Chapter 10: Hogsmeade

Friday arrived bright and early with the promise of Hogsmeade the next day. Sirius found himself hearing the chatter of Hogsmeade wherever he went. The third years he could accept to be rather excitable, after all, this was only their second one of the term, however, the older years he expected to be less excited.

Of course, he had forgotten about himself.

Sirius had always been a rather excitable child when he was younger. It had probably come about due to moving out of a house that was based solely on pure blooded relations and the dark arts and moving into Hogwarts, something that spoke of mixtures of blood, different types of magic, and, in Remus' case, different breeds of people.

The thing about Sirius was that he got more excited as the day went on, and unfortuanally for Sirius, he had his younger self for the last lesson of the day.

Cue the chaos that was sure to reign.

The class started of relatively okay; Sirius arrived late for class as well as the rest of the Marauders – something that usually happened. He sat through the explanation of what was happening with minor incident i.e. tipping his chair back to rest on two legs, throwing a paper plane at Snape etc. It was when they got to the practical that the problems started.

They were supposed to be duelling, house against house. Now, Sirius knew this had been a bad idea the minute he had asked them to split into four groups, of course they would split into their houses, fortuanally there were enough people in each house for them to do this, so, Sirius let it slide.

Anyway, it was Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin and Sirius was watching the match intently. However, there was a slight problem in that every time Snape made to utter a spell, something happened to him, his hair would change colour, his shoe would become untied and so on.

It wasn't until bubbles began streaming out of Snape's mouth that Sirius decided that something needed to be done.

Walking over to where his younger self was leaning against the wall, grinning, he spoke quietly to him.

"If you continue, Mr Black," he said quietly so that only his younger self could hear him. "Then I will have no choice but ban you from attending Hogsmeade, again."

His younger self looked sharply at him, his mouth falling open in shock.

Sirius merely raised an eyebrow in reply.

"It's your choice." He told him before walking back over to watch the battle commence.

Eventually, the battle finished, Slytherin winning. With a promise to continue with the lesson on Monday, Sirius dismissed the class. His younger self approached him, the only person still left.

"Professor," he said, sounding quite hesitant.

"Yes, Mr Black?" Sirius asked, looking at him over his desk.

His younger self twisted his hands before replying.

"Sorry, sir." He said. "For, you know."

Sirius nodded.

"It's alright, Mr Black," he said. "Just control yourself."

His younger self nodded before turning and walking out of the classroom door leaving Sirius to ponder over what had just happened.

It was while he was thinking about what happened that someone knocked on his door.

"Come in," he called, not looking up.

"Alright, Professor?"

Sirius glanced up at the voice to see Willow stood before him, her hair pulled back into a messy bun and a grin on her face, causing her blue eyes to sparkle.

"Miss Briar," he said pleasantly. "What can I do for you?"

Willow just shrugged.

"Just wondered if you were going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" she asked.

Sirius nodded.

"I most certainly am, wouldn't miss out on buying some Honeydukes chocolate for the world." He said with a smile.

Willow's grin widened.

"Well," she said, "I was wondering if you could help me with something, while in Hogsmeade. You see," she continued, twisting her hands. "It's my Dad's birthday on Monday and I haven't got a clue what to get him, it doesn't help that he doesn't know what he wants." She added in an undertone, causing Sirius' smile to widen.

"I'd be delighted, Miss Briar," he said. "But won't your friends be going with you?"

Willow shook her head.

"Isabella's going with her boyfriend, Lacretia's going with some friends from Ravenclaw, and Mary's staying here, she's got some work to finish in the library." She informed him.

Sirius blinked before replying.

"Alright then," he replied. "I'll meet you in the three broomsticks just after half-ten." He said.

Willow beamed at him.

"Thanks, Professor." She said. "See you later." With that she walked out of his classroom leaving him to wonder what on earth he had just agreed too.

Saturday arrived and Sirius showered and shaved before dressing himself casually in a pair of jeans and a button down blue and white shirt, he remembered Lily once complimenting him by saying that blue really bought out the colour of his eyes. Giving himself a final look over in the mirror, and approving, he pocketed his wand and headed out towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Got a hot date, Professor?"

Sirius turned to see his younger self grinning at him, Remus and Peter following.

"No, Mr Black," he said. "Am meeting a friend, speaking of which, where's Mr Potter, I thought you two were attached at the hip?"

His younger self laughed at this comment.

"James has got a date with little old Evans." He said.

Sirius couldn't help but grin at this.

"About time from what I hear."

His younger self grinned.

"You've got that right, see you around, Professor." And with that the three of them headed into the Great Hall for breakfast.

After eating a rather delicious breakfast of bacon and scrambled egg among other things, Sirius headed down to Hogsmeade, taking a brisk walk instead of one of the coaches. Upon entering the small village that was Hogsmeade, Sirius decided to pay a visit to Zonko's where he, once again, ran into his younger self and friends.

"Professor!" His younger self said, sounding astounded that he was even there. "I didn't realise you were into practical jokes."

