As always, please review! If people don't like it I might take it down. PS I know I said in the last chapter you'll meet everyone else, but this turned out to be longer than I thought. Next chapter, I promise!!

Disclaimer: I already put one in the last chapter, silly.

Sirius checked the list one last time as he stood in his room next to his luggage. "Robes...check. Wand...check. Pet..." Sirius looked fondly over at Bridget, the beautiful golden and auburn owl with deep blue eyes he'd found at the Owl Emporium. "Check. Quills..." His eyes widened. "Oh, no, Dad, Mum!" Sirius dashed downstairs. "We forgot to buy --"

"These?" his mother said, smiling slightly as she held up a brand new pack of shiny green and silver quills. "We thought you'd forget," she told Sirius as he took them from her gratefully.

"I'm fully packed then," he informed her. "Let me just nick upstairs and put these in my bag."

"You've got your owl all ready?" Sirius nodded. "Excellent. Your father will help you bring your luggage down. Goodness, boy, you packed a lot!" his mother said, giving him a slight push towards the stairs. "Hurry up now, the train leaves in half an hour!"

Sirius ran back upstairs, glancing doubtfully at the quills, decorated according to the Slytherin house, before stuffing them into the front pocket of his backpack. "Like i'll ever use them," he muttered under his breath. He knew there was no way he would get into Slytherin -- his heart was set on Gryffindor. Not that he would ever tell his parents that, of course. At least not until there was no way they could take him out. He heaved his backpack onto his shoulders, wincing as he did. He had packed a lot. Oh well...there was no harm in overdoing it, he could always send things back home.

"Sirius, boy, you've got everything?" Sirius turned to see his father entering the room. His father let out a low whistle. "You packing for all your roommates as well?" he smiled.

"Just in case they're as forgetful as I am." His father laughed.

"All right, let's go then. Can you take that too?" He pointed towards one of the smaller suitcases. "I can take these two big ones. Bridget, on the other hand..."

"She can fly." Sirius said proudly.

His father raised an eyebrow. "But she's only a few months old..."

"Taught her myself. Watch." Sirius whistled, holding out his arm. Bridget instantly left her perch and landed on his shoulder.

His father nodded approvingly. "That's my boy." Sirius stopped himself from wincing. They hadn't once spoken of their argument from a few weeks before. His father appeared to have forgotten all about it. That was how it usually was. But recently, Sirius noticed his father had become somewhat more...reserved, perhaps, around his son. A little bit nicer, even. It set Sirius on edge.

"Sirius? Let's go," his father said, breaking his train of thought. Sirius shrugged and followed his father out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Twenty minutes later they stood at the entrance of platform nine and three quarters, barely five minutes before the train would leave. His mum wished him a hurried goodbye, taking his father's arm and pulling him away. But his father broke off, instead moving towards Sirius. Sirius steeled himself, hoping what he thought was coming wasn't. His father placed his hands on Sirius' shoulders, heavy and rough. "Listen, boy," Mr. Black instructed.

"Let him get on the train! We need to go, now!" his mother called back to them.

"Just a minute, Walburga." his father replied with finality, turning back to his squirming son. "Well --" he paused, and squeezed Sirius' shoulder. "Good luck, son." He pressed something into Sirius' hand and turned to leave.

"Dad -- wait -- what?!" But he had gone. Sirius jumped at the whistle of the train, suddenly remembering where he was. "Merlin -- the train!" Stuffing what his father had given him into his pocket, he sprinted onto the locomotive, cursing his heavy luggage with every step. Just as he got on the door closed behind him and the train started moving. Sirius sighed with relief, resolving to arrive earlier next time.

Slowly he dragged his suitcase behind him looking for an empty compartment, but he soon realised it was useless. He passed in front of a compartment where music was blaring so loudly he was surprised the whole train couldn't hear it, shook his head, and moved on. Another compartment; filled with kids older than he was, and all Slytherins, by the looks of it. He was about to move on when he heard a shout behind him. "Oi! Sirius Black?! Is it really you?!" Sirius flinched. Keep walking... "Sirius! Hey, wait up!"

He couldn't pretend to ignore him any longer. He whirled around. "Hello, Lucius." he said coldly.

"How are you?" Lucius Malfoy said in a false cheery voice, checking to see if anyone was watching.

"Never better," Sirius replied in the same tone. "You?"

"All right, all right..." They both glanced around one more time, then drew their wands simultaneously.

"You listen to me, Malfoy," Sirius growled. "I don't want to cause any trouble, all right?"

Lucius smirked, unintimidated. "Always the odd one in the bunch, weren't you? Planning on going into Gryffindor? No -- they're much to smart for you. Perhaps Hufflepuff? That's where all the dunces go. Doesn't really matter to me, though. You'll be a filthy blood traitor no matter what."

Sirius raised his wand. "I'm warning you..."

Lucius laughed. "You wouldn't dare."

"Is that a challenge?!"

"You're not a true Slytherin; I can see that. A true Slytherin would be smart enough to know when someone's about to whoop his arse."

"Malfoy!" Sirius brandished his wand warningly.

Lucius grinned delightedly, sensing the distress he was causing Sirius. He fingered his wand thoughtfully. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted suddenly, hitting Sirius square in the chest.

Sirius fell backwards, dropping his wand and smashing into a compartment door. Vaguely he heard startled exclamations coming from inside. He gasped, searching for his wand on the floor. "Ah ah ah," Lucius said, standing above him.

Sirius looked up to see the Malfoy twirling his wand. He grabbed for it, and Lucius pulled his arm back quickly. "Mine now." he pronounced, pocketing Sirius' wand and turning to leave. Sirius grabbed onto the side of the wall instead, trying to follow him, but found his legs were too wobbly to support him.

Lucius had paused to watch him struggle, not bothering to hold in his gleeful chuckles. "Have a good time," he smirked, waving his wand again in Sirius' direction.

Sirius felt his whole body lock suddenly, and fell to the ground. His head banged into the floor, and he blacked out.

Review time! Next chapter's almost done, I think this is gonna be my fastest updating story