Chapter Three �“ The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black.

He marched toward the last compartment as he muttered under his breath, that they had gone too far this time. Percy Weasley suspected that they did this just to get on his nerves and they were successful, by far. He slid open the doorway to the last compartment. Gryffindor’s newest prefect then loudly and angrily marched inside. The laughter and wails that had emanated from that compartment were suddenly put to a stop as all eyes turned to him.

The moment Fred and George saw the pinked form of their brother, they slipped off their chairs due to fits of laughter.

Percy glared at his mischievous twin brothers. “I knew you two are responsible for this! Undo this right now!”

Fred laughed. “As much as we would want to take credit for this marvelously executed prank...”

George gasped between laughter. “We didn’t do it!”

Accustomed to his brothers’ antics, Percy Weasley rolled his eyes. “Don’t try to play innocent with me, I know you two well enough. Moreover it has already been confirmed that the lemonade was laced with ‘Zonko’s Pinktaceous Quencher’; we all know you two are Mr. Zonko’s most loyal patrons.”

“But we didn’t do it!”

Ron cleared his throat. “Uhh... Percy, wouldn’t that just require an anti-dye solution, and the last time Fred and George pranked us with the Pinktaceous Quencher, I don’t remember the effects being this shade of neon-pink.”

Fred nodded. “Pinktaceous Quencher comes only in the shade of bright pink not neon pink.”

George grinned. “Our prankster must have tampered and improved upon the effects of that quencher.”

Fred smiled. “And he got almost everyone in the train too.”

George smirked. “I would love to congratulate the genius who pulled this off.”

Percy glared at the two. “Cut that out! Just tell me what you did to the drink.”

Fred and George looked to one another in confusion.

“And that innocent act won’t work on me. I’ve seen that far too often.”

George sighed and looked his brother in the eye. “Percy, we already told you, we didn’t do it.”

Fred joined in to support his brother. “Yeah, look at us, we’ve also turned pink. Do you think we’d be stupid enough to prank ourselves?”

Lee decided to voice his support for his friends. “Yeah, if you’re looking for suspects, its best to start with those people who didn’t drink the lemonade.”

Percy frowned as he realized that his brothers spoke the truth. He sighed. “Don’t bother with the anti-dye Ron, it didn’t worked." He scanned the other occupants and he gazed fell onto a mop of messy dark hair in the sea of pink.

Harry feeling Percy gaze upon him shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t like pink lemonades. And I’ve never heard of Jonko’s Pink Quenchers before.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “Give it a rest Percy, I’m sure Harry didn’t do it. He’s never set foot on Zonko’s before.”

Percy’s eyes then settled on the other unaffected person. The three other students nearest the boy, must have just realized that he was not infected as well. The smaller of the pinked boys shoved the dark haired one onto the wall.

“Black! I should have known you were responsible for this.”

The dark-haired boy looked calmly down onto the other. “Draco, the only reason as to why I wasn’t able to drink any, is because you three drank it all up by the time I reached our compartment.”

Draco Malfoy frowned and released his captive.

This gave Percy Weasley a good view of the silver crest that decorated the other boy’s robe. His eyes widened as he turned to his brothers and asked. “Were these guys bothering you?”

Ron, Fred and George nodded.

Percy turned to the four boys by the corner “I suggest that you four return to your compartments.”

Draco sputtered. “But what about ... this?” he gestured to himself and his pink companions. “I’m sure they’re responsible for this.”

Percy sighed. “As you can clearly see Mr. Malfoy they are also affected. We’ve already tried the disenchantment charm which didn’t work so it’s obviously potion-enhanced. Some seventh years are already working on it. We’ll bring the counter-potion to your compartment too.”

Draco grumbled. “Typical Weasley, trying to cover up for one another’s blotches. Dumbledore probably made that buffoon a prefect, just to show that he treats trash just as fairly as he does other students.”

Percy opened his mouth to retort when Sirius Black stepped forward and made a half bow. “I apologize for my companion, one tends to forget his manners when surrounded by rude and ignorant gits.” He then looked pointedly at Ron Weasley and smirked.

