I hate him. There were no words to describe how much I hate him. And he hates me, right back. I honestly say, though, I'm not surprised. Our families hated each other, and now I know why.
Our first fight, even, had been on family. I politely, if coldly, refused his hand and reminded him that it was his family's custom to snub our kind. He sneered, and accused me of being just like everybody else. Whoever "everybody else" is. He was arrogant and cold, just like the rest of his disgusting family.
Which was why I was so surprised when he was sorted into Gryffindor. No lying, people stared at him. He came from a long and "illustrious" line of Slytherins. I couldn't imagine how he had managed to hoodwink the hat, only the second to be called up for sorting.
Sirius Black doesn't have many friends. In fact, I've only ever seen him with Remus Lupin. Quiet, sweet Remus Lupin, who is in our house, indeed our dorm, and I am sure I haven't ever heard a word out of his mouth. But he talks to Black, so quietly that even Black has to lean in to hear him sometimes.
And they laugh. Black makes Lupin laugh, and Lupin makes Black laugh. Sweet, quiet Remus Lupin. I wonder how this bizarre friendship started.
Despite my shame in saying it, I'm a little jealous of them. Sure, plenty of people like me, and Peter Pettigrew hangs out with me, but it's not the same. I can't talk to Peter, not really. We don't have much in common, really, and for some reason complete, total trust hasn't formed between us. Not like Black, who is the only person yet to hear Lupin's voice, except maybe the teachers.
Which is why it is such a relief to get away from him during the holidays. I watch him across the room from my bed. He's shoving clothes into his trunk, Lupin cross-legged on the bed, watching.
"You're not going home," Black asks Lupin.
A shake of the head. Lupin says something, a sort of sad smile on his face. Black looks at him silently, before going back to his packing.
"My parents would freak out if I didn't come home for Christmas. They're not exactly happy with me right now."
I have the urge to comment, but instead I raise my magazine higher to block the two out.
It doesn't really work. Well, it works to block Lupin out, as I can't hear him anyway. But Lupin isn't the one I want blocked out.
"Oh, you know," Black says. "The whole 'why are you in Gryffindor, blah blah blah blah." He puts on a high voice, probably imitating his mother. "And really, I kinda feel bad leaving my brother to deal with the extended family on his own."
"Brother?" Okay, so I couldn't help myself that time. I plop the magazine on my lap. "You have a brother?"
Black glares at me. "Yeah," he says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "He's a naïve idiot, and he believes what he's told, but that doesn't mean I'm going to make him be alone."
Even after Lupin and Black leave the dorm, I continue to contemplate about the whole conversation—about the meaning of "deal with the extended family".
Notes: Yeah. I tried a different approach at James' and Sirius' relationship. Somehow, I feel they could very well have hated each other for a while. I guess this could stand on it's own. But maybe I'll keep going. If I do, it'll probably be lighter than it sounds right now.
I would also like to thank anybody who reveiwed my ficlets (if you're reading this). Keep up the good work! I'll do my best, too!