DISCLAIMER: I own the plotline and Rigel. That's it.
"Merlin, Padfoot, slow down. People might get the idea you're hungry or something," Remus muttered, looking vaguely disgusted with his fellow Marauder's table manners.
Fixing him with a glare, Sirius shot back, "kitcharfusbah."
"Wha's that Paddy?" James asked with his mouth full, though not quite as much as Sirius's.
Taking a huge, audible gulp and a healthy sip of pumpkin juice, he replied, "I said 'Kreacher's food is bad.' I've got to eat all the good Hogwarts food before break starts."
Remus muttered something that sounded like, 'no problems there.' Sirius continued as if he'd never been interrupted.
"If I don't stock up now, I could starve to death over the summer, that is if they didn't poison me first. And we don't want that, do we?" he asked rhetorically, shooting a smile at a group of giggling girls who were staring at him intently.
Remus sighed and shook his head, returning to his scrambled eggs.
Peter looked up for the first time since he had started his mission to conquer the enormous bowl of porridge in front of him. "What are you guys up to this summer?" he asked, eyes flicking between his three friends.
James gulped down the last of his orange juice, slamming the glass on the table triumphantly. "I'm staying at Leo's for a week," he said, referring to his seventh year cousin who the four boys had looked to as a sort of role model. "After that, just relaxing. You?"
Remus looked up and replied, "Yeah. I don't have anything planned yet."
Sirius glared at the last slice of bacon on his plate as if it had just insulted him. Stuffing the last of his breakfast into his mouth, he said, "I'll be doing abs'lutely nuffin'."
"Why do you always put food in your mouth right before talking?" Remus wondered out loud. Once again, his comment was ignored.
"Poor little old me," he continued dramatically, "all alone for two whole months. You guys will be off exploring the world, having the time of your lives, and I'll sit at home in my room. Nothing to entertain me but those dirty muggle mags Peter lent me last year."
"Still haven't given 'em back…" Peter grumbled quietly.
James smiled widely. "Aw, Padfoot, you know you're welcome at my house anytime. All of you guys are," he added, noticing Remus' uncomfortable expression.
Sirius heaved a dramatic sigh, but his heart wasn't really in it. He'd spent the larger part of last summer at James' house having fun and getting into trouble with his three best mates in the world. If he had any say, this summer would be every bit as good, with as little contact with his family as it was possible.
At that moment, the morning owls flew into the Great Hall like a swarm of over-sized bees. Sirius didn't even look up; he hadn't received an owl from home since his mother's Howler in first year.
Sirius Orion Black! You are a disgrace to our whole family! You will talk to Professor Dumbledore immediately and have that godforsaken hat resort you. You will be sorted into Slytherin. My son is not a Gryffindor!
Later Professor Dumbledore had assured him without an ounce of regret that once you have been Sorted, the decision is permanent.
Sirius snapped out of his flashback when a large grey owl landed right in the middle of his recently-cleaned breakfast plate, spilling the rest of his pumpkin juice across the table. Sirius growled at the familiar owl. Rigel, his father's owl, was scowling at him. Sirius matched the stare, determined to win the stare-down. There was no way in hell Sirius Black would lose a staring contest to his father's annoyingly devoted owl. No way…
"Damn!" Sirius exclaimed after a minute or so. "Don't they ever blink?"
"I don't think they have eyelids, mate," James shrugged, "Remus, do owls have eyelids?"
"Why do you assume I know anything about the anatomy of an owl?" Remus responded without looking up.
"Well, you're the smart one, right?" Sirius asked blankly. When no one responded he turned back to the task at hand. Or rather, the owl.
Rigel was now extending his leg – and very haughtily so, Sirius thought. Well, two can play at that game. Without even looking at the large bird, he snatched the small parchment from its proffered leg, with as much dignity as he muster. He had, after all, just entered and lost a contest to an owl. Talk about ego-puncturing.
The owl flew away without another word, which wasn't really a surprise considering most owls don't talk. Looking down at the piece of parchment in his hands, Sirius felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Even though it wasn't a Howler, he knew news from his father was never good. He racked his brain for something he had done that would warrant a letter from Orion Black. Coming up short, he conceded to just open the thing and get it over with. Maybe it was just a death in the family – old Aunt Elladora was looking rather more pasty than usual last time he'd seen her.
Praying for one less family member, and not something more earth-shattering, he tore open the Toujours Pur seal on the envelope. His father's small spiky scrawl read:
Sirius,
Your mother and I are willing to forgive your rebelliousness against the Pureblood ways. We have given it some thought and have come up with a solution. We strongly suggest you take this generous offer, for it will be your last chance. If you do not comply, we will be forced to enroll you in Durmstrang, where they assure us you would receive a proper Pureblood education. Think it over, and don't disappoint us.
Orion Black
Fan-bloody-tastic.
Sirius had no idea what their 'solution' was, but it was likely to be better than Durmstrang. But what could it be?
He was seized with rage at his parents. They always did this – lull him into a false sense of security and then pull the rug put from underneath him.
"Padfoot, what does it say?" James asked with a concerned look on his face. Sirius looked up to find the other Marauders staring at him curiously. Instead of answering, Sirius tore the letter in half. Then into quarters. He continued shredding it until there was no more than a small pile of confetti left. Then he promptly pulled out his wand, and with a quick Incendio, the confetti was no more.
"Bad then?" James asked.
"Oh, the usual. Trying to convert me back to a 'proper Pureblood.' They have a new idea of something to test on me, though."
"What is it?" Peter asked, horror stricken.
"Doesn't say."
"Well, whatever they have planned, it won't work!" James said forcefully. "Besides, you can always move in with me if they get too bad."
Sirius smiled mirthlessly. "I guess we'll just have to see what they've come up with."
A/N:
So, what did you think? I'm thinking about either a) ditching this story and doing something else with my not-so-valuable time or b) continuing this into my first multi-chaptered fic. Is it worth adding to? Or do you already regret the few minutes you've wasted on it? Any and all comments are helpful...