Black Brother Oneshots

The Best Birthday Present: 3 Nov. 1975

"HAPPY SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY PADFOOT!" screamed James, bouncing energetically from the foot of Sirius's bed. 

Sirius groaned and rolled over, covering his eyes from the sun streaming through the window. 

"It's way too early for this, Prongs!" he whined, finally trusting his grey eyes to look up at his best friend.

"No it isn't. Come on! If you don't hurry up, we won't be able to visit Moony in the Hospital Wing before classes."

"Prongs? Padfoot?" squeaked Peter, walking over to James and Sirius while tying his tie. "Why exactly is Moony in the Hospital Wing? The full moon isn't for another two weeks."

Sirius sat up and rolled his eyes. "Didn't you listen in Astronomy last Friday?" He threw his legs over the side, and stood up, running his hands through his long, black hair. "Today's a Solar Eclipse. That means it's the day the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. He won't transform, but he feels awful. Let me get dressed, and then we'll go visit him."

Despite always being the one to care the most about fashion, Sirius made it a point to get ready fast. In five minutes, the Marauders (minus Remus) were making their way to the Hospital Wing. 

Madam Pomfrey was tending to a first-year girl when they entered, a smile etched on each boy's face. Remus, who was reading a book on his bed, looked up to see them. He gave a large grin before putting a bookmark in the page he was on, and setting the book gingerly on his lap.

"It's not even eight o'clock, yet you boys are already here?" said Madam Pomfrey, causing the girl she was attending to to chuckle.

"Normally, we wouldn't want to waste your precious time, Poppy," James began, receiving a glare from the matron at his use of her first name. "But you see, today is a very special day. A very special day, indeed. For today, our very own, Sirius, turns sixteen."

Madam Pomfrey looked at Sirius, before nodding, "Go ahead. I'll have to kick you out when it's time to go to classes, I hope you understand."

"We understand!" insisted Sirius, running over to Remus's bed, which already had three chairs next to it, James and Peter following in pursuit.

"And Happy Birthday, Mr. Black."

Sirius gave her a smile, but turned to Remus, leaning forward and putting his elbows on the edge of the bed.

"Happy Birthday, Padfoot," Remus whispered, drumming his finger on the cover of his book. "Has James given you your present yet?"

Sirius looked wide-eyed between James and Remus, "Present? No…. I didn't even expect to get one, besides a threatening letter or two from my dear old mother."

Peter stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "Not get you presents? What type of friends wouldn't get you presents? Mine is nowhere near as great as Prongs and Moony's, though." Peter handed Sirius a Chocolate Frog that he took gratefully, but still frowned as he put it in the pocket of his robe.

"You didn't need to, really," insisted Sirius, but was interrupted by the hustling sound of James digging through his pocket.

"I put it in here this morning," he said, his tongue poking out slightly in concentration, his hazel eyes narrowing.

"Aha!" he exclaimed at last, his eyes widening, while he pulled out the smallest clothing box Sirius had ever seen. James placed the box atop of Remus's book. Remus pulled his book from under it, and fumbled his hand weakly towards the side table, putting the book down and snatching his wand off it, twirling the wand weakly between his fingers.

Remus pointed to the box and quietly murmured, "Engorgio." The box grew to average size, and he weakly passed the box towards Sirius. 

"That's from Moony and I!" said James proudly, a huge smile on his face.

Sirius opened the box, and pulled out the article of clothing inside. It was a muggle black jacket, made of leather. On the back, in the neatest cursive, Padfoot, was inscribed, with a design of a moon, a dog, stag, rat, and wolf standing near a forest silhouette underneath it, showing their adventure which had started when they became animagi the month before. He'd seen leather jackets like this in a magazine he and James had been intrigued by over the summer at Remus's house, and had offhandedly commented that he wanted one, but he hadn't actually expected them to get one for him.

Sirius wouldn't admit it, but he shed a couple of tears, and pulled them into a hug, Peter as well because of the thoughtfulness of his Chocolate Frogs. "Thank you," he whispered, removing his robe and putting on the jacket. "This truly is the best birthday present."

A/N: I'm not sure how many of you have read my other stories, but in Extraordinary (a story about Remus Lupin's daughter), Sirius gives Maddy a leather jacket for her eleventh birthday, telling her he got one from James and Remus on his sixteenth birthday. I decided to write him receiving it, because why not? So that's where this one comes from, though it's so widely accepted that it's almost canon that Sirius wore a leather jacket.