An Account of Falling Stars

Chapter 10: Remus

The assembly was long and tedious. It was all welcomes and warnings and introductions and warnings. I sat wedged between Peter and James who were muttering to each other relentlessly about a prank that they would pull for the beginning of the year. I tried to tune them out considering that this year I was a prefect. I had duties and responsibilities and a reputation to uphold, but their muttering was far too annoying. A better man than me probably would have asked them to please be quiet but...

"Will you two dafties shut the fuck up." I snapped my voice low. Peter stuck his tongue out at me and James frowned a little. He raised his thick brown eyebrows asking if I was ok and I nodded. He scanned me for a minute to ensure that I was really alright and I rolled my eyes exasperated. "Switch seats?" I mouthed to him. James Potter, forever the kindest person on earth didn't hesitate to jump up and switch seats with me. I thanked him with a pat on the shoulder then I slumped into his seat. I was more than vaguely aware of the boy now beside me but I ignored the urge to look, very impressed with my will power.

Instead, I stared mindlessly as Lily took the stand and began speaking about personal experiences that she'd had in the school and how much she knew all newcomers would grow as people just like she had.

To everyone else, she probably looked calm and collected, but I had stayed up on the phone to her the night before, running up my father's phone bill in the process, trying to calm her down at the prospect of her first ever talk in front of the entire student body. I watched as her fingers twiddled with the tips of her extremely long ginger hair as she spoke chest out and straight backed. She looked around the room and I caught her eye, giving her a small smile and a thumbs up. When she finally looked away she settled into a more comfortable position, sinking lower into my chair to slouch. Without thinking, I stretched my long thin legs out and in the process, bumped knees with the boy beside me. I glanced at him and smiled weakly. He was staring at me with the feline, pale blue eyes. His long lashes fluttered when he looked down to where our knees barely touched and I had to clasp my hands very tightly together to control the very inappropriate sound that was edging to escape my lips when he smirked. His lips, the colour of a light blush pulled up at both sides. Sirius Black didn't do anything by half. When he smiled, he really smiled, his whole face lighting up. His black curls were pulled out of his face in an attractive half up- half down hairstyle. I realised far too late that I was staring for far too long so I blinked quickly and faced the front.

After Lily stepped off of the podium and went to sit on a seat on the side of the hall I was just beginning to relax again when there was a light tap on my knee. I looked to the side and saw Sirius looking at me again. He leaned in a little closer and i Tried not to stiffen. I rolled my shoulders and leaned my ear closer to his, still staring at the front so as not to make it obvious to teachers that he was talking to me.

"What's this I hear about start of year pranks?" he murmured. His breath tickled my ear making my smile slightly. "Don't tell me James already got to you." I groaned but I was secretly excited at the prospect of running around the castle, doing tasks, trying not to get talk, laughing into the night. I hadn't had a chance at that kind of fun all summer. Lily was my best friend and I loved her and spending time with her, Marlene and Mary, but being with James and Peter was much different.

Sirius grinned again. "Prince Charming over there doesn't waste time." My smile widened at that. "You got that right." I murmured, turning my face so we were nose to nose in the middle of the assembly hall. "So what do you wanna know and can it wait til later?" I asked. He rolled his brilliant blue eyes like what I was asking of him was ridiculous. "When inspiration hits you must act fast!" He declared quietly with a flourish of his small, pale hand. "You'll be acting in detention if you don't be quieter." I whispered. "Nothing these adults here can be worse than my parents." Sirius shrugged matter of factly. I was about to ask him to elaborate when I noticed his blue eyes soft to a cold grey. "Doesn't matter short spice, sit down and shut up and tell us after this assembly." I hissed instead. His thin nose wrinkled when I called him short but he sighed and leaned back. "Only because that guy is staring" He muttered staring at the front, nodding his head a bit to the left where the caretaker filch stood. Dank, piss coloured hair sticking to his face. His clothes were sallow and tattered. "You'd think, with all the money in tuition, they could pay him to spruce up a bit." Sirius muttered, sounding very snobbish. Just then, Mary leaned around the side of Sirius. "I heard he prefers to look like that to scare students." She whispered. She carried out her s sounds making a slight hissing sound. Sirius turned his back to me to whisper something to her, making her laugh slightly. My chest ached from the lack of attention he was giving me but I didn't say anything, obviously.