"All work and no play
Never made me lose it
All business all day
Keeps me up a level
All work and no play
Keeps me on the new shit, yeah
Only bad people live to see
Their likeness set in stone
What does that make me?"
Lorde- Still Sane
Sirius have seen and caused a fair share of havoc in his life.
But he had to admit that the one Mia Potter caused with one sentence spoken out loud in the Wizengamot courtroom was a quite spectacular one.
When she bared her teeth, he felt a low growl escape his throat before he realised what he's doing and held back his canine instincts back.
Gideon who sat beside him looked at him like he lost his mind.
What the fuck, Mia?
He felt like this question was the main theme of his day. Right from the moment he left the lift on the second level of the Ministry taking a sip of his Fortescue's takeout coffee and almost choked seeing her just glide through the corridor.
He had never seen Salem Witches' Institiute robes before. In person at least. And even on the photos they looked like they left little to imagination.
The simple robes where made from a flowy black fabric. Wide sleeves uncovered her arms and further accented the very low cleavage that the robes had. On her wild curls there sat a black hat with a pointy broken in two places tip and wide brim. The whole thing looked like it only held up thanks to magic.
She saw him, he saw her smirk, and then she was gone.
He really didn't want to think about the implications of her being a member of The Institute. For Sirius her presence in the Great Britain was problematic enough.
He saw her an hour later in the Wizengamot Hall and then Dumbledore resigned from his chair, just like that. Like he didn't held it for the last twenty years.
Fudge clearly tried to understand what the fuck happened when Dorea stood up arm in arm with her daughter and said that she renounces her title for Mia. And that was the moment Sirius started to suspect what exactly is happening.
Now, Fudge screamed and hit his desk with his hammer like a madman. Eleonora Zabini lamented about disrespect, Mulciber and Avery something about "bad Potter blood", Gideon and Crouch started a heated conversation next to him, some older witch screamed about inappropriate values of the Salem Institiute. Augusta Longbottom wondered out loud if they wanted to revoke Henry's Potter old seat. Those who opposed screamed at Mia, and those who didn't disputed if it even was possible.
He sat there not taking his eyes of Mia who observed the screaming Wizengamot Members with a satisfied smile. Dorea looked at all that with a hint of pride. Dumbledore sat there watching that train-wreck calmly.
Finally, it seemed that Fudge remembered that he can use magic and pointed his wand toward his throat.
"ENOUGH!" his magically enhanced voice cut through the commotion making everybody jump and go silent. Fudge pointed at his throat again taking off the charm. "Please step forward Miss Potter."
Mia descended the narrow steps and stood next to the chair in the middle, beautifully terrifying. She looked confident and Sirius felt that It only riled up the wizards around him. For him it was a sign to sit and enjoy the show; because that was that. A show.
Mia Potter was asserting domination in the room and well...he could only watch and wait for his turn.
When Fudge turned to her with his disgustingly obsequious smile Sirius knew he was about to make Wizengamot's first mistake of that day:
"I'm sorry Miss Potter but I'm not sure what exactly do you mean by saying that you want to claim, 'the Potter Wizengamot seat'. There's no such thing."
Mia smiled politely and responded in a light tone:
"Of course, there is."
"No, there's not." Fudge said impatiently.
"Yes, there is." Mia repeated with more force.
"No, there's not." Fudge said again this time confused and uncertain.
"There is no such thing!" Mulciber interfered with venom in his voice. "Potter's never were a part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight!"
Second mistake.
"I'm not speaking about the Sacred Twenty-Eight seat, Mister Mulciber." Mia smiled again. "I'm talking about the assigned Wizengamot seat. Some old families have them. For example, Mr. Crab and Mr. Goyle. Their seats will go to their children, then to their grandchildren and so on."
Silence was almost deafening after that and Sirius with all his might tried not to chuckle gleefully when he saw the confused looks on most faces in the room. Fudge looked like someone give him a jalapeno flavoured Berty Bott's bean; he was sweaty and red-faced. Dumbledore looked like he was watching an exceptionally entertaining play.
"That's not right. What kind of law is that?!"
"The same one you have sworn to guard, Yaxley." Sirius chuckled. "If you would spend more time doing your job you would know what Lady Potter is talking about."
"What are you babbling about Black?" Avery huffed from behind him. Sirius turned a little to look him in the eye with an unpleasant smile.
