Hellooo dear lovelies, Happy Sirius Month!
I started this story a while ago and posted it on my old account before I discontinued it, but I'd like to start it up again.
Disclaimer: I'm neither blonde, nor do I have three children, nor am I capable of writing the masterpiece that is the Hogwarts world, so I'm not J.K. Rowling.
"I keep turning over new leaves, and spoiling them, as I used to spoil my copybooks; and I make so many new beginnings there never will be an end."
-Louisa May Alcott (Little Women)
"...remember to bring honour to the Ancient and Noble House of Black, the heir to the family." Sirius brushed off his mother's grating remarks as he scanned the train station, immersing himself in the cacophony of sights, scents, and sounds that swirled around the bustling platform. The scene he witnessed was unlike any he had experienced before: a vibrant tapestry of life in motion in contrast to the cold, derelict place he called home.
The tap-tap-tap of his mother's expensive pearl shoes echoed in my ears, each step in sync with his hammering heart. The effect was instantaneous: his spine stiffened, and he met her gaze with unwavering composure, resisting the urge to flinch as her sharp eyes, her stormy grey ones, just like his own, but colder and sharpened by time, bore into him. Yet, beneath her stern exterior, he sensed a hint of vulnerability, a reminder of the once-fragile woman who had raised him. The one who sang sweet songs with a smile and dressed him with care. The woman who has been missing, leaving her empty shell behind for years now, beckoning him to find her.
Thankfully, the telltale whistle and the rhythmic clickety-clack of wheels moving speedily on the well-worn rails announced the imminent arrival of the long-awaited Hogwarts Express, the scarlet train that every child dreamed of boarding since they first heard the stories of Hogwarts, interrupting his impending spiral into the past.
His eyes drifted to the other pureblood family beside him: the Potters. Their only son was one he had only seen from a distance at formal meetings and balls of the pureblood families, but never really met. He frolicked away from his mother's futile attempts to tame his unruly cowlicks, as the Potter patriarch stood aside, amused by the scene unfolding before him.
Black moved quickly past the laughing Potters and bewildered mudbloods and boarded the train without looking back. Daarcy, the house elf, followed with his trunk, which she eventually settled under his seat. Peering outside, he glimpsed his brother's gaze fixed on him, while his mother disdainfully glared at the confused mudbloods. Sirius was able to manage a small smile and wave to his brother, despite the anxiety starting to pool in his stomach.
Sirius could see the last stream of students bid their farewells and board the train as the scarlet engine blew its whistle and began moving. The rhythmic clacking of the rails began, lulling the young boy to sleep. The previous night had been a sleepless one, as he found himself consumed by worries about the most important issues, the nonsensical things, and everything in between.
The sound of a deafening slam reverberated through the train compartment, and a hastily muttered apology followed, nearly engulfed by the powerful whistle of the engine, startling Black out of his abrupt shut-eye. A boy, appearing around his age, sat down on the seat opposite him. The boy's height seemed a little less than Sirius'--much to Black's pride--and his casual attire carried an air of elegance: expensive and freshly pressed, most probably by a house elf. However, it was his dishevelled hair that was most telling about him. Bloody hell, I'm too tired to deal with this shit already.
James Potter, Gryffindor golden boy from what the other families speak about him before he even made it to Hogwarts, not an uncharacteristic trait of the Potters. When Sirius realised that Potter had caught him staring, his face betrayed his growing mortification as it heated up and probably turned more red than a serpent's tongue. He mustered a small smile–though it probably resembled more of a grimace–and quickly averted his gaze to the window. Sirius blankly fixed his eyes at the passing landscape of endless trees and the passing clear sky, determined to ignore the other presence. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a mischievous grin that spread across Potter's face as he extended his hand towards Sirius.
"Hi, I'm James. James Potter."
Sirius stared at Potter's outstretched hand, unable to comprehend what was happening. Snapping out my senses, I took his hand, a firm grip as I was taught to do.
"Charmed. Sirius Black, heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black." Did I just recite my entire title? Yes. Did I immediately regret it? Most definitely. Potter raised an eyebrow at his long title (Impressive. Sirius never got the hang of the whole…raising the eyebrow thing) when suddenly, the door slid open, as a plump, friendly looking witch pushing a trolley smiled at them. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"
Sirius was about to decline when Potter declared "We'll take some of everything," as he extended a handful of coins–galleons, knuts, and sickles alike–to the trolley witch, who looked at them as if Christmas had arrived early that year.
After the trolley lady had left, Potter gestured to the small fortune's worth of pastries in the seat beside him. "Help yourself" is probably what Potter intended to say, although it came out as a sort of wrangled "Hep yo'elf" as Potter stuffed his face with chocolate frogs.
All he had wanted was a nap.
And that was the first part of Chapter 1! What do we think? Please review with anything you liked, and even what you'd like changed!! I appreciate and value all critcism!