Our N.E.W.T year began with nothing to look forward to. Starting the first day, we received so much homework it was as if all the teachers were holding a competition to see who could stress out the students the most. They were all doing magnificently.
Of course, everyday brought the news of another attack by Voldemort, another person missing, another Death Eater recruited, another family annihilated. James and I made it a point to get our information from Remus, who insisted on reading the paper cover to cover each morning rather than force ourselves to look at the pictures the Prophet displayed. Before I knew it, however, November rolled around and it was my birthday.
I woke up that morning, shook hair out of my eyes and looked around to see that none of my friends were in the dormitory. I dressed and went down to breakfast, and there they were, with my pile of presents and huge smiles on their faces.
"Happy seventeenth!" Remus and Lily shouted together.
"Ickle Padfoot's of age!" James yelled, mussing my hair up. "Think about it! You can Apparate, use magic outside of school, not that you haven't already,"----he winked---,"you can get a job, you can drink, not to mention legally have se----,"
Remus elbowed him violently and nodded to an approaching Professor McGonagall.
"----secure plans for your future," James finished quickly. Lily rolled her eyes but smiled.
"Nice save, Potter," said McGonagall, her eyes amused. "Happy birthday, Mr. Black, and this arrived for you this morning." She handed me a parcel and pinned us with a challenging look.
"So based on your very serious conversation, have you any thoughts about what you'd like to do after leaving Hogwarts?"
I lift an amused eyebrow. "Well, actually, Professor, I've given it very much thought."
McGonagall blinked. "Really? And?"
"So," I began slowly, and James and Remus exchanged an amused look. "I was eating my soup the other night, and I couldn't help but catch my reflection in my spoon----and I remember thinking, 'Wow, you're so amazingly good-looking, Sirius; maybe you could do that for a career.'"
James began to laugh and McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Do what, exactly?"
"Be professionally good-looking," I deadpan, and the rest of them began to laugh too, as Professor McGonagall pressed her lips together.
"Well," she said, apparently at a loss for words. "Happy birthday anyway, and enjoy your day." With that, she swept away up the aisle.
James grinned. "Good one, mate."
"Thanks." I rip the letter off the top of the parcel she'd handed me and read it:Dear Sirius,
Happy seventeenth birthday. I heard about this summer from your mother; I do hope you have found a good place to stay. I'm enclosing a bit of gold and I've sent a quite bit more to your account in Gringotts, because, well, I'd rather you have it than your parents, quite frankly. Use it wisely. Stay well.
Sincerely, your uncle Alphard
"Isn't Alphard the one uncle who doesn't hate you?" Remus asked after I'd finished reading the letter to them.
"Well, clearly," I replied, digging into the rest of my presents. James had given me black leather gloves and black sunglasses, and Lily began to laugh.
"He doesn't even have a motorcycle!" she protested, and I winked at her. "Yet."
Remus had given me new set of Gobstones, Peter gave me a box of Chocolate Cauldrons filled with firewhisky along with his mother's usual homemade cake, and Lily gave me a box of Zonko's merchandise ("If Gryffindor Tower blows up tomorrow it'll be all my fault, Padfoot, so please don't set anything on fire.").