A/N: Wow, I'm updating this story. Anyway, I changed something in the last chapter. Basically, which family members of Remus's exist. I'll insert the changed part in here. It's been so long, and so few people read this that it probably doesn't matter anyway. Please review!
End of chapter 8 (the changed part):
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you don't really want to go home… wanna share?" Sirius asked politely, for him.
"No, not really, but I know you guys… I'll just say that I don't get along with my sister, father, and Todd all that well, and I'd much rather stay here or at James' for the summer."
"You have a sister? Who's Todd?" James and Sirius exclaimed together. Some people may think it's frightening how much those to think alike.
Remus sighed, "Yes, I have an older sister. Todd is her boyfriend. We don't get along well. I can't wait to go to your house, James!"
Sirius and James got the point – don't talk about Remus' family right now. Sirius pushed it into his memory as something to ask about another day. He hoped it was nothing like his family. Thinking of the Blacks caused shiver down Sirius' back, but James and Remus were talking about what they'd do at the Potter's house, so they didn't notice.
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Chapter 9: A slightly better summer
The end of term approached, bringing more homework and upcoming exams. Sirius and James ended up in detention at least twice a week, in a light week, and Remus used the time away from them for studying. Sirius and James seemed to get good marks no matter how much they studied, but Remus put a large amount of time and energy into school to get marks as good as his friends. Peter didn't do as much work as Remus, but he tended to remain an average student on the rare occasions when he did put in the time. In the end, they all passed with flying colors, except Peter who squeaked by like always.
After successfully pulling off a fantastic prank during the leaving feast, the four soon-to-be third year Gryffindores laughed all the way back to their dorm.
"Did you see Snape's face?" wheezed Peter through the laughter.
"The whole Slytherin table looked like a bunch of gaping fish!" choked Sirius.
"B-Brilliant Moony! Simply brilliant plan!" giggled James.
"Yes, but you and Sirius put the plan into motion. That was the best dinner entertainment I could have imagined. Enjoying my food while half the Slytherins chased theirs around the table and the other half just sat there sulking! I know Dumbledore knows we did it. He looked over at us with his weird twinkling eyes. You know what he did when he saw me looking at him? He laughed! Can you believe that? It was great! Man, I don't want to leave tomorrow. I wish they had summer school," Remus said thoughtfully.
"Moony!? How can you think of such horrors as classes during the summer when you should rightfully be practicing new pranks?" exclaimed James, with Peter nodding fervently in agreement.
"You're right. I should have some time away from the likes of you," he smirked.
James just laughed in response. Sirius agreed with Remus. Not about needing time away from these guys, but about having summer school. He'd do anything to stay at Hogwarts instead of going home for the summer, including extra classes.
He put a smile on his face and said, "I can't wait to get to your house, James. Your parents won't believe what they agreed to."
"I know, and my room is completely separated from theirs on the other side of the house. If we want we can camp in the back yard. I think my dad has a tent somewhere around. It's going to be a grand two weeks!"
"Agreed," replied Sirius and Remus, even though Remus would only be there for a few days.
"It's too bad you can't come too, Peter. But I'm sure you'll be having a great time traveling. I'd like to travel at some point. Probably after I graduate," commented Remus.
The rest of the night the four boys finished packing their trunks and played small pranks on people in the common room. They managed to slip some first years trick gum. They walked around babbling about how cool it was to have numb tongues for a half hour, pulling and poking at said muscles while looking in a mirror and laughing hysterically.
The train ride back to King's Cross the next day seemed to go very quickly. Why is it always so quick to get back, but so slow going on the way there? Sirius mused idly.
They bid Peter farewell and found James's parents quite easily. They were easily the more cheerful couple Sirius had ever met. They were almost the type of couple who could make a person sick by watching their loving displays, but you couldn't help smiling just watching them. Sirius found he immediately trusted these adults, some of the few to have that honor. He didn't feel entirely comfortable around them, though, so fell back on the proper honor he was taught as a boy by the Black family.
"Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter, how do you do?" he greeted, holding his hand out like a gentleman is supposed to. To his surprise both of James's parents approached with open arms and hugged him in welcome. He flinched inwardly at the action, but covered it well with a smile and returned the hug. No one noticed his moment of awkwardness. They greeted Remus in the same way. He had the same calm mask on his face that almost no one got the chance to look beyond. All in all, Sirius thought James's house would be a perfect place for he and Remus to stay. Even without knowing much of Remus's family life, Sirius knew he wasn't any more used to the open displays of affection than he was.
