Chapter 4
After the feast the houses retreated to their common rooms; first years led by the houses Head boy or girl. The Slytherin's were taken into the dungeons and led to a stone wall, the Head boy explained that the door to the Slytherin common room would only appear when the password is said to the serpent statue there. "It's quite obvious. It is 'Pure Blood.'" And with that the statue moved and a black and silver door appeared and opened, showing a spacious dimly lit room decorated with greens, silver, and black.
The windows are covered by green drapes and there's black leather couches by the fire place and under the windows. They are led past that part of the common room and turn into another section filled with tables and chairs, the seats along the walls made of dark coloured upholstery, walking through there Solis eavesdrops on some people talking as the group is led to a grand staircase at the back of the room.
The Head boy speaks up again, "Ok, up the stairs to the right are the boys' dorms and to the left are the girls. Your stuff is already in your dorm and your names are on the door. Curfew is at 10 so be sure to not get caught out of the common room. Go find your dorm."
Most of the first years rushed up the stairs when they were dismissed, Solis stayed behind to ask a few questions. Walking up to the Head boy with his hands in his pockets, Solis cleared his throat. "Excuse me?"
"What?"
'Hm. Everyone I've met so far has had the same attitude. Rude.' "I was wondering about some textbooks. Like, where can I get my hands on more interesting spells and elixirs?"
The Head boy smirked. "Bored of the beginner's stuff already, hm? I'll see what I can find and get it to you by tomorrows dinner." He moved to walk away before pausing. "Oh, and, is it true your last names Black? As in Sirius Black?"
Solis creased his eyes-brows in confusion. "Yes my last names Black, but I don't know who that is."
"Seriously, he's infamous?! Were you raised by muggles or something?"
Confusion turned into an icy glare and Solis' voice went cold. "Seeing as my mother is dead and my father gave me to the Potters before they died; yes, I was raised by muggles. Now excuse me, I have to find my room."
The black haired boy noticed as the other took a step away from him as he headed up the steps, following them to the start of black mahogany wood doors. The first he passed being the boys bathroom and showers. Continuing on up, he eventually came to his dorm, two dark green name plaques on the door; one saying 'Solis Black' and the other 'Gregory Goyle'.
'Huh, sounds familiar.' Opening the door Solis sees a boy with brunette hair almost short enough to be a buzz cut. 'Oh, right, Draco's lackey.'
Solis walks in and shuts the door behind him, seeing his trunk and bags on the left side of the room he moves to start unpacking. Starting with his clothes and shoes, he opens his trunk and begins hanging his shirts and pants in the wardrobe and putting underwear and socks in the dresser. This years school books went on the top right shelf of his twelve shelf bookcase; his muggle books going on the left side. His favorite Stephen Kings book and the picture of his father getting put in the bedside table drawer.
Once Solis finished putting his things away and the left over bags in his trunk, all that was left is his satchel and a box on his bed that has the Slytherin symbol on it. Taking his robe out of the satchel, he put the bag in the wardrobe and the robe over his desk chair before taking the lid of the box off. Inside are clothes with the houses colours or emblem, three ties, a pair of gloves with a matching hat and scarf, a new robe and uniform, and his class schedule.
Solis cringes while reading the parchment. 'Ugh, class start at 8:30? And breakfast at 6:30, it's like they want to torture us. Seems like I share a few classes with the Gryffindors too. Interesting.'
He put his schedule, along with his wand, in the bedside table and changed into his pajamas; an oversized purple long sleeve shirt that says "I'm not dead, you are!", and a pair of black trunks. After brushing his hair, Solis turned off the lamp on his desk and climbed into bed, the sounds of his dormmate tossing and turning and snoring lulling him to sleep.
The next morning the sound of someone banging on the door and yelling woke Solis up.
"Goyle, wake up! Class starts in half an hour!"
Solis sat up and got out of bed, glaring at Goyle who was still snoring away. Begrudgingly he made his way to the door and opened it, scowling at the blonde who stood there with his arms crossed.
"Your hair's a mess." Malfoy said, shouldering passed Solis and making his way over to Goyle to shake him awake.
"Morning to you too, Blondie. Come in, it's not like we just woke up." Solis huffed as he shut the door and got back into bed. Just as he was about to fall back to sleep the pillow disappeared from under his head and a muffled, "Ow! Stop!" came from across the room. Turning his head he saw Malfoy continuously hitting Goyle, in the face, with Solis' pillow. Solis reached into his bedside table and grabbed his wand, sitting up to face the two boys arguing about going to class, he raised his wand at them and muttered, "Accio pillow."
