The Exploits of Moony, Wormtail, Prongs & Padfoot

Chapter II - Back at the Noble House of Black

12 Grimmauld Place

"Can you believe him?" Mrs. Black shouted at no one in particular.

Kreacher came hopping up behind his Mistress tutting and shaking his head at the exchange that just occurred on the front steps.

"Mistress best not let Master in again." He recommended as Regulus was closely behind them as they walked towards the sitting room.

"He will never be allowed back in this house because he is no longer a member of this family. It's completely unbelievable what an embarrassment he is to his blood. I should have done this a long time ago." Mrs. Black said as she approached a very old tapestry hanging from the stone wall.

She whipped her wand out, which was made of yew and promptly pointed it at the tapestry that read, 'The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black...Toujours Pur' and said, "I will remove him from this and it will be like he never existed, that I never had more than one son."

"Master deserve no less, you's always good to him. Give him many chance." Kreacher said standing alongside Regulus who looked on in disbelief.

"Indeed I have and now it is time to remove him from our lives forever." Mrs. Black said with an evil grin coming across her features.

"Mum, are you sure you want to do this, there's no going back?" Regulus asked meekly hoping not to obtain the wrath of his mother.

"Sure? I'll show you how sure I am," and with that she raised her arm and screamed, "FLAGARE DISCEDERE!" as orange sparks flew out the tip of her wand.

The sparks hit the tapestry and turned to tiny flames in the spot that read 'Sirius Orion Black - Born June 15, 1959' and brunt them right off leaving nothing but what would appear to the average Muggle as a cigarette burn.

"Let that be a lesson to you Regulus, just like Sirius I don't bluff either." She said cackling evilly as she left the room.

Crickey, she is pure evil Regulus thought as he stood there alone in the room staring at what used to be Sirius's spot on the family tapestry.

Sadly, Sirius wasn't the first victim to be blasted off the family tree. Just last Christmas, Andromeda Black, their cousin was removed, granted not with the same flare as this little incident. She was removed for being engaged to a Muggle of all things. Also removed was their Uncle Alphard, for being fascinated with Muggles and actually living as one for a time.

Regulus sighed and contemplated his now very lonely existence. He had no one else to talk to anymore, n o one to ask advice of and more importantly, he didn't have a brother anymore according to his family tree.

Now he's just like his father, dead to me. I never need to see that annoying smirk of his or deal with his absurd pranks ever again. One less headache, now all I have to do is ensure the perfect future for Regulus. Certainly, he's not as talented or had the same potential that Sirius had, but he's all the Black family has left. He will now be the model Black heir, Lyra Black thought to herself as she poured a glass of Fire Whiskey for herself.

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Godric's Hollow later that day

James Potter was sitting at the kitchen table flipping through Concepts of Modern Quidditch - The Chaser's Edition while casually sipping his beaker of tea.

His mother was using her wand to flip through an old volume of cookery and asked, "James love, what would like for dinner? Shepard's pie or kidney pie?"

"Er...which ever is easier for you, I like both. Maybe you should ask Dad. I think he's out in the garden trying to contain those gnomes again." James said casually never looking up from his book as he rumpled his always untidy hair.

"Very well." She said as she went over to the open window that was letting in the last beams of late afternoon sun.

"Dearest!" she shouted.

"Yes." A reply came.

"What do you want...AH!" Mrs. Potter shrieked in surprise as a large tawny owl swooped in through the window right at her.

James jumped up and ran over to his mother and said, "Mum, are you all right?"

"Yes, this ruddy owl...oh of course it's Sirius's owl, why would we expect any less." She said as she smiled and shook her head.

Portia landed on James's outstretched arm and stuck her leg out. James removed the parchment and read the letter and couldn't believe his eyes.

Him running away and leaving his family? I knew things were getting worse at home for him, but I had no idea it would escalate to this...I hope they don't hurt before he does get everything sorted out James thought himself after having read the letter twice to make sure he hadn't read it wrong.

