Platform 9 ¾. The gateway to a world free of Blacks. Sirius was having trouble controlling his excitement, much to his mother's disapproval.
"Stand still. You are the heir to a long line of noble wizards, act like it."
"Yes, Mother." Sirius crossed his arms, forcing himself to stay still. Next to him, his younger brother Regulus smirked at him. Only nine years old, Regulus already held himself with great composure. This annoyed Sirius greatly.
The Hogwarts Express rolled into the platform, accompanied by a loud horn.
The platform seemed to explode with action. All the children that had been sitting around, bored, were now hurriedly saying their goodbyes to their families. Attendants helped a few of the smaller children load their bags. A light-haired boy a few feet away was crying and clutching his stuffed bear.
Orion Black, Sirius's father, instructed his house elf to take Sirius's bags onto the train, then turned to Sirius.
"Now, son, remember to be respectful, even to those who are beneath you. Respect will get you places, especially here."
"Yes, sir."
"It's fine if you don't make Slytherin, not every Black has, and Ravenclaw is a perfectly respectable house. But remember that you can ask the Sorting Hat to put you in Slytherin."
"Yes, sir." Sirius was barely paying attention anymore. His eye had been caught by a young dark-haired boy who was sitting on top of the train and posturing for all the girls.
"Be careful that you don't hurt our reputation. After the incident at your party, your mother was of a mind to-"
The boy on the roof was now standing and flexing his twigs of arms. An older woman with similarly dark hair screamed, "James!"
Her husband brandished his wand, "James Potter if you don't get down here this instant so help me you will not be going to Hogwarts!"
James made a face but climbed down.
Sirius laughed to himself.
His mistake.
"Sirius Orion, pay attention to your father!" His mother shrieked, somehow managing to still be quiet.
Sirius quickly looked back at his family, "Sorry, Father."
The train whistle blew. Five minutes before it would leave.
Mother was glaring at him, arms crossed. Father patted him on the shoulder.
"Have a good year, son."
"Thank you, Father."
Regulus glared at him, his impartial face masking the mixture of jealousy and fear that Sirius knew he was feeling. Sirius's leaving meant that Regulus was alone to deal with their mother's anger and their father's complacency. Regulus would no longer have someone to blame...or someone who actually cared about him."
Sirius frowned, "See you, Reg."
Regulus nodded, ever formal, "Sirius."
With one last glance in his little brother's direction, Sirius turned and walked to the train. It was only the dread of Regulus's fate that kept him from yelling with the joy of leaving.
He entered the train and started heading for the back, looking in each compartment. Halfway down the train, he saw his cousin Narcissa laughing with a blond boy. He quickly ducked out of sight before she could see him.
"Sirius?"
His second cousin, Andromeda, was coming down the corridor, holding a glass of water and the hand of a Hufflepuff boy.
Sirius stood up and stepped out of sight of Narcissa's compartment.
"Hey, Andromeda."
"I forgot it was your first year here," Andromeda let go of the boy's hand and attempted to subtly shove him away from her. He didn't move.
"Yeah...I thought you were dating a Slytherin. Yaxley, was it?"
"I-I am."
Sirius shrugged, "Doesn't look like it, but okay." He started to walk past her, but she grabbed his arm.
"Please, Sirius, you can't tell anyone about this. You know how our family would react."
Sirius was surprised by the fear in her eyes, but he nodded, "You know I won't tell. But if you're trying to keep it a secret, you'll have to do better than this."
Andromeda let go of him, "Thank you. You're a good kid, Sirius."
As he walked away, he heard her add to her boyfriend, "If they manage to ruin him too, I swear I'll kill every one of them."
A few compartments down, he saw the boy that had stood on top of the train-James, sitting with a crying girl and a grumpy looking boy.
He opened the compartment door and James looked up, looking excited.
"Hey." he greeted.
Sirius flopped down onto the seat across from him, "Everywhere else's full. Name's Sirius."
"James. James Potter."
"I saw that stunt you pulled out there. Pretty gutsy."
He laughed, "That's not what my parents thought, but thanks."
Sirius laughed, and the conversation lapsed into silence.
The sad pair in the corner were deep in conversation about...petunias?
Sirius leaned forward to listen closer, but James interrupted.
"What house do you think you'll be in?"
Sirius shrugged, "Who knows?"
"Well I know where I'll be," James grinned and stood up, raising his hand like he was holding a sword, "Gryffindor, where dwell the brave of heart! Like my dad."
The boy in the corner made a derisive noise.
James turned, suddenly defensive, "Got a problem with that?"
"No," the boy's voice was too cold for his age, "As long as you prefer brawn over brain."
Sirius stood up, "You wouldn't know much about either, now would you, you sniveling coward?"
The boy started to draw his wand, but his girlfriend pulled him back, "Let's go, Severus." Her voice was stern, and as she marched him out, she glared over her shoulder at Sirius and James.
"See ya around...Snivellus!" James called after him.
Sirius snorted, "Snivellus?"
"Did you see his nose, all long and sniveling?"
The boys exploded into laughter, clutching their sides and rolling on the floor.
"Would you two mind quieting down?"
Sirius looked up at the door. His vision was blurred with tears of laughter, but what he saw sent him into the rages of male puberty.
The girls standing in the door was absolutely breathtaking. Her dyed brown hair hung loosely to her shoulders, her dark eyes scanned the room. She was already wearing her school robes, plus the extra flair of a dark purple scarf wrapped around her neck. She was holding a roll of parchment, and curled around her feet was a pure black cat.
James noticed that Sirius had stopped laughing and looked up.
"Oh, hi, didn't see you there, Allie."
Allie rolled her eyes, "I'm not surprised. Now, will you please quiet down. I know it's your first year and you're excited, but Heather is trying to help another first year through their nerves, and you two are not helping."
James waved her off, "They'll be fine."
"James," her voice lowered, her eyes shooting daggers at the boy, "If you don't quiet down I will tell your mother."
James just laughed, "Whatever you say, Al."
"You are going to be the death of me," Allie sighed dramatically, then turned and left, leaving her cat behind.
The cat lazily stood up, not even bothering to open its eyes, and, tail dragging, followed her.
"Who was that?" Sirius asked.
"A family friend," James closed the compartment door, "She's a second year, and thinks she's so much better than me because of it. Though," James paused, considering, "Then again, she's always thought she was better than me."
"Is she...single?" Sirius tried to say it casually, as if he didn't really care, but it didn't come out right.
James laughed, "That depends on who you ask."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see."
"Oh come on, man. You've got to give me more than that!"
James smirked, "Oh look, the train's stopping."
As they climbed off of the train, Sirius saw Allie and a Hufflepuff girl escorting the boy with the stuffed bear over to the first year group.