Falling Double

Chapter 1 – Curtains of Dawn

Disclaimer: All characters, spells, world entities and general Harry Potter terms are the property of JK Rowling. The plot of Falling Double, original characters and ideas are the property of Frayed Misfit. Any song lyrics, poems and other inspiration will be in italics and duly noted in the authors note.

The dawn rose eagerly to meet the day, it knew what its light would reveal and how the day would unfold and it was pleased.

Sirius Black stretched and unfolded on his four-poster bed, his hands pushing back curtains of dark messy hair, his mouth yawning and fumbling over words that he had uncovered in his dreams. His legs fought the constraints of twisted bed sheets as he sat up, arms lifted above his head in a triumphant stretch, features sliding out of their sleep-ridden state and into complacent early morning smiles. The vacant bed to his left told him that James Potter was already on the quidditch pitch practicing for the following weekend's finals. In the other beds Remus Lupin was moaning quietly his hands clenching and unclenching the pillow by his head, and Peter Pettigrew was emitting loud snores through the side of his thin quivering lips. Sirius scratched his chest while idly staring out of the window of their tower room, the clouds were high and scarce, the sun was bright and already quite fierce, its heat beating down onto the Hogwarts grounds. Standing up and making his way to the window, Sirius could make out the dot of his best friend, flying spectacularly back and forth on the quidditch pitch, pulling out of an impressive wronksi feint while Sirius let out a low wolf whistle. The sound stirred Remus Lupin and he opened one amber eye, emitting a tiny "shut upppp."

Sirius laughed, sharp and bark-like, turning from the window to rummage in his trunk for clean jeans and a tee, James had the right idea, today was perfect quidditch weather. Making his way down to the grounds, he stopped in at the Great Hall to pick up a napkin full of toast and two large mugs of milky coffee, levitating them at a steady pace ahead of him. James and his broomstick got closer and closer as Sirius approached the stands, spotting Sirius, James spun around and sped off to meet him halfway, dismounting at a run they embraced each other warmly.

"G'morning Prongs!" Chimed Sirius, throwing an arm around James' shoulder.

"Toast!" Chided James, reaching for the levitated pile of toast, "mmm Strawberry Jam, my favourite. Ta Padfoot".

They sat on the cool grass, sipping the hot coffee and munching on squares of toast, eyeing the other students who milled around them, gossiping about relationships and enemies. Most students walked close to them, offering small waves, personal jokes, quidditch comments and general compliments. Everyone knew the Marauders, they were the most popular group in the school, adored by all except the group of fellow seventh year Slytherins who called themselves the 'Serpents'. Including the likes of Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black, Todd MacNair, Bartimus Crouch Jr, Severus Snape and Rodulphus Lestrange they were not well liked but most obeyed them through sheer fear. They were growing in numbers and 'recruited' people as young as second years. Sirius hated them, loathed the way they maliciously ordered first years around, detested there scheming ways, their lies. His family had educated him to be like these people, vain, rude and malevolent, but his heart had always refused, rebuked the society that threatened to engulf him. He was glad to have reached Hogwarts, to have been sorted into Gryffindor and to have found his best friends, people who understood what people like the Serpents deserved. It had been somewhat of an aim of the Marauders lately, to ridicule, defeat and somehow reduce the strength of the Serpents. The daily news that confirmed Voldemort's growing strength and followers only set their decision to take the matter into their own hands, even one person could change the path of evil, and Sirius was determined to do so. The boys had been acting as spies at Hogwarts, listening in to Serpents conversations, finding out their plans and reporting to Professor Dumbledore. They were a little anti-league and it made them feel important and boosted their egos, not to say that they didn't take their job seriously.

"MacNair received a large package yesterday, reckon it could have anything to do with their new plot?" James spoke of the matter at hand.

"Nah, it looked like more of his mum's cooking, I stole a cupcake when his back was turned. You're on the right track though, the easiest way to get in information is still the post, do you reckon they'd risk the floo network?" Sirius added.

