Quizzical

There was a knock on the door. It didn't sound urgent but it was persistent. So persistent that it had woken up Sirius from his nap on the sofa.

He had had a long night chasing some false tip on a Death Eater and he had sat to have a drink, which ended up with him falling asleep on the spot and the drink served but untouched.

Sirius barely registered the knocking at first, until finally he went to the door, guarded about who might be on the other side.

Grabbing his wand he stood next to the door asking: "Who is it?"

"Marlene, I've known you since you were 11, and we went to have matching tattoos last week, not even James knows. Now open the door."

Sirius sighed in relief and opened the door, getting to look at a recently dyed brunette Marlene, lately she had a different coloured hair almost every month. He supposed it was her way of going through the recent events.

Her blue eyes on him, looking at the bags under his eyes, he was almost sure of it.

"You look like rubbish," she said, pulling him close and pecklink his lips, "I'm glad that you're back." she added softly, like saying it outloud would make her break.

Sirius his arms around her, "Rubbish tip, nothing happened, just a lot of non sleeping, you just woke me up." he pointed, pressing his forehead on hers and closing his eyes for a moment, letting his body relax, he had been tense before opening the door. These days no one could be sure of who might come to visit.

"No wonder your breath stinks, like something died in there" she joked, pulling away just a bit. "C'mon, help me with something."

Sirius looked at her, frowning at the comment, it didn't sound urgent. "Can it wait? I'm beat." he admitted.

"No, someone might take it before you wake, it's just downstairs."

He rose an eyebrow, like asking 'what the fuck do you want help with?' which she replied by taking his hand and pulling him downwards to the street. There was a desk, next to a pile of literal rubbish, which made Sirius consider Marlene's sanity for a second.

He looked at her, "Why are you sorting through rubbish?"

"It's not, the desk is in good condition, and I would have levitated it to your flat, but you decided to live in muggle London." she replied carefully, taking the pieces of glass from it. "You always say you need furniture. Here you have some for free. Now help me get it up."

Sirius frowned, "You know I have money right? To buy a new one?"

Marlene rolled her eyes, "Yes, but you never have time, this is right here, and with the right spell we can make it new. Now stop being an arse and help me." Sirius didn't move, he just stood there staring at her, like she had grown a second head. "Not everything needs to be brand new. Some things can be a little broken and still be beautiful, if you give them a chance." she offered, "Also you can't not have just a sofa and a bed, that's not a home."

It doesn't feel like one. He admitted to himself, before sighing, "If you give rats into my place you are getting rid of them." He grabbed an end of the desk.

"I thought you like rats, you always hang out with Pete." she teased, grabbing the other end.

Sirius rolled his eyes, a smile on his lips, "That's different, Wormtail is family, there would be unwelcome guests."

And with that they made their way back to the flat.