Chapter 10 - Two intrusive boys
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Remus and Izzie were lying on the carpet in front of the fire, watching the snow fall down outside the window. It was already dark, they finished dinner half an hour ago and were just relaxing. The first week of break had flown by in a blur.
"You know, Sirius and James are trying to convince my parents and his to come over."
"Is that so?" She mused.
"They never put so much effort into seeing me." Remus rolled over, so he was leaning over her. The scar on his face alight in the fire. "He likes you."
Izzie pulled her brows together. "James? No, he likes Lily. The kiss was a drunken mistake."
"I'm not talking about James."
"Sirius?" She rolled her eyes. "He just likes the chase that's all." She caressed his scar. "You're so handsome."
"Oh, Merlin." Remus rolled his eyes now as he chuckled. "You really need a boyfriend."
"I'm good with you, even though you already have a boyfriend." She reached up and kissed the corner of his mouth. That moment, the fireplace roared to life. James and Sirius stumbled out together. They both looked at the scene in front of them. Izzie lying on her back on the floor, reaching up to cup Moony's cheek. Moony was hovering over her with a smile as she appeared to kiss him softly.
James was the one who cleared his throat. They both jumped a little and turned to them in surprise but didn't back away from each other.
"Pads, Prongs! What are you two doing here?" Remus asked, finally pushing himself up. Izzie rolled over to push herself in a sitting position.
"We finally convinced mum and dad to let us come over. Just for a few hours though, but if we're interrupting..." James eyed the both of them.
"Of course not, we were just talking." Izzie said, sitting cross-legged.
"Talking?" Sirius frowned.
Remus shot her a look, that she pointedly ignored before he turned back to his friends. "Besides -" He hesitated as he played with his fingers. Even Izzie eyed him curiously. "I'm seeing someone."
"You what?!" The boys flew forward and dropped down in front of him. Looking shocked and intrigued at their best friend. "Who, how, when?" Sirius said.
"I'll make us some tea." Izzie chuckled.
"I'll help!" Sirius jumped up with a beaming smile. "Don't tell anything without me there." He pointed to his friends, who were already snickering at his excitement to get tea.
Once in the kitchen, Izzie busied herself to make a pot of tea. Remus's parents were upstairs in the library, enjoying some quiet time. "It's nice of you to come see Remus. I know he misses you over break even if he doesn't say it."
"We miss him too." He said as he took a few cups out of the cupboard. "But we're not only here to see him." He winked when he placed them on the counter.
"Oh." She gasped in feint surprise. "Should I go get Mr and Mrs Lupin then? They would love to see you too."
Sirius looked at her as she took the kettle from the fire before he barked out a loud laugh. A smile tugged her lips as she gathered everything to take to the sitting room.
"Allow me." Sirius offered and took it from her hands. "You knew about it, didn't you?" He whispered to her as they walked in. She just grinned as she took a seat on the couch. Sirius planted himself right next to her. "So, tell us everything."
"You sure you want to know?" Remus asked, again looking nervous. Izzie reached over to squeeze his hand. "Okay." He breathed in deep. "We started seeing each other a few weeks ago. We've known each other for a while and things... progressed with a little help of someone." He winked at her.
"Who is she? What's her name?" James was slightly bouncing on his seat.
"I'm not ready for you to know who –" He took in a deep breath. "Who he is."
James stopped bouncing; his mouth slightly dropped open. Sirius was looking at his friend curiously. Izzie kept her grip on Remus's hand, a reassuring fixture.
"You're happy?" Sirius asked, breaking the silence. "He makes you happy?"
"He does." Remus said with a such a dopey smile, Izzie couldn't help but grin at it.
"Then - Good for you, mate." Sirius clapped his back. "If you're happy, we're happy. Right, James?"
"Hm?" James came out of his stare. He looked between Sirius and Remus before nodding. "Of course. You're our friend, Moony. We just want you to be happy."
Remus let out a trembling breath of relief. Izzie let go of his hand as the three of them stood up and hugged each other. With a soft smile, Izzie slipped out of the room, to give them some privacy. Remus and Reggie have been writing letters to each other all break. But seeing who Reg's parents were, they developed a code. That only them, and Izzie could decipher. Izzie pushed the backdoor of the kitchen open and sat down on the steps. Snow tickled her bare feet, sending a shiver down her spine. But the garden looked beautiful and peaceful as it was covered in a white thick blanket.
o
A little while later, she was rubbing her arms to get warm when a warming spell was placed over her. She looked over her shoulder to see Sirius standing there.
"Thanks."
"One of the perks of being seventeen." He grinned, sitting down next to her. "When do you get off age?"
"Not a subtle way to ask when my birthday is, Black." She chuckled. "April 3rd."
"Good." They sat in silence for a while, not uncomfortable but just a relaxed silence. "I've been wondering about something for a while now."
"Oh?" She tilted her head.
"Remember when I found you asleep in the common room after the full moon?" She nodded. "Well, you left your things all over the floor. Guess my surprise was finding the Animagus book between everything else."
