The Slytherin Transfer

33: "It's always the immense moral fibre."

I lie next to Sirius, sprawled across the grass and closing my eyes in the rare day of sun we've managed to catch. This is one of the few hours in the day, when I don't have Quidditch practice and we've both finished our homework, that Sirius and I get to spend time together. We sit in the shade of a large beech tree, my head on his chest as we watch the lake, where a few people dip their feet in and try to get as close as they can to the giant squid.

"What're you doing for Easter?" Asks Sirius suddenly, his hands stopping in the trace they were making on my scarred arm.

I shrug, "Same old. Stay here, terrorize Filch. What about you? Are you going to James's?"

"I wish," he mumbles, "my mom sent me a letter saying I'm 'required at home', whatever that means. I'll have to spend the holidays there."

I hum in response, and it's quiet for a bit before Sirius shifts completely, sitting up and pulling me so I'm across from him. There's a determined and slightly nervous look in his eyes as they bore into mine.

"Come with me?"

"What?" I ask, "Where?"

"Easter, to my house," he reiterates, sounding more insistent, "it'll be awful, but it'll be a little less awful with you."

I ponder him for a moment. Based off what I've heard, Sirius's family is as bad as mine. Another bunch of Slytherin purebloods that think they're above everyone else. I think about how they'll react when I show up on their doorstep, the traitor of all traitors. The Slytherin Transfer. Surely they won't let me inside.

I look at Sirius's hopeful gaze, which falters slightly as a moment passes. I imagine him spending Easter alone with his wretched brother and his horrid mom. The choice is clear.

"All right," I say, grinning softly, "I'll come spend Easter at your house."

He whoops like a child, suddenly attacking my face with kisses and tackling me to the grass. I burst into laughter at his joy, his head almost hitting mine as he collapses on top of me, saving himself just in time with his hands on either side of my head. We grin at each other, and then he leans down and kisses me deeply, rolling onto his side and tugging me to face him in order to not break the kiss. His hands snake around my waist and I place mine on his chest, pulling away.

"I forgot," he says, grinning down at me mischievously as I roll onto my back, cheeks flushed, "you don't like PDA."

I laugh, and he pulls me back to kiss me again, but I place my hand on his face and push him away, sitting up. He grabs my waist and pulls me back down so I fall onto his chest, my hair sprawled around his head.

"Er . . . Cassidy Milton?" Squeaks an uneasy voice beside us, and I scramble off of my boyfriend and onto the grass, tripping over my own feet as Sirius let's out a barking laugh, watching me in amusement. Trying to compose myself and stand as Sirius just rolls onto his stomach and rests his head in his palm, I face the small girl that clutches a piece of rolled up parchment in her fist.

"Yes?" I ask, my cheeks redder than hers as she glances between us.

"This is from Professor Slughorn," she says timidly, and once I've grabbed the paper and thanked her, she scurries away, her head down. Sirius roars with laughter as I bury my face in my hands, hitting him over the head with the scroll as he stands beside me.

"What does it say?" He asks once his laughter dies down and I've unrolled the parchment.

"It's another invite," I grumble dispassionately, eyes flying over the familiar loopy writing, "the night before Easter Break."

"'Bring a date if you feel so inclined'," he reads over my shoulder.

"He knows we're together," I sigh, rolling up the parchment and shoving it into the back pocket of my jeans, "he's a fan of romance, Slughorn is. He'll be pressing us with questions all night."