Rising Shadows
Chapter Seven - Ill Feelings
"Merlin! What happened to this thing?!" asked James.
Sirius took the owl in his arms. "This is the owl I sent to my father, telling him I was sorted into Gryffindor."
James cringed, "Guess he didn't take the news too well.." He looked down nervously at the letter tied to the owl's leg. "Well, I suppose you should see what he said." James untied the letter, and handed it to Sirius, who took it with shaking hands and handed James the owl. He unfolded the parchment, and read aloud:
----------
Sirius,
I am rather disturbed by this information, however I still expect you to do well in your studies. Remember what I told you, and remember that you are expected to honor the family name, no matter what house you belong to. I expect to see you home for Christmas,
Father.
----------
James looked from the owl he was holding to the letter and back again. "Err."
Sirius shook his head and re-read the letter, making sure he read right.
"I'd say he was a bit more than 'rather disturbed..'" said Sirius. "I don't know what to do now.."
~oOo~
Sirius looked down at the beetle in front of him. He tapped it's hard back with the tip of his wand, and it became a button with antennae.
Sirius was sitting between James and Peter during his Tuesday morning transfiguration class. Remus sat beside James. Frank was standing over Peter, trying to help him transfigure the beetle properly. It was, apparently, not going very well, as Peter had just squashed it with the tip of his wand ("Honestly, Pettigrew! Can't you at least pretend to be careful!")
Sirius found earlier that he rather liked Transfiguration, even though it was a bit of a put-off sitting next to James, who already had four perfect buttons sitting on his desk, and was about to transfigure his fifth. Normally, Sirius would be right behind James, but today he wasn't really paying attention to the lesson. He knew he could get help from James or Frank after class. Today, he was too busy worrying about the Flying Lessons that would take place this afternoon. He really didn't want to see Lucius.
He was also worried about his father. He'd obviously been angry that Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor, but had he gotten it out of his system? Sirius somehow doubted it very much. He wasn't looking forward to Christmas. He wondered what his father would do if he stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays.
Sirius looked over to Remus. His beetle now looked like a button, but apparently had legs, as it was slowly crawling away from the sandy- haired boy.
James, who was looking quite disappointed at not having a sixth beetle to transfigure, eyed the feelers and legs on Sirius and Remus's buttons. He quickly transfigured each into a proper button then turned to Sirius.
"So, looking forward to the flying lessons?" he asked, grinning slightly.
"Not really." replied Sirius. James frowned, then nodded.
"Worried about the Slytherins?" Sirius nodded. "Don't be, we'll help you deal with them, After all, what are friends f."
"Mr. Potter! Mr. Black! Unless you'd like to share your discussion with the class, I suggest you get back to work!" said Professor McGonagall, who was currently helping Lily. "I expect both of you to have at least one perfect button by the end of class."
The five boys looked down at the desk, where five buttons were sitting in front of James, and one in front of Sirius. They looked up again at the teacher as James answered with a grin, "Yes Ma'am."
~oOo~
After lunch, the class of first-year Gryffindors - James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Frank, Lily, Jen, and Kristin - headed toward the Quidditch Pitch, where they would be learning to fly. Jen, Lily, Peter, and Remus were looking rather nervous. Even Frank admitted that he wasn't a very good flyer. Jen and Lily were Muggle-Born and had been asking all through lunch for any tips. Peter explained that he'd never flown much, because his mother insisted on living near muggles. Remus, however, seemed reluctant to explain. After a few questions from his friends, however he finally answered.
"I've never flown." he said.
"Well that's not so bad," answered Peter, "neither have I. Do you live near muggles too?"
Remus looked down at his feet. "No, we don't live anywhere near muggles. We don't even live near other wizarding families. My father and I live in a forest, and it's forbidden to muggle hunters."
"But then, why don't you fly?" asked Kristin.
Remus was looking very uncomfortable by now. "My father never let me."
"Come along! Come along, first-years!" yelled the Madam Lorain, the flying instructor. "Line up next to the brooms, and don't do anything until I tell you to! We don't want any accidents."
Sirius avoided looking over at the Slytherin's side. He noticed that Frank was looking very pale. "Umm.did I say I couldn't fly well? I meant that I can't fly. At all. As in, I fall off if I go over ten feet in the air."
James gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, we can improve that. You're probably just afraid of heights." Frank nodded furiously to this.
"Alright, listen up! You're all to put your hands over the brooms and yell 'Up!'. If it works right, your broom should jump up into your hand. Go!"
Seventeen voices rang through the Quidditch field. "UP!" they all yelled.
