Chapter 1: 1971

"Do the family proud."

That was all that Walburga Black had said to her son before she had promptly about turned and disappeared through the barrier, without so much as a goodbye. At first Sirius hadn't moved, simply stood and stared at the huge red engine, the means of his escape. Do the family proud, he thought. Not a fucking chance.

No.

11 year old Sirius Black was not going to do his family proud, he was goint to do everything in his power to besmirch the name of the Moste Ancient and Noble House of Black.

On board the train Sirius found himself an empty compartment, stored his luggage on the rack and settled down for the journey. He had it all planned out: they expected him to be a good little pure blood Slytherin, his family, the type who doesn't go around making friends with the wrong sort. He was supposed to get perfect grades and maintain the impeccable reputation of the Blacks, but Sirius knew that just wasn't who he was.

Everything his family had ever taught him, everything they stood for, it disgusted him. He had learned the hard way to keep his opinions to himself at home, but now that he was heading to Hogwarts he was finally free to be himself.

His thoughts were interrupted when the compartment door slid open, and two boys filed into the room. One was tall with messy black hair and glasses, and he had a confidence about him with a mischievous grin Sirius recognised all too well. The other boy was shorter with sandy blonde hair, brown eyes, and was staring sheepishly at the floor, although he wasn't quite able to hide the small smile that graced his gentle features. The two boys sat down opposite Sirius, and the dark haired one looking him up and down.

"You're Sirius Black," he said matter-of-factly, taking Sirius completely by surprise.

"I'm sorry do I know you?" he asked defensively.

"James Potter," the boy replied, offering his hand.

Potter, the name rang a bell. The family were well known in the wizarding community but not one of the sacred 28. His family believed the Potters' blood had been tainted by muggles, and therefore they were not to be trusted. This was perfect, it would be his first act of defiance: he would make friends with the Potter boy, he was exactly the type of person his family would despise!

"Pleased to meet you," he said, shaking the proffered hand.

And so the three young boys spent the rest of the journey to Scotland getting to know one another, and very quickly became friends. The other boy's name was Remus Lupin, and he didn't talk very much, but Sirius found himself taking an instant liking to him anyway. He couldn't place it, and he certainly couldn't understand it, but there was just something fascinating about him. He found himself smiling whenever their eyes met, he found himself smiling a lot on that journey in fact, and he just had this feeling that the three of them were going to be really great friends.

Many hours later the train finally pulled to a halt just as the sky was turning dark. The students were ushered out onto the platform, and Sirius jumped in fright as a loud voice bellowed "First years over 'ere, first years this way!" He instantly snarled when his eyes fell upon the unnaturally giant man. It was just one of those things that had been ingrained in him from a very young age: never trust a half breed. Giants, centaurs, werewolf's, they were all filthy.

"What's wrong?" James asked as he came up beside him.

"I don't trust him," Sirius replied honestly, nodding towards the very large and hairy man holding a lantern.

"Why not?" Remus asked from his other side.

"Well look at him," Sirius scoffed as though it were obvious, "he's clearly a half breed, half giant half Merlin knows what else! Why would they even let a man like that into a school?"

Neither of his new friends knew what to say. James' mouth had fallen open in shock and Remus simply looked at him sadly before walking away. He looked so disappointed, and Sirius honestly couldn't understand why. What had he done wrong?

As the boats carried them across the lake with the majestic castle looming above them Sirius had mixed emotions: he was finally here, free at last from the tight bonds his family held over him; but at the same time he couldn't shake the feeling that he had ruined any chances of friendship with James and Remus, and he didn't even know what he had done wrong. He tried to catch Remus' eye and smile when he did, but the smile was not returned. It was probably for the best; Sirius didn't deserve friends like them anyway, and he doubted either of them were going to be sorted into Slytherin like he was, so that would be the end of it.

But as it turned out, Sirius was not sorted into Slytherin. Almost everyone in the great hall, teachers and students alike, had fallen silent in surprise as the name 'Gryffindor' echoed around the room. It took a moment to sink in; it was completely unheard of, never before had a Black been sorted into any other house than Slytherin. Sirius sat motionless on the stool, unsure of what he was supposed to do. His first thought was of his parents and how they were going to punish him for this. His second thought was of his parents, and how this was the perfect act of defiance, because it was completely out of anyone's control. A wide grin slowly spread across his face as he stood up, almost in slow motion and making him look half mad. He nodded to Professor McGonagall who took the Sorting Hat from his head, and made his way over to the Gryffindor table.

Once he was seated McGonagall cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention.

"Crabbe, Vincent!" she called.

A small plump boy made his way to the stool and sat down. The relief on his face was evident when the hat shouted "Slytherin!"

From his seat at the Gryffindor table Sirius watched as his fellow first years were sorted. Evans, Lily was the first to join him in his new house. She was a pretty red head who smiled shyly at him as she sat down. When Lupin, Remus and Potter, James both joined them he couldn't quite meet their eyes. He grimaced as the disappointment from earlier came flooding back. He would have to make amends if they were going to live together for the next 7 years.

Fortunately as the evening's festivities wore on James seemed to forget whatever had bothered him before and the two chatted away as if they had been friends all their lives. They talked about everything and anything from classes to Quidditch to chocolate frog cards. The same could not be said for Remus, he spent most of the evening talking to a short chubby blonde boy, and quite pointedly looked away whenever Sirius tried to catch his attention.

By the time everyone made their way to the dorms Sirius was too tired to really pay attention to where they were going. He found himself in front of a portrait of a rather obese lady who was asking for the password. The prefect leading them gave it and held the portrait open for the rest of the students to follow. Sirius now found himself in a cosy round room filled with comfy sofas and armchairs, and there was a warm fireplace set into one of the walls. He felt a flood of warmth shoot through him he had never experienced before. The room was such a sharp contrast to his home in Grimmauld Place that he instantly fell in love with it. He had never seen a room so warm and welcoming before.

After a brief introduction to the Gryffindor common room the prefects led the first years up a set of narrow spiralling staircases to their new dorms. Sirius' room was made up of 4 beds dressed in red and gold bedsheets to match the rest of the Gryffindor interior, with their respective trunks at the end of each bed and a metal fireplace in the middle. Sirius walked over to the bed with the chest labelled S.B at the foot of it and sat down. He was really very tired and honestly he just wanted to sleep, but as he watched Remus out of the corner of his eye chatting to the blonde boy again who apparently shared a room with them he got that nagging feeling of disappointment again.

"You all right, Sirius?" James asked as he flopped down onto his own bed.

Sirius snapped out of it, he realised he had been staring at Remus, who looked up at James' question and caught Sirius' eyes as he went to look away. They held for a moment, and somehow Remus just couldn't stop himself from smiling shyly ay him. Sirius smiled back, it seemed that maybe, just maybe, everything would be OK.