DISCLAIMER JK owes the wizarding world of Harry Potter and its characters.
Last time: Remus saves James from detention because he is lacking a uniform after swimming in the lake. The others question a few things Remus has told them. Sirius doesn´t feel too good because he knows his parents will punish him for his grade. Their End of The Year prank was a success.
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Summer holidays first year
"Professor Casher wait!" Remus left his trunk and ran towards his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. If you could still call her his professor. She wouldn´t join them next year anyway. Remus was about to walk towards Hogsmeade to take the Hogwarts express to platform 9 ¾ when he saw her.
"Remus?" Peter called from behind him.
He turned around. "Just a minute" and then turned to run towards Professor Casher. "Hi professor" he greeted politely.
"Hi Remus" she flashed her usual bright smile. "Don´t worry. I can call you that seeing as I´m no longer your professor. What did you want to talk about?"
Remus suddenly became embarrassed and looked down while he spoke. "I just wanted to thank you for our talk at the beginning of the year. It helped me a lot" he could almost feel her smile.
"It´s no trouble."
"And you are gonna work with… you know, the thing you told about" he checked.
Professor Casher smiled warmly. "Yeah I am, and if it goes well, we might meet each other again."
"That would be great."
She hadn´t ever told him what exactly she was working with, only that it was something that would make life easier for werewolves. He hadn´t ever heard of anything like that before. Usually, every time werewolves were mentioned in books or the Prophet it was bad things. That someone worked against all that and tried to make life easier sounded like a dream.
"Well… I better go" Remus told and gestured towards his friends who were all waiting.
"I´ll see you around," she said.
Remus turned around and ran towards his friends again. It felt so nice to call them his friends.
"TeachersPet" James coughed and then laughed. Remus rolled his eyes, but he laughed as well as Peter and Sirius. There really wasn´t much to say to that.
The trip towards platform 9 ¾ had been joyful for all four boys. They laughed and talked about the amazing prank they pulled the other day and agreed that they would try to find a day to hang out during the holidays. James and Sirius had tried to convince Peter and Remus to pull a prank on the train because they wouldn´t get punished.
Instead, they decided to try and come up with other pranks for their next year at Hogwarts. In only two months they would be back, and therefore had to come up with tons of pranks they could pull once there.
The trip was also slightly sad. They all knew that Sirius had some trouble with his family, and it might not have meant that much at Hogwarts, but now he had to face them again. Also, they wouldn´t see each other every day for two whole months.
James bought them Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans from the trolley. Peter shared a knowing look with Remus and knew that they would trick James and Sirius into eating the disgusting ones. They couldn´t hold the mask for long and was immediately exposed. Yet they did have a lot of fun before that. Neither James or Sirius could see what Remus apparently could see in the beans.
Even though it was hard, they managed to keep the atmosphere light until they reached the platform. The family they hadn´t seen since Christmas was waiting just outside, but the other family was in the train.
Remus was the first to leave. "I better go. I have to help my parents rebuild our house" he stated a bit awkwardly. "I´ll see you guys sometime," they all said goodbye to him.
Peter was the next to leave. He didn´t know if Karsyn was there, but he didn´t dare take the chance. If he was too long the man would just turn furious. "I better go too, my family is waiting," the last two said goodbye and then they were alone in the very compartment they also met in.
"Hey" James hit Sirius´ upper arm gently. "It´s gonna be alright. We are gonna meet soon enough."
"Hmm" Sirius dragged out the time because he really didn´t want to go out there, he didn´t even know if his parents were waiting. "I guess so" he stated but didn´t say goodbye. He didn´t want James to leave.
"I got a present for you" James quickly opened his trunk and found a little package that had already been opened. "My dad sent it to me not long ago. Open it" he handed the present to Sirius and watched with excitement as he opened it.
Sirius found two identical small mirrors. James took one of them. "It´s not normal mirrors. Look. Sirius Black" Sirius looked at his own mirror and saw James smile to him in it, he then looked up and saw the real James have an identical smile.
"A two way mirror" Sirius exclaimed and pulled James in for a hug. With this he and James would be able to see and speak to each other anytime they needed it. "This is amazing. Thank you, James" Sirius gently stroked the mirror, before placing it carefully in his own trunk.
Feeling slightly better Sirius walked out on the platform with James where James quickly said goodbye before heading towards his parents. Sirius looked around for his own and didn´t know if he should be relieved or not that he found his mother looking sour.
The four boys had separated.
