Shooting Star

Chapter Fifty-Four

Sirius was more or less back to normal when Harry came home. He still woke up in the middle of the night sometimes, but at least he was sleeping, and not screaming when he awoke. He and Harry were constantly fawning over Buckbeak.
Arthur Weasley was taking all the kids--as in all of them. Harry and Hermione included--to the Quidditch World Cup. I was a bit worried, of course, since it was a time of such civil unrest, but I knew it had been worse at one point, so I let him go. There would be a lot of people there anyways. Surely nothing too bad would happen.
"Are you sure you're okay going?" I asked Harry again as he was leaving.
"Yes, Mum." He hugged me.
"All right..." I agreed, kissing his cheek.
"Bye, Dad." Harry said.
"Bye, kid." Sirius grinned, ruffling his hair.
"Bye, Moony."
"Bye, Harry."
Sirius' smile faded as soon as Harry disappeared in the fireplace. I don't like the Floo Network.
I nodded at Sirius. Remus shook his head vehemently and pointed at me. I shook my head and pointed at him. He shook his head, eyes wide. "You're his wife." He hissed at me.
"You're his best friend. Go!"
"Nope. You're his wife. It's your job."
"No, it's yours. I have to do it all the time."
"And guess who he bothers while you're at work? Me."
"Guess who has to stay up all night with him? Me."
"Your job. Go." He pushed me over.
I shot him a glare as I sat beside Sirius. "Hey, love. What's up?"
He didn't look up. Or talk. Remus looked our way worriedly.
"Sirius." I touched his arm.
He jumped and looked at me. "Sorry, did you say something?"
"Just asking if you were all right."
"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Do you guys want to go--"
"You can't leave, Sirius." I said.
He sighed. "Right. Moony!" He exclaimed hopefully. "You know what you should do?"
"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me." Remus said.
"Go get firewhiskey and cigarettes."
"No." Remus said.
"Why not?"
"You don't need any of that."
"Please?"
Remus looked at me. I shook my head. "Nope." Remus said.
"Oh, come on. I'm holed up here all day by myself."
"You've got Buckbeak." I said.
"Buckbeak can't speak English."
"You talk enough for both of you." I assured him, patting his shoulder.
"Remus, please?" Sirius asked.
"Fine." Remus glared.
"Thank you. You're a saint."
"If you get your whiskey and cigarettes, I get to have Severus over."
"But--"
"No buts. Take your pick."
"Just get me some bloody cigarettes." Sirius got up and held out a few Galleons to him.
Remus regarded him skeptically. "What's your game, Padfoot?"
Sirius gave him a strange look. "No game. I'm paying for what you're getting."
"Since when did you do that?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Fine. Don't take it." Sirius shrugged.
"You owe labor fees too." Remus said.
"I'm not paying full price until you return."
Remus laughed, took the money, and walked out the door.
I smiled at Sirius as I sent my Patronus to Sev, telling him that the door was unlocked and to let himself in, so that Sirius wouldn't say anything.
In just two strides, Sirius came over and planted his lips on mine. "I love you." He told me.
"Yes, I love you too. What's your problem, love?"
"You're. Mine." He actually held my gaze, his arms slipping around me.
"Yes, Sirius." I agreed. You'd think after  fourteen years of being married he'd realize I wouldn't leave him.
"I don't like you being around Snape." He needlessly informed me.
"Yeah, well, you'll have to get over it. Just because we're married doesn't mean you control every aspect of my life. Besides, you and Remus will both be here."
"So?"
"Remus legitimately told me to change my shirt because it was too low cut while you were gone." I said.
"Which one?" He narrowed his eyes.
"You know that red one you like that--"
"He's right. That's far too low cut--" He agreed.
"I wear it all the time." It is not!
"Yeah, when I'm around to hex anybody who even gives you a second glance."
"It isn't that bad." I rolled my eyes childishly.
"Is that red shirt she has not too low cut?" Sirius asked somebody.
"It is a bit." Severus said.
I turned around. "It is not! I wouldn't wear it if I thought it was."
"It kind of is." They said simultaneously.
"Fine! I'll stop wearing it!" I said, exasperated.
"No, don't do that." Sirius said.
"Then stop complaining. Hey, Sev." I smiled and hugged him.
"Hello." He said, hugging me back.
This was going to be unbelievably awkward.
We sat in an uncomfortable silence until Remus finally got back. He threw (pitched, rather. That boy could play baseball.) the cigarettes at Sirius and set the bottle on the coffee table. "You're going to get lung cancer and liver failure, and you're going to die because we can't take you out of the house to a bloody hospital." Remus said, irritated.
"What's got your knickers in a twist, Moony?" Sirius asked pulling a lighter from his pocket.
"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps having to--"
"You are not smoking that thing in my house." I said as Sirius started lighting a cigarette. "Get out."
"Why's everybody so moody?" Sirius stood up.
"You're one to talk about moody." Remus said sharply.
"Well, I'm gonna go outside and get lung cancer and die. Anyone wanna come?"
We all just stared at him.
"Fine. See you at my funeral. Anybody want this?" He pointed at the bottle of firewhiskey.
We all continued staring.
"Then I'll take that and get liver failure as well." He swiped it off the table.
"Are you not the least bit worried about Harry?" I demanded.
"No. He's with Hermione and Arthur. He'll be all right." Sirius continued to walk out.
Remus aimed to kick the wall but I interrupted. "Put a hole in that and you're fixing it."
He sat down. "Sorry."
"Where's Harry?" Severus asked, clearing his throat.
"Quidditch World Cup with the Weasleys." I said.
"What?" Severus asked.
"Was it really that hard to understand? He's at the bloody Quidditch game." Remus growled.
"Oh, sorry." Severus said, staring at the floor thoughtfully.
"Sorry." Remus sighed.
"What's wrong, Sev?" I asked after a moment.
"Nothing." He said briskly. "I just remembered I had something to do. I'll see you later." He stood.
I stood and hugged him. "Bye. Thanks for coming, I guess."
"Thank you for having me." He said, and walked out the door.
"He speaks differently to you than he does to anybody else." Remus commented.
"I'm his only friend. Of course he does."
"It's not just that."
"I was friends with him before he decided to become hard and cold."
"True." Remus nodded.
"So, are you pissed at Sirius or..."
"I'm very pissed at Sirius. What's new, though, right?" He smiled a bit as I sat beside him and he put his arm around me with a sigh.