AN: This story won't be updated this often but I couldn't keep myself from posting this chapter today.
Happy Birthday, Harry!
Siriusly Wicked
...
Sunday, December 2, 1989
Sirius had been chastised, booted back to Ireland and ordered to survey the camp he had been assigned in case its occupants decided to come back. He wouldn't have been able to put back the stuff he had gathered in their original positions. His mission, rather, was to try to assess if, and what, the Death Eaters noticed was missing.
After a week, he was finally allowed to return to Headquarters.
Remus, Lily and James were there again. James had taken a nasty slicing hex to the leg, an amputation almost. Remus had to wait a couple of days until his new assignment and Lily had been temporarily suspended from field activity.
"There's a lot of gossip going around headquarters. Before disappearing, Dumbledore had been absent most of the meetings, and even when he did show up, he simply listened for the first ten minutes and took off again," said James. He was sprawled in his bed in an awkward position, but it was the only one he had found that didn't hurt his leg. Sirius and Remus were sitting on the edge of the bed, trying not to make any sudden moves that might hurt their friend.
"Any suspicions?" asked Sirius, his curiosity taking on a life of its own.
"No, but what we know is this: three weeks ago, something happened. Dumbledore apparated right out of headquarters in the middle of the monthly meeting. We all thought the worst, of course, with Dorcas in the field." Remus frowned before continuing. "At the time we didn't know about the magical incident, but now we're thinking Dumbledore must have felt it too."
"Alastor almost lost his shit, I swear I've never seen him so crazed. He wanted to go after Dumbledore himself but he had no clue as to where he went. Search parties were being organised but he reappeared a few hours later,"
"After that, Dumbledore has been behaving strangely. Nothing too strange to us, the old coot has always done as he pleases without giving the rest of us any explanations. But Moody… Moody was on edge," added James.
"Wormtail was here yesterday. He overheard McGonagall having a chat with Charlus. They were concerned, too. Apparently they've all been worried about Dumbledore's behaviour, said he was acting strange until his disappearance." said Remus as he ran a hand distractedly through his hair. A habit they had all picked up from James.
"How do they know he's actually missing?" wondered Sirius.
"He hasn't checked in with anyone for the past week and a half. The only reason nobody presumes him dead is that, well, he's Albus-fucking-Dumbledore," said James.
That was all he was able to learn before Moody hunted him down and gave him another assignment. James remained at headquarters, Sirius was given a new pair of idiots to follow and Remus left for his own assignment two days later.
Tuesday, December 4, 1989
They weren't particularly careful, his targets. They said their destination out loud twice before apparating away; they used their real names every so often, and they never checked if they were being followed. It was too easy.
For a moment, Sirius contemplated the possibility of it being an ambush. They didn't need to check if they were being followed if they already knew he was there. The paranoia started to set in when they reached a shabby-looking, rundown pub somewhere in Knockturn Alley and he spotted the two men waiting around the entrance. Sirius made the quick decision of transforming into Padfoot before getting closer.
"Think he'll show?" asked the one called Rosier.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I guess we'll have to wait and see," replied the one called Wilkes.
Ten minutes went by while the pair waited silently. Finally, a figure appeared, a hooded cloak completely covering it. None of its features could be made out, even with his canine senses, but Sirius made a point of committing the person's scent to memory. The three of them ducked into the alley behind the pub.
"I hear your master is looking for something," said a deep voice from beneath the hood.
"He is," replied Wilkes. "He's not the only one, either."
"Yes, I've heard Dumbledore has been hunting something across the whole of Britain," confirmed the cloaked man.
"Someone is protecting and hiding the weapon, although it is always foolish to refuse The Dark Lord," said Rosier.
"Perhaps if you tell me what this weapon is, I could provide a better service," suggested the cloaked man. "I'm very resourceful; it may be that I can find another of such an object and spare us all the trouble of hunting down whoever is attempting to protect it."
"The Dark Lord won't be more specific. I will tell you, no matter how resourceful you are, you won't find its like elsewhere. Our Lord has said it is unique and alone in its existence," said Wilkes.
"This sort of enterprise does not come cheaply. I'll be competing with Albus Dumbledore himself for the prize," said the cloaked man.
"You would do well to remember who you're dealing with. Money's no object, but keep in mind, dear fellow, that those who fail The Dark Lord pay a very steep price," sneered Wilkes threateningly.
"No need for such theatrics. It's settled, then. I'll find this brave man who is hiding your weapon and I expect to be rewarded accordingly," the cloaked man snapped back.
"And so you shall," said Rosier.
With nothing else to add, the man was off, almost running into Sirius, who was hiding in the corner in dog form.
"Should we follow him?" asked Rosier.
