Hello! If any of you reader know me, then you probably know my knack of creating really long first chapters and then it pretty much exponentially gets shorter until inspiration hits me (sometimes literally *no joke*) But yeah, I had this idea written down in one of my journals for a while and kind of forgot about it until I started cleaning my room (lol) and thought, why not? let's write something. So, I, as usual can't promise frequent updates, but I can promise a story to tell. This (as the name of the chapter states) is just the beginning, so I hope that you like it!)
DISCLAIMER: I Don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters
Chapter 1: Just The Beginning
On a late summer's…wait, that's another story. Let's start over.
On a late autumn's night, a loud wail broke out through the house of 12 Grimmauld Place. On this late day of the 3rd of November, 1959, one Sirius Orion Black was brought into this world. Born of Walburga and Orion Black, Sirius was the sole Heir to the Black family. He took his first breath of the cold manor's air. Walburga took one look at her newborn son and immediately knew; this boy is destined for great things. As she lied there with baby Sirius in her arm, a loud roar came from the far fireplace, indicating the usage of the Floo. It appeared that Orion Black had finally came back home. At first Walburga says nothing as the healer that had delivered the young babe packed up everything and left with nothing but a quick nod respectfully. As soon as Orion's face came into view, Walburga wasted no time in making sure her opinions of this were known as she says,
"Finally decided to show your face around here? I was beginning to think that you had taken permanent residence at that dreadful manor." He simply ignores her statement and stares at the babe she rocks softly in her arms. He had soft, curly tufts of black hair sprouting from the top of his head and eyes as stormy grayish-blue as the sea with smooth pale skin, flushed from just being brought into this world. No doubt, he was the spitting image of his father standing directly adjacent to him with a stoic expression on his face, seemingly unaffected by the birth of his own son. He finally decides to speak with the simplistic question of,
"It is a boy, no?"
"Of course he's a boy you bumbling idiot. You would have known this ages ago if you had been hear when the healer performed the gender identity spell; but no; you had 'important business' that you had to attend to for over six months. This leaving you pregnant wife alone with nothing but house elfs and portraits for company!" Walburga screeched. Walburga had finally had enough. She had never been one for sentimentalities due to her cold upbringing, but she at least expected to have a proper and respectful marriage. She knew that with being a pure-blood came the expectations of continuing the pure line- marrying someone of her parents' choice. If only she had been able to marry someone, anyone, else. Orion may have looked good on paper, but in reality, he was a cold-hearted, idiotic poor excuse of a man and she wished that she had never been dealt such cards of fate. Walburga would never had any clue of how wonderful the touch and feeling of a having a loved one would be like if it weren't for him. Although she would never admit it out loud to anyone, she truly wished for someone to love her again. But after sixth year, she had learned her lesson. Through this, she vowed after what happened that she would never open herself to anyone like that again. She built an icy wall around her heart; preventing all to never break it ever again. All she allows herself to feel every once and a while, is the memory of a young boy with brown hair and bright green eyes. However, none of that matters anymore. All it ended in was his death after her parents had found out about their relationship and with him being a 'filthy half-blood'; he could not be allowed to 'taint' her any longer. She was left a ball of grief, tears seemingly to constantly be found on her face but not before being taught a lesson by her parents. She sometimes can still feel the backlash of the curses her own father had set upon her one by one to teach her a lesson. Walburga was never again to be in association with anyone without the purest of bloods without punishment. Through this, sprouted her hatred of Muggles, Mud-bloods, and anyone that was not 'pure'. In her eyes, they became nothing. She spits at blood traitors and all species. Shifts away from Half-Bloods and Half-Breeds. All of these ideals stemming from the torture inflicted upon her by her own parents. Walburga yanks herself from these morbid thoughts just in time to hear her husband's pitiful excuse of,
"You know how busy it gets for me when it comes to serving the Dark Lord. With him requiring my presence nearly constantly, I am forced to stay at Malfoy Manor for long periods of time." He insisted.
"That does not excuse your leave of six months straight!" she retorted just as firmly. He, once again ignored what she said instead to ask in a lower tone,
"What is his name?" His previous glare turned into a look of curiosity as he finally turned his eyes back to his son.
"Sirius Orion Black". Walburga said softly. Although she might not hold any love for the in front of her, she will still stick to the age old Black tradition of naming the heirs after constellations, and their middle name's their father's. He raised his eyebrow in response, but otherwise showed no other visible reaction. Although a few seconds after, he suddenly looks as if Sirius is a beacon of light in the darkness. Walburga, however, simply ends the pitiful excuse of a conversation with,
"Take the child, my arms are tiring." Orion glanced at her briefly and gently took Sirius with a grace that Walburga never could have guessed that he possessed but pushed aside nonetheless. Orion watched as baby Sirius slept. He absentmindedly noted that Walburga and slammed the door to the upstairs loo door in favor of listening to the small breaths coming from his child. His child. It's strange to think of that- that he (and Walburga) were able to make an entirely new person of their own. It hadn't really set in until now as he held him that he really was a father. Sirius woke and cracked open his eyes and as Orion looked into his son's eyes; he immediately knew that he was destined for great things. Little did Orion know…that he would never see them.