"You look a bit flabbergasted son, is something wrong?" Mr. Potter asked coming into the house with his muddy Wellington boots on.

"How many times do I have to tell you take those off before you come into the house?" Mrs. Potter asked pointing at his boots that managed to track garden muck all over her clean floor.

"Sorry..." he responded sheepishly.

"Oh, well...Scourgify!" she said as she waved her wand over the muddy floor.

"James what's the letter about? You're just standing their, with your mouth gaping open, is Sirius all right? I do hope his family is being civil to that dear boy." Mrs. Potter inquired.

"Um...er...Sirius ran away from home. He wants to spend the summer here. Would either of you mind? He's like a bother to me, please let him stay. It's not his fault he's got such a terrible family." James said in a pleading tone.

"Dear me, run away? What was he thinking? He's just a boy...there's no question in him staying here, he has too, right dear?" Mrs. Potter asked shooting her husband a concerned look.

"Of course, Sirius is always welcome here. He can stay as long as he likes. I just hope his mother doesn't decide to descend upon for keeping her son here." Mr. Potter said removing his muddy boots and casting them out into the garden.

James ran over to his parents and hugged them both and thanked them profusely for letting Sirius stay the summer. James felt so fortunate at that moment to have such obliging parents that cared and loved him so much that they would allow his best friend stay the summer.

Knight Bus - Somewhere over Northwestern England

Sirius had tried to fall asleep on the bus, but found this a very difficult thing to do since the bus banged violently every time it made a stop when some witch or wizard got off at various locations throughout England. Sirius was actually surprised at the number of wizards that actually used the bus considering how unsettling the ride seemed to be, but then again he supposed he wasn't the only desperate person who had no other means of transportation.

During one brief period however Sirius did manage to fall asleep and had a very fitful dream about his brother chasing him down with his wand trying to not only hex him, but kill him. All the while being chased Regulus was shouting something along the lines of, 'I told you one day you would be sorry, you need this family more than they need you', upon being jerked awake from that Sirius was sweating and very scared until he realized that he was on the bus and safe.

"Stoke St. Milborough!" the conductor shouted as an elderly witch carefully got off the bus.

"Tell the young chap to come up to the front and get his trunk." The driver said.

"Oy, Godric's Hollow is next!"

Sirius jumped up and sprinted towards the front where the conductor was guiding his trunk with his wand.

"Thanks for everything." Sirius said.

"Right-o no problem there, you need us again to get back home you stick out your wand hand." The conductor said.

"Oh, thanks but I won't ever being going home again." Sirius said cheerfully grabbing hold of his trunk's handle.

BANG.

The triple-decker bus jerked to a stop and the door popped open.

"All right then, step lively." The conductor said as Sirius drug his trunk off the bus.

Before Sirius even turned around there was another BANG and the bus disappeared into thin air.

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief at finally being off that horrid jerking bus. He looked around him and to his surprise not much had changed since his last visit there the previous Christmas. Things were of course greener, but the lovely wild scenery of the North Country was always so refreshing for a city dweller.

He drug his trunk around the lane that led up past an old stone church with large and formidable trees shading it. Birds were chirping happily through the sky trying to find dinner no doubt and the very last rays of the day were going down behind the hill towards his left.

He heard a familiar zooming and a whoosh and looked up to see a broom stick coming right at him.

"Oy, you're going to get seen by the Muggles, Prongs!" Sirius smiled shouting at his friend.

"They're all having dinner, much the way I should right now. I thought I heard the Knight Bus bang through here." James said landing softly on the gravel lane next to Sirius.

"Hey is that a Nimbus 1001? I can't believe you got a new broom without telling me." Sirius said eyeing the new broom's sleek oak shaft and the silver lettering that gleamed in the fading light.

