Breakfast the next morning was very busy, with owls delivering letters to students who had just gotten sorted. Severus opened his letter and read. He sighed and hid the letter in his pocket.
"Is your mother upset?" Sirius asked.
"She'll just have to accept it," Severus replied, looking away from Sirius.
Sirius wanted to say more, but he knew that Severus wouldn't say any more.
"Sirius, why didn't you receive a letter?" James asked.
"I floo-called my family last night," Sirius answered.
"Floo-calling? What's that?" Lily asked.
"What?! You don't know what floo-calling is?" James asked, shocked.
"She's Muggle-born, remember?" Remus reminded James.
"Oh, right," James responded. "Er, sorry. I'll have to tell you later. McGonagall's coming."
"Your schedules," Professor McGonagall informed them, handing them out. "Be sure you are on time, or I will transfigure you into a pocket watch."
Lily looked horrified. "Would she really do that?" she asked fearfully.
"Nah, she just says that to make you be on time," Sirius reassured her.
After breakfast, they had Charms first. Professor Flitwick taught them the lighting charm, which Sirius got on the first try. He was the first person to get it, so Flitwick gave him ten points to Gryffindor.
In Transfiguration, McGonagall had them transfigure a matchstick into a needle, which, once again, Sirius got on the first try. Everyone stared at him, wondering what he was doing to learn so fast.
One of the Slytherin students called out, "Professor, I think Black is cheating! He's getting everything right on the first try!"
"There is no proof Mr. Black is cheating," McGonagall said coolly.
Sirius made a mental note to write home as soon as possible regarding this little problem he did not see coming.
After lunch, they had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Sirius got to see Amelia Bones again. He had to admit that it was weird seeing her outside of the Ministry.
After Herbology, they had History of Magic, which is when Sirius took a nap the first time around. He wondered why Dumbledore would allow a ghost to teach History of Magic. He decided right then and there to confront Dumbledore about it. He walked out of the classroom, Binns not even noticing that someone left, and because his friends were still napping, they didn't notice either.
Sirius arrived at the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office. "Lemon drops," he tried. "Peppermint toads. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Chocolate Frog. Acid pops." The gargoyle jumped aside. Sirius scoffed at the stupid password before going up.
"Come in, Mr. Black," Dumbledore called out before he could even knock. Sirius opened the door and sat across from Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, I have a question," Sirius began, gaining the attention of not just Dumbledore, but the other portraits.
"What can I do for you, my boy?" Dumbledore asked kindly.
"Why do you have a ghost teaching a History of Magic class?" Sirius asked.
"Ah, well, Professor Binns knows what he's talking about, and I see no reason to get rid of him," Dumbledore answered with a twinkle in his eyes.
"But Headmaster, students fall asleep in that class because Binns is so boring!" Sirius exclaimed.
"I've heard stories about that before, but I am not too concerned about it. Our history will stay history, so it is not important for students to learn about something that will never happen again," Dumbledore explained.
Sirius glared at Dumbledore. "History is not just the past. If people don't learn about history, then it cannot be prevented from happening again."
"I agree!" Phineas said from his portrait.
"Thank you, Phineas," Dumbledore said coldly, not wanting to hear from yet another Black. "Mr. Black, I promise you, everything is under control. I wouldn't have Professor Binns teach if he wasn't a good choice."
"Fine," Sirius snapped, standing. "Thank you for your time, Headmaster." He took a look at Phineas' portrait. Phineas noticed him, and nodded his head in confirmation. Sirius smiled as he left the office.
Phineas walked out of his portrait and into the one at Black Manor. He had promised to keep an eye on the headmaster and report anything he could find to the head of the family.
Sirius met up with James, Severus, Remus, and Lily at dinner. "Where were you?" James asked. "When we left History of Magic, you weren't there!"
"That's because I was reporting Binns to Dumbledore, though he did not listen," Sirius explained.
"It's fine, we get to sleep," James shrugged it off.
"No James, it's not fine," Sirius argued. "We need to know what happened in the past so we can prevent it from happening again."
"I agree," Severus and Remus said in unison.
"Yes, History is important, even if it's boring," Lily agreed.
"Darn it! Four against one," James grumbled.
Everyone laughed. They ate their dinner, discussing what they thought they'd learn the next day.