The Quidditch World Cup, 1966
August 7th, 1966
Sirius was very bored. He liked the World Cup very much; England had won against the American Team, which made Sirius happy. But now he was bored.
He sat between his Mother and Father as they talked with the wizards and witches he often saw at parties and who occasionally came over for tea. Sirius understood the topic, about how they were better wizards and witches because they were pure-bloods and that wizards with muggle parents were below them.
Sirius had never met a muggle-born wizard or witch before, and he quite wanted to because he wanted to know if his parents were telling him the truth.
What he didn’t understand was why he had to be here.
It was mostly adults, but the other kids here were much older than him, around the same age as Bella, Andromeda, and Cissy. Why’d it have to be all older kids? Why couldn’t Celeste be here? Why couldn’t Bella be out here, so he could be inside with Regulus?
Sirius began kicking his seat. Both his Mother and Father had told him that he was important to their family and was their Heir. But he didn’t understand why Bella couldn’t be their Heir; she was much older.
“Sirius,” his Mother said sharply. “Stop kicking your chair.”
“But I’m bored!” Sirius exclaimed, slumping down in his seat.
His Father pulled him up. “You need to be out here. You’re our Heir.”
“But why isn’t Bella the heir?” Sirius whined. “She’s the oldest; she should be out here!”
“Bella is the oldest girl. The Heir is the oldest boy, and you’re the oldest boy in the family.” His Mother explained. “Did we never tell you this?”
Sirius scrunched his face up, trying to remember. He couldn’t. “No, you said I was the heir because I was older than Reg.”
His Father sighed. “He shouldn’t be up this late. Do you wanna go inside, Sirius?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take him.” His Mother said. As he followed his Mother back to their castle tent, he heard Mr. Greengrass talking to his Father.
“I forget how young he is sometimes, Orion. Not even seven yet, is he?”
His Mother brought him to his and Reg’s room, where Reg was already sleeping. Sirius got into his pajamas, and his Mother tucked him in.
“What’s that mean for the rest of them?” Sirius asked.
“Be specific, Sirius.” His Mother sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed.
“That I’m the Heir. What does that mean for Reg, Bella, Andromeda, and Cissy.”
“Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa will marry other pure-blood wizards and help make Heirs for the families they marry.” His Mother explained. “Regulus will marry a pure-blood witch, and so will you, to make a Heir for our family once you grow up. But since you are the oldest boy in the family, it means you’re the most important. It’s a very special thing, Sirius, to be the Heir. It is your responsibility to set an example and become the head of the family once you grow up.”
Sirius scrunched up his face. “That’s a lot of work.”
“Yes, it is. But it is your duty to our family and makes you very special.” His Mother said. “Goodnight, Sirius.”
“Goodnight, Mother.” She left their room and turned the light off. She heard her yelling at Bella, Andromeda, and Cissy to quiet down and then heard the front door close.
Sirius sat and stared at the ceiling for a while. He was still bored, and now there was nothing for him to do since Reg was asleep. He could hear Bella, Andromeda, and Cissy giggling in the other room.
Sirius didn’t hear them anymore, and it was a while later when the door opened. Andromeda poked her head in the door.
“You’re still awake, Sirius?” She whispered,
“Yeah.” He whispered back. “I’m bored.”
“Don’t tell anyone I came in here or that I left, okay?”
“Where are you going?”
“To see a couple of friends.”
“Have you ever met a muggle-born before?”
“Yes.” She said, “Why are you asking?”
“I’ve never met a muggle-born before!”
She sighed. “Come with me. I’m friends with some.” Sirius jumped out of bed, but she put her hand up. “Be very quiet, okay? And do not tell anyone we left or that we were with muggle-borns. Do you understand?”
Sirius nodded and followed Andromeda outside. They walked in the opposite direction from their parents, and it began to get much louder the longer they walked. Andromeda led him to a group of people sitting around a fire. They looked like they were her age.
