Written for A Fanfiction Convention competition at Final Prophecy.
Link to site is on my profile and Author Homepage.
Had to contain; 1. Van Gogh painting 2. anger 3. broken glass 4. yellow 5. cough 6. when I was a boy 7. short stories 8. lost sailboat 9. diamond ring 10. Why are you glowing?
Mucho thanks to FrizzyFro12 who you can thank for better grammar and readability.
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As the compartment door opens, I turn slowly seeing that a boy is now standing in the archway.
"You mind if I sit here?" he asks. "The other compartments all have people in them, and the ones that aren't full have older kids in them."
I look at the bespectacled brunette closely, taking in his Muggle attire and untamed hair. Father would never let me leave the house looking as this boy did. He always made sure that my little brother Regulus and I were properly dressed in fine robes and well groomed. His incessant nagging is the main reason why I find myself in such a miserable mood even though I'm on my way to Hogwarts. He has no clue, however, about the Muggle clothing that I have on underneath my robes.
Shrugging at the boy, he sits down across from me and holds his hand out towards me. I stare down at his hand and when I don't respond any further he retracts it with a strange look on his face.
"You alright there, mate?" he asks me in what I can only guess is concern. I nod at him slowly and he doesn't look too convinced.
"Well I'm James Potter," he says with a smile. "And you are?"
Potter…I've definitely heard that name before. "Are you Charles Potter and Isla Black's son?" I ask him instead of answering his own question to me.
"Yeah. How'd you know that?" he asks me in surprise. "You know my parents?"
Well that certainly clears things up on the boy. The Potters were once a noble bloodline which has now been thinned out by Muggle lovers and marriages to Muggles. Isla Black was long ago disowned by my family for denouncing the Dark Lord and then marrying a Potter. Apparently, she had played along with agreeing with the Black views until she graduated from Hogwarts and then ran away. Of the list of names my mother and father told me to stay away from, the Potters happens to be one of them, even though they're one of the oldest pureblood lines still around.
Potter almost certainly knows all about my family, so although he seems quite decent, I doubt he'd want anything to do with me. Especially after he finds out that I'm Orion and Walburga Black's son and in two years time, my brother Regulus will have it no better in the way people view him, I'm sure. Not that he'll have too much of a problem there, Regulus is the prized son. No matter anyhow; Potter will most certainly be in Gryffindor and I'll most certainly be in Slytherin. Almost all the Blacks have been in Slytherin, apart from a few who have been sorted into Ravenclaw, which is at the least, tolerated.
Before I can answer him, the compartment door opens once more revealing two of my older cousins, Bellatrix and Narcissa Black. They both have large disgusting grins on their faces as they look at me.
"Well if it isn't ickle little Siri," Bella says with a large smirk. Her grin falters when she looks to Potter, who is glancing at her and I in curiosity. "Making Mudblood friends already, Sirius? You haven't even set foot in the castle."
"Mudblood?" Potter exclaims, quite outraged and coming to his feet. "Where do you get off calling someone that? Besides, I'm a pureblood."
Cissy looks to me as if asking confirmation what he was indeed pureblooded. There aren't that many pureblooded families left in the wizarding world, and even fewer 'respectable' families.
"He's Isla's son," I state, staring out the window, not caring all that much for this conversation. My cousins share my parent's views of pureblood mania. Their sister Meda, my favorite cousin, is much more level headed and less ignorant, not to mention, sane. Meda and I always got along well together, neither one of us believing that we're above Muggles and Mudbloods. At family parties Meda and I used to sneak off together to get away from everyone else as they bashed the views of other people before she got old enough for her parents to allow her to stay at her house alone, not that they liked the idea.
Bella and Cissy turn to each other with large grins on their faces and Potter looks at them in confusion. Apparently his mother has done well to keep him away from anything having to do with her family, which certainly couldn't have been difficult as she's no longer allowed near any of us.
"Dear cousin Potter, eh?" Bella states, looking more closely at him. "What a…pleasure…to meet you."
Cissy is about to respond when the door slides open once again. Thankfully, it is Meda that stands in the doorway this time, scowling at her two younger sisters. "Leave the first years alone or I'll put you both in detention before you even set foot in Hogwarts."