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Peter missed all of his friends already and it had only been less than one week. He missed Hogwarts, he missed all the magic. There was nothing to do here. Peter spend most of his days waiting for replies to the letters he was sending. It would really be practical if the other´s had telephones.
After what might have been hours Peter heard a tap on his window, it was Remus´ family owl. He quickly let the owl in. After giving him the letter, it went over to drink some water and eat some food.
Hi again Peter
You really shouldn´t do nothing all day, can´t you at least do some homework? That´s what I´m doing.
I can´t believe you are going to spend a whole week in Turkey. I have always wanted to try to come outside of England. Just know that I´m very jealous and beg you to take some pictures and write about it.
I wish you could come over, but my house is still trash, and I can´t go to your place because I have to help my parents.
There is a lake right by our house I have been thinking of trying to jump in. Crossing fingers.
Our neighbours are quite nice to hang out with, at least they aren´t James and Sirius. I swear they never shut up, but I still miss both you and them terrible. Wish we could go back to school soon.
I might be able to visit later this summer; can you write to James and Sirius to suggest the idea?
I hope to see you soon
Remus
Peter read the letter multiple times and imagined Remus was sitting right next to him and saying those words himself. He was about to scribble down an answer on a new piece of parchment when another owl flew in his window, it was James´ owl.
James was always the one to write fastest. Remus took forever because he had to help his parents with the house all the time. Sirius also took forever for some unknown reason. Peter took the letter from James´ owl and she joined Remus´ owl in drinking water and resting before being sent to fly again.
He replied to Remus letter first.
Hi Remus
I don´t want to do homework, that´s what school is for.
You are very welcome to take my place in Turkey, I don´t want to spend a whole week alone down there. And I know you are probably making a look and thinking "beautiful and handsome Peter you won´t be alone because your siblings are there." I just wanna say that maybe they are there, but the three eldest are gonna hang out and the last one is only one year old.
But I will take pictures don´t worry.
I wish we could meet too, also all of us. Maybe we can hang out at Sirius´ or James´ place. I hope we can do it very soon.
It would be cool if you could overcome your fear. My fingers are crossed, and I believe in you. I´m glad to hear that your neighbours are cool.
I hope to see you soon too
Peter
Peter called Remus´ owl over to him and attached the letter, not long after it flew out of the window. He turned opened the letter from James.
Hey Pete
Turkey sounds cool, but don´t forget the mashed potatoes and gravy.
My parents say you can come and hang out at my place for like a week at the end of the holiday, I have written to Remus too. Sirius will ask his parents when they are less mad.
Write back as soon as you can!
Your awesome friend
James
(by the way, if Regnbue doesn´t want to fly, just stroke her wings and head a couple of times. She loves it)
He rolled his eyes at James´ lame joke, even though he wasn´t sure if it was a joke or not. Purebloods are known for knowing very little about everything that has anything to do with muggles. Peter turned the parchment around and began to scribble down.
Hello James
Don´t worry, Regnbue is very sweet.
Turkey is a country I´m visiting.
I´m going to Turkey at the end of the holidays, can we find a precise date that doesn´t intertwine with mine? I hope we all can be together.
Your awesomer friend
Peter
The owls were out, and Peter was again alone in his bedroom.
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Sirius expected to be slapped or punished as soon as he had apparated home with his mother, but nothing came, and it worried him. He had learned to not think too good of his parents, last time he had done that, he had been very wrong.
He went for his room. Grimmauld place felt so much darker than usual, maybe because he knew what might be about to come. The last time he hadn´t had the slightest idea what his father was capable of. This time Sirius would be prepared.
His room had been cleaned and it put him to ease, though he still didn´t dare to let himself believe they wouldn´t punish him. Sirius checked his drawer; the enchanted glass was still there. If anything did go completely wrong, at least he would have that.
Sirius laid down on his bed and was tempted to call James already, but he didn´t know if he should. He had just come home after all. Sirius still couldn´t believe that James would give him something as special as a two way mirror.
There was a little knock on his door, his heart instantly started beating faster before he realized Regulus is the only person here who knocks on his door. "Come in" he called, and right after he saw his little brother after so long time.
He hadn´t before realized how much Regulus had actually grown. He was no longer ten, but eleven and would attend Hogwarts after the summer holidays. They would both be at Hogwarts. Sirius still hoped Regulus would turn out to be a Gryffindor like himself. It was so terribly selfish of him.
"Hi, Regulus. How are you doing?" he asked lightly.