The arguing stopped and the room went silent as they watched Solis' pillow float back to him. Glaring angrily at the two, Solis put the pillow back in its place and got out of bed to get dressed. Goyle began getting ready too. Just as Draco was about to leave Solis stopped him, having just finished tucking his button-up into his pants; wand holding his hair in a bun.
"Malfoy."
They turned to face each other. "What?"
"You woke me up." Solis said matter-of-factly while holding out his hand, a green tie in it. "Tie my tie for me."
"Huh? Why the hell would I do that?"
"If you don't I'll give you antlers."
Draco crossed his arms and scrunched his brows. "Like you know the spell for that."
Raising an eye-brow Solis smirked back. "Anteoculatia. Page 23 of our spells and charms book."
Grumbling, Draco moved to stand in front of Solis and began the process of tying the tie. While Draco was doing that Solis was conjuring his satchel and class books over to him, along with his schedule, putting the books in the satchel he then conjured a navy blue pocket book and pen. Solis walked over to his desk setting the pocket book on it, Draco having finished the tie, opening the book he wrote on the first line 'Malfoy - Woke me up - X'. Closing it he put the book and pen in his satchel before putting the bag over his shoulder and picking up his robe, turning back around and making his way to the door. "Ready to go Blondie, Goyle." Opening the door, Crabb was standing there with his fist raised to knock. "Oh, hey uh... I don't remember your name. Anyway, move, class starts in 15."
The four of them made their way out of the Slytherin house and began the walk to the first floor for their Transfiguration class. Goyle was the one to start the conversation during the walk. "Hey Solis, what was that book you wrote in?"
Solis glanced over his shoulder at the boy before turning back forward. "Call it an 'Owed book'. I had one when I was living with Harry and the D- some muggles, whenever someone wronged me I wrote their name in a notebook and what they did. Then I would put an X by their name if they righted their wrong or an O if I instead got revenge." 'That book had a lot of O's.'
"Oh, so what'd you write?"
Shrugging his shoulders the black haired boy answered. "I hate mornings and Blondie woke me, but he did tie my tie for me so he got an X by his name."
Malfoy spoke up, "If I hadn't woken you two idiots up you would've lost us house points. You just said you lived with Harry Potter, huh?" Solis nodded. "Ironic isn't it? A Black and a Potter living together."
Solis scowled as the three other boys laughed. 'Why is everyone focused on the name Black?!' "Shut it, all of you. It doesn't even make sense."
The four of them stopped in the hallway, Draco turning towards Solis. "What do mean it doesn't make sense? After what Sirius Black did it's strange for his son to live with a Potter. Don't you know what he did?"
Solis sighed and continued walking. "No, but that guy from yesterday said something about getting me an article about it. Besides just cause we have the same last name does not make him my father."
Malfoy rolled his eyes as they came upon their classroom door. "Whatever."
Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall was interesting but boring, Solis sat next to Hermione; they didn't get along. Solis had ended up falling asleep until Harry and Ron came rushing in late for class. After Transfiguration was Potions with Snape, another shared class between Slytherin and Gryffindor.
Snape didn't seem to like Harry and targeted him in class, making a lot of the Slytherins laugh a little. Solis only chuckled because of the look on Harry's face when Snape got upset from being talked back to, but that didn't stop Harry from elbowing Solis in the ribs after class. After Potions came lunch, which was used as a study period, in the Great Hall.
Solis sat at the Gryffindor table with Harry and Ron, having finished his schoolwork already he read his potions textbook. An explosion from a boy down the table ruining his concentration. With a deadpan expression Solis looked up at the two boys across from him. "Seamus is going to get himself killed if he keeps messing up spells."
Harry and Ron nodded. Ron then paused and creased his brows. "How'd you know he messed it up?"
"It exploded. Didn't you hear?" Solis deadpanned.
Ron scowled a bit. "Of course I heard. 's not like you could of done better though."
Solis opened his mouth to retort, but Harry spoke before he could. "Actually, Ron, Solis has a photographic memory so all he has to do is read the spells and he can do them without practice."
Ron huffed and moved to speak as flapping wings caught his attention. "Ah, mail's here."
Owls flew into the Great Hall dropping letters and packages to their respective recipients. A newspaper and letter fell into Rons' hands as a stack of leatherbound books dropped in front of Solis; a dingy old newspaper rolled up and tied to the rope holding the books together.
