One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 72

Gwen smiles behind her mug, listening to snores rattle the normally quiet walls of her house.

They'd spent the whole day in the ocean. Sirius was right. It was the happiest they'd seen Gwen. Remus had won Rock Paper Scissors for the guest room, leaving James and Peter to pass out in the living area. They'd been exhausted, but the good kind. The best feeling in the world was falling asleep with a slight sunburn and worn out legs from running on the sand and swimming in the water.

She peers down at her magazine, humming quietly to herself as the wind and waves sound through the open window. She liked having the Marauders here. More than she'd ever care to admit. And Sirius had looked so happy, as free as she'd felt since he'd helped her swim. The boys were his brothers. Though Gwen knew that he was missing the one he'd left behind at Grimmauld Place.

She doesn't look up when someone joins her in the kitchen, just pushes the chair out across from her with her foot and silences her humming.

"Don't stop. Not for me at least."

Remus smiles at her when her pale eyes suddenly lift from the words she's reading. She smiles too, returning to her quiet humming as she flips her page and then methodically takes a sip from her mug. Remus bites back a laugh. She does it every time. Flips a page, then takes a drink.

She suddenly stands, and moves to the stove, reaching for a mug before pouring something into it. She returns to her seat, setting the mug down in front of Remus. He peers into the ceramic, smiling as he wonders, "You drink hot chocolate in the summer?"

"Not usually. Sirius likes it though."

She ignores his knowing look, instead focusing on the article she was reading previously. Remus knows that he's immune to her charm, but he does feel soothed every time her humming shifts notes and reaches his ears.

He takes a sip of the warm drink, deciding quickly that he understands why Sirius likes it. It's delicious. He hesitates, listening for James and Peter's snores before he whispers,

"Have you heard from him?"

Gwen glances up, her pale gaze meeting his concerned green eyes. She frowns a little and shakes her head, murmuring, "I haven't gotten a reply to my last letter. Sirius knows I've been writing him."

Remus' eyes widen slightly but Gwen assuages his concerns by saying calmly, "He doesn't know that you have."

Remus is quick to explain, mumbling defensively, "He asked me about potions. Wanted to know if I'd found any of the specimens I'd been looking for at the lake."

Gwen doesn't say anything, just turns her eyes back to her horrid magazine and smiles, continuing her humming.

Remus had seen Regulus Black leave with his parents at the end of term. It was disheartening, to see the boy that had warmed up to him and Phoebe by the lake look so solemn. It reminded him of when Sirius used to come back from the Christmas break. Broken. He'd reached out once, after writing at least five drafts. When he received a letter in return he didn't open it for days. When he did, he wrote a reply within the hour. It was true, they mainly discussed potions. But the letters at least told Remus that he was alive and well.

Gwen looks up when she hears shuffling feet, smiling gently and saying, "There you are."

Sirius smiles at her playful words, still rubbing his eyes from sleep as he walks over to her. He rests his hand on the back of her chair, bending down and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. He mumbles tiredly against her, "You taste like chocolate."

Gwen smiles and gently pushes at his chest, saying, "It's on the stove. Go ahead and get some before James and Peter wake up."

Sirius' eyes light up with excitement and he hurries to the stove, pouring himself a mug of the hot chocolate before taking a seat at the table with Gwen and Remus. Remus clinks their mugs together, smiling slightly when Sirius says to his girlfriend,

"Alright, Ninnie. Hit me."

"Well," Gwen starts, theatrically clearing her throat. "According to this weeks addition, brunettes have more fun than blondes, A woman is in St. Mungos for trying a love potion cleanse, and Celestina Warbuck has released her new line of Crup treats. Care to wager a guess at what they're called?"

Remus watches the two and bites back his laughter as Sirius' brows furrow. He thinks silently for a few moments while Gwen watches, waiting patiently. He snaps his fingers and says, "Cruppie cookies."

Gwen sighs theatrically and shakes her head, "Not even close, Black. They're called WarCrups. Patent pending."

Remus quirks a brow when Sirius grunts and rolls his eyes, asking his friend, "Do you do this every morning?"

"No. Sirius would rather we shag."

Sirius clamps his hand over the Veela's mouth, warning, "Ninnie, I swear on Merlin one more word..."

Her eyes glint at the challenge and he sighs, letting his hand fall. Gwen decides to leave him be, instead turning back to Remus and saying sarcastically, "Forgive me, Remus. I'm being crass."

Remus hides his grin behind his mug as Sirius mutters, "You and your smart mouth, Inferi."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Gwen quips, standing to rinse out her mug. She lets out a huff of surprise when Sirius just pushes her back down into her chair and snatched the mug up from her hands. He stands and walks to the sink, ignoring her as she says with a bored voice, "I am a capable being, you know."

Sirius chuckles to himself, rinsing and washing the mug before he puts it back exactly where she likes it. While her face is passive when he returns to the table, his heart clenches at the sight of something more in her unnerving eyes.

"You guys are gross," Remus mutters, though he can't help but soften at the way Sirius looks at Gwen. Happy. He wasn't sure he'd even seen him that happy.

They all look up when a loud groan sounds from the couch in the other room,

"Wormtail, if you put your foot in my face one more time I'm going to hex you."

"Piss off, Prongs. You were moaning in your sleep for Lily all night!"

Gwen covers her mouth with her hand as grunts and tussling sounds reach the kitchen, James and Peter occasionally yelping in pain.

Remus, Gwen, and Sirius make eye contact before simply turning back to Gwen's magazine, none of them inclined to separate James and Peter while they wrestle and shout.