A/N: A big, huge massive thank you to my second reviewer, Hyperactive Frogchild. I would let you have James HF but as I had to give Sirius back I stole him heh heh.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even the title of this chapter which belongs to Rainbow Dreamer.

Chapter 4: Anthrax

"Sending a letter already Black? Thank-you, you've just won me fifteen galleons?"

"What do you mean Snivillus?" grunted Sirius, turning his back on the greasy haired Slytherin and beginning to tie his letter again.

"He means we had a sweep stake Black. How long you would last before sending a plea for help to one of your friends." Lucius stood in the doorway, twirling a long slender wand idly between his fingers.

"I was the only one with a bet of less than seven days," smirked Snape, "everyone else figured that as a Gryffindor you'd last at least a week but I know that you're not so brave without Potter to back you up."

Sirius cracked. He'd spent the best part of nine months at school, using his wand at will, and now as Lucius lowered his wand to hang limply at his side, as he stretched out and said, "Give me the letter Black," Sirius reacted. Drawing his own wand with lightning speed he pointed it at Snape and shouted an incantation.

Snape blasted backwards, crashing into Lucius so that the pair were pushed out of the door. From the noise and shouting that ensued Sirius could only assume that they had hit the rest of the gang who must have been coming up the corridor. It was only as he lowered his wand that he realised what he had done. He had used magic while not at school. Whoops!

Lucius flounced back into the room and began screaming at him, his wand pointed at Sirius's chest. But before he could be hit by a horrible curse his father stormed into the room, waving a piece of parchment and looking furious.

"Sirius!" he bellowed, "What is the meaning of this?" he brandished the piece of parchment and Sirius knew instantly what it was. A letter from the Ministry of Magic complaining about his unauthorised use of a wand.

Bugger.

"It…it was self defence," he stuttered.

"It was not!" Snape objected.

"With respect Mr. Black," began Lucius smoothly, "we were teasing Sirius about the letter he wished to send-undoubtedly to his girlfriend-and he, well, over reacted."

Sirius scowled at Bellatrix and Regulus who were standing behind Lucius and his father and smirking. His father looked from Lucius to his son, "Give me the letter," he said, his voice calmer now.

Sirius looked down at the parchment in his hand, and with no other options, grudgingly handed it over. His father scanned over both James's and his own letter. Then his face creased in a frown and he said, "I will not allow you to disgrace the family further by sending this.  Get a new piece of parchment and write as I dictate."

Sirius rummaged through his trunk for some parchment and then seizing his quill from where he had left it he wrote Dear Jamie at the top of the page and waited.

"The boy's name is James yes?"

Sirius nodded.

"Dear James."

Sirius crossed out Jamie and added James then waited.

"Unfortunately I will be unable to take you up on your kind offer as the Malfoy family have graciously allowed us to stay with them."

Reluctantly, Sirius wrote what he said, hating being made to do this and horribly aware of everyone watching him.

"I may be able to meet you on the day that I go up to London to get my school supplies and if you could give me the dates of the Wasps Match I shall endeavour to meet you."

Sirius scowled at the parchment. James was going to know that he hadn't written this.

"If you manage to secure us tickets would it be possible to invite…" he broke off and turned to Lucius, "Do you like the Wimbourne Wasps?"

"Not really sir, but Severus does." Snape nodded fervently.

Mr. Black nodded and turned back to his son, "be possible to invite one of the boys that I am staying with, Severus Snape?"

Sirius twisted his lip and sank his teeth into it to prevent a sarcastic comment.

"Please don't write too often as I don't wish to appear rude to my host by receiving a great deal of mail. Wishing you a happy summer. Sirius."

As Sirius read over what he had written his father came up behind him and read the words over his shoulder to be sure that he had written what he had been told. Then…"You may send it," and Sirius had no choice but to tie the letter to Arandel as his father looked on.

"Now," said his father becoming brisk once more, "your punishment. I want to see every letter you receive and send-Severus you'll be in charge of that." Snape nodded again, leering at Snape. Sirius nodded too, though bitterly, keeping his gaze on the floor and privately thinking, 'Wonderful. Audience participation.'

"And Sirius?" continued his father. Sirius looked up, trying to keep the loathing he felt off his face. "We can't risk something like this," he waved the parchment, "happening again, can we? So I'm going to confiscate your wand."

Sirius couldn't stop the fear from flaring in his eyes and he new that the others had seen it.

His father held out his hand. "The Wand!" he commanded.

Sirius gripped his wand tightly, "Please father." He was trying to keep his voice level, reasonable and failing miserably to keep the pleading tone out completely. Snape was starting to look as though Christmas had come early and jaw set Sirius handed over the wand, unwilling to debase himself by further begging. As soon as Mr. Black's fingers closed around it, he turned and swept from the room.

Sirius tensed expecting the blow to fall but Snape only leered at him once more, muttered, "We'll get you Black," and followed his father out, flanked by Lucius, Regulus and the girls.

Struggling to hide the tears, Sirius collapsed face down on his bed.