Look at me updating quickly and being a kind and responsible fanfic writer?
(I wonder is Emily can psychically anticipate my updating again?)
"And now I see, I see it for the first time,
There is no crime in being kind
Not everyone is out to screw you over.
Maybe, oh just maybe they just wanna get to know ya."
–Marina & The Diamonds 'Fear and Loathing'
Chapter Forty-Nine:
Remus clapped his hands together, the Lily stood bright and sunny-eyed beside him, both wearing malicious smiles on their faces.
I felt slightly dead inside, not for any other reason but sheer exhaustion from being dragged from bed before dawn had even appeared as a golden crack in the sky. My muscles still ached from yesterday's mischief while the scraps up my arms and legs had hardened into scabs I tried not to pick. Sirius and James took on a similar likening; however Peter just seemed to buzz with the excitement of for once being included.
Sirius and James were by far the best duellers in the room, I myself following with a close third, but I knew Remus and Lily had already been practising during Quidditch training the previous day, as well as conducting a ridiculous amount of research in the restricted section of the library. They weren't the best, but they knew what they were doing. Or I hoped they did.
"Merlin, why did you have to wake us so early?" James rubbed his tired eyes.
Lily rolled her eyes, "It's not our fault the three of you cannot go a single week without injuring yourselves in a stupid competition to prove which of you is the best at whatever ridiculous–"
"Evens look at you, getting all worried for my safety," he grinned sheepishly and she scowled.
"Just because I'm interested in fighting, doesn't mean I'm interested in you, Potter," her tone was cold and for a moment I saw the Lily I used to believe in. The harsh, bitter, know-it-all prefect girl.
James looked as if he was going to say something else, to Remus quickly stepped in, saving our pig-headed friend from digging a deeper hole for himself.
"How about we split into two's," he suggested calmly.
Sirius and James immediately looked to each other.
"That's not happening," Moony spoke in a serious tone.
Then they looked at me.
"Yeah, that's not happening either,"
The three turned to our wolfish friend, "But why?" Sirius questioned, drawing out the word dramatically.
Peter smirked, "Because you're idiots,"
"The three of you almost killed yourselves yesterday!" Lily snapped, "If you can't handle a bloody broom with each other than I'm not trusting you together with these sorts of spells! You have to take this seriously!" she paused her ranting, eyeing Sirius opening his mouth, "And no Sirius I do not care for whatever joke you were about to make about your ridiculous name."
The three of us remained silent.
"So we're clear?" she stared at all five of the marauders with a death glare and we nodded, "Good. C'mon Black, you may think you're good, but at least those two have a couple operations under their belts,"
He sent me a pleading look as she dragged him away.
"Evens seems particularly militant this morning," James mustered.
I smiled wryly, "She's just stressed and worried about us,"
"Why would she worry? We're perfectly fine!" he sulked.
"Prongs, you set your tie on fire on Friday," I pointed out.
He snorted, "Yeah but we've both done that loads of times," I sent him an amused look, "Okay maybe I see what you mean,"
Remus went on to pair up with the bespeckled idiot, leaving me with Wormtail.
He was at least a few inches shorter than me, all sandy hair and chubby cheeks, looking rather nervous fiddling with his wand. I didn't know why he was here – he was never a good dueller. He excelled in Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures – that is, magical arts that didn't involve his wand. Then again, I was the same, my talents were not academic, but what I lacked in raw power I made up for with speed and creativity.
It wasn't that I had a problem with Wormtail; I'd just never taken a likening to him. He seemed kind enough, with good intentions… but spineless. Without the boys there to protect him I wouldn't know what he'd do. However he was sorted as a Gryffindor I don't know – I always pictured he'd have been better off sorted into Hufflepuff.
The least brave Gryffindor I'd ever known – and yet he was here, readying himself to risk his life with us.
And then I noticed what he was looking at.
"It's rude to stare, Wormy," I frowned, tugging down my rolled up sleeve, hiding away the scars.
"S-Sorry… Remus said but I didn't think…" he stuttered.
"It's the difference between understanding what you're getting into, and living it," I muttered and he nodded warily.
"Anyway… shall we begin?" I smirked instantly snapping out my sadness, burying it back down with everything else. It was all I could do to get through the day.
Lifting my wand to my face with a swift flick, "Or shall we spare formalities?"
"Losers pack up!" Sirius yelled, tugging James away with him and out the door.
Peter cradled his wrist and I felt a pang of regret. I didn't mean to go hard on him… I just got a little caught up in the duel.
"You go ahead Pete, I'll stay,"
He smiled at me warily and quickly chased after the two boys.
Lily seemed to sneak up behind me as she spoke curtly, "He did not win,"
"Neither did James, but I don't trust them alone in this room together anyway,"
I snorted, "They're not that bad – they know how to knuckle down when it counts. James has already fought Death Eaters and Sirius was raised by them… they know what they're facing."
That caught her attention, "He what?"
Remus nodded, "His whole family, save a few like Andi and his Uncle Alphard, is mental on pureblood propaganda,"
"And you still trust him?" Lily questioned.