"Could do, we should check that Dumbledore has the fires covered, although I think he would have thought of that one" James mused.

A group of girls made their way to their spot on the grass, with them was Lily Evans who was slowly coming around to James' affections and almost seemed to enjoy his company now-a-days.

"Oh! Any toast left for me?" Enquired Rowena, a tall brunette who Sirius had been on a few dates with, she smiled and sat down between the boys.

"Let me just regurgitate mine for you, shall I?" Joked Sirius, he moved closer to her, making rude vomiting motions.

"Gross Sirius, grow up!" Chided Lily as Rowena laughed. Lily stood with her hands on her small hips, her red hair pulled into a side pony tail, her lips shinning with a gloss, she looked down to James briefly before joining in on the laughter.

"How has your study been going Lils?" Asked James, moving over to make room for Lily in their small circle.

"Oh please don't you start too! The whole grade is going on about NEWT's and study and I just don't want to think about it, it's bad enough that's all the professors talk about, let alone you." Lily sighed, her eyes looked tired and her brow was slightly furrowed.

James lifted a hand to her hair hesitantly, but she didn't brush it away. Sirius let out a low whistle and Lily blushed, looking away.

"What shall we talk about then? The graduation dance?" James laughed, already knowing where this conversation would lead.

"I've already told you, I'm going with someone else so there's nothing you can do about it." Lily spoke but her tone was soft and humorous, almost as if she was challenging James to rebuke.

"And I've already told you, I'm going with you, even if you have a date, there's nothing wrong with having two, you deserve two." James added, thoughtfully.

"Oh stop!" Sirius put in, "you guys are making me feel sick, enough of all this romantic la la, James, weren't we suppose to be playing quidditch?"

Reluctantly James nodded, getting to his feet and giving the back of his hair a little tease smiled down to Lily, "Catch you girls later then?"

"You betcha!" Rowena laughed, locking eyes with Sirius, but he had already looked away.

They met up with Remus and Peter after lunch, both were in the library, Remus was looking up every book on potions; it had become a search of his, to find a cure of his werewolf form. He was very closely getting obsessive with his search, spending every free moment pouring over books. Sometimes Sirius didn't know how to talk to Remus about his 'condition', they all knew how much it affected him, and not just at the full moon, the wolf was always inside him and he hated it, it drew away from his features, made him lose sleep and grow tired easily. That was why they had decided to become anamagi illegally in their fifth year, when they had finally learned his secret that had wanted to help him in every way they could, he was extremely grateful of course, but the burden was still his to carry. So far his search had been in vain, as far as he could research, no one had been able to overcome the symptoms, only tame them slightly, which the marauders had already managed to do with the help of their animal forms.

Sirius flopped down on a vacant chair, Remus didn't look up, his thoughts stayed with the words he was reading. Sirius studied his best friend carefully; the weight weighing down the corner of his almond shaped amber eyes, the slight frown pulling on the edge of his mouth, the crinkled tee-shirt that clung in the wrong spots on his slight frame. Remus and Sirius had always had a close friendship, in ways that students outside their group would never understand, the quiet intelligent one and the loud quirky one didn't seem to fit, but in unknown ways, they did. Remus didn't ask for help for his problems and neither did Sirius, they were both silent in their pride. Sirius got the greatest pleasure out of the smallest things and so did Remus, the reassuring touch of a friend, trunks with brass buckles, slowly melting ice-cream. They had silent needs that they fulfilled in the small hours of the dawn, limbs thrown together, hands uncertainly searching, lips knocking against lips, teeth bruising shoulders, muffled gasps, uncertain feelings, but no regret.

Author's note: A new story! Some new ideas! I'm really very excited about starting this fic, and I promise this one I will finish. I wasn't too sure about MacNair's first name and couldn't be bothered to look it up, so Todd is incorrect, sorry. I'm liking the complexity to this fic, and the layers are only going to continue to emerge, so enjoy and please review. xx