See The Rainbows In My Eyes

I'm Proud Of You

Friday 10th October 1975

Hogwarts was still shaken but just like every other attack, they pushed it aside. Always pushing, always trying to forget, to pretend.

Sirius hated that they were ignoring all the death but, then again, they needed the escape. Just a bit of false reality. This wasn't their war to fight, they were only kids, innocent children who just so happened to be stuck in a crossfire.

They deserved some happiness, even if under it all was a void ready to swallow them whole.

The school was currently buzzing with Quidditch, the first match of the season, Slytherin vs Gryffindor. This was already a heated pairing but Sirius held an unknown hatred and resentment for the house which made this win evermore dire.

Slytherin was no longer Slytherin to Sirius. It was, "Toujours pur!" bellowing in his ears. It was the thick disgraceful blood that ran through his veins. It was his mother towering over him with that manic look in her eyes of rage and disappointment. "Insolent! Pathetic! Where is your nobility, Sirius!" Her words were always trapped in his head, reminding him that no matter how hard he tried to fight, to escape, to shake her off, she'd always be there, waiting.

So he had to win this match - win this war he'd been trapped in his entire life - or at least die fighting.

"Merlin James, slow down," Sirius laughed as he watched James down an entire goblet of purely black coffee so rich, he could smell its caffeinated beans from across the table.

The boy gasped for air once he'd finished, coughing a bit, but smiled as he whipped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "I have to be fully energized Black, no time for slacking, this is the big game!" he declared with the most youthful grin displayed, speech coming out rapidly as his body and mind buzzed in adrenaline.

"James, you practically run on sugar, I think you'll be fine," Marlene sided but James ignored them both as he contently poured himself another cup. That wasn't even touching on the fact that he'd had been carb-loading for the past week, now having a plate full of saucy pasta, more than what Moony usually ate which was a lot.

"Merlin Potter, you're eating more than Remus," Marlene gasped as James helped himself to a second serving.

He twirled his fork in his mountain of spaghetti, scooping it in his mouth and slurping the noodles all while keeping strong eye contact with Marlene to tease her.

"James, that's disgusting," she gagged, glaring at him in nausea.

"It's for the match," he protested with a mouthful of food, sauce smeared over his lips like a toddler.

Marlene was going pale. "I'm gonna be sick."

"If you are then do it now, I don't want you puking on your broom."

She stuck out her tongue, face scrunching, James replied with the same. Oh, how those two bickered.

"Hello boys, Marls," Mary greeted, approaching the three with a bounce in her step, a high-pitched clacking of heels against stone as she walked.

"You look..." Sirius started, surveying her attire with a sly smirk, "...festive."

The girl had red and gold ribbons tied in her hair, wearing one of Marlene's old Quidditch sweaters which draped to her knees, so big that it worked as a dress, accompanied with black fishnets, and red stilettos. The bright colours against her cool-toned skin made her look radiant, sunny.

Mary held her head high, tossing her curls back confidently. "It's only appropriate that I dress the part," she insisted.

"Well I think you look smashing Macdonald," James nodded with a supportive grin.