Part Twenty: The Ties that Bind
Sirius stilled from his restless tossing the moment he felt the bed give underneath someone else's weight.
"Sirius?" A whisper came out of the darkness.
"Yes James?" He whispered back.
"Lumos." Sirius shaded his eyes as James's wand flooded his bed with light.
"Did you have to do that?" He snapped.
"Sorry," James mumbled.
Sirius sighed. "So what brought you on this midnight visit?"
"Its not midnight," James protested. "It is One Thirty."
"James," Sirius said warningly. "It is late, I'm tired. Get to the point."
"I'm going to miss you." James said after a moment.
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "This couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
"No!" James shook his head. "We only have a week left to school and I'll miss you when the summer break begins."
"James," Sirius yawned. "We'll both be back next year."
"But you're going to be resorted." James wailed. "You might not be back with us!"
"James," Sirius put a hand on the other's arm in an attempt to quiet him. "We can still be friends no matter what house we are in."
James sniffled. "You'll promise me?"
"I promise that we'll always be friends not matter our House," Sirius smiled. "After that adventure all over the castle how could you doubt?"
Sirius's bed curtain was pushed aside. "Is this a private conversation?" Remus said sleepily.
"Not really," Sirius replied as he reached out to hold the curtain open some more. "Come on in."
Remus crawled onto the bed next to James, "You should cast a silencing spell if you're going to talk so loud."
' I just knew that James was going to wake someone up.' Sirius cringed, 'besides me that is.'
"Did we disturb you?" James asked politely.
"No," Remus shook his head. "I was up anyway. When I saw you come over to Sirius's bed I thought that I might be welcome as well."
"You're always welcome," Sirius yawned, his restlessness of earlier seemed to be leaving him.
"You'll promise?" Remus said, unknowingly echoing James.
"I promise you'll always be welcome in my bed." Sirius intoned.
"You're the best." James grinned and hugged Sirius.
"We all are." Remus corrected.
"So what's your summer plans," Sirius stifled another yawn.
"We're off to France." James bounced once, making Remus and Sirius move as well. "We're going to visit my mother's best friend, we do it every summer."
"My family is staying on the Isle." Remus said quietly. "I'll probably see you at the Malfoy - Black wedding."
Sirius stuck out his tongue. "Don't remind me. I hate weddings, you have to get all dressed up and sit for hours, and then the food isn't even really good."
"Hey!" James pouted. "If you two are both going to this wedding, why didn't my family get an invitation?"
"Need I remind you what my mother thinks of you and yours?" Sirius shrugged. "You are upstart mushrooms with nothing to recommend yourselves except an ability to do trade."
"Does that mean you won't be allowed to see me during my brief stay in England?" James's pout became more pronounced.
"Not with out a miracle occurring." Sirius grinned. "Who knows though, it could happen."
"I wouldn't hold my breath for it though," Remus advised.
"At least you are going to get to see him." James grumbled.
Remus shrugged again. "It isn't like his mother knows what I look like."
"Brilliant!" James stood up. He was somewhat unstable on the soft mattress. "I, James Potter, will pretend to be Remus Lupin so that I may see Sirius Black this summer."
"Only one problem with that." Sirius piped up. "You look nothing like either of Remus's parents."
James fell onto the mattress. "Magic? An illusion? Polyjuice?"
"Not only is our House protected against such things as Illusions, but there is the underage magic whatsit to consider," Sirius gently reminded him. "But cheer up a little. It's only for two and a half months. Then we'll be back here and friends again."
"I'll write." James declared. "And honk if you can't write back."
"A joke, I presume?" Remus inquired.
"A joke." James sighed.
"A joke." Sirius repeated, he was struggling to keep his eyes open.
"Don't yawn." James commanded before yawning himself. "It's making me tired."
"You're the one who was so full of energy moments ago." Remus murmured.
"Energy gone." James said woefully. "Tired now."
"Me too." Sirius yawned. He leaned back against his pillow, intending to throw his roommates off his bed in a mater of seconds....
"Sirius?" Peter's voice made Sirius wake up suddenly.
'God I'm so tired. I feel like I've been weighted down.'
"Yes?" He croaked out loud.
"James and Remus are gone!" The panic in Peter's voice made Sirius shake his head. 'Trust Good Old Peter to overreact.'
"They're probably at Breakfast." Sirius called unwilling to leave the warmth of his bed.
"No, I already went down to the Great Hall to look for them." Peter whined.
"What's the problem?" James's voice asked tiredly.
"James!" Peter exclaimed throwing aside the bed curtains.
Sirius felt the weight on his legs shift. "What's the commotion?" Remus asked blinking at the last of their roommates.
"You and James weren't in your beds!" Peter accused.
James shrugged. "So?"
"I was worried!" Peter frowned at the boy.
"Peter," James soothed. "What could have happen to us? We're in Hogwarts?"
Peter's frowned became more pronounced. "I was worried." He repeated stubbornly.
"Next time we have a late night talk that we all fall asleep at we'll remember to leave you a note." Sirius sighed.
"You could have joined us if you were up." Remus offered.
"You're sorta dead to the world when you sleep though." James shrugged.
Peter sighed and his frown disappeared. "Do you guys like me?"
"Why would you ask that?" James demanded.
"Well," Sirius could tell that Peter was on the verge of tears. "You went exploring with out me, and now you've spent the night together with out me."
"We don't mean to exclude you." James cried as he flung his arms around the smaller boy.
"But you do!" Peter did burst into tears this time. "And then I get so worried!"
"I'm sorry," James hugged Peter closer.
"I'm sorry too." Remus said as he joined in the hug.
Sirius looked at his roommates with a certain amount of doubt.
'The smallest touches between the closest of friends is allowed.' His mother's instructions came unbidden into his mind. 'But never loose yourself so completely as to embrace another person in Public.'
'But you aren't in Public.' His mind supplied. 'You are in your room with your roommates.'
'One of them might tell someone else.' His more rational side quivered.
'That is a risk that you're going to have to take.' He told himself, firmly over ruling the other voice. 'These are your Friends.'
Slowly Sirius moved forward and opened his arms to the others. He was pulled in close by James and Remus.
"Friends?" James asked, looking at them each in the face.
"Friends," Peter sniffed.
"I feel like a blood oath is in order here." Remus joked.
"An excellent idea." James sounded delighted. "You research it over the summer and we'll do it!"
Sirius felt a cold rush pass through him.
Peter's face had paled as well. "Blood?" He squeaked. "Blood makes me feel faint."
James pouted. "Come and face it like a true Gryffindor."
"Isn't Blood Magic considered part of the Dark Arts?" Sirius asked quickly.
James face fell and he turned to Remus. "Is it?"
Remus shook his head and looked at Sirius. "I'm surprised at you. I would have thought that you of all people would be aware that while most blood magic is indeed classified as Dark, there are a fair number of Light spells that also require blood. Simple Blood Oaths being among them."
"Ick." Peter shuddered.
"I agree." Sirius said. It was the first time he had ever agreed with Peter and the blond boy shot him a startled look.
James sighed. "You two are no fun."
"I'm beginning to think that is your favorite phrase." Remus teased.
"How can I help but say it all the time when two of our number always rain on the parade." James protested.
"Can we just forget the Blood oaths and go to breakfast?" Peter asked as his stomach spoke up.
"Fine." James groaned. "Just give us a chance to get dressed."
End Notes:
- Exactly what is Sirius's problem with Blood Rites? Stay tuned.
- Please Review
