Sirius Black | Omnia Vincit Amor ✓

Chapter 9: New School Year

◇ 2nd School Year 1973/74 ◇

~ Mathilda POV ~

And there it was again. 

The bustling, the noises, people pushing other people around, parents saying their goodbyes, crying, waving and shouting their children's names. Pupils tried to push their trolleys over the platform, making sure they didn't lose their brooms or owls or other pets. It smelled autumnal and smokey, also a bit oily and like...stress and sweat. There were excited children whose first time it was on that platform and there were children, crying and telling their parents that they did not want to leave. Somewhere you could hear some Elton John and Stevie Wonder if I remembered correctly what Britt had shown us. 

And in between all this mess, there was me, holding onto my mother's arm who was pushing my trolley. 

I remembered my first time on this platform and I had to smile to myself. When it was finally time to say goodbye I gave my mother a big hug, told her that I will write a letter as soon as I arrive, waved her goodbye one last time and boarded the train. I also passed the notorious compartment that apparently belonged to Mr James Potter. I quickly glanced into it and saw Sirius Black jumping on the seats while making some movements with his hands and shouting incomprehensible things. What a fool, I thought to myself and continued walking.

As I finally managed to push through all the people crowded in the corridor of the train I was already awaited by my brightly grinning friends who already started unpacking sweets and other snacks. "You cannot believe how much I've missed!" I told them, sitting down next to the window. Emma gave me a big hug and offered me her favourite toffees from the muggle world. I gladly accepted them although toffees did not bring up the best memories.

After some time on the train we were shortly joined by Jesper and Ian who told us that they would also try out for Quidditch this year. When Britt told them she would too, they laughed at her. "Excuse me?!" she huffed with a stern face. "Just because I am girl, it doesn't mean I'm not allowed to play sports or that I am not good at it!" We backed her up and told the boys our opinion to which they then apologised. We nearly talked through all of the train ride, telling each other about our holidays (although we had seen each other just a week ago there were still so many things we needed to share).

When we arrived at Hogwarts the smell was the same as the very first time I came here. It smelled like wood, mud and water, very autumnal and a soft wind was blowing through the trees and also my hair. Other than last year, this time we took carriages to the castle. The carriages were pulled by Thestrals which could only be seen by people who have seen someone die. Apart from Ben, Jespers' dorm mate I was the only one that could see them. It was because of my grandmother, but gladly the others did not ask Ben and I further questions.

Watching the sorting from another perspective was also something interesting and quite amusing, looking into all the stressed and nervous faces of the children. We enjoyed dinner, exchanged exciting news and stories and went to bed relatively early being tired from the day.

Let the second year begin.

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There will be more Marauders and Sirius content in the following chapters. But what can I say they were jerks during their first years of Hogwarts and Mathilda being afraid of them would probably be an understatement.