Sirius caught the broom easily in his hand. He looked around at the other students, seeing their varying degrees of success and failure. Frank's broom hadn't moved at all, while Jen and Remus's had simply rolled over. Lily's had apparently attempted to jump into her outstretched hand, but had lost heart during it's attempt. James, Peter, and Kristin had all caught their brooms as easily as Sirius.
Daring a glance at the Slytherin's he saw Lucius, Severus, and Rick Avery had all been successful. George Goyle, and Blake Crabbe's brooms hadn't moved. Sirius rolled his eyes - they were complete idiots anyway. A blonde-haired Slytherin girl Sirius had never met had caught her broom, but the other 3 Slytherin girls hadn't.
Once Madam Lorain had gone around and corrected the grips of some of the students, they were ready to take off. They rose almost twelve feet before Frank gave a yell and slipped off his broom. He landed with a thump.
They Slytherin's rang with laughter, while the Gryffindors sped toward the ground to help their friend. Madam Lorain cleared them all away however, and began to lead Frank to the hospital wing. She stopped for a moment and, calling back over her shoulder, shouted "Don't any of you dare touch those brooms while I'm gone!" before disappearing into the castle.
The Gryffindor's talked quietly amongst themselves, but Sirius was pulled away from them by Lucius and Severus.
"You know, Sirius," said Lucius, "I think you've been avoiding us. So why don't we talk for a while?"
Sirius attempted to pull his arm away from Lucius's grasp, but he simply clutched it tighter and continued. "You didn't seem like some muggle-loving Gryffindor on the train. So what the hell happened?"
"Who said I was muggle-loving?" replied Sirius.
"You sure seem to love that muggle-born Lupin." said Severus.
"He's not muggle-born!"
"Sure he isn't. So what did he say to you on the train that made you change your mind?" asked Lucius.
"None of your business."
"It's my business to make sure that my friends aren't corrupted." said Lucius.
"Well then," said James, walking up next to Sirius, the rest of the Gryffindor's behind him, "I'd say you've done your job by chasing him away from Slytherin."
"This is a private conversation, Potter. Who asked you to join?" spat Severus.
"I did." said Sirius. "Now, if you don't mind, my friends and I have things to do before our next lesson."
That said, the first-year Gryffindors hurried toward the castle to visit Frank. Each and every one of them bearing a large grin. Except one.
A/N: You may have it in black, green, or red, so long as it's red. That's what those last lines remind me of. Tell me what you think! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
"Merlin! What happened to this thing?!" asked James.
Sirius took the owl in his arms. "This is the owl I sent to my father, telling him I was sorted into Gryffindor."
James cringed, "Guess he didn't take the news too well.." He looked down nervously at the letter tied to the owl's leg. "Well, I suppose you should see what he said." James untied the letter, and handed it to Sirius, who took it with shaking hands and handed James the owl. He unfolded the parchment, and read aloud:
----------
Sirius,
I am rather disturbed by this information, however I still expect you to do well in your studies. Remember what I told you, and remember that you are expected to honor the family name, no matter what house you belong to. I expect to see you home for Christmas,
Father.
----------
James looked from the owl he was holding to the letter and back again. "Err."
Sirius shook his head and re-read the letter, making sure he read right.
"I'd say he was a bit more than 'rather disturbed..'" said Sirius. "I don't know what to do now.."
~oOo~
Sirius looked down at the beetle in front of him. He tapped it's hard back with the tip of his wand, and it became a button with antennae.
Sirius was sitting between James and Peter during his Tuesday morning transfiguration class. Remus sat beside James. Frank was standing over Peter, trying to help him transfigure the beetle properly. It was, apparently, not going very well, as Peter had just squashed it with the tip of his wand ("Honestly, Pettigrew! Can't you at least pretend to be careful!")
Sirius found earlier that he rather liked Transfiguration, even though it was a bit of a put-off sitting next to James, who already had four perfect buttons sitting on his desk, and was about to transfigure his fifth. Normally, Sirius would be right behind James, but today he wasn't really paying attention to the lesson. He knew he could get help from James or Frank after class. Today, he was too busy worrying about the Flying Lessons that would take place this afternoon. He really didn't want to see Lucius.
He was also worried about his father. He'd obviously been angry that Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor, but had he gotten it out of his system? Sirius somehow doubted it very much. He wasn't looking forward to Christmas. He wondered what his father would do if he stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays.
Sirius looked over to Remus. His beetle now looked like a button, but apparently had legs, as it was slowly crawling away from the sandy- haired boy.
James, who was looking quite disappointed at not having a sixth beetle to transfigure, eyed the feelers and legs on Sirius and Remus's buttons. He quickly transfigured each into a proper button then turned to Sirius.
