Title: Fighting the Odds

Character(s): Sirius B. + James P.

Summary: Victorian Britain - When Sirius Black's parents go overseas so his father can fight in the British Army, Sirius stays with the Potter's. He meets several people - The Potter's son, James Potter, Stable boy, Remus Lupin. and Lily Evans, the maid who Sirius reckons James' crushes on. But something sinister is going on in the city around them, and it's up to the four to figure out what. AU.

Notes: Hi guys, I know I focus on writing my other fan-fictions, because I have sooo many, but I just absolutely couldn't stop thinking of this idea. I hope you like this, because I absolutely do love the idea that I've created in my mind... If you like it then don't hesitate to Review! If you don't like it, then review! Reviews are like chocolate people! They make the world go round! Mint~

Gone are the days,

When a gentleman lightly took your hand in his,

And brushed his lips across it,

Or tipped his hat to acknowledge you

As he chivalrously stepped aside to let you pass.

~Joan Collins

Sirius:

Sirius Black looked meekly out of his bedroom window. He was as bored as anyone could be - left without any form of entertainment at all. There were no books in sight, no writing utensils, and definitely no wooden swords he could use to spar with - Sirius loved sword fighting. The best part of his day was when his father, Orion Black, walked into the parlour and ordered one of the guards to spar with the seventeen year old. Then Sirius' father would openly say, 'you better not go easy on him just because he is a boy, or else, he shall never learn.'

It was easily the thing that made Sirius wake up in the morning. Normally, children from the age of eight and above would have to start work, either as chimney sweeps or factory workers, but Sirius didn't. Due to the fact Sirius had been born into the most ancient and noble house of black, he didn't have to start his work until his eighteenth birthday. It wasn't as if he hadn't spent years preparing though, after all, that was what the sparring was all for. He was aiming to become as high up in the british army as his father.

Apart from the sword fighting that Sirius would do for two hours each night, he also had to attend his classes, attend gatherings when family friends, or other higher class guests visited the manor. Twice a week, Sirius would be required down in the stables to practise riding his horse - Padfoot - to make sure that when he had to attend the sign ups for the British army, he would be one step ahead of the competition. If the family's motto had not been translated to 'Always Pure' then Sirius was certain it would be something along the lines of, 'Always one step ahead.'

Sirius supposed that he could entertain himself by talking to his younger brother, Regulus, who was ten, but then he realised that his brother had to go to more classes than Sirius had to, due to his age. Sirius could remember his class teacher, Professor Slughorn, a man who only taught the boys from high-class families. He had been an overly cheerful man, who was constantly fattened due to a love for meats and bread. He had plump fingers, and Sirius had been glad that after his fifteenth birthday he had graduated. He hadn't been sure whether he would be able to stand another schooling year with the man.

Without Regulus to speak too, the only other living souls that Sirius could speak to were the servants that his parents employed. Karen Richer, the children's nanny, (The black woman didn't raise their own children,) was out buying the groceries, as she usually did every other day. Sirius and Karen did not get along anyway, so Sirius was slightly glad that Karen had left the manor. Ever since Sirius had been able to formulate words however, he had called Karen 'Kreacher'.

Outside his windows, Sirius could see two gardeners tending to the gardens that his mother so cherished. Nearly every type of flower that Sirius had ever heard of grew in the garden - and so the garden was massive. The Black's owned more than just a few acres of land. In fact, Sirius felt as if his home was almost as big as Royalty's because even he got lost in the far side of the manor. He got lost in the garden to, but that was due to the fact that the gardens were bigger than the manor; More than two gardeners worked in the garden.

The only thing Sirius could do, was think of visiting one of his servant friends down in the kitchens, but he knew it was very risky. Sirius wasn't meant to go down to the kitchens, and he knew that if he was to get caught by Kreacher when she entered the kitchens with the groceries, he would have to receive a thrashing. And his friend would more than likely get fired for speaking to someone who was of higher class than them.

But Sirius couldn't think of anything else that he could do - and he was so bored. He wouldn't have chance to do any sword fighting until his father got home from his day of work, which wouldn't be until five O'clock, and Regulus wasn't due home until four... His friend really was his last chance at not being bored until he had to do any work. And Sirius hated work anyway, so it would also give him something to do while he progressed through the day.

At long last, Sirius decided that he would risk it, and quietly he opened his bedroom door, walking towards the parlour staircase,

"Mister Sirius!" Kreacher's voice echoed from along the corridor, and Sirius immediately sighed to himself. He hadn't expected Kreacher back so quickly and now he was thoroughly annoyed. He didn't like Kreacher for a reason - her terrible high-pitched voice was even higher than his mother's and Kreacher didn't show Sirius an ounce of respect. Sirius didn't know what was more annoying - not being respected by a servant, or not being allowed to beat the servant for not respecting him.

