Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 29

Christmas is approaching and I have yet to finish shopping for my friends' gifts. It's not as if we, mere second years, are allowed to roam about Hogsmeade Village either. I can't wait until next year when we'll be allowed to go out every weekend. For now though, I'm left owling my parents and telling them what to buy for each of my friends instead.

It's cold from the snow out so going for a stroll is out of the question in my mind. James and Sirius are stuck in detention. Remus is helping Peter study. The girls are all Merlin knows where. And Fabian and Gideon...well, actually, they're my only hope.

I know exactly where to find the twins too. Wherever Peeves is they are sure to be found only a few feet away. Peeves likes to hang out near the staircases – see, he enjoys throwing water balloons at unsuspecting children and faculty.

I walk the halls with a carefree skip in my step and my head lolling from one side to the other stuck in a dreamy state of mind. With every window that passes me by, I gaze dreamily at the white fluffy clouds decorating the winter blue sky. Not paying much attention to my surroundings, I collide into a body and fall to the floor with a small yelp.

"Watch where you're going git –" Sirius' agitated voice sounds from above me though when he sees who he's knocked into, his glare softens. "Oh, Chiara! I'm so sorry!" He quickly bends to the floor to help me up. "I didn't see you there, you're so little."

I roll my eyes playfully as he helps me back onto my two feet and I dust myself off. "S'alright, Sirius. It was my fault really, I was too busy fraternizing with the clouds." I gesture openly to the clouds displayed in the window beside me.

He raises a curious brow and smirks. "You're such an oddball."

"You love it." I grin, holding my hands together in front of me childishly. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in detention?"

"Told Minnie I had to go to the loo." He waves his hand in a dismissing manner. "Where are you headed?"

"I'm trying to find Fabian and Gideon. I'm hoping they're up to hang out."

"Great, I'll come with." Sirius says, beginning to walk away in the direction I'd been heading. I freeze in my spot on the floor, watching his retreating figure until I snap out of it and run up to walk beside him.

"Sirius!" I scold, hitting his chest half-playfully. "McGonagall will think you ditched."

He nods his head. "Yes, and that is precisely what I'm doing, Holland." I give him a pointed look until he chuckles. "It's fine, I'll just tell her I took a tumble into the toilet."

I throw my head back in a hearty laugh. "Sirius, you genius you." He throws an arm around my shoulders and we walk the mostly empty halls in that position together. At the end of the fifty corridor we pass we find the tall freckle-faced ginger twins. I cup my hands around my mouth and holler, "FABBY! GIDDY!"

In perfect synchronization, almost as if it were planned, the two wave and motion Sirius and I over.

"Fellas! Good to see you." Sirius greets the twins friendly, still with an arm draped lazily on my shoulder.

"You too, Sirius." They reply in unison.

"What's happening here?" I ask with a bright smile, looking down at the bucket-covered floor.