"I'm babbling about the fact that we have ten vacant seats in the Wizengamot. Five from the Sacred-Twenty Eight only. Which is absurd that we even keep seats for families that are long gone. Gaunts are extinct for last fifty years. And not to look far, " he pointed at the empty seat next to him. "Lastranges won't take this seat back given that the whole bunch rots in Azkaban."
"It's a tradition. We can't just liquidate these seats." Caleb Nott said politely. Sirius had to admit that Nott didn't lose his temper so quickly as Mulciber or Avery.
But Sirius knew which buttons to push.
"Oh, by tradition you mean Cantankerus Notts' love-letter to the Middle Ages?" he saw how Nott tighten his lips into thin line before he responded.
"There's no known author for the Pure-Blood Directory."
"You don't seem to be concerned about it so much when you brag about your family member being the author." The pink tinge on Nott's cheeks told him that he would be cursed long ago if they weren't in the Ministry. "But that's not the point. The thing is that the Potters have a seat in the Wizengamot. Henry Potter was the last person to claim it."
"Indeed he was." Augusta Longbottom threw in. "Charming fellow."
"Henry Potter was a Blood-Traitor!" Dormus Flint shouted from his seat.
Third mistake.
"My grandfather was a hero." Mia said with force. She looked angry and Sirius could have sworn that he saw sparks jumping through her locks, like electricity tendrils in a thunder. "He helped those in need when the rest of the British Wizarding Community just hid their tails and ran away."
"He helped Muggles." Flint hissed.
"He helped people." the woman retorted. "You have a problem with Muggles, Flint?" she asked in a low tone making the man flinch slightly.
"Silence!" Fudge slammed his hammer on the desk. "Sirius, spit it out already! What do you have in it?"
He could help himself but laugh.
"Cornelius, I assure you that there's nothing in it for me. I checked the books because I was sure that Potters had the seat like other old families. I did this in case my son wanted to take it in the future." he added looking back at Mia. "But now I guess it doesn't matter. The new Lady Potter has every right to claim it."
"It's absurd." Eleonora Zabini said in a bored tone. "She's not from here. She grew up in a different country. And now she wants to take the seat beside us? A fizgig without a husband and a single clue what our community looks like?"
"You know something about husbands don't you, Ela?" Mrs. Longbottom grumbled from the back row making part of the attendants snort with quiet laughter.
"SILENCE!" Fudge interfered again with his hammer and looked at Dumbledore. "Albus, what can you say about this?"
Dumbledore smiled politely and shrugged.
"Lady Potter and Lord Black are right, Cornelius. There are fifty seats in the Higher Chamber. Twenty-Eight are named Sacred. Twelve are elected every seven years and ten are reserved for the old families. Potter's, Crab's, Goyle's, Prince's, Lovegood's, Warbeck's, Scrimgeour's, Medowe's, Bones and even my family has one seat reserved." Dumbledore looked at Mia and Sirius had a strange feeling that that was more than just a knowing looks exchange. "It's all in the books, it's so simple to verify that I'm surprised that no one bothered to check."
"Thank you, Albus." Mia bowed her head respectfully.
There was another silence and then Fudge turned to Sirius, wiping sweat from his forehead with a flowery handkerchief.
"Sirius, what do you think about it?"
"What do you mean Cornelius?"
"You're the legal guardian to the Potter boy. Last British Potter. It's his seat and until he is of age you decide about it." The Minister waved his handkerchief towards Mia standing silently with her eyes on Sirius like she waited for his reaction. "You allow for this to happen?"
Sirius stood slowly from his chair, looking at Mia with a mischievous smile.
"Cornelius, Lady Potter doesn't need any acceptance from me or anyone on that matter. She has the full right to take the sit in the Higher Chamber of Wizengamot and I do not plan to sabotage this decision in any way. I will say more; I'm glad and I welcome the new Lady Potter in the Wizengamot, and I hope for more such exciting sittings as today, thanks to her." he bowed his head and added. "I'm glad you're here, cousin."
After these words for the second time that day, all hell broke loose in the court room. Fudge smashed his hammer on the desk like a madman, Eleonora Zabini and Augusta Longbottom shouted at each other, Mulciber and Avery waved their wands in the air throwing angry sparks from them, Yaxley still complained about Henry Potter being a traitor, and Amelia Bones and Fanny Medowes laughed at Julius Goyle trying to tamp down his robes that catched fire from the sparks thrown by Mulciber and Avery.
