The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

Bond in a Bath

Sirius arrived home, tucking his motorbike into his jacket pocket and stood hesitating at the door.

"Well, see Evans," he practiced, "Its like this. James didn't get a tux yet, he ran off. No I haven't the foggiest where he went. Yes, I lost your fiancé. No, please don't jinx me aaaarrggggh!" He mimed shielding off a curse. When he'd finished his dramatics, he got up and nodded, "Right then. Well. At least I know what I'm in for."

Sirius pushed in the door.

Lily wasn't back from her classes yet, the flat appeared empty. He went to look in the bedroom he shared with Remus Lupin, peeking 'round the door at his sleeping form, and he smiled to himself with idea that Remus was sound asleep, comfortable, and back in the flat. He stood and watched the rise and fall of Remus's breathing for a few minutes before he ducked back out of the door, not wanting to wake Remus up. The poor lad needed a lie in, Sirius reckoned. 

 He sighed, wandering into the kitchen, where he pulled a box of left over Chinese from the fridge, glancing at the countdown on the fridge. "Ninety four sleeps until Freddie," he muttered, took up the chopsticks from the drawer where they kept the extras, and wandered back into the living room, chucking himself down on the couch and spearing a piece of General Tso with one of the chopsticks before shoving it into his mouth.

There was a soft thump and Roger the kneazle was sitting on the coffee table, watching him.

"I'd offer you some chicken but it's too good to share," Sirius said, snickering.

He started humming, bored with the silence in the room, and it wasn't long before he'd drifted off to sleep, dropping the Chinese carton from his hand so that the remaining chicken rolled out and Roger happily helped himself.

Merlin knows how long Sirius was asleep for before he woke to he sensation of being nudged.  

"Hey," Remus said, "You hungry?"

Sirius yawned, stretching. "I ate the left over Chinese."

Remus looked at the floor, where the remains of the empty box lay and Roger sat licking his feet. "I think Roger might've had most of that, actually."

Sirius looked. "You bastard."

Roger looked up at Sirius primly, then turned and walked away, flicking his tail up high into the air behind him as though to tell Sirius "kiss this". 

Remus chuckled.

"Bloody cat, dunno why we got a cat... we're dog people 'round here."

Remus muttered, "Some of us more than others."

Sirius grinned. "Wolves are dogs, too."

"I am rather over my wolfishness for the time being," Remus said. He bent down and picked up the empty Chinese container. "I'm craving a bit of steak. Want to go out?" He waved his wand, banishing off the package to the bin. "You know how ravenous I get after a full moon."

Sirius grinned, "Don't I."

Remus flushed. Then. "Hang on - weren't you supposed to be going tuxedo shopping with Prongs today?"

Sirius's grin fell off his face. "Alright, sooooooo... I thought I'd be having this talk with Lily, but guess I'll have it with you first."

Remus's eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

Sirius recounted his short walk with James and how James's countenance had gone from quietly reserved to frantic, how he'd disapparated off, and left Sirius behind.

Remus's expression went from quietly concerned to astonished shock. "So he's gone off to Fallengunder by himself, then?"

"Ohhhhhh, why didn't I think of that? Yes, of course that's where he'd be off to. Blimey, I'm nearly as thick as he is!" Sirius said, smacking his forehead. "Well that makes me feel better."