Thanks for all your reviews, especially MilyMB. Sorry it has taken so long to update (again) but I've had exams. Oh the pressure… lol!
One thing, Andie is Andromeda, in case you don't get that.
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The platform of nine and three quarters was heaving with countless teary parents, excited teenagers and noisy pets, screeching and meowing in distress, as Sirius and Regulus appeared on the other side of the barrier. They had said a formal farewell to their parents that morning, Regulus receiving a kiss from their Mother, Sirius a disappointed shake of the head. Their Father simply ignored Sirius, who didn't mind in the slightest. He had got used to the hurt of being ignored by his parent's years before and it no longer bothered him. Much.
Perkins accompanied them to the station along with Kreacher, who levitated the boy's trunks high in the air in front of them, laughing evilly as people jumped out of the way in fright.
"Where would Master Regulus like me to leave his luggage?" he simpered.
Regulus looked around for his friends. "Uh…"
"There's Andie," Sirius pointed out, nodding his head in her direction. "Hey!" he shouted over, turning a few heads, but luckily hers too. She smiled and went to greet them, leaving Narcissa by an open carriage door.
"Sirius!" she cried, hugging him tightly. "How are you?" There was a something a little too knowing in her eyes which worried Sirius.
"I'm fine," he said shortly.
Andie didn't pursue the subject but greeted Regulus just as warmly as Lucius and Narcissa appeared over her shoulder.
"Sirius," Lucius greeted, not coldly, but the sneer was still there.
He was in the year above Sirius and Andie at school, the same as Bella, whilst Narcissa and Regulus were two years younger. Many people had commented on how strange that the vast majority of the English pureblood children were all born within four years of each other.
Perkins tapped Sirius on the arm. "I must be getting back now, your mother will be expecting me." He smiled at both of the boy's. "Have a good school year," he said and left them, squeezing Sirius' arm in friendship before he left.
"So, Sirius," Lucius purred, turning his back on the girls, who were busy discussing something irrelevant and gossipy with Regulus, who surprisingly liked that sort of thing. "Did you read the Prophet recently?"
Sirius smiled knowingly. He knew exactly what Lucius was talking about. It had been reported recently that shares in gold and Goblin made silver had risen by twenty percent. Lucius grinned in delight as well. They had both inherited their father's interest in shares and economical news, something which James constantly teased Sirius about as in every Sunday edition of the Prophet he would skip to the banking section without even glancing at the headline news. He had explained countless times that his whole future was tied up in those little numbers, and if he prices crashed, the Blacks would lose millions.
Happy to finally have found someone to discuss this with (there was no way on earth he was going to voluntarily open up a discussion with his father) Sirius plunged into deep financial chat with his cousin, earning strange looks from surrounding people who caught snippets of their conversation.
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Remus' point of view.
I found Peter and James straight away after leaving my parents. They were near the far end of the train, chatting about their holidays. As soon as James saw me, he bounded over happily and gave me a huge bear hug. I really must tell Lily how cuddly he is. He'd kill me.
"Get off me James," I laughed. "Hi Peter. How was the holiday?" He'd been dragged off to visit relatives in Ireland. I think his facial expression summed it up. I laughed, glad to be back again.
James was scanning the crown. "I haven't seen Sirius yet. It's five to. He's not usually this late." He stood on his tiptoes, grabbing onto the second year in front to stop over balancing. "Oh… sorry," he said as the girl blushed and ran off. "I'm really- hey! There he is!" he shouted. "Sirius! SIRIUS!"
"For goodness sake James, Shut up! You've got absolutely no pride." Peter grinned, shaking his head in James' direction.
James stood up normally again. "He's coming now. He was really engrossed in a conversation with that dick, Lucius Malfoy." He looked slightly disgusted.
Sirius arrived, squeezing between a tearful mother and her daughter, who both glared at him as he drifted over, in no hurry. As he got closer, I noticed a bruise, half covered by his sweeping fringe.
"SIRIUS!" James roared, loud enough for an owl belonging to a tiny first year to screech and flap its wings in fright. Sirius smiled, but it never reached his eyes. "So, how did you get that bruise?"
James was never one for being subtle or avoiding awkward situations. Today was no exception.
"I walked into the wrong side of an open door," Sirius replied, the ghost of a grin gracing his lips.
"A tad predictable," James asked. "I swear you did that last year."
Sirius shrugged. "I live in a very confusing house." Kreacher coughed, from where he had been standing behind Sirius, levitating his trunk. "Oh, in that one," Sirius muttered to him, gesturing to the compartment we had taken.
There was an odd silence, no one sure about whether to change the subject.
"So," Peter said brightly. "Anyone see any Quidditch in the holidays?" Trust Peter to save the conversation. Good old Wormy. I didn't join in, seeing as I hate the sport and believe whole-heartedly that it only causes division and arguments but the others loved it.
