Train
What makes a good man? What makes a great man? The question alone is simple but has many answers dependent on who you ask, is it grandeur and charisma? Charm and looks? Intelligence and rational or his self preservation and survival skills? There is no one true answer to this, it’s a question many boys and men have, but all they can do is learn from their journeys and experiences.
Our journey begins upon a train, with a boy. Black messy hair and eleven years of age, ripe for education equipped with a thirst to prove himself and a future he longs to change. His name?
Sirius Black.
Black looked around him, the carriage was decent sized accompanied by the babbling and excitement outside, a new adventure was upon him, his eyes having to adjust through his mess of thick, long dark hair, opposite him a boy in round glasses, he had a grin that indicated mischief and an essence of a harsh wrathful confidence accompanied with a chaotic burst of spiky black hair. Left of the boy was a girl, she seemed pleasant enough she had green eyes and a kind face, a caring aura to her being. To Sirius’s right a sour faced boy with long black hair and a nose that was noticeably larger than most, the girl was with him seemingly to comfort him. It had only been mere minutes since they sat absorbing the atmosphere as the train departed and the sound of parents had finally faded into obscurity.
The red haired girl and the boy to Sirius’s right were talking in mildly hushed voices, discussing the houses they would like to be sorted into, the boy mentioned a house named ‘Slytherin’. A name with which Sirius was infuriatingly familiar with. His family had always been sorted into that house even his brother Regulus had. He didn’t care to hear his dreaded fate as another’s dream, he didn’t say anything because he didn’t have to as far as Sirius was concerned if a boy wants to throw himself into a prejudiced, resentful faction then by all means let him.
‘Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I’d leave wouldn’t you?’ a question shot from the boy in the round glasses and a now widened grin. It took Sirius a second to process that he had just been asked the question directly but despite how much he resented his family, their values and history and everything of that nature they were his blood and he didn’t exactly appreciate the mocking tone this boy had used, so he could only respond with his first few thoughts.
‘My whole family have been in Slytherin,’ he said. The boy’s eyes lit up behind his glasses.
‘Blimey,’ he said with a falsely exasperated tone ‘And I thought you seemed alright,’ it was clear to Sirius that this boy was trying to be friendly so he just grinned.
‘Maybe I’ll break the tradition.’ Sirius paused to consider where this conversation would go, but what harm could there be in finding out more about this bespectacled boy? ‘Where are you heading if you’ve got the choice?’ The boy with a flair for the dramatic it seemed, lifted his arm and looked to the cream white ceiling of the vehicle and boomed.
‘Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad,’ and Sirius could only think it was just typical. His family had explained to him the houses, there were four one for each founder of the school. Obviously in their eyes Slytherin was a God given grace of a house because they were the elite. As far as the rest were concerned they were forced to become stereotypes. Gryffindor the ‘loud proud dimwits’. Hufflepuff ‘The pushovers who were made to lick feet for pay’ and the Ravenclaws who ‘think they’re just so much better than everyone else’. Sirius knew in his heart that they were wrong, but this boy was quite the beautiful stereotype.
‘Hmmm,’ a despairing noise came from Sirius’s right. The sour faced boy was the source.
‘Got a problem with that?’ asked the boy in the round glasses.
Sirius didn’t know this sour boy’s motive for what he said next and would almost always after this day remember this and think, ‘why the hell did he say this?’
‘No,’ he said it with a sneer with that Slytherin sense of superiority that they accused everyone else of having. ‘If you’d rather be brawny than brainy-’ Sirius knew this was a bad idea and was already getting irritated at the boy with the large nose and decided he’d had enough.
‘Where’re you hoping to go, seeing as you are neither?’ Sirius’s words hung in the air for a split second and the boy with the round glasses was roaring with laughter.
‘Come on, Severus let’s find another compartment’ the red haired girl said this with a soft caring voice to offset the situation which she really did not appreciate. She sat up quickly and beckoned the nervous but yet angry boy with a beak out of the compartment.
‘Oooooo..’ howled the boy with the glasses and Severus left leaving Sirius with the howling boy. ‘Ah mate he seems happy doesn’t he?’
