Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter 17: Take care of her

Sirius waved his hands to the empty street, squinting at a car in the distance hopefully.

"What are you doing!" Andy gasped, her bright yellow dress bustling in the wind, "I thought we were trying to NOT attract attention."

Sirius bit back an angry swear as the car whizzed past them and turned to his cousin, "I'm trying to hail a cab. I told you, if we don't want to be traced, we have to use muggle methods. No magic."

"Oh." She fiddled with a mahogany lock that escaped from the elegant bun that Narcissa had spent most of the morning working on and glanced nervously back at Grimmauld Place a few streets away in the distance.

Their parents were under the illusion that Sirius and Andy were off to Prongs for a Yuletide party, therefore Sirius was currently using a set of black dress robes, choosing to disappoint James by not dressing up in a costume, rather than angering Orion.

Sirius' father, much like the rest of his family, were highly disapproving of unconventional parties, and fancy dress parties might be number one on their most frowned upon list. Today of all days, Sirius would rather not have to put up with his mother's nagging if she saw him pretend to be a pirate vampire, even though he pulled off an eye patch with such flair.

"Hey!" Sirius automatically stepped in front of Andy at the sound of a stranger, but his protective stance fell when he saw who it was.

"Patrick?" Sirius gasped in surprise as his neighbour jumped off the huge black motorbike.

"I thought I was seeing a freaking ghost mate!" He rushed forward and gave Sirius a one-armed hug which he returned guiltily, "Went off to your fancy boarding school and completely forgot about your friends down the street."

Sirius swallowed uncomfortably, the memory of Bella magically flinging Patrick against a tree when they were just ten years old automatically popping into his mind.

"Where are you off to?" Patrick asked in polite interest as he ruffled his dark strands after he unclasped the helmet from his head.

"King's Cross." Sirius answered, taking a deep breath, and trying to blink away the image of Patrick's sister lying unmoving on his basement floor. "Been trying to hail a cab, actually."

"Ah, you're not going to get a cab on Christmas, mate! Hop on, I'm actually going there too."

Patrick didn't give them time to argue as he jumped back on the bike.

Sirius couldn't help but notice that Patrick looked different than he expected. Even though it had been years since he last saw the boy, Patrick had always been stocky; the kind of boy that would grow to be a strong man but now everything from his posture to the breadth of his shoulders spoke of fragility…

Sirius didn't have the heart to argue with the boy and took the offered helmet and placed it atop his head, "Thanks!" He pulled Andy towards the sleek, black vehicle, her bright brown eyes begging him not to get on the funny muggle contraption.

"Brave enough to date a muggle but not brave enough to travel like one?"

She glared at him and jammed the helmet atop her head, dropping into the sidecar with an annoyed puff and preparing to sulk all the way to the train station.

"Hold on tight mate." Sirius complied as he sat behind Patrick, a pleasant rumble breaking the silence as the bike came to life and in a matter of moments Sirius' hair was a silky, black cape in the wind, the bike gathering speed making Sirius hold on tighter.

It was so much like flying, but better. It had the same adrenalin and the solace that being fifty feet in the air achieved, but there was something so much more exhilarating to exist among everyday life but to be unreachable, to be something other…

The weak rays of sunlight seeped its way between the concrete towers of London and danced at Sirius' wrists as it caught his shiny cufflinks. He closed his eyes as the colours whizzed past, and as they gained momentum the air pressed at his ears and the events of earlier resurfaced in his mind.

Sirius straightened his tie, tossing a disgruntled look at his trunk where his fangs and eye patch lay hidden at the bottom. He had just finished cleaning out his room, his trunk ready to be shrunk and placed in his inside pocket.

He stilled as he heard a knock on his door, he was counting on having no visitors, therefore nobody to notice that he had packed a good few days earlier than he needed to.

With a second knock he walked away from the mirror, glancing back to his desk to make sure it was devoid of any incriminating material.

"Morning." Sirius' brows kicked up the slightest bit as he found his brother at his door. He stepped aside and allowed the younger boy entrance.

"Morning." Sirius' voice was too chipper and phoney, but Regulus quickly became enamoured by Sirius' many posters to pay much attention to the tone in his brother's voice.

"That's new." He gestured at the pink bikini clad blonde near the window with slight interest.

"Won it off some seventh year Claws in an exploding snap game." Regulus' eyes alighted at that.

"Did you cheat them like you always cheated me?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "For the last time, four trolls means you get ten points, it's an unspoken rule."

"Among cheats." Reg scoffed, but his grey-blue eyes were still playful, "I might as well take it off your hands now."

Sirius frowned, "Want to play me for it?"

