Nyctophobia - Sirius Black

Chapter 31

Exams had come and gone, and they found themselves on the train going home. Sirius was with the Marauders, while Ruby sat in the first car with the Slytherins. They would meet up at King's Cross and apparate to Spinner's End.

James and Peter were playing Exploding Snap and Remus was engrossed in a book. Sirius was pretending to write an essay, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

"You're coming over, second week, right?" James asked turning to him as Peter played a card.

"Yeah, I think so. My parents don't really care where I am." Sirius replied. They had done it every year, even though Sirius would be in huge trouble once he went home, since he had ditched a big fancy party, or some other important gathering.

"Great! Moony and Wormtail are coming too, so we'll all be together again."

"Like every year, Prongs." Moony commented dryly, before freezing. "Pads?"

"Yeah?" Sirius asked, suddenly scared, although he didn't show it.

"Are you doing homework?" Sirius almost let out a sigh of relief.

"Yes?"

"When I'm not making you do it? When it's not due in an hour?"

"Yes, Moony. I'm actually doing my homework." Sirius rolled his eyes slightly. He'd been doing it for months now, and although he sometimes needed help from Ruby, he sometimes did it on his own.

Moony just gaped at him and James turned to stare.

"Are you okay?" James asked, narrowing his eyes at his friend as if trying to figure out if he'd been possessed by aliens or something.

"I'm fine, Prongs. I just don't hate homework anymore. Ruby's been helping me."

"She needs a medal." Moony said emphatically. "I couldn't even get you to do homework. She got you to like it?!"

"Are you sure you haven't been brainwashed?"

"Yes, Prongs. I'm very sure I haven't been brainwashed. I just helps sometimes to have something to do, you know?"

"Not really." James shrugged. Sirius sighed, trying to explain it.

"It's just, like with everything that happened," he forced himself not to shudder just thinking about it, "It gives me something else to think about. I didn't really have you guys to take my mind off of things." Remus's eyes narrowed, as if once again suspicious that whatever had happened had been going on for longer than they had thought. Sirius pretended not to notice. "So anyway, who's winning?" He asked, gesturing to the Exploding Snap cards.

"Me, of course." James scoffed arrogantly. Sirius grinned, happy things were back to normal, if only for a short while.

"How's Evans?" He asked slyly, knowing James would go on a rant, keeping all attention away from what had happened to Sirius. He didn't want to give up on the illusion of his life just yet.

"Well, she hasn't said yes, yet, but I know she's coming around. I can feel it." Remus sent Sirius a playful glare for getting James started. Sure enough, James spent the rest of the six hour train ride ranting about his love for Lily, and how he would convince her to date him.

Sirius said goodbye to his friends on the platform and disappeared in the crowd. He found Ruby and Severus waiting outside the barrier. They apparated to Spinner's End and Ruby cooked some rice for the three of them.