‘Yeah just a bit eh?’ Sirius’s tone was less light than the other boy’s he felt a little bit guilty for his small outburst at Severus. However it gained him a good conversation starter with this boy so it was worth it.
‘I’m James Potter, by the way, and I guess he’s Severus, do you have a name at all?’ asked James.
‘Yeah,’ Sirius just cut off his answer. Ashamed of his family name.
‘Well, be good if you told me,’ James was grinning ear to ear
‘Sirius Black,’ said Sirius, in a lower tone than anything.
‘What is it with you Slytherin types and these bloody names?’ asked James, showing his dramatic talents through his vocal inflections as he said this.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well you know? Sirius, Severus both sound a bit dark don’t they?’ James was a bit of a wind up but in quite a pleasant way which was nice for Sirius to hear as opposed to the rhetoric to which he was accustomed but he wasn’t going to let a cheeky git go for his name like that just yet.
‘James, that’s original isn’t it?’ Sirius let out a grin. ‘James Potter, sounds a bit posh almost doesn’t it?’ James paused at that. He wasn’t a fan of being called a posh boy but he let it slide and put on an accent.
‘Fair play, fair play hmmm my good man,’ James bowed his head in mockery and laughed. Sirius was at ease with the charisma that this boy just oozed when he spoke. ‘Anyway, who was that red-head with Severus?’
‘Not a clue’
‘What’s the problem with girls sometimes? She didn’t have to leave she could’ve stayed I bet we’re way more fun than Beaky McNostrils over there,’ James stopped and considered ‘Then again girls can be a pain actually I think she’d have been right bossy if we let her stay with us, telling us to keep it down and what not,’ he mimed the actions of this girl by throwing his hands around and pushing them down with a false face of panic. Mouthing ‘He might hear you!’.
Sirius couldn’t do much else but laugh at James, this boy he was a bright energy, which Sirius really quite needed in his life. Looking out of the compartment window in awe of the scenery he smiled at the day which seemed to beam back at him. ‘So then what do you know about Hogwarts eh?’ he asked Sirius keen to know.
‘Honestly all I’ve been told is that I need to be in Slytherin or else I’m basically going to be an outcast in my family,’ Sirius tried to laugh but the truth in the statement pained him.
‘Oh I see,’ James tried to empathise with Sirius in this moment, he could see that statement hurt. ‘Well if it makes you feel any better if for whatever reason you do break the tradition and become an outcast then I’ll be ready and waiting for you at the Gryffindor table,’ he smiled ‘You know because let's face it we’re just so much better than the bloody Slytherins! Do you really want to be in the same house as that nob?’ Sirius quietly shook his head aggressively.
‘God no!’
‘Well then you know what you have to do to change that, be an outcast! Screw your family’ James tried to be inspirational and punch the air. Sirius knew his family. A simple ‘screw you’ would not go down as a cavalier kicking of the teeth to the system, it would mean letting down the people that raised him and fed him and his loyalty couldn’t allow him to shake the guilt of his own pride ruining that.
Platform
The train ride ended, Sirius and James exited together. They discussed many things over the course of the journey, like Black’s family history and James’s. Black had wanted to discuss the family views on blood purity and explain to James why he was intimidated by the idea he may be abandoning them, however he kept that held in his conscience for now. The last thing he needed to do was scare off his new friend. The boys stood surrounded by their peers, the older students began walking away until only the first years were left standing, they could see the school in the distance from the end of the platform. Small gasps came everyone and James leaned in to say something to Sirius but he was cut off.
‘Firs’ years this way! Firs’ years come on!’
A call came from the blue it seemed. A large man came stumbling clumsily onto the platform, he was very large. Sirius knew the identity of this man, his parents seemed to have nasty opinions of him, referring to him as an idiot, Sirius wasn’t sure how they knew such things apparently other pure blood families weren’t comfortable about him either. Sirius couldn’t understand the politics, he was just a boy at this point at this time. The man stood happy and proud in his large coat holding his unorthodox pink umbrella, Sirius noticed this little quirk and couldn’t make much sense of it. Through the hustle and bustle of young children moving to get an eye on him he began to speak with a warm smile.