He scoffed again, "I won't have to brother, remember. Andy. Your fia-" He stopped abruptly and swallowed, obviously as uncomfortable with the situation as Sirius was. Andy was like his sister too; it can't be easy to stomach the thought of your brother marrying your sister. "She won't like all this." He gestured to the walls, "Might as well give them to me."

Sirius didn't want to talk about Andy, however there was something he did want to talk to his brother about. "Wouldn't your girlfriend mind?"

"Girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend." Sirius had to bite back his laugh, the retort was as if they were kids again and he was accusing Reg of being in love with Emelia Crabbe.

"I just thought when I saw you and Selina-"

"Selwyn isn't my girlfriend." Reg stated firmly, "I just went on a date to shut mother up, it was Selwyn or Emelia Crabbe and I'd sooner take a knife to my own neck before I voluntarily spend time with Emelia."

Sirius shook his head, hiding his relief at the fact that he definitively did not sleep with his brother's girlfriend. They both pricked their ears at their mother's voice from downstairs, Regulus' more visible than Sirius' due to his shorter haircut.

They sighed together, knowing that she was instructing Kreacher to fetch them for breakfast.

"Here." Sirius caught the small package that was thrown at him reflexively, glancing down at the crest of the House of Zara jewellery line. He popped it open, staring at the scarlet and gold cufflinks. His throat dried as he looked at the drawing of the lion intricately stamped upon it, with Sirius' initials engraved at the back.

Regulus turned back to the posters, but Sirius could feel his anxiety even if he pretended to be aloof.

Rather than thanking him knowing it would make the kid feel more awkward, he busied himself with clasping them on, and then walked to his bed and pulled out a package from under his pillow.

"Here." He tossed it and the boy caught it, Sirius raised his brows. All that seeker training had done a ton of good as Reg was a regular little butter fingers when they were growing up.

He un-wrapped the gift swiftly and it was Sirius' turn to pretend to take in the posters.

"How did you…?" Regulus' awe seeped through, too amazed at the gift to pretend nonchalance. The black and white quidditch jersey of Reg's favourite team, Quiberon Quafflepunches, who were currently on the top of the French and European league, hung from his slightly trembling fingers. But that wasn't the source of his astonishment.

"Cassandra Johnson's brother plays for the Kestrals, and his dating a player from Sweetwater Allstars whose brother is on the mediwizard team for the Quafflepunches." Sirius couldn't help but smile as Regulus turned the jersey about and inspected the black ink that sported the signature of his favourite quidditch player. "He actually helped Pierre Voler recover from that feint he tried to pull off in the game against the Kites-"

"You mean when Gustav threw his beater bat at Voler's face." Regulus snapped.

"Well that only happened because Voler bit Aldrich's ear…" Sirius shrugged as he made the statement.

"He did not bite his ear! Aldrich's a complete liar!"

"Him and like the ten thousand people who saw it happen?" Sirius laughed as Regulus' brows furrowed in anger, "Plus, Aldrich's ear was bleeding."

"Because of the air pressure." Regulus bit out just as Kreacher knocked and then poked his head in.

"The mistress requests-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know." Regulus snapped at the elf whose eyes widened in shock. Regulus never snapped at him. The elf muttered darkly under his breath as Sirius and Regulus made their way to the door.

"You know I read that happens." Sirius frowned at his brother as he shut the door of his bedroom behind him, glancing at his name plaque for a moment, "Bleeding due to air pressure if you fly too high."

"Sure, it does Reg." He clapped his brother on the shoulder and they both stilled at the action.

He slowly removed his hand as they walked down the stairs for breakfast, Sirius shouldered his way through first.

"And what is that that you are wearing!" Walburga snapped and Sirius immediately opened his mouth to defend himself but stopped when he realized that Walburga was not in fact talking to him, instead she was glaring at Regulus who had shrugged on the quidditch jersey on top of his black sweater.

Rather than respond, Regulus made his way to his seat as Walburga continued to glare at the sweater which surely was inappropriate dining attire in her eyes.

The frustration at being ignored by her favourite child was all the thanks Sirius needed as he smirked and popped a piece of bacon into his mouth.

The sudden lack of sound pulled Sirius back to the present as Patrick stopped the motorbike. They hopped off, Andy much too quickly, not enjoying the ride in the least bit.

"Where are you off to?" Patrick asked with a smile and gestured at the station with a nod.

"I'm actually not going anywhere. It's my cousin." Sirius gestured to Andy who was hugging the light pole as if it was currently the only thing keeping her upright. "And you?"