Ron shot Sirius a dark look. “I guess that explains Malfoy’s behavior, being that you’re with him.”

Sirius shook his head and gave Ron a forlorned and exasperated look. “My point proven.”

Harry bit his lower lip to stop his laughter as Ron glared at Sirius.

Draco rolled his eye and grabbed Sirius by the arm. “Come on Black, you should know better than to waste good manners on trash. Let’s get out of here. I can’t stand all this Weasley stink a second longer!”

Sirius met Harry’s eyes, he grinned, and made a face as Draco dragged him out of the compartment, flanked by their two over-sized companion.

The doorway slid shut and Harry once again burst out in laughter as all occupants of the room looked at him, as if he was crazy.

Percy shook his head. “Well, now that everything’s in order, I’d better check on the other compartments” He then turned his heels and left the compartment with only its original occupants.

Ron looked pointedly at Harry. “Harry I think you should be careful, don’t even think about trusting Sirius Black. He is not what he seems.”

Harry looked to Ron confused, and Hermione butted in. “Why? He’s been nice, and very polite. The rest of you, especially Ron, were quite rude.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “Don’t let his manners fool you. Blacks are very deceptive. You did notice that one of their family symbols is a kelpie.”

Harry was now thoroughly confused. “What’s a kelpie? And what does that have to do with anything?”

Hermione once again butted in. “Kelpies are guardians of the rivers and lakes, they are said to be sleek, black and beautiful, as well as harnessed by a golden bridle. They are wild and spirited horses, with teeth like those of a wild cat. Kelpies are powerful magical creatures that are capable of shape shifting and opening travel portals. The Lochness Monster is said to be a kelpie disguised in a sea serpent form. They are dangerous, for they tend to drown all humans they’ve come across. I don’t see how this has anything to do with Sirius Black.”

Ron sighed and shot an irritated look at the girl who's such a know-it-all. “I did not ask for a lecture, Professor Granger. All I meant is that Kelpies, like Blacks, may seem friendly and nice at first, so as to try and trick you into trusting them. Then, when you do finally climb on their back, they’ll drown you.”

Fred grinned. “And feast on your flesh, using those sharp teeth of theirs to tear your flesh ... piece by bloody piece, starting with ...”

Ron turned a bit green as Fred described the organs to be teared chronologically and graphically. Hermione glared at Fred.

Fred gave them an innocent look. “What?”

Harry looked at his new friends incredulously. “You’re saying he’s a bad person because he has a kelpie on his family crest?"

Ron tried to explain further, "Harry, the Blacks are the most ancient and darkest wizarding family that has ever graced this world. They have fought in the side of the dark in every war known to wizarding kind but, they usually find a way to escape prosecution."

Fred Weasley suddenly turned serious, "At least that is, until the last war..."

"The Blacks were finally wiped out .... or so we thought..." George mused.

Hermione frowned. "If throughout all those centuries, they were never pinned down for all those war crimes. How can you say that they've really committed them? The Black could merely be misunderstood." Hermione noticed that Harry nodded to agree with her statement, as Neville winced slightly at her words. "Neville? Is something wrong?"

Neville who had been quiet all through-out the exchange suddenly spoke in a soft voice. “My parents are presently still staying at St. Mungos in a comatose state due to the Cruciatus curse, thrown by Bellatrix Black-Lestrange. My grandmother was killed with a Killing curse thrown by Walburga Black. I am now a ward of the state, and in that state-home where I’m staying almost half the kids there lost their parents due to a Black.”

Everyone stared at Neville in shock. Hermione placed a hand on Neville’s shoulder. “Neville, I ...”

Neville stared intently at the floor to avoid their gaze, “It’s alright. It happened a long time ago. Harry, just be careful and stay away from Sirius Black. Believe me I know what a Black is capable of.”

Lee Jordan cleared his throat. “I noticed that there were four horses on that crest. What are the other three?”

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred and George glared at Lee.

Lee gave them a wide-eyed innocent look. “What? I was trying to lighten the mood by changing the topic.”

George shook his head and place his arm around his friend. “Lee, has anyone ever told you that you’re such a genius at ruining such dramatic moments?”

