The Sorting Hat looked forward to this time each and every year. A time when it could be useful, a time when it would could make life-changing decisions.
It watched the threshold and waited; the door groaned as it was pushed inwards by a woman's hands. The Sorting Hat watched the figure step forth.
“Hello, Minerva. I assume that Horace is currently too busy preparing his welcoming remarks and thus asked you to pick me up in his place. That said, I always did prefer your company.”
She raised a single eyebrow. “You’re not surprised that he asked me to pick you up? That he would miss this opportunity to pester you into placing his choice recruits into Slytherin?”
“He only has one prime target this year, and the man did not feel the need to prep me on this one.”
She wrinkled her nose. “The heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.”
“I take it that you do not like the boy?”
“I heard rumours that he threw quite a number of hexes, pulled plenty of pranks, and almost got Amos Diggory into trouble by goading the other boy to duel with him. All this before the train started off on its journey, who knows what else he’s done during the course of the ride. Even Bellatrix was not that arrogant during her first year.” She sighed and pulled the hat down from the shelf.
“Judge him not based on that which you hear or the reputation of those who preceded him.”
“That boy is the least of my worries,” she remarked evenly. “Blacks have always been sorted into Slytherin. He’ll soon be Horace’s problem.”
“Family background is not my basis for sorting; what lies in the heart is that which I strive to see.”
She raised an eyebrow, “An apple doth not fall far from the tree.”
“We’ll see.”
Greetings, my friend, I am the Sorting Hat.
I see plenty in this place where I sat.
Shall I tell you a tale about a Black?
One who chose a path away from his pack.
Sirius stared at the silver medallion, a gift from his father, and smiled. Orion Black had been extremely proud of him just moments before; his father had been sorely disappointed when Andromeda intervened and stopped Amos from accepting Sirius’s challenge. The arrogant man had been so sure that his son would have beaten that Hufflepuff, and also would have caused that half-breed to lose his precious little prefect badge, as well.
The dark-haired boy snickered at the fact that he had also pulled a prank on Potter and his friends. That wimp, Pettigrew, actually peed in fright when he opened the doorway to their compartment and found himself in the middle of an illusionary dragon’s lair with a sleeping Chinese Fireball within.
Sirius Black had made plenty of enemies this day. Not that it mattered, for he did not think that those wishy-washy Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaw geeks, and idiotic Gryffindors could do anything to him. He was, after all, a Black.
Beside Sirius, his cousin Narcissa giggled as she recalled her cousin’s misdemeanours, earlier during the day. “I’m going to write to Lucius and tell him how you made use of that charm he taught you. He’ll love to hear about how you stuck those Prewett twins onto the ceiling; he never liked them…”
Sirius stifled a yawn. All those callous put-downs, bragging about family money and status, and name dropping - got boring. Unfortunately, that was all that the people around him did. He wondered if he should try to have a few more fun. He stood up and headed towards the door.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Cissy, I’m bored,” Sirius drawled. “I think I’ll try and have a bit more fun.”
“What are you planning?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet, but I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.”
Narcissa and her group of friends snickered. “You’d better.”
The door to the compartment slid shut as Sirius started on his short stroll. He did not need to wait long to have a bit of excitement.
“Black, why are you here? And what do you want?”
Sirius smiled inwardly; he just got his second chance to have a bit of fun at Amos Diggory's expense. Amos was Hufflepuff’s newest prefect, a self-righteous prick who could easily be manipulated. “Hello, Amos. Just taking a stroll around.”
“I don’t trust you, Black. I know you’re responsible for those attacks.”
“Attacks?” the younger child drawled. “I believe those are just a few harmless pranks. Then again, my father did say that Hufflepuffs can be a bit slow, thus …”
“I knew it! You were responsible. I ought to…”
“Prove it.” Sirius leaned on the nearby wall and smiled. “Throwing baseless accusations like that could cost you that shiny little Prefect badge of yours…”
“Sirius! That’s enough from you.”
Sirius turned around towards the sound of that voice. His cousin Andromeda was the new Head Girl, and she looked livid.
