have.�

“I take that as a yes. I’ll write t’you this summer about it.�

“Yeah, that’d be great!�

James led him back to Peter and Remus. “Well, I suppose I’ll see you next year,� Sirius said, grinning.

“Yeah. Good luck mate!� said James.

“Bye!� Sirius said, raising a hand in farewell and walking toward his family at the edge of the platform.

“Goodbye!� the other three called after him.

When he reached his mother, who was standing near the barrier with Regulus, he saw she was fuming. She glared at him with even more loathing than usual, and her face was bright red as if she trying hard not to explode. It was nothing more than he had expected.

She acted as if he weren’t there, and merely took Regulus by the hand and led him back through the barrier. They walked through the station and climbed into the Ministry of Magic car waiting for them, his mother in the front seat, and Regulus next to him in the back.

Regulus stared at him, wide eyed. “What are you looking at?� Sirius snarled, and Regulus looked away.

They were silent the rest of the drive. Sirius didn’t dare say anything more, afraid his mother’s temper would explode.



* * *


When they arrived home, Sirius felt another huge wave of dread wash over him as he climbed the stairs behind his mother. With his new freedom at Hogwarts, he had almost forgotten how much he hated this place. Almost, but not entirely.

Before he entered the house, he willed every ounce of courage and strength he had, and prepared himself for the very worst. Then he squared his shoulders with his head held high defiantly, and stepped through the door.



* * *



The night was worse than he ever could have imagined, thought Sirius as he lay in bed. His body ached all over and his throat hurt from shouting. His parents had hit him before, but it wasn’t comparable to this.

The moment he had entered the house his mother started hissing insults vehemently at him. It had taken all of his willpower not to shout back; he knew he would pay if he did. But then came the very insult that he simply could not put up with, and Sirius couldn’t take it any longer.



* * *



“Who are you to walk around with ungrateful smirk on your face,� hissed his mother, “and to spend your whole year strutting around with all those mudbloods and filth? I wish you weren’t my son. Why couldn’t I have Bella? Why can’t you be more like your cousin than the insolent little git you are? You-�

“DON’T YOU DARE EVER COMPARE ME TO BELLA!� Sirius shouted, shaking with anger. “I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN BE LIKE HER! AND WHEN SHE DIES, SHE’LL GO TO HELL WITH THE REST OF THOSE STUPID SLYTHERINS THAT BECOME DARK WIZARDS!�

“DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO ME THAT WAY, SIRIUS BLACK!� his mother roared back, turning brick red with rage. “AFTER ALL WE’VE DONE FOR YOU! RAISING YOU TO BE PART OF THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACKS! WE TREATED YOU WITH KINDNESS AND RESPECT AND-�

“KINDNESS AND RESPECT? YOU DON’T KNOW THE WORD KINDNESS, WOMAN, IF YOU CALL THAT KINDNESS!� he yelled, laughing bitterly.

“UPSTAIRS! NOW!� his mother screeched, and Sirius had stomped up the stairs, still shaking with rage.



* * *



It was 2 hours later and Sirius was lying in his bed, still fuming.

“SIRIUS BLACK! GET DOWN HERE NOW AND HELP COOK DINNER!� His mother’s voice made him jump and he scowled and went downstairs, trying hard to control his anger.

“Get over here, boy! If you are going to live in this house, you are going to help out!� she said as soon as he entered the kitchen, and Sirius could here the barely suppressed rage in her voice. She was standing over a pan of vegetables shooting a thin jet of hot water at them with her wand.

His father was reading the Evening Prophet at the dinner table, and Regulus was watching the scene eagerly from the dining room. Sirius scowled at him.

“I thought I’m supposed to be your son, not your slave,� Sirius said to her, sneering.

His mother’s nostrils flared as she turned to look at him, her wand still pouring the steaming water. “You are no son of mine,� she said coldly.

He turned his back away from her and began to walk towards the dining room. “Yeah, like I really want to be your son,� he said quietly, but his mother had heard him. The next thing he knew his body was searing with pain as his mother turned her wand at him and sent the jet of steaming hot water at his back.

He screamed as he felt it burn through his shirt and scald his back, and he sank to his knees. He screwed his face up in pain, and knelt, panting hard, and horrified. He knew his parents were bad, but how could they be this cruel?!

His mother had turned back to the vegetables and continued cooking them as if nothing had happened. Sirius looked up and saw his father coming towards him.

The pain was getting worse now, and he felt as if he were on fire. Tears sprung up in his eyes, but he refused to cry.

It was getting even worse, and Sirius couldn’t hold his tears back, they flooded down his face.

“Blacks do not cry,� his father said coldly.

“I told you, I am not a Black,� Sirius replied, struggling to speak through the pain.

He looked up at his father again, and his father studied him for a moment.

“I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave,� he finally said, maliciously.

Sirius met his eyes and stared into them defiantly. “They are,� Sirius said, speaking more clearly this time. “They aren’t like Slytherins. They’re not cowards.�

His father slapped him on the cheek. “Fool,� he said, “we are not cowards. Unlike Gryffindors, we don’t feel the need to mess with heroics.�

“And us Gryffindors don’t feel the need to mess with the Dark Arts.�

This time his father hit him in the face with the back of his hand. Hard. Very hard. He heard a crack and blood spurted everywhere. His nose had broken.

