Sirius Black . . . . . Has a What?!
Chapter 1
Note: I have realized that in my attempts at continuing the previous version of this story during a writer's block, I have severely screwed up the entire plot line and therefore am revising it. For those of you who were expecting a shorter story, I will let you know now that this takes place over the course of the third and fourth book, so it will not be as short as you hoped.
It was a normal September 1st, on platform nine and three quarters. Parents were helping luggage being loaded, friends were saying hello, families were saying goodbye, and the Hogwarts Express was sitting on the track, steam puffing from the engine. There was still a good ten minutes left before the train would be heading off, so the crowd at the platform was at its peak. Amid the excited chatter however, a particular third year Ravenclaw girl was having an argument with her mother that, to anyone hearing, was obviously not the first on the matter.
"Are you sure you've got everything dear?" Rachel Coeur, a witch with a fondness for flowers, asked her only child, Asyri.
"Yes, mum," came a slightly muffled, though apparently irritated reply as she dug her upper half out of her trunk, double checking what she had packed for the third time, since her overly anxious mother insisted. Asyri was a relatively small girl, though large for her age since she had reached full growth in her youth. She had stick straight ashy black hair that hung to her middle back and looked particularly flat as it was thin, as well as royal blue eyes set in a healthy, but faintly pale, face.
Rachel took a deep breath and cleared her throat warily, as if preparing to announce her death sentence. "Good, and I do hope that you decide to come home for the holidays this year, there's this man I met that I want--"
She was cut off as Asyri whirled around, exasperated. "Mother! When will you give it a rest? Another Muggle, no doubt? (Rachel had nodded) So now I have to act my way through another pointless relationship with some faceless John, Mark, Terry, Steve, Tom, or Jack _again_?"
Rachel sighed, "Now Asyri, I know you're tired of it but give him a chance, I just want to find the right guy to help me raise you and have a family."
Asyri rolled her eyes. "Tell you what, if you want to find the right guy, find my dad! Or at least tell me who he was, then maybe I'll consider being nice to one of these boyfriends of yours!" she said.
Ms. Coeur looked dejected as she said, "I told you a million times Freesia, (Rachel's pet name for Asyri, which happened to be both of their favorite flowers) I don't _know_ who your father was." This was obviously a lie, and she could tell her daughter knew.
"Yes you do! I know you do! D'you think I don't see through your excuses?" Asyri might as well have blown up on the spot as she scowled.
"Now, now, you don't want to go back to school feeling miserable, you should be happy. Just take some time to think it over." Rachel tried to get off the subject.
Asyri humphed as she dragged her things to the compartment on the train she was sharing with Padma Patil, a fellow third year Ravenclaw, and they were joined by Penelope Clearwater, a seventh year girl who was a good friend of theirs.The year before, Penelope had confessed to liking Percy Weasley, this year Head Boy and Gryffindor seventh year. Padma giggled when Penelope entered announcing that she had just been talking with Percy, and Asyri couldn't help but crack a grin as Penelope blushed.
"You know, he's Head Boy this year," she commented happily. Asyri smiled, "I'll bet he made sure you noticed, huh? I hear he's very proud of himself." Padma giggled harder. Penelope flushed, "He's a very nice person, but yes, he is a little proud of himself. Heard he hopes to be in the Ministry of Magic when he graduates from Hogwarts." Padma had finally calmed down. "That's not surprising, didn't the other two Weasleys that already graduated end up working in high places like that?" she put in. Penelope nodded, taking a seat beside Asyri, Padma across from them. "His brother Bill is a curse breaker at Gringotts, and Charlie is in Romania. He works with dragons." Asyri perked up at this. It was largely known to both of the other two that she had an interest in dragons, particularly the Antipodean Opaleye, Hebridean Black, and Peruvian Vipertooth. Padma and Penelope both laughed. Asyri flushed, remembering the incident in which the gamekeeper had acquired a dragon egg and when Asyri had heard the rumors, she tried to sneak out to see if it was true, but not only did she not see it, she nearly got herself caught. "You know, you could always head down to his hut and _ask_ about the dragon," Padma pointed out. "No way, no how, he's too scary. He gives me the creeps," Asyri shuddered mockingly, "He's worse than that old Auror Mad-Eye Moody." Padma rolled her eyes, "Wasn't he a dark wizard catcher or something? Heard he looked terrible, retired a while back."
"Speaking of dark stuff, who do you think will be the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher?" Penelope piped up. Asyri grinned, "Ooh, wouldn't it be creepy if it was Moody?" Padma shook her head, "Don't even suggest it, that'd be too weird. Besides, he's retired, there's no chance." At that time the train rumbled to a halt. Penelope frowned. "Why are we stopping? We can't be there yet." Asyri shrugged, "Maybe they're having engine trouble." The lights crackled out. "Or maybe not," she added as an afterthought.
Screams of terror greeted their ears as their cabin burst open and a few first years came running into their arms, mad with fright. Padma nearly had to holler over the noise, "Hush now, stop shrieking, there's nothing to be afraid of. The lights will come back on, and we'll get going again in no time." Despite her own fear, she knew better than to tell the first years otherwise, assuming it was the sudden stop that had scared them so. They quieted, apparently reassured, though a few whimpers could be heard. Sure enough, in about five minutes time, the lights sprang back to life and the train lurched forward. Asyri was shocked to look around and find three first years clinging to her middle, and one on her arm, it seemed that Padma was in a similar situation, and Penelope in an even worse. The poor girl had what looked like about eight attached to her. Padma hurriedly shooed them all off into their own cabins and the three were settled once more. Penelope was looking around at the two of them, curious, Asyri was frowning, and Padma was exhausted.