“Hello, Meda. Would you believe the nerve of some people? Give them a bit of authority and they…”
Amos’ face was red as he stuttered, “Andromeda … it’s not … you see …”
Dark eyebrows rose as Sirius observed how nervous the older boy was in the presence of his cousin. It did not take him long to discern that his current nemesis has a crush on Andromeda. He smirked and whispered to the older boy, “Give it up, Diggory. She’s way out of your league. Here’s a hint: she likes smart guys.”
Amos glared at the insolent boy. His hands reached for his wand.
Andromeda sighed. “Amos, don’t let him get to you. He specializes in goading people. Best you ignore him, so he’ll leave you alone. Cissy and I know this from experience.”
Andromeda dragged her cousin into her carriage. She slid the door shut and started her lecture. “What do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to get everyone to hate you before you even start at Hogwarts?”
Sirius gave her a serene smile as his mind worked on the details of his next prank. For the Black’s newest addition to Hogwarts did not believe that it would matter what the other houses thought of him. It was not as if he would need them to like him. After all, they weren’t the right sort of people for a Black to be on friendly terms with.
Expected to follow a tradition,
sorted, but not to his own volition.
I looked within and saw nobility,
bravery that goes beyond purity.
The sudden silence was suddenly broken as the next person was sorted; Sirius didn’t pay attention nor did he hear who and what house the next boy was sorted into. He was too busy feeling sorry for himself. He ignored the glares received from all directions; Slytherins hated him for landing there, and all the other houses did not require a reason. He wondered what he had ever done to deserve this. After a moment’s thought, he had decided that he ought not tempt anyone for an answer to that question “ Andromeda would probably hand him a fifty item list that only spanned from his activities on the train ride here.
“Hi!”
He looked up and saw that a familiar red-haired girl took a seat to his right. He raised an eyebrow at her, but kept his silence.
“I know I said that you were a jerk back on the train, but seeing that we’re going to be housemates, I thought we ought to start over and let bygones be bygones,” she said in a rush while she continued to smile brightly. “I’m Lily Evans.”
Sirius growled, “What makes you think that I’m going to stay in this filthy house?”
Sirius felt a shadow from behind. “Give it up, Black. No one has ever succeeded in changing house. The Sorting Hat’s decision is final, although don’t think we’re happy about this either. We don’t want you in this house any more than you want to be here.”
Sirius Black turned around and sneered at James Potter. “I’m a Black. A Black will have it his way in the end. Unlike you, Potty, we have influence. My parents will fix this mess, and we will have that stupid obsolete hat replaced.”
James lowered his voice. “A reality check, Black. You Blacks are not royalty. You can’t have things your way all the time.” James looked around and said, “I think I’ll have plenty of fun putting you in your place.”
Beside James, a smaller boy whose name Sirius did not care to remember, laughed. The pest was merely Potter’s irritating camp follower. This boy clapped his hands eagerly. “That’s telling him, James!”
Sirius ignored the other boy and kept his attention on James. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are you challenging me, Potter?”
James grinned. “Take it anyway you want, Black.”
Potter’s fan continued to support the git. “James can take you anytime, Black,” he taunted.
Sirius shrugged. “This is the way you do this?” he drawled. “It’s very bourgeois. Allow me to show you how it’s properly done.” He raised his wand, and smirked, as both Potter and his loyal pet quickly reached for their own wands. “Accio gauntlet!”
He grinned as a metal glove flew towards his hand; he then swung the glove straight at Potter’s surprised face. “I accept your challenge, James Potter.”
“James! Are you alright?” James’ little fervent follower checked upon his fallen friend. There was silence in the hall as all eyes turned to their direction. Sirius smirked; behind him, Lily Evans stared at the scene in shock.
“MR. BLACK!” Everyone turned and saw a short man who was the Head of Ravenclaw glaring at the handsome dark-haired boy. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Sirius felt the glares from the rest of the students at the Gryffindor table. A few snickers also came from the Slytherin side. “I was accepting Potter’s challenge, the traditional way. I don’t happen to have a glove with me at the moment.” He turned both palms up, to feign innocence. “Luckily, this castle has plenty lying about.”
