The fire in the Gryffindor Common Room crackled in its hearth as students gathered in their groups, catching up after the Christmas break. In one corner, a group of girls giggled as they discussed their various gifts. In another corner, a group of third years were engaged in a spirited game of Wizarding Chess; the pieces seemingly more violent than ever. By the window seat a group of fifth years sat, browsing through textbooks as the threat of the upcoming exams loomed over their heads.
Sirius and Remus sat together on the velvet sofa opposite the fire, Remus studying the extendable ear prototype as Sirius talked him through the process of making it. "It needs more amplification" Remus advised, poking it with his wand as he cast an amplification spell on it.
"Not too loud mind you" Sirius explained, "else it'll amplify it so much that we're caught" he added. "Hey James!" he called the other boy over, interrupting an animated discussion on the latest match between the Chudley Cannons and the Appleby Arrows.
"What's up" James asked, ambling over to the sofa to join Sirius and Remus. He picked up the extendable ear from the coffee table in front of them, tossing it up and catching it as he listened to Remus' explanation.
"It's a remarkable piece" Remus started, a quick glance over at Sirius who seemed to blush slightly at the praise. "I do think it could use some more amplification" he continued, reaching a hand out for it and accepting it from James when he held it out. "You see, if you're listening in on a conversation and the people are whispering, the sound starts getting sort of fuzzy" he explained, "and working out who's speaking becomes impossible".
James nodded along at the explanation, "so add an amplification spell" he suggested simply, drawing his wand in offer of completing the task himself.
"It won't work" Sirius explained, taking the extendable ear, "see, if we just make it louder without making the sound any clearer, it will just distort it and we wont hear a thing" he explained to the pair. "We have to find something that makes it louder without compromising - ".
"Hey guys" Peter spoke, approaching the group of boys after entering the common room.
Remus was first to answer, smiling warmly at the boy, "Hi".
"We were just talking about that assignment Bins set over the holiday" James lied casually, a quick wave towards Sirius who shoved the extendable ear into his trouser pocket.
Peter sat himself down on the couch next to Remus, extracting a slightly melted chocolate frog from the inside pocket of his robe, peeling back the foil and nibbling the treat. "It was pretty boring" he agreed, "I just didn't get the part about that Goblin, Zilchblaze Ironclaw" he added.
"Don't sweat it" James reassured him, "Ironclaw wasn't even that important".
"Tell that to the Goblins" Sirius joked back, causing the other three boys to break out into laughter.
The castle at this hour was dimly lit, the dusk outside making the candlelight flicker across the portraits. James, Sirius, and Remus had agreed that tonight would be the night to test the revisions they'd made to the extendable ear. Remus had stayed behind, the three agreeing that it was best to keep the group small to avoid drawing attention to themselves and being caught.
Crouching into a corner, huddled together, Sirius withdrew the extendable ear from his pocket and watched as it crawled along the floor to rest outside the door to the headmaster's office.
"…surely. Albus we cannot continue to ignore the signs" they heard McGonagall's urging voice, which was laced with concern. James grinned over at Sirius, mouthing the word jackpot, as he identified the voice of their Head of House. Any conversation between her and Dumbledore was likely to be about something interesting.
After a short pause, "War is upon us, whether we wish to acknowledge it or not" they heard the resigned tone in their Headmasters voice. Sirius shot James a look of concern at the word war, frowning and leaning closer to the extendable ear in hopes he would hear things even more clearly.
"And the students?"
"We must tread carefully, Minerva" the man explained, "Dark forces likely hold influence in some of our students already" he paused in thought, "we must prepare them for what they face". Dark Forces? James mouthed at Sirius with a frown, what on Earth could they be talking about.
"Will that be enough?" she asked, "His followers show no mercy".
"Indeed" the older man agreed, "it is imperative that we inform our allies, those who share our cause". We need to get going Sirius mouthed to James, sensing that the conversation was drawing to a close.
"What the hell was that?" James asked as the pair walked back along the corridor towards the Gryffindor common room.
"I don't know" Sirius muttered, his thoughts going back to the conversation he'd had with his uncle some months ago now. His Uncle had mentioned a war, and he was sure there had been something about light and dark involved. He quickly thought of the Black family Christmas Dinner, and the hushed conversations he'd managed to ignore. Maybe they'd discussed the War and he'd missed it.
The pair returned to the common room in solemn silence, both boys mentally repeating the conversation they'd overheard, desperate to inform Remus.
"Remus mate" James all but shouted as the pair burst through the door to the common room, startling Remus who had been reading a book to pass the time. "You won't believe what we've just heard" he continued in a rush.