Neville once again spoke in a near whisper, “A thestral, a flying horse with bat-like wings, it symbolizes death. A dark unicorn, an innately magical monster that brings death and diseases. Lastly a hinoema, a fire horse that wrecks havoc wherever it goes and consumes everything in its path.".

All six eyes turned to Neville in surprise. The timid boy shrugged uncomfortably, “Know thy enemy.”

Harry frowned. He did not believe that your blood could determine who you were. It was scary thought for him to be anything like Dudley, but he was sure his friends meant well when they warned him about Sirius Black. All of his life, people made judgments on Harry although they never truly knew him. The Dursleys deemed him to be trouble and blamed him for every little thing that went wrong. The wizarding community deemed him a hero, although he never really did anything heroic. Harry Potter just wanted to know the strange boy a bit more before he made judgments.

-0-

The sun started to set as the train continued its journey toward Hogwarts. The earlier excitement had died down as the counter-potion had been made. In the front-most compartment, three of the occupants lay asleep while the other one enjoyed the little bit of privacy that was previously absent.

Sirius pulled out a book and examined it from all angles.

It was bound with tawny-colored leather and was soft to touch. A Silver Shield was embossed in the leather cover; the shield was divided in four parts, and each division contained a horse. On the middle of the shield was a large dark ‘B’ with a snake entwined around it. Without any doubt this emblem was the Black Family Crest. Below the Crest were intricate letterings bearing the title ‘The Black Chronicles’.

Anyone else who happened to leaf through the book would find it empty, however, in the hands of Sirius Black, it is anything but a blank book. The dark stone on the family ring, that had once belonged to his father, glowed as he touched the familiar emblem. He remembered fully the words that had appeared on the book when he tried to read it years ago...

It has come, the fate of our ancient house hangs in balance,

Sirius, son of Orion, the last child of Black

You are still far too young for this glimpse or glance

When you leave for Hogwarts do come back



Through me passage of all ancient knowledge is made possible

The wisdom of all your great ancestors can be found in this chronicle

Sirius breathed deeply and listened to the loud snores of his three bunk mates. Secured with the fact that they were indeed asleep, he opened the book. On the left hand edge of the inside cover were three ovals in succession. Each oval was bordered with two snakes biting each other’s tail. Sirius wondered on the purpose of these, for it looked like a place to put in photographs, but he could find no opening for such purpose.

Words slowly appeared on the pages once again:

Welcome Sirius, glad to see that you’re back

I am Aris the first of the Black

If you find my instruction lacking

Get your quill and start writing

First you should choose three ancestors

To be your guide and instructors

Your three choices will appear on those frames

Choose well for these decisions are only yours to blame

Sirius picked up a quill and wrote: Aris, do me a favor and quit all this rhyming bit.

Aris’ swirly script appeared once again:

I may be a historian

but I’ve always aspired to be a poet'ician.

Sirius wrote: Well you’re not a very good one.

You’re an insolent one.

Fine, make your choice and then be done.

Sirius thought for a moment and wrote: Regulus Black

You’ve chosen to hear your brother’s voice

Unfortunately Black Patriarchs are your only choice

Sirius stifled a sigh: Aris, I told you to quit that rhyming bit

I just think I need to practice

Who knows I might hit my solstice

Sirius held back an urge to groan and wrote down: Orion Black. Sirius smiled as his father’s face appeared on the first frame.

Orion Black, known for his knowledge of dark magic and power

All those who face him shiver and cower

Sirius wrote: Aris, I want to talk to my dad. Go away!

Chat with your chosen ancestor you could not

Not until all you’ve chosen, all three and that’s that

Sirius shook his head and smiled. Although Aris was a slight irritation, Sirius could not help but like this cheeky ancestor, thus he wrote down: Aris Black. An elderly man wearing a Greek Toga with a laurel headpiece by his ear appeared on the second frame.

Excellent choice my dear boy

Sharing to you our rich family history will be my joy

Sirius suddenly realized that the train had finally come to a stop. He then placed the book into his trunk and proceeded to wake his bunk mates.

Next Chapter: The sorting ceremony and Sirius chooses his third ancestor.