Regulus didn´t seem happy. "Why didn´t you write to me?"
Sirius sighed. "You didn´t write to me either… I´m sorry but I couldn´t bring myself to it, you disappointed me when you didn´t stand up to me after what father did" his tone was cold.
"I was scared, and it´s not like you would have done the same for me" his younger brother accused.
He simply shook his head. "It hurts that you think so low of me. Don´t you think I would stand up for my own brother? I would have! I always will" his tone was harsher than it was meant.
Regulus was taken aback. "It doesn´t matter. We don´t have to stand up for each other because there is nothing to stand up too. You got what you deserved" his words felt like knives in Sirius´ heart.
"You don´t mean that!" he stated not even believing himself.
"Yes I do! How can you say such things about mudbloods? How can you be friends with a filthy blood traitor?"
"Don't call him that!" Sirius warned and raised himself from his bed. Unknowingly he clenched his fist.
"But that´s what he is!" he insisted. "A filthy blood traitor. I bet it´s his fault you ended in Gryffindor" Regulus didn´t miss the way Sirius hesitated. "I´m right, aren´t I? It´s his fault mother and father are mad at you, it´s his fault father did that to you-"
Sirius hadn´t planned to smack Regulus in the face. He just couldn´t stand the way his brother was talking about James. His friend James. James is too good for mean people, too good for anyone.
Regulus and Sirius both quit talking.
"I´m sorry," Regulus said after a couple of minutes in silence, then disappeared through the door.
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James was extremely happy to finally see his parents again, it felt like too long since the last time he had seen them, yet after a couple of days, he missed his friends. It´s not that he didn´t like his parents or something like that, it´s just that he can´t exactly play games or fly on a broomstick with them. He could do that with Remus, Peter and Sirius.
"Why don´t you just invite them over here?" Euphemia suggested.
He had written to both Peter and Remus. Instead of writing to Sirius he had simply used the mirror and talked to him, Sirius had informed James that his parents were slightly mad, so he would ask later.
Remus and Peter had written back, but it had been weeks and there still wasn´t a reply from Sirius. James had called daily to ask Sirius if he had asked them yet, but he replied the same thing every time. There had been three full days where Sirius hadn´t answered at all. James had even called more than one time to make sure everything was alright. Turns out Sirius had simply lost the mirror, but he quickly found it again.
It was one of the times he was in the living room that his dad joined him. They hadn´t had any alone time because his mom was always around, but right now she was cooking dinner and his dad had for once come home early from work.
"How are things going?" he had asked.
"Fine" James had replied.
"How are the mirrors I gave you? Has Sirius answered yet?"
James smiled. "The mirrors are amazing, and he hasn´t answered yet. He keeps saying he will do it later."
"You know there might be a chance he isn´t allowed to" Fleamont carefully told. James looked at him for the first time since their conversation started. His dad looked more tired than he usually did. Maybe it had something to do with the attack at the start of his first year. The ministry still hadn´t captured the guilty.
"I know" just because his own parents didn´t care who Sirius parents were and what they had done, it didn´t mean that Sirius´ parents felt the same about his own ones.
Fleamont quickly changed the subject. "How about the cloak? Got on any adventures that weren´t discovered?" the little smirk on his lips showed James that he wouldn´t be punished if he told.
"Not so many yet, but we think it will be much better when we grow older and learn more spells" James told smugly.
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The reason Sirius hadn´t been punished the day he arrived at Grimmauld place was simply because his father wasn´t home. Sirius was surprised to find only his mother and Regulus and supper. It wasn´t something he was used to see.
What was surprising as well -but not as surprising as his father´s disappearance- was the plate filled with food where Sirius usually sat. He had thought his parents would punish him for not getting the grades they wanted.
Another week went by without anyone mentioning what had happened. Sirius had constant vigilance because he never knew when something might happen. His father still hadn´t shown up and Sirius was afraid his mother only waited for him to return.
James had been asking if Sirius could come by the last week of summer to hang out with him and the others. Of course he wanted that. Sirius had tried to find the right time, but he was afraid that if he asked before he got his punishment, he wouldn´t be allowed to go as a punishment.
So he waited and patiently told James multiple times that he would ask later, and hoped the other boy didn´t get too annoyed.
After being back at Grimmauld place for a week and a half, Sirius found his father at the table in the kitchen. There was no plate at his seat, yet one of the house elves had asked him to come. Sirius quietly sat down and expected the worst.