The Potters had a muggle car to take them back to their house. Although James said the car possessed certain 'modifications', his parents like to take leisurely drives through the country, so they arrived at the house after an hour and a half.
The Potter residence was a very large home, which could easily be called a mansion, although it was in no way grandiose. It was everything Grimmauld Place wasn't. Upon entering, Sirius could instantly tell that this was a home for a family. It was not simply a showcase of wealth and power. The fact was that the Potters could easily have a much larger place, but see no point to it. The only reason for having a home as large as this was that it had been in the family for generations. It was also useful when having a large number of guests. A small guest house stood on the north side of the house, but would only be able to accommodate up to four or five people. Apparently, there were times when the residence became an inn of sorts to those needing a place to stay and unable to go elsewhere. Many of these guests were sent by Dumbledore, and occasionally needing medical attention, so it was convenient that Mrs. Potter was a competent nurse when need be.
The boys got settle into James's room, which was large enough to hold the two extra beds, and decided to rest a bit after their trip and wait for dinner to be called.
"Hey Remus," said James a little nervously, "I don't want to pry or sound rude or anything, but since you said you don't get along well with your family, I'm sure you're welcome to stay here for the summer, if you're allowed. I know mum and dad would say yes."
Remus shifted uncomfortably, "Thanks for the offer, James, but I wouldn't want to impose or put anyone here at risk."
"You wouldn't be imposing. My parents love having guests. Hell, sometimes there's so many people here you'd think we were having a national Quidditch match in the backyard! And you wouldn't be a risk. We had a werewolf stay here once, quite a few years ago. I think the basement of the guest house is safe and that's where he stayed."
"D-did you – d-do they, your parents –" Remus stuttered.
"No, no, I didn't tell them. Don't worry, they don't know about you. I'm just saying, if they did know and you needed a place to stay, do even think about it, just come over. Same goes for you, Sirius. You're welcome anytime." Sirius just nodded in response and looked at the wall with interest. "Now, enough of this, who wants to play some Exploding Snap?"
They all dropped the serious attitudes and played many enjoyable games. A few hours later as they lay digesting their meals, Sirius sighed in contentment. This is the perfect life. It would be great to live here with James and Remus. We'd have to make Peter come visit so we're all together.. Then we could come up with some great adventure for the school year.
The three boys had a great time over the next couple days. The flew and played plenty of games out in the warm, early summer sun. The day Remus had to leave they were sitting in James's room about an hour before Remus had to use the Floo network to get home.
"So, Remus, you wanna tell us why you don't get along with your family, and why you have to go home so early?" asked Sirius.
"Not really. But you two nosy gits probably won't stop bugging me till I tell you anyway."
"That's right!" said Sirius and James together.
"Well, apparently my sister and her boyfriend are going on a trip tomorrow. That means someone has to be there to take care of my father. He's either too inept or too stubborn to cook and clean for himself. I think it's stubbornness, because he seems to get by just fine when I'm at Hogwarts and Eliza's not home. He likes to make sure I don't take too much for granted. I also have to get to work."
"Work? What do you mean? We didn't get that many assignments for the summer," said James.
"No, not school work. I have to find odd jobs and save money for next year's supplies."
"Oh."
Sirius had to ask or he'd be wondering all summer, "Remus, do they… do they hurt you?" He looked from the floor into the werewolf's eyes.
Sirius was shocked by a highly unamused sounding laugh coming from Remus, "No. Oh no, they're much too afraid of me to try and hurt me most of the time. It's nothing, nothing like well you know."
"Yeah. Well, it's good to know you'll be safe at least… if not happy. Make sure you owl James a bunch. He can tell me what you say through the mirror."
"Alright, I will. So, yeah. I had a great time here. I hope I can visit again. Maybe I can swing it later in the summer for a few days."
"Sure," James replied. "Just send me a note and we'll get it all arranged."
"Well, I better get going. See you guys! Have a good summer."
"See ya, Moony!" James and Sirius shouted together.
After Remus left the other two pranksters decided they needed to find something interesting to do. So, naturally, they began trying to think of something to pull during the welcoming feast.
