Author: Laurahonest
Chapter 4: Sirius' Early Christmas Present
Disclaimer: I am not J. K. Rowling and I do not own anything you recognize. She is just nice enough to let amatuers like me play with her story and characters.
Post Date: 8-18-06
Authors Notes: Sorry about the delay. Life is hectic but you all know that. Thank Bluejello for editing. Without her you may never have gotten this chapter. I had trouble with it and it took both of us to get it fixed.
The last week of classes flew by, and the professors piled on the homework for the break. Before they knew it, the week was over and everyone was packing to go home or to friend's home for the holidays. All of the seventh year Gryffindors were packed and waiting in the Great Hall for the carriages. When the carriages came they rushed out and clambered in for the ride to the train. All nine of them crowded into one compartment for the ride to King's Cross; they were eager to start the holiday. They spent the trip talking and catching up. The last week of the term had been very busy, so most of them felt like they hadn't seen their friends in ages. The ride was peaceful until just after the food trolley went by. Severus Snape and Regulus Black appeared about ten minutes after the witch left. Regulus shoved open the door and stomped into the compartment. Severus followed quietly and the two of them started annoying the Gryffidors.
"What's wrong, Potter?" sneered Snape. "Do you have to have your mudblood bodyguard with you everywhere you go?"
"Snivellus, I don't need a body guard. Twenty points from Slytherin for use of that foul word," replied James, completely unfazed.
"Oh! Big man, Potter," taunted Regulus, "hiding behind your badge now."
"Regulus, the moment your input is needed is the day hell freezes over," Sirius snapped as he stood up. Marlene and Lily pulled him back down.
"Sirius, you have sunk to new lows, letting women push you around. You should cut off that hand that the mudblood ruined. Here, allow me," Regulus smirked as he pulled out a long and evil looking knife.
"Regulus, put that away!" hissed Snape. "You are going to get us in trouble."
"That is enough," Lily and Remus said together. "You two leave now and go back to your own compartment before I give you both a detention," finished Lily.
"We will leave, but only to avoid a nasty scene. We aren't scared of you, Mudblood," spat Snape as he turned and stormed out.
Regulus started to follow, paused, and turned back. "Oh, big brother," he said sweetly. "Here is your Christmas present from dearest Mum and Dad." He handed Sirius a stack of parchment and left, slamming the door behind him.
Sirius silently read through the papers. When he was done he jumped up and punched the air. "Bloody hell!" he yelled, "I am finally free of them."
James grabbed the stack of papers and read through them. "They disowned you, Padfoot?"
"Yes, and about time too!" was the jubilant reply, "I was ready to take them the papers to sign myself. I should send them a thank you note. Anyone got a piece of parchment and a quill?"
Lily silently handed him parchment, quill and ink, and Sirius settled in to write his letter. James lent him Hector to send the letter to his former family. Lily knew about Sirius' family and she was happy that he was so pleased about this. He passed back her quill and ink and grinned at her. "This calls for celebration," he declared happily, "Prongs, what is planned for tonight?"
"I am not sure, Padfoot, but I think we can find a way to celebrate" he replied with a smile.
"Great! I am glad they did this now," said Sirius. "It saves me the trouble of checking their gifts for explosives. Oh, but now I won't have all of those mean things to anonymously send to Regulus and Snivellus. The ones not full of explosives were so much fun to send to them, just to see their reaction. Regulus thought he had a secret admirer for months after last Christmas. I guess it is worth it though. Your parents will be willing to celebrate this won't they? Wait, what am I saying? Of course they will. They have wanted this for a long time too. James what can we do to celebrate?"
"Sirius, you are babbling," said Marlene.
"Well, I am excited, I can't help it," he defended himself.
"Try to help it, or I will put a silencing spell on you," replied Marlene with a menacing glare.
