PreHogwarts:- Chapter 6
"Sirius Black, get out of bed now!"
Slowly Sirius turned over, peering slightly out of his half closed eyes. It was early he knew that, too early. He turned over and closed his eyes, ready to continue sleeping. Within minutes he rolled back over.
Sirius couldn't sleep and he couldn't figure out why, whatever the reason though it was nagging him, he had the feeling that he had forgotten something extremely important. His stomach was swimming with butterflies eager to break out. A knocking on the door caused him to jump.
"Who is it?"
"Tubby it is."
Sirius smirked as the house elf pushed open the door; Sirius always thought it was funny when speaking to Tubby. Sirius could not work out why he was called Tubby; he was so thin that he could fit down the plughole without breathing in.
"Sir why is you not up? You'se don't want to be late for the train."
Sirius looked at the house elf and smacked his head with stupidly. How could he forget that today was September 1st he'd been counting down for years.
Sirius made to jump out of bed when Tubby pushed him back, placing a breakfast tray onto the bed.
"Sir must eat, sir will need his strength, it's a long way"
So Sirius stayed in bed wolfing down his breakfast of sausage, eggs and beans as though he had not eaten a decent meal in a decade. Then he jumped out of his bed and quickly ran around his messy room throwing on his clothes.
Finally he pulled the top over his head as he ran to the mirror and looked at himself. The first thing he noticed was that his normally tidy black hair was a mess it looked as though he used it to mop the floor. Without thinking about it he quickly grabbed a comb from the desk and dragged it through his hair.
Smiling he looked down at his choice of wear to his amazement he noticed that he was wearing his blue bunny pyjama top, his cousins pink skirt and what looked like his mothers black shoes. That wouldn't do. He quickly pulled them off and replaced it with his white t-shirt. Then he looked at his skirt and changed them for trousers. He put on his favourite pair, his red and yellow ones (Gryffindor colours he thought).
Quickly he pulled on his red trainers and ran down the stairs dragging his packed trunk behind him. He dropped it at the bottom and ran to the kitchen. He found his mother sitting at the table whilst their newest house elf Blinky cooked her breakfast.
The boy in all his excitement couldn't keep still. He rushed around the kitchen as if he had fire ants in his pants. As his eyes locked with his mothers he knew that she was in one of her moods and rightly enough, she was.
"Sirius stop fidgeting, you're a Black one of the noblest of families, act like one, and what do you think you're wearing? Go change those trousers and shoes this instant you will not leave this house dressed in THOSE colours."
Sirius looked at his mother and sighed. He knew there was no point in answering back. Slowly dragging his feet he climbed back up to his room. Looking around he found a pair of black trousers and pulled those on over his red ones. Then he placed his red trainers in a small backpack he would be taking and pulled a white pair onto his feet.
The boy looked at himself again in the mirror, he looked bigger than he was due to the two layers of trousers but yet he smiled. His mother had banned him from wearing the red trousers and shoes from the house but had said nothing about on the train.
Heading back downstairs he couldn't help but smile even more. It was 10.20 and he knew he would be leaving any moment and then when he got on the train he would pull those stupid trousers off and show everybody his Gryffindor spirit.
As Sirius began to pull his trunk out of the door, he noticed his brother Regulus pulling on his coat.
"What do you think you're doing runt?"
"Mother said I have to come to say goodbye to you, Narcissa and Bellatrix. Father is coming with us as well"
"What and your not going to say goodbye to Andromeda?"
The reaction he got from his brother made him laugh. Andromeda was Sirius' favourite cousin, although more the black sheep of the family to the rest. She was entering her third year at Hogwarts and unlike her sisters (and the rest of the Black family) she wasn't a Slytherin.
Not being a Slytherin was seen as a problem to the family, maybe if she had been a Ravenclaw she would have been okay, they would have passed it away with the fact she had brains, but alas, Andromeda was a Gryffindor, making it that much worse to her family.
Sirius loved Andromeda, from a young age he found her to be tolerant and loving, something the others did not show in detail. The young boy also had much in common with the girl, yes they were related and both rich, but they both cared about people and never judged until they knew you.
"Sirius, what are you laughing at? Regulus close you're mouth, remember who you are?"
"Yes father, I'm sorry, Sirius scared me that's all."
Sirius winced as he came under the glare that belonged to Bootes Black. Bootes Black was a judge to the wizarding world, when there were problems people would come and ask his opinion, he was never seen to be wrong, and was a powerful influence in the world around him.
"Sirius, what have you said?"