Solis put his potions book in his satchel as he stood up, collecting the stack of books too. "I'm moving back to my table, see you later." Harry was immersed in the newspaper Ron got and didn't hear him. "Ok, bye."
The black haired boy moved to sit next to Draco except Crabb and Goyle took up both sides of the blonde. Standing behind Goyle, Solis announced his presence. "Greg move."
Malfoy and Goyle turned to look at him, equal looks of confusion on their faces. Malfoy voiced his confusion. "Who the bloody hell is Greg?"
Solis nodded to Goyle. "Him. It was on our door, Gregory Goyle. So, Greg, move or I'll put you in my book."
The boy scooched over creating room between him and Draco for Solis, mumbling, "But I didn't do a thing."
Solis put his things down on the table and sat down. "You're part of the reason I woke up today. Blondie came to wake you up and instead woke me up."
"Stop calling me that! What do you want, Solis?"
"Who said I want something, Blondie? This is the Slytherin table, I'm a Slytherin."
Draco rolled his eyes and glared disbelievingly at the ebony haired boy. "What do you want, Black?"
Solis sighed, gathered his things and stood up. "Fine, if you want to get personal I'll just take these advanced spell books and lock them in my trunk, or you could stop being stupid and accept the branch I'm offering you. Your choice."
Solis grabbed an apple before walking away. Taking a bite from the fruit he smirked as an angry growl and a "Get up you dimwits!" sounded behind him, three pairs of footsteps rushing to catch up as Solis exited the Great Hall. 'Easy as always.'
Back at the Gryffindor table Harry and Ron watched as Malfoy, Crabb, and Goyle followed after their fellow Slytherin. The two frowned; Ron voicing his disapproval.
"No goods going to happen with those four rushing about. Did you see those books Solis got? Bloody advanced those are!"
Harry shook his head in agreement, lost in thought. 'What are you up to, Solis? And why Malfoy?'
Up in his dorm Solis sat on his bed with the dingy newspaper rolled up in his hand, staring at it, debating whether or not to read it. The other three are flipping through the older years books making up plans on how to use them; or Malfoy was flipping through a book and reading the jinx's and charms out loud to Goyle and Crabb who were sitting on the floor making comments on which spells to use on Harry Potter and the mudbloods.
"Ah, or that Potter should be turned into rabbit, make him hop back to that muggle hole." The three boys chuckled at the thought.
"Or we could make a rabbit stew, mmm."
"Shut it Crabb! Who'd want to eat that, Potter's disgusting!"
Solis sighed and put the paper under his pillow, standing up he looked at the boys. 'Idiots.' "And that would be cannibalism, he'd revert back to human after 24 hours." Crabb and Goyle cringed at the realization. Solis put his robe on and got his pocket book and pen out of his satchel and transferred them to the robes pockets, sticking his wand back into his hair he walked out the room. "Come on, we have Madam Hooch next. Oh, which reminds me. The 'return-of-the-year' Slytherin party this Sunday; what's that about?"
The others put the spell book on Solis' trunk and followed him out. Malfoy responded to the question, "The Slytherins throw a party every year a week into classes. The older years claim it's to welcome in the first years but it's really an excuse to drink Firewhiskey."
Crabb cut in. "Yeah, it's supposed to be the best start of the year party of all the houses!"
"Wait, so every house is throwing a party Sunday?"
Draco grinned. "It's the only party of the year where houses leave their doors open. No passwords need, I'd say the perfect time to test out spells on mudbloods."
Crabb and Goyle cheered their encouragement as the four made their way on to the training grounds for Flying 101. Standing in two lines, this class a mix of all the houses first years, a broom in front of each student, Madam Hooch walked between the lines starting the class. "Good afternoon, class."
"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch." everyone responded in unison.
"Welcome to your first flying lesson. What are you waiting for, step up to the left side of your broomstick. Hurry up now, stick your right hand over the broom and say up!"
Everyone did as directed, many having to say up multiple time before the broom finally floated up into their hand. Harry's got it first try, causing Hermione and Solis to look at him with surprise. Draco smirked as he got it the first try also. Solis, Hermione, and a few others got it their second try. Ron got his broom to float up, too, though it hit his face instead of his hand. Solis snorted as he watched Ron get hit which got him dirty looks from the ginger.
