But, much to the boy's annoyance, nothing exciting took place. He boarded the train and
skulked down the long corridor, slipping by other, older children unnoticed. He glanced aside at each compartment as he passed and, when he finally found one that was empty, he entered.
Throwing himself uncaringly onto one of the seats, he turned his gaze out the window. He
didn't want to be there. He wanted to be anywhere but on the train to Hogwarts. But his
parents had forced him to go, telling him that if he didn't get into Slytherin House, he may
as well not return.
The boy narrowed his eyes at the memory of his parents. All of them had been in Slytherin during their Hogwarts years. Well, all of them who still remained a part of the family, anyway. He hated his parents with a deep, burning passion. They were very strict and, as part of high society, proclaimed that anything less than perfection was not to be tolerated.
He had lost weight that summer, mostly due to his parents practically starving him. All he had done was cause his little brother to get lost in the family's hedge maze. So what? But they hadn't seen it as brothers being brothers. They had given him a good, long yelling at and had locked him in his room. What little food he did receive consisted mostly of scraps that the rest of the family had left over after meals. A house elf would come up once a day with a meager plate of such things. Or, at least, they had until he had started to assault them and demand to be let out and fed properly. After that, the food stopped coming and he had had to work out how to get some on his own.
It wasn't so much that he hated rocking the gaunt, skinny kid look. It meant people would naturally avoid him. He wanted that. Rather, it was the way his parents acted that made him so angry. He didn't know who the hell they thought they were fooling. Oh, they swore up and down that they didn't support He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but they were still friends with many who did. The Malfoy family in particular held close ties to them. He hated them even more than his own parents, though. They were just so damned... so damned...
Well, he wasn't quite sure what they were 'so damned,' as he had never been much for words. But he knew they were so uptight they'd snap in a stiff wind. Even his own parents didn't lie and double-talk as much as the Malfoys did.
Oh, he would be the perfect gentlemen in the company of his elders, so long as those elders weren't his own. And, to the outside world, it appeared as if Sirius Black were being raised in the footsteps of his parents, holding pure blood high and turning up noses at the lower classes.
Pfft. Screw that.
Sirius would carve his own path through the world, whatever course it had set for itself. He crossed his arms and stared out as more children flooded onto the platform. How anyone could be so sickeningly sweet with their families baffled him to no end. It was truly disgusting how some of them would cling to their mothers and fathers, crying that they didn't want to go.
"Idiots. Should just stay home if you're going to be babies about it." He muttered darkly to himself. "The less crybabies at the school, the better."
Just then, the compartment door slip open and another boy, looking to be slightly shorter than he was, stepped in.
"Is anyone else sitting in here?"
Sirius shrugged.
"Right. Mind if I stay, then? Been up and down this whole compartment at least three times and I just can't find a good place." Said the boy.
Sirius shrugged again.
"...Not the talkative type, are you? Well, would you at least tell me your name?"
"Asking for others' names without stating your own first?" Asked Sirius, his voice gruff.
"Oh, right! Manners and such. Name's James. James Potter. I'd say it was nice to meet you, but you seem to be in a bit of a mood at the moment!"
Sirius' left eye began to twitch slightly. "A mood."
"Well something's obviously bothering you." Said James, cocking an eyebrow. "You were all staring moodily out the window when I came in. Kind of why I didn't bother checking here until now. That look could cause a lion to back up."
"You're not going to shut up until I start talking more, are you?" Asked Sirius.
"Probably not!" Chirped James, grinning. "Now then - you still haven't told me your name."
"Sirius Black."
"That wasn't so hard then, was it?"
"What the devil are you so energetic about?" Sirius asked.
"Are you kidding? We're going to Hogwarts, man! We're finally going to learn magic! Doesn't that, y'know, get you excited?" Asked James, his eyes shining brightly.
"I've grown up seeing magic on a daily basis. Who cares?"
"Well so've I, but still! We'll finally get to use it ourselves now!"
"First thing I'm doing is finding a good silencing spell." Sirius growled, turning to stare back out the window. "...God, he's still out there."
"Huh? Who is?" Asked James, scooting across the seat and peering out the window as well.
"Some tiny kid. Won't stop clinging to his mother. Surely he's not old enough to be starting school already." Sirius said. "...Pathetic."