Sirius had seen his father beat kreacher before if she did something wrong, but if Sirius beat Kreacher is was suddenly wrong. 'As if,' Sirius had wanted to say, but instead he held his tongue. After all, several lessons had taught Sirius that gentlemen were never rude, and Sirius didn't want to receive a thrashing for the smallest of comments.

"Kreacher?" Sirius asked, as he turned to look at the short woman with his light gray eyes.

Kreacher looked as if she wanted to hit Sirius herself, but instead she looked at him with gritted teeth as she explained, "Mistress is expecting you in parlour, and she's added that it is necessary that you are presentable. She says you have five minutes to put on your best shirt, and to brush your hair down."

Sirius nodded as he returned to his room quickly - he hadn't waited to see if Kreacher had anything else to say for a point. If he voice was anymore shrill, Sirius worried that his ear drums might burst. He absolutely hated Kreacher.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"And here is our oldest son, Sirius." Sirius entered the parlour with his head held high, just as he had been taught.

His mother seemed interested in who she was talking too, and Sirius wondered vaguely who was so important that he was presentable when he appeared in the parlour. He wondered vaguely who was important enough to make it that he had to attend the gathering anyway.

"Mother," Sirius spoke politely, as he walked up to his mother, taking no time to inspect his mother's visitors, "you called for me?"

Walburga Black was in all words, beautiful. She had long black hair that fell just below her breasts in curls, and she had stunning gray eyes. Her face was heart-shaped and she had a slender appearance, even after the horror of two child births. Sirius had always admired his mother, until he was struck by her one day as a child for talking to servant - since that day, the two hadn't exactly seen eye to eye. Even with his dislike for his mother however, Sirius had to admit that she was probably one of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Her personality wasn't the same when the two weren't joined by company.

"Yes Sirius," She spoke kindly, as her son joined her, she turned him to look at her guests, five visitors in fact.

Two of the people in the room stood out, due to the fact that they stood nearer to the doors in rags - but Sirius paid them no mind. He had never met any of the five people in his life before, "These are the Potter's, Sirius."

The Potters - Sirius had heard of them once or twice at family gatherings - were a high class family too. Sirius had

heard that instead of loving flowers, Mrs Potter had an unusual liking of horses, and that the Potter household was home to over more than twenty horses in the stables. And the last time Sirius had heard about the horses was when he was nine - so he supposed that there were more now.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Sirius spoke, as he bowed slightly - since he was minor, Sirius had learnt not to shake hands yet, or to kiss the hands of women. Mr Potter seemed not to take the hand of these rules however, because he stuck a hand out of Sirius to shake. After a quick glance at his mother who nodded, he took Mr Potter's hand.

"The pleasures all mine," Mr Potter replied, "I'm Charles. This is my wife Dorea, and my son James."

When he let go of Mr. Potter's hand, he looked at Mrs. Potter who held her hand out for him to take. Another glance at his mother told Sirius that he should break what he had been taught. Sirius took Mrs. Potter's hand, and placed a kiss on it, looking at the woman. Then he shook hands with Mr Potter's son, James, who was the only one in the room to wear glasses.

After this, Sirius took a step back so that he was standing next to his mother. Walburga looked at her son with a proud smile on his face. She hadn't suspected him to co-operate quite as well as he had. She turned to look at her son,

"The Potter's have agreed to let you and Regulus stay with them at their manor while your father and I go across seas."

Sirius knew what this meant - his father was part of the army who were going to settle a feud that was going on in another country. Sirius wasn't so sure which country, but every country was always in a feud with another, so he wasn't to worried. Sirius also knew that it was mandatory that Walburga go overseas with her husband, she was after all, the wife of a captain in the army. It was her job to go with him.

Sirius nodded in understanding, before turning over to look at the Potter family.

"Are the Potter's not going overseas?" He asked, before catching himself by adding, "If I may ask, of course."

Mr Potter chuckled, not effected by Sirius' informal question. Sirius had an idea that he was not quite as strict as his mother - the mother of which, Sirius was sure would order him to receive a thrashing.

"I'm afraid I've retired from the army now," Mr Potter spoke, as he smiled kindly at Sirius. There was something in his eyes that Sirius had never seen in an adult - or even another person other than his friend Robert who worked down in the kitchens. Sirius wondered what it was, before settling on the fact that it was something. Something odd compared to his family and everyone else he had ever met.

"Sirius," Walburga addressed her son, and without a word, Sirius turned to look at her. "Why don't you and James go on a walk in the gardens, while the Potter's and I talk arrangements?"

