I own nothing of the Harry Potter world. This is an overview of Sirius and what his life must have been like during his childhood and a little after he left school.
I must have been switched at birth
I must have been switched at birth. That has to be the only explanation why I am a part of this family. The healers at St. Mungo's had made a mistake and put him with the wrong wizard family! These thoughts ran through Sirius' head as he had to sit through another interminable family dinner with the entire Black clan.
The dark haired, fair skin boy who looked so much like his father that it was impossible to believe that he belonged anywhere but the Black family, was sulking at the dinner table, at the celebration meant for him and his acceptance at Hogwarts. The elderly matriarch of the family, his grandmother was at the moment intoning the family with the nobilities of the House of Slytherin and of the Black family's honour in it.
Since Sirius had received that first letter saying he was accepted into Hogwarts ( not that it was unexpected), he had been bombarded with stories of this uncle and that aunt, and his great great grand uncle and his even greater than great, second cousin on his mothers side. The common link between all of these relatives was that they were all regal and time honoured members of the House of Salazar Slytherin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Sirius was becoming resigned to the fact that he would have to follow in his family's footsteps and become another 'great' Slytherin. But he didn't want to. That was the bottom line. No matter what Great Grand Uncle Roger did, Sirius was as intent not to get into Slytherin as his family was intent on him getting into Slytherin.
Aside from the forgone conclusion that his family expected that he would be in Slytherin, he was also repeatedly being reminded of his pure blood status and the responsibilities that it carried. He was constantly being reminded that to befriend anyone who was not pure blood was a disgrace of the Black family name. It was his responsibility to continue the tradition and honour of the family. For any eleven year old boy, this may have been too much, but for Sirius, who had grown up with these doctrines, it was the norm.
Bidding goodnight to the family at the end of dinner was a salvation for Sirius. He indicated that he had last minute preparations to see to before he left tomorrow for Hogwarts. With anticipation and dread in his heart, Sirius proceeded up the staircase to his room. On the landing he saw his brother Regulus sitting there eager it seemed for some of the attention that Sirius had been receiving since July. Pausing for a minute he studied his brother and a chill went up his spine at something in Regulus's eyes.
Sirius went into his room. Checking to ensure that his belongings were packed for his school year ahead, he dressed for bed. Laying there, looking up at the ceiling of his room, Sirius felt as though he was on the threshold of great adventures and wondered what lay ahead for him at Hogwarts.
The train was teeming with students. Some looked a little dazed at everything around them, first years like himself; Sirius thought and some were avidly talking with friends and recounting their holidays. Looking for a free compartment in which to settle for the ride, Sirius came upon another boy of around eleven sitting by himself in the compartment. Deciding to join this boy who had black unruly hair and who wore spectacles, would turn out to be a most significant decision.
Sirius introduced himself to the young boy, whose named turned out to be James, and both soon became engrossed in a discussion about England's chances next year in the Quidditch World Cup. Both boys sadly agreed that the chances of a victory were slim for the team. During this conversation, Sirius realized that being a Black didn't seem to be important. What lay ahead for him at Hogwarts would be an adventure of his own making, and the noose of his family's suppression need not play a significant role in what he would turn out to be.
The Sorting
Walking into the Great Hall was an experience that no one could have prepared him for. Staring in wonderment, at the enchanted ceiling, at the four House tables, at the head table which held all the teachers was amazing. Sirius tried looking everywhere at once. He noticed the Ghosts as they floated through the tables, he noticed two professors excitedly discussing a topic, and finally his eyes fell on a tall stool, where sat the Sorting Hat. This moment in time would determine his destiny Sirius thought, for he knew what the Hat's purpose was for. Soon the seam of the Hat opened and it began its song, followed by the actual Sorting. As his name was called to place the Hat on his head, the Hat that was to determine his destiny, he made a defiant choice.
