It was James's second day at school and already he was bored. Apart from his classes, not a single interesting thing had happened. He sat at the table, his head propped up by his palm and he twirled a piece of sausage around his fork. He looked up and saw the postage owls, he didn't think that he would get any mail today so turned his attention back to his breakfast.
As he looked to his right, a young boy with dark hair and aristocratic features sat down with a groan. He recognised him as one of four boys that was in his dorm, however he had no idea who he was. James glanced up and saw the reason for his despair; he saw a dark brown owl hovering near to the boy, a scarlet red envelope in its beak. James watched as the owl dropped the envelope next to the other boy.
Another small boy with light brown hair sitting opposite them leaned forward, a small smile of amusement on his face.
"Hey, isn't that a howler? You'd better open it quickly! I've heard that they explode rather fast!"
The dark haired boy stared at the envelope, looking as though he'd much rather do anything else or be anywhere else. After what felt like an age, he carefully tore open the letter. A loud, screechy voice filled the great hall making everyone cover their ears.
"Sirius Orion Black! How could you be put into Gryffindor?! Every single respectable Black for hundreds of years has been sorted into Slytherin! You've shamed the family name, you belligerent child! What in Merlin's name will your father say? You're never going to have a decent chance of anything now, just think about what you've done to the family! Then again, you always did put yourself first, you selfish boy! How could you?! Why couldn't you be more like your cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa? They knew the correct house to choose and now look at them! Two dignified Slytherins on their way to greatness! Gryffindor!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
With a loud shriek, the howler fizzled out and exploded. It left the Slytherins in stitches; clearly they had never heard someone being chewed out for not making their house before!
James watched the boy cautiously, observing his behaviour. He could hear his muttering quietly under his breath, ignoring the murmurs and laughs from the other students.
"Stupid old bitch, as if I had a say as to where the hat put me! Who in their right mind would want to be in Slytherin anyway? Oh that's right, perfect Bella and Narcissa. Can't believe she'd send a howler here! Just shows what a spiteful, conniving old hag she is!" He snarled, ripping the last big chunks of the red envelope into small pieces.
"You're speaking about your mother like that?" James asked with a small smile, quickly sticking his hand out.
"I'm James Potter, I'm in your room!" The other boy reached out and shook his hand firmly, a small twinkle in his eye.
"I'm Sirius Black and yes, that's my mum. She's awful really, glad to be away from her if I'm being honest!"
The two eleven years olds smirked at each other.
Up at the teachers table both a professors Mcgonagall and Dumbledore glanced at each other with a sigh, they knew they had a rough 7 years ahead of them.
"was the second morning back and the first years had not long been sorted. The now seventh years smirked as they watched the owls fly in, one dropping a red letter into the handsome black haired boy's cereal.
Sirius groaned slightly, a big grin lighting up his face. He pushed his fringe away from his face.
"Here we go again Prongs!" He rolled his eyes, watching as his best friend's face lit up in a huge grin.
"Always bang on time hey Padfoot!" James smirked and turned to face him. "Are you going to let it explode again?"
"Nah, I'll open it this year. I've let it explode every other year and to be honest, the last thing I need is that bloody howler exploding on my robes!"
James's face lit up and Sirius could instantly tell he was planning something. Sirius let out a bark of laughter as James snatched the already smoking howler and threw it at Remus's direction.
"Moony catch!" James yelled, throwing it at the unsuspecting werewolf. Remus let out a loud scream, knocking over a jug of orange squash and two jars of jam in his haste to get up. Several students began to cackle as the loud voice of Walburga Black filled the great hall.
"Sirius! You had better not humiliate me again this year! If I get one more letter of you causing trouble then I will come down there myself and set you straight! You will be sorry that you were born a Black…"
"Well I already am soooo…" Sirius muttered.
"Oh and I have told your professors that they can use force to discipline you if necessary!"
All the students in the hall roared with laughter. They really could not imagine the professors using force to discipline the legendary Marauders. A brief image of Professor Flitwick attempting to spank the much larger Sirius had the Ravenclaws in stitches! Besides, it had become a yearly attraction to see whether Sirius would get a howler and each year they were not disappointed.
"This is your last year at school! If you don't live up to the family name then I will never forgive you! You are foolish, disrespectful and a troublemaker! You will never amount to anything if you don't shape up! Oh and one more thing! I expect nothing but outstandings on all of your N.E.W.TS! If that means getting rid of those friends of yours then all the better! But you'd better get cracking you lazy child! I'll be watching you from afar! Now goooooooo!" The howler exploded into Sirius's cereal and the entire hall exploded into cheers.
"Potter! Detention for throwing the howler at Lupin!" Mcgonagall said, trying to be stern but her lips quivered upwards into a smirk. There was no use in hiding it, those boys had been the highlight of her teaching career for the last seven years.
"Oh come on Professor! Remus is fine, aren't you?" James giggled, grinning even more at Remus's glare. Remus let out a loud chuckle.
"I'm fine honestly professor!" Remus laughed heartily, looking around the great hall at the laughing students.
"Anyone would think that they'd never hear a woman yell at her lazy, good for nothing son!" Sirius smirked slightly. He didn't know what the school would do for entertainment without them there.
That was how Walburga Black added to her son's notorious legend without even knowing it!
