One Step Ahead Part II | Sirius Black

Chapter 210

Sirius can't wipe the grin off his face.

He's burning up, dripping sweat and melted snow and he knows his hair is probably matted under this ridiculous blue beanie, but he just doesn't care.

Because today was a good day.

When he woke up alone, he'd immediately understood that Gwen had gone to take care of business. She'd been antsy and ditsy for days, fewer riddles and more dreamy notions of something called crumple horned snorkacks. He didn't believe half the rubbish in Xenophelius Lovegood's Quibbler articles, but Gwen did. Who was he to disagree? He trusted her.

To know more than he did, and to be safe.

She was brave, braver than she thought. And it made him brave too. Brave enough to apparate to the Potters and shed a few tears with James in the room where they used to stay up all night talking about Lily and Gwen. Brave enough to stay, even though Mia and Monty weren't there and Gwen was off somewhere likely putting herself in danger. Brave. He hadn't felt brave in a long time.

Laughter flies from his chest, Marlene nearly slamming right into a tree thanks to the snowball that James has thrown at her face.

"POTTER!" Her scream is so uncharacteristically dramatic that Sirius just laughs harder, watching the Scottish witch furiously wipe the snow from her face. James is hiding rather poorly behind a tree free of any leaf cover, the branches doing nothing to obscure his hovering form.

Marlene zips through the trees on her broom, and this time it's James' turn to screech like a little kid, ducking through the branches and flying away just before Marlene can get a grip on his sweater.

Her eyes narrow and she turns to Sirius. He feels himself wince at the murderous look on her face, rather familiar with it thanks to Quidditch. She was brilliant at it, though perhaps not the best team player. Sirius quickly zooms off, the wind and falling snow whipping across his burning cheeks and making his eyes water. James is laughing ahead, zipping around as if he's the snitch and Marlene is the sodding bludger coming to beat the life out of them.

She's just about to close in on him, and Sirius is nearly tired enough to let her, when they all freeze.

A deep, rumbling sound is slowly growing louder and louder. James looks to the sky, asking incredulously, "Does it thunder when it snows, Padfoot?"

"No, Prongs," Sirius scratches his forehead, sharing a look of concern with Marlene. "I don't think it does. Besides, that's not thunder."

"What the fuck is it?" Marlene asks, whipping her head around to find the source of the noise. Sirius looks down to see Remus peering out of the kitchen window, looking just as perplexed as the rest of them.

"Reckon you know what that is Moony?"

His friend's nose crinkles, and then Lily's head cranes out the window below Remus'. Sirius nearly laughs at the odd scene, but is stumped when Lily asks irritably, "Who is reving their bloody engine?!"

Marlene, James, and Sirius all look at each other, tilting their heads. The sound is even louder now, close enough that he can feel it before he can see it.

And what he suddenly sees, is a portrait of hilarity he won't ever forget.

Appearing out of thin air, hurtling towards them, is a shiny black thing with wheels. Sirius, Marlene, and James scatter on their brooms, narrowly missing the speeding metal contraption. A familiar, squeaky scream is sounding along side the engine now, and with complete and total amazement, Sirius recognizes Dorcas Meadowes driving a flying motorbike.