"We were just visiting Siri," Cissy states, trying as best she can to sound innocent.
"Get back to your own compartment, now," Meda states, holding the door open and waiting for the both of them to leave.
"Bitch," Bella mutters before storming out with Cissy close behind her.
I sigh and turn back to the window where we were quickly passing green landscape. The colors bleed together like something out of a Van Gogh painting. I like hanging up Muggle pictures on my walls whenever my parents annoy me just to piss them off and there are a few by Van Gogh still up that my mother seems to have missed.
"My name's Andromeda," Meda says, addressing Potter. "Those two didn't bother you too much did they?"
He shakes his head and looks back to me. "What did they mean by calling me cousin?"
His question brings Meda's attention back to me as well.
"Has your mother ever told you anything about her family, Potter?" I ask him.
"Not much," he says in confusion. "Why?"
"Potter?" Meda repeats. When she looks to me, I nod at her and she sighs, sitting down beside me and gesturing for Potter to do the same.
"I'm assuming that your mother is Isla, then?"
"Yeah," he says angrily. "How does everyone know that."
"Not everyone will, but the Blacks and Lestranges most certainly will," Meda responds.
"My mother's family?" He asks. "All I've heard of the Blacks is that they're all Voldemort loving pillocks."
Meda cringes at the Dark lord's name and I scowl at Potter in anger over what he just said. "Not all of us."
"You…you're…"
"Sirius Orion Black," I state, quite annoyed at how accurately Potter could sum most of my family up with only three words. "The two charming witches who were in here are Narcissa and Bellatrix Black. And this," I say, gesturing towards Meda, "is Andromeda Black, sister to those two cretins."
I seem to have rendered Potter speechless and Meda places her hand on my knee as she stands. "I need to finish my prefect rounds. Do you want me to come back here when I'm done? After Cissy having been here, Malfoy will almost definitely show up."
"No," I reply. "I'm fine."
She nods and looks back to Potter. "If you need anything, come find me. I'm a prefect for Ravenclaw so it's kind of my job."
"Thanks," he says softly, not looking either her or myself in the eyes.
Meda walks out, closing the door behind her and leaving Potter and I alone in the compartment.
"Not so keen to be friendly now, eh?" I ask, staring out the window. He doesn't respond to my question and we remain in an awkward silence for the remainder of the ride.
When the train stops, Potter leaves the compartment as quickly as humanly possible. Almost as soon as I step off the train, I find myself sprawled on the ground, having been forcefully bumped into and thrown downwards.
Looking up to my left, I see Lucius Malfoy and Cissy grinning at me, walking towards a row of horseless carriages. At least it isn't broken glass that he's thrown me into this time. Last time I happened to run into him while along in Diagon Alley, he threw my down the steps near Knockturn Alley where my hand was impaled on a broken bottle. Merlin, at this rate I'd rather be sorted into Hufflepuff than Slytherin. I might just live longer if that's the case. Being in Slytherin certainly doesn't seem as if it will be safe. Or Ravenclaw, I suppose. At least I'll have Meda to look after me then.
A hand is outstretched to me and I gratefully take it as a small boy helps pull me to my feet.
"I take it you know him?" The boy asks, looking towards where Malfoy and Cissy had just hopped into a carriage.
"Family friend," I reply with little emotion, brushing my robes off and wincing as I bend my elbow which I had landed on.
He smiles at me. "He doesn't look too friendly."
"Neither is my family," I state with a scowl.
The boy looks at me awkwardly as we follow the line of first years making their way towards boats on a side of a lake, being led there by a giant man named Hagrid with wild hair.
"Sorry," I state quickly, actually feeling badly at how I've treated this boy and Potter, after only just meeting them. "I'm not having a great day. I'm kind of the black sheep of my family and they like letting me know."
"No problem," he says with a smile. "I'm Remus by the way."
"Sirius," I reply.
Remus and I get into a boat together with two witches and we glide along the lake towards the castle in silence. When we get to a great door, we're led into a hallway, outside of where we will soon be sorted into one of four houses.
"So what house do you want to be in?"
