One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 185

Sirius chews on the stick left behind from his acid pop, glancing up from the Witch Weekly balanced on his lap.

"Merlin, Prongs," He grunts irritably. "Quit tapping. You'll drive me insane."

Remus shoots Sirius a warning look, his voice encouraging as he says, "Don't mind him, James. He's just sex deprived."

Sirius scowls at Remus, eyes flickering to Peter when he starts to laugh. He quickly clamps his mouth shut, offering Sirius a sheepish smile.

James huffs nervously, muttering, "He's not the only one. The girls have been so busy planning this wedding that I think I've forgotten how sex works."

"Don't worry, James," Regulus muses, his eyes glinting with mirth. "I'm sure you'll remember how at the altar."

"Little!" James whines, rubbing his hands through his hair and evading Remus' own fingers that reach to finish up his bow tie. "Now that's all I'm going to be thinking of!"

Remus sighs frustratedly, swatting at James' hands so that he'll lower them and stand still. James stays quiet, looking on the brink of a panic attack. When Remus finishes straightening his bow tie, he explodes and practically yells, "Why am I so nervous?!"

"Because Lily is too good for you," Peter quips, grinning cheekily when Sirius joins in, "She's probably halfway to Russia by now. I hear Ninnie helped plan her escape."

James grows pale, his eyes round and worried behind his glasses. Regulus snickers behind his hand, quickly growing quiet at Remus' disapproving expression. Sirius sighs, reluctantly setting down his magazine and tossing his acid pop stick at Peter despite his noise of protest. He stands and walks over to James, reassuring, "She loves you, Prongs. She loves you. What more could you ask for."

James' lips slowly turn up into a smile, his voice low as he wonders, "How did we get here, Padfoot?"

"You mean how did we find people to tolerate us?" Sirius muses, grinning when James laughs. "I ask myself that every day. Now let's get this show on the road."

James nods, clasping Sirius' hand. They share a meaningful look, one that Sirius doesn't recognize. This was James and Sirius, this was brothers acknowledging that life wasn't just about pranks or jokes or adrenaline rushes. Life wasn't just the stage for the Marauders shows.

Sirius chuckles and pulls him into a quick hug, mumbling, "If you get cold feet we'll bail. Just say the words."

"Not this time, mate," James laughs. "This time I think I'm ready."

Peter cheers, hooting and hollering as the gentleman all push James out of the kitchen and down the bloody aisle to the alter that he'd been waiting to stand at for nearly seven years.

Fleamont Potter grins at the boys, his boys, patting each on the back before they take their seats and leave James to wait for his bride.

Sirius leans forward, his attention now focused on a new emotional wreck. Euphemia Potter is already sobbing into her handkerchief, shoulders shaking and tears soaking her cheeks.

"Mia," He chuckles, squeezing her shoulder. Remus smiles nervously, clearly uncomfortable with the woman's emotional outburst when she turns to look at the boys sitting behind her. She bursts into another round of tears, her hands shakily straightening Sirius' tie and dusting off Regulus lapels of his jacket.

Peter quickly hands her a new hanky, smiling sheepishly when she mumbles a quick and unintelligible thank you. Regulus quirks a brow, saying warmly, "Cheer up, Mum. You've got lots of weddings to look forward too."