Paradox • J.Potter •

• XIX •

I blushed at his words and quickly left the doorway without another word. A smug Remus awaited me as I walked down the stairs and towards the scarlet couch.

"Don't-" I groan and flop down besides the grinning werewolf to my left.

"I didn't say anything!" He defended before starting to laugh loudly.

"See! That's not helping!" I argue and gesture to his laughing state. He quirked his lips up in a grin as he bashfully shrugged his shoulders.

"At least I'm not useless" he replied and leaned back into the couch with a cocky smile. I rolled my eyes and reached down to grab my book. I relaxed into the couch and started to flick through the Aztec rituals for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Merlin you're as useful as a knitted condom Remus"

•

"Presents!" Sirius shouts excitedly throughout the great hall. Each student looking towards our group either in disgust or amusement.

It was a marauders birthday after all

"Ok! Me first!" James grinned and slapped a poorly wrapped present onto the table in front of Sirius.

"Yeah next time I'm just going to wrap your present with mine" I added and sent everyone a sheepish smile. James scoffed jokingly and threw his arm over my shoulder. He pulled me closer to his body, and in return I lay my head on his shoulder.

"Fuck off!" Sirius shouted and jumped up from the bench he was sitting on. He looked at James and I with wide eyes and gripped a handful of small white pieces of paper.

"What is it Sirius?" Remus asked in curiosity and amusement as we watched the babbling and hyperventilating boy.

"Q-Q-Queen tickets?!" He screamed and jumped onto the bench as he waved around the tickets in his hands. "I'm going to see Freddie Mercury! I'm going to sing bohemian rhapsody with Freddie Mercury!" He continued to shout in joy and from the look on his face I knew not even Minnie was going to stand on his moment.

"I think you've won this year" I whispered to James as Sirius continued to scream and shout about his present. James chuckled and placed a sweet kiss to my cheek.

"Yeah but there's enough for us all to go. I can hardly listen to 'love of my life' without the actual love of my life being there now can I?" He teased and brushed his nose against mine sweetly before he pulled away and turned his attention back to Sirius.

I bit my bottom lip at his words and felt my cheeks burn from the blush I knew was there. My blue eyes flickered away from the table and to Sirius who was staring at me like a toddler in a candy shop.

"What?" I asked in confusion and grew uncomfortable under his stare as it didn't waver, it didn't even flicker away from me.

"What do you mean 'what'?" Sirius scoffed jokingly and held out his hands "whatcha get me? Gimme" He whined playfully and started to open and close his hands that were reached out for me.

"Gimme gimme a man after midnight" I answered cheekily but none the less I reached down and flickered open my bag. Grabbing the two presents both my mom and I had gotten him.

"Yeah- yeah whatever" he groaned and waited impatiently for the presents to be given to him. To put him out of his misery, I placed the boxes into his hands and watched with a loud laugh as he ripped open the boxes.

It was just the five of us. Everyone knew a marauders birthday was strictly reserved for the marauders for about half the day. At least breakfast was always just the five of us exchanging presents and bright smiles.

"Holy shit!" Sirius laughs and holds up the vinyl of 'A day at the races'. His grey eyes were wide with excitement and I knew he was dying to get back to his dorm and put it on the vinyl player.

"It's not supposed to come out till December but I have a friend who was able to get it early for me" I giggled and accepted the awkward hug Sirius tried to give me from across the table.

"This one is from my mom and I though" I stated and pushed the thin box towards Sirius who set down the vinyl and nodded his head. He ripped the red paper off of the box and lifted the lid. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he lifted out a small stack of papers that were kept together by a yellow paper clip.

"What is this?" He mumbled in confusion. His grey eyes flickered from the paper to me as I gestured for him to read it. He returned his gaze back to the paper and after a few seconds a chocked sob left his lips and he gripped Remus' arm tightly.

He snapped his eyes away from the paper and towards me. I wore a reassuring smile and nodded my head as I extended my hand across the table and lay it on top of his that still gripped Remus' arm.

"What? What does it say?" Peter asked in confusion and Sirius parted his lips as he cleared his throat and tried to control the tears that cascaded down his cheek.

"P-Paige-" he started but was cut off by the sound of his own sobs. He let go off Remus's arm and the paper to grip both my hands in his own. "Are you sure?" He whispered tearfully and squeezed my hands in his bigger ones.

"I've never been more sure" I replied with a bright smile and returned his gesture by squeezing his hands with my own.

"Paige wants to adopt me" Sirius breathed and tore his gaze away from me to the other boys who each wore bright smiles and teary eyes.

"You'll officially be my brother!" I laughed but I couldn't help but feel my eyes water with happy tears at Sirius' reaction. Part of me was afraid that he would think I was being insensitive and tell me he didn't want that. But now seeing how happy he looks I knew I had chose to the right option.

"I-I can't put into words how grateful I am right now" Sirius cried and took his hands away from mine to quickly wipe away his tears. He cleared his throat and sent us all a smile. "This has been the best birthday of my life. I never thought I would get away from the Black family none the less be part of another. But here I am with not only a sister but three brothers I'd risk my life for" he finished and was quickly pulled into a hug by James who had jumped over the table and taken his best friend in his arms.

"So who feels like skipping classes and hanging out by the black lake till the party?" I questioned and glanced around at the group who each grinned and started to shove food into their bags.

"Babydoll?" James called and I hummed in reply as I shoved a box full of strawberries into my bag.

"I think you won this year"

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