Okay. There is a distinct possibility that this fic will crash and burn, but give it a chance, will you?

I'm not very good at writing long chapters, so don't think badly of me if they aren't very long. Please comment, I really need to know if this is worth continuing. Unlike my Twilight fic, I actually have a plan for this one, so, so far so good. It's Remus/Sirius, so if you don't like it, don't complain to me, you've been warned.

Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling. In case you didn't know. :P

Enjoy...?

Xx

Chapter 1

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School was a ten minute drive from town. It was the start of a new year, and students were swarming around the building like insects around a hive. The school itself was vast, buildings sprawling across the extensive grounds. The main school building was once an old house, the classrooms now only holding distant memories of living rooms and bedrooms for the children of the household. Inside there was a huge stairwell, with a staircase that twisted its way through the building, the railings ornate and not really suited to the wear and tear of school life. The classrooms were neat in a disorganised sort of way, rows of battered, graffiti-covered desks, each one unique. Small displays of art by the younger children were hung on the walls, and it smelt like a school should, full of books, with a distinct aftertaste that reminded one that this was definitely once a home. It was easy imagining one lived there. The exterior was neat and homely, with marble steps leading up to an impressive front door, marble columns on either side. The windows were arranged neatly, five per floor and three floors, and there was ivy growing up one side of the building, the dark green of the leaves contrasting nicely with the white of the exterior walls.

All this might have meant something significant or special to some people, but not to Sirius Black. To Sirius Black, the appearance of the school meant one word.

Conformity.

Sirius Black could do a lot of things but one thing he couldn't do was conform. In his eyes, there was something rather disturbing about a mass of students, all dressed the same way, looking more or less the same. All around him were uniformed children of varying ages, from eleven to tall eighteen year olds in suits. Sirius scowled at all of them. He turned back to his mother. "You don't really expect me to stay here, can you?"

His mother, Walburga Black, a tall and skinny woman with dark hair and darker eyes, scowled down at him. He was almost as tall as she was, but she still managed to look down at him. "Your father has paid a lot of money for you to attend this school. You're staying, whether you like it or not. I want you to be on your best behaviour. You have the name of the Black family to uphold." Sirius rolled his eyes. Choosing to ignore his mother, he turned to his eleven year old brother, Regulus.

Regulus was almost a double of Sirius, if a bit shorter. He too had glossy dark hair that fell in waves to his shoulders. He had Sirius' pale grey eyes, straight nose and full lips. He had all the beautiful aristocratic features of a Black. "I'll miss you, Sirius." Regulus had said. He wanted to give him a hug, like he did at home, but decided against it upon seeing the masses of students milling about. One or two had stopped to look at this new student, this handsome boy, instantly recognisable as the son and heir to the CEO of one of the country's major businesses.

"I'll miss you too, Reg. But don't get too lonely, yeah? I'll be home at four!" Sirius laughed, wondering if he was so clingy when he had been eleven. Regulus laughed too, but he didn't seem as happy. "Bye Reg." Sirius' smile faded as he turned back to his mother. "Goodbye Mother." He nodded once and left.

He hesitantly entered the huge wooden front door, making sure not to bump into anyone. Just as he was wondering where to go, he noticed a group of children around his age and followed them. He saw a flustered woman directing children in different directions. Sirius started to make his way over to her but in doing so he bumped into a girl with auburn hair. She turned to him with chocolaty brown eyes.

"Oh, sorry." Sirius said.

"It's fine." The girl replied, and moved on.

Sirius reached the woman and was directed down a corridor, up a flight of stairs, along another corridor and into the third door on the right. He entered a classroom where about seventeen other children were engaged in animated conversations. Sirius was a bit wary of so many boisterous children, at home he had always been told it was only proper to be calm and dignified at all times. Sirius put his bag down on an empty desk, and noticed that across the aisle there was a boy sat on a desk, watching him.

"Hi." Sirius said. "I'm Sirius." He nearly stuck his hand out for the boy to shake it, but decided against it.

The boy grinned. "I'm Matthew. Matthew Lupin." The boy was skinny, and taller than Sirius. He had golden hair that was surprisingly nicely styled, if the hairstyles of their other classmates were anything to go by. His eyes were an invitingly clear blue, the colour of a summer sky. "Do you want to sit here?" He offered, gesturing to the empty desk beside him. "'S better than sitting on your own."

Sirius smiled appreciatively and shifted his hefty bag to the vacant desk. "So you've been here since year 7?" Sirius asked, if only to make small talk.

Matthew nodded. "Yeah. It's not so bad here, really. The possibilities for pranks are endless." Sirius grinned, feeling he'd get on well with this boy. "Which school did you go to before this one?"

"Oh...I was...I was homeschooled." Sirius looked away, waiting for the laughter and the jeering.

"Really? What's that like?"

Sirius looked at him in astonishment. "It's rubbish. You'd think it would be better because, well, you're at home, but Mother was always hovering around making sure I paid attention." He scowled, but he smirked when he saw that Matthew was laughing. He was positive Matthew wouldn't like him, once he learnt he'd been homeschooled. Only weirdos and reclusive loners did that, didn't they? That was Sirius' opinion on the matter, anyway.

...

It was Sirius' first lunchtime at his new school. He was sat with Matthew, the only person he had really talked to, but he wasn't bothered. Matthew was a great person to be with, he had a wonderful wit and a charming smile. Many of the girls in their class were already wandering inconspicuously closer to him.

"So. Opinions on this place." Matthew said, twirling his fork in his plate of spaghetti.

Sirius shrugged. "It's a bit..." He looked around. "Uniform." Matthew sniggered, and went back to eating. Sirius was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable in his uniform, scratchy black trousers, stiff white shirt and a tie that was too fiddly for Sirius' liking. His blazer was too heavy and too thick in the early September sun.

It was still warm, memories of summer lingering, the sky still blue and the air still warm. "I wonder what Reg is doing."

Matthew looked up. "Who?" He asked, mouth full of spaghetti.

"My brother." Sirius said. "He's eleven. His school doesn't start 'til next week. Have you got a brother or sister?"

Matthew was about to answer when the girl with auburn hair that Sirius had bumped into walked past. Sirius watched her go, and she noticed. She smiled pleasantly. Sirius looked at Matthew. "Sorry...you were saying something?"

Matthew looked at him in an endearing sort of way, and than burst out laughing.