"I just got it yesterday. My father brought it home from Quality Quidditch Supplies; it was the last one in the store." James said handing the broom over to Sirius.

"Guess Gryffindor will surely win the Quidditch Cup this year with you streaking around the field on the world's fastest broom?" Sirius said a glint in his eyes.

"As long as the Slytherin lot don't buy a whole bunch we'll be fine. You know how they're a bunch of show-offs." James said as he grabbed the one end of Sirius's trunk.

"Thanks mate." Sirius said grabbing the other side.

Both boys walked up the gravel lane towards the Potter home which looked so inviting to Sirius compared to what he was used to seeing. His former home was now in a quickly disintegrating part of London that often reeked of rotting rubbish and housed a number of dodgy Muggles.

The Potter home on the other hand was beautiful. It was done in the traditional cottage style with a thatched roof, a whitewashed stone façade and an enchanting front garden with all varieties of flowers and trees. Granted it was a large cottage (due to the fact it had been enchanted), but it still managed to have that warm feeling to it.

The boys squeezed through the garden gate and made their way up the walk. They finally heaved a sigh of relief as they dropped Sirius's trunk; which fell to the ground with a thud on the flagstaff landing by the front door.

"Be sure to wipe your feet Padfoot, Mum's been on the war path about mud lately." James said stamping his feet before entering the house.

"Thanks for the information, wouldn't want to make her mad, she might not let me stay then." Sirius said wiping his feet on a tufted enchanted mat that not only got your shoes clean but greeted you as well, it read Welcome Home Sirius.

"Sirius Black let me look at you. Are you all right?" Mrs. Potter asked running over to the teenage boy who was at least a head taller than her with a look of motherly concern on her face.

"I'm fine Mrs. Potter, thank you." Sirius said a bit embarrassed by her attention to him.

She seemed determined on examining him for any signs of abuse and was grateful to find none visible.

"You look a bit off color though...are you sure you're fine? Are you hungry we were just sitting down to eat, come dear?" Mrs. Potter asked as she grabbed Sirius's arm and drug him off into the dining room with James coming up behind them sniggering.

"Darling stop fussing over the boy. He's fine; it was that damn Knight Bus that has him looking so ashen. It's a long trip from London to the North Country." Mr. Potter said smiling at Sirius.

"I've always wanted to take the Knight Bus; I heard it's really an amusing ride. Did you see any hags?" James asked taking his seat at the dinner table.

"No, and it's certainly not amusing." Sirius said as he watched Mrs. Potter scoop Shepard's Pie onto a chintz plate and send it floating down the table towards him.

"Eat up, you've had a long day." She said sweetly.

While eating dinner the Potter family inquired about the fall-out at Grimmauld Place and while James was shocked at how awful Sirius's mother had been to him, he still thought it was brave of him just to pick up and leave.

Mrs. Potter spent most of the story shaking her head in disbelief and sighing sadly at the thought that a mother could ever treat her own flesh and blood like that; it just seemed completely unnatural to her. Mr. Potter listened intently and told Sirius that he could stay as long as he liked and would not have anything to worry about as long his mother didn't demand them to send him back home.

"Sir, I wouldn't worry about that, she said she was removing me from the family tree. So my guess is right now the family tree only shows Regulus." Sirius said noticing his comment received a gasp from Mrs. Potter.

"Well then it looks like we're going to have two sons now." Mr. Potter said smiling down at his wife who returned his smile.

The boys helped catch some more gardens gnomes with Mr. Potter that night and went to bed after being given warm milk and chocolate biscuits. Tomorrow promised to be a full day with visits from Moony and Wormtail, things were certainly looking better.

Sirius went to sleep that night with the sound of pattering raindrops hitting the bedroom windows and the steady breathing of his friend who slept on the next bed. It was the first time in a long time that he had ever been at such peace. He let out a sigh of relief and knew that he had taken the right road; that his life would certainly be better by far now than it ever could have been if he stayed with his blood family.

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