‘Alright, firs’ years, welcome to Hogwarts, my name is Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at this here institution! Not much more to say than that so then.. jus’ follow me a little and we’ll get you in there soon enough, any questions?’ A split second past as the good natured man smiled. ‘No? Good! Right then. This way firs’ years!’
There was a walk full of babbling and murmuring from all the students who were elevated continuing their train discussions. James and Sirius moved on to their new favourite topic, which was anything happening right in front of them.
‘Rubeus Hagrid, funny name isn't it? Maybe he was a slytherin too!’ James made a face like he’d just seen Medusa giggled at Sirius after saying this.
‘I don’t know why some people don’t like him, he seems nice,’ Sirius said this more as though thinking out loud.
‘Well you know, he seems a bit odd,’ said James, ‘especially with that umbrella, a big man like him. Why would he be frightened of it raining?’ What James didn’t know was that his excitement had made him rather loud and the subject of their conversation could hear him. Hagrid said nothing but made a mental note of this.
Eventually the walk ended, Hagrid and the students had reached a lake. The sight of amazement stood before them. All of them (even Hagrid who had seen this plenty of times) were engulfed by the sight that stood before them. A flowing lake reflecting the sparkling night sky above it. The mysteries beneath the depths of the water were asleep and there was peace beneath it, a place so full of atmosphere. The excited children who could not contain themselves. Sirius looked past the lake and there it loomed. This was it. The building everyone had longed to see. Even his parents had a twinkle in their eye when recounting their first time seeing it…
Hogwarts.
It towered over the lake with such prowess as if knowing the great reputation it had. The pride was embellished in the stone work. A school with dignity yet charm, an aura of welcoming to those who look for it and seek it’s knowledge. Much like an honorable elderly gentleman who could recount his war stories and what he learnt since, it felt omnipotent. A place of sanctuary, of knowledge and somewhere for people to thrive. The issue is, how one uses the knowledge and lessons that this building offers and allows them to thrive. While a magnificent building in spirit and intent one must remember not all that inhabit it will be so gracious. But to a stunned eleven year old a little less than capable of critical thinking in such a way Sirius saw heaven and opportunity.
‘All aboard!’ Called Hagrid he gestured to some small boats to row across the lake, James looked at Sirius and grinned,
‘You’re going overboard, mate,’ among the students grasping for boats James and Sirius waited, their logic was they didn’t fancy being in that mess for too long therefore let everyone else get one they can hang back and try to send eachother out, however this failed. Hagrid was well aware of the students who hung back, this was his third year as groundskeeper and he’d already had children trying to drown one another because one of them tried hexes on the train.
‘Alright you two come on!’ They knew he was watching so they picked up the boat left, it was small and rickety and the lamp was damaged but they made do.
‘By all means Sirius, ladies first,’ James bowed low to let Sirius on.
‘James, just get in right,’ Sirius knew what was happening and he wouldn’t do it.
‘I insist madame, rest your weary head in this vessel we will be at our destinatio-’ James was cut off again.
‘Oi you two!’ A roar came from Rubeus Hagrid that thundered heavily across the lake and the whole year group went silent, ‘Now get in your boat, stop mucking around and let’s go,’ James hung his head almost sarcastically,
‘Sorry sir,’ he tried not to giggle but Sirius was sure he’d seen a grin in there.
‘That’s quite alright Mr Potter, now let’s get a move on,’ James was taken aback that Hagrid knew his name, he stood confused and concussed by the shock of it. He and Sirius got on the water in their tattered piece of woodwork. It held up well enough though.
‘I can already tell this is gunna be a good year for us, what d’you reckon, Sirius?’ Sirius looked back with a smile and just said with a positive exhale,
‘I hope so,’ the boat pushed peacefully along the lake with the two boys taking in the scenery and eyeing up their new home.
