Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 55

It's the first of November meaning Sirius' birthday is fast approaching – which is exactly why I find myself up at the Owlery retrieving a package Dad sent for the very occasion. The weather is getting colder and colder with each passing day what with winter just around the corner. I tug on the end of my Gryffindor scarf to tighten it around my neck as I skim the words written on the attached letter.

Chiara,

I stumbled upon a Muggle book shop while running errands the other day and came across something that made me think of you. It's full of terrible jokes but in my opinion the worse they are the funnier.

I've also included what you asked me to for your friend. You'll be home for Christmas, yes? I hope so. The house is awfully dull without you here.

With love,
Dad

I smile down at my father's familiar scrawl of penmanship before moving on to untying the parcel. Inside I find the present for Sirius along with a small Muggle book labeled 'Pocket Jokes'.

"What's that?" A soft voice asks.

I turn towards the voice only to find the lovely Lily standing there, teeth-chattering in the cold. I wave the book up at her. "Dad's gotten me a joke book. I apologize in advance for I will be retelling horrible jokes until I get bored of this thing."

She giggles, moving to sit beside me on a half-slab of stone. "Duly noted to stay away from you for the next few days." Lily muses. "What else have you got in there?"

"Promise not to tell?" I hold out my pinky for her to link with her own and she does so with a pleasant smile. "It's my birthday present for Sirius."

She carefully picks up one of the objects, turning it over between her fingers. "Cologne and," She looks over at the other thing in my lap. "satin pyjamas?"

"It's his favourite bottle and he's almost out. The satin pyjamas are a gag. He's told me that he thinks sleeping in satin would be like sleeping in nothing at all...anyway he'll laugh when he sees. This isn't all either. There's one more thing I'm waiting on Zonko to send over. I just hope it's ready in time for the big day."

"You are so smitten with him." She pokes me in the side playfully.

I laugh nervously. "I am not! He's my best friend."

"Denying what you feel won't make it go away." She tells me simply, picking up the folded clothing from my lap. "Red of all things?"

"Red is his favourite colour."

"Smitten." She sings under her breath.

*

"What did one cannibal say to the other while eating a clown?" I ask, reading out from my new favourite book. Fabian and Gideon have been getting a kick out of it too and I've promised to lend it to them over Christmas holidays. The twins lean closer to me, excited to hear the answer. "Does this taste funny to you?"

"These are dreadful." Fabian chuckles.

"Oh truly," Gideon laughs too. "Tell another!"

"I actually have to go." I say earning whines of protest from both boys. "I'm sorry! But Sirius should be waking up soon and I want to be the first to wish him a happy birthday."

"Ah yes, Black's fourteenth birthday is today isn't it." Fabian nods, wiggling his eyebrows at me suggestively. "Gonna give him a nice birthday kiss then, will you?"

I shove his arm. "Leaving now." I roll my eyes as I slip away from the two who are now making exaggerated kissing faces and noises after me. Skipping steps as I go, I make it up to the familiar boys dormitory and walk in. Sirius is still in bed, as are the rest of the boys.

I tiptoe over to Sirius' side and stop to admire him in this state of unconsciousness. With his hair fluffed up around his head, his lips plumper with sleep and his face resting at a complete calm he looks too adorable like this. So much so that it makes me rethink whether I should ruin it by waking him at all.

The decision is made for me however when his eyelids flutter open and his grey eyes meet mine. He smiles sleepily and in a husky morning voice says, "Am I in heaven?"

I laugh lightly, trying to ignore the blush taking over my cheeks. "Happy birthday, Sirius!" My voice is barely above a whisper so as not to wake the other boys.

"You remembered." He rubs the sleep from his eyes and pushes the duvet off his body, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm surprised you're even awake, you aren't exactly a morning person."

"Yes well, I am today. Could we go somewhere? I have presents."

"Yes, just let me get dressed and we'll go." Without warning, he pulls off his shirt and I freeze in my place. His chest isn't toned but I can see the subtlest start of abs there. He smirks at me. "Like what you see?"

My flicker up to his eyes. "No! Sorry – I'll turn around now." I spin on my heel to stare at the wall, red-faced and appalled at myself, and I hear him laughing behind me. Merlin, Chiara, get a grip.

"Okay, I'm decent." I can hear the smirk in his voice.

I flip around. "O-Okay, uh, good."

"Shall we?"

I don't trust my voice anymore so I simply nod my head and he gestures for me to walk out first. I lead him up to his favourite place, the Astronomy Tower. It's where we've been going recently on our weekly Monday and Friday late night walks.

Sirius leans over the railing and closes his eyes while the cool wind hits his face and blows back his hair. The early hour gifts us with a perfect view of the rising sun. "I could stay up here forever." I smile fondly at him and let him take in the scene before giving him his gifts.

Ripping off the colourful paper, he peers excitedly into the box. "How did you know?" He asks, holding up the bottle of cologne.

I bite my lip. "I might've snooped."

He laughs before directing his attention back to the box. When he throws his head back in laughter, I know he's seen the pyjamas. "You are something else, you know that?"

"There's one more thing!" I encourage, shifting from foot to foot in impatiently. He pulls out a small tray of candies and furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "Those are called Shifters. Zonko hasn't even put them out for purchase yet, we made them just for you."

"What do they do?" He asks, intrigued.

"Pop one of these before bed and you are given the power to control your dreams. There is no limit to what can be, just think the word and it's yours. I thought maybe you could use them over the holidays. If you really have to spend your days stuck at that grim old place then at least your nights can be spent wherever and with whomever you please."

"You – you –" He cuts himself off and instead leans forward. My breath hitches as I think he's going in to kiss me. He brushes his lips against my cheek in the most endearing way that makes my heart hammer wildly inside my chest, and it's in that exact moment that I admit it to myself.

I fancy my best friend.