That night was the first night a visitor came to the house. Sirius stuck to his plan and stayed in James's room. This seemed to work out well enough. Although, Mrs. Potter was a little curious as to why the boys decided to take their dinner in James's room. James explained that it was a holiday thing and they would do it whenever they felt like changing things a bit. She was fine with this, so it seemed Sirius wouldn't have to face anyone who came to the house.
The plan worked just fine until one night a new guest requested the company of the Potter's only child and his friend, when told James had a friend staying with him. When Sirius and James entered the dining room, Sirius had to work to keep himself calm. He just hoped he wouldn't be roped into saying something he would regret around James's parents. They were too nice of people to hear what this man had to say. Although, from what Sirius had heard, Evan Rosier was an intelligent man and most likely knew where the Potters stood on political issues. It was with a queasy stomach that Sirius sat down and tried to chat amiably with the man he knew to be no good.
Halfway into the main course, Rosier decided it was acceptable to open the discussion to current events. "So, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, what do you think about the rising numbers of witches and wizards interested in preserving magical talents within long standing lines of generations? I've heard there has even been talk in the Ministry of making it illegal to marry muggles or muggle-borns for fear of diluting the magical blood in our community. What are your thoughts?"
Mr. Potter spoke, "We don't think it a very logical idea at all. Without marriage between magical and non-magical people, the whole wizarding world is likely to die off in a matter of time. Besides, the so-called purity of a person's blood makes no difference in their magical talent. I'm a bit surprised you felt the need to ask, Mr. Rosier. Our beliefs are not exactly secret."
The guest smiled, "No, of course not. I just like to hear from the source, so to speak. I have heard of your er open-mindedness on many political issues, but you know how tales grow as they're told. I had even heard that you support the fight for rights of various dark creatures, such as werewolves and the like."
This time Mrs. Potter smiled and answered, "Well, for once the rumors are true. We do support people who have been cursed, by no fault of their own, to live their lives as well as they are able. Most suffer enough from the curse, there is no reason that they should be ostracized by the general public or Ministry in addition. Is there anything else you would like to know about us Mr. Rosier? If not, I would like to thank you for an enlightening evening."
"Of course, Madam. I shall just be on my way. Oh, and Mr. Black, do tell your parents that I said hello."
Sirius nodded and continued to calm his breathing, which had grown rapid and shallow when the subject turned to politics. He felt the color drain from his face long ago when the subject started, and as soon as the man was out of the room, put his head in his hands, visibly shaking.
"Sirius? Sirius dear are you feeling alright?" Mrs. Potter asked concerned.
"I'm fine. Actually, I'm going to go lie down if you'll excuse me?"
"Of course, sweetie. James, why don't you see Sirius up to your room and makes sure he has anything he needs." James nodded.
"Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Potter. I-I-I'm sorry for his questions… I've heard my parents talk about him. I don't know why someone like him would come here," Sirius said slightly angrily.
"Oh, we get one or two a month here questioning our ideals. It is not of your concern. Just go get some rest. If you feel up to it later, you may have the dessert we seemed to have missed." She smiled a motherly smile and James led Sirius upstairs to his room.
Sirius lay on his guest bed and put the pillow over his head.
"Padfoot, you alright?"
All that came out was muffled syllables that James obviously couldn't understand, as he pulled the pillow off his best friend and repeated his question.
"I'm fine, Prongs. I just – just got a little weirded out by that guy. He's not a good guy… then the way he was talking about 'dark creatures', that could be Remus! What if these nutters gaining power try to make a law to kill all 'half-breeds'? They're insane enough to suggest it, and may be powerful enough to carry it out someday. It all just made me a little sick. I'm feeling better, but not ready for dessert, yet. Maybe we'll have to make a midnight kitchen raid tonight." He smiled at James as he tried to lighten the mood.
James responded with a smile of his own, "Sure. Maybe we'll use the invisibility cloak just for the hell of it. Man, summer's gonna be boring when you leave tomorrow."
Sirius did not want to think about that. "Yeah. Oh Merlin, we're idiots! I've been here for two weeks and we haven't even started looking for resources on how to become animagi! I hope the moon went well for Remus. I don't think he'd looked after as much at home as he is at school with Madam Pomfrey."