Sirius wasn't joining in as much as usual. I took the opportunity to study him. He looked slightly thinner and more drawn than he did when I bumped into him in Diagon Alley. There were shadows under his eyes, his hair was unkempt (although I think that's just his dress sense) and the fading mark of a split lip. To be honest, it looked as if he had been in a fight. He looked up at me, so I quickly smiled and looked away, embarrassed.
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The whistle blew, so James said goodbye to his parents and Peter to his and they all got on the train, last minute, as usual. Sirius sat by the window opposite Peter, Remus left to joint the prefects in their compartment so James took the seat by the door.
The train pulled out of the station and Sirius' stomach leapt with relief at finally being among those he felt safe with. James pulled out a pack of exploding snap cards, Sirius pulled out a magazine in response so James turned to Peter to play, rolling his eyes. Sirius looked out of the window, as London flashed past… then the surrounding countryside. The compartment lights came on about half way into the journey just as Remus got back form the prefect meeting.
"Got a cold, Sirius?" Remus asked, sitting down opposite James.
Sirius sat up from where he'd been slumped against the window. "Hmmmm? Yeah, a bit." He glanced at the clock and stood up shakily. "I'm just going to go to the toilet. Back in a minute," he said and closed the sliding door behind him.
Remus went back to his book, and James and Peter continued playing gobstones, having tired of exploding snap quite quickly. They were talking about why Puddlemere United had dropped ten points in the league tables and finishing off some snacks bought from the food trolley.
"Do you think Sirius has been acting oddly?" Remus asked, taking the opportunity while Sirius was gone.
"Yes," Peter said at once, exactly at the same time as James went, "No, why?" They looked at each other and laughed.
"Why do you think he's acting oddly?" James asked, taking a large bite out of his fifth pumpkin pasty.
"Well," Peter said, moving a gobstone, "I thought he looked tired and a bit ill, but that might just be me because I've spent the whole miserable holiday stuck in a house with my great uncles and aunts."
Remus smiled. "I thought that too, he's more distracted and a hell of a lot quieter."
James looked puzzled. "I haven't noticed any of that! His jeans are a lot tighter but that's about it."
"For fuck sake James!" Said Peter, laughing. "You're always going on about his jeans! Let him wear them!"
Remus coughed. "I think we're straying slightly from the point-" he began but couldn't finish because Sirius slid open the door again and paused as the conversation abruptly stopped and the other three looked at him, James squinting his eyes slightly as though trying to see something on him.
"Errrrr…" he said, and closed the door again. As he sat down Remus kicked James' leg and glared at him for being so obvious. "What were you talking about?" Sirius asked suspiciously. Actually, Remus thought (and when he mentioned it later to Peter, he agreed) that Sirius looked more relaxed, with more colour in his face.
"Puddlemere United," James said quickly. "Why do you think they've dropped ten points?" And so, much to Remus' annoyance, the conversation returned once again to Quidditch.
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It was dark as the train ploughed on through the countryside, the lights of villages occasionally visible in the distance.
There was a knock at the door and a red headed girl, about their age dressed in Hogwarts robes opened it, looking around for Remus.
"Hello Lily!" James said brightly, staring at her and sitting a little straighter. Peter and Sirius glanced at each other, Sirius hiding a smirk behind his magazine.
She ignored him. "Remus, you're meant to remind everyone to get changes now. We're going to get there in about fifteen minutes."
"Oh, right… well, get dressed you lot," he said half-heartedly. Sirius snorted and went back to the article he was reading.
Lily stood in the doorway for a few more seconds before growing uncomfortable under James' constant gaze. She turned round and marched off.
"I love you!" James shouted after her.
"Piss off!" They heard in the distance.
Remus stood up and pulled out his robes and soon the others followed suit. Sirius and James' were hand tailored to fit their figures, made of softer and lighter material. Peter and Remus stared at them in pretend hatred before sniffing and putting their own on, like they did on the first day of every school year.
The train pulled into the station and the four boys pushed out onto the platform, squeezing through hoards of students to get to the carriages.
"Ah, it's nice to be back," said James as they were jostled and bumped up to the castle which loomed over them, "even if we have to put up with this complete square this year." He glared at Remus' prefect badge. Remus ignored him.
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That night, Sirius lay in bed until he heard the steady breathing of Remus and James, and the low snores of Peter. Quietly, he crept out of bed to the bathroom, and closed the door before turning the light on. He pulled a small back of cocaine out of his pocket and lined some up on the toilet seat. Inhaling it deeply, he felt his heart speed up and then settle again. Breathing in relief, he climbed back into bed again, not before hiding the precious plastic bag under his mattress.
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Finally, another chapter done, so tell me what you think and I'll try and get another one or maybe two up before Christmas.