The Accepting Ones
Astolfi House
Belgravia, England
31st August 1973
An elderly figure stood at the bottom of a winding staircase, her brown eyes staring up high into the upper landings above. “James, sweetie?” called Euphemia Potter to her son. She was unsurprised to hear a loud bang, a short scuffle before the head of her son leaned down across the bannister from the third floor.
“Yes, Mamma?” asked James, looking down at his mother. “I am just packing up my Quidditch things and broomstick now!” he added quickly. Tomorrow morning he’d be returning to Hogwarts for his third year there.
Mrs. Potter smiled warmly at James. “Oh, that is very commendable my dear boy,” she smiled. James smiled back, nodding his head, his soft dark hair moving with the motion. He had packed up everything else after Sirius had gone home yesterday evening, wanting something to keep him occupied and not missing his best friend.
“Your father and I made reservations for us all at Leonardo’s Ristorante this evening,” said Mrs Potter softly. The elegant Italian restaurant had become a firm favourite for the Potter family over the last few years. “Do you think you’ll be ready soon?”
The young wizard nodded again. “I’m nearly done!” stated James excitedly. It had become a tradition to dine at the restaurant together on the last evening before he returned to Hogwarts. “Can I bring Sirius along?” he asked, still leaning over the bannister toward his mother.
Mrs Potter hummed softly before agreeing. “I don’t see why not, it’d be lovely to see him again!” she grinned. “Why don’t you go ask him on your two-way mirror?”
Beaming widely, James pulled himself up off the railing. “Will do, Mamma,” replied James before hurrying into his bedroom in the Potter family’s town home. It was smaller than the one out at Potter Hall in the countryside of Hertfordshire, and it made it easier for James to locate the little mirror that allowed him to converse with his best friend.
It didn’t take James too long, and he launched himself onto the four-poster bed, which made his pet cat, Calliope, meow in irritation as it bounced her up slightly with the sudden movement. The teenage boy reached outwards to the cat and stroked her furry head.“Sorry about that Cal,” murmured James, as the cat meowed affectionately to his pets. “Looks like Sirius might be coming back, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Calliope purred loudly, making James chuckle. Other than himself and his parents, the ginger cat adored only Sirius, which James put down to the fact that his best friend gave her all the cat treats she wanted. Picking her up, James held Calliope with one arm as he held out the two-way mirror. “Sirius? It’s me, James!” said James loudly to the object.
Almost instantly, the face of Sirius Black appeared. “Hey! What’s up?” asked Sirius to his friend, his grey eyes lighting up.
James shrugged. “Just wondered if you’re free tonight? My folks have reservations at Leonardo’s for tonight. They said you can come!” said James happily with a large grin. An equally large grin appeared opposite him.
“That is the best news I’ve heard all day,” stated Sirius seriously, as he sat in the safety of his own bedroom. James sighed, feeling his heart drop.
“Same stuff as before?” whispered James to Sirius, who nodded back. They were trying to be quiet in case Mrs. Potter or Mr. Potter found out about his home life. “Why don’t you just come live with us?”
Sirius sighed glumly. “Can’t just push myself on your parents,” he stated, running a hand through his long hair. “I mean I’m there most holidays anyway!”
James chuckled slightly. That was true though, Sirius was usually always at the Potters whenever they were home from Hogwarts. “I think they’d happily adopt you! You’re already my brother in every other way.”
“Maybe in the future?” said Sirius as he looked around his bedroom in Grimmauld Place. He still had a lot more chaos to cause here, “Still have to give dear old Mother and Father some much-needed mayhem, especially seeing as Reg is wanting to try out for the team this year,” grumbled Sirius as he talked about his parents and brother.
James nodded. There was still time, and as he let Calliope out of his arms, so she could stroll away, he looked back at the mirror. “What!? Regulus, is wanting to try out for Quidditch?” stated James, surprised, his eyes wide. James himself had just started playing Quidditch for Gryffindor last year.
“Oh, he’s adamant about joining. Mother says she’ll get old Sluggy to make sure he’s picked,” replied Sirius with a disgruntled look upon his face.
“Can she even do that?” asked James, leaning forward. He prided himself on good sportsmanship and the best player being picked.
Sirius shrugged. “Don’t know if it’ll work, but if you throw enough Galleons at someone or something, it’ll work somehow,” answered Sirius. “Anyway, what time are we going out for tea then?”
James looked at the old clock on the wall. It was nearly five o’clock in the evening, and usually the reservations were at quarter to six. “We can meet you outside your house in half an hour,” responded James. “I can see if you can stay the night too, if you’d like? Calliope would love it too.”
“Nah, I’m good,” said Sirius as he stretched his legs out upon his own bed. “I’ll see you guys soon then, and then again tomorrow morning. Can’t have you wanting me that much!”
James laughed out loud, and it was then that his father appeared in the doorway of his bedroom. Tall and grey-haired with wire-framed glasses not unlike James’s own ones, Fleamont Potter was a somewhat imposing figure.
“Hello, Papa!” said James cheerily as he sat up on his bed. Sirius was still on the two-way mirror and shouted out his own greeting to James’s father. Mr. Potter chortled as he made his way into James’s room.
“Hello to you both, now James, did you ask Sirius about dinner tonight?” asked Mr. Potter to his own son. James nodded. “That is good, your mother said you just have to pack up your Quidditch things, and then we’ll be ready for the train?”
Again, James nodded. “I’ve been practicing some new Quaffle moves, need to make sure I’m picked this year!” This would be his first year up for re-selection for the team and James was adamant that he’d be chosen again. He’d been practicing all summer.
Mr. Potter chuckled, picking up the new shiny leather Quaffle and throwing it up in the air. “I can’t see how you could not, you’re the best player and flier I’ve seen, son, and I was scouted to play for England back in the nineties!”
James blushed at his father’s words. “I’m not that good, you’re much better, Papa!” stated James seriously, watching as his father now held his Beater bat. Many moons ago, Mr. Potter had played that very position for Gryffindor just like James did as Chaser.
“Nonsense! You’ve got to believe in yourself, my boy,” said Mr. Potter positively before wandering off to the doorway again. “Now, get dressed up and tidy your room up, it looks like a pair of rogue Bludgers got loose in here, James!”
And with that, Mr. Potter wandered away humming to himself. James looked around his room, it did seem a bit topsy-turvy from his packing. But his room back at Potter Hall had once looked as if he had demolished it, so this wasn’t that bad.
James had nearly forgotten about Sirius when his voice rippled through the silence.
“You’d think he’d forgotten the time I stayed last summer, and set those fireworks off by accident!” murmured Sirius, which made James laugh out of loud at the memory.
A dozen wizarding fireworks had lit up his bedroom that summer night, smashing the windowpanes and everything else within the walls. All the colours of the rainbow had appeared, and it had been then that James knew that he’d made a fantastic choice being best friends with Sirius Black.