Mia looked at him with a pretty smile and Sirius felt his heart flutter in his chest.
Too pretty.
He smiled back and winked.
•••
The rest of the day went on with a hum of gossips and speculations buzzing in the ministerial corridors.
Sirius wanted to talk with Mia after the sitting, but she was swarmed with people congratulating her and asking questions. Their eyes meet through the crowd including Fudge, Augusta, Amelia Bones, Gareth Greengrass, Percy Weasley and of course Caleb Nott. Mia threw him an apologetic smile and turned towards Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom.
He stood there looking thoughtfully at that when he heard Dorea's voice amused beside:
"She's something, isn't she?"
He looked at his aunt and saw a proud smile on her face. He nodded.
"Yes, she is."
"Charlus would be delighted to see her in Wizengamot. He always said that his father would be disappointed that the family vote is abandoned." she looked at Sirius and smirked. "Oh, she caught your eye, didn't she?"
He snorted.
"I'm not sixteen anymore, remember? I will not confide in you so easily anymore."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't tell your old aunt. She will only blabber it out." Dorea patted his shoulder fondly. "Keep an eye at her when I'm in States, okay, dear? She's a crafty girl but sometimes she forgets that she's only human."
He suddenly remembered Lily crying her eyes out into his arm in the little garden on the back of the Potter Cottage after she asked him to take care of Harry. Sirius thought that he apparently had something in his face that made people think that he should look after their loved ones. He still felt like the least appropriate person to do this, but he agreed, nonetheless.
"I will. Don't worry, auntie."
•••
He went back to his ministerial office and buried himself in the reports that Marlene brought there during the sitting. Beside them there was a mould under a stasis charm with a steaming meat pie. He laughed when he read the card leaned against it.
Arthur dropped this by. Molly demands that you show up on dinner next week.
Eat, you skinny whore 3 – Marly
He looked over at the pile of scrolls stacked neatly at his desk and sighed.
Few ministerial reports about upcoming bills and proposition, one report about unicorn population in the Great Britain. Monthly reports from the businesses he owned, his schedule for the rest of the week including visit in Gringott's the next day, and all the petitioners that wanted to see him during that week for various reasons. Then he had a meeting with few wealthy, old hags on the Black Family Charity Ball. It was already October and they had to start preparations before Halloween if they were to make it.
Sirius sighed heavily thinking with reluctance about how often he would have to pretend interest and fake a smile by the end of this week. He sat down at the desk and broke the wax on the first roll.
He sat there reading, writing, calculating and afternoon went by and turned into evening. He just finished reading the report about the new legislation Dolores Umbridge wanted to present next month about employing sentient magical beings when he looked finally at his watch. It was half past nine. He groaned stretching his back in the chair.
He had to deal with Dolores. She was so openly hostile towards every type of disaccord, and Fudge liked her too much. Their relationship was... disconcerting at least. Sometimes Sirius had that strange feeling when he saw Fudge and Umbridge together; his mind always gave him a vision of a giant toad whispering poison into the idiot-Minister ear. Fudge seemed to be strangely unfocused around her, or after meetings with her. Sirius felt shivers of disgust only thinking what the cause could be.
Right now, Umbridge in one year from an anonymous ministerial employee became one of the most trusted by the Minister of Magic people. She was on her way to Head of The Department seat; and unfortunately, her favourite topics featured making life of magical creatures' miserable.
That old toad really hated anyone who wasn't entirely pureblood wizard human being.
Sirius stood up feeling his joint creak unhealthily and his neck sting painfully from hours of bending over the desk. He really tried to stay in shape after taking the desk job but year after year he felt that it became more and more difficult.
He gathered his bag and coat and left his office, closing the door with magic. Marlene's desk was dark and abandoned; in fact, all Ministry seemed deserted. His footsteps echoed throughout the quiet corridors. He equally despised and salvaged these serene moments of absolute silence and stillness. He loved them because for a couple of years already he felt that his life lacked those moments where he could just sit and do nothing, think about nothing and laze. He hated them because they reminded him of how lonely he felt most of the time.
The tension he felt grew even more since the Quidditch World Cup; he honestly wanted this schoolyear to end, for the Triwizard Tournament to pass and to the foreign schools to just go back to their lairs. He would rather let Harry stress about his OWLs than the threat of opening the school to strangers.
He would also sleep much more calmly then.