“You may think you can get away with this sort of behaviour given your family name, but here in Hogwarts your family affiliation will not matter. Mr. Filch will supervise your detention tonight, Mr. Black.”
Sirius threw the gauntlet by James’ feet and held back a grin upon seeing a bruise forming on his rival’s cheek. He stood up and drawled, “I guess you people will not understand culture.”
“Mr. Black, a metal gauntlet is hardly a replacement for a leather glove, and sit down. You may stay for now to have your dinner with your housemates.”
“Sharing a table with these people is beneath me,” Sirius answered haughtily and left. The short man muttered something beneath his breath, but it was too soft for anyone to hear.
“Sirius.”
Sirius turned around and faced a rotund man that he had met plenty of times before at those little social gatherings that his parents had insisted he attend. “Hello, Mr. Slughorn,” he said.
“An unfortunate turn of events, indeed. I was looking forward to having you in my house.” He reached the young boy’s side and continued, “But I’m sure your parents will try to fix this mess up.”
“Do you think I’ll be in trouble for it?”
The man snorted. “I hardly think you asked the hat to put you there. Not to worry. I’ll break the news gently to your parents and concerning that detention, I’ll go see to Filch. I believe I can convince the man to let me handle you instead. We can have dinner and talk later.”
Sirius held back a smile, for a Black could indeed get away with anything. “Can I at least see the Slytherin common room? My father has told me all about it.”
He looked hesitant. “I don’t know, Sirius. I do have to get back to the hall.”
“I’ll just have a look around and leave before anyone comes. Please?”
He sighed. “Oh, very well then, follow me.”
Sirius hid his smirk as he followed Horace Slughorn. For he had plans to make some former friends pay. Some people needed to be taught a lesson; they ought to know that turning their backs at Sirius Black was a mistake. The stupid hat was merely getting senile. That was not a good enough reason to turn their backs on a Black.
At first, it seemed to be a big mistake,
possessed the arrogance of his namesake.
Cunning beyond a child of his measure.
Was the hat wrong and misread his nature?
“Minerva, something on your mind?” Filius Flitwick approached the new Head of Gryffindor.
“Filius, I’m just wondering if that hat truly knows what it’s doing.”
The Charms Professor sighed and took the seat beside her. “The hat has never been wrong. I presume you mean why it put Sirius Black in Gryffindor of all places, yes?”
She nodded. “He’s pure of blood and, from what I heard, extremely cunning. He ought to be, so he could pull all those underhanded pranks in that train ride here. The boy was extremely careful to ensure that it could not be traced back to him. I would have believed him to be Slytherin material.”
“We all have traits that would fit well to each one of the houses. Maybe Sirius is nobler and braver than everyone gives him credit for,” Filius theorized, although the doubt was evident in his voice. From what he had seen that day, Sirius’ tactic to bring down an opponent was not, in any way, noble and brave. It was downright sneaky and underhanded.
Minerva sighed and wondered if perhaps this time around, the hat indeed made a grave error.
I choose the house that brings the best in you,
not the traits that a family imbues.
I see potential from within the heart,
Not that which you represent from the start.
It started out as a good day. Sirius made a quick recovery after that unfortunate event of finding out that he would be stuck in a room with James Potter. The bloody git had the nerve to place a Sticking Charm on Sirius’s bed. Unfortunately for James, Sirius was highly capable of getting even. A Silencing Charm was placed on the bathroom whilst Sirius locked his rival inside. Of course he had the foresight to summon James’s clothes and towel before that. He was even nice enough to lay it all neatly on James’s bed, after shrinking the other boy’s clothes a bit, as well.
Pettigrew was fast asleep and didn’t notice a thing. The other roommate, Remus Lupin, just watched as Sirius went about this prank. He didn’t say a word “ he was probably smart enough to know that he ought not to get involved.