Frowning at the sight of his friends, he asked "What's got you so worked up?"
"We listened at Dumbledore's office" Sirius explained, noticing Remus' interest pique at the words. "He was talking to McGonagall".
"McGonagall?" Remus asked, "about what?"
"Some kind of Wizards War" James chimed in, "mentioned some followers" he added.
Remus hummed in thought, "well if Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall are concerned, then we should be too".
Sirius glanced down at the letter he'd just finished, handing it over to James to review.
Dear Uncle Alphard,
I hope this letter finds you well, and my apologies for not having written to you sooner. Hogwarts is everything I imagined and more. You were right when you said that I needed to see it for myself to appreciate all the stories you told me. I've made some great friends here, and Mother's probably already told you that they're all fellow Gryffindors. You can likely imagine how that pleases her.
I wanted to write to you because I overheard something the other day, and it made me think of what you said to me in the summer. There are whisperings here about a Wizard War, but none of my friends seem to know what might be happening. That's why I thought of you; you always seem to know what's going on in the world.
I know I shouldn't be asking about this stuff, being a first year and all, but I can't help but feel worried. Is it true? Is there really going to be a war? And if there is, what does it mean for us? For our family? For me?
I know there are some things I'm not supposed to know yet. But if there's anything you can share, anything that might help me understand what's going on, I would really appreciate it.
Please write back soon. I value your guidance more than you know.
Your nephew,
Sirius Black
"You think he'll respond?" James asked, handing the letter over to Remus to read as he turned back to Sirius. The three had decided that they did in fact need more information about what was going on, but they had found themselves stumped on who to ask. It had taken a few days for Sirius to suggest that he write to his uncle, having been uncertain about trusting the man given his proximity to the Black family.
"He'll respond" Sirius answered with confidence, "he just might not divulge anything useful" he added with less optimism.
Remus handed the letter back to Sirius, "I think you should send it today" he advised. "It can't hurt to try".
"My only concern is that he'll tell my mother" Sirius muttered, "anyway, I'll head to the owlery after lunch".
It was the next day at breakfast when the response arrived. The boys were sat in the Great Hall and had just finished eating when the influx of owls confirmed the arrival of the morning's post. Sirius allowed a small smile as he noticed his uncle's owl amongst the flock, its large wingspan making it easily noticeable.
"Open it!" James urged quietly as soon as the envelope landed on the table in front of his friend.
Sirius carefully picked up the letter, turning it over once and cracking the wax seal that contained the Black family crest. James and Remus both stood, one behind his left shoulder and one behind his right, so that they could read the response at the same time.
Dear Sirius,
It brings me great joy to hear from you, my dear nephew, and I'm pleased to know that Hogwarts has lived up to your expectations. Your mother has indeed kept me informed of your Gryffindor triumph, and I must confess I am not surprised.
As for the whisperings you've heard about a Wizard War, I must confess, it's a troubling matter. The world outside Hogwarts is indeed facing tumultuous times, and while I wish I could shield you from such worries, I understand your concern. You're right; there are things you're not meant to know at your age, but your curiosity is understandable given the circumstances.
While I can't divulge all the details in writing, I can assure you that your safety and well-being, as well as that of our family, are always at the forefront of my mind. What I can offer you is this: faith. Faith in the resilience of our kind, in the courage of those who fight for what's right, and in the bonds of family that keep us strong in times of adversity.
As for what lies ahead, my advice is to focus on your studies, cherish the friendships you've made, and trust in the guidance of your professors. Hogwarts is a place of magic and wonder, but it's also a sanctuary from the troubles of the world beyond its walls. Treasure this time, Sirius, for innocence is a precious gift not to be taken for granted.
I'll write again soon, and perhaps by then, I'll have more reassuring news to share. Until then, know that you're in my thoughts.
With love,
Uncle Alphard
"He gave us a whole lot of nothing" James sighed, moving back round to take his chair next to Sirius again.
Remus looked on at Sirius, who seemed to be in thought. He was as impressed with the response as James was, but it seemed Sirius was reading something in the letter that he and James had missed. "What is it?" he asked the dark-haired boy after some time.
"Nothing" Sirius muttered, scanning the letter, and reading it a second time. "I guess I was just hoping he might make things a bit clearer".
Sirius had walked down to the Lake to think for a while. He was desperately wracking his brain for memories that might explain some of the information he'd heard about the War. He was almost certain that if there was a war going on that involved evil, the Black family would be right at the heart of it. Why then, had nobody included him in any of the discussions? Perhaps they already knew he couldn't be trusted with their secrets.
"The Gryffindors already tired of you?" he heard a sneering voice behind him, one he recognised instantly as the voice of his cousin.
