Round 12 of Quidditch League
Position: Keeper
Team: Chudley Cannons
Prompt: Fluffy fic about the Black Family.
"Open this one!" Walburga cried, pushing the present towards Sirius. He grinned, tearing the paper off to reveal a large box of Bertie's Botts Every Flavour Beans.
"Thanks Mum!" he said, stuffing his hand into the box and throwing some into his mouth. He begrudgingly let Regulus take a few, though he watched him carefully.
"One last present," Orion said, passing his son a small package.
Sirius opened this one more carefully, sensing his Father's pride.
"I was given this on my seventh birthday, many years ago, by my Father. It's very special to me."
It was a heavy silver pen, the Black family crest embossed on the lid. Although Sirius hated school work and writing, he could sense the emotional importance that came with the pen, so he lifted the pen out and held it in his small hand.
"Write on this," Orion said, shoving some parchment under Sirius' hand.
Sirius let the heavy pen fall heavily on to the paper, the ink flowing thickly and freely into the creamy parchment. He wrote his name, his Father watching anxiously as he dotted the letter 'i'.
"Do you like it?" He asked anxiously.
Sirius smiled widely. "I love it Dad. Thank you."
Orion visibly relaxed. "Passing it onto another generation of Blacks."
Regulus was restless, annoyed by all the attention on his older brother.
"What about me?" He whined.
"You'll have to wait till your birthday," his mother smiled, picking him up from under the armpits and hoisting him onto her hip. "Now let's go and get dressed and leave your brother and father in peace."
Once alone, Orion stood up.
"You'll make a fine lad, Sirius."
Orion was rarely this free with his compliments, and Sirius was basking in the extra attention that was usually on his shortcomings.
"I know you struggle at school but you're happy there?"
Sirius nodded quickly. "Can I take my pen to school?"
Orion's face fell. "It's very special…."
"Don't worry. It's fine, we're not meant to use fountain pens yet anyway," Sirius said hurriedly, not wanting his father's mood to change.
"Of course you'll be taking it when you head off to Hogwarts. It's only four years. Not too long now."
Sirius looked at his feet. "Do I have to go?" He whispered.
"You don't-" Orion started off incredulously, before crouching by his son. "Why don't you want to go?"
"I'll get so lonely. And I won't know anyone. What if I don't make any friends?" Sirius asked quickly, his built up anxieties about the place suddenly rushing out in one.
"Of course you'll make some friends!" Orion said. "You're a popular boy. And you won't miss us once you're settled in. You'll be busy with all your new subjects. Just think, you'll have your own wand and you'll be settled into Slytherin. And you'll get onto the Quidditch team. I'll help you practice if you don't."
Sirius grinned at the idea of practice with his Dad. When he was little they occasionally went out to a nearby forest, practising with tennis balls, but Orion had been far too busy recently.
"Really?"
"Sure. We'll go out this afternoon if you want?"
Sirius jumped up and down with excitement. "I'll go and get my broomstick."
For Christmas he was given a small broomstick that hovered a few metres off the ground, though he felt ready for a full size one and was constantly trying to persuade his parents.
"Hold your horses kiddo," his Dad say. "I've got some work first."
Sirius tried not to let his face fall.
"Why don't you got and write something with your new pen?"
Sirius nodded bravely and turned so Orion couldn't see his disappointment. He grabbed the pen off the table and raced upstairs. He quickly discarded the box on his floor and picked up some other toys.
He was called down for his special birthday dinner, but his father was nowhere to be seen.
"Dad's just gone out for a few hours. He has a very important meeting."
"Stupid Death Eaters," Sirius muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" His mother said sharply.
"Nothing!" He said. They weren't meant to talk about that stuff. But he always overheard them shouting.
They ate their dinner in near silence, clearing away the plates and eating leftover cake for dessert. Sirius was sent to bed a mere half hour after Regulus, a great humiliation. But his Mum just sighed, telling him not to argue.
Sirius eventually fell into sleep, snuggled up with his toy Hippogriff, faded and grey, tears staining his face from the injustice of the day.
Past midnight, a crack of orange light filtered into the dark room. Orion snuck in, watching his son sleep. He picked up some toys, returned the pen to the desk and squeezed the hippogriff back into the bed.
"Goodnight Sirius. I'm sorry."
Then he crept out of the room and closed the door.