Growing up Pureblooded

Guess Who's Back

While Sirius and Narcissa were on holiday in the Caribbean, Aries and Draco stayed with Melania at the chateau in France, much as they did every summer. Granny Black was quite elderly, but still very healthy, and she did her best to fatten the boys up before school started. They feebly protested that they didn't need any fattening up, but in the end, they happily abandoned themselves to the old witch's excellent cooking. When not enjoying the pleasures of Granny's table, the boys stayed outdoors and enjoyed the marvelous Provence weather. They swam in the lake in back of the chateau, played one-on-one Quidditch, held broomstick races and explored the woods.

There was however one very strict rule on which Draco had insisted, and of which Sirius had heartily approved: there was to be no training while on holiday. Magic could be used, but for recreational purposes only. Harry was the only one who objected, of course. He had become very determined over the past year to take every opportunity to prepare himself to confront Voldemort. Sirius and Draco thought that he had become rather obsessed, in fact, and banded together to persuade him to take a bit of time off. Aries hadn't wanted to acquiesce, he argued that training was fun, but in the end he had agreed to take a break from studying.

That did not mean, however, that he was completely deprived of chances to practice his skills. He and Draco had a number of purely recreational hex wars over the summer, and, while Draco immediately called a halt to them if Aries used anything too serious, they nevertheless helped to keep the boys in fighting form, which was all the more necessary after they had spent so much time sampling Granny Black's latest culinary triumphs.

About a week before the end of summer, Aries and Draco were flying over the woods when they spotted Sirius coming towards them on a broomstick neither of them had seen before. It maneuvered with ease as he took it through flips and dives and sharp turns. They watched in amazement as he swooped closer. "What's that broom, Dad?" Draco asked as soon as his stepfather was within talking range. Sirius laughed. "What? I've been gone for weeks. No 'good to see you, Dad'? No 'how was your trip'? No 'I'm glad you're home'?"

"If you wanted all our attention to be focused on you, you shouldn't have flown in on the most gorgeous broomstick we've ever seen," Aries pointed out. Longing was in his bright blue eyes as he gazed at his father's broom. "She is a beauty, isn't she?" Sirius said fondly. "Boys, you're looking at a genuine, brand-new Firebolt." "A Firebolt, really?" Draco exclaimed. "Is it true that it can go from zero to one hundred and fifty miles-per-hour in ten seconds?" "Is the Braking Charm really as good as the reviewers claim?" Aries added eagerly.

Sirius smirked. "You'll have to see for yourselves," he said. "You each have your own waiting for you back at the chateau." The boys exchanged delighted grins, and Sirius chuckled. "Last one there is a drunken flobberworm!" he shouted. With that, he peeled off at extraordinary speed back towards the house. Harry and Draco shot after him, each thinking the same thing. They had the greatest dad in the world.