Sirius just grinned.

"There are a lot of things you don't realise about me, Mr Black." He said. "Good day," with that he dodged past them, admiring some of the things that Zonko's had before ducking out of the store and heading to Honeydukes where he proceeded to buy a lovely bunch of fizzing whizzbees and peppermint creams before glancing at his watch, seeing that it was ten fifteen – giving him time for a quick butterbeer – and headed towards the Three Broomsticks.

"What can I get you, love?"

Sirius grinned as the familiar voice of Madam Rosmerta filled his ear.

"Just a butterbeer, thanks." He replied.

Madam Rosmerta complied and handed him a bottle of the liquid.

"That'll be a sickle." She said.

Sirius handed the money over and pulled the tab of the drink before taking a long sip from it.

"Hey Rosmerta!"

Sirius turned to see his younger self approach the bar, a grin on his face.

"Hello Sirius," Rosmerta said with a grin. "And where's James?"

"On a date." Sirius replied.

Rosmerta's smile widened.

"I take it Lily finally said yes?"

Sirius nodded.

"Poor girl," he said. "Doesn't know what she's in for."

Madam Rosmerta laughed and swotted at him with her cloth.

"Don't you talk about James like that, Sirius," she chided, still smiling. "He's a sweetie and Lily's fortunate to have him."

Sirius snorted.

"If you say so, Rosmerta." He said.

Rosmerta rolled her eyes at him, her smile still present.

"What can I get you, Sirius?" she asked.

"Firewhiskey?" Sirius asked, his voice sounding hopeful.

Madam Rosmerta laughed heartily.

"Nice try, love," she said. "But I don't think Albus would be too pleased to find his students drunk."

Sirius laughed.

"Do we ever get drunk?" he asked.

Rosmerta laughed and handed him three bottles of butterbeer which Sirius happily paid for.

"See you later, love," he said, leaning over and placing a kiss on her cheek before sending her a wink and heading back towards a table.

Rosmerta laughed and glanced at Sirius.

"He's a trouble maker that one." She said.

Sirius smirked.

"I know."

Madam Rosmerta spared him one more smile before returning to serving her customers.

Sirius took a last swig on his drink and jumped at the voice that came from behind him.

"Enjoying yourself, Professor?"

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Sirius turned to see Willow stood behind him, a grin on her face.

Sirius was dumbfounded.

Willow looked amazing.

Her long brown hair had been pulled back into a French plait, a few loose strands framing her face. She was wearing a pair of light pink leggings with an oversized black jumper that had a large pink heart on it, a black bag hung from her shoulder and a pair of black, low heeled boots were on her feet.

"You ready?" she asked.

Sirius nodded before rising from his seat and following her out of the pub, as he walked he glanced over and caught his younger self eye. His younger self smiled before turning back to his friends and Sirius realised that the smile had not quite reached his younger self's eyes.

Pushing that thought to the back of his mind he continued to follow Willow up the high street, past Madam Puttifoots and the robe shop to a small shop with a thatched roof that had a selection of pottery in the window.

It was here that Willow stopped, pushing the door open, and electing a small tinkling sound from within the shop, she entered, Sirius not far behind her.

The shop was full to the brim with many things, paintings of landscapes that moved magically, ornaments, pottery and even some jewellery.

"Can I help you?" a wheezy voice asked.

Sirius whirled to see a small, rather hunched man with thick, short white hair on top of his head and a thick white moustache. His beady dark eyes were covered with a pair of thick rimmed glasses and he held a walking stick in one hand.

"Hi Ernie," Willow said cheerfully looking at the old man.

To the surprise of Sirius, the old man smiled revealing a rather toothy grin.

"Well, if it isn't Willow Briar," he said. "Haven't seen you in years, you look more beautiful each time I see you," his smile widening. "Just like your mother."

Willow smiled brightly at him.

"Thanks, Ernie," she said. "This is Professor Century," she added gesturing to Sirius who raised a hand in acknowledgement as Ernie turned his beady eyes on him.

"Welcome," he said, nodding his head before turning back to Willow, "What precisely can I do you for?"

"I need a birthday present for my Dad," Willow explained. "You know he loves this store."

Ernie chuckled.

"I remember," he said. "Him and your mother used to spend ages in here just looking through stuff in the forties and fifties; you're mother even bought you in here after you were born."

Willow nodded.

"I remember," she said, looking round the place with a wistful smile.

Many hours they spent in the shop looking for the perfect present for Willow's father, eventually they found it. It was an ornamental wolf that stared at them before walking up and down the small amount of grass it had been allocated, it's fur rippled as though an invisible wind had passed through.

"Elfin made," Ernie told them. "They'll be pleased to know it's gone into good hands."

Willow nodded and took the wrapped ornament that Ernie handed her.

"Thanks," she said. "For everything."

Ernie smiled.

"Don't worry about it, Willow." He said. "Tell your father I said hi."

Willow promised she would and she and Sirius exited the shop.