Chapter Two:

"Christ that was close." Sirius Black exclaimed loudly as they slid on the train mere seconds before the floor started to shake and the wheels started to turn, signalizing the progression of the Hogwarts Express towards its destination. "Alright, alright, I'll let you out; don't wander too far." He said fondly toward his only pet, Echo. It often surprised people to see such a large teen with such a small cat as his companion. Sirius had found her on his tenth birthday; he often told James that Echo found him, not the other way around. The story, as Sirius told it, went like this:

This birthday, his tenth, was an especially memorable one for Sirius. It was the last lonely birthday he ever had to endure; it left a lasting impression of what one felt like. It has always been a custom for the education of Black children to begin prior to the commencement of their formal education. This "pre-education" consisted of the same courses most muggle college preparatory schools offered to their students: math, science, English, French, social sciences, art. All these, of course, were taught by the best tutors that could be found in the Wizarding World.

The pompous attitude of the pureblooded Blacks was handed down to their children through these arrogant tutors, for the adults could not actually spend time with their children. No! There mere thought of Sirius' mother tucking him into bed at night was almost blasphemous; had he dared to actually venture a question as to the reason for the cool aloofness and indifference his parents had for their offspring-he would have been thoroughly punished. This is the attitude that was expected of a Black to obtain, and was purposefully passed down to each generation and systematically hammered into their brains daily.

His morning classes had just concluded without any sign that his family members had remembered this day's significance. The drawing master had, yet again, punished him for neglecting his sketching over the weekend. In consequence of neglecting his studies he had been sentenced to turn in three sketches, in addition to the ones he had neglected to complete. More drawing, drawing being his second least favorite class – only behind math– could be one of the worst birthday presents he'd ever received.

"They probably don't even remember…" Sirius thought to himself as he exited the drawing room and made his way toward the magnificent gardens found at Black Manor. He was walking along kicking a few rocks and bushes, sufficiently bruising his toes when his little brother, Regulus, ran up to him from behind.

"Hey…" Regulus said. The thought of his brother still stabs his heart to just to think about. Back when they were younger, before Sirius had left for Hogwarts and, incidentally, discredited the Black name and soon later gotten disowned, he and Regulus had gotten along.

"Hey… no one remembered."

"Remembered what?" He responded, still in the dark.

"Jesus Christ…my birthday…" Sirius shot back miserably. It was just like his family to overlook anything that resembled sentimental, including birthdays.

"Today's your birthday? Dang… how old are you?"

"You don't even know how old I am?"

"Nah… I never really thought it was important. Why?"

"Just forget it." And with that he stormed off. He only came back indoors at dinner time, and when the rest of his family forgot the occasion he couldn't take it anymore. After much debating inside his head, in the middle of dinner he suddenly stood up, and without a second glance, walked outside. He continued to walk until he reached a weeping willow, where he fell to his knees and was just staring out into the dark. He wasn't sure why he was so upset, they never remembered and he never got a present. Next year he'd get a birthday present— he'd be old enough to go to Hogwarts. That would be the best birthday present he'd ever had, to finally get away from his overbearing family.

"meeeeeeeeeeew."

"What the hell…?" Sirius looked down in surprise. He'd felt something furry brush against his ankle. "Oh, hey there…" He said, scratching behind the ears of a black Manx cat.

"meeeeeeeew." The cat looked up at him with bright yellow eyes. He sat there for a while, just venting his feelings to a cat. He tried to get up and leave here there: she followed him. As hard as he tried, to get her to stay outside, she persisted in following him upstairs to his room.

"Alright, I'll keep you… I guess… you can't follow me around everywhere though." But she did. She followed him everywhere, and wouldn't leave him alone. He could barely take a shower without her attempting to follow him. Because she was always following him, and "echoed" him he decided to name her Echo. Throughout the next year whenever he'd get upset, feel neglected by his parents, or just want to be alone, he'd return to the spot where he first found Echo.

When he'd first gotten to Hogwarts he was afraid that the guys in his dormitory would make fun of him for having such a…feminine pet. That was before he knew what great friends he would meet. He also didn't know that his friends had worse secrets, and what they had to go through. Having problems like theirs made his pet seem kind of insignificant.

Back to the Present…

"Padfoot, you find a compartment, I've got to go to the prefect meeting. Head boy business and everything. Remus should be there. We'll meet you when we're done." James told him, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah, sure I'll meet you later."

Reaching into his pocket, James Potter pulled out his head boy badge and pinned it onto his black robes. He headed off to the prefect meeting and to find out who was head girl.

"Ahhhh. Too heavy… can't move it...any farther…." Lily Evans panted attempting to haul her trunk down the hall. "Damn it! If I could just… get… it a little… farther…"

"Hey? Need a hand?" James asked. She looked up at him, and he saw confusion written in her eyes. She didn't know who he was. Of course, he knew who she was, she was the one who beat him in charms, potions, and care of magical creatures. Damn he thought to himself.

"Yeah… that'd be great." She responded. "I'm just going to the prefect compartment… it's down there."

"I know… I'm heading that way anyway. I'll just bring it with me." They headed off towards the compartment, him carrying her trunk. She knew she was supposed to know who he was, but she just couldn't place him.

"Are you a prefect then?"

"Nah."

"Wait, then why are you going to the prefect compartment?" She was definitely confused.

"Head boy duties. Not really sure what I'm supposed to do though. If my buddy Remus hadn't told me, I'd just have gone on to my friend's compartment." He confessed. "I've never been a prefect… so this should be fun…"

"You're kidding me right?" She said. "You've never been a prefect, and you're head boy."

"Yeah that pretty much sums it up… why? He said a little perturbed. He thought this girl was supposed to be smart.

"Jesus Christ, this is going to be a long year. WHY couldn't he have picked someone like Diggory, or Lupin? At least they know what they're doing." She said, seemingly forgetting he was still walking next to her, carrying her trunk.

"Watch who you're insulting, ok? I'm carrying your trunk for you aren't I? Anyway, what's it to you?" He said. She'd insulted him. He had better marks then Remus and Amos. Just because he didn't get prefect in fifth year didn't mean he was incompetent or something.

"I'm Lily Evans, the new head girl." She groaned, annoyed.

"Where exactly do you want me to put this?"

"There… just on top of that one." She responded dismissively. Standing in front of the prefects, she began the meeting. "Hello everyone I'm your head girl this year, Lily Evans and this is the head boy…" She stopped after she realized she'd neglected to find out his name. This is really embarrassing She thought. I've been going to school with him for this long, and I still don't know his name?

"Err…. James Potter." This was going to be a hell of a meeting. He thought to himself with more than a hint of trepidation.