I turn to Remus, who still has a friendly smile on his face. My family isn't known particularly as being friendly, and likewise, most of our family acquaintances aren't either. As he pushes his yellow-brown hair out from in front of his eyes, I find myself returning his smile.
"Hufflepuff."
He gapes at me. "You want to be in Hufflepuff? I thought that that's where they put you when you don't fit into another house."
I shrug at him. "I'm not sure that anywhere else will be all too safe for me to be sorted in to," I reply.
The doors fly open and we're ushered into Hogwarts' Great Hall where the rest of the students were sitting at four long tables. The Professors were at another table facing the four with students. Large house banners are spread across a ceiling that is enchanted to look like the sky outside. It is currently clear and scattered with bright stars, the brightest of them all, being Sirius. Remus follows my eyes and sends a smile in my direction. If he caught what I'm thinking the kid must be pretty intelligent.
A tall, serious looking witch named McGonagall has us line up in front of the professor's table where a hat is sitting on a stool in front of where we're lined up waiting. I look at the hat in curiosity as it begins to sing.
When the hat quiets, McGonagall calls up Abbot, Muriel. A short blonde girl walks forward and soon after the hat is placed on her head, the hat calls, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Black, Sirius."
I breathe in deeply, trying to calm myself as I walk forward, ignoring the looks that Bella and Cissy were sending me from the Slytherin table.
I nearly jump off the stool when the hat begins to talk to me. "Another Black, eh?" This is really creepy. "Interesting…very interesting. You're unlike most of your family. Hmmm, not in personality though. You would probably fit in well in Slytherin with the rest of them, but your beliefs…Maybe you're different enough for GRYFFINDOR!"
"Shit," I state, not moving from the stool or removing the hat from my head. Slytherin was where I'm supposed to be. Almost all of my family has been in Slytherin from Hogwarts founding and I've been told so since nearly birth. Ravenclaw was acceptable. Hufflepuff would probably have me disowned, but it would be better than Gryffindor. As far as I can remember, there's never, ever, been a Black in Gryffindor. Being in Gryffindor will surely lead to my death.
I hear a cough from McGonagall behind me and I still refuse to move, petrified to see the faces of my cousins. Along with Bella and Cissy, my cousins Rastaban and Rodolphus Lestrange are sitting at the Slytherin table as well, and if anything, they're worse.
"Mr. Black, please join the Gryffindor table."
Slowly, I remove the hat and notice that the Headmaster, Dumbledore, is looking at me closely. Avoiding looking at the Slytherin table, I walk over to the Gryffindors, sitting at the very end of the table where the next person was at least seven seats away.
Placing my hands on the table and clasping them together, I don't look up from them until someone sits across from me.
"This is certainly not Hufflepuff," Remus states. "You don't seem too happy at being sorted here."
"I'll be lucky to survive a week being a Gryffindor," I reply as James Potter is sorted into Gryffindor after a short squat boy is as well. "Bloody predictable," I mutter.
When all the first years are sorted, Dumbledore waves his wand and food appears in large qualities before us.
Sighing, I push my plate away from me, just as a ghost appears out of no where.
"What's this?" He asks me. "Are you not eating? Why when I was a boy children knew not to waste food. The way you lot allow food to spoil is beyond me…"
I look to Remus as the ghost continues on and he's staring at the ghost in surprise. From his look, I'm guessing that he's never seen a ghost before. As the ghost leaves, it appears that I missed the rest of what he was saying.
"That's Nearly Headless Nick," an older boy states, leaning over from my left. "Unless you have about an hour, you'd do well to not get him started on something. His are never short stories."
"I'll keep that in mind," I reply.
"I'm Frank Longbottom," he states, holding his hand out to Remus.
"Remus Lupin," Remus says, shaking himself out of his surprise at Nearly Headless Nick.
"Sirius Black," I state as he shakes my hand.
His eyes widen at me. "Oh right, I nearly forgot that you were a Black. I think that makes us cousins somehow. Not many of you Blacks have been in Gryffindor."
"None that I'm aware of," I reply, picking my fork up and stabbing at a potato.
"Right then," he replies and turns back to the boy on his left.
