"One day she'll realise, Prongs," Sirius told James, patting his friend on the back comfortingly.
Peter looked confused. "Realise what, Sirius? Lily already knows that James is madly in love with her."
"I meant, one day she'll realise that she actually does love him back, they'll get married, and then have lots of ginger babies. Bags I be godfather for the first one!"
"Actually," interrupted Remus, looking up from his book, "Their babies won't be ginger unless both Lily and James pass on the ginger gene."
"We're not talking about jeans, we're talking about hair!"
"No, not jeans, genes! They're the, the stuff inside us that decide what we look like! Some muggles discovered it a couple of hundred years ago. I read about it is the science section in the muggle library near my house."
"Shut up, Moony, you're just sore I called godfather for Jamesie poo's first kid."
Remus sighed, and returned to his book.
Sirius looked smug.
Peter continued to screw up his pointed nose in confusion.
James carried on gazing mournfully at the home made singing valentine's card that had been thrust back into his hands with an angry, "Thanks, but no thanks, Potter."
"One day she'll –"
"Realise, yeah I know Sirius," James replied wearily.
"Don't look so depressed, mate! It's just a stupid Christmas ball." James snorted; Sirius changed tack. "Anyway, you've only asked her three times. You've got plenty of chances to try and persuade her before next week."
"Maybe you should try not asking her so much; I think it might be annoying her," put in Remus quietly.
James looked taken aback. "How do I get her to go to the ball with me then?" he asked.
"Try just being nice to her," his friend suggested.
"Anyway, James, you don't have it nearly as hard as me. Even if you can't get Lily to say yes, you could go with any girl in the school! I've got a hard enough job getting a date at all, let alone a pretty one," Peter complained.
James allowed a reluctant grin onto his face. "Don't worry Wormtail, I'll get you a date. I'll coach you on girls myself if I have to."
"Because you're having so much success with girls at the moment," scoffed Remus.
James scowled.
"One day she'll realise Padfoot," James echoed his best friend's words, following Sirius' gaze to a girl talking and laughing with Lily. Just then, another boy appeared by her side, evidently asking her to dance, as she put down her drink and took his proffered hand.
"No she won't," snapped Sirius.
James frowned slightly. "If you're so sure about Lily, why not –"
"Because Lily isn't in love with bloody Frank Longbottom!" Sirius snarled, watching Alice Prewett waltz past in the arms of his roommate of five years.
Remus sighed.
Peter looked up briefly, then shrugged, and carried on stuffing his face with meringues.
Sirius stood in the hallway of his best friend's house, frozen to the floor. His best friend was dead. His numbed brain could barely register it.
His life was pointless. There was nothing left for him now; one of his best friends was dead, one believed that he was a traitor and the other was a traitor. The only woman he had ever loved had been happily married for two years and had a baby son the same age as Harry. "One day she'll realise"- what utter shit.
Harry.
Sirius dashed outside, in time to see Hagrid grappling with a broomstick, far too small for him. Baby Harry was lying on the grass beside him, still fast asleep.
He stepped forward. "Give Harry to me, Hagrid," He croaked. "He's my Godson- I should look after him."
Hagrid turned, and Sirius saw tears leaking out of the man's beetle black eyes. "Sorry, Sirius; Dumbledore's orders," Hagrid said hoarsely.
Sirius shrugged hopelessly. "Take my motorbike then. I'll have no need for it now." Then he turned away and walked into the black night.
Maybe one day they'll realise that he's innocent. But until then, Sirius is a marked man.
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