Slowly the Sorting Hat was lowered and a voice in his head, that came from this hat began its taunt. Another Black, I see, cunning and pure, the Hat said. Tradition must be upheld, but wait, what is this I hear, a choice? A request from A Black?
Anything but Slytherin? But why? The hat continued its dialogue that none but Sirius could hear. So be it then, greatness awaits you in "GRIFFINDOR". The last world erupted from the Hat, and a smiling and vastly pleased Sirius, headed not for the snake but for the lion, and took the first step of distancing himself from his legacy.
Although it had been six years since he had started at Hogwarts, Sirius still felt stifled in his home. His life here had been anything but perfect. Since that first day at Hogwarts when he had unexpectedly broke family tradition by not becoming a Slytherin, it seemed as though he could never do anything right, for his family. He was probably the only student at school who actually dreaded going home for summer holidays. His parents treated him like an unwanted guess, because he had refused to conform to their ideologies and beliefs. The only place he felt treasured was when he was at school, roaming around with the Mauraders.
The worse it had ever been for Sirius however, was the summer home after Regulus had completed his first year. He was the perfect son that pleased his parents, who did everything right. Down to that idiot house-elf seemed to hang on to his every word. He believed in the Black family name and heritage and most importantly he was sorted into Slytherin. And though Sirius had oftentimes proclaimed that he was unaffected by the lackluster treatment that he had received from his parents, he was just like any teenager, holding out a little bit of his heart for the love and attention of his parents. He still wished deep down, that his parents were as proud of him as they were fore Regulus.
The deepest root of his parents disdain for him, stemmed from his House. Unlike the Blacks before him, Sirius had been sorted not into Slytherin but into Gryffindor. In order to irk his parents even more, and maybe just to show how different he was, his room was decorated in vast contrast from the rest of the house. The Gryffindor colours adorned his walls, together with many other memorabilia that Sirius had gathered throughout his years at school that showed his uniqueness from his family.
This summer it seemed to Sirius, that the contempt held for him by his parents and most prominently by his mother, was somehow worse. His mother found fault with his every movement, with his every word, his every breath it seemed. Sirius was slowly suffocating under the intense dislike thrown at him. And as much as he was distanced from his family, the closer into the folds, Regulus seemed to be drawn. However, Sirius breaking point, came at the end of July.
It was during one of the interminable dinners that his parents were always having at the "noble house of Black". As usual, Sirius was ridiculed throughout by various members of his family, because of his differences from the rest of the clan. What however, made this evening different, was a conversation, that Sirius overheard his cousin Belatrix having. She was, conversing on the un-wizardness behavior being displayed by a pureblood family, who had been showing sympathy and empathy to muggle-born wizards.
Slinking into the room unnoticed, Sirius soon discerned that the particular wizard family, being discussed in not entirely pleasant terms was the family of his best friend, James Potter. Enough was enough for Sirius at this point and enraged, by the accusation being cast on what he considered true pureblood, Sirius launched into a verbal attack that held nothing back. At last, years of pent up emotion, against this family came rushing out of him in a wave of insulting and freeing denunciation to the family. Seeing the incredulous looks cast at him by his parents and family, Sirius fully realized that this was not his home and possibly never was. Before his mother could summon the coherent thought of throwing him out, Sirius looked at them all, his mother, his father, his brother, varying aunts, uncles and cousins, and stated his resolve to leave.
Leaving them all in the parlour, Sirius up to his room and gathered all his belongs that he could carry, and proceeded down the stairs of the dank and gloomy house. Amazingly it seemed to Sirius, that he felt nothing to be leaving the house he grew in, and his one thought was to go to his real family, and where he felt was truly his home, where his brother, not by blood, but his brother nonetheless was. Home is where the heart is and his heart was definitely not here, never was and certainly never will be. Without a look back, Sirius went out the door into the dark night, alone but unbelievably cleansed.
How hard can it be? Sirius said to himself as he stared down at the green, inquiring eyes of his godson. Lily and James deserved a night out, and Sirius had gallantly, he thought volunteered to baby-sit young Harry. He had no idea, what havoc he was in for.