Coincidentally, at that moment a small owl was tapping on the window of James's room. He opened the window and the owl flew in and perched on the bedpost, ruffling it's feathers a bit. He removed the letter and exclaimed, "It's from Moony!" before sitting down next to Sirius.
Mssrs. Prongs and Padfoot (if you're still there),
How are my two dear friends doing this day? I am bored out of my skull. Oh, before you ask, the moon was fine, no need to worry. I've taken to talking to myself. I had an entire conversation about whether it was insane to talk to myself or not. The argument was left unresolved, so I am asking your opinion. I realized all I needed to do was write to you two fine young Gryffindores and my boredom bugs would fly away upon return of Mitsy the owl. So, be kind to a bored friend. I'm bored of the word bored too. Hmm… I am less bored when I have work to do, but I finished all my school work already (don't freak out) and I haven't been getting as many odd jobs as I had hoped. But all else is well in the world of Moony. Have a wonderful night!
Pathetically awaiting your reply,
Mssr. Moony
"Should we write back now or after we sneak into the kitchen for dessert that your mother said we could help ourselves to?" asked Sirius.
"Let's do it now. I'm not waiting till after midnight to write back, especially if we're just going to be sitting in here until then."
They fished out a clean piece of parchment and two quills and different colored inks, so they could both write.
The esteemed Mssr. Moony,
We are delighted to here that the moon went well, and sincerely hope you aren't lying about that. You know we'll find out if you are.
Temporary cures to your boredom are enclosed with this letter. Inside you will find ample supplies to stun, prank, and amaze those around you. Well, ok, mostly just prank, but it'll make you laugh so it's alright… right? We have no idea, as you are our prank-conscience. You'll have to tell us if causing temporary loss of bladder control is funny or mean. Please, test it at will. We only wish to know the humorous results.
Alas, tomorrow the Potter residence will be without my immaculate presence. You must mourn for their loss, as the house will never be as good looking without my young face gracing its mirrors.
We must go plan our midnight kitchen raid and pretend Filch is around, trying to ruin all attempts at fun.
Wishing you the very best in pranking,
Mssrs. Padfoot and Prongs
That night, the two boys snuck out of James' room under the invisibility cloak, knowing full well that they had permission to visit the kitchen in James' house at any time, but practicing their quiet, sneaking skills. That is, until the Potter's kneazle, Marla, ran under James' feet and he stumbled, taking the cloak with him and leaving Sirius completely exposed to witnesses (if there were any).
"Damn! We would have been caught straight away if that had been Madam Meddly and Filch!" Sirius exclaimed. Madam Meddly was Filch's overly inquisitive cat, who seemed to be able to tell her master just where trouble was taking place if he wasn't there to see it himself.
"Hey, do you think his new kitten is going to be as bad? What was it he called her? Mrs. Norris?" inquired James.
"Yeah. What's the deal with his cat names? He treats them more like people than he treats… well, people!"
They gave up on being sneaky for the night and decided to just go have dessert. They were both fairly hungry now, because of supper being cut short. Sirius wanted to be sure to eat as much as he could, because he had no idea what his eating schedule would be when he returned home to his family. He pushed the nauseating thoughts out of mind and began shoveling desserts of all kinds into his mouth.
He lay awake in bed a long time that night, knowing he needed the rest, but sleep continued to evade him as he realized his last moments of freedom for the summer. He finally dropped off sometime in the wee hours of the morning.
James woke him at ten the next morning. The Blacks weren't coming until the afternoon, so he didn't have to get up early.
"Wanna sleep," he mumbled.
"Come on, Sirius. You have to get up. There was an owl this morning, you're parents will be here at eleven. I've put most of your stuff in your trunk already. Why don't you go get showered, then come down for breakfast, ok? I left your wand and the mirror out. I figured you might want to keep those on you so they don't get locked up." James left the room, heading downstairs.
Sirius sighed and reluctantly got up and ready for the day. He put his wand in his robe pocket, but the mirror he put in an inside pocket of his robes that was charmed so you couldn't feel anything inside. He knew his wand would be confiscated wherever it was, so he just kept it in his normal pocket.
He finished putting everything in his trunk and dragged it downstairs. He had a couple muffins and sat unusually quietly for him.
"Sirius dear, are you feeling alright this morning? You didn't look well last night. You look better this morning, but you're so quiet. Is anything wrong?" Mrs. Potter questioned.
