little miss black

-51-

Sirius and Remus woke up a tangle of limbs. Sirius sighed happily. Remus was still sleeping. Sirius detached himself from Remus' arms and stumbled back to his own bed. Remus, disturbed by the movement, woke up.

"Do you hate me that much?" He said, pouting at Sirius. Sirius shook his head, laughing.

"Of course not. It's just time to get up, I'm starving." His stomach rumbled loudly.

"Shut your goddamn stomach up." James grumbled from his bed. "It sounds like an elephant."

"Sorry prongs." Sirius said. "Care to accompany me to breakfast my dearest Moony?"

"Thought you'd never ask my lovely Padfoot." Remus said, he ducked into the bathroom and pulled on his robes. Sirius waited for him patiently. James had gone back to sleep.

"Oh hurry up Remus." Sirius said, pounding on the door. Remus chuckled.

"Calm your tits I'm coming, I'm coming." Remus said. He opened the door of the bathroom and Sirius fell forward. Remus caught him. "Alright there short stack?"

"I am not short!" Sirius protested. Remus laughed. Sirius was about 5"10 or 11 whilst Remus was 6"2.

"You are to me Pads." Remus teased. Sirius scowled.

"Yeah, well it's not my fault you're an abnormal giant." He said. Remus feigned hurt. Sirius nudged him gently.

"Will you two shut it?" James said grumpily, getting out of bed at last.

"Sorry Jamesie." Remus said. They all looked over to Peter, who was still snoring loudly, and burst into laughter.

•••

"Are you sure you don't want to come to the Potters with me?" Sirius asked softly. Cass was curled up against the window of their train compartment. Remus was on prefect duty, James was chasing Lily and Peter was asleep.

"Sirius, how many times do we have to have this conversation?" Cass sighed. "I've told you a hundred times, I have to go back."

"But you don't!" Sirius said. Cass gave him a hard stare.

"I'm not going to tell you again Sirius. I do." Cass said wearily. She had been arguing with Sirius about her return to Grimmauld Place for the past week. "I'll write to you. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Sirius said quietly. "You and I both know what happens in that house."

"Sirius, need I remind you that I know full well what's going to happen and I've accepted my fate. Can you just leave it alone?" Cass snapped. Sirius opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the compartment door opening. Noah and a girl stood there, laughing at something. Cass tensed.

"Oh. Sorry, we were looking for an empty compartment." The girl said. Sirius glared at them.

"Well, as you can see, you haven't found one." He spat. Cass met Noahs eyes, giving him a steely glare. Noah stared at her guiltily.

"Come on, we'll find somewhere else." The girl said, taking Noah's hand. He allowed himself to be led away. Cass watched him go. Sirius slammed the door shut.

"How dare he!" He seethed. Cass merely shrugged, going back to staring out of the window.

"Pads, why do you look so angry?" James said, popping his head in.

"I'm not." Sirius said shortly. James turned to Cass.

"I'd better go and sit with Lily and stuff. I said I would for the second half." Cass said, picking up her trunk.

"Okay, find me before you get off." Sirius said.

"I'll try."

•••

The train pulled into Kings Cross. Cass thought she might throw up. Lily took her arm gently.

"Write to me." She said. Cass nodded.

"I will. Wait for me to write, please." Cass said.

"Of course. I'll miss you." Lily hugged her tightly. Cass hugged Marlene, Dorcas and Alice and then hurried off to find Sirius. She found him waiting for her in the compartment. He hugged her tightly, tears in his eyes.

"Be safe." He whispered.

"I'll try." Cass said. She hugged Remus.

"You'd better write." He said. "If I don't hear from you I'll knock your door down." Cass laughed.

"No promises Rem." She said. She hugged Peter quickly and then turned to James.

"Are you sure you don't just want to stay with me?" He asked. Cass rolled her eyes and hugged him.

"I appreciate the offer James, I really do." Cass said. "But I just can't." James nodded.

"Seriously, if we don't hear from you we'll knock your door down." He said. Cass shoved him playfully and picked up her trunk. She stepped off the train and spotted Walburga and Orion immediately. With shaky hands, she made her way over to them. Regulas wasn't there yet. She saw Sirius step off the train with James and freeze as he made eye contact with him. Orion smirked at him, his hand tight on Cass' shoulder. Walburga glared at him, fingering her wand. James pulled him away towards the Potters. Cass watched them wistfully.

"Lets go." Orion barked as Regulas approached. Cass felt the familiar sensation of apparation and found herself back at 12 Grimmauld place. She put her wand in Walburgas outstretched hand and trudged upstairs.

•••

"Sirius honey, could you pass me the garlic? It's just over there." Euphemia asked. Sirius reached up and grabbed it, handing it to her. He and James were sitting in the kitchen, discussing their year with Euphemia while she made dinner. "How were your exams then?"

"I think I did okay in them all, except maybe History of Magic." Sirius said.

"Yeah, and Divination." James said. Sirius nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure you'll have done fine." Euphemia said. "How did Remus and Peter do?"

"Remus will have smashed them all." Sirius said. "Easy days."

"Peter..." James trailed off. Sirius let out a quiet snort. "I think will have passed most of them."

"Well, dinner will be ready in five minutes. Go and wash your hands please boys." Euphemia said. Sirius and James did as they were told, hurrying upstairs to wash their hands.

"She'll be okay, won't she?" James asked, his voice full of concern. Sirius froze. He knew who James was talking about of course.

"I hope so James. I really hope so."