Mischief Managed Year Two Part One: The Poisoned Truth

Chapter Three- The Better Son and the Better Brother

TW: Implications of Abuse

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Of course, when Sirius woke up that morning he had no idea how bad everything would go. Foolishly enough, he had been excited to go shopping with James and his folks, and never even considered running into anybody he might not have wanted to.

Their day started with a very large breakfast set out by Euphemia, who had sung to some old wizard band in a very off-key tone. When James had pointed out they had a guest, she had just smiled and said Sirius didn't count since he was practically family. Whether she was doing it to give James a hard time or because she really meant it plagued Sirius as they shopped until James finally noticed his gloomy countenance.

"What's eating you, Sirius?" James asked as they exited the Quidditch shop they had spent a considerable amount of time in.

"Nuthin," Sirius mumbled around a sugar quill he had in his mouth, compliments of Mr. Potter. The man had almost as big a sweet tooth as Peter and definitely a bigger one than James.

"Nu-uh, you've been sulking for over an hour. Is it because mum gave us money?" James guessed, maneuvering out of the way of a goblin pushing a cart of crates.

Sirius glanced at the pockets of his robe which bulged with more than enough coins to buy everything on his list for Hogwarts and more, especially with the enormous sale happening at Potage's Cauldron Shop, only to get jostled by someone in the crowd. Diagon Alley was particularly crowded with the sale of cauldron's occurring today. After a year of use, all the students needed a new cauldron or they risked embarrassment in class if a potion ended up eating through an old one. Of course, this meant that every witch and wizard in the world was here. Or at least, it felt like every Hogwarts student was. Sirius had kept an eye out for Remus, but didn't have much hope of finding him.

"Sirius?" James nudged him slightly.

Realizing he had taken too long to answer, Sirius glanced at James who looked concerned. James, with whom he had been having such a good time. James, who would tear up with worry over Remus, and let him do the same, without judgment. James, who had confessed he'd been an arse to Peter, though Sirius felt it justified over how worried the loving boy had been about him and Remus. Sirius decided if anyone deserved the truth about what bothered him about this morning it was his best mate.

"What your mum said earlier. You think she meant it?" Sirius asked hesitantly, shoving his hands in his pockets and wrapping his fingers around several thick coins.

"What? Oh, about the Wicked Witch who'd come eat our fingers if we ate too much candy? Nah, she's been talking rubbish about that since I can remember. Though most of the time the warnings are for my dad," James laughed.

"No, I mean before we reached Diagon Alley," Sirius grumbled in irritation. Surely James wasn't going to make him repeat it? James wasn't going to make him ask if Euphemia didn't mean what she said, right? But James smirked at him.

"I know, mate, I know you well enough by now. I was just having a go at you. Course she meant it. I think they might like you better than me even. It only makes sense we'd be like your family since your other one is terrible."

"They aren't all bad. Don't say that again, and don't say they like me better!" Sirius shouted, suddenly angry. James glanced at him wearily.

"Don't get into one of your moods. I was only joking."

"Just don't!" Sirius cautioned, unable not to think about his own brother, who his parents actually liked better. He wasn't sure why he had gotten so defensive about his family. Sure, he had complained to his mates thousands of times about how bloody terrible they were. But something about James saying it just irked him, though he couldn't say why.