The Sorting
What a great man needs is to know where he stands as a boy, that way he can look for his weaknesses, search how to strengthen and better himself to round out all areas of himself. Some would agree and some would argue, but aspects of a person that stand out will forever be present, and it’s for all men to know what their strengths are so that they can build on their weaknesses.
The sorting process, the one thing that Sirius had been dreading the most was upon them. The first years stood in the castle two gargantuan doors before them. Huge wooden things that would even make Hagrid feel like a mouse. The first years were boiling with excitement; they bubbled and babbled and chittered and chattered, the tension was rising just like the knot in Sirius’s poor stomach.
A witch in emerald green walked into view from the left, she was thin, stern looking, an image of power. She was a beacon of it, back straighter than any of the rulers on earth and her head held high as though it were upon a pillar. She had a small speech prepared and a very thick Scottish accent which initially surprised many of the first years.
‘Welcome first years, hello, yes thank you, be quiet. I am Professor McGonagall, now when you pass through these doors you will be sorted into your houses, you will receive more details momentarily. While you are within these walls, children, lest you forget your house will be like your family. Any commendable action you will win points, but any rule - breaking and you will lose points.’ James briefly glanced at Sirius and gestured down with his fingers. ‘At the end of the academic year the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup. Thank you, and good luck.’ She paused and eyed the students as though she was scanning them, she broke a smile ‘We’re ready for you now.’
The doors burst open. There were four tables full of empty plates with students sitting either side of them. The left table, the furthest left had students sporting robes with hints of green (Slytherin), to the right of them were blue (Ravenclaw), to the right of them were yellow (Hufflepuff) and furthest right was red (Gryffindor). Past the two tables was that of the teachers at a perpendicular angle and it stretched from left to right. Above them was the ceiling they gazed under; it looked like the night sky, some of the taller students were concerned about the floating candles. The air was tense, there was no sense of relief yet as Sirius still had no idea which house would be his. Would he fulfill his ‘destiny’ or would he be a failure? The first years reached the ends of the tables and stopped. It sat waiting, a crumpled leather hat sat upon a chair, a well decorated chair at that.
‘When I call your name, you may step forth, I will place the sorting hat on your head and then you may sit with your house,’ she lifted the hat and parchment to call from. The first years all nodded eager to get it over with.
‘Benjamin Abicus,’ she called. A heavyset boy with thick black hair shuffled through the middle and sat down, his poor legs were trembling underneath his robes, McGonagall gracefully placed the hat on his head and it sprung to life, the crinkles forming a unibrow and mouth beneath it.
‘Hmmmm… Ravenclaw!’The hat had a tendency to bellow everything as the students came to learn. The ravenclaws cheered loud and the boy trundled towards them relieved at the ordeal being over for him, he also seemed pleased with himself.
‘Smart arse,’ said James as the corners of his mouth twitched. Sirius heard this but said nothing. A few more names went by.
‘Ryan Benson,’ a blonde haired boy stepped up he was grinning ear to ear as he knew where he’d end up. Sirius hated that alot, how can anyone be so pleased with themselves like that?
‘Easy! Hufflepuff!’ Cried the hat.
James had been commenting on every single one as they happened which Sirius was thoroughly enjoying.
‘Irrelevant hippie,’ James mumbled.
‘Nice one, James,’ Sirius couldn’t keep it together. He began to laugh but had to hide it for fear of being told off.
‘Sirius Black,’ McGonagall announced. Sirius thought he’d been caught and froze but she gestured towards the hat.
‘Oh shit,’ murmured Sirius under his breath, he walked up almost limping as he did so at the shock of the event, he sat in the chair as all the students looked back at him. His life was flashing left right and centre. Parents talking about mudbloods, James saying about being the outcast, Regulus being in Slytherin himself it all manifested at once and Sirius could hear the voices of all the memories getting stronger.
McGonagall began to lower the hat over his hair, he could feel the tension in his scalp, the moment he had been building to…
The hat sat on his head. And it seemed stumped.
‘Hmmmmmm,’ little more was said for a second but it felt like an eternity as Sirius panicked in the chair feeling floods of sweat arise on his brow.
‘Gryffindor!’
