Afraid || Sirius Black [1]

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Everyone (except Alice who was changing her top because Frank spilt his drink down her) joined Sirius down in the common room deciding that they should take a break from studying otherwise they would go mad. James sat beside Lily and slowly and daringly put his arm around the girl, his hand resting on her shoulder despite expecting her to flip and scream at him in disgust. However, that didn't come. In fact, Lily leaned into his side resting her head on his shoulder confusing him greatly.

He looked down at her with raised eyebrows and she shrugged. A wide grin formed on his lips and he held her closer finally getting somewhere in his attempt to date her.

Peter was toying with the marauders map, watching what people was and want doing. He giggled every time he saw two students hiding in a corridor corner, probably making out, or when he saw people chasing each other. He liked to watch people in the map, it brought him joy that people were having fun and enjoying school after all, he was soon to be leaving this castle, the one he had called home for the past seven years. It didn't seem possible that they were leaving. It didn't feel that long ago that he first met Sirius, James and Remus. He couldn't be more thankful for them and their friendship. They were his world.

"Aye up! Minnie is on her way here!" Peter exclaimed lifting the map up.

Sirius tore it from the boy's grasp and muttered, "mischief managed", tapping it with his wand. Slowly, the writing disappeared, leaving a blank folded piece of parchment that Sirius stuffed down his trousers to hide it from his favourite Professor.

Like Peter warned, the portrait hole opened and Professor McGonagall stepped through. The portrait shut behind her as she slowly made her way into the common room her lips pursed and her hands folded together.

"Ah, look, it's Minnie! To what do we owe you the pleasure of your presence, gorgeous?" James winked causing Lily to giggle burying her head into his shoulder. James glanced down his eyes wide and his cheeks rosying.

McGonagall ignores James' comment and turned to Sirius just as Alice came storming down the stairs from the girls' dorm. "Where the hell is all of Maddie's stuff?!" She bellowed, her face red with anger and her teeth gritted.

Sirius turned to McGonagall, "What's going on?" She asked him.

"That's why I came here," she began, "Madison has decided to leave Hogwarts prematurely. She won't be doing her exams."

Sirius' mouth opened and shut like a fish out of water as his fist clenched. "Why?" Remus asked for him.

"It seems she does not care for her exams much longer, she is angry with Professor Dumbledore and would not let anyone persuade her otherwise about leaving. Her parents have taken her home."

Lily shook her head, "that can't be it! I know Maddie and she wouldn't just give up like that!"

"Yes well, Professor Dumbledore and I have discussed and we have come to the conclusion that part of it is because of Fawks. I thought you all deserved to know. I best be going, Dumbledore has a meeting with the Minister for Magic because of this and I am to hold the fort." She base the group goodbye and exited the common room.

Sirius stood up shaking his head, trudging to the walls and kicking it. "Fawks? What is Fawks?" He grumbled.

"Dumbledore's Phoenix. That's his name. Fawks." Said Remus.

"Phoenix? Why would she be pent up about a Phoenix?" Asked Evangeline, "she wouldn't leave because of a damn bird!"

Peter shook his head at the girl, "The order of the Phoenix." He whispered and the group came to realisation.

"Nah, that's petty, Maddie is not that petty." Said Frank. "There has to be other reasons."

Sirius continued to kick the wall, she didn't even say goodbye. His head rested against the wall too and James left Lily on the sofa to join Sirius. He put his arm around him and held onto him. Remus and Peter joined them and the three hugged Sirius. "We'll get to the bottom of this." Peter told him. "I promise, Padfoot."

Sirius pushed them off. "And what if she didn't leave on her own accord? What if this is all a cover up? What if this so called Dark Lord has got to her! She's vulnerable!" He exclaimed. "I won't live with myself if she has!"

"Sirius calm down," Said Marlene, "this is Maddie, we all know she's going to be okay. She's not going to be caught up in this."

"And how do you know that? You may have kissed her Marlene but you don't know everything about her like I do!"

The group looked between the two in shock. No one knew about Madison and Marlene's kiss, well, not until now. "You didn't know she existed until fifth year!" Retorted Marlene jumping and pushing him back. "I've been there for her since first year! She's never been petrified of me! No. That was you! I think I know more about her than you do!"

"Really? Go on then! Tell me something that I don't know about my girlfriend!" Sirius challenged.

"How about the fact that Mattei was her first kiss aged eight in the fields by their house. That they had kissed more times up until third year until he got into a relationship with someone else. That Maddie was heartbroken because she thought she meant more to him than just a kiss here and there? She may have fancied me in second year but I was nothing compared to Mattei because at aged fourteen she admitted that if he wanted her too, she would lose her virginity to him because she loved him. She still loved him like that until he showed his true colours when he came here! Then you came along and she pushed him away for you."

Sirius shook his head, "bullshit."

"No, Sirius, she's telling the truth." Evangeline told him, "she used to cry herself to sleep because of him being with someone else."

Marlene smirked, "you didn't know that did you? No. How do you know she even likes you anymore? She's fancied Mattei, me, you, whose next? Remus? Peter? Regulus? What about Gabriel? Do you really know Maddie, Sirius? I know I sound like a royal bitch but it had to be said."

Sirius stormed off up to the dorm and the group stayed silent. Marlene sighed sitting back down and tugging at her hair.

"Did I miss something? When did you and Maddie snog? I would've got the popcorn!" Exclaimed James.

"Dude! Sirius is you best friend!"

"Right, you're right Frank... I better go check on him!"