After, assuring Lily for the millionth time, that he was fine dealing with one infant for a few hours, he finally got the couple out the door. That's when it all began to go downhill for him. No sooner had Lily and James kissed Harry goodbye and they were out the door, did the most deafening wail erupted from the toddler. Dumfounded by the sudden change in the baby, who only moments before had been happily cooing in his mother's arms, Sirius immediately bent to pick him up. But the crying did not stop. It seemed that no amount of swaying and rocking and shushing seemed to be working. In fact to Sirius, the crying seemed to be getting louder, or maybe he was just losing his hearing from the constant wails that Harry seemed to have directed into his eardrums.
Looking around the living room, which was littered with toys, Sirius desperately looked for something, anything really that would have calmed the crying child down. He then saw the tiny, toy broom that lay next to the couch. Holding on to the child, Sirius hurried over and put Harry on the floor and held up the broom waving it a little in from of the crying child. Harry stared at the broom and a watery smile appeared out of the cloud of despair on his face. Relieved, Sirius helped Harry, onto the broom so that the little boy can play. That was his first mistake of the night. Tentatively at first, Harry hovered on the spot. Sensing a calm in the storm, Sirius lay back on the couch, thinking to himself, problem solved, crisis averted.
Suddenly, he heard a crash that startled him. Bolting upright, he saw to his horror, Harry zooming around the room quickly on the little toy broom. The crash that had startled him had come from a vase that fell when Harry knocked a table over. Sirius immediately rose and attempted to catch his godson, who sensing a new game, began a complicated series of dives and maneuvering over, behind and under the various pieces of furniture in the room. Sirius stumbled behind Harry and the toddler, who showed superior skill on even the toy broom, raced just out of his reach. Harry was having the time of his life outwitting his godfather and was full of glee at the game. Sirius on the other hand, was quickly becoming tired and out of breath chasing the small child.
After a while, both godson and godfather grew too tried of the game, and Harry it seemed allowed his godfather to catch him. Looking at the happy child now in his arms, Sirius decided it was time to put some nourishment into the child and then put him to bed for the night. Harry it seemed had other thoughts. In the kitchen, Sirius found a jar that seemed to contain some sort of fruit mixture from the smell of it. In Lily's neat handwriting on the front of the jar, Sirius saw the word apple and assumed that the mixture was meant for Harry. Setting the child on a high chair at the kitchen table, Sirius poured the substance into a plastic bow, which be placed on the high chair's stand. He turned his back to find a spoon, and immediately realized his second mistake of the night.
The realization came when he felt a splat on the back of his head in his hair. Reaching his hand to his head and turning around simultaneously, Sirius realized that the gooey mixture adorning his hair was Harry's dinner at the same moment that another splat sounded as a next batch of the mixture hit the front of his shirt. Laughing at the fun he was having. Harry stuck his tiny fist into the bowl again and then attempted to place his fist in his mouth, which resulted in a large proportion of the apple puree ending up on his face rather that in his mouth.
Losing spirit, at his naiveté in thinking that dealing with a toddler would be easy, Sirius decided, after feeding Harry the remainder of the apple puree that a bath was in order. After enduring another crying fit from Harry, which was followed by a disastrous bath attempt, which resulted in the entire bathroom becoming flooded and wet, Sirius was finally able to bathe and change the now sleepy child.
Placing him in his crib as gently as possible, Sirius looked on as the child who for the last few hours had wrecked havoc in the house, lay sleeping as peaceful as an angel in his crib. Exhausted and relieved that Harry was now asleep, Sirius proceeded down the stairs to the living room, to start the clean-up operation. But first, Sirius decided to rest for a minute on the couch and then clean the room as he was even too tired to attempt a cleaning spell. Laying on the couch, Sirius soon fell into a deep sleep, which is where Lily and James found him, when they got home an hour later, to a house which looked as though an entire heard of dragons had ripped through it.