'Shh!' she hissed at us. Her eyes are shining with tears but I've never seen her face so alight with excitement. We're shivering in our thin pyjamas despite the summer heat. My room is cold and silent as we wait to hear what our best friend is dying to tell us.
'Soon I'm going to go away for a bit and I...I'm not going to see you then because...well, because I'm going to live in another place, like...well like Bella does.'
'But Bella's married,' I remind her.
'Yes,' she says. 'She is married.'
We're quiet for a moment until-
Sirius gasps next to me but I don't understand why. He's looking at her in a really strange way, like he's changed his mind about something and he doesn't like it. Judging by the way he's looking at her, he's changed his mind about her.
'Who?' He asks stonily.
I don't know what he means.
'You two won't know him.' she tells us.
I want to know what she's talking about but Sirius isn't frowning angrily anymore, he's as confused as I am.
'Oh?'
She doesn't want to answer that. She looks upset and I don't like that.
So I lean forward, across the bed to hug her.
Sirius' face is screwed up because he's thinking. Only his lips are moving. Over and over again they mutter the same words:
'Why?'
I glance at her fidgeting hands and see something that makes everything go clicking in place in my head.
I decide to cheer her up.
'But even if you do have to get married, at least your mummy and daddy will be pleased with you!' I comfort her.
She makes a funny noise, was it a laugh or a cry?
'Yeah,' she murmurs from my shoulder, 'Of course they will be.'
I want to see her face to make sure she's alright but I can't see her face because she hasn't let go of me yet.
It's so quiet and I want Sirius to say something so that I know that he's not sad. I don't like this! I don't want anyone to be feeling unhappy!
'Do they know yet?' I ask, pulling myself out of her arms so that I can see her.
I don't think she's heard me.
Now she's looking at Sirius, choosing her words.
'No, but they will find out in the morning.'
Sirius nods to show he understands what she is saying but frowns like he doesn't understand why.
'Sirius, sweetie,' she explains quietly, 'you're starting Hogwarts next week; I think you'll understand better when you're there. When you Slytherins meet those in other houses.'
He shakes his head, protesting against something.
She puts her arm around him and whispers to him but I can still hear her say to him:
'Don't let Cissa and her friends get to you, Ok? Be good, work hard and be friendly to everyone you meet. I hope you make lots of nice friends.'
She is about to let go when his arms shoot around her. After they squeeze each other quickly she gets up.
'It's time you got back to bed.' She strokes his hair and he begins to leave.
'Sirius?'
He stops in the doorway.
She mouths something to him. I heard the word 'visit' in it. Maybe she'll came and see us?
Her eyes are pleading with him as she whispers,
'I love you.'
He nods and goes.
She tucks me into bed although she doesn't need to. I'm nearly seven!
She fluffs up my pillows and sits, just perched on the edge of my bed watching me looking up at her.
She stands up.
She pauses.
Then she's bending to kiss my forehead, smoothing the covers and leaving.
She stops where Sirius did, holding tightly to the doorframe as she gazes around my big room and shivers.
'I still love you, sweetie,' she tells me.
Her cheeks are all shiny in the wandlight.
And now she's gone and it's dark again, all is quiet in the house.
Just as I am about to go to sleep I hear the creak of the stairs.
It's probably the houself.