Patrick glanced back at London fondly, "Anywhere and everywhere mate." He was silent for a moment, "I don't know if you remember Jenny, my sister, she passed away a few months ago. She was sick for a bit."

"Oh." Sirius' heart contracted painfully… so whatever Rabastan and Bellatrix did… was irrevocable.

"Yeah. So…you know…home's just not home without her. So, I'm in search of a new one."

"Sirius." Andy muttered urgently, her cheeks reddening from the motion sickness.

"Patrick… I…" Sirius cleared his throat, trying to forget how Jenny felt as he carried her to her doorstep all those months ago. The way her hair turned almost black in the rain.

"I know, I know. You got to go. Hey." Patrick glanced back at the bike, and then at Sirius. He held out the helmet, "Take her."

"What?"

"Take her. You'll need a ride after you leave your cousin, and I won't need it. I was going to give it to a friend… but Jenny bought it for me…and she really liked you, mate. I don't know if you remember how she'd always make us lemonade when you were around? She'd never do that with the other blokes."

"Patrick… I…"

"Ah don't make a big thing out of it. It's just a motorbike." He shrugged, handing the helmet to Sirius, "Just…take care of her, okay?"

Sirius wanted to argue but there was something so humble about the gesture, so genuine…"Thank you Patrick."

"Thank you, mate. This was just about the only thing holding me back… Goodbye Serious."

He smiled at the way he used to say Sirius' name when they were younger, and Sirius glanced away at the saddened gleam in his eyes.

"Bye Trick." He nodded as the boy grabbed his knapsack and flung it onto his back, waving a goodbye to Andy and tossing the keys to Sirius as he turned and made his way to the station. Sirius felt the metal weigh in his hands, looking at the key ring which held a picture of a beaming girl... on a whim Rabastan and Bellatrix destroyed that smile... that life...

On a mere whim...

"Teddy!" Andy's voice echoed in the empty street and Sirius snapped his head up, watching as his cousin ran forward and was scooped up by the fumbling boy who ran out of the station, red faced and heaving.

"Andy, the train's leaving!"

"What?"

"Shit." Sirius swore, remembering the urgency of the matter at hand.

"Come on." Teddy pleaded as the three ran towards the right platform. Sirius' feet had to fight its way past Platform nine and three quarters and stop at platform twelve, where sure enough the train was ready to leave.

"Oh Merlin." Andy held her neck where the locket Bellatrix had got her for her thirteenth birthday sat, "This is it. This is it. Oh…"

"Calm down." Sirius grabbed her about the arms and looked her in the eye, "You can do this. You'll be fine. Here." He pushed a sack into her hand, it was filled with every knut he had.

"What? Sirius, no…"

"Take it. You two will need it. Now go. Go."

"Sirius-"

"Andy!" Ted's voice bled with desperation as Andy's face reddened further, but it had nothing to do with motion sickness this time.

She jumped onto Sirius and his heart broke at the goodbye that bled from that hug, "I love you."

Each word was like a paralytic poke at his lips, it quivered and trembled, but it didn't move to return the sentiment.

The words were stuck at the tip of his tongue, and he struggled to get them out.

"Come on!" Teddy grabbed Andy as the train started to move. He shouted over his shoulder, "Thank you Sirius! I owe you one!"

Sirius looked as they jumped on, finally recovering from his shock, and running alongside the blue train, realising he hadn't said a proper goodbye.

"Just take care of her!" He shouted. Screaming louder and running faster as it picked up speed, "Just take care of her!"

-x-x-x-

Sirius pushed the door to Potter Manor open and was greeted with a frightful shock. He walked through the foyer with raised brows, there definitely were more upperclassmen here than expected, he manoeuvred out of the way of Frank and Alice who seemed to be taking their make out session to the coat closet.

"Padfoot!" Wormy shouted from the foot of the stairs. "You're finally here! Surprise!" He shouted in glee and pointed at the large birthday banner and life size cake. People had already started eating his right leg.

"Hey Wormy. Where's James?" He glanced about the crowded living room out of habit, knowing that there was no way he could spot the jet-black strands in the mass of moving bodies.

"Snogging Evans somewhere." Aiza hiccupped as she pushed her way towards them, somebody had a bit too much firewhiskey, "Where's Remus?"

"His mother is sick." Sirius answered and held her straight as she jostled in her heels.

"Like we told you." Peter said affronted.

"Oh, shut up Peter!" She snapped and made for the stairs.

"Nobody is allowed upstairs." Peter flung a hand in front of her, "James' orders."

"Why are you SUCH a twat!" She burst out at the boy and stormed off.

Peter looked near tears and Sirius sighed, in no mood to comfort the boy.

