Chapter One
The Train Station
There was a sense of urgency in the air as Parents and students alike rushed across the platform. The familiar sounds of screeching owls, goodbye sobs and the train whistle echoed off brick walls. Trunks carrying everything from wands to wizard robes and even a few dung bombs, which particularly naughty students had successfully snuck by their parents, clattered against the stone platform. When the whistle sounded again children were given last minute advice from their fathers while mothers snuck sweets into their grubby paws just before kissing them on the cheek. "Honestly, you baby him," one father shot a disapproving look to his wife who had yet to release their son. The mother sniffled and drew back, only to have a relapse of stifled sobs that she attempted to cover with thick wooly gloves.
"She means well she really does," The father quickly stepped in front of his wife and knelt before their blushing son. "Now," he began while ruffling the boys' hair and flashing a smile "I don't want any letters saying you've blown up a toilet or set the grounds on fire" he said rather sternly.
His son however giggled and paid no attention to the fact that his father continued to lower his brows and grasped his son's hand tightly. "I mean it this time. You're not a little boy anymore James. You're mother and I—" A particularly loud sob escaped from the woman behind them as she removed her glasses and attempted to brush away the stream of tears with the gray, fluffy finger of her glove. Both father and son gazed up at her through hazel eyes as though she had interrupted an important business meeting between associates. The boy blushed a deep, ruby red and attempted to shuffle as far away from his blubbering mother as humanly possible.
"Oh I'm sorry James!" The woman's plump face swooped down to level with his and caught her sons body in mid shuffle; causing the duo to almost fall over. "But you're father does have a point you know" she said while readjusting her square specks and proceeding untangle her boy's hair with her fingers "we're counting on you to be a big boy now. No more nonsense, Hogwarts won't put up with it."
By now the boy's father had stood up as his wife had replaced him before their son. He softly pressed a hand on her shoulder before gently lifting her off the stone floor. "It's time for him to go dear. We won't want him to be late. Besides, he'll be back for Christmas" the father smiled a half grin, drew his wife into a hug and gazed lovingly down onto his son as the mother continued to cry into his shoulder.
Keen, grey eyes looked longingly at the family who, despite such emotional differences between mother, father and son, displayed more love and affection for one another than Sirius Black had ever been shown in his youth. He thoughtfully continued to gaze in their direction and maintained the same pensive expression that he had displayed since the first sob of the mother had echoed in his direction. Lost in his thoughts, Sirius nearly fell off balance when an unexpected slap to the back of his head brought him back to the present and out of his daydream. "I bloody told you not to separate yourself" a harsh voice hissed as Sirius instinctively clutched the back of his head and wheeled around. Before him stood a tall, blond teenager who crossed his arms and wore an annoyed expression on his face. This expression of course was a familiar one. Sirius had seen the boy wear it many a time when he and his parents had been invited to dinner at the Malfoy household (the boy probably wore it more often than he wore underwear for God sake). "Did you hear me?" Lucius imitated banging his fist on Sirius' head. Without an answer he grabbed the boys' robes and dragged him toward the train. "Me mum made me promise that I'd get you on the train" he shoved Sirius violently onto the steps. "After that" Sirius barely caught his own trunk that Lucius carelessly threw up at him "you're somebody else's problem."
Sending Lucius to 'govern' him onto the train was actually one of the more responsible things his parents had ever done for the young Sirius, whose life had generally been filled wandering alone in the ancient house of Black while his parents attended only the finest banquets and parties. He hadn't minded this of course. When his parent's were home they were always fighting, always complaining about the ministry or gossiping about other pureblood families. He liked it better when they were away and he could explore the never ending, though often dismal, corridors by himself.
Consequently it was not a surprise to Sirius when a Hogwarts express ticket was shoved into his hand and he dropped off near the muggle train station alone. His parent's were much too busy to look after such an awkward boy, who instead of playing with other pureblood children preferred wandering their house alone. He never had fit in with their kind of people, the right kind of people. So the Black's had relied upon their friends the Malfoy's, whose son Lucius was an upperclassman, to make sure Sirius successfully reached the train without dirtying his robe, or worse the family name.
Lucius then made a point of pushing Sirius flat against the wall as he pressed his way towards the trains' hallway. A group of girls giggled as they walked past and Lucius leaned against one of the compartments, blocking Sirius. Flicking back a stand of white blond hair which grazed his face, Lucius flashed a half smile; causing a round of suppressed giggling that the group tried to conceal. As they passed a particularly beautiful older year girl with long, luxurious, blond hair migrated from the flock and took dainty steps toward Lucius. "Haven't seen you in weeks" she made a point of looking innocently at him before the two leaned forward and embraced. When their lips unlocked her piercing blue eyes landed upon Sirius, who was clutching his trunk and trapped behind the older Lucius. She stuck her nose up at him and said "it's impolite to stare Sirius."
This young lady was in fact related to Sirius. Narcissa Black was one of the three Black sisters who happened to be his cousins. Narcissa had felt ill remorse towards Sirius ever since her tenth birthday when he had slid a spider onto her silver platter during dinner. Of course you couldn't blame Narcissa for holding a grudge. She hadn't noticed its presence until the spider, who had found its way onto her spoon, landed its furry legs onto her thin lips. Sirius himself has found it a harmless prank. The rest of the Black family saw it as a crime punishable by a stay in Azkaban. Thus was the beginning of the separation of Sirius from the rest of his family.
Suddenly, the train jerked forward and students scurried off to find their friends in the crowded compartments. Through the screams of 'goodbyes and I-love-you's' coming from both the outside and interior booths, Sirius heard his supercilious cousin whisper "Come on Luci," as she grasped his hand, "my friends are holding a compartment for us." Before the two vanished Lucius turned just enough for Sirius to see his face in profile and mouthed the words "don't follow" as though Sirius were a lost puppy.
Authors Corner:
If anyone is wondering why the Black family would send Lucius to govern Sirius as opposed to his own cousin Narcissa (or even Bellatrix), my reasoning is that it is the 1970s. During this time period and before, women were not thought of as being very strong, capable leaders. Therefore I highly doubt the Black family, who follow the trends religiously, would allow a woman to take charge over a young boy (even if he's her own cousin). Anyway, please R & R and tell me what you think!