Pother: a heated discussion, debate, or argument; fuss; to-do.

May 8, 1996

"Would you shut up already, Moony? It's not as if I broke the law or anything." Sirius gave a sharp bark of laughter as he threw himself into a chair at the end of the long table in the basement of Grimmauld Place, but very quickly a scowl rolled over his face once more.

"There you are," Tonks exclaimed, jumping up from the chair she'd pulled up next to the fire and nearly setting it aflame. "I wandered through half the house looking for you. I was starting to worry something had eaten you."

"He was outside," Remus told her, coming in behind Sirius with a dark look on his face. "Frolicking around the square."

"Frolicking? I don't frolic, Remus."

"You were outside?" Tonks gaped. "But Sirius –"

"I know, I know," he snapped before she could even say anything. "Moony's already lecturing me. But you know what? You can both go jump in the Thames."

"Sirius, if you were seen, you could be back in Azkaban for the evening meal," Remus told him severely, yanking out a chair next to him and dropping into it.

Sirius gave another bark of laughter. "Dementors haven't found this place yet."

"Do you want them to? Because all you've got to do is keep sticking your nose out the front door and not only the Ministry, but Voldemort and all the Death Eaters will know exactly where to find you and the Order."

"Do you know how many big black dogs there are in London?" Sirius demanded.

"You've got markings, Sirius," Remus reminded him. "Lucius Malfoy recognized you once already."

"Because I was with you lot and Harry in the middle of packed train platform. He wouldn't know it was me if I was at his throat."

Tonks was watching them, biting her lip, but now she came around the table to join them. "Look, Sirius, Dumbledore's no fool, whatever the papers say. He wouldn't tell you to stay inside if it wasn't really important."

"Why don't you mind your own business?" Sirius snapped at her.

Tonks rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "This is my business."

They were both giving him that look, like they were about to ground him and take away his owl. And suddenly Sirius burst into loud peals of laughter that bounced of the dingy stone walls. He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees, and howled. Remus and Tonks exchanged confused and nonplused looks. Tonks quirked an eyebrow. Maybe he really was cracking up.

"Would you mind letting us in on the joke?" Remus asked mildly.

That just set Sirius off again, holding his head in his hands as he laughed. The other two stood silently by, waiting for him to collect himself and occasionally exchanging exasperated glances.

"You two…" Sirius gasped at last, shaking his head and squinting at them. He muffled another snort when he was them standing there with matching expectant looks. "You two…"

"Yes?" Tonks asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sirius shook with silent mirth. They didn't even realize…. "Never mind. Mum, Dad, I'm going to my room to think about what I've done," he chortled. And he left them there blushing at each other.

There were moments where you could either shout or laugh, and it had been far too long since Sirius had picked laughter.