This threat kept him in check for about twenty minutes. The others enjoyed the brief reprieve. After that he just couldn't contain himself any longer. "I wonder whose idea it was to finally kick me out of the family. I bet Regulus planted the idea so he could be the family heir, evil little bastard that he is. I am going to go hex him," he said as he stood up.
"No!" yelled Lily, Remus, Marlene, Alice and Peter. James jumped up to restrain him and Frank and Broderick leapt to block the door.
"Okay, I won't hex him. Can I jinx him?"
"No" they all said together.
"Okay fine! I'll leave him alone, at least until after break. Sit down, Prongs. I'll be good. Frank and Broderick you can sit too. I won't try to escape. What on earth can I do to him when we get back? Hmmm... How about turn his hair pink? Turn him into a goat? Bat-Boogey hex? Hang naked baby pictures of him in the Great Hall?"
"Silencio" said Marlene, "I warned you, Sirius."
Sirius silently pleaded with everyone in the compartment to undo the charm. They all looked away in refusal. Finally he grabbed Lily's roll of parchment and quill and started writing. She looked over his shoulder and saw that he was making a list of hexes and pranks to use on Regulus.
Talk died down and the occupants of the compartment started to fall asleep. Sirius and Marlene were the last two awake. Marlene undid the charm and they talked quietly for a while before Marlene turned the conversation serious.
"Is your whole family like your brother?" asked Marlene.
"Yes, almost everyone is obsessed with pure-blood and dark magic. My Uncle Alphard wasn't and, fortunately, Andromeda isn't. They have been disowned too and blasted off the family tree," he replied bitterly.
"Oh," she said. Marlene paused and appeared to be having an internal argument with herself. Finally she spoke up, and Sirius understood her hesitation. "Mine isn't quite that bad but they are pureblood fanatics and into dark magic. They force me to live and work with the house elves when I am at home. They wouldn't disown me though, I don't think. They enjoy the free labor and humor of it all too much. Not to mention the gossip it would create."
"Well," Sirius said softly, "If they do disown or kick you out, you can come stay with me. I have a two bedroom flat in London. Uncle Alphard left me all of his money when he died last summer. That may be why they disowned me. They know I won't give it to them to control, and that just pushes their buttons. They love having control, having power. Probably why they are such big fans of Voldemort. You are welcome at my flat any time. They don't have to kick you out for you to come stay. I ran away long before this. You can even paint the room pink if you want to, but the pink stays there!"
"That is sweet, Sirius" she said with a catch in her throat. "I don't think that it will get that bad, but if it does I will come find you. Thanks Sirius, I guess after seeing how happy you were to be disowned I thought you might understand. Lily doesn't even know all of this."
"Hey, don't worry, Marlene," comforted Sirius, "I don't think that any family can possibly be as evil as mine. Except maybe the Malfoy's but they are pure evil anyways. You should tell Lily though, she will want to help you any way she can. She cares about you Marlene and probably has already figured out more than you think. James knew a lot of my problems before I told him. Talk to Lily." Sirius paused there while Marlene thought about what he had said. "Now, how about a game of chess?" he changed the subject as he pulled out his chess set.
"Sure," she answered with a wicked grin, "get ready to be beaten."
With that they settled into a game. When they arrived at King's Cross the others woke up to find them completely engrossed. Sirius had won a game and Marlene had won a game. Now they were going for the tie-breaking game. The train lurched as it pulled into the station and the pieces went flying.
"No!" howled Sirius, "I was so close to winning."
"No, you weren't," cut in Marlene, "I was kicking your arse!"
"Not true" yelled an indignant Sirius, "I was winning."
"Let's settle this when we get to James': best two out of three," challenged Marlene.
"You're on," agreed Sirius.
With that final comment they all gathered their things and got off the train to start their vacation.
Authors Note 2: Next chapter...they finally make it to the Potter's home. Sorry for the seriousness but hey this isn't a fluffy story with no point. It is important to the plot. Thank you to eveyone who is reading and please review and let me know what you think. I can't fis what you don't like if you don't tell me about it. Laurahonest