epiphanies - sirius black

chapter 1

Maggie sat alone in the carriage, curled up in the corner, her knees leaning in towards the window, as she delved into her book.

She didn't mind it, the being alone, especially on the train.

Instead of hearing bickering voices and annoying chit chat, she was simply left alone to hear the rhythms of the train as it plowed on its route to Hogwarts. Her placement next to the window also left her with a pleasant view of the countryside, the vast fields scattered with blossoming flowers of a wide array of colours. You couldn't really complain.

She was looking forward to being back at school.

Well.

She was looking forward to getting away from home.

Maggie had had a tough childhood. Her father was very strict, and precise, eager to raise two perfect pureblooded daughters. Maggie had of course crushed that dream when she was sorted into Ravenclaw and not Slytherin, as her father had hoped.

At least her older sister, Elizabeth, had been sorted into Slytherin, pleasing her father profoundly. Lizzie, at least, would bring some honour to the family.

But Maggie didn't enjoy home life. Her father could be very, harsh.

Maggie had once stolen Elizabeth's hair ribbons, right before a ball, out of spite, due to a silly argument the sisters had gotten into earlier that day. When her father found out he went ballistic, screaming about how 'reckless' and 'disrespectful' Margret's actions were.

And then he...

Well, let's just say that since that day, Maggie had learned not to misbehave.

But sometimes he would punish her for no reason. If he was rilled up, or had been drinking excessively, he would occasionally find himself taking his frustrations out on his youngest daughter.

It would never be enough to leave a permanent mark. Simply a few slaps, or a punch. It would occasionally leave a bruise for a few days, but eventually it would disappear.

There was only one scar that he had left on Maggie. It was from that day, the day with the hair ribbon. He figured that every time she looked at it, felt it, it would remind her of the consequences of her actions.

And that if she ever misbehaved, ever slipped up, ever cracked - he might do it again.

And that was the last thing she wanted.

As the train plowed down its path, Maggie continued to sink into her book, turning page after page as the time passed.

She enjoyed reading, it was a form of escapism, a little hideaway from the real world. She didn't get to read a lot at home, with her fathers prejudice against muggles and all, but she had a secret stash of muggle literature hidden under her bed, and she would stay up all night until the sun arose reading in secrecy in the moonlight.

She kept most of her books in her dorm room at Hogwarts, where her father could never find them, so she was particularly looking forward to getting back to them, she had been dying to re-read wuthering heights all summer.

She was suddenly broken from her thoughts and strung back into reality, as somebody flung open the door. Maggie jumped a little bit, startled, as she looked up at the figure that had just clambered into her carriage door.

A tall, dark haired boy stood in the doorway, with his back turned, seemingly laughing with somebody who was out of Maggies view, on the other side of the door.

She slowly calmed her breathing, realising that it was only some boys messing around, and continued to read, knowing they would soon leave, and return to their antics.

After a few seconds the laughter stopped and Maggie knew that the boys had left. She turned another page of her book and smiled to herself.

The character in her book, Jo, had just teased her sister Amy for the fifth time in that chapter, it had made Maggie laugh, the way the sisters squabbled, you could tell how close they were, she wished her and Lizzie were like that.

"Something funny?"

Maggie's head shot up as she jumped in her seat.

"Let me guess, Amy's whining again?"

Maggie sat there, frozen, as she stared at the boy. It was the same boy who had crashed into her carriage door meer minutes ago - how long had he been sitting there?

"Good choice, little women, not my personal favourite though, but an enjoyable read"

"Y-you read?" Maggie asked, still a bit in shock from the surprise encounter.

"Duh" the boy answered bluntly, before leaning back in his seat comfortably, and staring out the window.

Maggie wasn't really sure what to do, who was this boy? Why was he here? What was he doing, should she attempt conversation? Perhaps she should introduce herself?

"I-I'm Maggie, Maggie Green" she rushed out nervously, sticking her hand out for him to shake, a decision she regretted as soon as she had made it.

The boy laughed casually, and accepted the hand, shaking it gladly.

"Sirius, Sirius Black" he replied, mocking her.

She laughed a little at his sarcastic imitation.

"S-so, what is your favourite boo-"

"Goodbye Maggie Green" the boy interrupted, before standing up abruptly and exiting the carriage.

Maggie froze for a second, thinking about what a strange interaction it had been, before shaking her head and returning to her book, waiting for the arrival at Hogwarts.