Disclaimer: I own no recognisable characters. That genius belongs to J.K. Rowling who proved that one little idea can get you a long way from where you had thought you were destined to be. It is on this thought that I base Sirius' life.
I had always known that when I went to Hogwarts I would have the time of my life, with the added bonus of getting away from the hideous house and its inhabitants. As usual, I was right. My first day was the best of my life. Well, one of them anyway. Your father's seventeenth birthday was pretty good, as was his bachelor party. I doubt I should really go into too much detail until you at least turn three I guess. Unless you'd like to argue Harry. No? Ah well, you're missing out- they really are great stories.
Getting back on track, on my first day I met my three best friends, my first enemy and finally got away from Regulus.
My mother has always been evil. I had wondered if she was the devil's daughter, before I realised she was too evil even for him. Dad was okay, I hardly saw him, but I was always stuck with the Queen of Darkness and until that day I had to deal with mummy's boy too. On the platform on September she gave me three simple rules that I had to follow so that she would not die of embarrassment and shame of me.
1. Stay away from any trash (aka. anyone who is not from a pureblood line or Slytherin) unless I was planning to curse/torture/ tease/kill them.
2. Make sure I got into Slytherin.
3. Never let a mudblood get him/herself above you in any way.
Don't worry Harry- it wasn't just me who was given these instructions. They were given to every little child who lived in an evil, evil family everyday for at least year before they were to get sorted. I think I was the first child who disagreed with these rules. I've always thought that nature beats nurture and I sure as hell got swapped with a Potter at birth. I mean James and I acted the same… wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
"Now, do not disappoint me again brat." Brat was my 'pet' name. I sighed. I hated my mother, I've forgotten if I already said that.
"I'll try not to." I replied wryly. It was better to let her think she had you, even if she didn't. It really would have been much more difficult to escape her claws and reach the train if I expressed my opinions.
"Arcturus will make sure you behave once you have gotten sorted. Sit next to him." It was about here when I decided I really don't want to be sorted into Slytherin, but I thought my stupid family would have told the head master that I must. I mean who else puts us in our houses? Artie (who hated it when I called him by his nickname- much to muggle for his liking) said we get bitten by a giant snake and then our blood will turn our house colours, but his blood was bright red. He punched me when I told him that. Regulus had grinned up at our cousin (a few times removed) and believed him when the bully said that he had green blood.
"Now brat, stay away from the trash, especially those good-for-nothing Gryffindors. Even you'll spot them a mile off." I nodded and she pushed me off in the direction of the train. The porters took my bag and I stepped up, dragging myself up onto the carriage.
Suddenly someone pushed me against the cabin door. I opened my eyes and saw my cousin looking particularly vicious.
"Okay brat, I know mother told you to hang with me but I have my own rules. One, do not talk to me. Two, do not ask me for anything and three, don't rat to either of our mothers about anything. Well good luck trying to find someone who can actually stand your presence without being payed." And with that he let me drop to the ground as he walked off to find some of his Slytherin mates. I wandered down the train, and looked in the carriages. The entire population of the train seemed to consist of older kids and girls. I didn't really know how to communicate with girls yet (that memory surprises me too Harry), and I thought that all boys older than me were as evil as my brother and cousins. I had known no other kids than them, and that sort of screwed up my mind.
Suddenly I spied a boy who was looking into one of the windows of the doors. I stood behind him and saw that he was staring at a girl with dark brown eyes and platinum blonde hair.
"Are you going in or what? I need to get around." I said. He jumped and looked at me.
"Oh, sorry. Hey, can I ask you something?" He said his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Out of all those girls, what one would you pick?" I leaned over and looked in the window. Realising it was probably a question of attraction or the likes; I didn't think I should choose the one that he had been so obviously staring at, so I looked at the rest of them. My eyes wandered to a girl with dark blonde hair and blue eyes.
"That one." I said. I must have said it a bit too loudly as all of the girls in the cabin turned and looked at me. I span around to look at the other boy in horror but I couldn't see him. I ran down the train and hid the next empty cabin I could find. Or at least I thought it was empty. I heard someone laughing and saw the boy, folded over as he tried to catch his breath in the corner.