Things got even better for Sirius as Narcissa and the rest of his former friends arrived into the Great Hall, their faces all green and scaly. Narcissa blamed Sirius, but the general population believed that the Prewetts were responsible. Sirius was feeling mightily satisfied, and was drawing up a plan for another prank wherein he planned to set up and frame the Prewetts, when the Howler came.
His ears still rang from Walburga Black’s screams, and he could still hear the laughter (mostly from the Slytherin side), but the worst was still to come. He stared at a crisp white envelope. It was from his father.
“Hello.”
He glared at the intruder. “Go find your own tree. I was here first.”
“On the contrary, that’s my book bag over there.” The other boy pointed to the worn satchel that Sirius hadn’t noticed earlier. “This is a good place to read and just think. Got a great view of the lake as well. I think I saw the Giant Squid come out a while ago.”
The sandy-haired lad smiled and took a seat under the tree as well. He offered Sirius an apple. Sirius sighed and took it; his stomach rumbled for he hadn’t finished his breakfast. Sirius decided that Remus Lupin may not be so bad after all. The guy at least knew that Sirius did not want to discuss the recent event at the Great Hall.
Time is all that’s required to set things right.
Ignite that fire within to shine bright.
Old foundations shaken, new alliance form,
a preparation for a coming storm.
Horace Slughorn entered the Headmaster's office, he walked past the phoenix and nearly toppled over a stand that held a large telescope. “Albus, I heard that Orion Black is working to get the Board of Governors to allow his son to transfer house…”
“Yes, Horace, the man called me earlier to demand that his son be placed in Slytherin; however, I maintained that the Sorting Hat had never been wrong and that Sirius was placed in the right house.”
“You do know that it won’t take long for the man to get his way.”
Albus gave Horace that familiar, knowing smile. “Yes, but that’ll be time enough.”
“Enough for what?” the Potions Professor asked.
Those blues eyes twinkled. “Leo suscitatio,” he answered cryptically.
The path that leads to change is never smooth,
yet it was the path chosen for this youth.
He possessed a name that holds some prestige,
loathed by most and subject to be besieged.
James Potter narrowed his eyes. He’d had enough of that arrogant prat. Sirius had locked him in the bathroom and shrunk his clothes, and thus made him late for McGonagall’s class. This resulted in a detention sentence. This, he would have been able to tolerate, but to replace Lily's ink with the 'disappearing variety',was enough! She never done anything to Sirius. She had even tried to be friendly, yet the prat targeted her for his malicious pranks. Poor Lily just found out, now and was pretty upset about it. James knew it had to be Sirius, because the jerk was currently rolling over with laughter.
“You think that’s funny, Black?”
“You know what’s really funny, Potter? Your hair! I thought one had to be hit by lightning to have it stand on end!” He snickered at his own joke.
“She only tried to be nice to you, and you pulled this on her. No wonder no one likes you.”
Lily tried to stop them. “James, it’s only my notes. I can easily copy someone else’s. There’s no harm done.”
Remus, who had been hanging around Black the whole day, nodded. “He pulled the same trick on me, as well. It’s nothing major.”
James shook his head, unable to believe that they were willing to let him get away with this. “He thinks that just because your blood is not as pure as his, he can treat you like dirt. You don’t have to pretend to like him. No one in this whole house likes him. Not even his own parents can stand him. Did you hear that Howler this morning? He’s a misfit even in his own family.” James sneered at this, for he was truly putting Black in his place.
Sirius opened his mouth and closed it like a fish.
James smiled in satisfaction, for he had finally made Sirius Black shut up. “What? No witty comeback this time, Black? The truth does hold a wallop, does it?”
Beside James, Peter cheered on as usual, “That’s telling him, James.”
Sirius raised his fist. He drew his fist back behind his face, but Remus stepped between the two boys. “Sirius, don’t.”
Sirius glared at both James and Remus. “You can both go to hell!” They watched as he walked towards the common room exit. He flung the portrait door open with such a force that the Fat Lady screamed her protests.
