Again I turn Around to You

Part Fifteen: What did happen?

Remus greeted the return of his three roommates to Hogwarts with only slightly less enthusiasm as the Lady Stuart-Brahmes displayed. They were both waiting on the steps of Hogwarts as the coaches pulled up from the station. James, who had managed to drag Sirius away from both his family and Severus, nearly bowled over half a dozen students in his rush to Remus's side.

"How was your holiday?" Remus asked in a bemused voice as Sirius and Peter joined them in the Entrance Hall.

"Busy," Peter sighed, cutting James off from replying. "I only got half of my homework done."

"I'm sure you'll have time to do the rest over the weekend." Remus assured the smaller boy as the group headed for the Great Hall.

"I'm not," Peter declared glumly. "I can't make head or tails of our Defense assignment. Do you think you think you might have time to help me?"

"Of course." Remus smiled.

Peter smiled back and hurried to find a seat at the Gryffindor table.

"He asked me for help on the train," James mentioned as the other three continued at a more sedate pace. "But he quickly remembered the last time I helped."

"Who could forget Professor Andrew's singed eyebrows." Remus smiled patiently before turning to the silent member of the group. "How was your Holiday Sirius?"

"Bright and cheery." Sirius forced a smile. "I met your parents at the Crabbe Party."

"My mother mentioned that in a letter." Remus laughed. "She said that she was much happier knowing I had friends like you here."

'A friend like me?' Sirius puzzled as they sat down. 'We didn't exactly talk all that much, maybe it was something my father said?'

"Hey!" James yelled in his ear. "Watch where you put those mashed potatoes."

Sirius gave the boy an apologetic look.

"You sure think a lot." James grinned. "And you tend to drift when you do."

Across from James Remus rolled his eyes. "There is nothing wrong with thinking, it's gotten Sirius to the top of our year so far."

"I am?" Sirius tilted his head. "When did they post our first term grades?"

"Over the Holidays," Remus informed them. "You happen to be sixth in potions, but first in everything else."

"Peter," James caught the blonde's attention. "You should ask Sirius to help you with that Defense paper."

"Um, no." Peter's eyes widened briefly and the blond shook his head emphatically. "Remus said he would help and that is enough for me."

'Now this is a complete reversal of the way things were over the Holidays. Then he wouldn't leave me alone.' Sirius mused. 'Wonder what happened.'

"Stop thinking." James pleaded next to him. "You've finished your Holiday assignments and we don't have class until Monday. You don't need to think about anything."

"But James," Sirius smiled. "If I stopped thinking I would run the risk of being unable to restart. I mean, just look at you."

Remus grinned. "He has a point there Potter."

James shrugged. "Thinking is overrated."


Sirius left the Great Hall before dinner was over. He hadn't slept well under his parent's roof and still had that nights dose of the potion to take. He was nearing the stair to Gryffindor tower when he felt a wave of Magic coming from one of the nearby corridors.

"Take that back!" Sirius couldn't see what was going on yet but he recognized that voice from the many taunts it had directed at him as a child.

"I'd rather die!" Another voice shouted. "You and your sister are whores!"

"Your death can be arranged." Lucius Malfoy's voice was calm in comparison to his fiancee's and her tormentor's.

"The Black sisters are merely fortune hunting bitches whose blood is barely pure enough to be acceptable."

Another wave of magic came from the byway and Sirius peeked around the corner somewhat afraid of what he might see. Lucius stood with his wand pointed at a seventh year Slytherin.

'Macnair.' His mind provided.

Bellatrix was no where to be seen, which was odd as he hadn't seen her since the Christmas Ball. At the time he had merely shrugged it off as being a good thing, but now he wasn't entirely sure. Narcissa stood slightly behind her future husband, her beautiful face contorted in anger.

"The Black family has never been in need of 'Fortune Hunting.'" Lucius sneered. "As for the purity of their bloodline, no mudblood has married into the family for at least to centuries."

"I noticed that you had no response to their being whores." Macnair taunted. "We all saw that slut making a fool of herself by playing it up to that half-breed Riddle."

"Take that back!" Narcissa attempted to lunge at the offending boy, but Lucius's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Alcohol makes people do odd things," Lucius said silkily. "Wouldn't you agree?"

A slightly confused expression crossed Macnair's face.

"That and marijuana can make one do very interesting things," Lucius continued. "Like kissing someone, or something, rather unsuitable."

Macnair's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Continue you're accusations of my fiancée and her sisters in public and you will find out." Lucius promised with steel in her voice.

Macnair, choosing not to press the issue, turned on his heels and left the hall.

"I'll kill him!" Narcissa growled.

"No you will not." Lucius's voice was ice cold. "Neither of us needs more scandal. Especially after the way your sister acted at Christmas."

Sirius moved as close as he could without alerting the two Slytherins to his presence. He couldn't imagine Andromeda doing anything with Riddle, so that meant that 'Trix was involved; and any dirt on Bellatrix was something he wanted to know.

"Whose fault was it that she was in such a state?" Narcissa's sweet tone grated Sirius's ears.

"We should not argue fault here." Lucius moved away from his intended. "She is the one in disgrace."

"Even more so than Sirius in Aunt's eyes." Narcissa laughed.

"Let us retire to our common room." Lucius extended his arm toward her. "It is much to public here to continue our discussions."

The two Slytherins left the area leaving Sirius to think about what had happened. 'To bad neither actually said what happened. I'll just have to ask Severus.'

--

A twinge of pain hastened Sirius's steps as he climbed to the first year dorms. He grimaced as he opened the door to find James already there.

"I was surprised when I got here before you, I thought you were tired." James smiled. "You stop at the library?"

"I am tired." Sirius sighed moving to his trunk. "And no I didn't stop at the library, I ran into my cousin."

James sat up straight at that, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Sirius sighed. "She just wanted to vent."

"Ah," James nodded sympathetically. "To have a large family."

"Not that you would know anything about that." Sirius's hand closed around the potions bottle. "Aren't you the only child of only children?"

"That is my sad fate." James threw his arm over his face dramatically.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go wash up." He stood up holding the potions bottle under his change of clothes.

James fell back on his bed and waved him out of the room.

Sirius felt his muscles tighten again and all but sprinted toward the washroom.


End Notes:

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