"Nothin' wrong with being scared. He's probably leaving home for the first time. Judging by how he's actin', I bet he hasn't been away from home for more than a week." James said.
"He'll get eaten alive in the real world unless he learns to grow up quickly." Sirius said, leaning back and closing his eyes.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad out there, huh?" James said, glancing over at Sirius. "Can you believe people actually believe that psycho's claims?"
"Psycho?"
"Voldemort." James said, grinning when Sirius nearly toppled over. "Oh come on, you're scared of his name? Weren't you just insulting some other kid for being scared?"
"Being scared of leaving home and being scared of the most dangerous man on the planet are two VERY different things!" Sirius snarled. "And don't say his damn name!"
"It's just a name. If you're scared of a name, you have no right picking on anyone else, you big woman." James said, smirking.
"Take that back, Potter." Sirius said, getting to his feet.
"Or you'll do what?" Asked James, also standing up.
Sirius just grinned.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Wait wait wait." Harry said, interrupting Sirius. "So let me get this straight. Your parents good as supported Voldemort the first time around, yeah?"
"Mmhmm." Replied Sirius, nodding.
"And you were in a bad mood because you had been a smartass in front of them so they all but starved you right before you were set to go to Hogwarts?"
"That's more or less what I said, yes."
"And then you saw some kid crying--"
"Not some kid. That was Wormtail." Sirius said, his voice taking a hard edge. "Didn't like him from the start."
"Crap. Okay, so that was Wormtail acting like Wormtail even as a kid. You and my dad got into a fight on the train the day you first met?!"
"Pretty much." Sirius said, grinning. "I won, too. James was quick, but I had more power. I was used to getting into fights with Regulus, you see."
"Your little brother?" Asked Tonks.
"Yup." Sirius said. "Jackass got killed by Voldemort himself. Still not sure why."
"Damn. How old was he?" Asked Harry.
"Eighteen." Sirius said. "I've scoured the library downstairs for anything that might mention what the hell happened, exactly, but so far I've hit nothing. And, of course, the rest of my family is dead, so I don't have anyone to turn to to ask. Bit of a mystery, really."
"Well why didn't you know?" Solieyu asked. "Weren't you around when it happened or had he already moved away from home?"
"No clue." Sirius said. "I cut the ties to my family when I was sixteen. Went to live with James and his parents."
"What? Really? What made you do that?" Harry asked.
"Getting sick of my parents being gigantic tits, mostly." Sirius said in a dry voice. "I was tired of listening to them praising Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Every damn morning, the bitch would talk to dad about how wonderful it was that mudbloods and Muggles were being murdered. Dad usually just did the same thing I did - ignore her. But, as you've heard by now, it was a bit hard to ignore her when she wanted to be heard."
"Indeed." Harry said. "So that was how you met dad. I assume Wormtail ended up in your compartment?"
"Yeah. James welcomed him in. Both of us were all bloody from the fight and looked hideous, so it took him a bit of coaxing. Shame, that." Sirius said.
"No Moony? When did you guys start hanging out with him?" Harry asked.
"Oh, we met him that year since we were all sorted into Gryffindor. But he was a loner and
very quiet. Liked to shy away from large groups. James was always boisterous and tended to
gather a lot of attention. Come to think of it, so did I. Completely different reasons,
though. After a few years, my hair was down to my waist and I was gaining a reputation
around the school. Must've had fifty girlfriends by the time I graduated..."
"No offense, Sirius, but I can't imagine you being a huge lady's man like that." Harry said, grinning crookedly.
"Lady's man nothing. They weren't serious relationships." Sirius said, smirking in reply. "Anyway, we really got to know Moony towards the end of our second year after that whole thing with the Stolas."
"The Stolas?" Repeated Hermione. "But wait, what was..."
"No clue. Someone had let it into the school and it kept attacking people. Was completely ridiculous. So the four of us banded together... actually, three of us did. The rat stayed behind James, cowering as per usual. Anyway, we hunted it down and found it had made a nest down in one of the deeper levels of the dungeons. We nearly got killed by the damn thing, though. We didn't know it had a nest until it started to defend it. All four of us had to use stunners to slow it down enough just to escape. We told every teacher we ran across on our way back to Gryffindor Tower. None of us wanted to stop longer than that. Week later, the headmaster at the time called us into his office and told us they had moved the Stolas and its unhatched babies off somewhere safe." Sirius explained.
