Celestial | Sirius Black Love Story

Chapter Three

Just as I had sat down beside Lupin, the plates on the golden tables suddenly filled up with mounds of food. My stomach rumbled so I immediately started piling a little bit of everything on my own plate. Whilst eating, we talked about our families, and about what we were most looking forward to learn about.

"I can't wait to try out transfiguration," Remus said, excitedly.

"Transfiguration?" James laughed, "I can't wait to play proper Quidditch. I've got my own broom at home, but I don't have any siblings to play with."

"Quidditch? What's that?" I asked. Mum hadn't told me anything about anything called Quidditch.

James goggled at me and Sirius laughed a little.

"You've.. You've never heard about Quidditch?" James stuttered, looking dazed.

"No, well, I grew up without any magic, remember?" I said and James relaxed a little.

"Well. Quidditch is a sport played in the wizarding sport. It's played up in the air on broomsticks and the chasers pass the quaffle, a ball, and throw it past the other teams keeper, the person who defends the goals, and into their goal hoops. The game ends when the snitch is caught, a different, smaller ball. Whichever teams seeker, person who chases the snitch, catches it receives 150 additional points. Oh and there's the bludgers. They're two balls that zoom around and try to knock you off your broom, but if you've got good enough beaters, you'll be fine. Understand?"

I didn't really understand, but I got the simple idea of it. "Sounds fun. Beaters sort of hit the balls away then?" I asked. 

James nodded, "With a bat."

"Being a beater would be wicked." I said. Being able to whack balls around at people with a bat. Nice! I looked up at the dark ceiling again, and a thought crossed my mind, "If those are proper candles, wouldn't they melt and drip onto us?"

There was a slight silence, before everyone burst out laughing. I was sitting beside Remus and that girl, Lily. Opposite me was Sirius, with James on his left and Peter on his right. My stomach was full now and my clothes, though still a little damp, were warmer. I took a long sip out of my goblet, which was filled with this orangey substance which tasted amazing. I think Remus said it was pumpkin juice.

"Welcome, welcome." A warm voice, which sounded a little familiar rang out across the hall. I looked up at the staff table and saw that Albus Dumbledore had stood up. His white beard glinted in the light cast by the candles and his glasses were twinkling. "I'd like to welcome all of you, both young and old, to a new year at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. I'll have to go through some important rules before allowing you all to go up and rest, but I promise to make it brief. As most of you know, it is, well, forbidden to go into the Forbidden Forest."

"I like the sound of that," James whispered, and I grinned.

"And any magic performed in the corridors between classes is discouraged. There is also a list of banned items in the caretakers office. I am sure all of you are ready for bed, so I shall bother you no more. To bed, I think. But first, will you all raise your goblets to a new year at Hogwarts."

All the students raised their goblets and a mutter of To Hogwarts ran through the hall. Sirius made eye contact with me and winked, and I grinned back at him.

Two older Gryffindor students introduced themselves as the Gryffindor prefects. They stood up and asked the first years to follow them up to Gryffindor tower, where we would be sleeping. I held Remus' hand and let him lead me through the crowds to follow the prefects, feeling rather tired. The nausea from before was gone, but left me feeling like a recently de-stuffed puppet.