Paisley Higgs | (Sirius Black)

Chapter 14- We just got here

Sirius was right.

Those are three words I literally hate with every fiber of my being, and yet, it didn't make them any less true.

Stepping into the Gudgeon household was like that one weird cartoon Disney movie where the blonde kid falls down a well or something and learns the consequences of taking various types of illegal drugs... and how awful cats are.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. After unceremoniously swinging the door open and shoving me past a trio of red-eyed loiterers engulfed in some foul-smelling smoke, Sirius steered me right toward the beating center of the party.

I don't really know what I was expecting. I only really wanted to go to this party because I wanted friends... or at the very least to have some acquaintances besides the mad man that drove me there on his death machine. In all the movies Matty and I had watched, they make parties look like this magical blur of people being swept away in their inhibitions, having the time of their life. In reality I kept dodging mystery liquids on the floor, it smelled like stale beer, sweat, and skunks, and people just sort of bumbled around and into each other to bad disco music, knocking things over like Mrs. Hernandez's blind llama, Ramon.

Sirius led me by the elbow past a smoke hazed couch, my eyes burned. "It's not too late for me to take you home, you know."

"We just got here," I said through my coughs. "Besides, I want to at least say hi to Lily and them."

"One trip to the loo and suddenly you're best mates," Sirius muttered grumpily under his breath and walked into the kitchen past a couple making out by the screen door to the backyard. The air was clearer and the incandescent kitchen lights were on, buzzing with a few wayward moths. On the counter was a smattering of every sort of cup and random junk food you could imagine, and at the center of it all was a big bowl of what I assumed was punch.

Sirius saw me eyeing it. "Don't even think about drinking that poison... you're what? Seven stone? It'll put you out faster than a Diricawl zap."

"I have no idea what you just said."

He rolled his eyes. "You little. Drink strong."

"Okay, look, I may be dumb, but I'm not dumb enough to drink some random unattended party potion—"

"PADFOOT!" Came a booming voice. Suddenly I found myself pushed nearly into said party potion as James, of course, barreled through, lopping an arm over Sirius's shoulders. "Come on I want to jump in the pool! Do that one spell with the- the-" James was snapping, hair more askew than ever, glasses lopsided. "The spin! The spin spell!"

"I don't really feel like it, James—"

"Oh come on! Stop being such a— Higgs?"

And just like that I had been spotted. I prayed he wouldn't ask me to do any spells. Unfortunately, my tutor hadn't gotten to any charms yet... or anything else for that matter...

James's mouth broke out into a crooked grin. "Didn't think you were coming? Lily said you'd gone home."

I frowned. "She did?"

Sirius heaved a great sigh. "Come on James, let's get you some water—"

"The pool can wait," said James swatting his friend away.

"That's not what I—"

"I'm thinking we should do something else..." a perfectly wicked smile broke out upon the stupid Potter's face. "Davey! Remus! Frank!" He hollered out the kitchen door. "Round up the girls! We're playing truth or dare!"