Sirius went white. His worst fear yet highest hope in one was a lot for him to handle, he watched the table in glaring scarlet erupt and saw James making his own comment under his breath.
‘Get in there, mate I’ll be there in a bit’ The slytherins that knew the black family were disgusted by this and gave looks with wrinkled noses and stares that would kill a man if he met the eyes. Sirius was conflicted but he got up and moved as fast as his legs would carry him. His new family and his new home. None like what he had left behind, and as he hoped at least he would have a different fate.
The red haired girl was called up moments later.
‘Lily Evans,’ at this Severus, the boy with the large nose, looked up in pride, he moved his black hair from his face and watched her. She gracefully walked to the chair calmly and with dignity he watched her sit down and their eyes met, he gave her a smile. His friend was about to be put into slytherin where they could enjoy eachothers company for the next six year-
‘Gryffindor!’
James shook his head and muttered beneath his breath.
‘That’s not gonna get annoying.’ But Severus held back tears. Tears he would refuse to cry, and refuse to show anyone as long as he lived. She gave him a glance out of sympathy. She saw the pain in his eyes and therefore his heart. His friend was with the very people whom he detested the most. She would no doubt become one of them. And he couldn’t save her from that. Sirius and Severus’s hearts were heavy.
Lupin
The sorting had ended and the students were all seated in their houses. Sirius and James next to each other, occasionally they would accidentally make eye contact with Lily who still scowled at them, they were merely congratulating each other and James promised Sirius he’d be alright here. They saw movement from the teachers’ table and there he stood.
A man in his older years but eyes glinting with youth and kindness. He held the presence of a man who had seen the world ten times over, yet he still had the joy for it. He sported a red robe and half moon glasses with a beard that could almost be seen having a conversation with his toes and it glistened white.
‘Good evening everyone, I trust you had a safe journey here and a comfortable one at that. I am happy to welcome you back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I have been here many years as a teacher and more recently a headmaster and I still applaud our old headmaster Professor Dippett, a truly good man. I also wish to greet the first years, indeed I am Professor Dumbledore, your new headmaster. I trust you’ll find yourselves in these walls of this beautiful castle. Now on the agenda I do not wish to scare you but to warn you, the forest that you see, is out of bounds! You are not to go in there for if you do I cannot guarantee your safety. Our caretaker Mr Filch has also implored that I express to the older years that he does not appreciate those of you who deem it amusing to hex him in his later hours, if you are caught you will be in detention. I hope you heed these warnings. However I trust good young witches and wizards will refrain from such behaviours in future. I have spoken long enough, so now then.’ He paused and grinned. ‘Let the feast… begin.’
Out of nowhere food appeared upon the tables: succulent roasts and crispy potatoes and cooked vegetables presented themselves to the students who were more than happy to tuck in. Sirius wasn’t particularly hungry, while in a better mood than he was thirty seconds or so ago he was still getting over the shock. He sat observing the other children as they ate. He reached for some chicken after James had said to him.
‘Mate, you need to eat. Properly once this is over it’s over.’ As Sirius reached for the chicken another boys’ hand had come into contact with it, initially Sirius looked up in a jump either to confront or just see the person to whom this, rather small hand belonged to. He traced the arm in his jump, a skinny boy, tall but thin it seemed, first year with a slight twitch of nervousness in his eyes. Blonde ish hair bordering brown by just a little.
‘Oh, terribly sorry. You have it,’ said the boy quickly, ‘I can just grab the other piece.’ Sirius felt an inkling to be kind to this boy and besides it was an excuse to make another friend in his house, he could sense that James may be a handful on his own.
‘Oh no it’s fine you can have it,’ Sirius smiled to be polite and drew his hand away allowing this boy to take it which the boy did and smiled in gratitude. ‘Sorry if it seems like I’ve forgotten after the sorting, but what is your name?’
‘It’s no bother, my name is Remus Lupin, don’t worry I remembered yours because it also sounds a little bit latin, Sirius.. Something, right?’
‘Black, Sirius Black,’ Sirius said, trying to sound proud. But he couldn’t.
