At 8 o'clock that evening Clara made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Rose had calmed her down from being yelled at for playing the guitar after much muttering of "Bloody git," and "Just trying to liven things up", and told her that the rest of the household had been talking and wanted a meeting in the kitchen that evening to 'discuss' some things. As she got the door she noted that it was quieter than normal.
"Alright. What was it that every-" she stopped mid sentence as she pushed open the door to the kitchen open.
The fire was low on the hearth. The table had been set out with plates of food and candles burned bright in their holders dotted about the room. The kitchen was empty, or so she thought until she saw a figure look up from one of the chairs. Sirius had a rather un-impressed look on his face.
"Eh? Uttered Clara.
Sirius held out a card. Clara stepped forward and took it from his hand. She read it out loud.
"This time you better make up because it's getting bloody annoying and if you don't there'll be trouble. P.S. Mind the candles we don't want a trip to St Mungo's for burns."
Clara looked at it for a moment and then at Sirius. Then she started to laugh. Sirius stared at her for a moment and then his face broke into a smile and he joined her in laughing. After a minute their laughter subsided and Clara sank into a chair opposite him.
"I think they're a bit annoyed with us." Said Clara.
"A bit yeah." Agreed Sirius. "Just a guess you know but I think Rose and Mooney are behind this."
"Well it's Rose's hand writing so yeah I'll have to agreed with you." She laughed. "That's a first." Sirius sighed and laughed again.
"No doubt the others have a part in it."
Clara nodded then something occurred to her. She quickly got up and went to the door trying the handle. It opened. She looked up at Sirius.
"Just checking." Sirius smiled and nodded. "Well they must trust us enough to not lock it. I guess that's good."
"What are we gonna.do then?" Sirius looked down the table.
"Guess there's no point in wasting this."
"I guess not."
Sirius stood up and walked around the table. He inspected the spread set out for them. It was all decidedly frilly. Clara walked up beside him. She reached out and took something from a plate skewered with a cocktail stick.
"So what the hell do you suppose this is?" She asked, holding it to eye level and looking at it curiously.
"I have no idea." Replied Sirius and he threw a glace to a bowl with a strange green liquid inside. "But I don't care what they say that cannot be edible." Clara looked at the bowl.
"I think it might be soup." She picked up a spoon near her hand and prodded it. It rippled slightly. "Dare you to try it." Sirius surveyed her for a second and then the bowl. "Chicken." Joked Clara. He picked up a spoon and shook it at her. "Wrong animal!" He said grinning, then dipped the spoon into the bowl and sipped it. His face twisted.
"Urgh."
"What?" She asked.
"Pea."
Clara let out a laugh and walked further up the table looking at the food. She picked a piece of bread up with some kind of spread on it. She bit into it.
"This one's safe. Quite nice actually." Sirius picked up a piece of the bread and chewed it thoughtfully, leaning back on the table.
"Where do you suppose they are then?"
"Rose be with Lupin you think?"
"It's full moon." Sirius reminded her.
"Oh yeah. He's got that potion Slapped Arse makes for him though hasn't he? Makes him okay?" Sirius snorted at Clara's new nickname for Snape. "I guess he'll have taken it after last night."
"She'll be with him then. A bit of extra hair won't stop her."
"They're very close." Said Sirius.
"Extremely." Clara looked at him. "They're a couple." Sirius looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"He never told, since when?"
"This afternoon when they came back to the house." He looked ahead of him and crossed his arms looking slightly hurt.
"I don't know why he didn't tell me."
"Don't worry. I saw 'em holding hands, were a give away. I dunno how long she would have kept it secret. She was still denying she liked him like that a couple of days ago."
"Really? God it was so obvious with the both of them!" Said Sirius.
"Like a couple of teenagers." Agreed Clara.
He laughed and uncrossed his arms, putting them behind him on the table. Then he let out a yelp of pain. A candle had tipped over, the flame catching his hand and dripping hot wax over it. He swore and clutched at it. "Ouch, come here." Clara said quickly taking him by his un-burnt hand and leading him to the sink.
She turned on the tap and felt the water. She then took Sirius' hurt hand and ran it under the water. He didn't object as she carefully took off the wax that had stuck to the hand. He laughed.
"What?" Asked Clara looking at him.
"Nothing." He replied. "Just a couple of hours ago I'd have been yelling at you because of that." Clara smiled but said nothing. They were quiet for a moment and the sound of the fire and the water filled the room.
"When do you think they'll come checking up on us?" Sirius asked.
"Oh I dunno. But when they do I'll be having words with Rose."
"And Mooney. You can bet this was his bright idea."
"No doubt."
"Still." Sirius paused. "At least were talking."
"Well that's a plus. They'll gloat about that." Said Clara. She smiled at him.
For a moment they stood in silence against. Holding each others gaze. Without warning Sirius lent forward and kissed her. Clara made no effort to resist. Her free hand reached up and brushed his cheek. Suddenly they realized and drew apart quickly.
"Yeah well, err, I think your hand should be aright now." Said Clara running her hand through her hair and turning away. "I'll get you a towel."

"Right. Yeah thanks." Said Sirius distracted, turning off the tap.
Clara picked up a towel from the side and handed it to him. They looked at each other then quickly looked away. Sirius dabbed his hand and winced.
"It'll be fine." He said offhandedly.
"Good." Said Clara shortly not knowing what to say.
"Don't really fancy eating the rest of that now." He said making conversation. Clara shook her head.
"You, you know what. I'm just gonna go and um, I'll go and see where the others are. Maybe they'll want the rest."
"Yeah, okay. Right, no point in it going to waste." Sirius nodded quickly.
Clara turned and rushed out the door. She carefully made her way past Mrs Black's portrait and up the stairs. She stopped when she get to the top. She could hear the children in a room down the corridor laughing. She paused and looked behind her. For a moment she turned and started to make her way back down, but stopped and made her way back up, along the corridor to her room, closing the door quietly behind her.