Still he had that awful feeling that the it was just the beginning and soon they would all have bigger worriers than OWLs and strangers at Hogwarts.
As he walked deep in his thoughts, he turned down the corridor toward the elevators and felt someone collide with him. Taken aback, he saw Tonks who bounced off his chest and landed on her ass on the marble floor.
"Ouch!" she complained loudly. "Watch how you're walkin' cousin!"
"Tonks, what are doing here?" he asked, helping her to get up from the ground. She looked more embarrassed by this question than her tumble.
"I...I flooed your flat but Kiki told me you haven't come home yet. And I was on duty anyway, so I thought I would look for you..." she paused, biting her lip as if she hesitated. Sirius looked at her closely; her usually bright, bristly hair was auburn and fell down her shoulders in soft waves; the colour more like her mother's hair. She was pale and clearly worried.
"Everything's all right? Something happened?"
She worried her lip with her teeth for a moment and finally said:
"Do you know where Remus is? I was at his store yesterday and today, and he wasn't there. And I even sent an owl to him, but she came back as if she couldn't find him." she said quickly as if she was embarrassed and wanted to settle it quickly. "I'm worried." Tonks added silently.
Sirius sighed heavily.
"He didn't tell you?" Tonks shook her head and he sighed again. "I asked him to look for information about...the heroine of the last days...he is now overseas...he should be back before the weekend. It's full moon on Sunday."
"He didn't tell me...we're supposed to meet yesterday to...talk." She looked broken. She bit on her thumbnail before she mumbled. "This is stupid...I'm stupid."
"Tonks..." Sirius started but she shook her head and forced back a smile.
"I must go back to the Headquarters. Thanks Sirius."
Before he could say anything, she was already quickly walking down the corridor.
He let her go. Now it was not the moment to run after Tonks. Besides, he wasn't the one who should run after her.
"Fucking hell." Sirius growled under his breath. Remus just surpassed himself.
He walked toward the elevators, again, deep in thought.
He could somehow understand what his friend's hesitation was due to. But despite everything, it was more understandable for him five years earlier when Lupin met Tonks for the first time.
He remembered the blind panic he'd seen in Remus's eyes when they ran into a fresh graduate of Hogwarts and Andromeda's daughter, in the Ministry's corridor. Excited, she told Sirius that he was going to follow in his footsteps and become an Auror and that they had just accepted her into the training program, that it was her first day. She dropped her bag four times during their short conversation. Sirius saw her glance curiously at his pale, silent friend, standing nearby and looking stubbornly at the ugly pattern on the corridors wallpaper.
That evening, Remus got drunk and trashed his little flat over Sticks and Bones only to lose consciousness in the middle of this battlefield.
Sirius found him there like that the next day after he failed to show up for their lunch. He cancelled all his meetings and spent the day with the depressed werewolf, babbling about children, immoral instinct and feeling like an old pervert.
They never mentioned it until the recent banquet at Narcissa's.
Sirius decided then not to intervene and see how it would go.
It went so that five years later, a few serious, indeterminate conversations and two broken hearts later he had to add another point on the list of things he would have to take care off.
The non-relationship of his best friend and his cousin.
"Bloody fools." he muttered as he marched through the quiet Atrium like on an autopilot.
"Who's a fool?" a familiar voice knocked him out of his reverie. He looked up just to see Mia sitting on the bank of The Fountain of Magical Brethren.
She looked relaxed but tired; her pointy hat from the Institute laid next to her on the floor beside her bag and coat. Her long hair streamed down her back and shoulders. She moved one hand over the restless surface of the water in the fountain. Her shoes were abandoned next to the hat. Her arms were a little slumped like she was too tired to keep the perfect façade any longer.
Or maybe she knew she didn't have to keep it before him?
"My friend...and the woman he loves." He was not sure why he said it. But something in her eyes disarmed him and made him feel that he could be with her for a moment, even partially, honest.
She smiled lightly looking away from him at the perfectly impersonal faces of the wizard and witch sculptures on the fountain.
"She loves him back?"
"Yes. Like a madwoman."
"So, I guess they really are both fools." she looked back at him with an amused glint in her eye. "That's what loves does with people, right?"
He smiled.
"You think so?" he cocked his head. "Maybe you're right. But I think it would be best for them if they would just already hit it on and be happy fools, rather than the miserable and pitiful fools they are now."