Orion Black casually lifted his wand and pointed it at Sirius. Not a single sound could be heard in the kitchen. "This is for your dreadful grates" Orion´s cold voice echoed between the walls. "Crucio."
He felt backwards and screamed before he even hit the ground. Sirius had thought he was prepared for it, but he wasn´t. Nothing could ever prepare him for the pain there was washing over him in a wave of knives. It could have been going on for hours or seconds, he had no idea. All Sirius knew was that when it suddenly stopped, his entire body was on fire.
"Get up on your chair!" Orion spat as if it wasn´t him who had just pushed Sirius down. As if Sirius was some naughty kid who had left the chair simply because he couldn´t bother to follow the rules. Sirius carefully raised the chair and sat down on it while he tried not to vomit.
"Now tell me" his dreadful voice filled Sirius´ head with fear. What a Gryffindor he was. "What exactly is your views on mudbloods?"
Sirius knew he could save himself and lie. He knew that and probably should have done it, but he had promised James he wouldn´t. Sirius was not one to break promises, and especially not one´s he had given one of his very best friends in the entire world.
"There is no difference between muggleborns and purebloods" he expected to be crucio'ed, but it didn´t come. Sirius could already taste the vomit in his mouth.
"Keep going" Orion´s voice was unreadable.
"Muggleborns and muggles deserve our respect. Our lives aren´t worth more than theirs. I would like to live in a world where Muggleborns aren´t looked bad upon, and where their families won´t get hurt because others don´t realize their worth-"
Orion suddenly raised himself from his chair. Sirius immediately stopped talking. He had been looking down the entire time and now realized tears were coming out of his eyes. Suddenly his father was right next to him and lifted his chin forcefully. Orion stared furiously at him for a few moments before slapping his cheek.
"Blacks don´t cry" Orion spat. Sirius held it in. Not because he wanted to, but it was what was expected of him and he would get punished if he acted otherwise. Sirius had never wanted to cry more in his life. "You get one more chance to take back what you just said," he ordered in a controlled angry voice.
"Never sir."
Orion didn´t even hesitate a second before he grabbed Sirius´ arm and forced him away from the table and into the kitchen. He wanted to look at Regulus for help, but he managed to not. Regulus wouldn´t help him and his mother certainly wouldn´t.
"Kreacher!" his father screamed just before they entered the kitchen. "Is the thing ready?" his voice was almost gentler towards the house elf than his own son.
"Yes master. In the dungeon master" Kreacher quickly quipped.
Sirius didn´t like the sound of it. His father easily pulled him towards the dungeons. There was a small black chest in the middle of the room. Orion walked directly towards it.
"No" Sirius pleaded as a whisper. "No. Father, please! Father please no. Please" he tried to get away, but Orion only tightened his grip.
"Do you regret your words?" he hissed, and Sirius found himself unable to answer. Orion opened the chest with his wand and began to yank a fighting Sirius down in it who still begged for the mercy he would never get.
Sirius didn´t even care about the tears that were now streaming down his face and blinding him. All he knew as that he could not be in that little box. But seeing as Sirius was only twelve and Orion was a full-grown man, it didn´t take long before he was down there in complete darkness.
The last thing he heard was 'silencio'.
For hours he kept crying for help and trying to open the chest in vain. Sirius was laying uncomfortable, he was hungry, thirsty and didn´t have any idea what time it was, but that wasn´t the worst part. It was the whispers.
Sirius was sure whoever it was, were in the box with him because his father has used Silencio on it. The only problem is that there is no room for somebody else. Once he tried to cover his ears because he just needed the sounds to get out, Sirius realized that the whispers didn´t come from the box or anyone lying next to him. They came from inside of his head.
To say it lightly he wanted to cut off his head to stop hearing it. He pressed harder against his ears, but it didn´t work. After a day he no longer had the power to do so, therefore he was doomed to listen to the creepy whispers for who knows how long without being able to do anything about it.
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The house looked just as bad as Remus remembered it to be. He had hoped his parents would have been able to fix most of it while he was gone. Turns out he shouldn´t have hoped for such thing, yet the insides were prettier. His own room looked like a normal room.
Remus had hoped he could get some time to relax after being so stressed out about the exams, but then he had to help them make the house more like home. The only breaks he got was when the others wrote to him. The thing is that he has to wait for them to reply before he can write back because his dad needs to use the family owl most of the time because of work.
Hope insisted that they used the day to work in the garden and the evening -or days when it rained- to work inside.
