Chapter 10

It was an awkward, silent moment. One which Sirius and Harry had rarely ever had—until now. Harry kept his eyes downward, mainly focusing on his hands. He had nothing to say, but it wasn't that he didn't want to say anything. It was just that he couldn't. He couldn't find any words to say; his brain was completely blank.

Sirius, on the other hand, wasn't staring at his hands. He was staring at Harry's face—or rather, head—and hoping desperately for him to say something. When it was clear that Harry was going to stay silent, Sirius decided to speak.

"Can you please say something?"

A simple request.

Harry looked up at Sirius. "I did."

"Now, I mean. It's too quiet."

"You were the one not saying anything when I asked you if you told Allyson that you were a wizard. You said nothing and left me to figure it out for myself," Harry pointed out. His face hardened as he continued to stare at his godfather. "Sirius—please answer me honestly—did … did you tell Allyson about Remus and I when you told her about yourself?"

Again, just as before, Sirius said nothing—which explained everything. Harry looked away from him, running his fingers through his hair.

"So you did." It came out quiet; soft. Harry made sure he didn't make the same mistake as he continued. "How could you do that? You don't have the right to tell her that! You know I didn't like her in the first place! And Remus? You told her about Remus, as well? It's his own bloody business, it should be him telling her, not you. That goes for me, too."

Sirius seemed to be getting just as angry as Harry. "You watch your language! Where do you get off speaking to me like that, Harry? I raised you better."

"Did you?" Harry said his eyebrows raised. He stood up abruptly. "Did you really?" He narrowed his eyes at Sirius; his teeth clenched together. He tried to refrain himself from saying what he did next, but he was so angry, he didn't care. "I'd rather live with the Dursleys than with you."

He had expected Sirius to snap. Completely break. To go ballistic, demanding for him to apologise. But he didn't. He was quiet, almost hurt, which gave Harry good satisfaction. It was what he had intended for, to hurt his godfather, just like his godfather hurt him. By proposing to Allyson.

"I can't believe you said that," Sirius said, his voice cracking a bit. "Did you really mean that, Harry?" Harry firmly nodded his head, his teeth clenched together, glaring daggers at Sirius. Sirius slowly nodded his head. "Then I guess taking you away from them was a mistake."

"It sure as hell was," Harry replied coldly. Sirius didn't bother getting after him for his 'language', which wasn't like Sirius at all. But Sirius was hurt, stung, so it didn't surprise Harry that he didn't.

Sirius cleared his throat, staring at Harry in the eyes. "Well, I assume you know where the door is?" His voice was cold and hard. "I have a lot of assignments to correct. You can show yourself the way out."

Harry spun around in fury, making his way out of Sirius's chambers. He knew afterwards he'd feel guilty about speaking to Sirius like that, and possibly Sirius would feel the same, but at that moment he didn't care. He was angry; furious.

"Hey, watch it, Potter."

Harry looked up at the familiar voice to see a familiar face. It was Jedediah Works, and he looked really busy.

"Sorry," Harry muttered, feeling like he should take his anger out on Jedediah. "Why don't you watch where you're going, Jemima?"

Jedediah blushed, scowling. "Don't call me that, Potty."

"Oh," Harry said coolly. "Was only Willow allowed to call you that? I'm sorry."

Jedediah shook his head, still scowling. "Whatever." He studied Harry. "So … you and Black got in a fight, eh?"

Harry frowned. How'd he know about that? As if reading his mind, Jedediah said, "Well, it was pretty obvious that you were staying at Uncle Julian's and Isabella's because you had some sorta fight with Black. So I thought you must've had another fight."

"Well how do you know I wasn't in a fight with Ron or something?" Harry said irritably. "You don't know."

Jedediah shrugged. "So you wanna come?"

Harry eyed Jedediah suspiciously. "Come where?"

"Honestly, I dunno. Somewhere with a pub," replied Jedediah.

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so."

Jedediah shrugged again, starting to walk away. "Oh, well, I could care less. See you 'round, Potty."

"Wait, Jemima!" Harry yelled. The boy stopped, not bothering to turn around, but stood still, as if to indicate that he was listening. "How about … just one drink, then I'll come back."

Jedediah turned around. "It'll be quite some walk there and back, just to let you know."

Harry shook his head. "So? Good exercise."

"And I don't know where I'm going. Possibly Hogsmeade, if that's even open. Maybe some Muggle place with a pub …?"

Harry shook his head anywhere, stepping forward. "I don't care. Anywhere. Let's go."

——

"If there's nothing open here," Jedediah whispered as he and Harry crept along the streets of Hogsmeade. "Then we'll go some where's else, OK?"

"Sure."

Then, they found themselves in front of a small pub, at least it seemed like it was.

"Here," Jedediah said, leading Harry into the pub.

"Won't someone recognize us?" Harry said as he followed. "They could tell Sirius that we're here."

