The whole party was a lot of fun, I do admit. It was well past midnight when all of us went to the dorms. Padfoot couldn't stop grinning from happiness. When we were all in our respective dorms, I was just going to take out the present, when a large (and definitely scary) owl swooped in through the window. 

"Kat, meet Agrelius our family owl," Padfoot stated, "though I like to call it Angrelius because of its continuous generous behavior towards me." 

The owl pecked him painfully on the fingers as he was untying the envelope tied to its leg. "Oh look, even the Owls of the Black family adore me to an unbelievable extent," he threw it a nasty look (and it seemed that the owl returned it) and giving a hoot of either self-satisfaction or anger it flew out the window spreading its wings as if it had just left an undesirable place and was glad about its escape. 

He looked carefully at the envelope then sighed wearily, "I should've known. My Mum is so charming that she chose to send me a Howler on my 17th birthday as a present. I wonder if she knows that it's the 312th Howler she has sent me since my first year. Never forgets to remind me every single week how lucky I am to have such an elegant mother." 

True enough, soon as he opened the envelope the Howler broke free tearing its way out and a piercing shrieking voice filled the room. It was twice worse than Ron's Howler (and that is saying something) and the voice kept churning out blood curdling screams. Padfoot rolled his eyes as if he was rather used to it. 

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK! SUCH A SHAME TO MY FAMILY NAME! YOU ROTTING BAG OF FILTH! FILTHY BLOOD TRAITOR, FRIENDS WITH MUDBLOODS AND MUGGLES ALIKE! YOU'VE DRAGGED THE NAME OF OUR NOBLE HOUSE INTO THE MUD! IF YOU DARE STEP IN THE HOUSE OF MY RESPECTABLE ANCESTORS AGAIN I'LL BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF JUST LIKE I DID WITH YOUR FACE ON THE FAMILY TREE! YOU ARE NO LONGER WORTHY OF BEING CALLED A BLACK! YOU FILTHY NO GOOD!" 

Padfoot's eyes widened on the last remark, "blew my name off the family tree?" 

It looks like he wasn't expecting that. 

"ABOMINABLE SCUM! GOING ABOUT ASSOCIATING WITH THOSE NOT WORTHY OF BEING CALLED WIZARDS! DISHONORED ME, MY FAMILY, DRAGGING YOUR FILTH INTO MY HOUSE! I'M WARNING YOU, SIRIUS, STEP THROUGH MY DOOR AGAIN AND IT WOULD BE THE END OF YOU! FOR YEARS WE HAVE TOLERATED YOUR MADNESS BUT NOW ENOUGH!" 

It looks like the Howler wasn't coming to an end anytime soon. The maddening voice kept shrieking and created an awful lot of noise throwing volleys of curses and every insulting word ever to exist in the English language. It was so loud that I wouldn't be surprised if the whole of the Hogwarts Castle was roused from their slumber by now. 

Padfoot stuffed his fingers into his ears and gestured me to do the same. However, the pain he felt from hearing those words showed on his face and ever since the Howler had shrieked that his name was blown off the family tree, his cheerful mood had evaporated completely. 

Well, I think the Howler has howled for long and definitely I don't have capacity enough to listen to all that it has got left to howl. So I snatched up the Howler forcing it shut as it tried to tear itself out of my grasp and with a little concentration flames erupted from my hand burning away that insulting piece of paper. 

Sometimes I feel really proud and thankful of my ability to create fireworks. It's quite close to what people would call manipulating fire but manipulation is done at your own will, while these fireworks just happen out of their own accord and I've noticed that it happens when either I am angry or depressed about something. 

Right now, I was angry. Really. That woman had no right to give so much mental torture to her son. I mean, no one in their right mind would do that. 

Anyhow I looked up at Padfoot who was staring at me in disbelief, "what?" 

He spoke, "how did you do that?" 

Do what? Oh. So he's thinking that was some sort of wandless magic. "I don't know, it sort of happens all by itself," I replied. 

"Cool," he remarked. Then after a short pause, he spoke, "look I'm really sorry about all this Howler business. It's just that... My Mum must have been angry about something and chose it to take it all out on me. It's not that bad, really." 

I know why he's saying that; he doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him. I don't. I just think that he doesn't deserve all this treatment. 

"You can ask me if you have any question, you know," he mumbled, "I'll answer; truthfully if I can manage it." 

I don't really have any question because it's his life and I know I'm not the right person to intrude in it. But yeah there is one thing that I'd like him to know. 

"Sirius Orion Black... I like your name," I remarked, "very astronomical." 

He stared at me as if I was not in my right mind and I ignored the urge to laugh. "Out of all the things you could have asked... And you simply notice the fact that my name is astronomical?" he spoke, "you're just unbelievable, Kat. Highly unexpected. I can really never guess what's going on in your mind at the moment and trust me that's saying something." 

I laughed, "we aim to astound, sir." 

His face broke into one of his wide grins again, "I like my name too, if only you ignore the Black in it." 

Of course I remembered what Percy had taught me about constellations, "Sirius means the brightest star in the sky. Orion means the hunter (in your case I'd say the hunter for trouble or adventures). Your name fits you perfectly." 

He smiled, "thank you." 

For what? 

Seeing the look on my face he spoke, "for understanding and not taking into account whatever my lovely old mother has to say about me." 

I gently squeezed his hand, "know what, Sirius, you're not a bad person. Sometimes really bad things happen to people who don't even deserve it and actually it's their strength that counts if they make their way out of their problems without getting depressed." 

He nodded, "that's quite nice of you to say that." 

I'm just telling the truth, it's not like I'm being nice or something. When you live with someone, you tend to get to know them and that much I know that no matter what opinion Mrs Black has of her son, it doesn't make him a bad person. 

"You had to give me my present, remember? Even though it wouldn't make much of a difference if you didn't because of course you hadn't even known it was my birthday in the first place and its definitely not your fault." 

Oh, I forgot again. Amid all this commotion... Anyhow I reached under my pillow and took out the wrapped up present. 

"Thanks," he took it and began opening the ribbon. I would like to see his reaction though. It wasn't anything very special because of course he was right I hadn't known and when I did it was such short notice for me to send someone off to buy a gift from Hogsmeade. So it was handmade. Really. 

All the time which I had to while away in the dorm alone, I utilized it in creating a handmade key chain consisting of the Gryffindor lion which I had painted in scarlet and gold, and after Marlene had told me that he liked motorcycles I had also added a miniature racing bike to it. It took me a lot of time really and I do hope that he likes it. 

He took the key chain and examined it, "wow." Then he looked at me, "it's wonderful, Kat. Absolutely terrific. You're quite an artist." 

I nodded, "my pleasure." I was glad that he liked it. Like literally. 

He glanced out of the window to the starry sky above. His voice was quite muted when he spoke, "I do admit, I felt quite bad about that Howler. But right now I'm really glad that I am not what my mother wanted me to be and I didn't get sorted in Slytherin or else how would I be able to have you, James, Moony and Wormtail as my best friends? I'm really glad that I'm not like the rest of my family."

***