The twelve-year-old Sirius lay on his bed in the darkness, staring across at his wall. No letters, not
one. He picked at his old bed sheets through boredom, trying not to recall any of this summer's
events. On arriving home, his father's vice-like grip on the back of his neck had shoved him through
the house to where his mother waited. Crucio, she had whispered as his father held him there.
When the pain finally ended, she spoke in a hollow, monotonous voice. You will go to your room,
and you will stay there. You will not eat, you will not speak. I will not be aware of your presence. Do
you understand me? Sirius had whimpered as his dad pushed him towards the stairs, and began to ascend them slowly. His younger brother, Regulus, had been peeping out of his bedroom door fearfully as he watched his elder brother. It'll be ok, Reg, Sirius had whispered, only half believing his words, You'll be ok. From then on, he had been in this very position, day after day, drifting in and out of sleep. He had, on occasion, attempted to summon food from the kitchen. Despite his ability in doing this, hearing the food pound against his bedroom door, his parents' response was not one of joy at his ability, but severe beatings. Remembering his, one of the wounds on his cheek began to sting, as if reminding him of his appearance.
"Why hasn't he replied?" James whined at his parents one morning over breakfast. "I must have sent Jules at least 10 times." He sat, head resting on his palm boredly, swirling Coco Pops around in their pool of milk.
"I'm sure he's just busy, Jamie." His mother said, although the glance she shared with his father seemed to tell a different story. Their son, however, picked up on this.
"What?" He looked between them. "Tell me!...I mean, could you...er..." he stumbled, remembering his manners in talking to his parents, before deciding it wasn't worth it, and flashed them a smile. "please?"
"Jamie, it's just...his Mother, she er..." his father started, realising just how much James had sounded like him only moments before. "Probably wanted him in Slytherin." He had a rather grim look on his face, indicating that this was not quite where the story ended, but James decided not to push it.
"Thanks for breakfast, Mum." He said, getting up from the table and rushing away. He faintly heard his mother calling after him that he had barely eaten, however soon he was in the garden shed, hunting out his broomstick. He summoned his invisibility cloak, deciding his parents would sort out his use of underage magic, and threw it over himself before kicking off from the ground.
It was only during his time in the air that James realised he had absolutely no idea where Sirius lived, having never asked. He flew low over a likely looking street, swooping and weaving around the lampposts lining the pavement, laughing quietly to himself as a few muggles looked around for the source of a mysterious light breeze. Reaching the end of the street, James spotted the street name. Grimmauld Place. "Grim is right", he muttered quietly as he looked around the dingy street. He tugged the invisibility cloak off himself and wrapped his broom in it, tucking the object under his arm. James walked a little way along the path, tucking his hands in his pockets and wondering to himself how he was supposed to find Sirius. Then-
"I don't know what to do about him, Orion." A woman sighed. James stood still just out of sight of the window from which the conversation was drifting. "He's talented but I don't know why he doesn't put it to better use. Ungrateful-" The last word was said with some force and a loud bang echoed in the room.
"You know, Walburga, he means well." The man said, rather awkwardly James thought. "Maybe Dumbledore will-"
"Dumbledore!" The woman had raised her voice. "Muggle sympathiser, dirtying the wizarding world, that man is just as much a disgrace as our son, I don't know why we're sending Reggie there."
James' heart had started pounding in his chest. He knew he had found the house, and with a quick glance around him, unwrapped his broom from the invisibilitycloak and hid under it once again. He looked up, trying to find a way in, but resolved to the fact he would simply have to walk in the front door. His hand shook as he reached for the door handle, praying that the door wouldn't creak as he let himself in. It didn't. James moved slowly up the stairs, looking around for any sign of Sirius. He found one, but it wasn't the boy himself. James edged into the room slowly, keeping as silent as possible, gazing at the huge tapestry.
"It's quite something, isn't it?" an amused male voice spoke from the doorway. James looked around in astonishment, looking at the man. "You can take that cloak off if you like, Mr Potter. I don't bite." James did as the man said, adjusting his glasses, heart pounding, and tightened his grip on his broom in case he needed a quick getaway.
"Mr-Mr Black, I..." James started, but the man held up a hand.
"No need." He stepped into the room a little further, and began pointing out names on the tapestry. "That's where my niece, Andromeda should be. Pleasant girl...of course, Walburga blasted her off because she married a muggle-born. Her sisters, Bellatrix and Narcissa. Cissy isn't really that bad but I'm afraid Bella has inherited some of my Wife's more...intense moods, shall we say." He laughed quietly to himself before looking at James. "There's Sirius." He said, pointing at the tapestry and sighing slightly. "Again..." he mimed blasting the tapestry. "Most unfortunate."
"Sir," James started, unsure of what to say or do. "I was just, well, I was just worried because-"
"I never miss a trick, Mr Potter." He tapped his nose and winked. "For instance, I am well aware of
your spectacular broomstick display amongst the lampposts. I infer, then, that you were intending to
swoop by and rescue my son from his punishment?"
"I-er-that was the general plan" James admitted nervously.
"I thought as much. Now," he clamped a hand on James' shoulder rather tightly and escorted him
from the room and down the stairs, "honourable as your intentions were, I must ask you to leave.
Orion Black opened the front door and gave James a gentle nudge out of it, before whispering "go
around the back. Window upstairs, on the left".
"James Potter!" His mother shrieked as her son and the newly rescued Sirius Black landed on the
Potter's driveway half an hour later. "Where have you been!" She broke the stony look she was giving her son to look to the other boy. "Sirius, I assume. Go on inside, Charles is making bacon sandwiches for lunch" she smiled kindly¸ gesturing to the front door. Sirius nodded, "thanks, Mrs Potter", and left after giving James a slightly awkward look.
"Ah, Sirius" The man called Charles said as Sirius walked into the kitchen having followed the smell of bacon. "Good heavens, what happened to you? I'm surprised Alex hasn't been all over you, fixing you...ah, but I see she is otherwise engaged." He gestured to the window with a look of amusement.
Alex, or Alexandria, walked back into the house looking rather exasperated, James walking in after her with a grin on his face. "Oh for heaven's sake, James, sit down." She said, before looking at Sirius. "Oh dear...oh, dear...have some food, dear" she sighed, taking the plate of sandwiches from her husband and placing them on the kitchen table, "you look half-starved. Then I'll see about healing you up."
The two twelve-year-old boys exchanged a happy look before they began to devour the food in front of them.