For a moment Sirius thought about the treatment he receives at home and how thinking about going back there makes him ill. He thought about how nice and much more like a family the Potters were than his own. He thought about telling her everything in that moment and said, "No, nothing's wrong. Just too much dessert last night." He grinned sheepishly and she patted his head, smiling.
At eleven sharp the bell sounded, alerting everyone that the Blacks had arrived. Mr. and Mrs. Potter welcomed them together and invited them in for tea. Mrs. Black politely declined and motioned for Sirius to come closer to her. He kept his trunk in front of himself as he neared, not really wanting to put on a show of hugging her or any other such pleasantries. Thankfully, Mrs. Black didn't approach him, but directed him to follow his father and brother to the fireplace Mr. Potter had just invited them to use.
Mrs. Black held out her hand to Mrs. Potter and said, "Thank you for taking care of Sirius for us. I trust he enjoyed himself, and I hope he wasn't too much of a bother. He can get to be a handful at times." She was talking with a false amusement that fooled no one.
Mrs. Potter pretended not to notice and replied, "All teenage boys can be, can't they? He was no trouble at all, and we would be delighted to have him anytime. Perhaps he would like to come stay at the end of summer?"
"I think we may need him at home this summer. His brother, Regulas, is starting Hogwarts this year and would like to learn as much as he can from his big brother, I'm sure. Perhaps another time. Well, I must be going. Traveling can be so tiresome." Mrs. Black put on her best 'It's tough to be rich and important' smile and walked out the door to apparate home. She didn't like having to sink to the level of using the Floo network and getting ashes all over her fashionable robes.
Sirius had heard the last comments of both women before he went through the fire. He had also received a comforting smile from Mr. Potter, saying he was indeed welcome at any time. It was a nice thought, but Sirius didn't want to intrude on their family. He knew the power his parents held, and didn't want to see that used against James' family, although they held at least as much, if not more political and financial power as his parents. He just wouldn't feel right putting James' family through any trouble, which he was sure would happen if he left his parents for the Potters. As is was, he could handle things just fine at home. He kept telling himself that and convinced himself it was true.
He arrived home and was sent directly to his room. Although, he was left with all of his possessions, and not one bruise. Wow, maybe they're getting better, he mused. He had light in his room and all of his things. Well, it may not be an exciting summer, but I can get all of my homework done and learn the spells we didn't cover in class. Too bad I can't actually practice them though. Oh well, it's certainly much better than getting the crap beat out of me. He cringed at the thought.
He decided to write to James later that night after he'd finished supper, which was brought to him by Kreacher. Apparently, the nasty house elf was still allow (even encouraged?) to make horrid comments to him whenever present, but Sirius didn't care much about those. If that was all he had to deal with this year, that was fine.
To the most wondrous host, Mssr. Prongs,
You will be pleased to know that the start of summer at Grimmauld place has been almost pleasant. I am banished to my room, but as you can see, I have quill, ink, and parchment, along with all other possessions. I had a less than great meal, but a meal nonetheless. There have not been any negatives to report, so I am looking forward to a boring, uneventful summer. Since I know you won't have listened when I said not to worry about me, you now really have no reason to do so, so I will ask that you stop that nonsense this minute. Ha ha ha. I will call you on the mirror tomorrow.
Good eve' to you,
Mssr. Padfoot
Sirius cautiously left his room to go into the main part of the house. He entered a small room where two owls sat, waiting for jobs. He hurriedly tied the letter to the nicer of the two and sent it on its way. He quietly went back to his room where his brother was waiting.
"Hello, Regulas. What brings you to this part of the house?" Sirius asked, trying to keep the sneering to a minimum.
"I just wanted to talk to you… about Hogwarts."
"Yes? Well, what do you want to know?"
"Do you think I'll be sorted into Slytherin?" the younger boy asked.
"I don't know. No one knows until the sorting ceremony. Most of the family has been in Slytherin though, so I guess there's a good chance. A few have been in Ravenclaw." I don't think you've got the brains for that one, little brother, thought Sirius. "Why are you asking me this?"
"I-I just want to know what you did not to be put in Slytherin. I don't want to do whatever you did. I want to go into the right house."
"Oh, I see. You don't want to get the grand Black treatment of the black sheep. Well, I didn't do anything. It all depends on what's in your head. You'll have to wait until you get there. No one knows until then. Not even the Headmaster."