She laughed and Sirius thought hazily that it was a beautiful sound.
Wow, where did THIS came from?
His thoughts sometimes sounded like Remus. Mostly when he was cynical towards himself.
Suddenly Mia, not very elegantly, yawned and blinked like an owl a few times. She stretched her toes on the marble floor; her nails were painted with red nail-polish.
"Long day?" Sirius asked.
"You have no idea." she smiled a little sleepily. "They made me fill out every from in this goddamned building."
"Yeah, paperology is absurd when it comes to taking over the title and place in Wizengamot. Been there, unfortunately." he looked over at the fountains house-elf statue; the elf's face looked like the creature was on drugs. "I want to congratulate you. It is always refreshing when someone comes and reminds us that we are just a bunch of rich assholes who got the job because of their names and not by competence."
"You seemed well-prepared though." she said with a laugh. "I hope you do not mind that I took over this seat. I know you wanted to keep it for your son."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"To be honest I checked it out of curiosity. I don't even suspect Harry to ever go into politics. He is too much like his parents."
She looked at him curiously for a longer moment before she said.
"Thank you for today."
"What for?"
She shook her head.
"It... It was just nice to see at least one familiar and favourable face there." Mia smiled shyly and Sirius felt suddenly like his stomach dropped on to marble floor beneath.
"Do you have any plans for the evening?" even he was surprised by the question that popped out of his mouth without even a second thought. Mia looked at him with big eyes before she smiled and responded:
"I bet my mom plans to take me to some expensive and over-the-top restaurant for celebration. Why?"
"I thought you might want to go for a one to a pub on Diagon Alley. The Leaky is not a five-star restaurant...more like minus two stars...but they have decent alcohols and little traffic on Tuesdays." he said suddenly feeling nervous under her gaze. His heart skipped a beat when she laughed again and reached for her shoes.
"It's a great idea! Oh Circe, I would kill for a glass of firewhisky right now!" she said slipping the shoes onto her feet and lifting the hat off the floor.
•••
She is normal.
That was a surprise for him but after a moment he had to admit that she had to be normal given that Dorea was her mother.
The Leaky Cauldron was quiet and almost deserted. Beside them inside there was only Tom wiping glasses with almost devotional focus behind the bar and two middle-aged witches silently sipping wine at a table near the window. They sat in the corner of the room in the soft light of candle burning slowly in a wall-holder nearby.
Mia's eyes captured him, and he found himself sitting there with his chin leaned on the palm of his hand, listening to her stories about her years in Ilvermorny. Her gesticulation was lively, and she laughed often which made her eyes sparkle with joy. Her cheeks were tinted red from the firewhisky.
"...so when we sneaked out, Mrs. Holybark thought we went through the hedge when in fact we flew above it with the...'borrowed brooms'...I thought I would shit myself; I was so scared." she giggled and took a sip from her glass. "I hate flying."
He really tried not to think about the way her lips hugged the brim of the glass...
"Really? I thought every Potter was born on a broom." he said teasingly. "Harry is the best chaser I've seen. So was James. And Fleamont was a beast-beater too. But you know... I can teach you how to fly. I wasn't so bad myself."
He thought he saw a flash of surprise in her face when he mentioned Harry, but as soon as he thought that it disappeared.
"That's what my father used to say too! But after few attempts to teach me he said that more than flying he prefers his daughter alive." she suddenly looked sad despite still smiling.
"How long it's been since...?" he asked carefully.
"Six months." Mia said quickly and sniffed quietly. "It's easier now."
"I'm sorry that I could not meet him." he said solemnly. "Dorea said so many wonderful things about him. But back then it seemed that there will always be a better time to visit...and then we lost contact...and life just happened along the way." he shrugged.
Mia laughed happily.
"Oh Merlin, my daddy would hate you! He would say that you are a fop and a ladies-man! And a Black! Circe, so bad!" she bursted with a hearty laugh seeing his offended face.
"I'm not your typical Black, thank you very much!"
"I know! But that doesn't matter! Even when you are the last Black which technically means that you are a model example of what a Black is and should be." she leaned over the table towards him and added quietly. "He would like you to prove yourself before even speaking with his precious flower."
Sirius leaned closer holding her gaze and said in a low, raspy voice:
"I'm not from those who ask the fathers permission. I would way more prefer proving myself before you, Lady Potter."
Her eyes darkened and she asked coyly:
"And how would you prove yourself before me, Lord Black?"
