Prologue
Second of November, 1970.
Five minutes to midnight.
Sirius Black lay in his bed, his eyes fixed onto the ceiling. To the observer, he seemed to lay in a trance.
To him, however, his mind was racing.
Tomorrow, he would finally know whether or not he would receive an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. His parents had always told him that he was not worthy of placement in the castle, but his heart was filled with the hope that only a soon-to-be eleven year old could have.
Four minutes to midnight.
Maybe he would make friends.
Don't be ridiculous, he thought. Nobody becomes friends with a blood traitor like me.
He tapped his head, frustrated. He didn't want to spoil one of the biggest birthdays of his life by crying.
Three minutes to midnight.
Maybe I'll get a girlfriend.
Sirius smirked to himself. Yes, that'll do.
His brother always talked about marrying one of the girls in the other Twenty Eight. He himself found it highly irritating, as his mother would always coo over it.
Two minutes to midnight.
His stupid younger brother, Regulus, was the golden child between them both. Destined to be Slytherin, he held the family traditions. Of course, the traditions were stupid.
Stupid just like Regulus.
One minute to midnight.
Sirius looked over at the clock on his nightstand. It was a snake, coiled around the actual clock mechanism itself. It was originally the Slytherin house colours, but Sirius had painted it red long ago. He didn't even remember when, but he assumed it was to piss his mother off.
As the clock hands drew nearer to twelve, he closed his eyes.
Another birthday spent being abused, ignored, and alone.
Ten, nine, eight.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
Seven, six, five.
He was tense. He didn't know what he was expecting.
Four, three two.
A birthday cake? Fat chance.
One.
Tears began to leak from his eyes.
Third of November, 1970.
Midnight.
Happy birthday to me.
Sirius Black stifled a sob, and fell asleep.