Turning around from his seat on the grass, Sirius squinted up at the girl. He had hated her since they were children, though not with quite as much vigour as he hated her older sister. The pair were often at the centre of getting him into trouble with his parents, tormenting him to breaking point only to run squealing to their parents when he retaliated. "What do you want?" he asked.
"Don't speak to me like that you little whelp" the girl snapped back, crossing her arms over her chest as she frowned down at him. Sirius cringed as he saw a group of Slytherins walking down towards them. He quickly looked beyond them in hopes of sighting some friendly Gryffindor faces; someone to provide back up to him.
"I'll speak to you any way I like" he answered, standing up from his seat now that the Slytherin group were fast approaching. Being a first year, he was no match in height to his cousin nor the group heading his way, who appeared to be predominantly fifth years too.
"Is the firsty causing trouble Cissy?" one of the boys called out sarcastically, closing the gap between them and standing side by side with his cousin.
"He is" Narcissa agreed, a sickly-sweet tone taking over as she clearly fawned over the prefect next to her. The group of Slytherins behind her sneered at the boy, laughing when Malfoy drew his wand and the boy quickly reached for his own.
"And what are you going to do with that?" Malfoy laughed, flicking his wand at the boy, whose own wand quickly flew over to the prefect.
Sirius was annoyed at the loss of his wand, but he did not want to make that known to the group. "So, you can disarm a first year" Sirius congratulated sarcastically, clapping slowly for the fifth year whose features became swiftly irate. "I suppose they can just go ahead and graduate you now".
"Shut up Knott" Malfoy turned to a snickering Slytherin who had found Sirius' comments somewhat amusing. "A bit overly cocky for someone with no means of defending themselves" Malfoy continued, turning back to the first year.
"I don't need a wand against you Malfoy" Sirius answered confidently, refusing to back down from his cousins' cronies.
Malfoy snorted in response, "spoken like a true Gryffindor" he added, tossing the boys wand into the grass by his feet. "it's about as fun as challenging a muggle to a duel" he added, turning around to Narcissa, and offering her a hand back to the castle.
"I'll be telling Aunt Walburga what happened today, Sirius" she said to the boy, before turning and beginning her ascent back to the castle, arm in arm with the blonde teenager.
"Tell her what?" Sirius shouted towards her, "that you and your mates accosted me and still couldn't win? Doubt she'll be too impressed with you!". He couldn't be sure she'd heard it all, but he hoped she heard enough to at least be too embarrassed to contact his mother.
"What happened?" James jumped up in concern as Sirius angrily threw open the door to the common room and stormed through towards the staircase. Though he felt bad, he did not respond to his friend, pausing only for a moment before he stormed up to the dormitory and threw himself onto his bed.
Sirius listened to the footsteps that signified someone coming up to the dormitory. He allowed himself a small smile at the fact that he instantly recognised the steps as being those of James.
"Mate?" James asked hesitantly as he entered the dorm room, perching on the side of his friend's bed and frowning slightly in concern.
"Sorry about my dramatic entrance" Sirius smiled coyly at the boy, causing both to laugh softly at the manner in which he'd come in.
"So, what happened?" James repeated his earlier question, concern in his voice as he had not seen his friend express such anger before.
"Bloody Slytherins" Sirius answered, sitting up on the bed now and rolling his eyes, "Narcissa and her cronies" he clarified.
"Narcissa?" James asked in distaste, "what'd she want this time?"
Sirius released a frustrated sigh, running his hand through his hair. "Oh, you know, just the usual. Aunt Walburga will hear about this" he said, imitating the girls voice as best he could and eliciting a laugh from his friend at the accuracy of it. "My mere existence is enough to offend her delicate sensibilities".
James's expression softened at this, for he knew that despite his friends feigned bravado, the treatment he received by his family did bother him. "I'm sorry, mate. That's gotta be rough".
Sirius managed a bitter laugh at this, "comes with the territory, I suppose. Being the black sheep and all".
Patting his friend twice on the back in what he hoped was a comforting gesture, James replied "you may be the black sheep to them, but to us, you're just Sirius, our mate".
"Thanks James" Sirius smiled, touched at his friend's ability to turn even his sourest of moods around.
Grinning mischievously, a glint in his eye, James offered what he knew he was best at. "You know what they say mate. If you can't beat 'em, prank 'em".
"Now what's the James Potter I know and love" Sirius chuckled, the tension in his shoulders finally easing.
It was later that evening when the trio found themselves alone in the common room, the other students having retired to their dorms for the night. The three sat close in a huddle, James having advised that Narcissa deserved swift consequences for her earlier treatment of Sirius.