One day Remus collapsed on the grass. It had all finally been cut down. Remus was sweating all over his body, he wished he could take off his shirt, but his scars were ugly and he couldn´t bear anyone to see them. Not long after his mom came over with two glasses of lemonade with straws. He gladly accepted it.
"It´s gonna be great here" she assured. His parents had a thing for telling him that all the time.
"I know."
There was a couple of minutes in silence, the sun practically burned their skin. Remus kinda liked it.
"You haven´t really told me about Hogwarts yet" his mom smiled. "How is your friend Peter doing? And did you get good grades in the exams?" Remus appreciated that she cared.
"My grades were okay, could have been worse. I wanna read all our books as soon as I get the letter" he knows it´s kind of bookish and nerdy, but if he could read many of the books during the summer, then he didn´t have to do as much at Hogwarts which meant more time to hang out with his friends. "Peter is doing good, and I have made two new friends as well. James and Sirius. They are also good. I think."
"I´m glad you have made so many friends. Even though they make you get in trouble" she had a glint in her eye and Remus knew she referred to their Slime Prank earlier the same year. "Your dad told me that it was a quite impressive potion for a first year. How did you manage to do it?" she actually seemed interested.
"It´s James and Sirius, they are both really great at Potions. Sirius helped me after we became friends and now I´m a little better than before" once again Remus was glad, he decided to help Sirius feel better after whatever happened during the Christmas break.
"They sound like great friends" Hope smiled warmly.
"They are" Remus agreed. They are the best friends in the world, too good and too pure for him. Human unlike himself. Remus tried not to think about it, but sometimes it was hard.
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"Sirius Black," James said to the mirror. It had been four weeks and he still hadn´t received an answer from Sirius. They had been talking so James knew the other boy was alright, he just couldn´t wait to meet again.
"Hi James" came the reply in the other end. James saw Sirius smiling in the mirror. "I´m gonna ask today, don´t worry" he looked slightly nervous, but also kind of happy.
"I have been thinking of something. Are your parents still mad?" the look on Sirius´ face gave him away. "If you want to, you can come here now or next week, then we´ll have like three weeks together. Remus and Peter will join us in the last one. We can shop in Diagonally and go to the platform together" James wore a hopeful expression. It could be really fun, and James honestly thought he would die of boredom soon.
Sirius also looked excited now. "That would be cool. I´m gonna ask right away. See you" he made a little awkward wave. Sirius thought it was best to ask while he still got the courage. James said goodbye as well and then he headed downstairs.
He could hear the whispers in the corners and speeded up.
Orion and Walburga were both sitting in the living room. His mother had an unnatural stiff back while she read a book. His father was reading the Daily Prophet yet his position wasn´t unnatural. The whole thing looked like a portrait.
"Sir?" he asked when none of them reacted on his presence.
His father looked up, and even though his mother didn´t Sirius knew she was listening.
"Yes. Son?" it seemed as if the words had a hard time coming out. That is the thing you can´t see in the portrait.
"My friend wants to know if I can go to his place before next week and stay for the rest of the holidays" he held his breath as he waited for the answer.
Orion raised his wand and Sirius was afraid he would get punished for asking. He tried to not look scared. His father didn´t point his wand at Sirius though. "Avis" a single bird flew from his wand. "You have one try. Hit it with Immobulus and you can go" Orion looked down again as if he expected that Sirius wouldn´t be able to do it.
Sirius lifted his wand and aimed at the bird, but it kept moving around. He didn´t want to wait too long before doing it. Sirius thought of the words Remus had uttered to Peter when he tried to help him with the dancing charm. Just breathe. Imagine what the spell will do, and then do it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, through his nostrils and out through his mouth. Then opened his mouth and uttered: "Immobulus."
He heard a little squeak and then the bird was gone. Orion looked disbelieving up to where it had disappeared, he then turned to the Prophet again as if he didn´t care and wasn´t impressed. "You can go tomorrow morning" he granted. "Go to your room and pack."
Sirius almost couldn´t hold back the smile. "Thank you, sir," he quickly said in a cold neutral voice, but as soon as he turned around his face broke into a huge grin. Sirius then hurried towards his room -away from the whispers- to tell James the great news.
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I wrote the first 3k words in a couple of hours, but it didn´t feel complete, so I had to write some more, otherwise, this would have been out two days ago. It´s long but I don´t think you mind.
I can´t believe that start their second year already.
Please review and tell me your thoughts!
