The Other One | Sirius Black

Chapter 53 - Half-smile

"I'm sorry I haven't visited sooner," Remus admitted as he took off his coat and sat down on the brown couch. "I've been busy with the Order and the last full moon was... painful, to say the least."

James patted his friend's back, "No worries, mate. You know you can stop by any time."

"Yeah, you're always welcome, Rem. And you also haven't missed much with us. The only excitement going on these days is when the baby kicks or when the cat doesn't eat all of the food," Lily smiled with her hands resting comfortably on her bump.

She was in for a lot of excitement with little Prongs running around the house in just a few years, Remus thought.

"Cats are not as bad as they're made out to be. You know, I had one when I was younger too. It was alright," Remus remembered. He wasn't fond of talking about his past. Before Hogwarts when all he knew was pain and disappointment more than anything else like love and friendship. But there were one or two things he did like. His lazy old cat was one of them.

James cheered, bouncing in his seat, "Finally! Someone who agrees with us! Baz is a good pet -- better than any mad dog we could dream of."

The werewolf let out a breathy laugh at the jab, unsure of why it didn't sound as lighthearted as the usual ones toward the absent Marauder.

He asked, "So you think Baz is going to get along well with the baby?"

Lily sighed, "We hope so. He's not the warmest around the company but it might be different with a baby."

Remus recalled, "It was taking the piss with Wormtail during our birthday. Which was quite funny, actually. You reckon it knows what he is?"

James laughed, "Mr. Bazilton is incredibly intuitive, maybe he does know."

Remus continued, "It's a shame Jo doesn't like it, I would've thought she'd be intrigued with its 'intuitiveness'."

"She seems to be selective of how smart and intrigued she is these days. Not that it's any good," James huffed before reaching for a biscuit from the coffee table and munching on it quite loudly. Lily hit him on the shoulder to evoke some manners back into him. It looked like she would get the hang of being a mother in no time.

"Umm... but we're all like that, aren't we? We're still learning how to be adults. I don't see why she should be treated differently," Remus defended his flatmate, though he did not know from what.

James rolled his eyes, "Enough talk about Joanna. If you want to talk to her you can do it back home at the flat."

Lupin took a sip of his tea hoping the rest of the conversation wouldn't be so hostile and awkward. But he sensed something had gone on last time he couldn't accompany his other friends to the Potter house. He didn't know what had caused the rift but he'd get to the bottom of it --- once he got back home to the flat.

*   *   *   *   *   

Joanna tried to suppress her giggle at watching Sirius and Remus frantically move around the kitchen preparing pigs in a blanket and pudding for dinner. The frilly lace on the apron bounced around with each step and turn Sirius took, while Remus preferred to get his clothes a little dirty instead.

Sirius grumbled while checking the oven, "You're staring."

"Am I not allowed to?" She smirked from the counter.

He countered, "Not when you can be helping us prepare the food."

She asked, "Do you really want me to burn down the kitchen?"