11 years later
(Sirius POV)
I was so excited when I received my Hogwarts acceptance letter a few weeks ago. I knew that I had to keep up the facade of a cool, calm pure-blood heir but I could hardly restrain myself. My mother has always been very strict and insistent on the importance of the whole appearance and she's really strict you see, so much so that if I even put a toe out of line then boy would I be in trouble. I'm mostly able to do it when we're at those boring pure-blood balls and events but when I'm around the house it's a little harder. I wish that I didn't have to do it so often, but when I'm around mother I know that I still have to do it in order to appease her. In regards to my father, I don't really remember much about him; only what my mother told me and one fuzzy memory of when I believe I was around the age of five as I watched him stalk towards the fireplace in billowing black robes and a silver mask that adorned his face before vanishing in a burst of green flames. That's why I don't really remember what he looks like, but everyone always tells me that I look like him. The only other thing that's ingrained into my mind is the branding of a black skull and a snake coming out of the mouth seeming to squirm around on his left forearm. My younger brother, Regulus, is only two years younger than me, but I can already easily tell that my mother favors him over my rambunctious self. He constantly acts like he's cleverer than me, always sending a smirk my way whenever I'm told off or proven wrong. Obviously there is no love lost between the both of us. He prides himself at beating me in everything expected of a pure-blood heir, however one thing that I can proudly say that I beat him at is possessing the ability to be brave enough to accomplish tasks that I want to achieve and not what others expect me to- essentially, having a mind of my own. If I were to adopt the behavior that expect of me, then it is typically because I want to stay on my mother's good side in order to get something I want. Back to the present, I pack the rest of my belongings into my trunk and hurl it to the ground. This causes a loud thumping sound, thus leading to my mother to curse at me to be quiet from the bottom level of the manor and then to hurry up lest I be late for the Hogwarts Express. My mother grudgingly grabs my arm and apparates me to the train station and before I could even regain my balance, she disapperated back to the manor. I walk to the middle of the platform by a column and wait for James. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention my absolute best-est friend (only friend) in my entire life! His name is James Fleamont Potter and I met him at one of those stuck up pure-blood balls that I was talking about. We both were incredibly bored and when I decided to move to the back and plan some mischief he noticed me and came over. We instantly clicked and both wreaked havoc pretty much everywhere we went. After five years of friendship we've practically become inseparable whenever we're in the same place. A loud yell shakes me out of my thoughts and as I look to my left I'm met with the sight of a sprinting James Potter…running straight towards, waving his hands like a lunatic and a large grin plastered on his face.
"SIRIUS" James chants over and over as he charges towards through the crowd of people on the platform. I walk his way and he does this until we meet in the middle, laughing manically. We dramatically hug each other in the middle of the crowd like the moppets we are.
"Darling, I missed you so!" I cry loudly over the noise of the platform."
"But not as much as I my love!" James exclaims. I hear another person behind James sigh exasperatedly and I don't find myself surprised to see Mrs. Potter shaking her head at our silly antics however wearing a fond smile all-the-while.
"I'm sure that you will have plenty of time to profess your undying love for each other on the train, but for now you must make haste or you'll miss the train." She pointed out. But we wouldn't give up our act so easily, so while I clung to James for dear life, he took it upon himself to pretend to cry (quite convincingly might I add) emitting loud wails with his shoulders shaking (I knew this was because he was actually restraining himself from laughing).
"BUT MOTHER! I SIMPLY CAN'T! THIS BLESSED REUNION MUSTN'T BE TAKEN LIGHTLY! WE HAVE BEEN APART FOR SO LONG!" he shouted. And for dramatic effect, he let out another desperate wail into my shoulder. I simply just couldn't hold it in any longer after seeing Mrs. Potter roll her eyes and flail her arms in the air in a way that clearly meant 'I give up'. I started laughing so hard that the fake tears I was pretending to have suddenly become real as I found real tears gathering at the corners of my eyes, James having the same problem.
"I suppose that we should take our leave now or we really are going to miss it." I said. As id sensing my sudden resignation, the train gave a loud whistle warning that it will be departing in five minutes. James gave his mother a loving kiss on the cheek and a tight hug all the while promising to write over the duration of the school year and he will come back for the Yule holidays. I gave a polite smile with a small wave and wished her a pleasant evening before dragging both James and my trunk behind me. We searched around for any empty compartments, but came up fruitless due to our tardiness. We ended up deciding that we would just share one with someone who seemed more approachable and found one in the very back which actually at first appeared to empty if it weren't for the boy sitting to the far left next to the window. He didn't seem to be surprised by our sudden appearance despite the fact that he hadn't looked up from his book since we had opened the door.
