The noise in the common room was almighty as everybody tried to catch up on the summer. The first and second years had run up to their dorm rooms and the older students were quickly following.
"Sirius, you coming up then?"
"In a minute, James!"
With a grunt he went up the stairs following Remus and Peter. The girls were sat in the comfy chairs by the fire. Ginny and Alice were still chatting with Frank and Joseph while Lily and Branwen were talking together quietly.
Sirius placed his hand on Amanda's shoulder and using his other hand forced her to meet his eyes.
"You'll be fine tonight Mand, no guys can get up to the girls dorm, I'll see you in the morning, alright?"
She nodded her response but didn't take her eyes from his. He hugged her and kissed her cheek and quickly headed up to his dorm room.
Inside the other three were sitting on Remus and James' beds.
"So what's going on between you and Mand then, Sirius?"
He took a seat on James' bed and made a cocky smile at them.
"We're eloping at Christmas because we're so madly in love."
"Really, can I come?"
James and Remus exchanged a look and tried not to laugh as Sirius looked closely at Peter.
"No Pete, I'm joking. Nothing is happening between Mand and me. We're just friends and that's it."
The room fell silent and Sirius got ready to climb into bed.
"Sirius, what's happened to Amanda; she's not herself."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Remus muttered something as Peter climbed under his duvet. James however was the closest to Sirius and answered him.
"Really. You didn't notice how pale she is?"
"Well she hasn't been out all summer her mother has had her in the library everyday going over the things a young woman should know. You know, the best way to act as the perfect wife."
"Okay then what about her hair it's all matted she'd never normally be seen like that?"
"James she slept the entire way to Hogwarts and then didn't brush her hair before she came in, that's why it looked matted."
James raised an eyebrow and looked towards Remus. He nodded and asked the next question.
"Her uniform! It's all loose that isn't normal."
"Well she said she felt a bit fat and so she's made it loose, I told her there was no need, but you know what girls are like."
They fell silent for a moment and then Peter spoke up.
"She only ate two mouthfuls of dinner and that's not like her, she eats like us normally. Anything and everything!"
"Like I said she thinks she's put weight on so that's why she didn't eat much; I had to force her, but don't comment on it to her face, alright?"
Sirius put his head on the pillow and was about to draw the curtains when he heard the last comment.
"She clings to you like a lost child, like if she lets go the world is going to attack her. Why's that?"
Sirius sat up and looked over at Peter, he was curled up under his covers and looked like he was asleep and yet out of all of them he had asked the critical question.
"She doesn't cling to me, so we were holding hands it isn't any different to how we were before."
Remus had, at this point climbed, under his own duvet and James had taken his glasses off. They both wore looks almost identical of disbelieving but reminded quiet; it was again Peter who spoke up.
"You can pretend that everything is fine Sirius, but its not and sooner or later the truth will come out; it always does."
Then there was a loud snore and Peter was asleep, the other three just stared at his space and then Sirius pulled his curtains close.
"Goodnight."
Without waiting for a response he fell asleep for the first time in weeks alone.