"Wow. So crazy stuff was happening at Hogwarts before I got there. That's refreshing to hear." Harry said.
"Back to the point - I left my parents, got a motorcycle just to piss them off even more, and went to stay with James for awhile. We were flatmates for a few years before I got sick of hearing him and Lily going at it." Sirius said.
"Dammit, Sirius! There are certain things I don't need to hear!" Harry cried, making a face. "Far too much information!"
"Yes, I thought so too." Sirius said, biting back a grin. "Anyway, I suppose that wasn't exactly the story I meant to tell when I gathered you lot, but..."
"Was better than nothing." Harry said. "And it's the best entertainment I've had so far this summer."
"Yeah." Sirius said, looking at Harry strangely. "Albus told us you'd gotten a warning about the dementors' arrival. Wouldn't say who, though."
"He won't tell me who sent it." Tonks said. "I think he's set on keeping a secret between himself, Dumbledore, and whoever wrote it."
"Well, whoever it is definitely earned a thanks from me." Sirius said. "You may as well be a Marauder yourself, Harry, for all the trouble you seem to get into."
"All the trouble that seems to hunt me down, you mean." Harry said.
"Whichever. Point is, you're damn lucky."
"Unlucky. The Marauders' luck doesn't seem to be that great, Sirius. No offense."
Sirius chuckled. "Yeah. James is dead, Wormtail's as good as, I was locked away for something I didn't do, and Moony couldn't hold a job if his life depended on it."
"I'll thank you to keep me out of whatever you're talking about." Came a dry voice from the doorway.
Sirius smirked as he stood. "Hey, I'm being a perfect gentleman with this lot. I've just been explaining how I met you and James. And why I got the hell out of this place when I got the chance."
"You? A perfect gentleman?" Lupin repeated, crossing his arms.
Sirius' smirk grew as he crossed the room. "I didn't tell them about that game of spin th--"
"YES, very good. Sirius, you're wanted downstairs!" Lupin said, his voice cracking slightly.
"Oh no. I caught what he was gonna say!" Said Tonks, hopping up from the edge of the bed. "Spin the bottle? When? What happened?"
"He'll tell you when you're older." Lupin said, grabbing Sirius by the ear and leading him (protesting all the way) out into the hall and off downstairs.
"...I'm not sure I want to know." Fred said after awhile, finally breaking the silence.
"Speak for yourself." Said Ginny.
"Oh, yuck." George said, staring at his little sister. "Look, Gin, what you think about is your business, but..."
"Whaaat? C'mon, it's clear Lupin had to kiss someone embarrassing! And with the way Sirius was smirking..."
"I don't need to think about Sirius and Lupin snogging in a closet! They could be our dads, for Merlin's sake. There's got to be an age limit on fantasizing about things." Fred cried.
"Yeah, but if it happened at Hogwarts..." Ginny continued. "You've seen some of Lupin's old school pictures! He and Sirius were both... both..."
"Gorgeous." Supplied Hermione, causing everyone to stare at her. "...What? They were."
"So let's recap the summer, kids." Harry said. "I was nearly attacked by dementors. Mrs. Weasley has been driving Sirius batty. And Ginny and Hermione have crushes on Sirius and Moony's teenaged selves."
"I... I do not!" Hermione sputtered, turning an interesting shade of crimson.
"Guilty!" Ginny exclaimed, giggling at the shocked look Hermione fixed her with. "Come on, Hermione, are you telling me you would've avoided kissing them?!"
"I... I was... I don't..." Hermione stammered. "Oh, go to bed!"
"If I have to go to bed, you have to go to bed." Ginny said, smirking.
"Do I have to listen to you muttering to yourself about Sirius and Lupin in your sleep?" Asked Hermione.
"Only if my brain lets me take that path as I dream." Ginny cooed.
Hermione let out a long-suffering sigh. "Maybe I should sleep down in the library tonight."
"Not unless you want mum dusting you at six in the morning." George said.
"Or throwing you out with the Dark Arts books she finds." Fred added.
