Chapter 92
Drag
Sirius pretended like nothing had even happened. He didn't get hurt when Regulus tossed the picture and letter at him and walked off without looking back, he didn't get frustrated when Regulus didn't so much glance at him at lunch that day, and he most certainly didn't expect anything to change between them.
Maybe if he kept telling himself that eventually he'll believe it. His friends most certainly wouldn't though.
That's why they found themselves in The Three Broomsticks sipping butterbeer at seven o'clock that night. Madam Rosmerta not caring in the slightest that they weren't allowed to be there on tuesday nights, as long as they paid their tab. They were actually some of her most reliable customers, always paying, always behaved (compared to many of her other customers their age anyway), and always left a good tip. She wasn't likely to kick them out over something as inconsequential as school rules. Not unless Dumbledore himself came to collect them.
The boys spent some time in the pub, Sirius unabashedly flirting with the waitress. And then left for the rest of the town. Not going anywhere in particular, just avoiding the Shrieking Shack, for reasons that only Remus really knew. They walked down the street stopping for a while at Zonkos spending more money there than they would have spent anywhere else, (more money than Remus would ever have admitted to his parents.)
They found themselves in front of the Hogs Head with no actual intention to go in when Sirius went rigid, and he noticeably hid behind James.
His out of character action had them all nervous before they even knew why.
A man stood in the entrance looking directly at the ponytailed teen, his expression unreadable.
"Who is he?" Remus whispered when James moved to place himself directly between the man and Sirius, his hazel eyes were tight in a glare and refused to break contact.
The man entered the bar with an amused smirk on his face and Remus could hear others inside greeting him with reverence.
"Who was that?" Remus asked again, Sirius' eyes stayed on the road beneath him succeeding only to increase the werewolf's apprehension.
"Voldemort." James replied without hesitation, his eyes still on the door of the pub.
Remus gave a sharp inhale, reaching out his arm to grip Sirius' arm.
"You okay?" Remus asked. Sirius nodded quickly, but didn't look as good as he claimed to be.
James finally turned and lead them back to the front of The Three Broomsticks distance easing their minds only a little. "What was he doing here of all places?"
"I don't know, but I don't like it." Sirius answered hesitantly. "I don't want him anywhere near here."
"Maybe we should tell Professor Dumbledore." Remus suggested, not fond of the idea as it almost guaranteed them a detention, being out so late, but knowing it was the right thing to do.
"That's true. If he's here than Dumbledore needs to know." James agreed looking back in direction of the Hog's head, his nerve steeled from the encounter with possibly the most dangerous wizard on the planet.. "Come on, Si. The sooner we get out of here the better."
Sirius nodded in agreement, following him back inside the bar where Madam Rosmerta greeted them again. He was shaken but it took more than a look to get him scared. He was stronger than that, Remus knew, and he seemed determined to show it. Remus tried not to notice that Sirius' hands were shaking.
They snuck through the passage behind The Three Broomsticks and didn't make a sound as they reentered the school. Their nerves on high alert by the time they reached the teacher's lounge where Remus managed to get Professor Merrythought's attention without entering and James convinced to get her to take them to see Dumbledore. McGonagall was there, but she would have insisted they tell her rather than let them interrupt the headmaster.
They climbed the spiraling staircase still in a silence that was unusual for them. James stayed by Sirius' side, knowing the other was more shaken up than he was willing to admit. Professor Dumbledore was thankfully alone and was quick to dismiss the DADA teacher to give them some privacy.
The headmaster sighed. "You know, I am under the firm belief that the four of you are the cause of Minerva's recent headache streak." He said, sounding stern, but also with understanding and even a little bit of humor in his eyes.
"We didn't do anything this time, Sir." James defended quickly knowing exactly what Dumbledore was referring to.
"Oh, really?" He looked at them over his half moon glasses.
"Well technically we did, but that's not what we're here about." James ran a hand through his hair his mischievous smile peeking out through his normal innocent one.
"That sounds more feasible." Dumbledore agreed, a small smile on his lips.
"Voldemort is at the Hog's Head." Sirius blurted out without a semblance of tact. His eyes betrayed his nerves and his mind continued to replay his old dreams in his head.
"Is that so? I suppose he would be more likely to stop there rather than the Three Broomsticks, though that would make him stand out more."
It was not the reply they were expecting. Something like calm fury or an instant lockdown is more like what they expected.
