Characters aren't mine, and Rowling is way too rich for me to suggest otherwise. Recently rediscovered my love for these books and wanted to write something...
Something was wrong. James knew something was wrong.
Neither him, Remus, or Peter had seen Sirius since Potions. And that had been more than two hours ago. Now James was getting worried.
He learnt back in his chair as Professor McGonagall turned away and looked to Lily Evans who was sat across the aisle beside Marlene McKinnon.
"Evans," he half whispered, half called, "Evans, have you seen Sirius?"
She turned to look at him and shook her head, frowning slightly, "Not since Potions. Severus said Regulus was looking for him earlier, I don't know if he ever found him."
"You know what he wanted?"
Lily shook her head, "No, sorry. You don't know where he is?"
Before James could speak, Professor McGonagall interrupted.
"There something you'd like to say Me Potter? Or you Miss Evans?" She turned to look at them, her green eyes scanning them both over.
"Sorry Professor." James said, leaning forward again and tapping his quill against his book.
Several eyes turned to him then. No comeback, no witty remark. An apology. To a teacher. For talking.
Lily shot as worried glance at Remus, who eyed the empty seats beside James before waiting for McGonagall to start talking again.
"He'll be alright James," Remus leant forwards to whisper to him, "He always is."
Peter nodded and joined Remus, "He'll show up with the giant squid in tow or something."
James would of smiled and added it to their list of prank ideas. Despite their words of attempted reassurance none of them fully believed what they had said. This wasn't like Sirius to completely miss a lesson, much less one with his favourite teacher.
Just as he found himself getting lost in thought, the classroom door swung open and in walked Sirius.
His hair was in his face more than usual, his gaze down and avoiding everyone else's. He strode to his seat and sat heavily.
Professor McGonagall watched him the whole way, "Glad you decided to join us Mr Black. You're half an hour late."
"Well done Professor, you can tell the time." His voice was sharper than normal, sounding like he was asking for a fight, "So can I."
"Then perhaps you'd like to prove it and make up for the time you've lost."
"I wouldn't."
There was a pause.
"See me after the lesson Mr Black. Your work is on the board."
James looked at his friend, who stared down at the table. He caught a glimpse of Lily looking over, a hint of concern on her face.
"Pads?" His kept his voice quiet, thinking about putting a hand on his shoulder but thinking better of it, knowing how he'd still think the worst from any kind of contact when he was like this, "Sirius what's happened?"
He didn't answer, didn't even look like he wanted to.
James glanced at Peter and Remus before looking back to Sirius, "You haven't missed much don't worry. We just started looking at transfiguring iguanas and what-..."
He cut himself off. Beneath his curtain of hair, he saw Sirius's eyes were squeezed shut. He was breathing heavily, deeply, like he'd just ran from the lake to the classroom. Or like he was trying to keep a hold of himself. His hands were balled into fists under the desk, his whole body tense.
"Go," Sirius's head turned slightly towards him as James spoke, "I'll tell McGonagall you felt sick or something."
He looked at him for a moment more before shoving his chair back and leaving, walking quicker than when he'd walked in. Remus and Peter watched him go before their gazes shot to James as he stood.
"He feels really ill Professor. Think he might be coming down with something. I should make sure he doesn't get puke in his hair."
McGonagall watched James, likely going to suggest what he was going to do instead, before she nodded, seemingly seeing the look in James's eyes, "I trust you'll catch up before next lesson Mr Potter."
He nodded and thanked her quickly before rushing out after Sirius, making an effort not to run. Thankfully, he caught a glimpse of Sirius as he hurried down the corridor and ran to catch up with him.
"Sirius!" They stopped beside a window looking out onto a courtyard, "What happened? It's not your parents is it? I swear if it is..."
Sirius shook his head, his voice tight as he spoke, half snarling, "Regulus..."
James frowned. He knew the brothers weren't on the best of terms, but what could Reggie of done to make him this mad?
"Sirius..."
"He's one of 'em James."
It seemed even the birds had gone quiet.
"I saw the mark myself."
James's blood ran cold and he felt the colour drain from his face.
Regulus. Reggie. The boy they'd once snuck into the tower for Christmas. The boy they'd played Quidditch with. Who they'd shower in sweets and chocolate frogs for his birthday. Who Sirius had spent nearly his whole life protecting
A Death Eater.
James would of sat on the window edge of he hadn't had to stop Sirius physically attacking the wall.
Sirius pulled his arm away once James had grabbed it, "I should of stayed. He said he'd be alright but I should of known he was lying. They won. I've lost him."
James shook his head, "You haven't lost him Sirius, not yet. He's still your brother-"
"He's not my brother! My brother isn't stupid enough to sign his fucking life away to Voldemort!"
"He hasn't signed his life away, he's just been incredibly stupid."
"Oh come on, you know getting that thing on your arm is as good as signing your own death warrant."
They were both quiet. James sat in the window, Sirius sitting beside him after a moment. The two boys sat for a long while before Sirius broke the silence, his voice quiet and shaking slightly.
"What if we have to fight him James?" His knee bounced up and down, staring ahead of them, "What I have to-"
"It won't come to that. Ever. I won't let it come to that."
