It takes two | Sirius Black

25.

"I want you to come with me." Remus says, "I need you to see them for yourselves.."

Sirius chokes on his drink, spraying liquid out of his nose across the table. James starts patting his back, trying to help but essentially just causing Sirius to cough harder. Remus just shakes his head at the dramatic exaggeration from Sirius, which was somewhat expected.

"Of course we will go with you." James says, he glares at the other two,"Right guys?"

"Yes! Right of course!" Pete splutters nervously in agreement.

Sirius shrugs, "Yeah.. okay."

"Brilliant." Remus beams, hesitating as he explains the plan,"I need to head back before the full moon..so we would have to set off the day after Zion's birthday."

"As long as we don't miss his birthday it's all good right, Pads?" James smiles.

Sirius nods. It wasn't that he didn't trust Remus, it was the others he didn't trust- not the kids but the adults. He'd always struggled with authority, people older than him telling him what to do and he didn't know the werewolves. They didn't know him. Several members of the Order had preached about the dangers of the werewolves, but this was Remus. This was Remus he told himself. Remus would never put them in danger.

The night before Zion's birthday, the friends stayed up decorating the house. James was feeling the loss of his parents and Mimi, all who would've made such a humongous fuss for Zion's special day. He refused to use magic, doing it the way his mother would have. It always felt extra special when his Mum and Dad did his Birthday and Christmases by hand.

"My finger is starting to burn!" Mary sighs, letting another balloon go.

"Stop whinging Princess." Marlene quips as she holds up one end of the birthday banner.

Dorcas is holding the other side, pouting at Marlene, "I thought I was Princess."

"Actually I'm Princess! Now quit complaining and get a move on!" James orders, clapping his hands together and heading into the hall.

"Aye aye captain!" Remus salutes, dragging a heavy wrapped box into the front room with Peters help.

"What the pissing hell is that?" Sirius asks, his eyebrows raising in curiosity.

Remus shrugs, "Prongs got it."

"JAMES!!!!" Shouts Sirius, "WHATS IN THE BOX?!"

"ITS A SECRET!" James yells from the other room.

"Fuck." Sirius mutters, "It's going to be a fucking broom or something."

"Looks big enough to be an entire mini Quidditch set with goals." Marlene inputs, nodding her head in approval.

"Are they even a thing?" Mary snorts.

Marlene shakes her head, "But they should be."

The friends surround the enormous box, Sirius kicks it to see if anything happens- it doesn't. So at least they can rule out an animal of some sort.

"Lily..." Sirius mumbles to the redhead, "When you two have children, it's going to be such a spoilt brat."

"Oh I know." Lily shrugs, "James has more money than sense."

"Do you know what it is?" Pete asks, looking as if he could combust with curiosity.

Lily shakes her head, "He wouldn't tell me. Not even for a BJ."

"You're kidding?" Marlene snorts, "It can't be that much of a mystery."

"Oi! Slackers!" James says as he walks back into the room, "Stop trying to guess the greatest gift of all time and finish the balloons."