“Don’t say what you know nothing about. Go. Now. No dinner,� his father said cruelly, and walked silently back to the table.

With a great effort, Sirius managed to stand upright, and ran as fast as he could, wincing, to his room.



* * *



He knew the Ministry couldn’t tell who had done magic, since other wizards lived in this house, so he had done all he could to heal his injuries.

He had managed to heal his nose and get rid of all the blood quickly enough. He had then turned his attention to his back.

He gently took off his shirt, and looked at his back in the mirror. He had gasped in horror. A long, thin scar ran diagonally down his back, looking red and inflamed. He had tried every healing spell he could think of, but none removed it. Then he’d given up, and used another spell to reduce the pain somewhat. He’d stared at it for a long time, then changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed.



* * *



It was the middle of July, and the heat in London was sweltering. People went as quickly as possible from one place to another, spending the least amount time possible outside. For most people, it was just another hot day, but for Sirius it was very exciting.

A few weeks ago, James had sent an owl asking if Sirius could come and spend the rest of the summer with him. Sirius had been ecstatic. He couldn’t wait to get away from home again!

While his parents hadn’t yelled at him, or in fact, talked to him at all, he didn’t enjoy being locked up in his room the whole day except for meals. Those moments in which he happened to be in the presence of his parents were tense. He didn’t think he could take it much longer. He could practically feel the rage coming from them, and Regulus only stared at him. He ignored this, and forced himself to remain calm. There was no point in seeking another argument. He wanted to avoid another incident like before. He reminded himself that he still had a long time before he became of age and was finally free of them.

His parents had agreed to let him go only because it would mean getting him out of their way for the rest of the summer, so today he was off to the Potter Mansion.

He wasn’t quite sure what he would do at the Potters’. He had forgotten what I was like to be around his friends, and to be happy. James was also bound to notice his scar. Although it was not red and inflamed anymore, it was still clearly visible. He supposed it would be best to try and hide it for the time being. He didn’t want to give his parents the satisfaction of knowing he had complained. It was his own burden to bear.

After he had finished lunch, Sirius’s mother handed him a bowl of Floo powder and walked away without a word. Sirius ran upstairs and grabbed his trunk, his broom, and Harry’s cage. He then dragged his luggage to the fireplace and stepped inside. He took a pinch of powder and threw it down. Green flames shot up.

“Number 21 Maple Street, Potter Mansion!� Sirius yelled, and the room spun. He caught glimpses of many other grates before he arrived at the Potter Mansion. He stepped out of the fireplace, coughing, and found himself in a very big, very fancy room. It was also quite cozy with a lively fire in the fireplace and dark red walls. The draperies and carpet were of a rich gold and many mahogany bookshelves lined the walls. There were also many portraits of someone Sirius recognized as Godric Gryffindor. In the center of the room were a big, comfortable looking sofa and several squashy armchairs, one of which was occupied by James Potter.

“Hi mate,� said James, grinning at him.

He smiled back grimly. “Hi.� he said.

“My family is really big on Gryffindor. Can you tell?� asked James, watching Sirius eyes travel around the room.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,� Sirius said sarcastically.

James grinned again. “C’mon! Let’s go upstairs. I’ll show you my room.� James led him up a grand curved staircase and down a wide hallway lit with gold sconces to the very last door. James opened the door and helped Sirius carry his trunk, then Harry and his broom, into the room and onto a large bed.

Sirius looked around the room curiously. There was a huge four poster bed with silver bedding in the middle, and a smaller also silver bed had been set up for him next to James’s.

Every inch of the wall was covered in posters of quidditch players in sparkling silver and pale blue robes. He watched as they dived in and out and moved through the air so quickly it made him dizzy. His uncle had taught him the rules of Quidditch, and of course, given him the broom, and a quaffle to play with, but he had never seen it actually played professionally.

The very little wall that was showing was a pale blue, like on the quidditch players’ robes. His room was very messy, with clothes and books and such strewn everywhere.

“Well, what do you think?� James asked eagerly.

“Nice.� he replied

James looked disappointed. “Are you okay, mate? You don’t look so good,� James said with concern.

“Oh, it’s nothing,� said Sirius, forcing a smile. “Just, stuff at home,� he mumbled.

“Oh, I’m sorry mate. I would’ve asked you to come earlier, but mum told me you should spend some time with your family first. I tried to tell her you didn’t want to, but she wouldn’t listen,� said James seriously.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault�

“Was it really that bad?� he asked in a hushed voice.

Sirius shrugged. He didn’t really think he was ready to talk about it.

James obviously realized this because he quickly changed the subject.

“Hey, would you like to play some Quidditch?� He asked.

Sirius brightened. “Sure! I haven’t played in forever.�

“Well then, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!� said James, enthusiastically gathering up his broom, and Sirius picked up his own broom and hurried out the door after him.

They set off back down the hallway, down the staircase, and through a set of glass doors that led out to a large deck. They had a huge expanse of grassy land, perfect for playing quidditch. There were three large, gold hoops set up at each end of the field, which was almost the size of a full stadium.

He ran out to the field and kicked off from the ground as James went to get the Quaffle. He streaked upward towards the sky and watched as the ground below him got farther and farther away. And as he soared around the field and felt the wonderful feeling of the cool wind sweeping through his hair and heard the whoosh of it in his ears, he felt as if all his worries were lifted.