From across the table, Remus is studying me. "Your name is well known?"
"As evil gits," I reply, biting my bottom lip. "My family's been in Slytherin since the castle's founding. Being in Gryffindor is pretty much the biggest disgrace to the Black name that I could manage."
"You in trouble for it?"
I look over to the Slytherin table for the first time since being sorted and notice Lucius Malfoy leaning over to talk to Rodolphus Lestrange; both of them smiling and looking in my direction.
"That would be a giant understatement," I reply.
Dumbledore soon dismisses us and the Gryffindor prefect calls for the first years to follow him. Remus and I stand from the table and make it through the crowd, doing as best as we can to follow the prefect.
Following him through the many staircases and hallways, I do my best to take in my surroundings, looking closely at the many moving portraits; A smiling brother and sister playing a game of chess, a sorrowful witch on a jetty looking out for a lost sailboat, and portrait upon portrait of old witches and wizards.
"The password is Flobberworm," the prefect states near the portrait hole. When he moves out of the way I get a glimpse of the portrait in front of the Gryffindor tower. My eye widen at the large lady on the canvas. Her bright purple robes are almost as gaudy as her large diamond ring and strands upon strands of pearls. Her hair is about the highest that I have ever seen, and with the portraits at my house, that is really saying something.
Remus and I are at the end of the line but before I can follow everyone else in, a voice calls out from behind me.
"Black!"
I turn around quickly, holding my wand out in front of me.
"Sirius?" Remus asks in a low voice, making sure that I am alright. It's a gesture that I will have to thank him for at a later time.
"It's alright," I state, looking at Rodolphus and Rastaban. "Go inside."
He hesitates, but does as I told him, leaving me alone in the hall with the Lestrange brothers.
"Can I help you?" I ask them, not lowering my wand. I may only know a basic shield charm and a few choice curses, but it's a small form of comfort.
"We're just here to talk, dear cousin," Rodolphus states, twirling his wand in his fingers.
"Yeah," Rastaban adds. "Just a simple conversation."
"Well you two can take your 'simple conversation' and stick it up your ass," I reply, turning around and walking back towards the portrait hole.
I can't believe I am so stupid.
Almost instantly, Rodolphus and Rastaban both aim curses at my turned back and I find myself blown against the wall, the back of my head hitting the stone, where the portrait is hung. They both laugh as they walk away, leaving me by myself in the hall.
When I can no longer hear their footsteps, I push myself up, punching the wall as hard as I can, biting my lip in pain.
"Flobberworm," I mutter as the fat lady looks at me in scorn.
As I walk into the common room, all heads torn to me. Ignoring them, I walk up the staircase to the right which was labeled for boys, and find my way up three flights of stairs to the door labeled for first years.
I open the door, and the voices inside immediately stop, the three occupants all looking towards where I stand.
"Why are you glowing?" Potter asks me in confusion, breaking the silence. Holding my hands out in front of me, I swear. Potter wasn't joking; my skin is emitting a bright green glow. If this happened to anyone but myself, I might find it funny. I'm actually quite surprised that neither Remus, Potter, or the other boy, Pettigrew I think, aren't laughing.
"A couple of my cousins, ones you haven't met, are to blame for this," I state, making my way to the bed furthest to the right where my trunk is placed.
"You're bleeding," Remus states as I take my robes off, throwing them into my trunk.
"Doesn't matter," I reply, bringing my hand up to my head and back down, where sure enough there's blood.
"You're wearing Muggle clothes," Potter states, surprised, taking in my appearance sans robes of blue jeans and a Led Zeppelin tee-shirt.
"So are you," I state, aggravated, sitting down on the edge of my bed.
Potter nods at me. "Yeah," he states. "But I'm not a Black."
"In case you didn't realize by the fact that I'm in Gryffindor," I say, rubbing my eyes. "I'm not quite like the rest of my family."
There's a knock at the door and it opens slowly to reveal the prefect that had led us to the common room.
"Black," he states, looking at me in curiosity as I've yet to subside from glowing. "The Headmaster would like to see you in his office," he says slowly.
"Now?"
