Part Eight: Tomorrow Belongs to Me
Sirius stared out the window of the Gryffindor Common room. "Gryffindors are supposed to be honorable." He told the room's other occupant. "Blackmail really isn't that."
"True." He could feel Peter's eyes boring into the back of his head. "But Gryffindors are supposed to be loyal as well. Or is your loyalty to your family in this case?"
"My loyalty is to my house." Sirius said as he turned around. "There is no cause for you to doubt that."
Peter waved a piece of parchment at him. "In this letter it appears as if you were meant to befriend Remus, which is certainly something you've done."
"I find him pleasant company." Sirius shrugged. "Just because my mother, who has no real clue of what goes on at school, orders me to befriend a person is no reason for me not to talk to them."
"But how might Remus see it if he finds out that your parents want to advance their political standings over the backs of his family." Peter challenged.
Sirius stared at the other boy amazed. In the two months they had been at Hogwarts he had never known Peter to show this much backbone. He had always came off as James's lackey, someone who couldn't quite keep up, but was there nonetheless.
"I would assume that as the son of a politician he would understand the power struggles inherent in our parents lives." Sirius said off hand. "This can't be the first time someone has tried to use him."
"So you admit to using Remus?" Peter asked loudly.
Sirius narrowed his eyes at the sudden rise in Peter's voice. "I didn't say that. I implied...." his voice trailed off as Lady Stuart-Brahmes proceeded Remus into the Common room. The pale boy refused to meet either Sirius's or Peter's eyes instead choosing to focus all his attention on the demanding kitten.
Peter glared at Sirius for another moment before crossing the room and dropping the letters on Remus's lap with a triumphant grin.
Sirius turned back to the window. He watched the weather for a few minutes before deciding that fresh air would do some good. He hurried out of the common room managing to avoid any eye contact with the Gryffindors who were now gathering in force.
It was a brisk walk to Hagrid's hut, the cool air felt nice to Sirius after the stuffy warmth of the Tower and he spared a thought to hope it would soon snow. The cottage was dark and knocking brought no answer, Sirius kicked some dirt at the door and reviewed his options.
"I don't believe that your parents would think Hagrid good company." Sever came up behind him.
"I don't believe that your parents would think me good company either." Sirius sighed. Severus reached out and turned the other boy around to face him. "I am beginning to think our parents wrong on many counts." Sirius refused to meet the taller boy's eyes.
"Familial loyalty is not to be questioned." Severus said softly.
Sirius snorted. "Look around you, whose going to know if we don't follow every order?"
"It might be like that in Gryffindor," Severus replied. "But I have my sister and others to watch me in Slytherin."
Sirius started and looked around as if one of his cousins might pop out of the shrubbery. Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm a Slytherin I wasn't followed and neither were you." Sirius relaxed. "But I think somewhere other than out in the open would be a better place to talk."
Sirius nodded and followed the other boy back to the castle. Severus lead him into the dungeons before opening a door and motioning Sirius inside.
"What is going on with you and Lupin?" Severus questioned the moment the door closed. "A letter from my father indicated that there might be certain advantages in allying myself with him, but from your attitude it seems that your friendship is genuine."
"I received letters telling me to befriend Remus, learn his father's secrets and turn them over to my parents." Sirius admitted.
"And this didn't run contrary to your Gryffindor solidarity?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You think I would really do it?" Sirius looked hurt. "How many times have I given away your secrets?"
"Truce." Severus held up his hands. "Be thankful you are not in Slytherin."
Sirius raised his eyebrow. "How now?"
"Secrets are a commodity and are often not kept for long unless there is something for everyone involved." Severus smiled coldly. "A hidden cache of books that one doesn't want one's parents to know he owns might be blackmail fodder within a fortnight"
"It's a good thing then that we've always exchanged confidences." Sirius joked weakly.
"True," Severus sighed. "So mind telling me what had you breaking ranks this afternoon? I thought things had become warmer between you and the rest of the rabble."
"Pettigrew found my parents' letters." Sirius look down at the floor. "He then gave them to Remus."
"Ah," Severus nearly laughed. "They'll come around again. You are all too Gryffindor to be upset with each other for long."
"Severus?" Sirius looked hard at his friend. "Are we children?"
"Of course we are!" Severus looked at him as if he had grown fur and a tail. "Why would you ask something like that?"
"I listen to the others talk about things like action figures, dolls, Nursery Rhymes, camping trips, family vacations to places like the US, Canada and France." Sirius looked past Severus. "And I have to wonder what life would be like if we had had those things."
Severus stood still as if he were ingesting something that didn't quite agree with him.
"I wonder sometimes," Sirius continued. "I wonder if any of the other students here have to play the same kind of games that we do. If anyone else is constantly looking over their shoulders in case they've broken one of the rules."
"I don't think so." Severus said softly. "But we are the Privileged class."
"Privileged?" Sirius's voice dripped with scorn. "I haven't seen my mother in two months, yet I still hear her voice in my head sometimes. Always telling me that I don't measure up. Always criticizing something about me. I challenge you to tell me you don't hear the same."
"It's a challenge that we both know I'd fail." Severus said dryly.