Solieyu glanced over at Harry who, while looking highly amused, also had a very tired expression on his face. Clearing his throat, he finally stood up. "Okay, you lot. Let's let the new arrivals wash up and get some sleep, shall we? They've had a more exhausting summer than the rest of us. I'm sure staying up so long listening to Sirius talk hasn't helped."
"You don't have to." Harry said. "I'm good for at least another hour."
"After which you'll promptly collapse." Solieyu said. "You're getting some sleep, Harry."
"Yes, mum." Harry replied, rolling his eyes. "I'll see you guys at breakfast tomorrow then, yeah?"
"Not the twins. Mrs. Weasley has to come and fetch them after everyone else has been seated. It's a daily routine at this point." Solieyu explained.
"We've been busy." Fred said, crossing his arms. "Gotta make preparations for our joke shop and all, you know."
"Not easy keeping our research hidden from mum. Sirius has graciously shown us a few hiding spots for things that he found as a kid. So far, mum hasn't caught on." George added. "We figure we can keep it from her the rest of the summer if all goes well!"
"And when you reach Hogwarts, it'll go into the Pit?" Asked Harry.
"Yup!" Fred said. "Anyway, Leon's right. We'll let you lovebirds get your beauty sleep. Harry in particular seems to be in dire need."
"I'm not even going to respond to that." Harry said. "Leon, escort this completely barmy circus from my quarters!"
"Aye aye, sir!" Leon said, saluting Harry and Tonks before chasing everyone else from the room.
"That was easy." Tonks murmured, flopping back down on the bed.
"Being chased by a vampire - that's not something that happens to just anyone over their summer holiday." Harry said.
"Let's just hope it stays that way." Solieyu said, leaning against the door frame.
"Managed to get everyone back to their rooms without awakening the banshee in the portrait, I see." Said Harry.
"Indeed. We've gotten used to the madness of this place. Dumbledore collected mother and I the day after I returned home. Hearing Sirius' mother scream at me once was enough." Solieyu said. "We'll talk more in the morning, though. I'm glad that you both made it out of there unharmed."
"So am I." Harry said. "I'm gonna have some business to attend to once we get back to school, though. A few things, actually. ...Is the chaos next year going to start on the train ride home from Hogwarts? Seems it's getting earlier and earlier. Like Christmas, strangely enough."
"Don't even joke." Solieyu said. "I'm going to head for my own room now. Tonks, make sure he gets some sleep."
"Will do, Lieutenant Reinhardt!" Tonks said, saluting.
Solieyu snorted, closing the door behind him as he left.
"...Okay, can I have one day where nothing happens this summer?" Harry groaned, laying back and closing his eyes.
"We can always lock ourselves up in the library." Tonks suggested. "You need in the bathroom? I want to get a bath before sleeping."
"Nah, I'm fine. I may go down to the library and find something to read, though." Harry said, pushing himself back up.
"Don't take too long." Tonks said, grinning as she rummaged through her trunk.
"This from the woman who spends an hour in the bathtub." Harry mumbled, quickly side-stepping a wadded-up shirt as he ran for the door.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
When Tonks emerged from the bathroom almost an hour later, it was to find Harry sitting up in bed, reading. He had collected a small pile of books that were stacked on the table next to his side of the bed. He was also lacking the top to his pajamas.
"Hello then." Tonks said, toweling her hair. "Not sleeping with a shirt on?"
"Don't see a reason why I should." Harry said. "Can't wear pajamas forever, after all. I figure this is at least a good start."
"True. And it's very pleasant on the eyes!" Tonks said, giggling. "Still a bit scrawny for my likes, though. Shame Quidditch isn't a sport you gain a lot of muscles from playing."
"Oi oi... are you saying you'd want some big, beefy weightlifter as a boyfriend?" Asked Harry, glancing off to one side as Tonks started to change clothes.
"I didn't say that!" Tonks exclaimed. "I'm just saying, you're still pretty rail thin."
"Gee thanks." Harry muttered.
"Only speaking the truth." Tonks said, sitting on the edge of the bed and sliding her legs under the covers. "Also, I'm following your lead."
"Following my lead?" Asked Harry, glancing over. Then down. "...Oh. Okay, so between us we have an unused set of pajamas."
"I don't want to think about the type of person who could fit into my pajama bottoms and your pajama top." Tonks said, making a face.