"Nothing father, I only asked if Regulus would be saying goodbye to Andromeda."
Again his father glared him down, not muttering a word. Sirius knew what would happen, he would not be allowed near Andromeda until after he arrived at Hogwarts, just due to the fact that the family thought she could influence which house he would be placed into, and he was allowed nothing but Slytherin.
Sirius slowly walked down the path dragging his heavy trunk behind him. He could hear his brother singing childish songs as he skipped on ahead. Behind him his father was talking to his mother, in a hushed voice probably discussing the plans to meet with the Dixons and Malfoys. The boy walked as far as the end of the road in which he lived and stopped to wait for his parents.
At the corner sat a large black car, bigger than any normal. It was a muggle car (which the blacks hated) yet it was the best and not many muggles rode in these. He thought he remembered the name, it was a limo very expensive and showed off class in the muggle world.
Sirius watched as the driver exited the car and walked behind it. Trying to keep a straight face Sirius looked the man up and down. He wore shiny black shoes, over which sat navy trousers. A white shirt was tucked neatly in with the navy jacket over the top, and on his head sat a navy hat, which made Sirius shake with laughter. The man took his trunk and placed it into the boot. Before shutting it fast.
Then he moved to the back right door and pulled it open, bowing as he went. Regulus jumped into the car first and squealed with delight. Sirius could hear his singing as he jumped on the back seat.
"Regulus behave yourself"
Regulus stuck his head out of the car to look at his mother as she slowly lowered herself into the car carefully sliding across the seat. Sirius father climbed in next and stuck his arm back out grabbing the cage containing Mid-Knight from Sirius' hand.
Looking around to make sure no one was watching him Sirius followed suit and climbed into the car. What awaited him caused the young boy to scream in fright.
He saw that there were other people sitting in the back of the car. This was not normal as one arrived with family and no one else.
"Sirius, are you excited?"
The boy turned to the voice that had addressed him. Sitting in the corner next to her mother was Andromeda, her wavy shoulder length brown hair fell over her blue eyes as a smile spread over her pretty features.
"I can't wait to get on the train and look around, and find out my house and play pranks on people and…"
"Sirius Black, you will behave yourself in that school"
Sirius smiled at his Aunt Cassiopeia, she was like his mother a product of arranged marriage. She had married his Uncle Cepheus due to her purity of blood and family wealth.
Another voice interrupted his before he could answer back.
"What a pretty owl you have there Sirius, a pure black one, he'll fit in well with the Slytherin owls."
Sirius looked at his older cousin, Bellatrix. She had her long black hair tied in an eye-catching French plait and a heavy amount of green covered her eyelids.
"Actually, it's a she, and she's called Mid-Knight. I think that she will fit in with all the other GRYFFINDOR owls just fine."
He smiled up at his cousin with all the innocence he could master. He knew he had the full attention of everyone in the car. His uncle cleared his throat and looked at him sternly.
"I think our Andy here has to much influence over you my boy. You don't want to be in Gryffindor they let all the common people in there, you'll be a good boy and join Slytherin just like Bell and Cissa."
He looked at the smiling face of Narcissa; she was the youngest of the three girls and only a year older than him. She was pretty and the thing that spoilt her looks was the fact she knew it. Her long blonde hair was pulled into pigtails that showed off her prefect little ears.
"Don't worry daddy, I'll make sure Sirius doesn't socialise with any common people."
She smiled sweetly up at her father, her big blue eyes open as far as possible giving her the angelic look that people ate up, she almost looked as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth when in fact it sizzled and turned black.
As the adults began whispering among themselves and Bellatrix and Narcissa explained Hogwarts to Regulus, Sirius moved closer to Andromeda.
"I can't believe you're coming to Hogwarts already I remember when you were born, Merlin I must be old."
"Not as old as Bell" whispered Sirius.
The two laughed as quietly as they could. However they were not quiet enough, his aunt looked over and noticed the two of them.
"Do you care to share the joke?"
"Mother we were only talking about the time…"
"The time I tried to sneak myself into Andy's trunk so that I could go to Hogwarts"
This seemed to satisfy the adults who turned back to talking while Sirius and Andromeda continued to laugh about what it would be like now Sirius was old enough for schooling.
The journey to the train station ended sooner than Sirius had expected. He thought that it would drag since the conversations were mainly on money and marriages, it seemed that Anastasia Dixon had just married Paul Parkinson and the adults were trying to guess who the next Dixon would marry.
