Recruitment

Fourth year after Christmas break Sirius Black could not be found. The other Marauders did not see him on the train and he was absent at dinner in the Great Hall. Noise filled the hall as friends caught up and told each other of their Christmas celebration, but three Gryffindor's remained subdued.

"Do you think something happened to him?" Remus asked worry adding tension to his face.

"He didn't owl me all break, but that's normal," James answered not trying to hide his concern. Sirius never was in contact with anyone while he was at home, but that meant that Sirius had two weeks to get in trouble. It was well known among the Marauders that the Blacks' were disappointed in Sirius, but no one ever spoke it out loud after the incident back in first year.

"Do you think we should find him?" James continued unwilling to sit back doing nothing.

"Sometimes he likes to be alone," Peter said and then turned back to his food to eat uninterrupted. Remus and James shared a glance knowing that Sirius didn't like to be alone. People had left him so often that sometimes he didn't know how to be anything else but by himself.

"James," Remus said, "Let's go." Both stood up and left the hall while Peter continued to eat.

The two boys hurried their steps as soon as they exited the doorway anxious to find their friend or find out what was going on.

"Do you think he didn't come back?" James said voicing a persistent thought.

"No," Remus replied immediately, "Someone would have told us." After a disbelieving look he continued, "A professor would have at least."

"Then he's hiding from us." If Sirius did not want to be found then they were in trouble. For all of their late night wanderings, no one knew the castle better than Sirius, except maybe Dumbledore. When Sirius couldn't sleep he left the dorm and walked by himself. No matter how many times the boys asked he refused to wake them up to go with him and when they placed charms around his bed to warn them when he got up he dismantled them.

"I don't think so. He's hiding from everyone else." While a small distinction it changed where Sirius would go. If he was hiding from the world then he would go to the dungeons. When he felt like a horrible human being who was destined to be a pure blood maniac who would injure anyone around him, he hid among the snakes. Instead when life got to much because of the choices he made and who he was he went up towards open air. Since he had made no damaging decisions before break and the only people he could hurt during break was his family, Sirius had headed towards the skies.

After searching in every tower they passed, they came upon the bell tower where a crouched shadow could be seen on the edge. His face was hidden with his back towards his friends. James and Remus paused uncertain how to proceed. If approached incorrectly Sirius could react badly in a more permanent manner then most fourteen year old boys. With experience his friends refrained from speaking rashly when Sirius was in a mood. Remus gestured that James should go and he would go back to the dorms. James shook his head and grabbed his arm pulling him forward. This was not a situation to be handled alone and even as Sirius's designated brother, he knew he would not be enough on his own. Though they walked closer and sat down next to him, neither touched him. After staring out at the darkening sky Sirius broke the silence.

"He wants me to join." The five words gave little information and confused his friends even more.

"Who?" James asked. Cryptic statements were rarely a good sign.

"Bloody Voldemort," Sirius whispered as if hoping the words would not be heard. A sharp intake of breath proved that hope false.

"How. . .Did he?" Remus attempted to asked unable to form the sentence correctly.

"He dropped by on Christmas Eve. Said it was time to bring honor to the Black name. As if I would ever want to be like them," he spat with disgust. Both boys were shocked. Everyone knew of the reputation of The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, but Voldemort was not known for making house calls. Deeper contemplation brought answers that neither wanted to consider. Sirius was near the top of their class in marks even if he hid it well. His easy charisma made others listen and agree with him, proven in some of the crazier pranks he got Remus to agree to. Even the Professors could not resist his charm, for all of the trouble he caused not one could claim to dislike the boy. He was fierce in a duel with a stubborn streak that would not let him lose. For all the qualities he tried to hide no one could deny he had a vicious side. Even only a fourth year, people knew not to crow him and his young age could actually be a positive, but that meant that Voldemort wanted to mold him. With the added asset of being the Black heir, Sirius was the perfect pure blood for recruitment. "But I said no," he rushed to get out in the silence as if worried that his friends would believe otherwise.

"We know," Remus answered voice calm and reassuring. "The moment you helped me with my trunk on the train back in first year I knew. It's just taking the rest of the world a little longer to figure out."

"Yea," James added. "But don't worry. The rest of the world is wrong." A small smile appeared on Sirius's face. His friends unwavering faith in him was something he would never take for granted.