‘Well what do you think of hogwarts?’ Remus asked this trying to almost lighten Sirius a bit, he knew what hiding bad feelings felt like all too well.
‘It seems like it’ll be okay, but who knows?’ Sirius twitched as he said these last three words. ‘Still I’ve got at least one person I met on the train.’ He made a gesture to James who was eating away happily at some roast potatoes. He noticed Sirius’s gesture.
‘Sorry, did you say something?’ James asked rather befuddled.
‘Nah just talking to Remus, here,’ he pointed at Remus, ‘he seems alright.’ At this James smiled wide.
‘Oh bloody hell how did you get into Gryffindor with a name like that? I thought Sirius was just a one off!’ Remus chuckled at this, as annoying as James seemed he gave the impression of a fun rather innocent boy, but definitely one to keep an eye on.
‘Well yeah, it’s a bit of a weird name I guess, blame my parents, anyway what’s yours?’
‘I’m Mickey Mouse, nice to meet you,’ Remus just rolled his eyes.
‘You’ll have to ignore that, he’s called James Potter,’ said Sirius after grimacing at James’s attempt to be remotely funny.
‘I see,’ Sirius appreciated Remus’s respectable sense of maturity that came in his thin eleven year old body. Sirius finally remembered he could actually get the other bit of chicken that he was going to grab before initiating conversation.
The boys continued to talk as they ate their way through, Remus was explaining the preparation work and reading he’d done before they got there, James on the other hand proudly told the tale of how he skillfully flew his broom into a duck pond. Sirius didn’t have much to say, he did explain about his house elf called Kreecher, James and Remus laughed at the idea of a small cynical big eared man muttering obscenities at the young Sirius.
Pettigrew
The meal was over and the boys had been laughing themselves sick Dumbledore arose to give a final announcement.
‘Prefects guide your students to their dormitories and again to the first years many words of welcome,’ he smiled a warm smile that gleamed through his beard. A fifth year student got to his feet. He was a figure that towered with no authority. A skinny build and a long face, his hair was a funny shade of green due to a spell that had gone haneously wrong almost like the mint inside chocolate. His face played host to an aggressive outbreak of spots.
‘First years follow me!’ He sounded flat. Almost annoyed.
‘Who pissed in his pudding?’ asked James
‘I don’t know, what’s up with his hair?’ Sirius was more inquisitive about this than he wanted to let on.
‘Maybe it’s some sort of curse,’ said Lupin and Sirius couldn’t help but hear a quiver in Lupin’s tone with this answer.
‘O-or maybe he t-took a bath with a t-t-troll doll!’
Who said that? James looked to Sirius who looked to Remus who looked to James. This small boy raised his pudgy hand in the air. The boy attached was short, chubby with a pair of large buck teeth and a thin nose and a round face too. ‘S-s-sorry I thought you’d f-f-find it funny,’ James laughed at this.
‘I-i-it’s quite alright, l-l-little boy,’ James faked a stutter. This was obviously one of his less effective attempts of humor.
‘James stop it, hi mate I’m Remus, who are you?’ Lupin gave his hand to be shaken and the small boy cowered down first but slowly he reached out his pudgy hands and shook Remus’s whose smile emulated Dumbledore’s.
‘Peter Pettigrew,’ mumbled the boy.
‘Finally a normal name!’ James smiled wide, ‘I’m James’
‘And I’m Sirius,’ Sirius did not like this small boy, it wasn’t the stuttering it was his demeanour, his aura of fear, like he wanted to get away. There was a small inkling of distrust. Not that Sirius was consciously aware of this.
‘Right you lot, oi stop chatting. Right, get over my hair I know it looks stupid but there we go, never let your friends do transfiguration on you, they’re not pros and things go wrong… Anyway, let’s go!’ He sounded very orderly and organised, but he didn’t seem to care. ‘I am your new prefect, Thomas Green, I’m gonna show you to your sleeping arrangements and then I’m gonna go to sleep please don’t ask any questions because you won’t get an answer just appreciate the walls.’
All the first years followed this odd boy and they arrived at the stairs.