My gaze hardened, "Of course, he's my…" I paused wondering what word to use.
Remus smirked, "Boyfriend?"
"I was going to say oldest friend but that works to," I shrugged, and Lily started at me with a shocked expression.
"So you and him?"
"Yes,"
"Him and you?"
"Yes,"
"Together?"
"Yes, Lily,"
"But together, together,"
I let out an exasperated sigh, "For god's sake Lily yes Sirius and I are dating,"
Remus chuckled to himself and I folded my arms across my chest, "What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing," he spoke warily, attempting to hide a grin. I punched him in the arm, "Ouch, Riley!"
I gritted my teeth in frustration, "Tell me,"
He rubbed his arm while grinning mischievously in the sort of way that made me remember why he was a Marauder, "…I just can't wait until Alice finds out,"
I felt my face drop in horror, "Merlin, no."
The funny part about Sirius and I is that even now as I lazily lean on him in the Gryffindor Common Room, his hand on my shoulder hugging me closer – it wasn't that extraordinary. If any other two people had begun this sort of behaviour the year would be in uproar, but most just seemed to assume our feud was well and truly over. I never noticed how close I had been with Sirius until I actually fell for him. He's been giving me piggybacks around the school since first year; we'd even shared a bed majority of the time.
Still I felt like smacking James who sat across from us suggestively wiggling his eyebrows.
"Sod off, Prongs," Sirius muttered.
The lanky boy knitted his eyebrows together, "Ugh it just looks so wrong! My brother and sister! Dating! It's unbelievable – it's incest!"
I scrunched up my face, "Merlin, don't describe it like that."
"So long as there's no kissing – kissing is a vile practise," he feigned disgust.
Sirius snorted, leaning down to quickly capture my lips as James groaned, covering his eyes. Breaking away just as swiftly in laughter, I winked at my friend who was still making childish gagging noises.
"I think I'm going to go," Remus spoke quietly, standing before I had any time to see the look on his face, but I didn't need to.
I shrugged Sirius off as he joked around with James, "Remus wait–" I began as he went to turn the doorknob, only for the door to open itself revealing the figure of Dumbledore in the stone arch. Everybody in the room paused to stare at the old and powerful man and questioned his solemn expression and sad eyes – eyes that fell on Sirius.
"Mr Black… a word," his voice was soft and kind, with a note of fondness.
Sirius clambered to his feet and followed the Headmaster out the door, a confused and fearful expression on his face.
Almost instantly Remus seemed to forget everything prior to that moment, whispering quietly, "Go wake up Lily,"
And I did, walking as fast as I possibly up the staircase and into my dorm without raising suspicions. Dumbledore didn't visit the Common Rooms, nor did he make personal visits to student this late at night so whatever happened, it must've been important.
Shaking the girl awake with urgency, her eyes cracked open, "W-what – Riley what are you doing?" she questioned, rubbing her tired eyes.
"Something is happening," I spoke and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"What things?" she whispered harshly, jumping out of bed.
"I don't actually know," I dragged her along the hallway.
She frowned still feeling drowsy, "These are the boy's dorms…"
"Well duh," I said, pushing into the room to see James, Remus and Peter collected on the floor of their bedroom, map spread out on the floor.
Remus spoke first, tracing the footsteps, "Well, the Order isn't here as far as I can tell, but who knows when it comes to the Room of Requirement – they're in his office currently,"
"Who're we stalking now?" a barely conscious Lily murmured.
"Dumbledore has most likely taken Sirius for questioning," James spoke in all seriousness and I wondered when our lives became like this – the constant suspicion and questioning of every small detail of others actions, instead of behaving like average everyday careless teenagers.
Lily's eyes flashed into sudden alertness and she sat down between Remus and I, "But out of everybody, save maybe Pete, he has the least evidence against him. It'd be understandable if Riley or James or I were called in, but Sirius?"
I nodded in agreement, "He practically admitted he knew that I was the one who was… the one whose blood they found,"
We fell into a tense silence, watching and waiting for the small footprints to make movement – and then they did. It was Sirius who jumped back quickly, seeming to face the wall.
"What the fuck?" James whispered as we watched eagerly.
Dumbledore didn't seem to move as our friend left, but then returned to his usual pacing. It was a tense few minutes as the five of us waited for Sirius to return.
Then the door creaked open slowly and Sirius emerged from the darkness of the hallway His face was pale and eyes like steel – barely acknowledging any of us at all. His hand was bleeding, knuckles bruised and cut up, but it didn't seem to faze him. Sirius seemed worlds away as he slowly entered the room, walking directly to his bed.
"Sirius… what happened,"
He just shook his head, eyes glassed over with the tears he wouldn't allow to fall.
I took a slow step towards him and gently pulled him into a hug, but he remained stiff.
With a shaky voice he spoke, "My Uncle Alphard… he's dead."
And, as always, a cliff-hanger ending!
But hopefully the next update should be soon.