Once Sirius had Remus back, his life took an instant turn for the better. The months flew by with the Marauders back up to their old tricks, plotting pranks and adventures into the late hours of the night and finishing up their masterpiece of a map. The Marauder's Map was deemed complete in early January, soon after Sirius returned from his Christmas holiday with James's family to the beaches of Spain. Remus added the Homonculous Charm he'd been working on to track the inhabitants of the school, and for their finishing touch, the four of them added handwritten insults through a modified Identity Charm specifically to repel the attentions of Snape (Peter's idea, surprisingly enough). The map became their new best tool for sneaking around the castle, especially now that they were growing too big to all fit comfortably under James's Invisibility Cloak.
Before Sirius knew it, spring had arrived, melting away the snow just in time for the sixth years to begin their Apparition classes. James, Sirius and Remus all signed up immediately, eager to be able to teleport themselves around whenever they were away from the Apparition-free zone of Hogwarts. They were given a spot on the Hogwarts grounds to practice Apparating where Dumbledore had temporarily lifted the ban for their weekly lessons, supervised by a balding Ministry official named Alan Fawcett. Peter, who didn't turn seventeen until the fourth of June and wouldn't be able to take the licensing exam until next year, chose not to attend the class and instead spend his Saturdays with his sort-of girlfriend Fiona.
It was during their final class before the exam that Sirius spotted Professor McGonagall heading across the grounds towards them as they practiced Apparating one at a time into hoops set out a few feet away. Pomfrey and Flitwick were lingering on the outskirts of the practice space, ready to tend to any splinching victims. Mary Macdonald had left behind half her foot when she tried Apparating in front of the class, which made the rest of them more than a little nervous for their turn.
"Black," Fawcett said; Sirius turned away from the approaching McGonagall to find the instructor standing before him. "You're up next."
"Oh. Right." Remus gave Sirius an encouraging look from beside him. Here goes nothing, he thought.
Swallowing back his nerves, Sirius focused on the wooden hoop in front of him, trying his best to visualize himself standing in its center as Fawcett had repeatedly instructed. Closing his eyes, he spun around in a tight circle and willed his body away.
Instantly he felt himself being pulled in towards his center of gravity, his limbs and insides compressed together like an extremely unpleasant Animagus transformation. Wind roared in his ears, high and deep at the same time…and then suddenly it all was over, and Sirius found his legs stumbling for a hold in the grass. He opened his eyes, the world spinning in circles around him, and looked down to find his feet firmly planted in the center of the hoop.
Sirius felt a surge of pride at his accomplishment until he realized it wasn't his hoop he was standing in; it was Lily Evans's. She and Mary burst out laughing at the confusion on his face.
"Oh, shut up," he told them. "At least I didn't leave any body parts behind." Shooting him a wounded look, Mary rubbed her reattached foot self-consciously.
"Mr Black." It was McGonagall; she had reached the training grounds and was now standing beside a nodding Fawcett. "Come with me, please. You're dismissed from class for the day."
Sirius exchanged a nervous look with James and Remus. What was he getting in trouble for this time? Had Filch figured out that he was the one who'd locked Peeves in his office last week?
Obediently he went over to McGonagall, who gave him a brisk nod and led him back towards the castle. "Have I done something wrong?" he asked as innocently as he could.
"Not this time," McGonagall replied. Sirius blinked, surprised. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office."
That didn't make him feel too much better. The last time he'd been in Dumbledore's office was the night he'd almost gotten Snape killed by Remus. Dumbledore didn't call students to see him unless something was serious.
McGonagall led Sirius up to the office, the gargoyle guarding it stepping aside when she fed it the password "Pumpkin Pasty." They climbed the stone steps behind it to find Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, a scroll of parchment set out before him.
"Ah, hello, Sirius," Dumbledore said, giving him a thin smile. "Have a seat, please. Thank you, Minerva." McGonagall nodded and took her leave of them.
Sirius lowered himself into the seat across from Dumbledore, still very much confused. "What did you call me here for, exactly, Professor?"
"I'm afraid I have some bad news to deliver, Sirius." Sirius's stomach clenched. "Your uncle Alphard Black has unfortunately succumbed to a bad case of dragon pox. He passed away last night, according to the Healers of St Mungo's."
"Dragon pox?" Sirius sat back. "I—I hadn't even known he was sick." He hadn't heard from his favorite uncle in years, ever since his parents stopped allowing him over to Grimmauld Place. He'd hoped that Alphie would keep in contact with him through letters, but he never had, and Sirius had felt too proud to write to him himself.
Sirius glanced around. "Where's Regulus? Shouldn't he be here, too?" A part of him ached to see his little brother, even though he knew the outcome of such a meeting would not be good. Reg had been avoiding him all year—the two of them hadn't spoken once since Sirius ran away.
"Regulus will be informed as well, of course," said Dumbledore. "But I called you here because I received a copy of your uncle's will from St Mungo's, and wanted to make sure you saw it. I was…uncertain your parents would show it to you themselves."
"Definitely not," Sirius agreed. "What, did he leave me something?"
Dumbledore handed him the scroll on his desk in response. Sirius read over it, his eyes widening when he reached his name.
"He's leaving me five thousand Galleons?" It was a ridiculous amount of money for someone to give their seventeen-year-old nephew. "Are you—is this real?"
"It is very much real," Dumbledore confirmed. "Your uncle appears to have had quite a soft spot for you. The Ministry has been named as the executor of his will; they will make sure you're awarded all the money that is rightfully yours."
Sirius's eyes remained glued to the will. "Can I take this?" he asked. He wasn't sure he could believe it without the paper in hand. Five thousand Galleons.
"You may," said Dumbledore; "it is only a copy, after all."
"Th—thank you." Sirius rolled the will up into his hands, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. "Er…can I go now?"
"Of course. I'm sorry to have been the bearer of such bad news."
Sirius nodded, standing to leave and heading out of the office with the will clutched tightly in his grasp. He had been penniless since running out on his family, relying on the generosity of James and his parents for food and books and things for school, and now he suddenly had more money than he knew what to do with. All from an uncle he hadn't seen or heard from in years.
Alphard must've learned what had happened over the summer, Sirius thought. He'd given him a priceless gift, not of money—not really—but of freedom. Sirius wouldn't have to rely on anyone anymore. Once he left school, he'd be free to do whatever he wanted with his life.
I'll do something good with it, Sirius silently promised his uncle. I don't know what yet, but I'm going to do something good.
