Mischief Managed Year Two Part One: The Poisoned Truth

Chapter Sixty-Eight- Still so Much to Learn

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"You'll never believe what Regulus was trying to convince me about!" Sirius shouted over the loud music as he made his way back towards James. He had watched Regulus leave the ballroom before going back to his friends, knowing his little brother would be as displeasing of him dancing with his friends as Narcissa had been. She had taken to shooting him annoyed looks and shaking her head the few times their eyes met on the dance floor.

Well, maybe he had been using James' bad dancing as a weapon to bump into Narcissa and her date. In his defence, that's what she got for trying to set him up with a potential suitor. He was only thirteen!

He kept his eyes peeled for his stupid brother in case he tried to slip back into the dance to tell on him to Sissy. Tell on him, for what, Sirius wasn't sure. Sissy already knew he had ditched his date. Perhaps Reggy would tell on him for wandering the grounds at night. That would be just like his little brother, even though he had been doing the same thing.

Clearly, Reg was trying to get him in trouble. The first year was just spinning some tale about zombies in the forest so Sirius would go back to the forest and get caught. Then Regulus would continue to be the favourite. Not that Reggy needed any help in that department really. Sirius wasn't about to fall for such a barmy tale. It was bad enough he'd be getting a Howler, or at the very least a threatening letter soon, because he had failed to 'set a good example for Reg.' He could already see her small scrawl telling him that he had polluted Regulus against manners and whatever nonsense his mum decided to yell at him for this time.

If anyone should be getting a howler it was Sissy. She was more responsible for Regulus than him. Only Sirius knew it didn't work that way.

"What did he say?" James asked, pausing in his attempt to trip Peter as they both spun around in a wonderfully poor excuse of dancing.

"Apparently there's a zombie on the grounds," Sirius scoffed.

"Blimey, that's brilliant!" James grinned.

"No, not brilliant, James. He's clearly lying," Sirius groaned, gesturing at the only child in exasperation.

"Sound like my little brother trying to convince my mum there was a ghoul in the barn," Peter replied. Sirius nodded in agreement. At least Peter understood younger siblings.

"Oi, Peter. Don't look now, but Marlene is beckoning for you," James pointed out. Shockingly Peter let out a truly frustrated sound that surprised both of them.

"I thought you were delighted to dance with her?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow. Peter's face went red, and he stammered "of course I am," before rushing off.

"That was...weird," James remarked, frowning after Peter and asking Sirius if he thought they should make sure he was alright.

"Nah, he's fine. I think he's just embarrassed because Peter is just as bad a dancer as you," Sirius teased. James immediately pulled him into a headlock demanding he "take it back."

It was from that vantage point that Sirius saw Remus. Some of the good mood that had been starting to return to him faded again. Even if Sirius did believe Regulus, which he did not, he couldn't look into anything until he got to the bottom of things with Remus first. If there was one thing this evening was making painfully clear, it was that there was still so much he had yet to learn about his mysterious friend.

Maybe Sirius should have returned to the dorm with Remus, but he had needed a distraction after witnessing something so awful. Besides, he had thought Remus had been dancing with Lily again. Guess not. Instead, he could see the sneaky lad slipping away. Something about his tense posture screamed to Sirius across the crowded dance floor that his friend was upset...very upset. After the day his friend had been having it wasn't at all shocking. In fact, Sirius was surprised Remus hadn't slipped away from the dance sooner. He was pretty sure the dance wasn't proving to be as effective of a distraction for the poor boy as it was for him. Instead of outright leaving, Remus seemed to be content with starting back up his efforts in avoiding Sirius, helped along by a certain bossy redhead.