‘Oh yeah these things, right you lot these staircases much like us get bored of everything and change, so just remember that and try not to fall off, but that’s on you now because I’ve told you, so it’s not really my problem anymore.’
After a new ordeal of someone nearly falling off the banisters the group of confused students arrived at a painting in the wall. ‘Right so you see this, this is your new home whoopdeedoo isn’t it marvellous? See this lady she is your ticket in and out,’ he gestured to a rather rotund woman within the painting who was surrounded by a beautiful background. ‘You need to give the password, can I be bothered telling you?’ The student looked up with false thought in his eye ‘okay right it’s bellus caseus. Don’t forget because I won’t tell you again.’
Sirius and James exchanged confused looks, Remus was giggling for some reason, it made Sirius grin. Peter shifted but he didn’t seem to know exactly what he was doing.
Welcome Home
The night was upon the boys the conversation had died down Sirius was in a more contemplative mood and while James was giving Pettigrew a heckling because he’d said something or other stupid Sirius laid his head back on a four poster bed. His eyes traced the roof of the bed counting the little age marks in the wood. Little did Sirius know that someone had watched him do this, Remus. Remus had also given up with James and Peter, at first he had spent a few minutes attempting to rebuttal James’s remarks about Pettigrew’s slowness and his inability to coherently structure a sentence in under a minute. Yet he’d grown rather sick of it so he just sat and watched Sirius. He took a liking to Sirius admiring his skill for communication without the use of words. He appreciated the calmness that Sirius gave off at that present moment.
Sirius could finally feel Remus’s eyes on him, their eyes met and they smiled at one another, a smile that says ‘yeah mate, I know, right?’ they both grimaced at the other two boys and shook their heads before almost in a synchronised fashion sitting and turning to face the two. James sprinted across the room shouting some gibberish that not even he really understood, he’d run to Peter’s things.
‘C-c-come and g-g-get me Peter!,’ yelled James with a big shit eating grin on his face.
‘Stop!’ cried Peter, Sirius almost felt sympathy for Peter but found it apt that the boy had to trundle to James contrasted with the exasperated tone in his voice, like watching a snail give out a battle cry if you will. Sirius was enjoying this more than he wanted to, and that was when Remus had quite had enough.
‘James, we’re tired and it’s dark outside can we please just sleep now,’ Remus asked with a slight inflection of annoyance.
‘Not until Pettigrew comes to get what is his! He will do it, I believe in him!’ he then turned his head to Remus ‘then I’ll be off to bed I promise,’ he smiled with a grin that a grandmother would pinch and a friend would punch.
Pettigrew was almost near James.
‘Alright I-I-I-I-,’ he stopped to steady himself ‘I’m here now James leave it!’ With that James jumped on Pettigrew’s bed getting some small dark stains over the red sheets and he then ran into his bed which was across the room. Peter stumbled into bed. Remus sat down on his bedsheets and shook his head, Sirius just gave him a thumbs up with a cheeky grin on his face. He mouthed ‘well done’, and the two both laid black and the room went dark. Sirius looked out of the window and whispered to himself.
‘Welcome home’. And with that he fell asleep.
Wake Up Late
‘Sirius! Oi! Sirius, wake up!’
‘Huh? What’s going on?’
James was at the side of Sirius’s bed, a hand outstretched above Sirius’s ear that faced the top of the four poster. Sirius’s eyes lolled around the room while James withdrew his hand, the lids of Sirius’s eyes finally retracted. He yawned and met James’s gaze.
‘Okay I’m up, how long you been there?’ James shrugged.
‘No idea, Remus took Peter to breakfast, fat little sod, all he probably thinks about is food,’ James said with a grin.
‘Ahah yeah maybe, something doesn’t sit right with me about him, James, he’s a weird one,’ Sirius’s expression somewhat hardened but this conversation would’ve been too much for a morning, Sirius’s gut was his power he trusted it alot, therefore he was inclined to trust it now.
‘A’ight get dressed, I’m going down now!’ James sprinted out of the room and left Sirius to change. Sirius looked around the common room.