Sirius wished his mother would shut her mouth with her screeching. Since their trip to Diagon Alley, she had apparently caught a glimpse of Declan Donoghue, a man she had gone to Hogwarts with as they were in the same house. Their entire family had met up for a soiree and all they did was talk about how the man, Declan, was beginning to make more appearances in the Wizarding World.

What grated his nerves was how his mother, Walburga kept pestering him that he needed to be on his best behavior. To help guide the wayward Donoghue heir to reclaim their family's place among the other families, as apparently they would be in the same year. Sirius couldn't find himself to care in all honesty. He told her this and she threatened to use the Cruciatus curse on him if he ruined his chances at having an alliance with the Donoghue Clan.

From what he had overheard was that Declan was a raised Slytherin, who denounced the pureblood values and married an American pureblood muggle loving Ravenclaw. They raised their child away from the wizarding world as nobody had even caught a glimpse of the secret Donoghue heir, nobody even knew if it was a boy or a girl.

Since his mother's glimpse of the Irish wizard, she had forced Sirius to review the customs and manners of the family so he could "impress" the heir and befriend them when they were both placed in Slytherin.

His Uncle, Alphard Black, shared his rebellious and brave behavior as he kept making snide remarks towards his Mother. Apparently, she had tried to seduce him back in their younger years but had failed and lost to a muggle loving American. The remarks only seemed to fuel her hatred of the man, Declan Donoghue.

Closing the book about the history of the Noble House of Black, he glanced up at his younger brother Regulus who was reading about math. Kreacher, their rotten house elf, came in and brought tea for his mother. Not ever forgetting to praise his mistress. He hated the elf and the feeling was mutual.

"Have you finished your homework?" Walburga asked with contempt, "Tomorrow you'll be leaving for Hogwarts and I ask for you to be on your best behavior."

Rolling his eyes, he snorted.

"Are you listening to me Sirius?!"

"I don't care mother," he rolled his eyes. "I don't want to be friends with whoever the heir to the Donoghue family is. Who cares if they're a pureblood?"

Walburga stomped over and tried to slap him, only for him to quickly duck out of the way and run to the other side of the drawing room. He could hear his name being screeched as he ran out of the drawing room with laughter tumbling from his lips. However, he wasn't quick enough.

Outraged, she shouted "Crucio!" Causing him to crumple to the floor in unimaginable pain.

It was as though the vessels in his body were being ripped apart and put back together over and over again. Sirius knew he was screaming for help, for her to stop but he couldn't hear his own voice as all he could hear was the blood rushing to his ears. It wasn't the first time she used such a spell on him and he knew it wouldn't be the last.

Stepping over to her son, she dropped the spell and sneered down at him. "You mustn't speak like that Sirius, you are the Heir of the Noble house of Black. You will grow up to do great things in the name of our ancestor, Salazar Slytherin. You will not disgrace this house."

She turned and left with Kreacher following, praising his mistress. Regulus, the younger boy, slipped out of his seat and edged his way towards his older brother. Who laid on the floor, curled up in a ball as he sobbed into his knees, not caring that his brother saw him.

"Sirius, why must you be so difficult and incur mothers wrath?"

He stayed silent. Picking himself off the floor, he wiped his face of tears and left the room. He ignored how stiff his body had become as he quickly retreated to his room.

Closing and locking the door behind him, he knew that his mother wouldn't talk to him for the rest of the day. Which meant that he could be left alone for the rest of the day without her shrill voice to tell him what was expected of him.

Sirius couldn't wait to be out of the grasp of his Mother, all summer they had been droning on and on about two subjects. The Donoghue family and a rumored pure blood politician that was advocating for a pureblood society. Sirius had always been a rebel when it came to what was expected of him, but he knew that a pureblood society was a subject that he'd never advocate for. His family were fanatics about it and it was deplorable not to mention the fact that he couldn't survive among them at this rate.

The only good thing that came out of the entire summer was how just the mere existence of the man named Declan Donoghue was able to bring utter chaos to the fascists that were the Sacred families. If he ever met the man, he'd be his loyal follower. Seeing his mother seethe with anger from a man she hadn't seen or spoken to over a decade was the best gift he could receive all year.

Well…

That wasn't completely true.

Flopping down on his bed, he rolled over onto his stomach and allowed his body to recuperate as he had a big day tomorrow. Reaching into his pocket, he plucked the silk white glove and brought it close to his face.

He'd be lying if he wasn't excited to see the white haired girl again, the one he had run into quite literally in the shop of Ollivander's. She was different. Kind and soft spoken. Nothing like the other children from the Sacred twenty eight families he had met. They were all just as manipulative and conniving like their parents.

Holding onto the soft and delicate glove, he closed his eyes and thought about being able to meet her once more. Her kindness and bright smile lured him into having to see her again. To have someone to call his friend.

A real one.

Not the ones he was forced to grow up with and endure due to the nature of their births. He only had his little brother Regulus. However, Sirius worried. Worried about what would happen once he was at Hogwarts and wouldn't see him until Christmas.

