No Control // Wolfstar

Eleven

Regulus Black stood in the shadows of a fourth floor corridor, zoning out as Sirius berated him for hexing a fellow classmate with his new Slytherin friends.

"Are you even listening to me?" Sirius said waving his hand in front of his first year brother. He turned to follow the boy's view, watching a Ravenclaw girl taunt a first year down the way. "Stay here."

"Pig tails? What are you - four?"

Francesca Berkshire bit back the tears begging to fall. The 2nd year Ravenclaw, Lisa Ward, pulled at the pink ribbon, letting Frances' left pigtail tumble down. Her laugh bellowed in the corridor as she taunted Frances with the ribbon, holding it much to high for her to reach.

Sirius marched over, grabbing the ribbon with ease. He towered over the small girls, frightening them.

Lisa's lip quivered, taking a step back. "S-S-"

"Picking on a kid younger than you? What are you - four?"

"I wasn't!"

"You might want to think again before -" Lisa backed away slowly, running away before Sirius could even finish his threat. Sirius sighed, handing the ribbon back to the little girl. "You should learn to speak up for yourself, kid. Next time I won't be around."

Before he could walk away, her small arms wrapped around his waist in a tight embrace. He awkwardly patted her head, unsure what to do when her tears wiped away on his robes. "I'm Frances."

"I don't really care," he replied.

"Lisa always picks on me."

"Well Lisa's a bitch."

Frances gasps at his language, earning a slight smirk from Sirius. "Thank you..."

"Sirius."

"Thank you Sirius."

*

*

*

Sirius was in the Great Hall eating his breakfast when a loud commotion sounded across the room. Lisa Ward stands with her little posse, poking fun at a third year Hufflepuff. The small boy wore a yellow bowtie with a bouquet of flowers beside him.

"You really thought that Riley would go out with you?" Lisa taunts. "In case you didn't realize - that bowtie makes you look like a fag. Why don't you go find someone else in your own league. Oh wait - there isn't anybody as abnormal as you."

Sirius grunts from his spot, about to stand up when Frances Berkshire marches past him with a fury building inside of her small frame.

"Sod off Lisa!" Frances shouts, her small fist balling before the girl much larger than she.

Sirius watches amused, though his hand hovers over his wand just in case.

"What're you going to do, mudblood?" Lisa threatens.

"I'll tell everyone that you got pregnant last year -" Innocently, though not really, Frances gasps. "Oops...I guess I just did."

Lisa draws her wand with blinding rage and Sirius leaps from his seat, his own wand out and pointed at the girl. "I'd think again if I were you," he says standing behind Frances.

"Still got your body guard?" Lisa grits through her teeth, lowering her wand. "One day he's not going to be there for you." She scowls at the pair before storming past them and out of the Great Hall.

Frances turns around with an excited smile on her face. "Thank you Sirius," she says.

"Didn't think you had it in you to be bad," he replies with the slightest smirk.

"I learn from the best."

"Merlin I'd love to see that little bitch get what she deserves."

"Me too..." When Frances looks up again, Sirius is already half way down the aisle heading back to his abandoned cereal. "Hey! Guess what?" She skips over, sliding into the seat beside Sirius - much to his dismay. "I made the quidditch team! Thanks to you."

"Cool." He shovels a spoonful of cereal into his mouth and picks up the Daily Prophet. A small head pops up beside him, reading over his shoulder to read as well. "Can I help you?"

Frances shakes her head no and flips the page. 

"Francesca," he grumbles.

"Siri-esca," she retorts.

Sirius rolls his eyes, about to tell her to go away, when Remus sits across from them accompanied by - of course - Abigail. 

Frances' eyes shimmer when she sees Remus across from her, excitedly turning to Sirius. "Is this that friend you were -" she starts to say before Sirius covers her mouth.

"Who's she?" Remus asks as he stares in confusion at the small girl. 

"She's nobody," Sirius answers blatantly. 

Francesca elbows his ribcage and reaches across to shake Remus' hand. "Frances Berkshire. Fourth year Hufflepuff."

Remus smiles pleasantly at the matureness of the girl. "Remus Lupin. Sixth year Gryffindor."

"Your hair ribbon is super cool," Abigail compliments. Her smile is ear to ear, but her tone is somewhat like how one would talk to a puppy. 

Frances scans her over and awkwardly smiles. "Thank you." She doesn't ask who Abigail is, simply because she doesn't really care. "I have to go. Nice to meet you Remus!"

The three watch as Frances skips off and out of the Great Hall without a care in the world. 

Remus butters his toast, eyeing Sirius who hasn't looked up from his newspaper. The atmosphere had taken a left turn with an awkward bitterness lingering. It was quite clear to the naked eye that Abigail wasn't a fan of Sirius, and Sirius - well - he didn't seem to like anybody for that matter.

"Nice kid," Remus says to the group. Abigail takes a long drink of orange juice from her goblet at the same time Sirius goes for another spoonful of cereal. "How do you know her?"

Sirius shrugs, "She admires me or something like that." Abigail scoffs, receiving a glare from both Remus and Sirius. "Need to say something, McHealy?"

"Nothing at all." She pushes aside her plate and turns to Remus with an expectant look. "I'm leaving." Remus takes a bite of his toast as she stands up. "Are you coming?"

"Um, no?" 

Sirius smirks, watching Abigail storm off. When she's completely gone, he says, "Nice kid."

Remus chuckles despite the snarky undertone in Sirius' voice. "Abigail's just...she has some flaws. But she just needs to get to know you better."

"She shouldn't have thought of me differently to begin with." Remus falls silent at his words. "And, if I may, why are you even with her?" 

Sirius starts to get up, leaving a befuddled Remus sitting with his half eaten plate. 

Remus' mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes out. 

Sirius leans over the table on his hands. His hair tickles Remus' temple when he looks down at those swirling pools of amber. "All I'm saying," Sirius says quietly. "Is that I don't pressure people into sex."