"You should have seen your face!" He choked out through laughed. He held out his hand. "I'm James Potter." I knew what to do, and was amazed that this boy was actually being friendly to me. I grinned and clasped his hand.
"Sirius Black." My face fell when I realised I shouldn't have told him my last name. He probably knew my family and how extremely evil they were.
"Good to meet you." He replied, a little too formal but I suppose that's how you behave when you meet someone new at that age. Or really any age I suppose, eh Harry?
Before we could fall into any awkward silences that could destroy our friendship before it even began (and therefore ridding me a way of escaping my family), a red-haired angel flew into the carriage and, ignoring us simply sat as far away from the door as possible, hunched over as she pressed her face against the window pane. If your dad had been a bit older and I had taught him the art of charm (natural talent on my part, thank you very much), he would have asked the girl what was wrong. Every woman – even your lovely mother, my dear Harry – wants to express her feelings. Even at the age of eleven. Don't worry, I'll teach you all of this when you hit Hogwarts age.
But he didn't. Instead he laughed a little bit too cruelly for his future wife's liking and asked "What's the matter?" in a condescending tone. I hit his shoulder before he could continue that question with a rude remark about her mother or her dolly that she left home. I may not have been around kids very much at that age, but I knew every insult there was- my older cousins delighted in teasing me, as did my mother. I had even managed to get a few in on Regulus when our parents weren't watching before he went running off to her.
"What?" He hissed.
"Just leave her alone." I insisted, and knowing that it would probably make him leave her alone, I continued with, "you don't want any more little girls tears do you?" A little immature, yes. But Harry, what other way is there to talk to eleven year old boys when you yourself are an eleven year old boy? Also, and don't tell your father this, but I was a little frightened of your father at this stage. Well pretty much all people but this James Potter just seemed so confident.
"I s'pose." He yawned, and kicked off his shoes as he made a pillow with his interlocked fingers. "So, who else do you know here?"
"No one really, I mean I have a few cousins but my brother isn't due to start for another two years." I told him, hoping to god that I didn't start talking about my family.
And thankfully I didn't. For a good eight minutes we just chatted about whatever came to mind and we must have been fairly passionate about our discussion because I can't remember Snape coming through that door. But the snake did end up slithering through, and it was only the mention of a word that has been spoken like an idol amongst my family that caught my attention.
"You'd better be in Slytherin." He told your mother, and strangely enough she brightened at that. I haven't really discussed Snape with Lily all that much, since every time I do it brings out the worst in James, but there was something between them that day Harry. I'm sure one day you'll be able to ask for me, but I don't think you can while your father is in the room.
"Slytherin?" James asked, astonished that someone would even suggest belonging to the house. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He asked me and I gritted my teeth and told him the truth in the most casual way possible.
"My whole family have been in Slytherin." I replied, and realised my voice was darker than usual.
"Blimey." The little bugger replied. "And I thought you seemed alright!"
Now Harry, there was no way I was letting anyone think I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my stuck-up, evil, bloodthirsty family. But still, there was a compliment there. James thought I was alright. Well he was an alright bloke at the time too I guess, so I couldn't help but grin. Silly really, the thoughts running through an eleven-year-old's mind, isn't it Harry?
"Maybe I'll break the tradition?" I suggested jokingly. But where Harry, was I going to head. Well at first I thought Gryffindor just to spite my mother but what if they were just as bad? Just because one evil thing hates something doesn't mean it is pure good, remember that Harry. But still, it may have been good. I'd just have to find out, and James seemed the perfect person to tell me. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"
James jumped up and lifted an invisible sword.
"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart." I guessed he was reciting something. "Like my dad." He explained and I guessed that Mr. Potter was a pretty good guy too.
The boy who suggested Slytherin as the place to be made a little noise of bitter humour, his greasy wet hair swinging slightly.
"Got a problem with that?" James demanded off the slimy boy. I hope to god that you never meet this man Harry. He's a bigger git than he was back then and just as wingy when he gets what he deserves too.