"What would that senile old man know anyway?"
"Don't you ever insult Headmaster Dumbledore! He's the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts!"
Regulas seemed taken aback for a minute, then gathered himself again and retorted, "Well, maybe I should go to Durmstrang. They have a decent headmaster and don't let in the riff-raff!"
"Wait, is that were you and mum and dad were the past two weeks? You were visiting other schools?" Sirius was a little confused.
"Yes, but mother and father decided that Hogwarts is the best place for me. You see, they actually love me, so they want me close by."
Right, and it has nothing at all to do with politics. I'd almost feel sorry for you, Regulas, if you didn't buy into everything they say so easily. Someday you'll learn that it's all about position, money, and power with this family. Nothing else.
"I'm sure. Well, I'm going to go to bed now. Goodnight, Regulas."
Sirius went in his room and closed the door. He spent some time unpacking and looking through his things that he'd acquired over the past two school years. When he was sure that the rest of the household had gone to bed, he got out his mirror and got settled on his scrawny bed with two candles burning in the room.
"James Potter," he spoke into the mirror.
A few moments later he heard and loud yowl, some swearing, then saw James' face appear in the glass. "Sirius! I got your owl. You weren't lying right?"
Sirius just shook his head, "Nope, not lying. I have no idea what's gotten into them this summer, but I don't really care as long as it doesn't change. What was all the commotion over there?"
James blushed, "Oh that. I just tripped over Marla while getting the mirror. Anyway, I'm glad things are going well. If it changes, just tell me. Mum and dad told me to make it clear to you that you could come here anytime. Don't look at me like that, I didn't tell them anything, but they know that you don't really get along with your parents, so you have an open invitation."
"Right. Well, I think I'm going to get some sleep. I didn't get much last night and I'm bored, so I figure I'll just go to bed."
"Ok, I'll talk to you again soon. G'night!"
Sirius put away his mirror and changed for bed. He blew out the candles and lay down, falling into a restful sleep for the first time in many years in this house.
He woke to a banging on the door. Glancing at his watch he saw it was just after eight in the morning. He rolled out of bed and opened the door. Kreacher told him he had to be up and dressed in fifteen minutes and to go to the drawing room. Of course, this information had to be deciphered from no less than twelve insults from the house elf.
So, Sirius quickly showered and dressed in nice, but casual, robes and went as directed. His mother and father were there with an official looking man.
"Sirius, dear. Come sit down please," said Mrs. Black.
Sirius was getting nervous. Nothing good ever came of her false courtesies. He sat where he was told and his father told him why they were all there.
"Sirius, this man is a lawyer specializing in wills and contracts. We've talked it over, and you will be allowed to receive your inheritance from your uncle immediately. There are just a few forms to fill out by us, and you only have to sign your name at the bottom."
"What?" Sirius said blankly. So, this is why they were so civil to me.
"Sirius, honey, just sign where Mr. Leguleius has marked an 'X' and we'll be finished and you can go out and play."
Sirius had not gone out and played for many years. Needless to say, he was more than a little wary of what was going on. He was sure by the smug smiles on his parents faced that they had found a way to weasel his inheritance into their own funds. Although, it appeared that he needed to be willing to give it. Otherwise, it would already have been done.
"Er, I think I need to think about it for a little while. Can I go back to my room?"
His mother's face was like stone. She nodded curtly and Sirius left the room, hoping he didn't just damn himself to another summer of hell.
Why didn't I just sign it over to them? I don't really care about money at all. But it is my only freedom once I'm of age. Maybe, I can get Mr. whatever his name was to only give me a portion of it early. Then if they take it from me, which is what they will do, I'll still have some left when I can finally leave this place.
Sirius quickly wrote a letter explaining what he wanted done with his money and sent it to Gringotts. He had no idea if the goblins had any legal control over such matters, but it was all he could think of to do. When the owl left, he was faced with his parents. His very unhappy parents. Damn.
He was going to be left alone this summer if he had agreed to sign over his money. Apparently, his parents were pleased with his behavior with Mr. Rosier at the Potters, although they were disappointed that he didn't stand up and proclaim the beliefs of the Black family. But did they really expect him to do that after all these years?
