Sirius Black | Omnia Vincit Amor ✓

Chapter 1: Depature from Home

◇ 1st School Year 1972/73 ◇

~ Mathilda POV ~

"Mum! Muuuum? Muuu-uuum?"

Hastily running through the house and collecting some missing pieces, I tried to find my mum. I needed her to help me find my favourite jumper. The jumper I just had to bring along with me.

Just when I had nearly given up my eyes landed on the missing piece — the yellow jumper with the daisies on it.

"Blimey, there it is!"

Grinning in triumph, I flung myself under my bed and pulled the jumper out by its sleeve. How had it actually ended up down there?

"I really found it, mum," I cheered, moving into a kneeling position and letting my eyes roam through my room. That was the last day - actually the last few hours - in my room. In just a short time we would be heading to King's Cross and from there straight to Hogwarts.

My stomach churned with nausea at the thought of leaving for, for how long actually? Until Christmas. That were four months. Four months away from home. Away from mum. Away from—

"Sometimes you just have to open your eyes, huh?" said my mum while heading over from the bathroom and waddling towards where I still sat kneeling on the ground. She wore a small, genuine smile on her face, carrying a big bag with toiletries and a hair brush in her hand. Funny as always, my mother. I loved my mum and it was going to be terrible to leave her.

Tears burned in my eyes, dampening my lashes and I rapidly blinked them away. But no, I was not going to cry now. I would anyways cry later, not yet. Sad feelings away for now!

In just a few hours I would start my journey at Hogwarts and I couldn't describe how much I was looking forward to it. Yes, I was terrified of leaving, but I was also incredibly excited. Incredibly excited was actually an understatement.

I had only ever heard story about Hogwarts — about Salazar Slytherin. The oh so great Salazar Slytherin. I had idea what made him so great, but most of my relatives thought very highly of him.

Sitting down on the bed, my mother signalled me to get up and stand in front of her so that she could brush through my hair. Slowly moving the hairbrush through my tangled strands of light brown hair, she hummed.

My mother was very protective over my hair — they were now reaching down to my waist so she always warned me that if I get too many knots in them we will have to cut them.

"Well then, hairbrush is in the outer pocket, yes? Pyjamas I packed in the compartment behind, your copy of Beedle the Bard is in the small bag and—"
"I know, mum. We went through all of that already five times."

She quickly hurdled over to me, pressing me close to her chest and placing a kiss on top of my head. "I know. I just want everything to be alright, you know? You are leaving and I am worried sick." I nodded against her chest, smiling slightly.

"I know, mum," I whispered when she pulled away and wiped her thumb over my damp cheek. Oh, a tear must have slipped out of my eyes.

After packing the very rest into the over-filled suitcase and grabbing my owl we were really ready to set off.

Halting in the door that lead outside into the front yard, I looked at my mother over my shoulder and placed the owl cage on top of my suitcase. "I will quickly tell good bye to grandfather."
With that I ran outside. I felt like walking on air. I was so excited and nervous, but more excited at the moment.

I quickly sprinted to the house next door, instantly knocking loudly.

After getting no response I just waddled into his house which was crammed with all kinds of (dark) artifacts (yes, he liked to collect that kind of things) as well as cauldrons, herbs, liquids and whatever kind of things.

The too sweet scent of potions and herbs filled my nostrils. Some kind of bittery taste coated the back of my mouth when I took in the dark artifacts and the bones and the skulls of—

Salazar, I did not even let myself finish this thought.

He had been the potions master at Hogwarts for many years — when he had decided to retire many years ago he put all his attention and talent into the study and practice of Alchemy.

I cleared my throat, knocking on the inside of the door again. I could not scare the living shit out of my poor, old grandfather with suddenly standing in the middle of his living room.

I could make out some shuffling from...somewhere.

"I just wanted to tell you that I am going to leave for Hogwarts now. Take care of you, grandfather! See you on Christmas, bye!" I shouted into the house, hoping he would hear me, which he luckily did.

After appearing behind a huge cauldron and mumbling a few incomprehensible words into his beard, he squinted his eyes and moved his dirty glasses up his nose.

"Take care, child. I hope you get sorted into Slytherin, would be a shame if not,"

I only dipped my chin, smiling.

"Oh, and great Horace from me. An old friend of mine. Tell him all the best from me."

Well, I would probably not do that as I actually did not know who Horace was and was not the most socially talented person. I was definitely not going to talk to a stranger and tell him best wishes from my grandfather.

Still I assured him to do so and walked out of the dim living-room, into the early morning autumnal sunlight that was shining though the trees, waving him good bye.

My family preferred to live quite some miles away from the muggles who they believed are inferior to us. Some miles — 'as far away as possible, don't want the filth anywhere close to us'.

Mum was already waiting for me outside of our house, grinning from ear to ear and extending her hand. With fast steps I hurdled over to her, my grin matching hers.

"Ready to start this journey, sweetheart?" my mum asked calmly with teary eyes, waiting for me to take her hand, the other one was placed on the pile that consisted of my suitcases, a small bag and the owl cage.

"I believe. Have to be ready, don't I?" I answered her hesitantly, a sudden feeling of sickness erupting in my stomach when thinking about being really leaving and alone and away from home for such a long time.

She gave me a warm smile while I slung my arm into hers. She dipped my chin. I dipped my chin in answer, and smiled.

Then I squeezed my eyes shut, pressed my lips into a thin line.

We were going to apparate to King's Cross train station.

Personally I was not the biggest fan of apparition as it always made me feel dizzy and now only boosted my feeling of sickness.

One moment I took a deep breath, the next moment I felt weightless, being swirled up into the air and my stomach doing one flip after the other.

Let the journey begin!