“Andromeda!” One of them shouted. “Been waiting for you all evening!”
“I told you all I had to wait until Bella and Narcissa were asleep.”
“Took long enough, didn’t it?” The boy who shouted laughed. He looked at Sirius. “Who’s this?”
“My little cousin, he wanted to meet a muggle-born. He’s not old enough to understand the crap they spew out, thankfully.”
“I’m Sirius,” Sirius said to no one in particular. The boy who shouted kneeled.
“I’m Ted. Friendly resident muggle-born.” Ted said. “Suppose I should introduce you to all these lovely gits as well. That’s August-” He pointed to a tall blonde boy, who waved, “That’s Michael-” A dark-skinned boy with dark curls waved, “That’s Charlotte, she’s drunk, ignore her,” A girl with brown eyes and bright hair waved with a bottle in her hand, and then fell off her chair, “That’s Bri-” A girl with brown hair and freckles winked at him, “and that’s Frank.” A tall boy with black hair waved.
“Remember what I told you, Sirius?” Andromeda asked him sharply.
“Yes.”
“What’d I say?”
“Don’t tell anyone we left or that we were with muggle-borns.”
She smiled. “Good.”
Ted frowned. “I didn’t realize your family was that bad.”
“Oh, the Blacks are the most obsessed with it,” Frank said, poking the fire.
“Yeah.” Andromeda said, “Sirius’ parents are literal second cousins. His Mother’s maiden name is literally Black.”
Sirius and Ted spoke at the same time.
“Mother and Father are cousins?”
“Are you serious?”
“No, I’m Sirius!” Sirius exclaimed, causing the group to burst into laughter.
“Oh, Sirius,” Andromeda said through giggles. “You really didn’t know that?”
“No,” Sirius said. He thought about his cousins. “That’s like me marrying yo-”
“ANDROMEDA WALBURGA BLACK!”
“SIRIUS ORION BLACK”
The group quieted at once as they all turned. Sirius’ Father and Uncle Cygnus headed towards them. Uncle Cygnus spoke.
“What in Merlin’s name are you two doing?”
Andromeda looked calm. “I was helping them with our Charms essay. It was confusing, and I was the only one who understood it. Sirius wanted to take a walk, so I took him with me.” She glanced at Frank.
“Oh, um, hello, Mr. Black and um, Mr. Black. Sorry for the trouble. We were just confused about our Charms essay.” He said.
Uncle Cygnus and Sirius’ Father looked at Frank. “Longbottom, is it?”
“Yes.”
Uncle Cygnus looked back at Andromeda. “This better not happen again, understand?”
“I understand.”
“And especially, don’t take either of my sons for a walk again at 1 AM.”
They headed back to their castle tent without saying goodbye to the rest. When they got back to their castle tent, Sirius’ Mother and Aunt Druella were sitting on the couch, and so were Bella and Cissy.
Sirius’ Father sent him to his room, and he could hear lots of shouting and arguing from behind the door as he stared at his ceiling.
Ted seemed very cool and did not match Bella’s description of muggle-borns at all. He was not evil, did not try to attack Sirius, and didn’t seem like a thief. Sirius had liked Ted very much.
After the shouting stopped, Sirius’ Father came into his room carrying a potion.
“I bought a Dreamless Sleep Potion; I’m not dealing with you tomorrow morning.” He said, putting the potion on his bedside table. “Now, as I’ve understood from Andromeda, you two were with a muggle-born tonight, Ted. You are forbidden from having any contact with him or any other muggle-born. Understand?”
Sirius’ thought it was unfair that Andromeda did not follow the rules she had set for him, but he still did not tell his Father what she had told him to do. “But Ted was cool,” Sirius protested, “He was funny, not like what Bella said about muggle-borns at all-”
“That does not matter, Sirius.” His Father retorted. “You are the Heir to the House of Black, and you will not ruin the family name by associating with mud-bloods and blood traitors. Now do you understand?”
Sirius nodded, but he did not understand.