House: Ravenclaw

Year: 3rd Year

Category: Drabble

Prompt: (Your birth month) was off to a great start.

W/C: 442 (Google) / 444 (Word)

Notes: There are none, except probably a cautionary AU note for safety.

Read & Enjoy

November was off to a great start. And only after three days!

Firstly, it was supposed to be a total solar eclipse that night. Sirius had always been more than a bit fascinated with the sky. His whole family was, really, and even if he wanted to differentiate himself from them in every way, this was one thing he did not resist. There seemed to be no need. Even if Sirius had to watch it as a dog, there was no way he'd miss it.

Secondly, Remus had come around with a suitcase full of his favorite sweets and snacks. He had also included a few motorcycle magazines and old belongings he still had locked away in his house. At times things could be weird between them still, but Remus was a good man. Sirius hoped that someday he'd deserve his beastly friend. Remus Lupin had been, and always would be, too good for the people around him.

And lastly…

He had received a handwritten card from his godson, Harry Potter.

It used to be that Sirius hated his birthday. His folks called him home the weekend after to make him partake in ridiculously extravagant parties, celebrating his pureblood heritage, even if he was a 'deviant' Black family child. He had hated his birthday his entire life because it was more about who he should be rather than him. No amount of presents could ever change his resentment about it.

As a younger man, Sirius used to wish that everyone would forget his birthday. It was only when he'd gone to Azkaban that time erased it from his mind. Instead, he focused on a different birthday: Harry Potter's birthday. The tally marks that covered his cell, his furniture, his clothes, and even his body - it was his method of tracking the time. He only stayed sane knowing that someday Harry would be eleven, and he would finally know how special he was to all of the people in the wizarding world.

Sirius had never thought he would be happy for his birthday to come, but as he sat in Grimmauld Place, alone, with the card in his lap, he found himself tearing up at the words of his loving godson.

I hope you don't mind that I've written. Professor Lupin said you hate celebrating your birthday, but I understand that feeling. I just wanted you to know that you're my family and I love you, and I hope that someday soon we can spend the summer together - just you and me. As a proper birthday present to us both?

So, yeah, November was off to a great start.

A really great start.

Acknowledgements:

My BETA readers for this story were: 2DaughtersofAthena and nottheonlyfangirl.

Both users are phenomenal writers and certainly worth checking out if you've not looked at their stuff already!