His father stood over him. "You filthy blood traitor. A Gryffindor." His father reached out to strike him, his palm leaving a red print on the boy's face. "And if that wasn't enough, but you killed your brother." It was then that Sirius saw his brother lying across the room with blood spattered all over him. Sirius broke down sobbing as his father kicked him and his mom stood screaming in the background.
Sirius sat straight up in his bed, finally awaking from the horrible dream. He could feel a cold sweat on his forehead and dripping down his back. His mind filled with the thought of his family's reaction to his sorting. His parents wanted him to be the perfect Black Family Heir, and a Gryffindor was the exact opposite of that. His parents were not going to be happy, and would probably be taking out their anger on other things, until Sirius returned home to take the brunt of it. What if they take out their anger on Regulus? Sirius was no longer worried about himself, instead fearing for his younger brother. For nearly Sirius' whole life he had been protecting his brother, and now he wasn't there. He knew it was normal for parents to punish their children, and his family was no different. He couldn't stand watching his get hurt, and even though all kids went through it, he tried his best to protect his brother. Sirius' mind was reeling, his face clearly showing his misery, taking short raspy breaths.
James woke not much later, finding it difficult to sleep so far away from home. He saw Sirius sitting on his bed with his knees drawn up to his chest, hyperventilating, and filled with worry. Any sense of sleep or tiredness James had once felt vanished when he saw his friend in such a state. He slowly rose from his bed and quietly walked towards Sirius.
"Hey, hey Sirius, take a deep breath. Can you tell me what's going on?" James gently coaxed. Sirius's head snapped up to look at James, at first his face full of fear, but calming once he realized it was just James. James could see tear streaks running down his friend's face, and felt a pang of pity. Sirius tried to take a deep breath. It was shaky on both the way in and out, but it seemed to calm Sirius down at least a little bit.
"Do you want to talk about it?" James asked still speaking softly,.
M-my parents, when-n they find-d out about m-me being in G-G-Gryffindor. She is going to freak out." He said the last sentence all in one breath, then hung his head down sobbing.
James didn't know what to say. He was shocked that someone could put this much fear into their own child. "I'm so sorry, Sirius." James finally murmured rubbing Sirius' back in support. "She can't get to you here. You're safe." James was still bewildered at how someone could scare Sirius so much.
"I know all parents punish their kids, and I am just... just being weak. But if what if she hurts Regulus. I can't stand to see him in pain. I know I am to protective, and all parents punish their kids, but I just can't see him like that." Sirius fell back into tears, and James heart just broke. He couldn't imagine what would cause someone who seemed as confident as Sirius to be so scared. James had heard many bad things about the Black family, but never did he imagine that they would treat their own son so badly.
"Sirius, look at me. I don't know what your parents have done, but no matter what it is, it is not right. They should not be treating you or your brother like this."
Sirius looked at James with big grey eyes filled with tears. "James I'm scared."
"I know, but you'll be okay." James engulfed Sirius into a hug as he said the words. He didn't let go of Sirius until they had both fell asleep on Sirius' bed.
The next morning Remus was the first of the boys to get up. His bones were already starting to ache from the upcoming full moon, only three days away.
He looked at a clock and noticed it was already only twenty minutes from breakfast starting. He walked to James' bed to wake him up only to realize it was empty.
He next walked over to Sirius' bed where he found both James and Sirius sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep. He first woke up James with a questioning look on his face. James awoke slowly, then startled once he realized Sirius was in the bed too. He calmed down once he remembered what had happened the night before. James looked up at Remus, mouthed the word nightmare, to which Remus only nodded, too tired to ask any questions.
Sirius woke up only a few seconds later and mumbled an apology to James. James refused to let Sirius apologize for the situation.
After they woke Peter, all of the boys got ready and were the first down to breakfast. Peter's eyes filled with joy when he saw the towering display of food in front of him. He immediately began piling food on top of his plate into a giant heap.
Sirius was slowly putting a couple pieces of toast on his plate, still obviously worried about how his parents would react to his sorting. James noticed how Sirius was acting, but didn't say anything, not wanting to call Sirius out in front of the entire school. James shot worried glances towards Sirius the entire meal. Remus was too caught up in how he would handle the moon in a couple of days, and Peter distracted by food, to notice Sirius' behavior.
