"Lucy, I don't know if…" Sirius trailed off, unsure of where he was going with that sentence. "I don't think that we…"
She put a finger over his lips. "I get it," she said simply.
"Huh?" he asked, confused. "No, no, I'm trying to tell you that-"
"That you want to break up because you're in love with your best friend?" she finished for him, her eyebrows raised.
And Sirius, unsure of how to respond, went for humor. "I'm not in love with James!" he cried, doing his best to look scandalized.
Lucille laughed. "You idiot," she muttered. "Just do me a favor, okay?"
"What?"
"Don't hurt her. Don't leave her, or make her cry, or ever let her think you don't love her. Because you guys are perfect for each other."
Sirius grinned. "Thanks Lucy. And I really am sorry."
"I know," she replied, hugging him.
"Wait, so does this mean I broke up with you?" Sirius asked, unsure of where the conversation had gotten out of his control.
"Nope," Lucille said, popping the p. "I broke up with you."
And with that, she walked away.
*****
"So, Lucille broke up with me today," Sirius said nonchalantly, sitting next to James, Remus, and Lily, who were talking in hushed tones in the Great Hall.
Lily started choking on something she was eating. "Way to go Lucy!" she cried. Remus and James laughed.
"Hilarious," Sirius deadpanned. "Anyway, where's Alexa?"
The smile dropped off Lily's face, and she looked uncomfortable. "She's, uh, not speaking to anyone right now…"
"What?" Sirius asked suddenly worried. "Was she that upset!? I have to go apologize! I-"
"Sirius!" Remus interrupted. "It's not you," he assured his friend. "It's her sister."
"Luanne?" Sirius asked, confused. Lily nodded.
"Luanne was sent back to an orphanage," she told him. "And she's gotten really sick. It's bad, and Alexa's really worried."
"Oh." Without another word, Sirius was running into the Gryffindor common room. Alexa was there, carrying a bag.
"Alexa, what are you doing?" Sirius asked, concerned.
"I have to help Lulu," she replied. "She needs me."
"Well…you can't…I just…I'm coming with you," Sirius finished, surprising himself just as much as he did Alexa.
"Alright then," she said, regaining her composure. "Come along. I've already gotten Dumbledore's permission."
"Wait, Dumbledore's just letting you leave?" Sirius asked her, sure that he heard her wrong.
"That's right. He said family is one of the most precious things we have in life, and loved ones should be put above all else."
*****
Once at the orphanage, Alexa demanded to see Luanne.
"Lulu?" she asked, kneeling next to the tiny eight-year-old. She had frizzy red hair and hazel eyes. Her face was covered in adorable freckles, but she was very pale, and she was coughing a lot.
"A-Alexa?" the tiny girl asked hopefully.
"Shh, yes, I'm here. And I'm not leaving you. I…I'll figure something out."
"Don't you have to go to the special magical school?" she asked.
"Don't you worry about me," she told her. "You just focus on getting better.
"Hey Sirius," Alexa said, turning to him. "I-I know this is a lot to ask, but-"
"Do we have room in the flat for one more?" he asked, finishing her sentence for her. She looked at him with pleading eyes. "Of course, but…uh…how do we get her out of here?"
She looked lost. "Dumbledore will know what to do!" she replied confidently. "Come along, Sirius. Lulu, we'll be back soon, okay?"
The little girl nodded, and Sirius was amazed at how confident she looked in Alexa. Like she would trust her with her life.