"She's going to learn that if she messes with one of us, she messes with all of us" James said with determination, the other boys nodding in agreement as he did.
Remus, ever the voice of reason, gently interjected, "we do have to be careful. We don't want to get caught and end up in detention".
James grinned at this, a spark of excitement in his hazel eyes. "Don't worry mate, the plan I've got is fool proof".
As James outlined the plan he had, Sirius' grin widened, and his excitement for the following day grew. Remus, though initially more reserved, eventually had to concede that his friend truly had formed a brilliant plan. It was in the cover of darkness that the trio set off, their footsteps echoing softly through the deserted corridors. All three felt their hearts pounding with adrenaline as they approached the Slytherin common room.
It was ultimately a fairly uncomplex charm that James had used, after Sirius had managed to gain access into the common room using an enchanted open anything key he'd picked up in a joke a shop.
The following day, it took significant effort from all three boys not to allow their excitement to dox them as the pranksters. They watched as Narcissa entered the hall alone, her fellow Slytherins seemingly avoiding her. Sirius continued to watch as she sat, her house mates giving her a wide berth around the table and not interacting with her in the slightest.
"Someone's got to say her name" James muttered in annoyance, watching as the Slytherin's glared over towards them.
"Give it time" Remus advised, "you'll get us caught if you keep fixating on it".
"He's right" Sirius sighed, "plus, the charm doesn't wear off so it'll stick until we decide we've had enough" he smiled at the thought.
It was afternoon by the time the trio finally got to enjoy the efforts they'd put into the plan. They were heading towards potions just as the Slytherin fifth years were returning to their common room for their free study period. Sirius, having tired of waiting, decided that now would be his perfect opportunity. It would merely take the mention of her name, he thought, as he queued up outside the classroom and watched the girl saunter by.
"Hey, Narcissa!" he called to her retreating back. The girl barely had time to whip around and face him when a fountain appeared above her head, showering her in what appeared to be frothy swamp water. Her friends quickly jumped away from her, narrowly avoiding the shower of green stagnant water.
"You" she hissed, eyes narrowing as she stormed over to the boy.
James immediately placed himself in front of his friend, "problem?" he asked challengingly.
"There will be" she threatened in return, barely glancing at the boy as her eyes remained fixated on her cousin. "You think you're so clever, don't you?" she sneered.
"I don't know what you're talking about" Sirius answered innocently, "though you may want to take a shower" he offered, "you smell like a swamp". At this, the Gryffindor first years burst into laughter, and Sirius absorbed the joy as Narcissa's face turned scarlet red and she stormed towards her common room.
"Bloody brilliant" James laughed along with him. For James, Sirius, and Remus, it was a victory that would be remembered for years to come. And as for Narcissa Black? Well, she had just learned that even the most seemingly untouchable can fall victim to the mischief of the Marauders.
"Detention Black!" Professor McGonagall's voice cut through the classroom, Sirius looking up to find her face sterner than usual.
"Yes ma'am" he answered solemnly, sighing at having been caught. He'd been moved to a different seat, away from James, the professor believing it would help the two to concentrate better on their work. Alas, all it had resulted in thus far was the pair learning to charm paper airplanes with which they could send notes back and forth. It was on the third airplane that McGonagall's patience had been forgotten, and she quickly issued the boy a detention.
"Rotten luck" James muttered to his friend after gathering up his belongings and heading over to him at the end of their class.
"No stress, its McGonagall, how bad can it be?" Sirius laughed as he walked out of the class, waiting outside for Remus who was clarifying some of the learning points with the professor.
"Says she wants you there straight after dinner" Remus advised as he finally exited the classroom, giving Sirius a look of slight disappointed. Sirius couldn't tell if it was for his behaviour or for getting himself caught.
"Good evening, Professor" Sirius called after knocking on the door and entering the now quiet classroom. His professor sat at her desk, a pile of marking in front of her, and glanced up as he entered.
"Mr Black" she greeted formally, "I trust you were able to dine in the great hall without issue today?" she asked knowingly, and Sirius could not prevent his eyes widening at the insinuation that McGonagall knew exactly who had cast the charm on his cousin.
"Yes ma'am" he answered after a paused, walking up to her desk to await instructions on tonight's detention.
"I have a tremendous amount of marking to do this evening in preparation for the fifth-year exams" she explained, drawing a red line through an answer on one of the mock tests she was marking. "You will assist me".
"Assist you?" Sirius' face scrunched up in confusion, "I'm sorry ma'am but I don't think I'll know the answers to those".