"So?" Jedediah said, a smirk on his face as he settled down at one of the tables. Harry sat in front of him. "Just relax. What'll you have?"

Harry gave his shoulders a careless shrug. "Butterbeer?"

Jedediah shook his head. "No way. It won't get you drunk enough."

"I don't want to get drunk," Harry said, frowning.

Jedediah gave him a look. "Then why'd you come? Come on, take a chance. It must've been a pretty nasty fight between you and Black, huh?"

Harry felt his face hardened. He looked at Jedediah and said, "You pick."

Jedediah's smirk widened into a grin. "You're leaving this in my hands? Well, don't I feel honoured?" His eyes searched for the waitress, and when he spotted her, he yelled, "Hey, you! Waitress! Bring us two of whatever'll get us drunk promptly!"

Everybody in the pub turned to look at the two (which was only four or five people). The waitress gave Jedediah a 'be-patient' look, but nodded anyway.

"So I take it you've never been drunk before?" Jedediah asked Harry, who shook his head. "Well, I'll be sure to tell you that when you are, you'll forget about whatever happened between you and Black. Believe me, it'll make everything easier. It helps me, anyway."

"So why're you here? Just for the heck of it, or is there a reason?"

Jedediah wasn't able to answer any of Harry's questions since the waitress came around with their drinks.

"This better not be butterbeer," Jedediah informed her as she set them down. She gave him another look and, wordlessly, walked away.

Jedediah picked up his cup and sniffed it, then made a face and held his cup out in front of him. "Definitely not butterbeer. So … shall we?"

Harry picked up his cup, glanced at it uneasily, then nodded. He brought it forward, took a sip, and after the whole cup was indulged, both became drunk.

"He-ey, Lady!" Jedediah yelled, waving his cup in the air. "More for two!"

"I hope none of you are flying," the waitress said as she came over with a refill.

Harry shook his head and banged his fist down on the table. "Noooope."

When she finished refilling both their cups, Harry turned to look at Jedediah. "So, Jemima, what up with you?"

"Parents are gettin' divorced," Jedediah mumbled as he took another gulp. "It—uh …" Jedediah stopped drinking and scratched his head. Already he forgot what he was going to say. With a careless shrug he took another gulp of the alcohol.

"Guess wha'?" Harry said. "Sirius's gettin' married, and to a right bitch!"

Jedediah laughed, and then started hiccupping. "Poor yooz!"

"Yah," Harry said, nodding his head. "I hates him nowz, though. He can go shag Ally—son ash mush ash he wants—I dun't care no more!"

"Hey Lady!" Harry yelled, standing up. "Gimme spoonz!"

"What d'you need spoons for?" the waitress yelled back.

"Just gimme 'em!" Harry yelled irritably, walking over to her and holding his hands out. With a sigh and a glare, she placed one spoon onto his head. "More, more!" he thrust his hand out again.

"What you needs spoons for?" Jedediah asked, drinking some more, as Harry walked over. Harry grinned, taking a swig of his own drink, then started banging the spoons on top of his head.

"I love, I love, I love my calendar girl," Harry sang, very much out of tune, while still banging spoons on his head.

Jedediah started laughing. "Stupid song. Next one."

"Walk, walk, walk, walk. Walk like a man! Uh .. Shomthing, shomthing … He said walk like a man, talk like a man, walk like a man! I'm gonna walk like a man, fast as I can!"

Jedediah emptied his bottle, then tried to get the waitresses attention. "Lady! I want spoons! Spoons!"

"No spoons," the waitress snapped. "And my name's not 'Lady', it's Judy!"

"Judish!" Jedediah yelled, scowling. "More thish, then!"

"I'm cutting you off, young man," Judy said. "Shouldn't you be up at the school? It's dark out."

"I WANT MORE!" Jedediah yelled, throwing his cup on the ground. "More!"

Judy sighed and took off her apron. "Come on, you two. I'm closing up and taking you back to Hogwarts. I should've cut you two off ages ago—what was I thinking?"

"Get yur hand off me!" Jedediah scowled as Judy grabbed onto his arm and tried to tug him outside. Jedediah turned around and grabbed onto Harry's arm, who was still singing and banging spoons on his head. "C'mon Potty … Rape! RAPE!"

Judy let go and scowled at Jedediah. "I am doing no such thing." She eyed Harry. "Was this is first time drinking? I can tell by you that it's not your first, but him …"

"Dunno," Jedediah replied, getting out of Judy's grasp. "Yesh … dunno …"

"If it is," Judy looked worried, "he shouldn't of had that much—Young man! Stop banging those spoons on your head this instant! Now, both of you, come with me. I'm taking you back up to the school."

"RAPE! RAPE!"

Harry let the spoons drop, but once he stood up, he started to sway. Maybe he was banging the spoons too hard on his head, because just then, he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

——

A/N: Hello people! Here's the next chapter … R and R!