maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

12. the perfect hiding place

SIRIUS AND BETTY'S date had been a great success. The boy had followed every single advice that Claudia had given him, and the result of that was that both Sirius and Betty were over the moon.

Naturally that also involved plenty of sneaking around to be alone, and talk. At least for the most part.

Betty had followed the idea that Claudia had come up with a few weeks back, the one were she wouldn't kiss Sirius on the first date, which he respected. Instead, during their evenings together, they got to know each other.

Sirius Black was doing something new, and he liked it more than one would assume.

So, when the pair were out doing god knows what on a Wednesday evening just about four days after their first date, they needed a place to be. And they needed it fast because Lily and another prefect were just around the corner.

That's when Sirius had an idea.

"Come on", he whispered to Betty as he took her hand and led her to the the perfect hiding place; the Room of Requirement.

And there it was, the door that appeared out of nowhere that would lead them to their hideaway.

"Merlin's beard", Betty whispered as Sirius led her in there. The room was pretty much empty, except for a leather couch as well as a record player and plenty of records.

"You found the Room of Requirement", she said amazed she looked around the room.

"Yeah, James and I did in first year when we were hiding from Minnie", he explained. "This is the perfect spot for mostly everything."

"I can see that."

Betty walked up to the records and flicked through them; only to find the album Solo by Frankie Valli. She recalled the nights spent in the common room with Claudia singing his songs and dancing around when they were younger. She was more free back then. Happier.

She still sang the songs and tapped her feet to the beat, but it wasn't like it used to be.

"Find anything?" Sirius asked her as he walked up next to her.

"Frankie Valli", Betty said with a smile. "Claudia's absolute favourite."

"Is he good?"

"Yeah, he is. Claudia would tell you that you haven't lived unless you've heard "Can't take my eyes off you".

"Well then, Frankie Valli it is", Sirius grinned as he grabbed the record from her and turned it on.

That night Sirius and Betty had their first kiss.

•••

"So, what did he say?" Inez asked Claudia as the two sat chatting in the common room by the fire.