Only a couple minutes later, hundreds of owls flooded into the Great Hall. A small tabby owl dropped a slim letter wrapped in brown paper on Remus' plate. James and Peter both received large packets full of candy and other treats to share with their friends. Peter was only part way through dividing up the homemade sweets, talking about which were his favorites, when a large black owl dropped a crimson lined letter on his plate. James' face fell as soon as he saw the letter, and Sirius' face fell momentarily then it hardened into anger. Peter and Remus glanced at each both lost on why the letter meant so much.
"Sirius just open it. It's worse if you wait..." James said quietly to Sirius, when he didn't open it right away.
Sirius slowly opened the letter, peeling the flap of the envelop slowly, dreading what he would find inside. After delaying opening the letter for as long as possible, he finally slid the parchment out of the envelop.
"FILTHY BLOOD TRATIOR! YOU ARE NO SON OF OURS! HOW DARE YOU BE IN GRYFFINDOR! HOW DARE YOU BE IN GRYFFINDOR. YOU ARE A DISHONOR ON THE BLACK FAMILY. PURE FILTH, YOU ARE FILTH. YOU ARE IN NO WAY MY SON! WORTHLESS FILTH!" The letter screamed loud enough for the entire school to hear.
"Don't pay attention to that Sirius. She is wrong. You are not worthless. She's wrong," James attempted to reassure Sirius.
"Yeah mate, ignore her. If she wants to treat you like that, then she doesn't deserve you," Remus added looking at Sirius with pity but also inspirational.
"Yeah, we'll start our own family. It will just be the four of us, and we'll be the best family ever," Peter said looking around at the other three boys hopefully.
"Yeah we'll be our own family! Screw everyone else!" James looked excitedly between his three friends, as the words left his mouth.
Before the conversation could continue, Professor McGonagall came by handing out schedules. She handed each of the boys their schedule, and then turned to Remus. "Mister Lupin, Headmaster Dumbledore would like to speak to you in his office tonight. After classes come to my office and I will take you there." McGonagall gave a curt nod at the end of her sentence, then walked away continuing to hand out schedules.
"What was that about?" Sirius asked apparently over the over the letter he had received from his parents.
"Um, I don't know," Remus was desperate to change the subject. "It looks like we have potions first with the Slytherins." Remus looked down at his schedule desperately attempting to cover his blush with the schedule in front of him.
None of the boys pushed the issue, assuming he was embarrassed to be going to see the headmaster already. Instead they talked about how horrible potions with the Slytherins would be. They were about to leave the Great Hall, in search of the potions room, when Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black came up to Sirius. "Hey, blood traitor! Did you enjoy that howler from your mother?" Lucius looked at Sirius who look down in shame and seemed as if he was about to start crying.
"Ohhh, did the big Gryffindor baby start crying?" Narcissa made a mocking crying face as she said the words.
Sirius' head down farther, but Lucius still had more to say. "No longer a big boy with a big scary family, are you. Do you think your mother will give you what you deserve over break? If I were your mother, I think I would just kill you." Narcissa and Lucius walked away snickering.
James was mad at himself for not standing up for Sirius, but he stayed in his spot, unable to do anything about the scene that had been unfolding before their eyes. Peter was petrified. There was no way he could stand up to a Slytherin fourth year, and a Slytherin fifth year prefect. Secretly, he was glad the attack had been aimed at Sirius and not himself, but he still felt bad for Sirius. Remus, on the other hand, was trying to be sensible. There was no way that four first year Gryffindors, who hadn't even attended one class yet, would be able to take on two somewhat trained Slytherins in a fight. He thought it to be better to let it be while Narcissa and Malfoy were standing there and help comfort Sirius once they left. However, the brutality of the attack that Sirius received from his own family, Remus didn't know what to say.
After a few moments of paralyzed silence, only interrupted by the chocking back of tears from Sirius, James finally was able to talk. "Ignore them, they aren't worth it." Sirius just nodded, still holding back tears, worried about what his parents would do to him once he got home.