IV

Remus was waiting by Sirius's door first thing in the morning. By the end of their first term of school, the two had fallen into this curious sort of routine. Remus handed him a thermos of black coffee. Sirius was always running late in the morning. He never had time to buy or make coffee. Remus had picked up on this, so he would bring it for him and then they would walk to campus together.

"Morning," Sirius said, mumbling as he shoved a granola bar into his mouth.

"How do you survive like this?" Remus said, shaking his head.

"I haven't starved to death… yet."

"Yet, being the key word," Remus laughed.

They walked part of the way. "I have to go to the subway," Sirius told him.

"Oh, you're not going to campus?"

"Naw… I'm meeting Marlene at The Blue Door Gallery," Sirius told him. His eyes drifted to the thermos in his hand. "I'll drop this off later tonight."

The West 46th Street Art Centre was a large building that housed multiple galleries and artist-run centres. Artists could rent out studio spaces and had access to a dark room. The Blue Door Gallery was a small gallery space in the building. Sirius and Marlene were checking out a Robert Frank show, called From the Bus.

"I want to see The Americans so badly," Sirius told Marlene as they walked around the room.

"What's that?"

"Robert Frank took a bunch of photos while travelling across America. They got published into a photo book towards the end of the 50s," Sirius explained. "He challenged the aesthetic of photography at the time. People were pretty mad about it when it first came out." Sirius paused, trying to recall more information about the series. He looked at the ceiling, saying, "Jack Kerouac wrote the introduction, he said, 'he sucked a sad poem right out of America onto film, taking rank among the tragic poets of the world.' I'm not a huge Kerouac fan but I think he was right."

Marlene blinked. "Since when do you study?"

"I didn't study," Sirius said, rubbing the back of his head. "I remember shit that I'm interested in."

The two strolled through the gallery, looking at the high-contrast, grainy photos that were taken of people on the streets of New York through a bus window.

"I love street photography," Sirius said, a dreamy quality to his voice.

Afterwards, the two made their way to a nearby park, sitting on a bench. They watched as a woman across from them fed a group of pigeons. Sirius and Marlene ducked as more birds flocked to the area. "Fucking gross," Sirius said, covering his head with his arms. "I hate birds."

"Why?"

"They're so gross."

"You're gross."

"Shut up," Sirius said, playfully hitting her arm.

Then he pulled out a small flask of whiskey. He took a sip and passed it to Marlene. She took a long swig, and then said, "Mason called me the other day."

"Everything okay?"

"Same shit," she told him.

Sirius had grown up with Marlene. He had known her longer than James. They had gone to the same private school, and he spent a lot of time at her house growing up. Sirius had gotten to know Marlene's older brother, Mason, really well. When Sirius was young, he had even looked up to him, seeing him as a big brother. But over the last few years, things had changed. Sirius watched as addiction pulled apart Mason's life. He watched as Marlene's big brother became a shell of the person they once knew. It tore Marlene apart, and it killed Sirius to watch it; he wished there was something he could do.

"Still using?" Sirius asked, bringing the flask to his lips.

"Sounded like it," she shrugged. "He said he isn't, but I think he was. He wanted to meet up, but I told him no."

Sirius rested his head on her shoulder as she grabbed the whiskey from him. "Okay," Marlene said, shaking off the previous conversation. "As much as I love you, I don't want to sit here watching the pigeon lady. You're probably right about birds. They are kinda gross."

"Should we go home?" Sirius suggested.

"Naw… I'm bored."

He dug through his bag, hoping there was another granola bar in there, his stomach rumbling. He could have sworn he had put one in the bag, but he didn't find anything. His stomach made a loud gurgling sound.

Marlene raised her eyes. "Maybe we should get some food."

"Sushi?" Sirius asked, bouncing up and down.

"Sure," Marlene said, laughing.

Sirius patted down his legs, trying to remember where he put his phone. Finding it in his back pocket, he pulled it out. "I think James's lecture is done soon. I'll invite him."

"Anyone else free?" Marlene asked.

Looking up at the sky, Sirius went through their friends and tried to remember their schedules. "I think everyone else is busy."

"You're probably right," Marlene told him. She looked down at her phone, finding a sushi place that was halfway between where they were and the campus. The two took the subway there and James met them at the restaurant. He had even made it there before them. He was waiting at the table when they got in. James asked them about the exhibit as they ordered sushi off the iPad at the table.

"I want to see the Henry Moore sculptures that are coming to town," James told them. "Will you come with me?"

"Sure," Sirius said, before biting into a sushi roll. "But you have to come with me to that Kusama exhibit."

"Is she the one with the pumpkins?" he asked.

Sirius loved her work. Everything was brightly coloured with geometric shapes, often incorporating pumpkins. "Yes, but that's not what's being displayed," Sirius explained. "It is one of her infinity rooms, you know, with all the mirrors?"

"Oh, I saw pictures of that," Marlene gushed. "It looks so magical. Can I come?"

"Of course," James smiled.

Once they had worked out their plans to visit the exhibition, Marlene leaned forward on the table, eyes trained on James. "So…"

"Yes?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"You and Lily? What's going on?"

"Aren't you two friends? Wouldn't you already know?" Sirius asked, coming to his friend's defence.

"Do you already know?" She asked Sirius.

He rolled his eyes. "Nice try."

"What did Lily say?" James asked Marlene.

"Can't tell you, girl code."

"So, she said something obviously," Sirius said, spearing a sushi roll with a chopstick. "I'll get Moony to tell me."

"He's her best friend," Marlene scoffed. "As if he would tell you anything she says in confidence." Sirius felt that this was probably true, but didn't want to admit it. Plus, he already knew what was going on, he and James had talked about it many times.

"Yeah well-"

"Jesus Christ," James cut in. "Is this what you two are like when you're alone?" The friends glared at him in response. This was, in fact, what they were like all the time. Marlene and Sirius loved to bicker with one another. It was how they showed affection to each other. James rolled his eyes. "Marlene, if you must know Lily and I are dating, but I'm sure she already told you that."

"I already knew," Sirius exclaimed, sticking his tongue out at Marlene.

"So did I." She wrinkled her nose.

"Children, you're both children," James said, shaking his head.

Marlene leaned across the table again, attempting to look stern. "What is your intention with Lily?"

"Is that supposed to be intimidating?" Sirius said, playfully hitting her arm.

Marlene refused to get distracted. "Answer the question."

"She's my girlfriend," James laughed. "I intend to date her."

"Okay, but… give me more details," Marlene pushed.

Sirius already knew everything James had to say on the subject. He knew James was practically obsessed with Lily. He was over the moon to be dating her. Sirius had never seen him this into someone.

"I really like her," James said, his cheeks turning red.

Marlene smiled. "I've seen enough. I approve."