"No." Snape told him with that stupid little stuck up sneer. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy."
"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" I asked him, and couldn't help but to restrain a grin as James roared with laughter.
"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment." Your lovely mother told the snake, seeing as she didn't know him that well then. She'd learn of course, don't worry about that Harry. You won't have to listen to any of Snape's crappy stories or call him Uncle Serv. Not that James would allow it anyway. He and I saw Snivellus for what he was straight away. We'd just take a while to really appreciate your mother- your father though would soon fall head over heels. But I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?
"See ya, Snivellus!" James called and it was a nickname that the greasy git would soon to answer to, even if he didn't want to. What can I say Harry? It suited him.
"Black hey?" James asked after they had left. "I've heard of your family. Mum and Dad mentioned them once or twice. You don't seem that bad though. Are your family really as bad as people say?" He asked. I decided that this was an opportunity to show someone how I really felt about my family.
"Yes. It's hell living with them. Regulus is the little prince of the family, mum and dad love him. But he's really a little snake. He brags to me all the time about how he beats up all the mudbloods and stuff, though I doubt he's ever met one, let alone been brave enough to use fists. Mother's always trying to stuff into my brain how mudbloods are just trash along with all those who support them. Apparently there are very few purebloods left and many of them are just traitors to their kind. I'm not allowed to hang out with them."
"Well then you'd better go before someone who knows your sees you here with me." James said, jokingly. I laughed.
"Yeah right. I mean, I know you're decent. Not like my stupid family. Arcturus can't do anything to me without tarnishing his image and I have to wait a whole year until I have to see my parents again. They might even change their minds by then." I didn't believe a word I said about my family. Arcturus would defiantly beat me up, there would be no way mother would change her mind, and so in other words, I was pretty much screwed. But I had a friend. We talked until the lunch cart came along and James ordered so much food I couldn't believe it. And we ate it all- we were growing boys. Well, boys at any rate. I'm sure we could both eat like pigs- your dad is lucky that Lily puts up with him and his constant grazing. We changed into our robes and waited for the train to pull up into the station.
"So do you play Quidditch?" James asked.
"Nah, I'm convinced brooms hate me." I said thinking of the memories of cousins chasing me down while I was trying to learn how to fly on Regulus's requests.
"I love it." And Harry, I'm sure you will. If not James will somehow put some parental pressure towards you becoming the next best seeker. Don't worry too much about it though- it's in your blood. Tell you what, I'll buy you your first broom. You're first birthday is coming up, isn't it? Well then, back to the story I suppose.
"What position do you play?" I asked, intrigued.
"Seeker. Hardest position there is, but I do my best." James replied not-so-modestly and leant back, and putting his arms behind his head in a makeshift pillow. Our door opened and the greasy haired boy stood at the door. "Well? Whadaya want?" James asked.
"Can I come and- wait, you're a Potter." He said. I didn't know how he could tell, or why he couldn't tell when he was in here last time.
"Yeah? What of it? My mate here is a Black, are ya going to stare at him as well?"
"A Black? If you're a Black then how come you're hanging out with trash like this?" He asked, dumbfounded.
"Because he's not trash. Now get out you greasy git." I said and James pushed him out the door. We looked at each other and laughed.
"Hey I recon he's that Snape. I heard some fourth years talking about how there was a Snape coming to Hogwarts. They called him a pale skinned, greasy haired, idiot." James said.
"Yeah, probably. He's not too keen on you, eh?"
"Yeah well I wouldn't care. Idiot. 'You're a Potter!'" James mimicked him and laughed. Out of the corner of my eye I suddenly caught sight of the castle I'd been waiting to see.
"Hey look!" I cried. James looked out the window and stared. I looked at the castle and decided my new life was going to take place there.
Well Harry, you've yawned three times now through my story and I'm guessing it's not because it's completely boring you? No, I thought not. Time to go to bed now little man- don't cry, I'll continue another night. I'm sure your mother and father won't mind if I intrude on their hospitality again anytime soon. Even if they do, I'll keep telling you the story anyway. Maybe I'll even get Moony to give a few chapters?
Night Harry.