"Hey! It's the belated birthday boy!" Sirius cringed as Dean Logan clapped him on the shoulder, for some reason he didn't feel like being touched right now. "Look what I got you." The seventh year gestured at a pair of slender, blonde girls being chatted to by a bunch of fifth years, "Seventh year Beauxbaton students! There's like a dozen of them all about the house. And they don't speak a stitch of English, so they'd never know what idiots we are! Enjoy!" Dean winked and made his way back into the throng of people.

"Mary's been waiting for you by the way, she wants to sing and cut the cake." Peter added.

Sirius sighed; he really didn't feel like celebrating. "I'll be back down in a bit, okay?"

He walked up the stairs with no objection from his friend and made a beeline for his room.

He didn't know why he felt this way. He should be happy. Andy was safe and with the man she loved, his friends cared for him so much they threw this amazing party, he officially never had to deal with his family again.

"Oh." He raised his brows as he pushed open his usual room door to find a girl sitting on his bed.

She was sporting a form-fitting white dress and a black mask. She seemed to have been waiting for someone as she turned expectantly at the opened door and Sirius' heart stilled.

Gold. Richer than honey and brighter than amber, like jewels that glowed within the black mask sat prettily on her face…

her eyes were gold…

"I'm sorry." He made to get out, even though technically this was his room, but his legs didn't move an inch, rather he stood rooted to the spot.

The girl didn't respond, except to slowly stand. She was tiny, even thinner than those two French girls he spotted downstairs.

As he thought it, he realized who she must be and why she was so quiet. She was one of the girls from Beauxbaton that didn't speak a stitch of English.

She remained where she was as he walked towards the bed magnetically, attracted by the brightness of her eyes.

From what he could see from her face, she was pretty, but there was a distinct aura of…lacking… something. He couldn't explain it, but she looked like an unfinished masterpiece... a few strokes of a brush from perfection.

He reached the bed and lay down on his back, her gold eyes following him like a lion followed its prey but he was too emotionally exhausted to care. Her pleasant, feminine scent had soaked into the sheets even though she must have been here only for a moment. He let his eyes close, suddenly physically exhausted, she must have lain on his pillow because he could smell her there too, but there was something fruity about it, less floral.

He pricked his ears for footsteps that never came, instead he felt the softest of ruffles as she settled onto the bed. He tried to pinpoint where but it was difficult as the bed barely sagged with her weight and she was being careful not to touch him.

"Is France nice?" Sirius' voice was a soft whisper, as if he were afraid to hurt the delicacy that seemed to radiate from her.

That's where Andy was off to, just for the week where she and Teddy were going to be strategically spotted, causing the hunt to move to France but by then they were going to sneak back into England and live as muggles somewhere. There'd be married before Cygnus and Druella could do anything about it.

The girl didn't respond, and Sirius recalled that she couldn't understand a word he said.

There was something extremely comforting about that.

About her.

"Andy is gone." He concentrated on the little patterns his eyes cooked up when they were closed, "I feel as if I'll never see her again. I might never see her again. I knew this was bound to happen though… I knew she'd marry someone that would take her from me forever. I thought it would be a Malfoy, or a Lestrange… it's why I wanted James or Remus to fall for her… then she wouldn't have to go. She'd always be there…"

He sighed, still leaving his eyes shut, "It must seem odd, to be this attached to a cousin… but she's more than that to me… she's the only one that ever smiles when I walk into a room. The only one who actually calls me down for supper and wants me there…. Now I'll have nobody."

"I mean, I'll always have James and the guys, they are my family… but they all have their own families, and even though my parents are not even parents, Andy was always there… well so was Reg…"

Sirius tasted the bitterness of his words… after today, after he doesn't return home and they find out Andy is gone, he'll be dead to them all… even Reg.

A life's worth of memories flooded Sirius' eyes... helping Reg on his first broom, teaching him how to put itching dust in pillows without getting any on your hands, sabotaging dinners so Walburga would scold Kreacher as revenge on when the elf spied on them…

Reg looking away as Rabastan attacked him…

Reg looking away as he walked passed him in the corridor…

Reg looking away when he walked passed with Selina…

Reg hugging him the day he came back home…

Reg calling him down for breakfast this morning…

Reg wearing the quidditch jersey Sirius had got him for Christmas.

He stilled when he felt warmth on his skin and his eyes opened, the girl's face was hovering above his as she stared at her finger which was wet from where she touched his cheek.

Sirius relaxed into her touch as she slowly touched at the tears on his cheek, her gold eyes shining with curiosity, her pink lips trembling slightly. He could smell the fruity scent of her shampoo, as a long brown lock fell on his face.