“Where are you going?” Lily shouted. “We’re not supposed to be out at this hour.”
“Like I care if I lose this stupid house some stupid house points!” he voice shook as he stepped out of the room.
“Where are you going?” Remus repeated Lily’s question.
“To the forbidden forest, where hopefully I’ll be eaten a group of Acromantulas and thus end everyone’s misery,” he shot back sarcastically, and he slammed the portrait hole closed.
James was suddenly at the receiving end of Remus’ and Lily’s glares.
“What? He had it coming.”
They continued to glare at James.
James tried to defend his actions, “I mean, he’s a Black. He doesn’t like us as much as we don’t like him. I mean, he was a jerk even before he ended up here. Like it’s our fault he didn’t end up in Slytherin. Every one of us would have preferred that he ended up there. I mean, he pulled the stupidest pranks …”
James Potter stopped and realized that he, himself, pulled some pranks on Sirius Black, as well. Come to think of it, James had thought that the pranks pulled on the Slytherins were funny, before he found out that Black was the likely perpetrator. (Actually it was still funny, even if Black was the one to pull it). All the guy did was pull a few stupid pranks, and had James not had this personal dislike for the other boy, he would have found all of them funny. He further contemplated, had he, himself, ended up in Slytherin … he shook his head, for he shuddered at that thought. He didn't think it possible, but he started to feel sorry for Sirius Black. Although Sirius was still an insufferable prat, James felt a little guilty for not being nicer to the other boy. “I think I’d better go look for him.”
“Um … Do you think we ought to tell McGonagall?” Peter asked.
James shook his head. “No, Peter. Black has got enough problems. The last thing he would need is to lose us house points and give everyone more reason to hate him.”
In adversity the fire ignites,
calls from his heart - a voice he could not fight.
Fates will bring a shared cause to draw him in,
The lion will awaken from within.
Sirius returned to their room; Peter Pettigrew was nervously pacing about and was muttering to himself. Sirius ignored the boy and slammed the door shut.
“Sirius!”
Sirius flopped down on his bed and glared at Peter, he refused to speak a word.
“You’ve got to help me.”
“Why should I?” he drawled, haughtily.
“James went after you. He felt bad about what he said…”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Why should I care how he feels? He can go to hell for all I care.”
“But when he didn’t come back after an hour, Remus got worried and went out to look for you and James. He thought both of you would probably be idiotic enough to venture into the forbidden forest…”
Sirius crossed his arms and snorted. “James may be stupid enough to do that, but I’m no bloody idiot.”
The chubby boy continued, “So when James came back, I told him about Remus planning to go to the forbidden forest to look for the both of you. He told Lily that both of you were behind him, so she could go get some sleep. But it turned out that he only said that, so she wouldn’t worry and try to stop him…”
Sirius raised an eyebrow, curious where this was going.
“…Both James and Remus haven’t come back! You’ve got to come with me and go look for them!”
He gave an exasperated groan. “Do I have the word idiot stamped on my forehead or something? Why would I risk my life and limbs for a couple of bloody gits that I don’t even like? I happen to like this room better without Potter around.” He leaned back and smirked.
“I”I gu-guess I’ll just… just go by my-myself then,” Peter muttered as he turned to leave.
Sirius didn’t know why, but he stopped the other boy from leaving on his own. “Hold on. I’ll come with you. I could use some air.”
Peter stared at Sirius incredulously and wondered if this was another sick joke. He waited for the smart-alecky punch line, but none came.
Sirius sighed and growled. “What?”
“I…uhm…I’m just surprised that you volunteered to come along and help me,” he answered, “given the risk we’re taking, and all…”
“It’s all right to take risks just as long as you don’t get caught.”
Peter blinked at this. “Is that a family motto?”
“No,” Sirius drawled. “The family’s motto is Toujours Pur.”
“Why are you helping me?” he asked nervously.
“Because if I don’t, you’re bound to foul up, and then McGonagall would find out that those idiots are out there in the first place because of me,” Sirius answered crossly, for he was getting sick of the other boy’s many questions.