Christmas was so far away.

Just a mere five months they would be separated. But what would happen in those five months with Regulus only having his Mother to feed him all the bullshit she shouted on the daily.

Regulus was more sensitive, soft even. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but their mother wouldn't allow it. Once he left, he wondered if his Mother would take her anger out on Regulus. Being the oldest, he took it upon himself to make sure that she never laid a hand on Regulus.

Clutching the white silk glove, he closed his eyes and brought it to his nose. The faint smell of vanilla and blueberries had all but faded as it had been a month since he last saw the young girl.

Allowing the scent to lull him into a deep sleep, he never stopped smiling. As the glove provided him one thing that money or his family could ever provide.

A sense of comfort.

Something he never truly experienced before, it was a bit unnerving to say the least.

Billowing puffs of smoke and steam filled the air of the train station, as the platform was packed with parents and children saying their goodbyes as they loaded their trunks onto the bright red train. Another gust of steam sent pieces of her bright white hair falling out of her intricate updo as she buried her face into her scarf to keep warm.

"I'm going to miss you" Her Father smiled down at his only daughter who's eyes lit up as she tackled him in a hug with a bright smile on her face

"I'll miss you."

Gwen knew that her Father was emotional today as not only had they visited her Mother's grave this morning but because she was taking a huge step into growing up and becoming independent

"Write to me about everything, alright?" Gwen pulled away with a huge smile as her Father bent down and placed a kiss on her head, "I want you to tell me as soon as possible whatever house you're placed in alright? Don't forget that you can rely on your cousins Jack and James to help you if need be, I'd prefer if you stayed with them."

"Yes, I promise. " Gwen held up her small pinky out to him as he wrapped his own pinky around her own, "Father, everything will be okay, I can handle a few nosy witches and wizards."

Declan, didn't look entirely convinced but smiled and nodded nonetheless.

"Do you think I'll be just as smart as Mum?"

"Of course you will be, you're so much like your Mother and she was very intelligent. I believe that you will do great things and become an amazing witch." She felt her eyes water as she felt her heart clench slightly as if somebody were squeezing it "Now you best be off before you miss the train, my dear" Her Father stood to his height as he patted her head affectionately as she merely nodded

"I love you" She gave her Father one more hug as she knew that it would be the last one until she came home for Christmas, which was a little over four months away.

"I love you too" With a small wave she turned around to look at him once more as he waved to her with an encouraging smile.

Turning back around she disappeared in the sea of fellow students and parents as she tried making her way toward the train as she had already dropped off her trunks. Gwen carried the small carry on she had packed before she saw a flash of bright red hair.

"Lily!"

"Gwen!" Both girls hugged each other and giggled as they weren't paying attention to their surroundings. Lily grabbed Gwen's hand as she dragged her towards the train after grabbing their trunks

"Come on Gwen, we should find a compartment before they're all taken"

After several minutes of trying and failing to find a partially empty one they had found an empty one near the back of the train. Lily and Gwen quickly put their trunks away before Lily had turned to the white haired girl who had already taken a seat as she was looking out the window.

"I'm going to find Severus since we found a cabin already"

"Alright, I'll be here" Nodding, Lily left as Gwen grabbed a book from her things and began reading as she waited for the train to depart from the station. Several minutes had passed in silence before she heard the cabin's door slide open, looking up from her book she expected it to be Lily and Severus, but instead was James and the boy from Diagon Alley.

"Jamesy!" Gwen jumped up from her spot as she tackled him into a hug, as she hadn't seen him since they had ran into each other in Madam Malkin's shop in Diagon alley "You're really here!"

James snorted "Where else would I be?" Returning her hug they broke apart as Gwen stepped back to give him space "Mind if we sit here? All the cabins look to be completely full."

"There is plenty of seats that is as long as you don't mind sitting with two other people, my friends will be back soon"

"Not at all!" James quickly began to put his trunk away while the other boy followed his actions as well.

Seeing movement from the corner of her eye, she saw the stranger begin to put his trunk away as well. The boy's hair is still a dark brown and a bit longer than it was when they ran into one another. He offered her his hand once he had caught her studying him.

"I'm Sirius Black" His silver eyes were hidden behind long dark eyelashes that made her heart flutter. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance once again,"

S. O. B.

Sirius Orion Black

He's a pureblood.

She knows all the pureblood families' names like the back of her hand as she had studied all the families as she believed the information would prove useful during her stay at Hogwarts. Her Father didn't like to talk much about the other families as he had grown cold towards them. Why? She didn't know why, but she had remembered the conversation her Father had with her in his study all those months ago.

"I'm Gwendolyn Donoghue" She took his offered hand as they shook hands "But I prefer to go by Gwen" She added with a soft smile, hoping that she had just gained another friend

A dark look crossed his features. Blinking, Gwen looked closer only to see that it had disappeared all together. Was she imagining things?