"Hi, do you mind if we sit here? Everywhere else was full." I said with a winning grin. He looked up from his book for a brief moment and gave us a small nod for confirmation.
'Not much of a talker then.' I thought to myself. I motioned for James to come in and we both put out trunks above our heads in the small space provided for passengers. The train began to move and I could make out the form of Mrs. Potter waving through the window to the right as I sat down, taking the seat across from the other boy. I poked James and we both waved back at his mother before she passed by along with the rest of the platform which quickly turned into a blur. I couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy hit me at the sight of all the parents that had showed up for their children and towards James. He had a family that loved and cared about him. I wish more than anything that I could have that instead of the cold, seemingly unfeeling house that I have to endure and is forced to call a "home". Walburga Black (nee LeStrange) was known for many things, but being kind and loving was definitely not one of them. I had to grow up in a house without love; without a mother that cared for me that would care for me, help me when I needed it, to kiss my wounds when I fell down, to hold me when I woke up from a nightmare. I grew up being told to have no weaknesses- that I needed to be rid of all childish dreams and actions immediately in order to become a proper, respectful heir of the family. Mother, bar her coldness, had never shown any emotion for me. There were small moments however that gave me some hope. One being when mother dragged me to one of her pure-blood tea parties with her friends and I acted properly, I overheard her telling them that I was "Destined for great things" with a look of pride on her face. When she did this, it shook me to my core for I had never seen my mother that way before. I left and went up to my room in shock and sat there for hours reflecting on what I had heard. Needless to say, I got an earful for leaving the party early, and just like that, the feeling vanished. Despite growing up with this and having years to get used to it, I still have moments where I allow myself a small amount of well-deserved self-pity. Through my reminiscing, I finally realized that I had yet to introduce myself to the other boy in the compartment. I shook the rest of my thoughts from my head and first took a moment to observe him before talking to him. He had short, sandy hair that barely brushed the bottoms of his ears and bangs the hung down to his eyebrows and porcelain white skin with light brown freckles speckled across his nose and cheeks. He wore Muggle blue jeans, red trainers and a light blue polo shirt. I finally broke the silence and introduced myself.
"I'm sorry but I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Sirius Black!" I say with a bright smile and shot my right hand forward. I elbowed James with my left only to realize he had nodded off in the seat next to me. The boy seemed to scrutinize my hand for a moment before marking his page with one hand and using the other to shake my hand saying,
"Remus Lupin, pleasure to meet you." timidly. I finally was able to get a good look at his eyes and my breath hitched. They were a beautiful, deep forest green yellow so dark it looked gold just around the pupil. His eyebrow quirked up and I realized that I hadn't let go of his hand and I'd probably been staring for a while.
"Can you let go of my hand now Mr. Black?" he asked in his wonderfully smooth voice. I blushed a dark crimson and muttered a small apology while yanking my hand back to my side and adding,
"Call me Sirius; Mr. Black just sounds so weird and formal." He smiled
"Call me Remus then. Do you mind telling me the name of your friend there as well? He doesn't seem to be waking anytime soon." I looked over and indeed James was fast asleep with his mouth hanging open, seemingly unaffected by the sharp jab I gave neither him, nor the talking going on in the compartment.
"Sorry about him, this idiot's name is James Potter. We've known each other for a few years so that's why we tend to act like crackpots most of the time when we're together." His eyes shone as he let out a surprised laugh. My smile widened, feeling triumphant that I was able to make him laugh.
"Would you like to play a game of exploding snap?" I ask, hopeful that he'll say yes.
"I don't know what that is, but I would be happy to learn." I flashed him another smile full of teeth before jumping out of my seat to rummage through my trunk.
"Let me find it real quick and I can teach you everything! It'll be loads of fun!" I see him nod with a small smile and put his book to the side after putting a bookmark in it.
"Aha!" I exclaim, after I finally grasp the familiar deck of cards and fish it out of the trunk. I go back to my seat so that we are siting straight across from each other once again. I set out the cards and explain the rules to him; all the while he nods his head and asks questions once in a while. I smile and answer anything he asks and I can't help but hope that we become close friends this year because I don't know why, but I just feel this inexplicable pull towards him. I hope we get sorted into the same house because I know that it will make it all the easier. I know that with James and hopefully Remus Lupin at my side, Hogwarts is going to be just as great as I imagined it to be.
Hello once again! just wanted to say thank you for reading, and that I hope you enjoyed it :)
Secret_Lullaby2 Out!