The Black household #1 | S. Black X OFC

Penelope and Sirius's friendship

Their friendship was an odd sight. Normally you would never see Sirius Black, the infamous Gryffindor, being friendly with a Slytherin. But in his eyes, Penelope Burns was something else. Since they were little, he had known her, her father being a pureblood Slytherin, just like his own parents. Jack Burns never told anyone who Penelope's mother was, though. Walburga and Orion were aware of Veronica Burns being a pureblood witch, but they didn't know that she was against blood purity and everything else that The Black family believed in, then Sirius and Penelope would never have been friends.

Penelope grew up in a big house just a few houses down from Sirius, so every summer the two would walk down the street to hang out and Penelope used it as an excuse to get Sirius away from home and out of harm's way.

Normally when the two were at Hogwarts they would greet each other in the hallways, the Great hall and in all classes they had together.

When the two had started their journey to Hogwarts, had they agreed to sit in the same compartment. Sure the two had the company of Sirius's younger brother Regulus, but the two friends were with each other most of the time, but when a boy with messy raven black hair, hazel eyes and rectangular glasses knocked on the door to the compartment, asking of he could sit with them due to nowhere else was free. Sirius was quick to say yes and the trio soon learned that the boy's name was James. Penelope began to feel a little left out, sure Regulus was there to talk to her, but it was just not the same. Penelope soon got up and left the compartment, mostly to go change but also to get out of the situation. She had wanted to talk to Sirius about something very important but she didn't want to ruin the moment. So when she got to the bathroom she ran into Mary McDonald and Jasmin Bisla, who was just leaving the bathroom. They talked for a little while but then went their own ways. Penelope was finally alone and was able to change into the plain robes.

She sat down on the toilet and while she began to think about her parents and how she was already missing them. And one person she was missing the most was her mother, who had been diagnosed with Dragon Pox, and it was heartbreaking news to Penelope, she didn't really want to start her first year knowing her mother was very sick. Penelope wanted to talk to Lily or Sirius, but Lily was sitting with a boy named Severus and Sirius, well he was talking to James.

Penelope used a few extra minutes to get herself together and head back to the compartment. While on her way back she began to think about what house she would be in, but her mind kept wandering to Slytherin and she was terrified that she would lose Sirius due to what house she would end up in. She hoped deep down they would be in the same house, but the chance felt very little. He had never been like his brother, who followed the pureblood traditions in life, while Sirius became the rebel and the black sheep of the family.

She stumbled into Sirius's cousins Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa, she had met them before, but not a lot of times to really know them that well, but the four girls soon began to interact, and she learned she had something in common with each of them, and not the same thongs the other liked. For a few minutes, she almost forgot that her mother was sick and that she was missing her parents.

Penelope after about 30 minutes of being gone she came back to the compartment, she saw Sirius had a little worry on his face, Penelope felt her throat closing in, he had always had a way of getting things out of her, all he had to do was look at her with the right face. She felt tears forming in her eyes and she needed to get all of this out and only to the person she trusted the most. Sirius. "Uhm... Siri?" she choked out "yeah Pen?" he asked with the same worry "can I please talk to you? Alone?" she almost begged, while trying to hold back the tears. "yeah, of course, where?" "Here, please" Sirius looked at both his brother and James, and they understood and got up and left. Penelope made her way over to sit across from him and she just broke down, "Hey, hey, hey. What's the matter, Pen?" Sirius spoke and just as fast as she had broken down, as fast as he was by her side "it's my mother..." she managed to get out between the sobs "is she alright?"

"no, she is sick and they have given her about a year to a year and a half..." she choked, not being able to form any more words.

"Oh Pen, I'm so sorry, I bet you are going home Christmas this year" he kept his voice low and smooth, pulling the girl closer to himself.

"Yeah, I want to spend as much time as I can with her" after a few minutes of Sirius just holding Penelope tightly, she spoke, "I know it is early, but can you come with me home for Christmas, just for a few days, you know like old times?"

"I will write a letter to my mother as soon as I can, but I don't see why not," he said with a small smile.

As the duo entered their second year at Hogwarts, was it clear that the two of them were closer than ever. When Christmas break rolled around, Penelope once again was on the train home and had asked Sirius to join her. Just as predicted, Veronica Burns passed away just 5 days before Christmas, and just short 9 days before her daughter's 13th birthday.

When the Latina was on the train back to Hogwarts, she spoke to no one, not even Sirius. She sat by herself for most of the ride, and she was one of the first off the train and in the great hall. Once she was in the great hall, asked to speak with Headmaster Dumbledore and Head of Slytherin, Professor Slughorn.

"What can we do for you, Miss Burns?" Dumbledore asked worriedly, as he could see that something seemed off about the normally cheerful Slytherin.

"My mother passed away just before Christmas, and I'm sure that my father has sent a letter about it all. I just wanted you to understand that I might be a little closed off, and not so active in class" the short Slytherin looked up at the two men, she knew her father trusted greatly.

"Of course Miss Burns," Professor Slughorn smiled gently, "if you ever need to talk, you know where my office is. Your mother was a great student, a bright student. Much like yourself" he smiled again, at the thought of his old student. Penelope only smiled and nodded with teary eyes, before taking place at the Slytherin table.