Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince | Sirius Black ✓

24. Jump Then Fall

Mid-November 1977

"It's obvious isn't it?!" Astrid exclaimed.

"It is?" Remus wondered. Unlike Padfoot, he was a little lost on these matters. With a smile, she leaned in to whisper.

Astrid had cornered him after classes had ended to come up with a plan to get Sirius and Jones talking - or even fighting. Anything was better than Astrid having to listen to Kelsey whine about how Sirius could ignore her for all she cared.

"And you're sure that will work?" he sounded unsure. 

Astrid nodded eagerly and thought about something else. "Will you be alright though?" she asked. "So close to the full moon, I mean.."

Remus wiped his hand over his face and took a seat. Astrid followed. 

A few days after the Prongs had told him that Kelsey had found out about the cloak, Remus had confronted her and come clean about his condition. Rather than run away she had hugged him tightly before stammering and running away embarrassed again. 

Remus could smell a hint of forest and wild daisies. Just like his own Amortentia. Luckily he didn't have to announce it in class thanks to the Sirius incident.

"It'll be fine." He sent her a small smile. She held his hand in comfort.

Ϟ

"Hey, Sirius," Astrid sang as Remus walked over with his mate on that Friday morning. This was Phase 1 of her plan. Watching Kelsey plot her 'not-so-obsessive' revenge on Black had taught her a few tricks.

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" she asked sweetly, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

Kelsey almost got whiplash from the speed at which she watched Sirius fumble for words before nodding awkwardly.

"You two should come too!" Astrid offered, shifting between Kelsey and Remus. "Ooh - it'll be like a double date. I know Lily is off with James-"

"She is?!" Kelsey exclaimed. How had that happened? The last time she checked, pigs weren't flying yet. 

Kelsey looked funny at Astrid hoping their best-friend telepathy worked:

I thought you liked Remus? Kelsey thought.

Just come with us on the date would you, Astrid silently conveyed. Kelsey saw Sirius give Astrid a weird look as well. There were a lot of looks going around.

Astrid nodded giving Remus a look. He coughed and began. "I mean- yes, I'm up for it if you are. I could always fill up on more Honeydukes," he offered.

"Now that you say it, I could do with that too," Kelsey suddenly beamed at him. "You know the funniest thing happened that day. I smelled chocolates in my Amortentia," she said. 

Sirius frowned at that revelation.

"Is that all?" Remus asked.

Sirius watched from the corner of his eye as Kelsey sent Lupin a shy smile. He saw the tip of her ears get a little pink and she mumbled something.

"I'm sorry?" Remus asked.

"I couldn't place the other two," she said.

"I bet," Remus winked at her mischievously highlighting her embarrassment even more.

Sirius scoffed next to them.

"What was that Pads?" he asked straight-faced.

"I said: save some flirting for your date would you," he spat.