Chapter 4
Sirius' first week at Hogwarts passed in a whirl of introductions, cleverly-constructed lies and even a detention. As it turns out, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Higgs, did not take kindly to having her office filled with canary creams, although Sirius himself found it rather amusing. Not even a week had passed before 'Simon Blake' was labeled the new (and improved, as Sirius liked to boast) Weasley twins rolled into one. Of course, this exclamation was quickly followed by the appropriate silence that always came when someone who knew him referenced Fred Weasley. However, Sirius knew that Fred would be proud to have his place filled by an accomplished troublemaker once more, not to mention a Marauder in disguise.
Speaking of this disguise, Sirius was proving quite capable of worming his way out of any situation that might point to his true identity. The closest shave had come when Professor Slughorn had mistakenly called him Mr. Black during Potions one day. Sirius had a good time laughing that off, although he became slightly nervous upon seeing the curious glance a certain brilliant, bushy-haired Gryffindor had cast him from the front of the class.
Hermione had spent the first week of classes trying to convince Ginny (and herself, to be perfectly frank) that 'Simon' could not possibly be Sirius Black risen from the grave. However, with every new prank he pulled and every bark-like laugh he uttered, Hermione became less and less certain of the truth of her words. On Saturday after the first week of classes, Hermione spent her entire day in the library, not completing her assignments, but instead researching every 'resurrection' ever recorded. However, it was quickly obvious to the resident bookworm that each of these occurrences could be explained by logic.
However, as the candles were being lit and the library began to empty, Hermione came across a story that defied all logic and explanation.
Her name was Roberta Hughes, and she had been around 25 years old when her fantastical story occurred. According to all accounts, she had been returning to her home in Sussex in a carriage when an absurd accident occured and she fell from the carriage, off of a bridge, to her death. The driver who sustained minor injuries during the accident had reported seeing her body disappear as she fell through the air towards the valley , records indicated that about five years after the incident, a woman of the same physical description turned up out of the blue in the middle of Diagon Alley without any identification or story to explain her appearance. Her name was Artemisia Luftkin would later go on to become the first female Minister for Magic. How two such strange events could have occurred concerning someone so famous without investigation escaped Hermione's understanding.
Could history repeat itself? Had Sirius Black truly come back from the dead? All these questions swam around Hermione's head, but before she could even begin to answer them, a voice startled her from her concentration.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Granger, but the library must close now," said an ancient voice from behind the focused Gryffindor. The voice was rough and dry, like two old pieces of parchment rubbing together, and Hermione turned quickly in her chair to meet with the beady black eyes of Madam Pince. After a moment, Hermione shook her head to clear her thoughts and stood from her chair. Madam Pince retreated, and she began to pack her many books into a well worn book bag. Giving a slight wave in the direction of the librarian, one that was not returned, she left the library, heading for the Gryffindor tower.
Hermione was just passing by the statue of the one eyed witch when her bag gave an alarmingly loud rip and her books, quills and stacks of parchment, once layered quite neatly, fell to the ground in disarray. Hermione gave a loud "humph" and, with a quickly muttered "Reparo" to the worthless bag, she bent over to begin cleaning up her books. She had all of them in her newly repaired bag, save one book titled "Ressurection: Fact or Fiction?", but just as she bent over to pick it up, it flew several feet across the floor away from her. Hermione straightened abruptly, immediately knowing that she had been tricked, and let her eyes peer into the blackness to find the culprit.
Sure enough, crouched in the darkness, wand extended and with a mischievous gleam in his eye, was Simon Blake, the very subject of Hermione's research. He did not seem to realize that she had caught him, and with that knowledge in mind, Hermione hatched a quick plan to find out the truth once and for all.
Bending down, she reached for the book once more, all the while aware that the man hiding behind the statue was prepared to pull it out from under her once more. As she predicted, just as her hand was about to touch the cover of the book, it was whisked away. She repeated the process twice more, finally ending up right in front of the snickering mischief-maker. At last, she raised her head and looked the man in the eyes. He seemed a bit startled that she had cottoned on (please, she didn't have to be the smartest witch of her age to figure it out), but doubled over laughing anyway. She shook her head, and disguising her curiosity with a weary voice, she said to him,
"Are you quite finished, Sirius?"
Her question, rather than spark the seriousness and confusion she almost hoped to hear, did not seem to phase the man, as he continued to laugh uproariously. Her eyes widened at the implications, and she stood abruptly, her bag falling to the floor with a thud. Still, the man continued to chuckle. Hermione had had enough.
"Sirius Black, you stop that chortling this instant, or so help me god, I will castrate you in your sleep."
However, this only seemed to make him laugh harder, and gasping for breath, he replied, "But 'Mione, it was just too funny, and your face, what a..." His voice faded into silence as he finally registered what she had called him. His eyes widened in horror, for a brief moment, before he placed a mask of confusion on his face. "What did you just call me?" he asked quietly.