Again I turn Around to You

Part Three: Oil and Water

'Fear is something that Blacks inspire, not that Blacks feel.'

Unless you're the child of a Black, Sirius reflected while dozing off in History of Magic. A more boring class he couldn't imagine. 'A person with no grasp of History is no one at all.' His mother had always said. 'Only those with a knowledge of what comes before can shape what comes ahead. As a Black you are bound to move mountains.'

She had insisted that he learn the history from her, and he found that Binns wasn't deviating much from what she taught. So one useless class down, a couple more to go. He thought with out enthusiasm.

He glanced around the room and noticed that he wasn't the only one not paying attention. James and Peter were passing notes and giggling. Sirius flicked his wand and the parchment came lazily over to his hand. Peter, who had just written the last note, turned to glare at Sirius. James put a hand on the smaller boy's arm before he could pull out his wand.

Sirius sent them both a smirk before looking at the parchment.

P - God this class is sooo boring! Do you think Binns was more lively before becoming incorporeal? - J

J - Probably not. Sir Nicholas isn't very much changed according to my father, and he wrote Nick's biography. - P

P - Did you see the Slytherin's face last night? I thought he was going to faint, and all for being sorted into Gryffindor. - J

J - His high and mighty self in Gryffindor? Blasphemy! - P

P - We should prank him, it would be easy enough, we share a dorm. To bad that trunk of his had such tight spells on it. Did you hear that Howler though? - J

J - I laughed at the idea that not even his parents want anything to do with him! - P

Sirius stared in horror at the piece of parchment in his hand. Not even his parents want to have anything to do with him. Sirius reread Peter's last note. 'Well, they don't, they're always going on about how much of a disappointment I am to them.' He glanced over to James and Peter who were looking superior at having gotten their say. 'They can only hold this over me if they think I care. So I have to show them that I don't.'

Sirius relaxed his hold on the parchment, and with another flick of his wand he sent it back to James.

"What was on that Parchment?" Remus asked as they walked to their next class.

"Theories on how Binns died." Sirius said curtly.

"And that made you look like you wanted nothing better than to kill James and Peter?" Remus looked skeptical.

"It was nothing." Sirius said.

"Come on." Remus grabbed his arm. "Something is bothering you!"

"What's you're problem." Sirius hissed. "It's not like you know me."

Remus recoiled from him. "It's not like you let me." He walked away from the other boy.

Remus, who had sat next to Sirius in History, wouldn't even look at the darker boy when he entered the Potions classroom. Potions was the one subject Sirius had only a little background in. His mother said that potions making was an odious task.

'Why do it at all when someone, who will no doubt be better at it than you, can be paid to do it.'

Severus loved it though, and through him Sirius was aware of the basics. He decided to ignore the rejected feeling he got whenever he looked at Remus, and concentrate on finding out why Severus found the subject so fascinating.

'God you're pathetic.' His mind told him as he drifted off during a basics of the cauldron lecture. 'Not only have you lost your best friend, but you've managed to alienate the only person whose tried to be your friend with no foreknowledge of who you are.'

'We don't know that.' He told himself cynically. 'For all we know he was sent to school here for the purpose of making a connection with a pureblood family.'

"Mr. Black." Professor Davies slapped a book down in front of him. "Day dreaming in this class will do you know good, and in the future may cause great harm. Potions is an exact science, if you get one thing wrong lives might be lost. As this is your first day no points will be taken, and no detention granted. If this behavior continues, both will be resorted to." The Professor looked at each of the students in turn. "Dismissed."

Sirius stopped one of the girls not far from the Potions classroom. "Hi," he said shyly.

She smiled at him. "I'm Lily."

"Lily," he smiled back. "I'm Sirius. Um, what is our assignment for the next Potions class?"

"You really must have been daydreaming." She shook her head. "We have to write a paper on the properties of Aconite."

"Thanks." Sirius said with relief. "I don't think I slept much last night."

"The first night in a new place is always the worst." Lily agreed. "And this castle! It's humongous. I read about it of course, but nothing prepares you really."

"You a Muggleborn?" Sirius asked as they entered the Great Hall.

"I'll never get used to the term 'Muggle' but yes. I am from a non-wizarding family." Lily agreed.

"I've never met anyone who didn't grow up in a wizarding family before." Sirius confessed.

"I've been comparing notes, and it isn't all that differant." Lily laughed.

Sirius sat down next to Remus. "I'd like to apologize for earlier."

Remus tilted his head. "Why? You were perfectly in your right to refuse to answer my question."

"I know." Sirius said. "But I was still rude. Part of it is my family has been in Slytherin for so many generations and I guess I was just shocked to not be there. All my friends are there and it is difficult for me to make new friends since up till now everyone I've met has been pre-approved by my parents."

"Wow." Remus laughed. "And I thought my parents were strict."

"They didn't want me polluted with those of a lesser social standing." Sirius explained.

Lily laughed. "So your family comes into town for the season?"

"Yes." Sirius grimaced. "The adults throw these large parties that we children don't get to attended. We always snuck down and watched anyway, but if we were caught." Sirius shivered.

'Children should do what they're told. Be seen not heard. If you are going to sneak about, do it right!'

"But you know all the kids in Slytherin. So you must have had some contact." Remus reasoned.

"Well," Sirius shrugged. "I'm related to most of them. The family gatherings often have hundreds of people there, and children are required to attended those."

