Play the Game ✔️

Lawyers, Guns and Money

Sirius and Liesel spent most of the days outdoors where he showed her many things about the grounds, such as the Black Lake and told her the legends of the giant squid and the merepeople. He took her to the boathouse and on to Hagrid's hut, where they took their lunch with the kindly half-giant.

Later in the afternoon, upon their return, Professor McGonagall urgently pulled him to the side and handed a small parchment to him. Liesel could see that he was visibly upset by the contents of the communication and watched the good professor place her arm around him and lead him to the Headmaster's office. She was left standing alone in the corridor for several minutes wondering if he'd gotten into trouble. Finally James, Remus, Peter and Lily approached her.

She looked up into Remus' eyes and went on about what she had witnessed. Not being able to get a word in edgewise, he took a play out of her own book and covered her mouth with the palm of his hand and James chuckled.

"If you'll only be quiet for just one minute, I'll be able to share with you what happened," Remus said gently. "Alright?"

Liesel stood motionless, her eyes were the size of golf balls and brimming with tears, but she nodded finally.

"Good. It seems that Sirius' uncle has died. He was Sirius' most favorite family member. Oh Liesel, there's so much that you don't know about him! About any of us!"

Lily put her arm around her and led her toward the staircase. "Why don't you come with us and we'll tell you everything you never wanted to know about Sirius Black?"

"Where are we going?"

"To our common room," Lily said.

"But I'm not in Gryffindor! Won't we get into trouble!"

"My dear," James began, "you happen to be accompanied by two prefects as well as the Quidditch team captain!" He looked into her eyes and took her hands in his. "And besides, the four of us are his closest friends and he would never forgive us if we didn't look after you in his absence. He's family and by extension, so are you now."

Lily looked up at him in awe and shock.

"What," he asked.

She smiled slowly and shook her head. "Nothing," she said.

He ran his hands through his hair and looked away and she rolled her eyes and shook her head. Liesel studied the pair on the way toward the Gryffindor common room and while on the stairs and the clock tower chimed six and she gasped. Remus stopped and took hold of her elbow. "What is it," he asked quietly.

"Rommy," she exclaimed. "I've got to go!" She turned abruptly and headed down the stairs

"Wait!"

"I can't! He hasn't been out since this morning and the way my luck runs, he's probably eaten Abby's cat by now and she already doesn't like me much!"

"Right. Okay, we'll go with you, Lily and myself," James said. "Say, why don't you bring him along?"

Remus moved to speak and James looked toward him imploringly and he closed his eyes, swallowed hard and nodded his head.

"Come on then," James said to Lily; he realized that she was torn as to how to proceed. He looked up toward his friend. "Oi Remus! You cool with this, mate?"

His eyes moved from James to his new friend and he closed his eyes and nodded. "It'll be fine. Go."

James raised his brow. "You sure?"

'Absolutely. Go on."

Lily squeezed his hand and quickly descended the stairs before they moved again. The trio ran through the corridors, through the Great Hall and the kitchen and finally to the portal to the Hufflepuff Common Room where they saw a pair of long legs clad in denim on the floor behind a stack of old oaken casks. Lily was afraid for her rebellious friend...he seemed the type to go off half-cocked at any little thing and most of the time, she would be correct in her thinking.