"Gwendolyn huh?" Sirius smirked as he watched her face become pink as she averted her eyes from his as they held a mischievous glint in them "I think we'll be the best of friends" He took his seat beside her as he leaned back

"Possibly," she mused as she took her seat back "It's a pleasure to meet once more."

"The pleasure is all mine,"

James cut in with a confused look as he looked between the both of them "You two know one another already?"

Sirius nodded "We ran into each other over the summer actually"

"Indeed, as we had actually met right after we parted ways at Madam Malkin's shop," Gwen explained further as she cocked her head to the side with a small grin. "We didn't get the chance to exchange pleasantries though as Father was waiting for me outside of Ollivander's shop quite a ways away"

"I see," James smiled as he took his seat across from them

Sirius sparked up the conversation about dueling as they began talking and laughing amongst themselves as Gwen listened to both boys. James boasted about becoming the best dueler Hogwarts has ever seen. The train's loud whistle that signaled they were leaving Platform 9 ¾ had gone off almost twenty minutes ago. Gwen found it completely odd that there was no sign of Lily or Sev to be found.

"Would you like to join us, Gwen?" James asked as they looked over at her as she stared at boy boys

"I don't prefer dueling as it seems tedious"

"Oh come on, it'll be fun" Sirius threw his arm around the girl as he tried to coax her into saying yes to him. Rolling her eyes she fiddled with the book in her lap as she knew that he wouldn't repent until she gave him an answer.

"I'll think about it, is that better?"

"I'll take what I can get" Sirius flashed her a cheeky grin as he withdrew his arm from her, she let out a sigh of relief as she wasn't used to people her age, especially boys around her.

Suddenly the door to the small cabin opened where a red headed girl and a raven haired boy stood as they stared at the three in silence.

"They needed a place to sit and I knew that you wouldn't mind if they sat with us" Gwen quickly explained as Lily smiled and took her seat across from them

Severus took his seat next to the window. Gwen noticed that Sirius and Severus locked eyes for several moments as both James and Lily were distracted by their own conversation. There seemed to be tension between the two as they had a silent battle to which it ended with them both looking away from one another.

Interesting…did they know one another? If so, then why did they not talk with one another?

Gwen smiled as she watched them all introduce themselves except for Severus who simply smiled politely before going back to the book he had in his hand. For the next ten minutes they had talked amongst themselves while Gwen found herself fiddling with her silk gloves as she listened to the three talk animatedly about a great many of things that interested them.

"What house would you want to be placed in Evans?" James asked after they had all made small talk that lasted for about half an hour as Gwen merely watched them.

"Personally I think they're all wonderful in my opinion" Lily smiled as Gwen knew that she was just excited to be a witch in the first place

"What about you Gwen?" Sirius was the only one in the large cabin to not know about Gwen's history

"I'd love to follow my Mother's footsteps and be placed in Ravenclaw as I know she'd be proud if I were to be placed in her house" Gwen smiled shyly as she stared at the floor as she ran her fingers through a large piece of her hair, glancing up she saw that the four were staring at her with soften expressions. With a healthy blush rising to her face, she cleared her throat as she looked over to Sirius "What about you Sirius? Where would you want to be placed in?"

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," Sirius stated with a glum and solemn expression

"Blimey," exclaimed James as he slapped Sirius hard on the back, "and here I thought you seemed all right!" This caused Sirius to grin widely.

"Maybe, I'll break the tradition." Sirius looked over to Gwen when he said this before turning back to James " Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James jumped to his feet as he lifted an invisible sword.'"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!" James smirked as he playfully winked at Lily "Like my Dad" He added

"Of course you would"

Severus scoffed quietly from behind his book to which Gwen thought was quite rude of him but kept quiet as she could now sense the tension in the small cabin from that comment.

"What do you mean by that comment, Severus?" Lily and Gwen exchanges looks as they watched James have a stare down with Sev

"Gryffindor are quiet loud, nauseating and not to mention very stupid" Severus huffed, Gwen watched as Sirius was staring at him with an emotion that she couldn't quite place as he looked torn. "I'd much rather be brainy than brawny."

"Lemme guess, you're a Slytherin?" James asked as he stood with a snide tone

She didn't expect house rivalries to start today as they didn't even know what houses they were to be placed in. But of course, her parents were right about the rivalries being thick as the cabin was filled with slight malice. She was daft to think that making friends was going to be easy, especially since statuses were a big thing when it came to making friends. At least for some people it mattered.

She quickly stood as she inched out of the large cabin, she met Sirius's eye as he gave her a look that had her hesitate for a second. Only for a second though. She closed the door and made her way towards the bathroom not wanting to be a part of what was going to happen.

Waiting a good twenty minutes before she made her way back into the cabin, where she found a fuming Lily and an upset Severus. Gwen didn't say anything as she knew that they were both too upset to talk. In her opinion though Severus started it by making that rude remark, but she wasn't going to say anything as she decided that she was going to stay neutral about the entire situation.