the lucky one, sirius black

08

chapter eight

DESPITE HAVING not returned to her dorm until past four am, Murphy wasn't tired when sitting through her lessons for the day.

After her last lesson, she prowled the hallways looking for her brother after she remembered what her mother had told her before she and the two boys left for Kings Cross; about how James promised that he and Sirius would stay at home for a year whilst Murphy finished school. It's not that she didn't believe that James actually said that he would do. She did believe him, very much so as her brother has never lied to her in the sixteen years that they've known each other. She was just sceptical as to why he would offer a year of his life just to stop Murphy from complaining about the inadequate care of Medi-Witches as they always have five other houses to attend to after visiting the Potters. Even James can admit that a friendly face would be more helpful than a miserable, middle aged witch who's already got vomit stained robes by the time they reach the Potters.

She lingered outside of the Gryffindor common room and waited for someone to come in or out so they could let her in but in the past half an hour absolutely no Gryffindors showed their faces. Murphy didn't retreat, instead she sat cross legged at the top of the stairs with her school satchel on her lap to stop her grey, pleated skirt (which was probably too short to be accepted by the vast majority of teachers) from riding up as she waited.

After another ten minutes of yawning and zoning out with her mouth wide open, wide enough to catch flies, the portrait swung open and James walked out, followed by Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black.

"Murphy," James said, his voice slightly high pitched and riddled with panic. He turned ever so slightly so that he could give Sirius an unreadable look, the older boy shrugged and stepped back so he was standing closer to Remus than he was James, who took a step forward to speak to his sister. "What are you doing here?" He glanced at Sirius again.

"Waiting for you," Murphy said as she stood up and straightened her skirt, "You know, you're the first Gryffindor I've seen in an hour - where the hell is everyone."

"Don't swear Murph." James hissed.

"I didn't swea -"

James cut her off with a glare.

"I don't know the password, so I couldn't get in."

"There's a reason for that Murph, it's not your common room." James sighed.

"I know but - "

James cut her off again. "Why were you waiting?" He asked, fixing his lopsided glasses. His friends stood behind him and waited, Remus Lupin looked as if he was going to waste away if he didn't rush off to dinner in the instance.

"I want to talk to you." Murphy said, smiling at her brother.

James looked back at his friends. "I'll see you at dinner," he sighed, Remus looked elated and didn't hesitate to rush down the stairs - leaving James and Murphy alone standing on the landing.

"I could come and eat dinner with you?" Murphy suggested but James shook his head.Euphemia

"It's fine, we can walk the long way."

Murphy frowned but nodded, following James down the stairs.

"What did you want to talk about?" James asked as he waited for his sister at the bottom of the stairs so that they could walk side by side.

She coughed, putting her hands into the pockets of her robes. "On the first day of school mum told me that you and Sirius were going to stay at home whilst I finish school next year."

James looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah," he said, "Why are you asking me if mum already told you?"

"I just wanted to make sure."

James nodded.

"Did Sirius agree to, or did you just rope him into it?" Murphy asked as they continued to walk down the desolate halls.

"It was Sirius' idea actually," James smiled down at his sister, he's a fair few inches taller than her - James stands tall at six foot two, but his athletic stature and broad shoulders make him look like a giant compared to his little sister.

"Really?" She asked. "So you both promise to stay at home for another year?"

"Yes, Murphy." James sighed, quickly growing bored with his sister as they edged closer and closer to the Great Hall. "We promise that we'll stay and look after mum and dad if they're still ill when we finish school."

They approached the doors and James pushed them open.

"So you don't have to worry." James teased and put his sister into a headlock, digging his knuckle into the crown of her head, she groaned and kicked his ankle. Murphy was about to turn towards the Hufflepuff table before James pulled her arm back. "Do you want to sit with us?" He sighed.

Murphy smiled and nodded, walking alongside her brother to the bustling Gryffindor table. Somehow, James has as many friends as Murphy has Hufflepuff's in her year group so there were hardly any seats left at the table. She lingered behind where her brother was sitting for a second.

"Hello Remus," she smiled. Remus looked up having not even realised that she was there, a pea dropped out of his mouth as he waved.

"Hey, Murphy." He replied, moving his bag off of the seat beside him so that she could sit down between him and Peter Pettigrew. "How has the first month of school been?" He asked. James furrowed his eyebrows from across the table and raised his arms up in a questionative shrug.

"It's been great, thanks." She replied with pink cheeks, forking a slice of chicken and mushroom pie onto her plate with a side of mashed potato. Remus nodded and continued to eat his own dinner.

Sirius was sat beside James, with the beautiful, red-headed Lily Evans on his right. Sirius was helping himself to the discarded chicken that Lily left on the side of her place. Murphy looked at him with raised eyebrows as she picked the chicken out of her own pie.

"So what was that all about?" Sirius asked as he looked between James and Murphy, popping a piece of chicken into his mouth. He asked it as if Murphy wasn't sitting on the seat opposite him.

"Murphy asked me about what we're doing next year," James said with his mouth full of mashed potato.

Sirius nodded.

"What are you doing next year?" Remus asked.

"They told mum that they were going to stay at home with her and dad whilst I finish my seventh year." Murphy told him, putting a piece of the pastry in her mouth.

"Really?" Lily Evans asked with a smile. "That's nice of you," she told James, her round cheeks blushed as she smiled.

James practically pushed Sirius backwards so that he could see Lily and bask in her kind words that were for the first time, actually directed at him. He leant forward in front of Sirius, who was still balancing on the back of the chair.

"It is, isn't it Lily," James boasted, his brown eyes beamed with glee, "It was my idea, you know."

Sirius scoffed and pushed James out of the way so he could lean back forward and continue eating his dinner. He glanced across the table at Murphy and rolled his eyes, knowing that James told her it was actually Sirius' idea. Murphy smiled up at him, a small dimple appeared just below her left eye.