"Ah, yes, right." She said turning back to face the snow-covered garden.
"Are you an Animagus?"
"Don't you think if I was, I would be with Remus every full moon?" She asked a little snippy.
"I thought you might've been a beetle or something."
"No." She shook her head. "I've been trying to become one since I found out your plans of becoming Animagi. But I think it's just not meant to be." She sighed, dropping her head in her hands.
"What part do you get stuck on?" He asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She turned her head to look at him. His own black, curly hair was hanging like a curtain around his face as he tipped his head towards her.
She snorted. "Meditation."
"Hm, that was the hardest part for me too. James and Peter got there way before me."
"It's just, I can't seem to clear my head. Every time I try to, things-" Her eyes glazed over as she looked back to the garden. She rubbed her hip subconsciously. "Let's just say, my mind doesn't stay clear."
Sirius took a chance and reached over to take her hands in his. She flinched when his fingers touched her, and he was about to retract when her fingers closed around his.
"I can help, if you want. I know it isn't easy to let things go." His voice was soft.
"I'll -" She squeezed his hand. "I'll think about." She turned to face him. "Thank you."
"Don't I get a kiss?" He tapped his cheek with a lopsided grin that made her stomach flop.
"Not when you ask for it. I like to give them when you don't expect it." She smiled, but quickly ducked her head as a blush rose to her cheeks.
"Then I can't wait to get surprised by you again." He grinned and they both stared up at the crescent moon that peaked through the snowy clouds.
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At New Year's Eve, Izzie was lying on her stomach in Remus's bed working on her potions essay. She heard an excessive gasp from the doorway. She looked up to see Remus walk in with a shocked face.
"Isabelle Miller, doing potions on her free time?" He clutched his heart.
"Oh, bugger off." She tossed a wad of paper at his head, hitting him right between the eyes. Remus sat down next to her. "I'm nearly done."
"But seriously, Iz."
"I promised Sirius I tried to work on it, alright?"
"You - you promised Sirius?"
She lowered her quill and turned her head towards him. "You do remember he's tutoring me, don't you?"
"Yeah, but I-"
"Didn't think he or I would take it seriously."
"I knew you would, Sirius is a surprise if I'm being honest." He grew silent again, with a pensive expression. She just turned back to her essay when he interrupted again. "Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" She said, not looking up. She was only two or three sentences away from finishing it.
"New Year's."
"Don't I look ready?" She gestured absently with her hand over her pyjamas with her free hand.
"I think I forgot to mention our change of plans." Remus voice was suddenly nervous. Izzie turned back to him, her eyes large and her eyebrows high. "We are spending New Years at the Potters. They are having a party."
"And when was this decided?"
"A few days ago." He said looking up at the ceiling.
"Oh, Remus, you and your brilliant brain can forget about the littlest things." She chuckled. "But you can go, I'll keep myself busy here."
"No can do, Iz. They were both adamant you needed to come too. And you know by now, they don't take no for an answer. If I-" He held up his hand as she opened her mouth. "Were to show up alone, they would floo over here and drag you with them."
"Fine, fine. Let me finish this and I'll go change. When do we leave?" She asked turning back to her essay. She felt Remus move on the bed and walked over to the door before he said.
"Ten minutes."
"What?!" She shrieked, but Remus was already out the room. "Coward!" Izzie called after him with a slight smile.
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Fifteen minutes later, too bad for the others they should have given her more time, she arrived downstairs, just as the clock chimed nine. Remus was waiting in front of the fireplace, wearing a dark grey shirt and black jeans.
"You look handsome." Izzie said, tugging on his collar. "Too bad Reggie can't see you in this."
"Maybe another time." He smiled. "You look beautiful."
"Too much?" She asked as she tugged the hem of her simple, black dress.
"No, it's perfect." He said honestly. "Ladies first." He bowed a little and gestured to the fireplace.
Five seconds later, they appeared in the Potter's living room.
Sirius was pacing in front of the fireplace, while James was sitting on a chair, bouncing his leg up and down as he glanced to a grandfather clock. Izzie and Remus had stepped forward, making Sirius slam right into her, making his lose her balance and nearly fell to the ground. But Remus's quick reflexes caught her just in time.
Izzie smiled up at Remus as he straightened her up. Then turned pointedly at Sirius. "Care to look where you going?"
"I'm sorry. You were late and we thought -"
"Five minutes isn't the end of the world, Sirius." She chuckled and clapped his back before she walked over to James, who had jumped up from the couch. "Hey, James." She kissed her cheek.
"Hi, love." He smiled. "Welcome to the Potter home." He gestured his arms wide.
"Why does James get a kiss, and I don't?"
"Because you nearly toppled me to the ground." She huffed with a smile. She turned back to James as Sirius pursed his lips at her. "So, where is this party I'm forced to go to?" She smirked.
"Follow me, milady." James grinned and offered his arm for her.