Illicit | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 31

"Give it back James!" Eleanor shouted through the train. They had only just boarded and he was already getting on her nerves. He had stolen her beanie she stole from Remus.

"No, I look good in it," he said, flipping his invisible long hair. He sat down in a compartment with Sirius and Peter. Remus had gone to the Prefect's compartment.

Eleanor rolled her eyes and sat down in the opposite compartment next to Kathy. Doris and Amelia joined them as well.

She leaned forward and looked into the boys' compartment. "Sirius, how did you like the record player?" she asked him. The other girls frowned.

"Oh it's bloody brilliant!" he said, looking like a little boy thinking about his first time at a sweet shop. "That Bowie guy is a-ma-zing."

Eleanor grinned. "What's your favorite song?"

Sirius thought for a second. "Of Bowie's? I think 'Lady Stardust', but 'Changes' is great as well," he said with a smile. Eleanor nodded and then quickly snatched the beanie from James' head.

"Oi! But it went well with my eyes!" he sounded offended. Eleanor stuck her tongue out at him. He mimicked her. She laughed and leaned back in her seat.

"You gave him your record player?" Amelia whispered and frowned.

"Yeah, he really liked it. And besides, I can still listen in the livingroom," Eleanor explained.

The train ride was - as usual - very long, and at around seven-thirty that evening, all of the students were seated at the four long tables in the Great Hall, enjoying a good meal.

Eleanor looked across the room while eating her pudding. Ever since Regulus had sent his last letter, she had been worried about him. He seemed so unlike himself.

She saw him sitting on his usual spot at the Slytherin table, but he didn't seem to notice her. Well, she'd see him the next day after class anyway.

James, Peter, and Sirius got up from their seats and left the Great Hall when they were done eating. Remus poked around the food on his plate.

Eleanor frowned. "Aren't you joining them?" she asked her brother.

He shook his head. "Prefect duties, need to patrol with Lily when everyone has left," he explained.

"Ew, glad I'm not a Prefect," she said with a grin. Remus rolled his eyes.

Eleanor finished her drink. She was thinking back to their little get together with New Year's, and all of her moments alone with Sirius. The more she thought about them, the mkre she wished she could go back and do it all over again, but properly this time.

"What's on your mind?" Remus asked her, leaning his head in his hand. She looked back at him and bit the inside of her cheek.

Elenor checked if the others would hear her and then turned back to her brother again. "You knoe that night eith New Year's," she started.

"Yeah, hard to forget," he chuckled. "What about it?"

"Well, it's just that I woke up in the middle of the night and Sirius was up as well. He told me he 'just had a nightmare', but he was all sweaty and stuff," she said with a frown.

Remus diverted his eyes. Eleanor noticed. "He gets them often doesn't he?" she asked. She knew she was onto something. But hadn't he just told her?

"He does," Remus mumbled. "It's because of Grimmauld Place, he can't let go of his past there." Eleanor's heart sank at the thoughts of what went dosn there going around in her head. It must've been really bad... But she had never heard him mention anything?