He was quickly pushed back to his room and the door locked from the outside. His school trunk was taken out and any personal possessions with it. Thankful, for once, of his paranoia, he had hidden the mirror under the mattress that served as his bed. They left no matches in the room. He would be in the dark again. He hated being locked in the dark in this tiny room, almost like a prison cell. It wasn't too dark yet, as light seeped in around the door. When he was sure his parents weren't coming back anytime soon, he fished under his bed for the mirror. What would he tell James?
"James Potter."
He waited a few minutes, no answer. He tried again.
"James Potter."
No answer.
Finally after about fifteen minutes of calling, James answered.
"Sirius? What's up? I thought you were going to wait till night to talk."
"Yeah, er, sorry about that. I forgot it was still a bit early for holidays. I just wanted to tell you that my family's going out of town for a while. I don't know how long or where. Mum and dad were pretty vague, but they said Regulas and I would have fun, so I won't be able to talk until we get back. I think it's some kind of reward for Regulas being old enough to go to school or something. I don't really know. I just didn't want you to think anything happened."
"Oh… alright, then. Will you be able to owl me?"
"I'm not sure. I'll try, but since I don't know where we're going, I don't know if there'll be owls to use. If nothing else I'll see you end of summer. Sounds like it could be a long trip. I overheard something about hiking in Austria, so who knows."
"Ok. Well, have fun. I hope your parents keep treating you well. Hey, if you get back early, maybe you can come here for a few more days!"
"Maybe. I'll be sure to ask. I gotta go pack now. Talk to you later, Prongs!"
"See ya, Padfoot."
I hate lying to him. Not to mention the fact that I don't think he bought it, but it'll be alright. So far nothing bad has happened. If it's just isolation, I can handle it. I can handle it.
Sirius lay down and spend the day in a half asleep state with nothing better to do. No meals were brought to him. The light disappeared from around the door. It was nighttime. In the morning, he was let out by Kreacher to use the bathroom, then put back in his room. He had as much water as he could while in the bathroom. It eased his empty stomach a little, for about five minutes. He sighed and lay on his bed going over all the spells he knew. He was trying to list them alphabetically. Then he moved on to charms. This routine continued for at least four days, although he couldn't be sure.
One morning a cup of broth, bread, and a glass of water were waiting on his flimsy desk. He gulped them down and heard the door open. His mother and father were standing there. They instructed him to shower and come to the drawing room again.
Once in said room, he sat in the same place he had last time.
"Young Mr. Black. I have a form here that you should look over," said the official man.
Sirius looked at it and it was almost exactly what he wanted done with the money. There was a paragraph at the bottom that only he could read (it said that in the first sentence). This was telling him that an additional vault had been created for him, confidentially, and a portion of the inheritance would go there until he was of age when the rest would be added. If he signed this form, his parents would get some of the money, but not all of it, and he would have some that they wouldn't know about. His parents were looking smug again, so it was obvious they had no clue that they weren't getting the entirety of the funds. They evidently didn't know how much there was. Nor did Sirius for that matter, but he really didn't care at this point.
He looked up from the parchment and, without smiling, said, "I suppose I'll sign it, now." He took the quill handed to him and signed on the indicated line. His parents did as well, and a half hour later Mr. Leguleius left their home with a small smile on his face. Sirius wondered for whom he worked. He didn't think anyone in business with his parents would be decent enough to abide by his wishes. In fact, he expected someone to report back to his parents about what he'd done, but this man was clearly not swayed so much by the Black's influence.
His thoughts were cut short by being dragged back to his room. With one swift shove he was on the floor, and a kick to the ribs later, his parents were out and bolted the door. Ah, back to this again. In all honesty, it wasn't nearly as bad as usual, so he didn't push it by telling them to let him go because he did what they wanted. He knew better than that. Hopefully, things wouldn't deteriorate from the current situation.
A few weeks passed (Sirius was pretty sure anyway) and things had indeed gotten worse. Not quite as bad as the previous Christmas, but still not good at all. He was in quite a bit of pain, but his parents seemed to be trying to be more discrete with his injuries. He recalled saying something about people noticing someday if they left marks. That was the wrong thing to say. It only led to more abuse, then quick healing. He felt more drained after he was healed than when he was actually taking the hits, magical or physical.