"Yeah," he responds. "A prefect is waiting for you outside the portrait hole to show you the way there. She says she knows you."
"Right," I say, nodding as he leaves. "Bloody. Wonderful."
"What's he want with you?" Potter asks.
"Oh, I'm sure it's just a casual visit. You know…tea, scones, jam." I dig around in my trunk, finding clean robes and throwing them on over my head. "Don't feel inclined to wait up for me, honey," I tell Potter with a wink, making my way downstairs.
"Problem?" I ask, as I walk through the common room, gaining the attention of every person inside.
I slam the portrait back shut against the wall with a scowl, making Meda jump from where she had been leaning against the opposite wall.
"Oh, Siri," she says with a slight smile.
"Go ahead," I state bitterly. "Let your laughter out."
She shakes her head at me. "Far too easy," she replies. "Who did it?"
"Lestrange."
"Which one?"
"Both," I tell her and she shakes her head.
"Bloody cowards," she states, gesturing me down the hallway. "Two against one and Rodolphus is a sixth year."
"As it's never stopped him before, I doubt that he'll start now."
"Hey," she says, putting her arm around my shoulders. "The difference between being here and at home is that here that type of stuff isn't allowed. They can get in serious trouble for what they do and you'll see, as long as you're in front of people they won't risk it. Don't go near them if you're alone until you can actually protect yourself."
I nod at her and we stop in front of a large statue of a griffin. "Lemon Drops," she states, and the statue moves aside, revealing a staircase. "I'll be waiting for you down here."
"Thank you Meda," I state. "For everything."
She nods at me and I slowly make my way up the spiral stone staircase, knocking at the door at the top.
"Come in."
I open the door and my eyes widen at the office beyond the door. I close the door behind me and look around, not seeing Dumbledore anywhere in the large room. There is a vast array of different magical objects scattered not only on his desk, but around the entire room.
"Sirius, my dear boy, what brings you here?"
Looking around the room, completely confused, I have no clue where the oddly familiar voice came from.
"Up here, on the wall."
I smile as I find the portrait of my great-great-great grandfather looking at me from behind Dumbledore's desk. I walk around the desk to meet him eye to eye. "How are you Papa Phineas?"
"As well as a portrait can be, Siri. We haven't talked in quite a while."
"Yeah, well…Mother has you in the family room and I'm not typically allowed in there as of recently."
He shakes his two-dimensional head at me. "I'm not saying that I agree with Mudbloods being killed, but you'd do well to keep your opinions quiet. The actions that you make have more ramifications that just you. You must think of the legacy."
"Well I'm sick of the legacy!" I exclaim. "Having to pretend to be someone that I'm not. Getting bloody cursed for being sorted into Gryffindor. It's all bollocks."
"Gryffindor?"
"That's right, Phineas," Dumbledore's voice sounds from the left as he walks down a staircase. I make my way from behind Dumbledore's desk to the seat in front of it. "Sirius here is the first Black to ever be sorted into Gryffindor."
He sits down behind his desk and gestures for me to sit down as well. I do so and sigh deeply, looking up at the dome ceiling of the room. "Why my boy," he states., "it looks as if you're glowing."
"Astute observation, Sir."
"Ah," he says with a smile. "I see that you being in Gryffindor has nothing to do with not having the typical Black demeanor."
"It's been a long day, Sir. I'm sorry."
"Completely understandable," he replies. "I believe that your head is bleeding," he adds, waving his wand and the pain in my head vanishes.
"Funny how being thrown up against a wall will do that," I respond. "Is there a reason that you asked me to come here?"
With a slight frown on his face he nods at me. "I want to make sure that something like what has obviously already happened to you does not continue to happen. I am well aware of what danger you are currently in because of where you have been sorted as you seem to have several family members and acquaintances who wish to do you harm."
"And how do you suggest that?"
"Make friends, Sirius," he states. "Let your house mates see that you are not who your name suggests and gain their trust. With friends by your side it will be much harder for an ambush and you might even enjoy being here, including the house that you have been sorted into. I have talked to Professor McGonagall who is your head of house about where your sorting has left you and she is quite concerned for your safety as well. If any occurrences should happen I suggest talking to her."
