One Step Ahead Part II | Sirius Black

Chapter 212

Sirius can hardly look at the blue eyes in front of him, his hands busying themselves with the coat wrapped around her.

He frowns as he fusses with the collar, carefully reaching back to untuck her hair from where it's caught up. He tugs at some of the strands petulantly as they fall down her back. He watches the pearl glint in the light, staring at it intently. Anything to avoid the sea of blue.

But then his eyes find that line across her throat, and his resolve begins to crumble.

"Sirius,"

He shakes his head, interrupting what he's sure will be a statement full of wisdom and intuition. He tries to have faith in Gwen's wisdom. But now he's too scared, "Don't linger in one spot for two long. Stay with James, he's promised to keep an eye on you. Oh, and—"

"And who is keeping an eye on you?"

He pauses at her question, finally meeting her icy eyes and replying evenly, "Dumbledore, since he's avoiding you."

Gwen smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners and softening the coolness. She laughs softly, "He is avoiding me, isn't he?"

It had been a few weeks since the order meeting, and Sirius counted down the days until the death eater attacks they were going to thwart. It didn't feel real. It felt far too easy. But Gwen seemed at ease, and Sirius decidedly refrained from upsetting the balance.

"Regulus and Lily have been brewing potions for days, snuffles. Relax a little."

He smiles weakly at her teasing and nods. He regrets saying he would go with the other group. There were two muggle villages that had been targeted, villages miles away from one another. He would be miles away from Gwen. It left a sinking feeling in his gut. He didn't ask, he didn't question. He just had to have faith.

"I've got James, Gideon, Fabian, and Remus. Plus Madeye. Peter is going with you?"

Sirius nods, sighing, "He said i should go with your group, that he would be fine. I don't feel right leaving him though."

Gwen's brows furrow slightly, and he's about to ask her what is wrong, but then a pixie haired witch appears in the doorway. Alice shoots the veela a nervous look before saying smoothly, "Wish I could come with you lot today. The ministry has been up the auror department's arse though."

Gwen hums thoughtfully, and Sirius glances sideways at the auror. James appears next, two sets of brilliant red hair behind him as he asks excitedly, "Ready, Ninnie? We better go before Lily starts crying again."

"Sure, love," Gwen says plainly, pecking Sirius on the cheek nonchalantly before turning to join James. Sirius nearly lets her go with that as a goodbye. He just cant. He can't. He quickly reaches out and snaps up her upper arm, spinning her around and grabbing her face with his free hand. Gwen's eyes are round, and then he's kissing her, pressing his lips against hers like he can soak in some of her intuition and faith. She's gentle, and he isn't. He tugs at her lips, pries them open with his own so that he can taste her sweet riddles and words of wisdom. He ignores the heat that rises in his cheeks, the whistles and hoots behind him. None of it matters. He pulls her lower lip between his teeth, groaning quietly before letting it go and leaning back to peer down at her. Her pupils are wide, lips and cheeks rosy and pink. Her tongue swipes over her puffy lower lip, and Sirius smiles slightly, feeling the strain of war leaving him for a moment. He sighs and mumbles lowly, 

"Reviens-moi, mon ange." [Come back to me, my angel].

Gwen smiles slightly, nodding her head and replying gently, "Tojours, mon rêve." [Always, my dream.]

James appears in Sirius' vision, lifting the veela up over his shoulder and cheering, "Lets go get those fucking Death Eaters, Ninnie!"

Gideon and Fabian Prewett erupt in cheers, clapping their hands together. Gwen blows Sirius a kiss when James tugs her out of the front door, and when it shuts behind them Sirius begins to pray. He joins Peter in the kitchen, smiling weakly at Marlene and Dorcas. Dorcas grabs his forearm and gives it an encouraging squeeze. Only Dorcas Meadowes could be so optimistic about war. Frank Longbottom appears a moment later, holding a map in one hand and his wand in the other. He clears his throat, and Sirius nearly asks why the bloke looks so distraught. Maybe because Alice wouldn't be joining them on this mission. Frank carefully sets down a crystal vase on the kitchen table, removing the cloth where he'd been holding it. A portkey. Sirius looks at it silently, and still wordless, he grabs onto it in unison with the others. 

They land in a quiet forest, the sky lit by a brilliant full moon and a collection of stars. Sirius wishes Gwen were here. He could teach her about the ones he could see, pointing out the brightest star of each constellation. They set up camp behind a line of hedges, peering through the gaps in the branches. Sirius settles on watching one house in particular. He can see a family eating dinner through the warm glow of the window. A mother, a father, more children than he can count. He watches them, surveys the village in between bouts of observing the innocent muggles laugh and eat and smile at one another. He feels a sense of acceptance. If he could save that family, then being here would be worth it. 

It's too quiet here. 

It's been quiet for what feels like hours. It's been hours. And nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sirius sighs and glances at Frank. The auror looks on edge, perspiration collecting on his temple. Sirius nudges him with his elbow, keeping his eyes locked on the muggle village before him as he asks lowly, "I thought Dumbledore said his bloody spy discovered plans for an attack here."

"He did," Frank sounds solemn, and the hair on the back of Sirius' neck begins to stand up. This couldn't be right. Something should have happened by now. He leans forward to see Dorcas and Marlene speaking quietly on the other side of Frank. It was beginning to hit all of them. Where were the death eaters? Where was the attack they'd been anticipating? 

"We cant leave,"

Frank earns his attention again, and Sirius bristles, asking hurriedly, "Why not? We're lined up like lambs for slaughter, Longbottom. Maybe the spy was wrong. Maybe Dumbledore is fucking losing it--"

"He's not," Frank retorts, "He trusts this informant with his life. He was given a map of the next two attacks--" 

"Plans change!" Sirius argues, "They could have altered their timing, fuck they could have even...."

Sirius trails off, staring at the muggle family he'd been watching through their small window. They looked happy, content. They were blissfully unaware of magic, of the hurt that was waiting for them just outside their doors. But then again, maybe the hurt wasn't here. Maybe it was never going to be here. 

"Fuck," Frank says in a strained whisper, "How many attacks were meant to take place tonight?"

"Three," Sirius whispers disbelievingly. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening again. Frank conjures his patronus, telling it to find the third group and check in with them. Dorcas sends another. One to Gwen's group. The wait for a reply is heart breakingly long and Sirius moves to stand. Frank grabs his arm and Sirius shakes him off. 

"Sirius!" He glances to his left in disbelief at Peter. His friend sounds angry, his face pinched with urgency, "We can't leave yet. I-It could be a trap."

"You're damn right its a fucking trap, Wormtail," Sirius seethes, scrambling to his feet and shouldering his friend harshly. He can tell Peter is following him as he sinks further into the forest behind them, panic driving him away from the muggle village that was perfectly safe. A trap. A fucking trap. How had the death eater's known?

He hears a flurry of footsteps and then Frank has joined them in a small clearing, moonlight streaking the side of his sweating face. Dorcas and Marlene rush up behind him, and Sirius knows. He can see it just by looking at them. 

They'd gotten a reply from one group. One. They were safe.

A reply from the other group never came.