Could it be?

Chapter 1

It was the first day of second year at Hogwarts for Sirius Black. He knew what was going to happen when his brother was sorted. He was going to lose his baby brother and he’d be all alone apart from his only friend, James Potter but even he had other friends to spend time with. Maybe this year would be a good time to branch out and try to be friends with others that he has never spoken to before. He had tried last year but his head wouldn’t let his mouth make any sound. He struggled with meeting new people as when he had to with his family, his mother would always shut him up before he was able to talk so he always had a slight fear even if she wasn’t around.

He boarded the train and went to an empty compartment, hoping no one would walk in so he could at least try and get some rest. He struggled sleeping at home because if Regulus would have a night terror, it was Sirius’ job to calm him at night and make sure he felt safe enough to go back to sleep so Sirius never truly went to sleep at home. Professor McGonnagal had noticed how small the boy was and how tired he constantly looked at Hogwarts last year and offered him a separate room to sleep in other than the dorms as she knew the boys weren’t the calmest in first year. He had declined the offer at first but took the offer after a few nights in the noisy boys dorm. She had organised a small broom cupboard for him to sleep in and keep his belongings in until he had settled in at Hogwarts which he never did during first year. However after the summer he had experienced, he couldn’t wait to return to Hogwarts. He felt safer at Hogwarts than he did at home.

“Good afternoon Mr Black.” Professor McGonnagal said as she entered the compartment.

“Minnie?” Sirius questioned. “What are you doing on the Hogwarts Express?”

“Well, Mr Black, I believed that an especially lonely student would be making his way to Hogwarts on the train alone and I couldn’t leave him to come alone after his rough start last year.” she answered him.

“Thank you Minnie, I’m sorry I haven’t written all summer. Between making sure Regulus was ok and doing my chores, I haven’t had a moment of free time.” Sirius said just before he yawned and leaned against Minnie’s shoulder. He felt safe with her. She was his safe person, that one person he felt he could speak to about anything.

“Don’t worry about that my so.. Mr Black.” Minnie corrected herself in hopes of Sirius not hearing her.

“Minnie, I can ask you anything, right?” Sirius said looking up into her eyes.

“Of course you can Sirius, what is it?” she answered meaning to be comforting towards the sleepily honest boy.

“Well, you know how I come from a pureblood family? And that everyone before me was sorted into Slytherin? What makes me different?” he asked, his eyes longing for answers from the elder.

“I don’t know Sirius, I really don’t.” she said, taking the boy into her arms to hold him as he sobbed. He sobbed because he didn’t know why he was different, he didn’t know what caused his family to hate him, he didn’t even know how to make friends because everyone in his house hated him due to his last name and its ties.

Once he had fallen asleep, Minnie drew a book from her small bag and placed the book in Sirius’ luggage. The book was one which she herself had enjoyed at Sirius’ age and she wanted him to have it in case he couldn’t sleep. She had a maternal instinct with the boy, one like no other which made her wonder, what happened to the baby boy she had to give away those many years ago. She didn’t know where he had gone, what he was doing. Hell, she never even got to name her child.

“Professor?” a very loud and boisterous James Potter exclaimed as he came to check on Sirius as he hadn’t seen him since the end of last year.

“Good afternoon Mr Potter. Nice of you to grace us with your presence but would it be possible for your presence to be slightly quieter please?” Minnie responded as she felt Sirius move slightly, as if to cover his ears from the noise.

“Oh yeah, sorry professor. Is Sirius ok? He didn’t even make the effort to sit with us so I was just a little worried.” James lowered his voice so he didn’t wake his friend.

“He’s ok James, just needs to rest for the journey.” Minnie assured the dark haired boy.

“Ok professor. I’ll speak to him when he’s ready. I know that he can be a little distant at the start of term. He was all last year whenever he came back from a break.” James said as he left the compartment.

Once he had gone, Minnie reached into her small bag once more and took out the only photo she had of her beautiful son that her best friend at the time had taken of the two. She then looked at Sirius and back at the photo. She repeated this a few times before coming to the conclusion that the sleeping boy could very well be her hidden son.

Could she have finally found him?