Benji

It wasn't long after Harry went up to bed that I decided to follow suit. Tomorrow would be the first day of classes and I didn't want to be tired. I have a bad habit of falling asleep in more boring classes. "Hey, Hermione, I'm going to go ahead and get some sleep."

She nodded, and said, "You know what, that's a great idea. You guys should go to sleep too."

"Stop being so bossy 'Mione, we'll get there after this game. It's almost over." Ron said.

Hermione smiled almost motherly like and kissed him on the forehead. "Okay then, goodnight love."

He hugged her and replied. "Goodnight Sweetheart. I promise I'll get some sleep, I'm about to check Joel anyway."

My brother grinned impishly and winked at me. I studied the board briefly. The truth of the matter was that Joel was about to check Ron.

I headed upstairs and put on my Dale Earnhardt Jr. pajama bottoms with 8's all over them and Dale Jr8 on the butt. I also put on a tank top with the three in the eight so they looked like one. NASCAR happened to be my favorite muggle sport. I had followed it religiously since my father had turned Joel and I on to it at the age of four one Sunday afternoon.

I got some very odd looks from the other girls. I guess they, being British and witches, wouldn't understand NASCAR. I explained it to them though. I also showed them my muggle poster of Jr. and they understood immediately. What can I say? He is the epitome of hot!

I pulled out my wizard photo album and Hermione and I yet again struck up our conversation about our differences. I showed her pictures of my old life. They were filled with people that were smiling and waving; there were all kinds of pictures. In the front were pictures of us twins as babies and as we got progressively older. Towards the middle came pictures of me with a blonde haired, brown-eyed boy.

"Trevor," I said and smiled. Pavarati snickered and Hermione quickly shushed her. "He told me it was best if we ended it at home on good terms. I agreed with him,"

I continued and turned to the last page. It was a picture of Mom and all her friends at Hogwarts. She had lived in Britain all her life, but when she had graduated, she had gone to America on vacation, met my father, and stayed.

"Hey that looks like Harry – that lady has Harry's eyes! Oh dear God!" Hermione exclaimed.

She leapt out of the room screaming Harry's name. I followed her and we dashed up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Hermione banged on the door until Ron, looking confused and only half changed, opened the door.

"Hermione, what do you want?" She shoved the photograph under his nose, "Bloody Hell 'Mione! I'll get Harry!"

Hermione rolled her eyes then noticed me, "Oh, uh, you probably don't have the foggiest idea why we're freaking out."

"Actually," I stated, "I know that this is Sirius Black. My mom dated him for a long time right before she met my dad."

Hermione's jaw dropped and soon a very groggy Harry appeared in the hall, "What is it Hermione?"

She showed him the picture and he nodded, "That's me Mum and Dad, and Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail. I never knew who that woman with Sirius was; I assumed it was a girlfriend of his. Why'd you take my picture out of my album and then wake me up to show it to me?"

" That's my picture. That lady was my mother," I said quietly.

"Bloody Hell," was Ron's astonished answer for a second time. It was starting to get old.

"How have you seen my picture before?" I asked Harry curiously.

"I've got the same one,"

We sat in the common room all night, Harry and I. We pored over photo books, both his and mine. I saw lots of pictures of my Mom and Sirius. Once, when I had asked how she felt about dating a murderer, she had near slapped me.

"Sirius would NEVER have hurt Lily or James – or Peter . . . ever. Don't you ever talk about him like that." She had stopped and stared into space.

When I told Harry this he nodded and became serious, "Your Mother was right, Benji. Sirius is not a murderer,"

Something in those green eyes told me there was something he wasn't sharing. I thought for a second, "Wait – I thought he died in a fight with a death eater a couple of years ago?"

He looked solemn, "Can I trust you, Benji, with my life?"

I nodded quickly, "Of course Harry," This was great. Term had been started for all of about five hours and already I was being trusted with someone's life.

He led me to the fireplace and took some Floo Powder from his pocket. He grabbed my hand as we both stepped onto the charred ashes and he tossed the powder down and yelled, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place,"

We came to a dusty fireplace, "Shh," Harry whispered to me and led us down a hall with covered pictures and house elf heads. He stopped at one and glared, "You're where you belong, Kreacher,"

Then he led me up the stairs and to a large door. "Wait here,"

I felt oddly like a girlfriend being brought home to meet Daddy. That was insane because Harry's parents were dead.