He smiled mischievously.
"I can juggle with three beaters bats with one hand behind my back."
Her eyes went wide with surprise before she laughed.
"That's so random! Why in the world you would do that?!"
He shrugged and took sip of his beer.
"A dare. From my teammates in school quidditch team. I think that I lost half of my IQ then, so many times I dropped those damned clubs on my head. But I did it." he chuckled at the memory. "I've later tried that while flying but ended up breaking my arm in two places and getting a concussion."
"It's your turn then." she leaned on her joined hands and looked at him expectantly.
"For what?"
"For telling your embarrassing and stupid adventures from school. You have some, right?"
He snorted.
"Merlin, you have no idea."
•••
He couldn't remember when he was the last time he went on a date.
A proper, quite innocent date with getting to know each other in a restaurant or pub, with walking the other person to their house through quiet streets with their arms linked together while laughing at some nonsense.
He wondered if this could be called a date.
Merlin, you're really pathetic sometimes. His consciousness said in Remus's voice.
"What house you were in Hogwarts?" Mia asked suddenly.
"Gryffindor." he responded proudly. "The only one from our family."
"What are the traits of a true Gryffindor?" she asked playfully.
"What? Are you trying to categorize me?" He glanced at her. Her cheeks and nose were red from the whisky she drank and the cold of the autumn night. Mia drank a lot and Sirius watched with growing amazement how she downed one glass after another.
"Maybeee...or maybe I'm curious if you fit to the role?"
"Well...Gryffindors are brave, daring and courageous. We value honesty and loyalty." he looked at her from the corner of his eye as she listened to him attentively. "We tend to act before we think, and we are emotional and passionate to the point of frenzy."
"So you are at least partly a perfect Gryffindor."
"Partly?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"I know for sure that you are loyal and brave. You are courageous." Mia hiccupped quietly making him laugh. She frowned and swatted his arm. "I'm not so sure about that emotional part...I imagined you a little different than that."
"I suppose I just grew out of it. I used to rush head first when I was younger. I think...I think it changed when I took Harry in." he said a little grimly and then added quietly. "This is mostly your merit, you know?"
She fell silent as if his comment frightened her. Diagnon Alley was quiet, not counting their footsteps echoing on the pavement. The cold wind blew through the street bringing back unpleasant memories from years ago.
Sirius hated autumn; it only brought death and sorrow.
"It doesn't matter now." he added again in voice barely above whisper.
"It's funny you know?" Mia said suddenly in completely sober voice. "I need you to trust me. But on the other hand, I'm not sure you would if I told you everything." He felt her nails nervously dug into his arm through the coats sleeve.
"I don't need to know everything, Mia. You'll decide when I need to know." she looked at him surprised.
"You can trust me like that?"
Sirius shrugged.
"I don't have a choice. I believe you'll tell me everything sooner or later. You are alone in this as much as I am. Probably even more. We faught Voldemort here for years but he's not big of a threat in the States. So, I assume you were always alone with your knowledge and that strange mission of yours." The expression of her eyes was enough for him to confirm that he was right. He saw how she tighten her lips and looked away. He felt a little pang of guilt for playing on her emotions.
"What house were you in Ilvermorny?"
"House of Thunderbird."
"What are their traits?"
Mia relaxed slightly at the change of topic.
"We value...freedom. Strength. Intelligence but the practical one, not that purely bookish. We are ambitious. Temperamental. Independent. Secretive but at the same time we want to know the secrets of everyone around...We're here."
In fact, they arrived at the entrance to her hotel. The gold and silver sculpture of a chimera opened its mouth and shook her tail from the place over an elegant signboard.
Mia looked at him with a smile and let go of his arm. She hid her hands in the pockets of her coat and curled her arms to shield a little from cold. Her hair splayed itself on her arms and framed her face with wild curls.
"It was a nice evening. I had fun. Thank you."
"I had fun too." he said. "We have to do it again."
"Absolutely..." she threw a glance at the entrance of the hotel and again at him like she was deciding about something. Finally, she said: "You don't have to take me to the room."
Sirius nodded his head with a smile.
"Of course."
But the smile was replaced by surprise when Mia stood on tiptoes and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"See you at the Ministry." she said with a sly smile before turning and disappearing inside the hotel lobby.
His mind went absolutely blank the moment when her soft lips touched his cheek. She smelled like honey, warm sand and lily of the valley. Her breath smelled sharp and sweet like the firewhisky she drank...
