The Great Hall was filled with students chattering away. Gryffindor House was a lively, loud bunch, with students shouting and laughing. Meanwhile, the Slytherins were the more dramatic, controlled group, mindful of etiquette and restraint. Their humor was subtle but sharp, with a competitive streak as they tried to outdo each other in witty counter-jokes and snide remarks, though they mostly kept to themselves. The Hufflepuffs were calm and composed, exuding an underlying joy as they observed the drama around them with an amused, almost audience-like vibe. They also seemed to have a gossipy streak. Ravenclaw, on the other hand, seemed detached, minding their own business and discussing their latest findings, absorbed in their own intellectual world. Yet, despite their differences, all the houses shared a sense of unity.
Among the Gryffindors sat the ever-popular player, Sirius Orion Black, the third heir to the ancient House of Black. Known for his handsome, hereditary good looks and his silver-tongued charm, Sirius was seated with his friends, the Marauders. In the group was a scarred but calming presence, Remus John Lupin, the half-blood heir to the House of Lupin. With a well-built physique likely due to his being a werewolf, Remus had a quietly attractive face and demeanor. Then there was James Fleamont Potter, the heir to the ancient House of Potter, whose untamable hair matched his wild personality, rounded glasses resting on his nose.Along with his good looks, James was known for his obsession with the red-haired beauty of his house, the Muggle-born witch Lily Evans, who was Head Girl and top of her class. Finally, there was Peter Pettigrew, who was a bit shorter than his friends and comparatively less handsome, which gave him an inferiority complex. He was a half-blood with an unknown father and a witch mother. But the marauders seem to have a common trait they all were the popular guys of the school.
Sirius was looking over at the Slytherin table at his little brother, who looked similar to him but had brown eyes instead of Sirius's grey ones. While he had the aristocratic features inherited from their father, his brother's were softer, with wavy black hair—a distinct Black family trait.
"Why don't you just put your bloody ego aside and talk to him? Try to reconcile," Remus suggested, buttering his toast.
"Me? I don't have an ego—it's him…" Sirius protested.
Remus rolled his eyes. "You not having an ego is about as true as James here not loving Lily."
"Hey! I do love Lily!" James interrupted.
"Exactly—that's completely untrue," Remus replied with a grin.
"We are seventeen, Sirius. We are at war, and we're going to face the outside world. It's going to be very difficult. I don't want you to face your brother in opposition," said Remus.
"Exactly, Siri, we are your family. It's true—my parents are your parents—but you have a brother who was very dependent on you. Did you ever think he might have felt neglected when you started spending time with us? And maybe, when you left home, he wasn't comfortable doing so himself. Did you think of that?" said James.
"Maybe you should try talking to him, Sirius," added Peter
Suddenly, an eagle with a sharp beak and large claws swooped through the Great Hall, landing right on Sirius's shoulder, surprising him immensely. Over at the Slytherin table, his brother, Regulus Arcturus Black, looked over—along with many others—to see such a large and majestic bird flying overhead. Sirius was a bit afraid—no, he was very afraid—for the eagle had powerful claws and a strong grip. Nearby, he could hear Patil whispering a prayer to Garuda, saying something about it being an Indian spotted eagle.
The eagle settled down quietly after Peter cleared some space, noticing it seemed to be looking for a place to perch.
"Wow, that eagle is certainly demanding," said James, earning a sharp look from the bird that shut him up immediately.
"Just who would use an eagle for communication, anyway?" Peter wondered aloud.
"Sirius, you have to check out the letter! For Merlin's sake, breathe, Sirius," urged Remus.
"You didn't have to be its stand, you know," Sirius muttered, rubbing his shoulder. "Do you have any idea how sharp its claws were? Thank Merlin."
He removed the scroll from the eagle's leg and held up the parchment. A rich sandalwood scent reached him.
"Wow, it's sandalwood paper!" Peter said. "You know, that's high-end stuff. But it's commonly used by the Asian community." peter continued.
"Do you have any relatives there who might be on vacation or something?" asked James.
"I don't think so; we're a French family, James," Sirius replied.
"No one in the family likes to travel to Asian countries—something about gods and all that. I'm not sure; they just never wanted to travel there or make connections with old families from there. The only one who even talks to me is my uncle Alphard, who is currently off on his way to becoming a pirate, I think?" Sirius continued.
"Damn, your uncle is cool, Sirius," said Peter.
"Instead of wasting time thinking, you could open the damn scroll, Sirius," Remus pointed out.
"And someone should feed the bird," James added.
"What the—where's the bird?" Sirius asked.
"I mean, it was just here," Peter muttered.
"Just open the scroll, Siri," said Remus.
"Alright, alright." Sirius opened it—and saw absolutely nothing.
"What the hell? Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed.
"Don't shout, Padfoot," Remus warned.
"But what in the name of Merlin—" James started.