"You were expecting him, Sir?" James asked catching on first. He wasn't sure how to process the idea that Dumbledore invited a man like that into their school. Surely that wasn't the case.
"Indeed, he has an appointment. However I do believe it will be perfectly safe for you and the rest of the students in the school. He won't harm anyone on my watch, I promise."
"But Sir, he..."
"I am aware of what he is, James."
"There are others." Remus added, deciding to interrupt before James could continue arguing with the Professor. He wasn't particularly fond of finding out what the most powerful wizard in the world would do if his patients was put to the test. And James had a particular knack for doing just that.
"Others?" Dumbledore repeated, looking up at Remus from the tops of his half-moon glasses.
"Yes, sir. There were others inside the bar. I heard them speaking to him from outside." Remus admitted, not that Dumbledore hadn't already figured out that they'd been out of grounds.
"I see, I did not expect him to bring his friends. However, my point still stands. He is here with my knowledge, and I am most certainly not going senile, James."
James ran a hand through his hair and chuckled, no longer looking at the professor.
"Sir, if I may ask..."
"I believe he wants a job, I in no way intend to give it to him. But there are words I must speak to him. Does that help any, Sirius?"
"A job? Here? Why? He's not... trying to recruit, is he?"
"It doesn't matter what his reason is, he will be here, but he will not be getting what he seeks, I believe that is all you need to know. Thank you for the warning boys. Ten points for Gryffindor each I think, it's good to know we teachers aren't the only ones watching out for the well being of this school. And, I think I'll choose not to ask what you boys were doing in Hogsmeade tonight, yes I think that's a good idea... you?
"Yes, sir." The four of them said in unison with varying degrees of excitement, before they made to leave the office.
"Oh, and Sirius." The headmaster called, just before they shut the door.
"Um, yes, sir?"
"It might be best if you stay in your dormitory this evening. Don't be wandering around the castle."
"Oh ah, yes, sir." Sirius nodded before quickly leaving. Remus wasn't even going to guess how the headmaster had known about Sirius' previous encounter with Voldemort.
When they piled back into their dormitory Remus convinced Sirius to play chess with him. Knowing full well that the latter wanted to go directly to bed and pretend nothing had happened, but the werewolf also knew Sirius' tendency for nightmares and wondered if maybe a calming game of chess before bed would help his friend sleep. It wasn't much, but it was worth a shot.
Whether it was the chess game, or James and Peter's silly cheers throughout the game causing him to laugh out loud every five minutes, he didn't know, but Sirius found himself having no trouble sleeping that night. His dreams filled with James and Peter in muggle cheerleading dresses...
He wasn't sure whether that was a nightmare, or blackmail material.
A/N) Hi again. ^_^ I just realized I never finished my Maruader fanfic pet peeves, so here's number 1
DududuDaaaaaaaaa***** NUMBER 1******
1. Sirius being a player
I loath Marauder stories where the only thing Sirius thinks about is dating/social/sex life. Loath it with a passion. I understand that he has pictures of muggle girls and motorcycles in various states of undress hanging up in his room. I get that. I also know, however, that Sirius likes to irritate is family and there's very little pictures with muggles and motorcycles where it isn't a female in a bikini or barely-there shorts. And even more importantly that in Snape's memory Sirius wasn't winking at the girl who was staring at him (who by the way is the same chick who I had ask Remus out to get closer to Sirius... I just thought I'd mention that cuz I think it's funny) the book specifically says he didn't even notice the girl despite her being right behind him and was silently talking to James instead. It was also James who kept watching a group of girls playing in the water and showing off for them, Sirius just told him to cut it out cuz Peter was getting on his nerves. That doesn't much sound like a perv or a player. The only female I can think of that he's even interacted with was Molly and that was just to argue. I hate when authors turn him into a shallow perv. I have never, never seen this done well or made believable, and it will cause me to leave the story immediately no matter how good the writing or interesting the plot.
Honorary mention (because I didn't think about it when making the list)
James being a seeker, I know I know it's bad. The movie does flat out say that James was a seeker... so it really shouldn't bother me that much. But Rowling has specifically stated she meant for James to be a chaser. I see a story where he's a seeker and I simply sigh at the the author's inability to do their research, but when I see a story where he's a chaser and I cheer for the actual fan who wrote the story. When I see a story where James is a chaser and for one reason or another he's forced to play the part of seeker and manages to get a trophy for it... well that author has extra points for going above and beyond the call of duty...
hehe I said duty.