"So, looking forward to the flying lessons?" he asked, grinning slightly.
"Not really." replied Sirius. James frowned, then nodded.
"Worried about the Slytherins?" Sirius nodded. "Don't be, we'll help you deal with them, After all, what are friends f."
"Mr. Potter! Mr. Black! Unless you'd like to share your discussion with the class, I suggest you get back to work!" said Professor McGonagall, who was currently helping Lily. "I expect both of you to have at least one perfect button by the end of class."
The five boys looked down at the desk, where five buttons were sitting in front of James, and one in front of Sirius. They looked up again at the teacher as James answered with a grin, "Yes Ma'am."
~oOo~
After lunch, the class of first-year Gryffindors - James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Frank, Lily, Jen, and Kristin - headed toward the Quidditch Pitch, where they would be learning to fly. Jen, Lily, Peter, and Remus were looking rather nervous. Even Frank admitted that he wasn't a very good flyer. Jen and Lily were Muggle-Born and had been asking all through lunch for any tips. Peter explained that he'd never flown much, because his mother insisted on living near muggles. Remus, however, seemed reluctant to explain. After a few questions from his friends, however he finally answered.
"I've never flown." he said.
"Well that's not so bad," answered Peter, "neither have I. Do you live near muggles too?"
Remus looked down at his feet. "No, we don't live anywhere near muggles. We don't even live near other wizarding families. My father and I live in a forest, and it's forbidden to muggle hunters."
"But then, why don't you fly?" asked Kristin.
Remus was looking very uncomfortable by now. "My father never let me."
"Come along! Come along, first-years!" yelled the Madam Lorain, the flying instructor. "Line up next to the brooms, and don't do anything until I tell you to! We don't want any accidents."
Sirius avoided looking over at the Slytherin's side. He noticed that Frank was looking very pale. "Umm.did I say I couldn't fly well? I meant that I can't fly. At all. As in, I fall off if I go over ten feet in the air."
James gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, we can improve that. You're probably just afraid of heights." Frank nodded furiously to this.
"Alright, listen up! You're all to put your hands over the brooms and yell 'Up!'. If it works right, your broom should jump up into your hand. Go!"
Seventeen voices rang through the Quidditch field. "UP!" they all yelled.
Sirius caught the broom easily in his hand. He looked around at the other students, seeing their varying degrees of success and failure. Frank's broom hadn't moved at all, while Jen and Remus's had simply rolled over. Lily's had apparently attempted to jump into her outstretched hand, but had lost heart during it's attempt. James, Peter, and Kristin had all caught their brooms as easily as Sirius.
Daring a glance at the Slytherin's he saw Lucius, Severus, and Rick Avery had all been successful. George Goyle, and Blake Crabbe's brooms hadn't moved. Sirius rolled his eyes - they were complete idiots anyway. A blonde-haired Slytherin girl Sirius had never met had caught her broom, but the other 3 Slytherin girls hadn't.
Once Madam Lorain had gone around and corrected the grips of some of the students, they were ready to take off. They rose almost twelve feet before Frank gave a yell and slipped off his broom. He landed with a thump.
They Slytherin's rang with laughter, while the Gryffindors sped toward the ground to help their friend. Madam Lorain cleared them all away however, and began to lead Frank to the hospital wing. She stopped for a moment and, calling back over her shoulder, shouted "Don't any of you dare touch those brooms while I'm gone!" before disappearing into the castle.
The Gryffindor's talked quietly amongst themselves, but Sirius was pulled away from them by Lucius and Severus.
"You know, Sirius," said Lucius, "I think you've been avoiding us. So why don't we talk for a while?"
Sirius attempted to pull his arm away from Lucius's grasp, but he simply clutched it tighter and continued. "You didn't seem like some muggle-loving Gryffindor on the train. So what the hell happened?"
"Who said I was muggle-loving?" replied Sirius.
"You sure seem to love that muggle-born Lupin." said Severus.
"He's not muggle-born!"
"Sure he isn't. So what did he say to you on the train that made you change your mind?" asked Lucius.
"None of your business."
"It's my business to make sure that my friends aren't corrupted." said Lucius.
"Well then," said James, walking up next to Sirius, the rest of the Gryffindor's behind him, "I'd say you've done your job by chasing him away from Slytherin."
"This is a private conversation, Potter. Who asked you to join?" spat Severus.
"I did." said Sirius. "Now, if you don't mind, my friends and I have things to do before our next lesson."
That said, the first-year Gryffindors hurried toward the castle to visit Frank. Each and every one of them bearing a large grin. Except one.
A/N: You may have it in black, green, or red, so long as it's red. That's what those last lines remind me of. Tell me what you think! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.