McGonagall allowed a small smile at this as she glanced up from her work, "No, I didn't expect that you would" she answered. "Take a seat, I will give you a copy of the questions and their correct answers. You simply need to put a red line through answers that are not on my list and count the total number of correct answers. Once you do that, I would ask that you put the total score at the top left of each page" she explained.
Sirius took one of the tests from the top of the pile, pulling the answer sheet towards himself as he began working through the test.
"If you are unsure, let me know before you put a line through it" McGonagall chimed in, not looking up from her work.
"Have I done this one right, professor?" Sirius asked after finishing the first one in his pile. He passed the test over as the professor gestured for it, watching as she scanned the test.
"Yes, very good" she answered, handing it back to him and waving a hand over his pile, causing a new test to lift itself up and float over to rest on the table in front of Sirius.
Sirius smile to himself as he spotted the name at the top of the sheet. It was none other than Narcissa, and Sirius silently gloated in the power he had just been given to screw up her mock results. He quickly glanced up again at the Professor, who was too busy with her own marking to notice the test Sirius had just picked up. He thought back on all the times Narcissa had made his life difficult as he considered whether or not he should mess with her test.
The corridors of Grimmauld place were dimly lit as Sirius ran through them, his small footsteps echoing off the hardwood floors as he hurried away from his cousins. He clutched his favourite toy tightly to his chest, his heart racing at the idea of them getting a hold of it.
"Come back here, you little brat!" Bellatrix's harsh voice rang out behind him, sending shivers down Sirius's spine. He knew he would be in trouble if his father saw that he was crying, and he couldn't bear to face the wrath of his father if he returned to him in tears.
Narcissa's cruel laughter echoed through the hallway as she and Bellatrix closed in on him, their expressions twisted with malice. "Looks like the little prince is afraid of a little teasing," she taunted.
Sirius's bottom lip quivered, but he clenched his jaw, determined not to show his fear. "I'm not afraid of you," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Bellatrix's sneer deepened as she took a menacing step forward, her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "What's the matter, Sirius? Afraid Daddy will give you a spanking if you cry?"
Narcissa's laughter rang out cruelly as she echoed her sister's words. "Go on, cry. We all know you're just a little bitty baby."
Sirius's eyes brimmed with tears, but he blinked them back, refusing to give them the satisfaction. "I'm not a baby!" he protested, his voice trembling with emotion.
Bellatrix let out a mocking laugh, "Oh, really? Prove it then. Prove you're not just a sniffling little baby."
Sirius's chest tightened with anger, but he stood his ground, his small frame shaking with defiance. "I don't have to prove anything to you," he spat, his voice wavering with the effort to remain brave.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, and Sirius's heart leaped with hope as he saw his mother approaching. "Mum!" he cried out, relief flooding through him.
Walburga Black's stern expression softened slightly as she took in the scene before her, her eyes narrowing with disapproval at the sight of her nieces and her crying son. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, her voice cold and authoritative.
Bellatrix and Narcissa exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado faltering in the face of their aunt's wrath. Sirius clung to his mother's skirt; using his free hand to brush away the tears that clung to his eyelashes..
With a withering glare, Walburga ushered the girls away, her voice icy as she admonished them for their cruelty.
Sirius felt himself shiver at the memory. He had almost forgotten that particular day, and he found his thoughts troubling themselves with understanding when it was that his relationship with his mother had changed. He had forgotten that there was a time where he would run to her for comfort, where she had sheltered him from the cruelty of his cousins, when he had felt (dare he admit it) loved by her.
A clearing of the professor's throat snapped Sirius out of his thoughts, quickly looking up into the expectant face of the professor. "You have not made much progress with that particular test" she observed, following Sirius eyes as they returned to the name at the top of the sheet. Frowning, she reached over and plucked the test up by its corner, placing it in her own pile. "I think I'll mark this one" she added, handing Sirius a new test, and nodding at it, encouraging him to continue.
The pair worked in silence for the next couple of hours until eventually the professor cleared her throat again. "That will do for tonight" she spoke, "and I trust we will have no further silly note passing in my classroom?" she asked.
"No Professor" Sirius shook his head, "no more notes".
The professor nodded at this, watching as Sirius gathered his quill and began heading towards the door to the classroom. "Sirius" the professor called, stopping him in his tracks. She waited for the child to turn around again, "I know being sorted into my house wasn't easy for you" she began, pausing as she observed the small boy. Sirius waited, and after some time the professor spoke again, "I suppose I wanted to tell you that I'm happy to have you" she added, "even if just as my personal marking assistant" she teased, eliciting a small grin from the boy.
"Thanks Professor" he spoke softly, "good night".