Platform 9 ¾ was very full on that warm day in June. Kids were running to and fro, saying their goodbyes. Girls were sobbing, as though they'd never see each other again. Guys promised to owl. The parents stood with people they hadn't seen in a while, reminiscing on the days when they, too, still attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
A boy, who was leaving a group of three others, slowly made his way towards his parents. Shaking the shaggy, black hair out of his grey eyes, Sirius Black greeted his younger brother, Regulus, who had run at him and had practically knocked him over.
Sirius and his parents didn't get along; they never had, seeing as though their oldest son didn't share their pureblooded beliefs. Mr. and Mrs. Black were still his parents, though, so he tried his hardest to love them. There wasn't much to love, if you wanted to get technical about it.
"Oh, Sirius… Mum and Dad are furious," Regulus said, wide-eyed.
"About what?" Sirius asked, setting down his trunk. He had no desire whatsoever to see two people who didn't want to see him.
"You got sorted into Gryffindor!" Regulus told him as though it was completely obvious and that Sirius was a wander for not knowing.
"It's a wonderful House; all my friends are in it," Sirius replied, eyeing his mother and father, who were both holding their noses in the air. Because they're so much better than everyone else, the eleven year old thought sarcastically.
"Bella and Cissy owled home and said you made friends with two blood traitors! And a halfblood."
Sirius smiled gently. If only Regulus knew that the "halfblood" was technically a halfbreed.
"Reg, you're letting them brainwash you. Slytherins full of bloody idiots, if you ask me."
"Mum and Dad didn't ask you, Sirius. You better watch out. They even look mad!" Regulus glanced at his brother, a spitting image of himself, as though he thought the boy was going to crawl on his knees to his mother and beg forgiveness.
"Sirius, my mum wants to meet you!" Sirius turned around.
The boy yelling had unruly, raven hair and framed, hazel eyes. He was approaching the pair with a graying blonde woman. She had obviously passed her eyes down to James.
"So you must be the boy I've heard all about." Mrs. Potter smiled down at him. She was nice, Sirius decided quickly. "Where are your parents? I'd like to speak with them about you staying with us some over the summer."
Sirius grinned widely. Spend part of the summer at Potter Estate with James? That sounded amazing! He'd go anywhere, really, as long as he didn't have to spend months on end at 12 Grimmauld Place.
He frowned, though. He wasn't so sure his parents would let him go, but it was worth a shot. Leading his best friend and his best friend's mother to his parents, he silently prayed to Merlin that Reg was wrong and that they were in a wondrous mood.
"Hello, Mum, Dad," Sirius muttered. "This is James Potter and his mother."
"A pleasure to meet you," Mrs. Black, a woman with dark hair and beady eyes, said like a properly raised pureblood woman. "My name is Walburga Black. And you are?"
"Dorea Potter, Walburga. I was actually wondering if Sirius could stay with us some this summer. James has told me all about him; he seems like a wonderful child."
Sirius's eyes lit up at the prospect of being a wonderful child, something his parents had never made him feel like. Glancing up at Mrs. Potter, he noticed that she looked so happy. How could his parents say no?
"Oh, I don't know about that," Mr. Black stated. Mrs. Potter frowned but only slightly. "He'll have Regulus, Bellatrix, and Narcissa to play with at home."
"Besides." Mrs. Black paused and stuck up her nose. Sirius closed his eyes and prayed she wasn't about to say what he thought she was. "Why would we send him to a blood traitor's house?"
Mrs. Potter dropped her jaw. James glanced at Sirius and raised his eyebrows, almost as if to say you weren't kidding when you said they were arses.
"Walburga, please tell me I didn't hear you correctly!" Mrs. Potter said sternly. James and Sirius held their breath; they both knew neither side was going to let up anytime soon.
"I think you did." Mr. Black grinned slyly.
Mrs. Potter turned her attention to the man. "Oh, er - "
" - Orion."
" - Orion, yes… Well, I think you are being extremely unreasonable. Why should you care whether or not Sirius comes and stays with us? I'm sure he'd love to! Have you asked him? You're denying your child things he has rights to: fun, happiness, and apparently a proper home!"
At this point, the Blacks and Mrs. Potter were standing absurdly close to each other.
"Don't you dare tell me how to raise my son!" Mrs. Black yelled out, causing some people to stare. "Clearly you're the faulty parents! Telling your kid mudbloods are okay to associate with… Ha! The Dark Lord is rising, Dorea, and soon you shall see that."
Regulus, who had been standing and admiring the train, soon headed over when Mrs. Potter stepped back and gasped.
"What's going on?" he whispered to Sirius and James; both shhed him in return.
Orion Black looked at his wife, appalled; he knew she had gone too far. They weren't Death Eaters, but one can't go running their mouth about the Dark Lord!
Mrs. Potter turned to Sirius and wrapped him in a hug, causing his parents to flinch.
"Sirius Black, you're coming to stay with us if it's the last thing I do. Don't worry; everything will be fine."
"Thank you so much," he whispered gratefully, making Mrs. Black yelp in distress.
Mrs. Potter released Sirius just as two girls walked up. One had curly, black hair and an evil expression on her face; the other had pale hair and ice blue eyes that were cold and emotionless.
Twisting her raven hair, Bellatrix Black cooed, "Uncle, Auntie! Mummy and Daddy are ready to go."
"Of couse, Bella." Mrs. Black smiled at her perfect niece. Narcissa went over and grabbed Regulus and pulled him off with her and her sister.
"Get your trunk, Sirius. We're leaving," Mr. Black ordered.
Just like that, Sirius and his putrid family were off. James waved lightly, a gesture Sirius returned.
"Owl!" James mouthed, and Sirius gave him their signature hellion grin