"What are you three doing here?" asked the woman in front of them in surprise.
She looked familiar, yet Remus had a little trouble pointing out where he had seen her. Beside him, he felt Sirius stiffen up a little and realization stuck.
"You know them?" Ginny asked, looking back and forth between them and the woman.
"Aren't they Hogwarts students?" replied the woman. "I saw them in Hogsmeade a few days ago with a girl."
"Really?" Ginny dragged out the word, looking impressed that they had managed to sneak out so easily.
"Why are they here?"
"They needed a place to stay for a while, McGonagall asked," Ginny replied. "I guess I should make the introductions. Elena, this is Michael, his twin Kyle, and their cousin, Zack. They'll be staying with us for a few days. Boys, this is Auror Elena Black."
"I'm not yet an Auror."
"Okay then, this is almost-an-Auror, Elena Black, and a close friend of ours."
"Nice to meet you," Remus began, nodding at Elena Black hesitantly, unsure of the response.
Elena nodded in return, a brief flicker crossing her face that could barely be considered a smile, or even a grimace.
"Well, sit down," said Ginny, "I'll store these for later and be back." She raised the donuts box as an indication and began walking towards the kitchen, her hand reaching inside the box even as she was walking.
With the hostess gone, the unusual plethora of guests was left awkwardly glancing about the house and sitting uncomfortably. After a few long moments, the silence was broken by the lady.
"When did you guys arrive here?" Elena asked.
"Just yesterday," replied Remus.
"Oh. And how long will you be staying?" She asked again, as a way of small talk, something that she did not seem proficient at, judging by her questions.
"Uh..." Remus glanced at his two friends who did not look like they were going to reply. "It's not yet decided. But possibly a week, from what we know. Until another arrangement happens, I believe."
"Because of the Ministry holidays?"
"Yes," Remus nodded with a smile.
"Where are your parents, then?"
"Well," said Remus, appearing a little uncomfortable. "They have some important business to tend to, so we haven't taken a house yet."
Elena made a sound of acknowledgment before firing another question. "What do your parents do?"
At this, Remus fell silent, cursing the fact that McGonagall had passed over that nugget of information. Sirius frowned a little and looked at her in suspicion.
"What do your parents do?" he asked back.
Elena stiffened for a second and raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's important. I only asked because your parents' work is related to the situation at hand."
"I don't think it's that big of a deal, you can answer. After all, we are answering your questions," replied Sirius, matching her tone. "Give and take." He ignored the warning looks James and Remus sent him.
"I apologize. I didn't mean any offense," said Elena, although her tone implied that offense was now meant. "I guess you are just really touchy about family. There's no need to get defensive."
"Isn't there?" Sirius smirked coldly, "I could say the same to you. you do seem like you are really touchy about family too... Or is it that you have something to hide?"
"I have nothing to hide," Elena replied sharply. "How dare you?"
"My apologies." Sirius bowed his head slightly. "I didn't know you were... ashamed of your family."
James sucked in a breath and glanced at Remus, who was beginning to look very worried. Sirius's eyes were trained on the opponent, and he didn't look like he was going to look away anytime soon. They saw Elena's grey eyes harden. She sighed deeply as if willing herself to control her emotions.
"I am not ashamed of my family Mr. Kyle. However, it seems that you sure are a shame to your family. Aren't they ashamed that their son is a git?"
XOXOXOXOXOX
"Wait up!" He shouted and ran through the crowd to catch up with his friends.
Sirius barely glanced back and kept on marching through the students, his bad slung low on his shoulders, pulling at Remus's and Peter's robes forcefully. Halfway to the Potions class, James caught up with them, heaving. He blocked their path.
"Sirius, mate, it's not what you think," he managed to say between heavy breaths. "We were just talking."
Sirius raised an eyebrow and folded his arms, a very cold look on his face. If it weren't for his gold and red tie, James thought he looked every bit of a Black heir of Slytherin right then. He was not going to say that out loud, however, if he wanted to live unscathed. Right now, he had another problem to deal with.