“Are you sure we won’t get caught?”
“If we do, I have a back up plan.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I’ll tell them that you three reckless idiots dragged me into this. That Potter believed that there’s a sphinx who hangs around the lake - late at night, and the git wanted to throw me in, as a bloody sacrifice!” Sirius shot back, sarcastically.
“I don’t think anyone would fall for that.”
The dark-haired boy sighed, for Peter Pettigrew was definitely dense.
The forest was dark and cold at this time of the night. It was alive with strange sounds and creatures. Peter nervously looked about. He took a step forward, cautiously.
“Remus! James! Are you here?” Peter shouted. He was met with silence, he was about to try again when Sirius suddenly clapped a hand on his mouth.
“Are you mad? Do you want to attract the attention of whatever it is that’s out there?” Sirius hissed.
The smaller boy nervously bit his lip. “What do you suggest then?”
His companion knelt down and studied the ground. “These foot marks are fresh, so I think they went that way.”
“How do you know these things?”
“Our family’s annual Muggle hunting expeditions,” he grumbled sarcastically.
Peter stared at the taller boy in wide-eyed surprise.
Sirius rolled his eyes. “That was a joke.”
Relief was evident in Peter’s face. “I guess I’m not used to your Black humour.”
He gave a bark-like laugh and decided that Peter probably wasn’t that bad after all. He raised his wand higher and noticed a shallow ravine where the tracks ended. He peered down below and noticed two figures below. “James? Remus?”
“Who’s there?”
“Sirius and Peter.”
“Thank god. Remus is unconscious and I think I sprained an ankle…”
Sirius squinted to get a better look - Remus didn't look well at all, James also looked pretty scratched up himself. “We’re on our way. Peter will help you up. I’ll get Remus…”
Thus end the question of where he belong,
and the Sorting Hat had never been wrong.
Barriers broken and eyes will be opened,
Old prejudice and beliefs unproven.
James had not expected Sirius to come to their rescue. He had been hoping that Peter would call McGonagall; they would be in trouble, but detention would be preferable to becoming dinner of whatever creature that lurked in those woods. He watched as Sirius struggled with Remus's weight, hand clutched tightly on a glowing wand. Sirius warily looked from left to right as he led the way out. "Peter, James, hurry up you two - the sooner we're out of this forest, the better."
When they finally reached the edge of the forest, James Potter finally spoke. “Black?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re not that bad, after all. And you know what, that’s some wicked prank you pulled on the Slytherins today.”
Sirius chuckled at this.
“But it could have been better…” continued the voice beside him.
He raised an eyebrow and turned his attention to James. “Really?”
James smiled and nodded. “Yep. Adding evergreen herb would have made that greenish colouring last longer.”
He blinked, for James was right. “I’ll be sure to ask for your input on my next prank.”
“Since you’re so kind in doing so, I’ll let you in on my plans as well…”
“Mr. Black. We’ve been looking all over for you.”
Sirius swallowed hard at the sound of Professor McGonagall’s stern voice.
“Umm… I took a stroll and they followed me?” he stated weakly.
Peter interrupted. “I thought you were going to say that James was planning to sacrifice you to the sphinx.”
Sirius stifled a groan and elbowed the idiot roughly to shut him up. James, on the other hand, stifled his laughter.
McGonagall eyed the group suspiciously. Her sight landed upon James and Remus. “What happened?”
James was quick to take the blame, “I went out and Remus came to look for me and he slipped … Sirius and Peter must have gotten worried and decided to look for us.”
Sirius countered James. “He only went outside to look for me.”
“I started the fight that made you walk out,” James shot back.
McGonagall sighed. “I’ll deal with the four of you later, but right now, Mr. Black, your father’s in the Headmaster’s office with the members of the Board of Governors. They are there to discuss the request for your transfer.
James looked slightly disappointed. “Black, whatever happens … we won’t take it against you.”
“Thanks mate.”
Courage it takes to venture the unknown,
the sort of courage that Sirius Black hath shown.
