Pawns & Players - Sirius Black

-30-

Youth is about the only thing worth having, and that is about the only thing youth has  - Edgar Watson Howe

"They found him"

"I know"

"Everyone does"

"What did they rule it as ?"

"Accident, but I'm pretty sure Dumbledore suspects them"

"And they say Hogwarts is the safest place on earth"

The Bell Towers were often empty, except for the two kids' weekly visits but this time, the boy seemed bothered, nearly scared compared to the girl he was sitting next to. He had learned long before not to question her but the lack of worry she showed proved her questionable morals.  

"Why did we walk away" He was holding his curly hair tightly, nearly pulling it while drowning in regret.

"Dumbledore is a man who keeps tabs. Always. It's better to keep ourselves out of a situation we already weren't involved in in the first place. We couldn't have done anything, the two would've gotten away anyway and the boy was dead long before"

"We walked away from a dead person"

"We did what we had to, life isn't always an ethical dilemma" She laughed at herself internally, quoting her mother was the last thing the girl thought she would do yet here she was, answering him carelessly.

-

"I DID IT"

"What did you do again Marls ?"

"I ASKED HER OUT AND SHE SAID YES"

"WHAT"

"SHE SAID YES" 

Marlene was skipping around the room brightly, circling around the cauldron the witch was carefully slicing Caterpillars.

"Where did you invite her again ? The last Hogsmeade visit of the year was last week" She asked without lifting her head from the potion she was working on.

"There's a muggle coffee shop near our house, the cutest place really, she would love it." For a girl who laughed so often, that true of a smile was rare and obviously even thinking about her made her so radiant, one could only wish to feel the way she felt.

"Elle, what are you doing again ?"

"Our homework" Answered Lily in her place "Remember, the Shrinking Solution ?"

"Well, what are you doing ?"

"Unlike you," She started, glaring at the girl, "I have to check so Laur here doesn't try to discover a new potion"

"Why would I have to work when you two are my best friends ?" She beamed happily, before leaving the room, to visit a certain painter in all likelihood. 

"The recipe says only one Rat Spleen"

"I know better"

 Lily sighed heavily in desperation, fixing her orange dotted short dress in the mirror, preparing herself to tell her friend something by cleaning her throat.

"So I'm leaving, for somewhere, for me to go, having fun but I actually didn't hide it from you only you know, I didn't actually lie since hiding the truth is-" Her voice getting lower and lower each time she stammered, finally caught the girl's attention, raising her head from the boiling solution.

"Come again ?"

"Do you remember the Hufflepuff in our old Ancient Runes class ?"

"The ginger ?"

"Yes, that's him, David Macmillan" She was nervously smiling, checking herself in the mirror once again.

"What about ginger Macmillan ?"

"Well, he kind of asked me out. Not on a real date or anything but we're going to study together, near the greenhouses. He's going to bring a few things to eat I guess" She was smiling tensely waiting for her answer.

"And what made you so stressed about telling me that again ?"

"You were always rooting for Potter and me so I didn't want to upset you" She admitted sheepishly, fixing the dress's fitting one last time.

"You're too nice for your own good seriously, I'm team Lily with whoever makes you happy. If you agree to wear my boots"

-

"James what are you doing here ?" She whispered beratingly behind the bush.

"Oh hi Laurie what's up"

Trying to back out, she fell down after hitting some kind of wall.

"Look where you're walking will you" Rubbing his hand on his forehead, Sirius took the cloak off of Remus and Peter, all three seemed not so enthused to be there.

"Oh I'm sorry am I crashing a party or something ?"

"Prongs dragged us here, look at him" Sirius lifted his arm, pointing at the jet-black haired boy accusingly.

"You don't look so absolved yourself, or do you spend your days hiding behind shrubs and stalking your friends ?"

"What I'm doing is called the girl code deer, you, on the other hand, are stalking her." She glanced at the boy. "You better have snacks"