Sirius Black opened the heavy parchment envelope and smiled. Finally, after a long summer, he shall be returning to Hogwarts. He was to start his third year as training to be a full wizard. Sirius came from a wizarding family as old as any. The magic within his family went back generations, as far back as anyone could count. At the end of every summer since he had been eleven, he had been looking forward to going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
At the same time as the letter from Hogwarts had arrived, Sirius had received a letter from his best friend, James Potter. They had been best friends since before Hogwarts. Like Sirius' family, James' was pure blood way back and had met many times as their fathers had worked together and were good friends. In his letter, James had asked Sirius to come and stay the rest of the holidays with him and his family. Of course, the main reason to do this was to practice becoming Animagi. Ever since finding out that their other friend Remus Lupin was a werewolf, James, Sirius and their friend Peter Pettigrew had been intent on learning how to become Animagi so that they could be with their friend during his transformations. The four friends had never told anyone of their plans to become Animagi, and they couldn't. They were attempting to do this illegally, which meant if they were caught, they would be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.
Sirius walked downstairs to find his mother. He found her sitting in the living room listening to the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network) with her eyes closed.
"Hey, mum, I got the letter for Hogwarts. When are we going to Diagon Alley?"
"Oh, Sirius you scared me!" jumped Mrs Black. "Umm, I'm not sure, but within the next week. Why do you ask?"
"It's just that James has asked me to stay with him for the rest of the holidays, so I was wondering if we could meet up in Diagon Alley, and I can take my school stuff with me, then go to his house after buying my new books."
"That should be fine, dear. We'll just need to speak to your father when he gets home from work." Mrs Black looked up at the clock on the wall. The longest hand indicated that James' dad was travelling from work to home at that moment. Around two seconds later, Mr Black landed with a thump in the large fireplace in the living room. Coughing, he stood up and brushed ash off himself.
"I have really got to re-new my Disapparating License, but I have just been so busy down at the Ministry!" he said, pointing his wand at himself. "Clensio," he whispered, and the ash vanished off his clothes.
"Hi, dad!" said Sirius cheerfully. "How was your day?"
"Don't even ask," groaned Mr Black. "We had seven goblins on trial today! Seven! I don't know why I chose the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures over Sports!" Mr Black rubbed his eyes wearily. " I could really use a cup of tea," he said, looking expectantly over at his wife. With a wave of her wand, Mrs Black had magicked a tea tray on her husband's lap.
"Dad, I was wondering if I could stay with James for the rest of the holidays?" asked Sirius.
"Sure, I don't see a problem with that. Just as long as they get you from Diagon Alley when you go to get your school stuff, I don't want to take you across the country! Tell the Potter's we'll meet them there on Wednesday," he said as he took a sip from his teacup.
"Thanks Dad!" yelled Sirius as he ran upstairs to his room. He opened the door to his owl cage and gently lifted his brown tawny owl Turmoa out of it. "Feel up to taking a note to James?" he asked her. She ruffled her feathers excitedly as he scribbled a note giving him the details of their rendezvous in Diagon Alley. Then he picked up Turmoa, tied the note to her leg and threw her out the window.
At the same time as the letter from Hogwarts had arrived, Sirius had received a letter from his best friend, James Potter. They had been best friends since before Hogwarts. Like Sirius' family, James' was pure blood way back and had met many times as their fathers had worked together and were good friends. In his letter, James had asked Sirius to come and stay the rest of the holidays with him and his family. Of course, the main reason to do this was to practice becoming Animagi. Ever since finding out that their other friend Remus Lupin was a werewolf, James, Sirius and their friend Peter Pettigrew had been intent on learning how to become Animagi so that they could be with their friend during his transformations. The four friends had never told anyone of their plans to become Animagi, and they couldn't. They were attempting to do this illegally, which meant if they were caught, they would be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.
Sirius walked downstairs to find his mother. He found her sitting in the living room listening to the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network) with her eyes closed.
"Hey, mum, I got the letter for Hogwarts. When are we going to Diagon Alley?"
"Oh, Sirius you scared me!" jumped Mrs Black. "Umm, I'm not sure, but within the next week. Why do you ask?"
"It's just that James has asked me to stay with him for the rest of the holidays, so I was wondering if we could meet up in Diagon Alley, and I can take my school stuff with me, then go to his house after buying my new books."
"That should be fine, dear. We'll just need to speak to your father when he gets home from work." Mrs Black looked up at the clock on the wall. The longest hand indicated that James' dad was travelling from work to home at that moment. Around two seconds later, Mr Black landed with a thump in the large fireplace in the living room. Coughing, he stood up and brushed ash off himself.
"I have really got to re-new my Disapparating License, but I have just been so busy down at the Ministry!" he said, pointing his wand at himself. "Clensio," he whispered, and the ash vanished off his clothes.
"Hi, dad!" said Sirius cheerfully. "How was your day?"
"Don't even ask," groaned Mr Black. "We had seven goblins on trial today! Seven! I don't know why I chose the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures over Sports!" Mr Black rubbed his eyes wearily. " I could really use a cup of tea," he said, looking expectantly over at his wife. With a wave of her wand, Mrs Black had magicked a tea tray on her husband's lap.
"Dad, I was wondering if I could stay with James for the rest of the holidays?" asked Sirius.
"Sure, I don't see a problem with that. Just as long as they get you from Diagon Alley when you go to get your school stuff, I don't want to take you across the country! Tell the Potter's we'll meet them there on Wednesday," he said as he took a sip from his teacup.
"Thanks Dad!" yelled Sirius as he ran upstairs to his room. He opened the door to his owl cage and gently lifted his brown tawny owl Turmoa out of it. "Feel up to taking a note to James?" he asked her. She ruffled her feathers excitedly as he scribbled a note giving him the details of their rendezvous in Diagon Alley. Then he picked up Turmoa, tied the note to her leg and threw her out the window.