In time his heart finally found a voice,
made possible for him to make this choice.
“Ah, here he is.” The Headmaster smiled and gestured for Sirius to take a seat.
The boy gingerly took a seat. He waited for someone to speak up.
“Sirius, the Board of Governors has decreed that you be allowed to be placed in Slytherin.” The Headmaster smiled warmly at Sirius. “Do you wish to change house?”
He frowned, for moving to Slytherin would be the easy thing to do. It was familiar. He had once believed he belonged there, but he was no longer sure.
“Well, answer the man, Sirius, ” Orion Black growled impatiently. Sirius's eyes darted to his father. How would he react?
“All my life, I was made to expect that Slytherin is the only place where I belong. When I was sorted into Gryffindor, no one wanted me there, and until now, I didn’t think they would fully accept me.”
The Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Blacks nodded and smiled. “Exactly. The only place for my son is…”
“But,” Sirius interrupted him, “I realise that when I leave Hogwarts the world would see me the same way. Father, you’ve always told me that a Black is strong. I’m strong enough to handle this. I can handle this.”
“No, you’re not!” Orion Black roared, outraged at the possibility his son wouldn’t be re-sorted. “You’re too young to make such decisions! Those Blood Traitors will eventually poison your mind.”
Sirius did not know how this would end, but it felt right. He was sure that the path that his parents paved was not the path that he wanted.
“Will the Slytherins want me, knowing that I was sorted into Gryffindor?”
“They will have to. You’re a Black,” he stated proudly.
“My name should not be what defines me, but what I do. I choose to stay in Gryffindor.”
“What? You do not mean that. Those people don’t even want you around.”
Sirius closed his eyes to garner the strength to answer. “We cannot always force our will onto people. Sometimes you just have to deal with the cards dealt to you. In the end, who I am is what I make of myself."
“Not if you’re a Black, Sirius. You are a Black, for Merlin’s Sake. Trivial things can always be changed to your likings.”
Sirius shook his head. “No, Father, strength is not being able to bend others to do as you want…”
“Ah, yes.” Filius Flitwick smiled. “That parable about the oak and the bamboo … The strong winds fell the oak, but…” The Charms Professor received numerous glares from the members of the Board and Sirius’ father, thus he discreetly chose to stop talking.
“Well.” Albus Dumbledore stood up. “There we have it. Sirius has made his choice. And I should say that the hat was correct, as always. It takes bravery to take a chance to the unknown, and this boy chose to do so.”
Orion Black was about to interrupt when the Headmaster turned to Sirius. “Why don’t you go back to your friends, child, while we adults conclude this?”
“I don’t have any,” Sirius answered sullenly.
“You’ll be surprised.” The Headmaster’s eyes twinkled as he led Sirius out of his office.
In Godric’s house this young soldier will grow,
seeds of lifelong friendships to find and sow.
He finds that he does belong to this place,
it takes him into its loving embrace.
He closed his eyes and wondered if he’d regret his decision. His family would definitely not be happy. He had just fully isolated himself from his former life. He pushed open the portrait door, when he was suddenly showered with confetti. He blinked and saw that every one of his housemates was out of bed for this celebration. He scowled at them and grumbled. “You dolts can cancel this stupid party of yours - I’m staying.”
He suddenly felt an arm wrapped about his shoulders. He turned to his right and saw that it was James Potter. “Well then, we have all the more reason to celebrate! Bring out the butterbeers!”
Sirius blinked and stared at the grinning dolt beside him.
“Welcome to Gryffindor, mate. I know we never gave you a proper welcome, but it’s never too late, is it?”
Sirius knew that from this moment on, things would be different. He wasn’t sure of what the future would bring, but it was a future he would pave for himself. He smiled; he realised that from this moment on, things had changed. He had changed. With this change, he would enter a new life, a new beginning.
He thrived in the house of the brave and strong,
There was no doubt that here, he do belong.
Sirius Black, one of the true Gryffindors,
the burning light that one cannot just ignore.
-end-