𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗭𝗞𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗡 [𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍]

Chapter Fourteen: Quidditch

‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ ･⋆✵⋆･ ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

The next few days rushed by in a rather uneventful blur. Just more classes and a few Body Bind Curses aimed at Snape whenever James and Sirius saw him in the hallways or outside the castle.

But Sirius woke up on the morning of the third of November, feeling a strange weight at the end of his bed.

He panicked for a fraction of a second, thinking something huge had landed on him while he was sleeping. But the weight turned out to be parcels wrapped in Slytherin green gift paper. 

Of course it had to be green. Everything was done with a purpose in mind in the Black family and the purpose of this one couldn't have been clearer to Sirius: You're still a Black. So don't forget to act like it.

Sirius had almost forgotten it was his birthday today. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and pulled the parcels closer.

He opened the one from his father first. Sirius honestly wasn't expecting anything because his father had said Zephyr was a birthday present when they got her at Diagon Alley. The note on top read: Happy birthday, son. Sirius ripped open the paper and found a stack of parchment and a handful of eagle feather quills. Zephyr was a much better birthday present.

The next one was from Walburga. There was no note attached. It was a box of homemade cookies. Sirius took out one and was about to pop it in his mouth when James said, "Do I smell cookies?"

"Want some?" Sirius said and held out the box. He could have sworn James was snoring two seconds ago.

"Thanks. I didn't know it was your birthday. Sorry I didn't get you anything." James said, going slightly cross eyed when he tasted the cookies. Walburga made amazing cookies, baking being her one redeeming quality.

"It's fine. But I expect two gifts next year." Sirius replied, dusting crumbs of his bed.

Sirius noticed there was still one package left. It was oddly shaped and wrapped in a coarse brown paper.

Sirius knew at once that it was form Kreacher. He also knew it won't be anything good seeing as Kreacher hated Sirius, which might be because trying to free him has always been one of Sirius's favorite pastimes.

Sirius unwrapped the paper and out rolled . . . a dead mouse. "Disgusting." Sirius muttered. He would have to order Kreacher not to send him anymore birthday presents. He picked the dead mouse by the tail and climbed out of bed to get rid of it.

"You better wash your hands too." said Remus, who must have woken up because Sirius and James were talking loud. Sirius offered him a cookie when he got back.

Peter was still snoring away so they left him to it and got ready for breakfast.

Sirius's birthday was turning out to be really special because it also happened to be the day of the first Quidditch match of the year. Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw.

The talk in the common room had been nothing but that for a few days now. Ted Tonks, Gryffindor team captain and chaser, had been working the team nonstop since the beginning of the year. He'd been booking the pitch three to four times a week. From what James and Sirius had gathered, Tonks wants to maintain the fact that Gryffindor had never lost the Quidditch Cup since he joined the team.

Most of the rest of the team were graduating this year too and wanted to play one last memorable season. So it was bound to be intense.

The Great Hall buzzed with students eating and chatting about the match. The Gryffindor table was a solid mass of gold and scarlet, the Ravenclaw table a sea of blue and bronze. A little bit of both colors could be seen among the Hufflepuffs who were cheering for friends from the other houses but the Slytherins weren't sporting anything.