"No. If he's foolish enough to try to cross The Dark Lord, let him try. If he finds him, our Lord will have no problem retrieving what is his, and if he doesn't, I heard the Dark Lord intends to go after the weapon himself," replied Wilkes.
Sirius followed Wilkes for two more days, trying to gather anything else that would be of use.
The meeting with the cloaked man had Sirius' head reeling. Dumbledore was trying to get a weapon of some sort, secure it before Voldemort could get to it.
What could it possibly be? What more could Voldemort wish? A weapon of mass destruction? A wizard like that would hardly need more than his wand to improve his destructive capabilities. For the first time since the beginning of the war, Sirius was well and truly scared. He'd been afraid before, but never on this level of pure fear.
What if Voldemort got his hands on the weapon before Dumbledore?
Not knowing what it was, or what was at stake, was making it worse. His imagination took license, digging into the most horrifying creases in his mind. Lily had told him stories, horrible stories about the Muggle World Wars. Was it a similar weapon? One that could obliterate a whole city? Their city? His friends, what would happen to his friends? They were his only family.
He was starting to hyperventilate. It took an enormous effort on his part to gather himself back up and breathe slowly, allowing his brain to oxygenate properly.
Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.
By the time he got back to headquarters, the meeting had already taken place. Moody and Charlus were the only senior members that remained.
"Moody, Dad, could I have a word?" Sirius asked anxiously, running a nervous hand through his hair.
One look at his son and Charlus quickly led him into the study.
"Are you alright, son?" Charlus asked immediately after closing and warding the door.
"I'm fine, I just… I have something," said Sirius. Moody became very attentive at this point.
"Get on with it, boy!" Moody barked when Sirius hesitated.
In a rush, Sirius told them all that he had overheard between Rosier, Wilkes and the mystery man. Moody swore once or twice throughout the tale, cursing the Death Eaters, Voldemort and Dumbledore in turn.
"Bloody old fool! What the fuck does he think he's doing? Does he think so highly of himself that help could only hinder his attempts at retrieving whatever this weapon is?" Moody swung his arms violently as he spoke.
"Perhaps I should reintroduce you to Albus when he gets home? Clearly, you don't know the man at all," said Charlus calmly, a single eyebrow raised in incredulity.
"Shut it, Potter. This is a disaster. A weapon. A weapon. As if the enemy needed more resources on their side!" Moody shouted to towards the ceiling as if asking the universe why this was happening.
Sirius left them to go check on James and bring him up to speed. Of course, he was asked to keep the information confidential, but there was no such thing as confidential between him and his friends.
"Fuck, this is serious, mate," said James after Sirius was finished retelling the story. "Don't you dare," he warned, glaring at his mate.
"I know, I know," said Sirius, a smile still lingering on his face. "Remember the stories Lily told us, about her grandfather going to the Muggle War?" he asked, the smile vanishing completely.
"Yeah."
"What if this is like that?" Sirius asked in a small voice.
"It's not. It won't be," said James in a sure tone. "It can't be."
"But what if it is?"
"Then we'll fucking win anyway," James replied, still sounding confident.
Sirius had to smile again. As long as he had James, he could face Voldemort himself. Fuck everything else.
"Where's Lily?"
"She wasn't feeling well, she went to the healer," James told him. "Moony and Wormy are also off somewhere, secret missions and some other bollocks," he said, suddenly pouting.
"Moody said I should be getting a new assignment tomorrow morning as well," said Sirius resignedly.
James let out a long sigh. "I just want us to be all together. It seems so long ago now, that we could have more than an hour in the same house."
"I know, mate," agreed Sirius. "I guess this is all so we can do that again without having to worry about Lily or our friends."
James looked at Sirius then. They both drew strength from each other and there was nothing in his friend that he didn't love. He would lay down his life for that smug mutt any day. The same was true for Lily, the love of his life, and for Remus and Peter.
But Sirius, his first friend, his best friend, his brother… yes, he was right. Anything and everything was worth the protection and the preservation of the lives of those he loved.
"Well, seems like it's just you and me tonight!" said James, cheerful once again. "How 'bout you go look for that bottle of firewhiskey I left in the bushes behind the kitchen?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" yelled Sirius with a mock salute, before marching down the stairs to hunt down said bottle.
The bottle was found and half downed between blinks; both men were cheerfully singing some sort of Italian tarantella by the time Lily found them.
"This is what I got myself into, is it? My husband and his best mate, drunk for no other reason than the fact that they are together. Is that it?" she asked in mock indignation.
"It is indeed, Madame! Except we are not drunk yet, nor do we need any better reason to drink than each others company!" replied her husband raising the bottle in his hand enthusiastically.
"I was conned into this marriage, no doubt," she said as she walked to the dresser, taking off her cloak.