"She just made a comment! I didn't agree with her," James continued, imploring his best mate to listen to reason. "You know I wouldn't do that to you."
Sirius maintained his cold face, rolling his eyes for good measure. James looked at two other mates, Remus and Peter, for help, but they both glanced at each other, and back at him with helpless expressions, quite at a loss on to how to proceed from here. James sighed; he realized he was alone this time, and knew what he had to do, something he only reserved for last measures.
"Sirius, please," James implored again.
"We've been through this quite a lot and frankly I'm tired of your argument. Get out of my way," Sirius replied, looking annoyed.
"Sirius," he began after a sigh, "I am only doing this as a gesture of good faith, and because I love you." James glanced around, ensuring that all the sixth-year students with them had already proceeded to the class and that the corridor was empty of all beings, human, ghost, and poltergeist.
"Okay," said James and let out a breath. Remus and Peter held their breaths. Sirius looked like he didn't breatheā¦
What proceeded, watched and known only to the four boys standing there, was an elaborate Erumpet mating dance, complete with seductive glances and an impressive presentation of the rear end of the body, the details of which shall not be explained here for the reader's sanity. The entire sequence was watched in silence, and horror, by the three other boys.
"Well?" James asked, straightening up and looking expectantly at Sirius. "Am I forgiven?"
Sirius looked down, rubbing his hand on his neck as he fought with his mirth. "I think we're late for class, Moony."
Remus paused in his fake coughing long enough to reply in the affirmative, and they began walking further to the dungeons, Peter laughing silently behind them.
James fought to keep up once more, his robes billowing behind him. "Well, am I?" he asked again.
"I thought running after us through the corridors was punishment enough for James Potter, but thank you for that beautiful presentation anyway," Sirius replied, trying hard to keep a straight face.
"What?!" James exclaimed.
Peter laughed out loud now, patting James on the shoulder in sympathy. "You're forgiven, buddy."
"Why would you go and make me do that then?" He exclaimed in outrage.
"Well," replied Sirius, "I wasn't like I wasn't hurt by what you said."
"I didn't say anything!"
"Right!" Sirius agreed, "But the fact that you didn't contradict Lily Witchy Evans when she called me a git is very hurtful."
"She said you were a git. I couldn't very well go and fight with her for no reason!"
"No reason?" Sirius put a hand on his heart. "I'm devastated. Do you call that no reason? I'm shaking all over."
Peter snickered again.
"When someone calls you a git next time, I'll definitely do something." With that, James put an arm around his shoulders and smiled, as the door to their class became visible.
"Shouldn't that sentence begin with an "If" and not a "When"?" Peter asked in amusement.
"No," replied Remus, "no, it is definitely a 'when'."
"What will you do then?" asked Sirius, raising an eyebrow at his friend.
"For starters, I will defend your honor and call them a git right back," James vowed.
Sirius smirked and entered the classroom, his friends following closely. The room was already full, the students all glancing at them (some with annoyance, the others admiring) as they entered, strolling leisurely to their seats.
"Settle down then," called Slughorn's voice, looking at them with affection and calling out to the rest of the class to open their textbooks.
"Just so you know," Sirius said quietly as they opened their copies of Advanced Potion-Making, "I'm holding you to your word even if it is Lily Witchy Evans."
"Deal!" James promised with a grin.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"What did you just call me?"
"I called you a git. A mean, silly, bully. A git." Elena explained.
Sirius glanced at James in outrage. Now, James Potter was loyal to his bones; that did not mean that he was going to support his friend against his own child when he was, clearly, being a git.
"Mate, stop being a git," he replied, as calmly as he could muster.
"I am not being a git!"
"You, kind of are," Remus added hesitantly.
Sirius's eyes blazed, and he got up and stormed out of the room. They could hear him thundering up the stairs a moment later, and then a door slamming shut. Both James and Remus winced. They could feel Elena Black staring at them suspiciously.