"Well, there's always that muscleman chap you were lusting about a moment ago." Harry suggested, earning him a slug to the arm. "Ouch! Okay, I totally deserved that. But you did set yourself up."
"So I did." Tonks said, scooting up next to Harry and leaning against him. "Whatcha readin'?"
"Dark Arts stuff. Met up with Sirius en route downstairs and he told me I could nick any books that looked good. Said I might as well, given Molly might snatch them up and toss them out at any given time." Harry said.
"I'm surprised he's letting you take that kinda thing." Tonks said.
"Unlike some people, Sirius isn't paranoid." Harry said.
"I resent that." Hissed Boris from somewhere behind the pile of books. "It was a genuine concern."
"Be that as it may," Harry replied in Parseltongue. "I didn't turn Dark. Nor will I."
"Yes, yes. You've explained that many times now."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Anyway, Sirius was in a pretty bad mood. Apparently the adults decided to have a late dinner. Probably something to do with the Order of the Phoenix. Lupin came into the library while I was looking around. Apparently he likes to sit and read when there's a slow moment or two. Can't say as I blame him. This house is a wreck. Anyway, he told me Sirius and Molly got into some huge row over me. Wouldn't say why, though."
"Wonderful. Just what we need. Some overbearing harpy trying to tell Sirius how to run his life. Bad enough she's taken over his house." Tonks said. "I guess we know where dear Ron gets his charm from now."
"Indeed. So, you ready to settle down and sleep for a hundred hours?" Asked Harry.
"You have no idea." Tonks said, poking Harry's bare chest and grinning.
"Keep your hands to yourself, you scurvy wench." Harry laughed, setting the book he had been reading atop the stack.
"If I'm a wench, what's that make you?" Asked Tonks.
"I'm the captain, of course." Said Harry.
"You're a captain, Leon's a lieutenant, and I'm stuck being the wench? I demand a better paying role in this screwy outfit!" Tonks cried.
"Vice-captain, then?" Suggested Harry, sliding down and groaning as his back started aching.
"Vice-captain will work nicely." Tonks said, sliding down and curling up against Harry. "Oh damn, you're cold!"
"Says the woman with the feet of ice." Harry said, scowling.
"I just got outta the bathtub! And this house isn't much better than the Pit as far as warm floors goes. Not my fault." Tonks said, pouting.
"Right. Something else to do when we get back then - affix warming charms on the floors." Harry said.
"I'd appreciate that as well." Hissed Boris lazily.
Harry yawned, closing his eyes. "I probably shouldn't have read so much. Eyes are burning."
"Ick. Well, no reason to open your eyes again." Tonks said, laying her head on Harry's shoulder. "Wonder what breakfast'll be like."
"Molly will probably be cooking." Harry murmured, arms wrapping around Tonks. "I'm sure that will be fun."
"Two knuts that she'll 'accidentally' try pouring coffee on Sirius' lap." Tonks said.
"Two knuts says that if she succeeds, Sirius will duct tape her to the ceiling."
Tonks snickered. "Can duct tape physically hold someone like her up?"
"I dunno. Ask your creepy imaginary muscle-bound dream date." Harry mumbled, yawning again.
"If you weren't about to pass out on me, I'd swat you." Tonks said, tilting her head to kiss Harry on the cheek. "Sleep now."
"Yes ma'am." Harry said, his voice trailing off.
Tonks grinned, snuggling up closer and drifting off moments later.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Author's Note: Transitional chapter, go go go!
Okay kids. You know that the next chapter is called Potter vs Weasley. You also know the two in question are Harry and Molly. After witnessing what Harry and Nymmy fell asleep in, one can then gauge how quickly the Weasley matron will blow her top upon finding them asleep together! And for those who didn't quite catch it, I'll spell it out - they're sleeping in what they're normally sleep in - their pajamas - it's just that Harry went sans the top and Tonks went sans the pants.
Our little Ravenclaws are growing up!
Some of you who've checked my forum thing here at FFN may notice some parts of this chapter are familiar. The chapter opens with a few paragraphs I was going to use to start an entirely Marauders-centric tale with Sirius as the lead. Also, the game of truth and dare came from a completely DIFFERENT Marauders piece. While I follow the One True Way, I will try not to push that ship too far into the bay here. I think keeping it vague is far more adorable, anyway.
Get ready for some fun next chapter!