"I'm sorry, Madame, but you were asked and you said, without coercion, I may add, 'I do'. The responsibility, then, lies solely on you." James's tone and manner aspired to be matter of fact, but the slight slurring of his words somewhat dampened the desired effect.
"And I suppose the harassment, that lasted seven years, mind you, of my person by my husband is not be taken as evidence, in the consideration of possible coercion, or decision making under duress, is it?" she challenged back.
"If it is to be considered coercion, then it may only be so as a synonym of persuasion, and even then, in the context of a courtship! I will not stand for more slandering in this state! Poor me, in my death bed. To be hounded by my wife as to my nefarious purposes towards her. And if I do have nefarious purposes, they are not the ones I'm being accused of!" The last part was said in whisper, James's eyebrows eyebrows waggling meaningfully.
Of course, this was heard by Lily who threw a shoe at her husband, who faked pain, before she mumbled something that sounded remarkably like 'As if you could fulfil those promises in that pitiful state' to the two wizards.
"What can I possibly make of this assault?" James said pitifully, turning to Sirius.
"It is not to be born! Sir Prongs, I say you have been most dreadfully treated. Your leg, barely attached to your body, might grow a mind to escape by itself and away from such attacks!" exclaimed an equally slurring Sirius, his arms flailing about dramatically during his speech, attempting to mimic what a single running leg might look like.
"Perhaps my husband will forgive my slight if he were to shut his gob for long enough, so I may relate to him the news I bear," Lily snapped back.
"Gossip! That shall quench all our woes, I dare say!" said Sirius cheerfully, a goofy smile on his face.
"On with it, then! Keep us no longer in suspense, if you please!" demanded James, his mannerisms not unlike those of a general.
"I have a confession to make," said Lily dramatically, a hand half covering her face. "My dear husband is no longer the person I love most on this earth" A sly but undoubtedly happy smile was on her face.
"I knew it! We're running off together, are we not?" Sirius jumped from his seat on the bed, and in his inebriated state, tumbled his way face first onto the floor.
"I'm afraid not, Lord Black. My heart still belongs to a Mister Potter, indeed," she replied cheekily.
"Another Potter! If it is not I, am I to understand you're leaving me for my father? That is a very dark kink indeed, my dear, I must say!" exclaimed an indignant James.
"Indeed, you are wrong once again," said Lily in a softer voice. The smile on her face was no longer teasing. It had turned true, and it illuminated her face in such a way that for a moment, both men were temporarily distracted by it.
"If it is not I, nor my father, what Potter can it be?" asked James, suddenly sober, not daring to hope for the reply he most wanted.
"Why, a brand new Potter altogether, of course," said Lily, her smile shining from her eyes and every feature of her beautiful face
It took a moment for the words to break through the fog of alcohol in the minds of the wizards, but finally the news hit home and the two men looked at each other before looking back to Lily.
"Are you serious?" James asked her, all traces of joking gone.
And for the first time in his life, it didn't even occur to Sirius to make the lame joke, distracted as he was by the momentous news. Lily simply nodded her head and waited for their reaction.
"I'm going to be a father?" James asked again, astonished.
Lily could feel her heart melt at the sheer hope, and longing, and happiness, she could hear in his voice. At that moment her heart was fuller than it had been for the entirety of her life and she could wish for nothing more.
James attempted to get off the bed in a single move but his injured leg gave out on him. Sirius got up and kept him upright for a moment, but the alcohol in his system made him lose his balance as well, and both men tumbled towards the bed together. They looked at each other, stupid smiles on their faces.
"Congratulations, Prongs," said Sirius sincerely.
James turned back to Lily, who had walked towards the bed and was now sitting next to James. The smile he gave her was all encompassing. Sirius detached himself from his friend and walked towards the door, happy as any man could be.
"You are the biggest blessing a single man can have," James said before Sirius heard them kiss. He smiled to himself.
Just as he was about to close the door, a shout stopped him in his tracks "And where exactly do you think you're going, Sirius Black?" demanded Lily.
"I thought to give you some privacy, Madame," he said, pushing the door back open and peeking in.
"Why, now that you have a proper excuse to drink yourself silly in celebration, you attempt to leave your drinking partner? And furthermore, you try to take the bottle with you! Disgraceful, disgraceful, I tell you!" she teased, grinning at him.
"Well, Madame, after such a charge I could never take leave without having my honour sullied. I have no choice but to remain and finish the job of getting your husband smashed into oblivion," he replied formally.
"As it should be!" said Lily.
"Could I have scored any better woman, dear Padfoot?" James asked, looking at Lily adoringly.
"I dare say not, my esteemed Prongs," replied Sirius as he served his best friend another drink.
…
AN: Today's Rec is Too Little, Too Late by atruwriter. This is another author that isn't writing anymore but I probably subscribe to anything she published in FF. I love her work. This story is just a short, funny One Shot. Enjoy!