One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 58

"Sirius! James! Dinner!"

Euphemia Potter smiles when two sets of footsteps come thundering in from outside. James appears first, Sirius popping up behind him moments later.

They both rush to sit at the table, throwing elbows and punches until they're settled in. Fleamont peers at them over his newspaper, smiling slightly as he says,

"You wouldn't believe who I got a letter from today."

Sirius and James are still wrestling to go first, reaching for the spoon to serve themselves some greens. They both freeze however when the elder wizard continues nonchalantly,

"Gwenyth."

Mia smirks as she settles down next to her husband, quirking a brow at the shocked stares of her boys. Sirius blinks, unsure what to feel. It had been nearly 6 weeks. 6 weeks since he'd seen her, touched her. Since he'd heard her voice. He'd tried to write, James too. They all had. Nothing but a standard and blasé reply. That she was good, everything was fine. That was it. As the letters ebbed, so did his bravery. Doubt took its place.

"You...you and Ninnie have been talking?" James asks incredulously, not missing the way Sirius is suddenly white-knuckling his fork.

"Yes," Mia says, a tiny smile tugging at her lips. "She wanted to make sure you both were alright. Said she hadn't heard from you in a while."

The last words are more pointed, and when Sirius looks up he notes 3 pairs of eyes on him.

"What?!" He cries indignantly, shoving food into his mouth as he mumbles, "It's not like she's been very good about replying."

James bites back a laugh, knowing just how scared Sirius was to reach out to the girl. It was hard to communicate on paper. James had been trying to communicate that way for 6 years in the hope that Lily Evans may like it better. She didn't.

"Well, she sends her best," Mia says simply, sipping some of her water.

"She also sent these delicious cookies!" Fleamont ads, sitting upright. "Absolutely wonderful they were. What were they called again, love?"

"Canistrelli, dear,"

Sirius' hands twitch. Gwen. He wanted to see her. He needed to see her. He tries to act as nonchalant as possible when he says slowly,

"Could I have a piece of parchment please?"

James smirks when his mother, already prepared, slides a quill and a small length of parchment across the table. Sirius scowls at James, elbowing him when he tries to read what it is Sirius is scribbling.

He mulls it over for a moment, wondering what he should say. Or how much he should say. He smiles slightly when he writes,

I want to see the beach.

-Padfoot

James sees it before his friend can fold it up, scoffing, "That's it?!"

"Not everyone likes to write poems, James," Sirius says pointedly, smirking when his friend flushes and mutters, "Whatever."

Fleamont takes the parchment from Sirius and stands, winking at the boy before he walks to the kitchen. Sirius can hear the owl screeching, being told instructions. He nearly tells Fleamont to come back, to throw the note away. Distance had made him insecure, made him wonder if he'd made up all of the things that had happened. But then Fleamont returns and claps Sirius on the shoulder, looking awfully proud.

Mia had never seen Sirius so worked up before. Certainly not over a girl. Though she understood why. The letters she'd shared with the girl were sweet and funny and something Mia had come to treasure. She'd been waiting for James to bring home a girl for Mia to get to know for ages. Turns out James brought home a boy who then brought home a girl. Or at least wanted to bring home a girl. The older witch was proud, of both of the boys. But Sirius had come a long way. And she had to believe Gwen was part of the reason.

She smiles behind her glass before saying calmly, "You should hear back in a few days, Sirius."

His smile turns into a frown. Days. More days without Gwen.

Fleamont ads, "Could be sooner. Depends on her reply I suppose."

James smirks and teases, "Poor Sirius misses his girlfriend."

"Shut up," Sirius mumbles, his cheeks pinking. Girlfriend. He liked the sound of that. His doubt fades as he pictures blonde hair and blue eyes.

Sleep doesn't come easy that night. He tosses and turns, wondering is the Veela has been safe. If she's happy. If she's tried to go deeper in the water. He hopes he can help her, that maybe they can swim together. More than anything, he just wants to see her.

Mia had been right, it had taken a few days. The Potter's owl has returned noteless, so Sirius had grown solemn and slightly angry. Perhaps she was uninterested.

It's only a few days after the owl had returned that James and Sirius heard a scream in the kitchen. They sprint inside from the garden, James immediately yelling,

"Mum!!"

Mia Potter stands backed up against the fridge, her wand pointed straight out at an enormous bird. It's grayish feathers are long and mildly fluffy, it's feet perfectly orange. Though the real attention grabber is the long black and yellow beak and the gullet that sways back and forth as the creature looks at them all stoically. Sirius grins broadly, saying incredulously,

"A pelican. She sent a pelican."

"Get it out of my house!" Mia cries, shrieking again when the bird flaps its large wings. James snickers, quickly covering up his laugh when his mother glares in his direction.

Sirius smirks and takes the piece of paper from the pelican's beak, his eyes tracing the familiar looping scrawl on the sandy colored parchment.

What are you waiting for?

-Inferi

Sirius barks out a laugh. Cheeky Veela. He looks up when Mia shoos the pelican from her kitchen. When she's finished she turns and melts at the sight of wide, hopeful eyes. Sirius grins sheepishly and asks,

"May I go?"

Mia smiles knowingly and nods, rolling her eyes when James cries,

"I want to go!"

Mia huffs, "You may join them later if you've been invited James. Give them privacy, they'd probably like to be able to snog without you around."

Sirius winces when James says mischievously, "They're doing more than snogging, mum."

Mia gasps, turning to Sirius and crying, "Sirius Orion Black! You better be using—"

He clamps his hands over his ears, begging, "Please, stop. For the love of Merlin, we're being safe!"

Mia crosses her arms over her chest. She wants to look stern, serious. But the boys both see the corners of her lips twitching.

"Well," She finally says, exasperation and mirth thick in her voice. "Go pack a bag, you bloody fool!"

Sirius launches himself at her, hugging her so tightly her voice is strained as she gasps out, "I love you too. Now go on."

Her heart warms as she sees James smile proudly at his friend, the two of them rushing up the stairs to collect Sirius' things.

Her boys, all grown up.