"That really isn't necessary," I reply. "But thank you for your concern. I've been dealing with this on my own for a few years now and I assure you that it isn't anything that I'm not used to handling."
Dumbledore sighs and waves his wand at me, making my skin instantly stop glowing. "I thought you might be just as stubborn as your family members," he states., "but it is good to know that you at least have some doubts on where your loyalties should lie."
I don't respond and he folds his hands in his desk before him. "I am going to guess that your next month or so here will be quite difficult for you but I can only promise that things will indeed get better and work their way out. I will ask you to please reconsider asking for help when needed."
"I'll reconsider," I reply. "But I doubt I will change my mind. If I ask for help it will be a sign of weakness and will only make things worse for me. Believe me, Sir, I know from experience."
He nods at me. "Then I believe that is all I have to discuss at this moment with you. Please watch out for yourself, Sirius."
"I will, Sir."
I find Meda waiting for me against the wall at the bottom of the staircase. "You really didn't have to wait for me. I can find my way back by myself," I say as we head back to the Gryffindor common room.
"It's the least I can do for you cuz," she replies. "And besides, who says I'm not doing this just to spend some time with you. I haven't seen much of you these past couple of years."
"And I don't blame you for that in the slightest," I reply. "At least being here means that I'm not at home."
When we make it to the portrait of the fat lady she pulls me into a tight hug. "Please Siri, if you ever need anything, come find me."
"I will," I reply. "I promise, Meda."
She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and I look to her in confusion. She smiles at me and makes her way down the hall. I smile and turn towards the fat lady. "Flobberworm."
The common room is dark and empty, the only light coming from the flickering fireplace. I walk over to the couch and throw myself down on it, roughly rubbing my eyes.
"How'd it go?"
I jump, not knowing that anyone else was in the room. Potter stands from a chair off in the corner and sits beside me on the couch, gazing into the fire.
"We're you waiting up for me?"
"I was," he responds, still looking into the flickering flames.
"Man, I was only joking earlier," I state, confused. "That's not why you are still up, is it?"
He shakes his head, turning to me. "I wanted to apologize," he starts, "I know that we've gotten off on the wrong foot and I just want to say that I'm sorry for judging you based on your family."
"We've known each other about, what, five hours? And you've known about my family probably your entire life?" I ask him. "Don't worry about it."
"I notice you're not glowing anymore."
"What gave you that idea?" I ask him with a smile. "The fact that I'm not longer a human night light?"
He laughs and shakes his head at me. "So what happened anyway?"
"Two of my cousins, Rodolphus and Rastaban Lestrange, cursed me as I was walking back into the common room."
"With your back turned?" He asks me, astounded.
I nod at him. "That's about the Dark Lord supporter way," I reply. "Fighting low and dirty."
We sit in silence for a bit before Potter starts laughing to him self, shaking his head.
"You okay there?" I ask him, curious as to what he finds so funny.
"I was just thinking," he states. "What would you say about getting them back?"
Grinning, I nod my head at him. "I think I'd say that that sounds like a bloody terrific idea. Any ideas how to get them back?"
"Not yet," he replies. "But it doesn't really matter when we do it, now does it? We're here all year so I'm sure we can come up with something before then. Maybe we can get Remus and Peter in on it as well."
"Peter?" I ask in confusion, not having a clue as to who he is talking about.
"Right," Potter says. "You haven't really met him, have you? He's our other bunk mate. A bit quiet and slow, but he seems all right. Remus seems more down to earth. Rather shy, but I think we might be able to break him of that with a small amount of effort. You know, if you'd be interested."
"I think I could get in on that," I reply, standing up. "You think he's still awake, James?"
"Why I don't know, Sirius," he says, standing as well. "But what do you say we go find out?"
"Race you there!" I reply, shocking him by running up the stairs. Dumbledore is right. If I'm going to spend seven years here, I might as well enjoy them.
James catches me as I swing the door open. We pause for a slight moment to look at each other, large grins on both of our faces, before we both dive on top of Remus' sleeping form.
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This was going to be a oneshot,
But I think I might write more on it.
Tell me what you think.