I could hear footsteps leading up from the stairs. Run. I was teetering on my windowsill. Jump. I began to debate if fleeing was the right decision. Fight. I could hear the door jingling. Too late now. I summoned my bag and flew out the window. Freedom.

It was just another typical Tuesday night at the Black residence. My mother, Walburga Black, had been gawking over my brother Regulus all whilst telling me to be more like him. It's not that my mother's obvious favourtism bothered me, it just happened to push me over the edge that night.

Now I found myself flying halfway across Surrey to be hopefully allowed (without previous invitation to do so,) to stay at my best mate's. My biggest concert was not that my mother would find me (because she would) but that James' parents would be annoyed by my late night arrival. Closing in on their house, I laughed silently at myself. Who was I kidding, the Potters would welcome me with open arms. They were more my family than my mother had ever been.

I shifted my body weight backwards slightly, so as not to have a crash landing. I landed smoothly right beside the Potters' porch, making sure not to wake them. As I was questioning if apparating into James' bedroom would wake him or not I heard a 'pssting' noise. I whipped out my wand and did a quick scan of the yard. Before I was able to locate the source of the sound I heard it again, slightly louder. I looked up at James' window to see that it was open but there was no sign of life.

Before I had the chance to react I felt myself being flipped upside down as if by magic, "Ahhh! James put me down or else!"

I could hear the deep grunt of James throaty voice as he tried to stifle a laugh, "Or else what? You'll scare me with your fearful swinging powers?"

James laughed again as he put me down. Once on the ground I turned around and smiled at my cursor,

"Save it for Snivellus," I sneered.

"It's been too long brother," James' eyes gleamed as he stuck out his hand and pulled me into a hug.

"How is your mother going to handle this intrusion?" I asked with hesitation.

James let out a howl, "The mother already knows you're here."

I gave him a questioning look but he did not elaborate. Instead we headed towards the back door and entered into the kitchen. This, unlike my own rathole, was what a true home should feel like. As soon as you entered you could almost always smell the lingering scent of a fresh pie or cream cake.

If you ventured further into the Potter's home you would find a cozy living room with leftover stockings from the previous Christmas. Below them lay a magically enchanted fire that was connected to the ministry's floo network. In the corner of the room there was an abandoned pet bed where a fat tabby cat usually sat. It seemed to anyone an average wizarding house, but to me it was home.

Almost immediately Mrs. Potter came sprinting into the room.

"Sirius Black what on earth were you thinking, trudging into my kitchen looking like that? You look tired and underfed boy. Have James' overeating habits taught you nothing or is it just the metabolism of growing boy? Now where did I put that frying pan? James take your brother's stuff - sorry, Sirius' - up to your room this minute."

I suppressed a grin, like I would ever go hungry under the watchful eye of Mrs. Potter. She would fatten us up like pigs preparing for slaughtering is she could.

"How is your dad?" I asked James as I trailed him up the stairs.

James' face turned to stone, "He's worse," he said without making eye contact.

I dropped the subject knowing I would soon find out how much worse.