He just as tentatively touched the lock of hair; it was silky soft…the softest he had ever felt… as if it knew nothing of life's hardness…

Just like her pale…unmarred cheeks…

And gold flecked eyes…

It was the smallest of inclinations that had his lips on hers, soft… fragile… gentle…

"Sirius!" His heartbeat was like thunder in his ears as Peter's voice cut through the room. "Sirius!"

He jolted up as the girl put her fingers to her lips and he quickly wiped at the tears on his face.

"Sirius!" Peter called again and Sirius jumped off the bed and crossed the room, looking back at the gold eyed wonder one more time before he ran downstairs to his friend's call. "Sirius!"

"What is it!" He snapped, shocked at his own agitation… why was he so angry?

"Mary wants to go upstairs after I told her James said-"

"We need to light the candles! They've already eaten half of Sirius' legs and his… his…" Mary's face turned a deep red as she fought to politely state which part of Sirius somebody had eaten. Frustrated she turned on the short boy, "And who cares what James said. He's too busy snogging Lily in the basement to even care about this party!"

"What?" The feminine voice appeared before the girl herself did and Sirius hurried forward.

"Cassie." He beamed at her in greeting, sure that Mary was wrong. "Welcome!" He made to hug her, but she dodged and approached Mary.

"Did you say James was snogging Lily Evans downstairs?" Cassie asked in shock.

"Well, they're probably doing a little more than snogging considering what I last saw." Aiza slurred out as she tipped her wine glass back.

"James is with Lily!" Marlene gasped, appearing out of nowhere. "When did that happen!"

"Never!" Lily spat and walked forward, her scarlet locks fluttering behind her in her haste, "What on Earth are you talking about."

"Well, I see you finally detached yourself from James! Not to mention put the rest of your dress on."

Lily frowned at Aiza's remark, glancing down at her white summer dress in shock, a square gift in her hand.

"Is that for me?" Sirius grabbed for the gift, but she pulled it away and slapped his hand.

"No. It's for Phillip!"

"Who's Phillip?" Peter asked curiously.

"Or did James buy you another diamond necklace." Aiza drawled, taking Peter's butterbeer from him and finishing it in a quick swig.

"What!" Cassie and Lily shouted in unison as Sirius glanced about for a distraction.

He and Mary exchanged glances and she quickly ruffled through her satchel. "Hey, why don't we see what James got me! You know because heinnocentlybought gifts for ALL the Gryffindor sixth years!"

"I didn't get a gift." Peter pouted.

"Where is James!" Cassie and Lily asked in unison.

"Oh Godric… it's beautiful. Look, it's a jewellery box." Mary was failing to get the girls attention as she over-eagerly opened the box.

She sneezed as a white powder puffed out. "What on Earth!"

"Hey! Shouldn't we be lighting some candles!" Sirius shouted as Mary's distraction evidently was not working. He didn't know where James was and who he was snogging, but he was damned if James' girlfriend and the girl he claimed to love found out before he did!

"I think Mary's already started." Peter rolled his eyes, "You set the curtain on fire, genius."

True to word, Mary had somehow managed to set the curtain on fire.

"I didn't… It just…it just…" Mary's face paled as she waved her wand at the flames yet the fire continued, getting stronger. It simultaneously crawled up the curtain and slithered down to the floor and the group rushed back just as Mary dropped the box in shock.

Sirius registered what was happening and grabbed her and pulled her back just as the screaming started.

Fiendpowder.

Peter tried to magically put it out again, but Sirius pulled him back by the shirt. "Don't! That only makes it worse!"

He coughed as the flames grew higher as Marlene screamed to the crowd behind them, "Fire! Fire! Everybody get out!"

He felt somebody pull at his shoulder and turned about to see that it was Gideon Prewett. "You have to leave Sirius! Get everybody out. NOW!"

They didn't have to be told twice, as amid the shouts and screams people rushed out.

Sirius glanced upstairs to where the girl was, and then down to where James was.

"Wait!" He pushed Gideon off him as he tried to drag him to the entrance, "There are people still in there! Wait!"

"Sirius! Come back!" Gideon screeched but all Sirius could think was he had to leave one brother behind today, he would die before he left another.

"James!"

He lurched forward just as a huge arm wrapped about his neck and gripped him painfully tight, his nostrils flared as it sought oxygen that struggled to make its way down his throat until he didn't have the energy to fight the hold any longer… and the last image Sirius had was of Potter Manor… up in flames.

A/N: Feedback will be very appreciated!

Thanks for reading,

Kalina