'Stay out of trouble. Don't get underfoot. Speak politely when talked to. No lip or you'll feel it later.'

"Isn't inbreeding wonderful?" James nastily drew Sirius back out of his thoughts.

Sirius stared at him. The blue eyed boy met him look for look. Finally Sirius put his hands on the table and stood up. "Look..."

"Mr. Black." Professor McGonagall loomed over them. "Dumbledore wants to see you in his office, the password is Vitamin C."

The Muggleborns all giggled at the password earning them an exasperated look from McGonagall. Sirius, who didn't get the joke, shot them looks but left the Hall with out saying anything.

Once outside he realized that he had no clue where the Headmaster's office was located. He was debating whether or not to go back into the Great Hall to ask McGonagall when he felt the air around him chill.

"Having a problem Mr. Black."

Sirius looked up to see the Bloody Baron hovering just above him.

"I was wondering where the Headmaster's office was, Sir." Sirius confessed.

"Ah yes." The Baron nodded. "I did think I saw your parents earlier. A marvelous woman your mother is, a true Slytherin. You aren't though, are you?" The Ghost seemed to be looking through him. "Second floor, behind the Griffin."

Sirius blinked. "What?"

"The Headmaster's office is the on the second floor behind the Griffin." The Baron said curtly.

Sirius gave him a small bow before striding off in the direction of the stairs.

Mrs. Black was staring down at Professor Dumbledore with a look of reproach when Sirius entered the Headmsaster's office. The three adults all turned to look at him when he shut the door, so he fell into his old habits. He bowed and waited to be spoken too.

"Ah," Dumbledore smiled. "Sirius my boy, come and take a seat."

Sirius cast another glance at his parents before taking the proffered chair.

"This should be straight forward Albus." Mr. Black sighed. "Just put the boy into Slytherin house. Nothing could be easier."

"The Sorting Hat..." Dumbledore began.

"Is obviously off its rocker!" Mrs. Black interrupted harshly. "As are you! The boy is a Black, ergo he should be in Slytherin."

Sirius noticed, in a quiet corner of his mind, that the portraits of former Headmasters were avidly watching the developing scene.

"Now Arachne," Dumbledore smiled. "That is not entire correct." Mrs. Black glared him. "Damien Black was in Gryffindor a few years ahead of me, and Malaria Black was a Gryffindor in the 1500's. It has happened before." Mrs. Black's gaze didn't even waver at this news. "All of the Gryffindor Blacks have been powerful, influential. Can you deny your son that opportunity?"

Mrs. Black looked like she wanted nothing more than to deny Sirius even the right to live. Mr. Black put a hand on his wife's arm before she could jump up and start screaming at Dumbledore.

"Is there anyway at all, that we could have his house affiliation changed?" Mr. Black asked. "Money isn't an issue here. Ever wanted something you thought you couldn't have?"

"Actually," Dumbledore's gaze became distant. "I've always wanted peace between the purebloods and those of not so pureblood but baring that a lifetime supply of M & M's could probably do the trick."

The three Blacks looked at him blankly.

Dumbledore sighed, "as the paintings around us would no doubt tell you, a student has never been allowed to change houses in the first year. If Mr. Black so wishes he can be sorted again next year."

"It will be to late next year!" Mrs. Black declared. "By that time he'll be polluted by the Gryffindor nonsense! If it weren't to late I'd be sending him to a school with better management!"

"However," Mr. Black said quietly. "He will have to stay here this year."

"Unless you want him to be a year behind." Dumbledore agreed.

"Mr. Black." Mrs. Black stood up and adressed her husband. "I think we have no further business with Professor Dumbledore." The two elder Blacks nodded to the Headmaster and left.

Sirius looked at Dumbledore. "There is really nothing that can be done?"

"Do you really want to be in Slytherin Mr. Black?" Dumbledore asked. "The sorting hat would have put you there if you had requested it, it does listen to the students. Think about this, are you the type that flourishes in dark places?"

Sirius thought about this, hadn't he been feeling like Slytherin was wrong for him. Wasn't this a chance to prove to his parents, to himself, that there was nothing wrong in being different?

If I do well, if I stay out of trouble, maybe they'll see that they don't need to do what they do to me.

Sirius nodded to Dumbledore. Dumbledore beamed at him. "Go now. I'm sure you can make it to the end of lunch before your next class."

Sirius left the room nearly shaking with relief. "That didn't go all that badly." He thought. "I would have thought my parents would been a lot nastier."

Sirius stepped off the staircase leading up to Dumbledore's office and was about to head for the Great Hall when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. "Gryffindor!" His mother hissed in his ear. He was dragged into a classroom not far from the Griffin statue.

"How could you!" She said as they sat him down. "I brought you up right!"

"Arachne." Mr. Black said sternly. "As you said earlier the Sorting Hat is obviously off its rocker. I'm sure that if we look closely among our friends then we could find somone with something to gain out of this."

Mrs. Black looked thoughtfull. "Obviously some tampering was done."

"Thats my girl." Mr. Black smiled. "Sirius will need to get to class soon."

Mrs. Black looked over to Sirius. "If your grades are less then perfect, if you put your foot out of line one to many times, you will regret it." She swept out of the room.

Mr. Black stood up and looked down at his eldest son. "Can't say I'm not disappointed about this Gryffindor thing. Just don't mess up." He followed his wife.

Sirius sighed. "Why me?"

End Notes -

This is the second incarnation of this chapter and I am so much happier with this one than with the original..

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