James felt Sirius calm a little beside him. Not all the way, and certainly not enough to return him to normal. But just enough that James knew he'd been comforted by his words, that he trusted him.
They sat for sometime before Sirius sighed.
"McGonagall's going to kill me." James knew from his tone that he didn't entirely care.
"Nah she won't. I'll convince her you're throwing your guts up."
"Aw thanks Prongs."
James looked to him, "We're here for you Pads. Always will be. If you need space to think things over, we'll be there when you're done."
A faint, ghost of a smile tugged on Sirius's mouth as he turned to look at him, "Thanks. Really, for everything."
James returned the smile, looking warmly at his friend before he grinned, "You're getting soppy in your old age."
"I blame you lot. You're a bunch of saps."
James chuckled.
After a little while longer of the two sitting and talking, they stood and headed off; Sirius to think and James to the classroom. He got there just as the door opened and students started coming out. Peter and Remus caught him as they left, moving to the side of the door.
"Is he alright?" Remus's brow was furrowed, "Where is he?"
James shook his head slightly, "I'll tell you later, not here. Reg did something stupid."
Remus nodded slowly, his expression showing he was thinking the worst. James didn't have the energy to tell him not to worry too much.
"I need to talk to McGonagall."
Peter nodded, "Want us to wait for you?"
He shook his head, "Nah, you guys go ahead. Don't want to make you miss out on your lunch. I'll catch up."
They nodded, watching him head into the classroom before reluctantly heading off. James stood in the doorway for a moment, watching his teacher as she took a seat at her desk, currently in conversation with Lily. Lily thanked the Professor before she turned and slung her bag over her shoulder. She watched James as the both of them crossed the classroom.
James walked slowly. Giving himself time to think of what he was going to tell her. He could stick to the story and say Sirius was sick. Add a suspected hex for added flavour. Or he could tell her the truth. But then Regulus could get into trouble. Trouble that Sirius had been trying to keep him out of for all this time.
Lily have him a look as they passed each other, silently asking how he was. James nodded slightly and in no way convincingly, not stopping as he made his way to the front of the classroom.
"Sorry about Sirius Professor, he's really not feeling well," James said, feeling almost bad for lying to his favourite teacher, "I think he could been hexed or something..."
"Perhaps," McGonagall nodded, James getting the creeping suspicion she could see right through him, "I trust you'll both catch up on the work you've missed today."
James nodded, "We will. Thank you Professor."
She definitely knew he was lying. And spoke like she knew the truth. James didn't wait to find out. He went to his desk and grabbed his bag, smiling as he saw someone had packed his stuff up for him.
As he started to leave he heard Professor McGonagall call out to him, "Best of luck for the match tomorrow Potter."
He paused for a moment, turning and smiling faintly as he thanked her before continuing out.
"James!"
He jumped as he heard Lily behind him, quickly coming up and walking beside him, "Were you eavesdropping Evans?"
"I was waiting for you. Wanted to ask how Sirius is."
"He's... been better. I'll let him know you were asking after him."
The two made small talk as they made their way towards the Great Hall, the conversation growing less awkward as time went on. Once they made it through the doors of the hall, Lily looked to him.
"Don't fall of your broom tomorrow. I won't let you live it down if you do." She grinned at him before making her way to join Marlene at the table.
James watched her before heading to where he saw Peter and Remus sitting. He sat heavily, rubbing his face and pushing his glasses up as he did. He lowered his voice, leaning forward a little.
"Regulus," he started carefully, his friends leaning forward in their seats to hear over the noise of the Hall, "has really outdone himself this time."
Peter and Remus glances at each other, Remus frowning at James, "What's he done..?"
"Only gone and got the bloody Dark Mark."
They both went silent. Remus ran a hand through his hair. Peter didn't know what to do.
"Where's Sirius?" Remus looked at his plate, him like the other two no longer hungry.
"Went for a walk."
They fell silent again, the chatter and noise around them falling on deaf ears. Peter was looking down, confusion plain to see on his face. Remus was frowning deeply, staring a hole in the table. James took his glasses off and rubbed his face.
He'd have to face Regulus tomorrow. Have to act like he didn't know that under his sleeve was that tattoo.
He'd cross that bridge when he got to it, he decided after a moment's contemplation. Right now he had Sirius to think about.
And he had no idea where he was.
Once lunch was over, they began to slowly make their way to their last lesson. Peter split up with the other two, Remus doing the same after another few hallways. James wandered the rest of the way to class, his mind elsewhere as he sat and tried to make sense of the words in the textbook.
After last lesson, James started heading to Quidditch practice. It seemed to drag. He wasn't concentrating, and one of the team's beaters proved that much to him when she hit one directly at him. He'd realised too late, and was still attempting to stop his bleeding nose.
His pride wasn't that hurt; until he saw Lily sitting watching, Sirius beside her and both with a smile on their faces.
Sirius's smile didn't quite reach his eyes, but he saw without a doubt it was more bigger than the ghost of one he'd seen earlier. And he didn't doubt that Lily had something to do with it.
Looking at them now, he could almost believe that things were going to be okay. That they'd make it, end up after it all in one piece.
But that had to be too good to be true.