The family all exited the limo while looking down their noses at the muggles around them. The driver went and collected 4 trolleys, and then he pulled out Bellatrix's trunk and placed it on the first trolley. She then placed her basket carrying her pure black cat clarity (means purity) onto the trolley.
Next he pulled out Andromeda's trunk and put that on the trolley. Unlike Bellatrix she didn't put her cat oddball on the trolley. She gave Sirius a small smile and disappeared into the station, shouting something about meeting her friend Lauren.
Sirius wished he could be with her as he watched Narcissa hand her cat chaste (means pure) to Regulus. He then felt his father push the trolley with his trunk on straight at him. Carefully he put Mid-Knight's cage on the front as he couldn't carry the cage and push the trolley.
With his family in front Sirius walked towards platforms 9 and 10. He watched as the rest of the family made snide comments about the muggles surrounding them. He couldn't see why they were making so much fuss, since this was a muggle train station.
Sirius watched as his mother and Regulus ran through the barrier followed closely by Narcissa and Bellatrix.
"Sirius are you ready to go through the barrier?"
"Yes Aunt Cassiopeia, I'm ready"
So with his aunt by his side Sirius walked quickly towards the barrier that would lead onto Platform 9¾. As he walked through the world shimmed and then it came back into focus, Sirius smiled as he saw the Hogwarts Express.
He had seen the train before as he had been here every year since Bellatrix had started Hogwarts but this was the first time he had seen it knowing he was about to enter it.
He quickly loaded his things onto the train and then was dragged back out by Bellatrix. His family stood on the platform waiting to say goodbye. As his mother pulled him into a 'hug' she hissed into his ear.
"You had better not disappoint the family. If you're not in Slytherin I will disown you, do you hear what I say."
She then released him and his father, who also hissed into his ear, drew him into a 'hug'.
"You see that boy over there" his father pointed to his right "that's Henry Potter's son, you know what we think of the Potter's. You had better keep away from that boy otherwise I WILL disown you."
His brother then hugged him tightly around his middle.
"Bye Sirius, I'll miss you."
Then to Sirius' horror Regulus cried.
"Now you stop that runt, you hear. I'll owl you every week and I'll send you something from Hogwarts."
Then leaning in so only he could hear
"Maybe a toilet seat or that Malfoy's underwear if I can steal it from him."
He watched as his brother smiled up at him. He didn't get on with him, his brother was weak and believed whatever his mother told him, but his brother cared for him (at the moment) and had always had Sirius at home with him.
A whistle was heard and Sirius pulled his brother off him, rumpled his hair and ran back onto the train. He leaned out the window and waved to his family. He then went to sit in a compartment. He found Andromeda sitting in there with a girl who had short spiky green hair and a boy with blonde hair that fell to his chin.
"Sirius, I'd like you to meet my friends Lauren Smith and Ted Tonks."
"It's nice to meet you. Andi can I sit with you please?"
"Of course you can Sirius"
Smiling Sirius sat down next to Ted and sat back ready to enjoy the journey to the place he'd been longing to visit for as long as he could remember.
Then to his horror the door to the compartment opened.
"Sirius Black, what are you doing in here, get over here this instant!"
He felt long nails dig into his shoulder as Bellatrix pulled him from the compartment. Sirius kicked with all his might and dragged his feet on the floor screaming as he went.
"Sirius just be quiet and come with me."
As he was pulled into a compartment he felt like crying, inside sat a group of people he hated with all his will.
There sat Rodolphus Lestrange, with his brother Rabastan. There was Lucius Malfoy with his cousin Narcissa.
He sat there in silence as they talked about money, and Quidditch and of course the marriages that had taken place over the summer. Again Paul and Anastasia were mentioned, along with Chantelle Melifula and Geoffrey Nott.
Sirius carefully got up, drawing with him the attention of Narcissa.
"Where are you going Sirry?"
"I need the toilet Cissa, I won't be too long."
Then quickly he left the compartment wanting to go back to Andromeda; quickly he passed a compartment that burst with laughter from a group of loud girls. Without thinking Sirius ran away form he noise. He ran to the back of the train where he found the compartment empty.
Quickly he sat down and pulled off his black trousers and his trainers. He shoved his black trousers onto the rack and sat down looking out of the window. He watched as the town slipped away and the green of fields crept into view.
Smiling he thought of the nextseven years. Of what he would learn, the friends he would make and all the girls he would date. Sirius knew he would defy his family, he wouldn't have an arranged marriage he'd find himself someone. He sat on his own, his mind running over so many thoughts until…