Though Walburga spoke in a questioning tone, Sirius knew better than to refuse his mother. He still had scars from other thrashings that had gone slightly over the top due to minor mistakes. Sirius faked a smile as he nodded, said 'yes Mother,' before turning to look at James expectedly.

James looked slightly bored, as he looked at his parents. Looking at Sirius, he rolled his eyes at the obedience he saw, before looking back at his father.

"Dad?" James asked, almost as if begging not to have to go. His father gave him a look that said, 'for once can you please just do as your told?'

James sighed, before turning back to look at Sirius, who was waiting expectedly. Sirius walked towards the door when he knew he had James' attention. James followed behind, though he seemed as if he wanted to protest.

"Sirius," Walburga spoke when the two teenagers reached the door. Sirius turned back to look at his mother, "I would like you back in the manor before the sun sets,"

Sirius nodded once again, saying 'Of course,' before walking out of the parlour, and into the corridor. James followed behind him, but his expression showed that he would rather be anywhere else. For a moment, James looked at Sirius with a perplexed expression on his face before he laughed slightly.

Sirius looked at James with a frown, before he asked, 'what?'

James shook his head, trying to stifle his laughter. Sirius led the two out of the corridor to the gardens, and through the maze of plants to the place he used to hide from Kreacher as a child. Sirius was completely confused now, and he wanted to shake James' shoulders to curb his curiosity, but he did not - after all it would be considered rude, and he would receive a thrashing from someone.

"I need to deal with someone boring for over three months?" James sighed to himself, as he too frowned, "No wonder your mother seems to think so highly of you - you have absolutely no personality at all."

Sirius wasn't used to being insulted by people he barely knew, and he felt a small slash of irritation rush through his stomach, jabbing him in the side. Though he tried to hide it, Sirius had inherited both his mother's and his father's short temper, and so the smallest insult made him feel irritated. Many times as a child, when he and Kreacher had been on slightly friendly terms, she had told him that he simply had anger issues. Their friendly terms had been short lived when Sirius had thrown a glass at her after she told him off as a seven-year-old.

"I'd rather you not insult me," Sirius spoke, trying to mask his irritation with an emotionless voice. James smiled slightly in surprise and spoke,

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" It seemed that maybe Sirius hadn't been so good at masking his emotions as he had once thought. Sirius frowned, not wanting to get on the wrong side of James' but not knowing how to get on the good side either. When Sirius had tried to become friends with Robert it had taken over a year, and it had only been because he kept persisting with the servant boy. Was that what Sirius had to do now? Was Sirius ment to be persistent?

"Hit a nerve?" Sirius asked, trying to control his temper, "I'm fine. And I do have a personality, may I add. If you don't like my personality then you'll just have to deal with it."

James smiled again, looking at Sirius with hazel eyes behind his glasses. He stood with an air of arrogance around him, and Sirius was sure that even though he was confident, he was also slightly stupid too when it came to talking to other people. Not other people, Sirius corrected himself, new people.

"I doubt that Sirius," James mocked, "You don't seem as if you've got a personality at all - in fact it seems as if you're just a shell of a person. Like a trained dog!"

Sirius didn't mean to get so angry, after all it was only a person he barely knew say a few words - but Sirius felt furious. When he thought about it, the concept of a stranger who didn't even know him made him even more angry. His anger continued to bubble inside him, and Sirius let out a growl as he scrunched his hand into a fist. In his head he kept replaying James words in his head, until eventually he couldn't hold on to his anger any longer.

Without a second though, Sirius swung his fist around, to punch James directly in the jaw. James fell backwards from the impact, and looked up at Sirius in surprise. Lifting his hand to touch his jaw, James stood up slightly, this time with a proper smile that wasn't patronizing.

"I really wasn't expecting that," James laughed - not a laugh that was mocking or sarcastic - as he rubbed his jaw, "Where'd you learn to punch like that Sirius? Are you some sort of expert?"

Sirius didn't know what had triggered the sudden change of heart in James, but he didn't muse on it so much, because he was to busy worrying about how badly he would be thrashed when his father learnt of what he had just done. He would probably have thousands of cuts by the end of the night... Sirius looked at his bruised knuckle with a horrified expression. James caught this immediately, and looked at Sirius with a confused look,

"What? It's alright Sirius, I'm fine, I'm not even bleeding - it's just a bruise." He spoke, as he raised his expression. The two boys stopped by a fountain that was spurting out cold water from a nozzle. Sirius had always wondered how they worked, but had decided not to question the fountain. It was obviously something to do with either electricity or magic in his head.

"It's not that!" Sirius exclaimed, "My parent's are going to positively kill me when they find out!"