Both boys stood in silence.
"Your roommates will begin to suspect you traitor again." Severus smiled. "So do you stay or go to allay their minds on that point."
"I go, I go." Sirius returned the smile. "Though not without sounding piratical."
Severus's smile got a little wider, before he stepped through the door and left.
--
Sirius breathed a sigh of relief as he took the last turn out of the dungeon and into Hogwarts proper. He had bumped into none of the Slytherins and was therefore saved the humiliation inherent in being found among them.
'Though why one would want to live in the subterranean reaches of this building is beyond me.' Sirius gave a mental smirk. 'Perhaps they are the earth burrowing types, thriving on dirt and all that.' The image that the thought provided nearly made Sirius fall over laughing. 'God forbid there ever be a claustrophobic Slytherin. They wouldn't last a day down there.'
"You seem to be in a rare mood." Sirius jumped as McGonagall exited one of the classrooms he was passing and fell into step with him. "Have you three found a spell yet?"
"No Professor." Sirius admitted. "We've tried a number of spells but nothing has worked yet."
The Head of Gryffindor sighed, "May I show the Headmaster the bottle shards? He might know where I am failing in providing you reading material."
Sirius blinked, he was unused to having the power to grant permission. "Certainly professor." He smiled at her.
"Good." She smiled back. "Run along to dinner, I didn't see you at lunch and you must be hungry."
Sirius's stomach let out a noise of agreement and he blushed as he hurried along to the Great Hall. Just outside the doors he stopped. 'Dinner. That means that Remus and the rest will already be there. Peter will no doubt have told James everything and he will have gone back to hating my guts again.'
"Sirius!" James called from across the anteroom. "I was looking for you!"
James ran to Sirius's side, narrowly missing Lily and Joelle who had been deep in some conversation.
"James." Sirius acknowledged the myopic boy with some trepidation.
James smiled. "Come on and tell me where you were while we eat. Remus has been looking for you all afternoon. He even promised me some Muggle money if I found you first."
"And what are you going to use Muggle money for?" Sirius asked as he followed James to the Gryffindor table.
James shrugged. "I'll think of something."
Sirius rolled his eyes and looked over to the Slytherin table. Lucius Malfoy was talking to the Headboy as Narcissa draped herself by his side.
'If one didn't know better one might think she was a simple porcelain doll.' Sirius reflected, he of course knew better; having been on the receiving end of a good few of her hexes. 'And the ministry never would dare reprimand a Black for underage magic use. Makes one wonder if Hogwarts knows about all those times 'cissa and 'trix have practiced outside of school.'
"Oi!" James punched his arm. "Are you still on Earth or do we need to send out a search party?"
Sirius creased his forehead in thought. "What?"
"Are you paying any attention at all to what I'm saying?" James said very slowly.
"No." Sirius said. "So what were you saying?"
James sighed. "I asked you three times if you knew what Remus wanted you for."
"No." Sirius shook his head.
"Are you sure?" James sounded disappointed. "You do know that you have to tell the truth, right?"
Sirius looked at James. "Why is that?"
"I asked you three times." James told the darker boy as if it should have been obvious.
Sirius glanced around to see if anyone else would help him figure this one out. "So?"
"Third time's the charm!" James grinned.
'That is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.' Sirius mentally laughed as he forked food into his mouth. 'There is no real binding in that so called charm, only what friends have agreed to.'
'But James is my friend' Sirius's fork froze. 'So the charm is binding.'
Sirius swallowed his food. "I can guess why he wants to see me."
James, whose mouth was full, gestured for him to go on.
"When my aunt sent the Lady Stuart-Brahms to me, my parents each sent a letter. Both of them nearly ordered me to become friends with Remus, seeing how he was the only 'fit' company in our room." Sirius dared a glance at James to see how the other boy took that phrase. James surprised him by merely nodding for him to go on. "Peter got ahold of these letters somehow and we had a confrontation regarding what to do. Remus over heard us and Peter gave him the letters."
Another glance at James revealed that the other boy was merely looking thoughtful. "Did any of the Slytherins receive similar instructions?"
"I would imagine so, but I don't really talk to them." Sirius looked down at his plate again.
James was silent for a moment. "That explains some of my recent Slytherin encounters."
Sirius looked at him again. 'The oddest thing about this is that he isn't accusing me of being in league with them.'
James caught his look and smiled. "So what happened after Remus read the letters."
"I don't know." Sirius sighed. "I didn't stay around to see."
"Well no wonder he was willing to give up part of his collection for your safe return!" James grinned. "He wasn't angry you know."
"Why wouldn't he be?" Sirius asked. "I've basically betrayed him."
James stood up. "I think you have to ask him that."
Sirius hesitated.
"Come on!" James called as he strode away. "Are you a Gryffindor or not?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked when he caught up.
"Well, it takes a brave man to tell his friend that he was ordered to befriend him." James grinned.
Sirius swallowed and followed the other boy back to the tower feeling like he was being led to his execution.
End Notes:- James, well if one is a leader, as we were told James was, he has to start somewhere. So no, I do not think he is out of character.
- Yes, they have been in detention for all two months, just not every night.
-Please Review.
