Three Animagi and a Werewolf

Three Animagi and a Werewolf, Chapter 3: Padfoot

An Unexpected Tragedy

The black-haired little boy sat dangling his short legs off the side of a sofa. A very depressing sort of old man dressed all in black with a circle of glass in front of his eye was standing across the room, talking in a whisper to a grey-haired witch in a pointy hat and a tall man with a stern face and cold eyes, also dressed in black. The boy yawned and rubbed his eyes. Why did they make him sit here like this? And who was that woman, anyway? Why was she standing in the middle of his mum and dad's front room? The old man he had seen before - looking just as depressing - not long ago, when Nanny had 'gone to heaven', as his mother had said. That was when he'd seen the other man as well. The child remembered he was supposed to call that one 'uncle', but he didn't know why. He certainly hadn't seen him very often in his young life. And where were his parents? Why hadn't they come home? And why had Ellie, his baby-sitter, run off crying into the kitchen when these people had arrived, and not come back? He liked Ellie. He decided that he would go and find her.

"Ellie?"

Ellen Cole dabbed her eyes and turned as she heard the child's call.

"Hello, Sirius."

She tried to smile. Sirius came closer and looked up at her out of big, questioning eyes. Ellen lifted him onto her lap and held him close, knowing that it may well be the last time she did so. Tears dripped from her heavy eyes onto his dark head. Sirius was only two, he didn't understand what was happening around him. But he knew that Ellie was sad, and that made him sad too. She was his friend - his only friend in this world apart from his parents. So he let himself be cuddled by her, like he had let Mummy do when she was upset because Nanny had gone away.

It was thus that Mr. Mortis the undertaker, Miss Dolesham and Duncan Black found them some time later. Sirius gazed up at them warily, and instinctively snuggled closer to Ellen.

"It's time, my dear," Miss Dolesham said.

"A sad business," added Mr. Mortis, wiping his monocle.

Duncan Black just stood by, frowning.

"W-what will happen to Sirius, now that - now that his parents ...?" the girl asked.

"He will live at my orphanage," the grey-haired witch replied.

"But ..."

Ellen looked appealingly at Mr. Black.

"Couldn't you take him, sir?"

"Me?" Black answered scornfully. "What would I want with him?"

"But - sir, he's your nephew. Your own brother's flesh and blood."

"Thomas was a freak," the man said bitterly. "Oh, I know you people called him a 'wizard', but my parents and I saw him for what he truly was. We were glad when he left to go and join the 'magical community', and I can't remember a blacker day than when he insisted we should all come to his wedding, see him married to - to one of his kind. So no, I will not have his child. He can go to the orphanage and stay there for all I care, and good riddance."

Ellen stared at the man with wide-open eyes, hardly able to believe her ears. If only she had been older, she would have taken the boy herself. But what could a young witch of sixteen do? So she let Miss Dolesham take him, and took a last longing look at his sweet face as he was borne away.

Leader of the Pack

"Well, who was it?" Miss Dolesham snapped, glaring at the row of boys in front of her. "Who let off that dungbomb in Mr. Featherstone's office?"

She let her eyes swerve along the line. The boys all stood with their backs straight and their chests thrust forward, their eyes cast to the floor.

"Pringle!"

A nervy, fair-headed boy jumped.

"Yes, Miss Dolesham?"

"Tell me who let off the dungbomb."

The old witch's voice was almost persuasive.

"I d-don't know," the poor boy stammered.

"Oh, don't you? Well, in that case, perhaps we should just assume it was you. Mr. Featherstone's cane, I am sure, will soon find out how little you know."

The boy called Pringle trembled miserably under her stern gaze. He looked near to tears, but he was obviously determined to say nothing.

"Very well," said Miss Dolesham, taking him by the scruff of his neck, "let's go, shall we?"

They got as far as the door before a clear voice suddenly said, "Wait!"

Miss Dolesham stopped by the door, a crooked smile on her face, and turned back.

"Yes, Black?"

Sirius stepped forward out of the line with his chin up, his eyes holding her stare.

"Pringle didn't let off that dungbomb. It was me, miss."

Miss Dolesham eyed him appraisingly. His eyes were cold and unblinking, and she smiled inwardly. She had known this boy since he was two years old. She knew he was full of mischief, and many had been the time she had caught him up to one of his tricks - that was why she had known from the start that he was guilty in this case. Yet whatever young Black's faults might be, disloyalty was not one of them. He was usually the moving hand behind the mischief that was made at the orphanage, but unlike your typical gang leader, he never laid blame on others for things he had done or instigated, and she could not help but admire his courage in speaking up in defence of his friend Pringle, who was five years his junior and totally unable to stand up for himself. Releasing Pringle, she said slowly,

"I see. You had better come with me, then."

Sirius followed her obediently out of the room and along the corridor towards the offices. He knew what was coming, or thought he did. But it was not into Mr. Featherstone's office that he was led, but into Miss Dolesham's own.

"Sit," she commanded.

Sirius obeyed. Miss Dolesham took a seat behind her desk and leaned back in her chair.

"Black," she said at long last, and her voice was much gentler than it had been before, "what am I to do with you? You are a bright boy, and could go far, if you wanted. Why do you always have to hinder your own advance with such childish pranks? Mr. Featherstone would have made you a prefect long ago, if only you would show some sense of responsibility. You could have been above the other boys by now, trusted and depended on by your elders. Why do you insist on plaguing us like this?"

Sirius thought for a moment, then he said,

"I mean no disrespect to you, Miss Dolesham, nor to Mr. Featherstone or any of the others. But I enjoy mischief, and I also don't think I would like to be above my friends. I like to be one of them, not responsible for them. They're my friends, I couldn't boss them about."

Miss Dolesham surveyed him for a moment and sighed.

"If that is how you see it, then I must tell you that, for what it's worth, I understand your feelings. But please, Black, try to be less - difficult in future, at least for a little while."

She leaned forward confidentially and lowered her voice.

"I may as well tell you," she said, "that I persuaded Mr. Featherstone to put your name on the list for Hogwarts."

Sirius gasped.

"Hogwarts, miss?"

"Yes, Hogwarts. But if you continue with such pranks as dropping dungbombs in his office, I may well find it beyond my power to persuade him out of taking it straight back off again. Be patient, Sirius, and be good. Please."

Her stern face softened into a smile.

"At least until you receive your letter," she added.

"You - really think I have a chance of being accepted?"

"Oh yes," said Miss Dolesham briskly, "I have no doubt about that. When you receive your letter, come straight to me. I will make all the necessary arrangements, come with you to purchase your books and things - and I am determined to see you off on the Hogwarts Express."

Sirius grinned. Hogwarts! That was a prospect it was worth being good for. As long as it didn't take too long for his letter to arrive.