Then, at once point late in the summer, he was left alone for three or four days. Food showed up on his desk (not more than broth, bread, and occasionally juice), but no one approached him. The door was opened one morning by his brother, who looked faintly disgusted by what he saw. He told Sirius to shower and get ready. They were to go to Diagon Alley to get their new school supplies. That's why they left me alone. Make sure to leave no evidence…
He was relieved when they reached their destination. He wasn't sure if he was excited to see if his friends were around or not. He still hurt all over, even though there were no physical signs, and he was sure that James or Remus would notice something. Peter probably wouldn't, because he tended to be overly optimistic about people and wouldn't think anything was wrong if there weren't any signs.
As luck would have it, for good or bad, Sirius saw none of his close friends that day. He saw quite a few students he knew, so he waved, but he didn't really talk to anyone. His mother was watching like a hawk for him to slip up and talk to someone he shouldn't. He was glad to disappoint her sadistic mind, but was sure he would receive punishment for something anyway. There didn't really need to be a reason, it just made it seem easier for his parents if there was.
He was correct. After getting his brother's supplies all organized for him, his mother came down to Sirius's room and proceeded to put a cutting curse on him. He knew this one well. It was reserved for when his mother was especially frustrated with him. This time probably because he hadn't gotten in trouble. She skillfully directed it at his chest, stomach, and back. It hurt, but he'd learned to somewhat tune out the pain. He didn't scream or otherwise give his parents satisfaction, but he couldn't help the grimaces of his face or slight whimpers that occasionally slipped his lips. This time no sound escaped him and his face was mostly impassive. He knew there were worse things in life than this curse. One of many tactics Sirius used to block out the pain was to think of all the things that could be worse at that moment in time.
His mother left for about an hour and came back with a salve. She made him rub it into the cuts and it burned badly, worse than the actual curse had. After he'd finished, she healed up the cuts so that there were faint red lines surrounded by an area of pink. He knew all evidence of the cuts would be gone in a few days. He only had four days until he'd be boarding the train back to school, to home. This would likely be the last of the physical abuse for the summer. Sure enough, more food started showing up on his desk every day. He couldn't keep much down, though, after having so little all summer. He felt much better by September first as they crossed the barrier to platform nine and three quarters. His parents busied themselves with his brother and he left to find a compartment.
Minutes later, Remus found him. Sirius smiled broadly at the werewolf and received a grin in return.
"How was your summer, Padfoot?" Remus asked.
"Better than I imagined it would be. Yours?"
"Fine. Glad to be back though, you know?"
"Definitely. Hey, when's the full moon? Sorry, I haven't been keeping track very well lately," Sirius looked down apologetically.
"It's alright. You don't have to keep track. It's on the third. I hate missing the first part of classes. I hate missing any classes," Remus said candidly. He didn't show much emotion, but it was more than he usually let through. This close to the moon usually had the affect of letting more of the werewolf's feelings show through.
James flung open the door and grinned before slamming it shut and putting a locking charm on it. They heard angry grumbles walk by out in the corridor.
"Who'd you get with what already?" asked Sirius and Remus together. The three looked at each other and laughed. It was usually James and Sirius who spoke at the same time.
"Just some Slytherins trying to block my way. They don't seem to taken with their own house colors though. I mean, I thought they would have thanked me for giving them green and silver skunk-like hair." They all laughed hysterically for about five minutes. "So, how was your trip, Sirius?"
Sirius was confused. Then he remembered what he had told James early in the summer and said, "Oh, good. Lots of hiking, though."
"Yeah? I hear they have some pretty good and fattening foods in Austria. Did you turn it all down for a celery stick or something? You're as thin as my broom!" James exclaimed, clearly suspicious of his story.
"What? No, I-" Sirius was spared the need to come up with an excuse by banging on the door. It was disturbingly similar to the banging on his bedroom door at home.
"It's Peter," said Remus.
James opened the door cautiously and let Peter in, then looked at Remus open-mouthed. "How? How did you know it was him?"
"Two days to the moon, dear James." James still looked confused. Remus smiled a little sadly and said, "I could smell him. Heightened senses you know."
"Oh. Cool. I mean, I know it sucks, but it's good there's some kind of up side right?" James was smiling like an idiot. The rest of the boys burst out laughing, not really knowing at what, but it felt good to be together and laughing again. The subject of Sirius's trip was left alone for a while as they played games and told jokes on the train ride to school.