Once everyone got their broomstick Madam Hooch continued. "Once you've got hold of your broom, mount it. Grip it tight so you don't go falling off the end." She walked up and down between the lines. "Now when I blow my whistle I want each of you to kick off from the ground hard. Keep your brooms steady. Hover a moment then slightly lean forward and touch back down. 3, 2, 1!"
The whistle blew and Neville started to float, after a moment he flew off with the Gryffindor's and Madam Hooch shouting at him to land. The broom twirled Neville around before running into the side of the school and up the wall. The class following him as the broom rushed around the yard. Neville's robe eventually got caught on a statue on top of one the towers, he hung for a moment before the fabric ripped and he fell to the ground breaking his wrist.
Everyone crowded around him as Madam Hooch moved to pick Neville up and take him to the infirmary. Malfoy, at the back of the crowd, picked up Neville's Remembrall that fell out of his pocket. Smirking, the blonde rolled the ball in his hand watching as Hooch and Neville walked away. Solis sighed when he saw the ball. 'You're a wizard, go to a magic school! It'll be fun! Oh, yeah, not like leaving kids alone with flying brooms could end badly. Definitely not.'
"Did you see his face? Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze he'd remembered to keep his ass on the ground!" Malfoy tossed the ball up and again as he spoke, everyone turned to look at him.
Harry stepped forward and spoke up. "Give it back, Malfoy."
"No. I think I'll play a bit of catch." Draco got on his broom and flew into the air, hovering over the small crowd. "Solis, up for a game?"
The ebony haired boy opened his mouth but got interrupted before he could respond. Potter stared at him as he spoke, voice laced with a hint of disgust. "Solis, no. He's a Slytherin, it's not worth it!"
Solis raised a brow and glanced down at the snake emblem on his robe, a subtle reminder that he too is a Slytherin. Silver eyes locked with blue, "I'm always playing a game, Harry. This one is simple and for you to see." Mounting the broom, Solis flew up across from the blonde. "Pass it, Blondie."
Malfoy threw the Remembrall, a smirk on his face as he looked to the ground. "If you want it so badly why don't you come up here and get it yourself, Potter."
On the ground Ron and Hermione seemed to be arguing on whether or not Harry should fly. The brunette, tightening his grip on the broom, ignored his friends and flew up to intercept the toss Solis threw back at Malfoy, only to miss by an inch. Solis flew back to the ground as the two boys glared at each other before starting to chase each other around the yard and school. He sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out the Remembrall Harry and Draco were fighting over.
A gasp caught his attention and Solis turned to see Hermione staring at him. "That's Neville's Remembrall! How do have it?"
A few classmates turned to see what she was talking about. Solis shrugged his shoulders and tossed the ball to the frizzy haired Gryffindor. "Malfoy gave it to me."
Ron stepped forward, a look of surprise on his face. "Yeah, but you threw it back. Aren't you Slytherins suppose to stick together."
Gasps were heard as a furious Malfoy and Potter came back to the ground. Harry holding a walnut instead of a Remembrall. "Black, what the bloody hell did you do?!"
Solis smiled innocently, "Oh just a simple illusion spell, Blondie. Harry, don't look at me like that. I told you I was playing game, not my fault you got tricked."
Before anyone could respond Professor McGonagall came on to the field and took Harry back into the school. Draco's anger lessened as he thought Harry was in trouble but he still glared at Solis and ignored him for the rest of the day.
That night Solis stayed up reading the advanced spell books, marking the ones he thought most useful. By the time Goyle finally fell asleep, having been hounded by Malfoy to finish his homework, it was nearing midnight. When snoring reached his ears Solis put the book away and pulled out the old newspaper from under his pillow. 'It might be nothing, just a prank paper or I might not even know the person and it is a coincidence about the name thing. Right, coincidence.'
Solis took a deep breath before unrolling the newspaper, the headline showing first.
MURDERER OF 15 MUGGLES TURNED OUT TO BE A WIZARD! SIRIUS BLACK SENTENCED TO AZKABAN!
He stops unrolling the paper, rereading the headline over again before continuing to open the scroll. Movement catches his eye and he furrows his brows before unrolling the newspaper fully. Solis' eyes widen and his mouth drops open in shock. In the center of the newspaper is a moving black and white picture, a man with his hands chained and holding a sign. A man whose picture is locked away in a bedside table drawer.
The paper falls to the ground as Solis uses his hands to cover his mouth and wipe away involuntary fallen tears. One sentence repeating itself in his mind.
'Sirius Black is my father?!'