So he stood there like an idiot looking at the hotel door while the Remus-sounding part of his mind screamed at him to get his shit together.
But it was like someone Obliviated him and left without giving any further directions.
Only when he heard a strangled chuckle behind his back he woke up from this strange state and, guided only by his instinct, turned violently yanking his wand from the case hidden in his sleeve. He heard muffled shouts and the sound of falling bodies when his stinging hex hit the target.
With a still drawn and pointed wand, he carefully approached the bundle of bodies in which he saw two red heads and an invisibility cloak tangled between them.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" he asked in disbelief. He leaned over and grabbed each of Weasley's twins by the ear and pulled them up.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"
"Sirius! Ouch! Fancy seeing you here! OUCH!"
"Why the bloody hell are you here?" Sirius hissed. He let their ears and the twins stood side by side trying to look ashamed. It did not work very well because Sirius still saw the mischievous glint in their eyes.
"Business!" said George.
"Top secret!" added Fred.
"We can't tell!"
"Not a word! No-no!"
Black squeezed the bridge of his nose and took a calming breath. At last he looked at the boys with a smile.
"So I guess your mother doesn't know about this?"
They looked at each other carefully.
"She doesn't know, no." Fred finally said.
Sirius' smile widened.
"Oh, good. She will fucking kill you both when I tell her."
"What?!"
"NO!"
"YOU CAN'T TELL HER!"
"SHE WILL KILL US!"
He picked up the invisibility cloak, folded it and hid in his bag and crossed his arms over his chest glaring at the twins.
"Either you tell me what you are doing here or I patronus Molly right now and let her deal with you two in her own way."
The twins shared a look again and finally George sighed heavily.
"Okay, we will tell you."
"But don't tell mum."
"Promise Sirius!"
"Promise!"
"I will decide when I know what's going on." the man said sternly. "It's dangerous for you to be here at this hour. Any hour in that matter. And you just ran away from school for hell's sake!"
"Honest to Meriln! It's business related!"
"We are looking for ingredients."
"Ingredients for our products."
"Products to sell."
"Sell at our shop."
"Shop with magical jokes and gadgets!"
Sirius shook his head; it started to ache.
"Okay. I get it! But why are you here? What kind of ingredients you are looking for that you don't' have in Hogwarts and in Snape's broom closet?"
The twins covered their mouths in mocking shock.
"You!" George gasped.
"Are you trying to persuade us to steal from a teacher?!" Fred asked incredulously.
Sirius lifted his brow and then his wand.
"Expecto..."
"No! No!"
"Okay, okay! We took things from Snape's storeroom, but he started to suspect things lately!"
"He accused us, Harry and Ron of stealing Lacewing fly lately!"
"But we didn't need it! So it wasn't us!"
"Hogsmeade is so poorly stocked..."
"...that we made a deal with Mundgus Fleacher!"
"To get us everything we need."
"But he insisted that we will meet here...
"...because he owes money to someone in Hogsmeade"
"So we came and we got everything we need from him."
"We were about to come back..."
"...but we saw you standing there with that bombshell there..."
"...and then we watched you making puppy-eyes when she left!"
Great...
"Firstly..." he lifted finger cutting off the twins stream of shared consciousness. "For you little brats it's Miss Bombshell. Secondly; send me your business-plan and I will consider getting the ingredients for you. Thirdly; how you two got out of Hogwarts and why you have my son's invisibility cloak?"
The twins looked at each other hearing the last question.
"You'll make it, so we won't be able to sneak out anymore, won't you?"
"You can bet your red mugs that I will. If you won't tell me I will just make it, so every secret passage is guarded. You know I can do this, boys." he added with a smile making the twins pout like scolded children.
"You're no fun!"
"Thought you will appreciate our resourcefulness!"
"We told Harry that we're going to the kitchens."
"He doesn't know about this!"
"We sneaked out through the Honeydukes passage..."
"...and just apparated here under the cloak."
Sirius grabbed the twins by their ears again and pulled them behind him towards the Leaky Cauldron.
"Deals with Dung, sneaking out of the school in the middle of semester on a school-night, trip to London, lying to your pal, and to top all that illegal apparition without a licence." the twins marched beside him protesting loudly. "You're really lucky I'm afraid of Molly too."
There was the next point on the list of things that Lord Black had to deal with.