"Ms. Black, we apologize," James said with respect, furrowing his brow. "He's not really like that. I'm not making excuses for him, but he really is a great friend-"
"Who's a great friend?" Ginny asked loudly, interrupting him as she entered with some drinks floating behind her. The butterbeer landed neatly in front of them.
"The one who just left," Elena replied.
"You mean your twin is a great friend?" Ginny asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah..." James took a sip of his drink, gulping hard.
"Okay," she accepted, and sat down, putting her feet up on the table. Elena gave her a dirty look. Ginny only narrowed her eyes in return.
"My house, my rules," she added as a way of explanation.
"I distinctly remember you hexed your brother's feet off the table a month ago," replied Elena, looking amused as she drank her Butterbeer.
"He isn't allowed to put his feet up anywhere. They're disgusting."
"Right," her friend replied, chugging down the last of her drink and standing up. "I better get going now."
"You just came!"
"Yes, well, I just remembered something I had to do," Elena glanced briefly at the boys as she said this, which led them to believe that she might be leaving because of them.
"I'm the only one left being bored and restless, aren't I?" Ginny said sullenly, staring at her bottle miserably.
"I could bring you some paperwork to help me with?" Elena suggested.
"That's a goodbye to you," Ginny smiled a bit too widely.
"I'll walk you to the door," James/Michael offered, standing up as well.
"It's no problem," Elena replied firmly, already moving towards the door.
"Oh, I insist," he replied, following her out of the room. He hoped it would give him a chance to apologize completely and show his friend in a more favorable light.
"Thanks." Elena turned around at the door. "Goodbye then."
"Ms. Black, please wait a moment."
She turned back.
"I know that my brother acted the git to the extreme, and you are not going to believe this, but he actually is a big fan of you. I mean, as an Auror. The way he acted was just because... well, we received a letter from our parents in the morning, and he was kind of worried about them. I can say with certainty that he did not mean what he said, he is just a little... temperamental. I hope you can forget this evening and forgive him."
Elena stared back at him for a full moment before replying. "Mr... Michael, Family is as important to me as it is to you, and your brother's insinuations were unfounded and uncalled-for. I hope you can explain that to him." James nodded respectfully in response. "That being said, I accept your apology."
"Thank you," James said and smiled.
"I need to get going now."
"Of course. Maybe we will see you later?"
"It's possible." And with that, Ms. Black turned and walked away, disappearing from the sight as the pathway curved, leading her to the Apparition point.
James closed the door, and let out a breath through his mouth. He was loyal to the bones, but somehow, dealing with Sirius's daughter seemed like a piece of cake compared to the prospect of dealing with the man himself. Come on Gryffindor bravery, he thought and went back in.
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"James?"
He called out groggily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and sitting up.
"Where are you?"
Even as he stood up and scanned the room, a feeling of dread settled in his stomach. The room was a mess, and there was nobody in sight. He could've sworn he could hear the shouts just moments ago. Still in his pajamas, he went calling out. Down and up the stairs, into all the rooms, and even outside. They were nowhere to be found; there wasn't anybody to be found.
Feeling like he had stepped into an alternate reality, he took out his wand and the Map and performed the spell they had discovered recently, but still couldn't use on a large scale. As he performed the spell, he took the name of his friends, and none of them appeared anywhere on the piece of parchment. Disgruntled, and a little shaken, he sat down on the bed, and his eyes fell upon something strange.
The object was emitting sparks and glowing at the same time, below Sirius's bed. He bent down on his knees to have a better look. It was spinning on its axis, moving around as a tail-like chain wriggled behind it. From his position, he could see tiny cracks all over the glass orb in the middle. He didn't have to be a genius to figure out that it was an object of some power, and that it had something to do with the growing unease in his stomach. Keeping his wand steady in his hand, he slowly advanced his hand for the object.
Light erupted everywhere, and with a scream, Peter Pettigrew disappeared as soon as he touched the Time Turner.
