Some Day | Wolfstar

Thirty-six

To have raised you... given you food and shelter... a dog would've done better in your place!

Sirius' body tensed in his sleep, fingers twitching.

Are you not ashamed? You are a blemish in our family, shame on you!

His mother really knew how to use her words. He was shaking now, breathing laboured and palms clammy.

Are you never coming back home?

Now it was Regulus, his eyes glossy with tears, silently begging him not to leave. Sirius' teeth sank into his bottom lip.

Don't you dare, Sirius. Don't you dare come any closer.

Now it was Remus, pushing him away, wand at his throat. Sirius was gasping for air.

"Sirius!"

Sirius' eyes flew open. In his clouded vision, he could make out three faces staring at him. "Fucking hell, Sirius," James muttered. Sirius caught their worried expressions as a flash of lightning illuminated the three boys in a ghostly blue.

Sirius sat up. He felt dizzy.

"Shall we go to the Shack?" Remus whispered, careful not to wake any of the other boys up. He helped Sirius out of bed. James threw him one of Remus' jumpers, and he pulled it over his loose t-shirt.

The four boys sneaked out of the school and into the Shrieking Shack. James quickly lit the candles, while Remus started a fire in the fireplace. Sighing, Peter sat on the floor by the foot of the bed. Peter had always had a particular affinity to sit on the floor.

Sirius sat on the bed, legs crossed, and looked at Remus. He walked over to Sirius and sat down next to him. James made himself comfortable by the window, leaning against the wall as he watched his friends.

"What did you dream about?" Peter asked.

"Just... things from the past. It felt like they were happening all over again," Sirius sighed, laying his head on Remus' shoulder. Remus pulled him closer by the waist.

"Like flashbacks?" James looked at him intently.

Sirius nodded his head.

"How's the antidote for Nigrae Radicae working out?" Peter raised his head. "It's not working out, because it hasn't been started yet. Severus only found the Mandrake seedlings last week."

James bit his lip. "I wrote to my father. He'll look for Mandrakes everywhere he can."

Sirius looked up gratefully. "Thanks, Prongs." Remus moved a couch from downstairs into the room, and James immediately fell asleep on it. Predictably enough, Peter curled up on the rug by the fire, like a cat. Remus and Sirius stayed awake on the bed, holding each other.

Sleep didn't come easy for minds that troubled.

***

Three days later, when they were at breakfast, a large barn owl flew into the hall and landed on James' shoulder. James extricated the letter from its feet, and fed it a handful of cornflakes before patting its head and sending it off.

"What is it?" Lily asked, watching him break into a smile as he read the letter. James grinned at her. "Good news, Lily. Very good news." He turned to Sirius, and pat his shoulder.

"Hey, Padfoot!"

Sirius turned to him. Remus looked at them curiously. Peter tore his eyes from his food to see what was going on. "My father's managed to find some Mandrake root," James said excitedly. "He's going to give it to Hagrid this afternoon. We can get it from there after lessons."

Sirius' heart made a small cartwheel.

"We'll keep it with us until it goes in the Potion," Remus said. Sirius agreed. "Astronomy classes are scheduled for tonight for the Slytherins. For us, it's on the day after tomorrow. So we can only start the day after that, because someone has to guard the cauldron for a week." He said, and took a sip of warm water.

"Where are we gonna keep the roots, then?" Peter asked. Sirius shrugged. "In our dorm, I think."

That evening, James and Sirius collected the parcel left behind by Mr. Potter from Hagrid. Sirius put it in his drawer, and cast a Bedazzling Hex over it.

"Now it's safe," he smiled at his friends.

That night, the dreams were back.

***

"It's so pointless. Did they really think we would be able to see anything in this weather?" Remus sighed as they huddled together in the Astronomy Tower, the rain falling full force around the Tower.

"Hey, it's okay. They'll probably repeat this lesson again next week," Sirius smiled at him.

"As you must have noticed, the Astronomy lessons this year kept being postponed due to this persistent, most unfavourable weather. However, as we must not waste our days, I have decided to commence this year's curriculum with a theoretical approach. Tonight, the weather will not be of any pertinence to us. We will learn about the moons of Jupiter  which you have had the oppportunity to observe during the course of the last two years. Page number two, please."

Professor Astria  smiled at them from under her a bejewelled midnight blue veil, her black eyes sparkling like diamonds. She was the youngest Professor at Hogwarts, only thirty-two years of age. Her black robes shimmered a wonderful blue-purple whe never she moved.

They took their books out and began to learn about the conditions of each subplanet. After the lessons, Remus and Sirius caught up with James and Lily, who were waiting for them at the foot of the staircase. Peter had not qualified for N.E.W.T.S. level Astronomy.

"Hey, Sirius. How are you doing?" Lily asked, her eyes sparkling as she touched his arm. "I'm okay, Lily. How are you?" Sirius smiled back at her.

"I'm Lily good," she giggled. Remus sighed, knowing what was coming. "And I'm Siriusly pleased to hear that," Sirius laughed, draping his arm over her shoulder. James jogged upto Remus and held his hand, swinging it while they walked, causing Sirius to roll his eyes. Lily laughed again.

Their spirits didn't remain elevated for very long, however. When they stepped into their common room, Professor McGonagall, Peter, and the other two seventh year boys who had not qualified for further Astronomy studies were waiting for them.

The Professor looked tired. She sent Lily and the other girls upstairs.

"Mister Black," she sighed. Remus reached for Sirius' hand and gave it a light squeeze. He squeezed back. She led the eight boys upstairs into their dormitory. "I'm afraid there's been an intrusion of some manner," she sighed. The boys were quiet. Sirius stepped forward, eyes going wide at the sight of his drawers turned out, clothes scattered all over the floor, and books lying in sad piles around his bed.

"Mister Pettigrew found your room like this," she said sadly, looking at Peter, who was visibly shaken. "The four of you, follow me. Others, to bed." She waved her wand, and his things started returning to their rightful places.

The four best friends followed the old Professor out of the Gryffindor Tower and into the Headmaster's Office.