One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 113

{{drama for you lot (: }}

Gwen closes her eyes, her hands clasped in front of her.

She takes a deep breath in, the frigid air stinging her lungs. She holds it, savors the freshness, and then exhales. Her lips twitch and her feet ache. It feels good. The cold, the gentle snow fall. It felt amazing.

The ice covering the black lake creaks quietly, just a few feet away from where she stands, shin deep in snow. It's beautifully quiet, the sounds of the earth and the castle muffled by the white blanket covering Hogwarts.

Her lips twitch when she hears faint noise behind her, timid footsteps. If she didn't recognize the presence it might have surprised her.

"Hello, Prongs."

A disappointed sigh and then,

"Hi, Ninnie."

She merely opens her eyes as James trudges through the snow to stand next to her. He glances at her, following her peaceful gaze set on the distant mountains. James shrugs and follows her lead, staring across the icy lake silently. His shoulders slump and he takes a deep breath in as she does, a smile taking over his lips. He doesn't ask why she's standing there. He gets it. Complete serenity.

As he exhales and fog appears in front of him, he hesitates, nearly breaking the silence. She does it for him, saying calmly, "You can ask questions, James."

He grins when her eyes slide to him. They look even paler out here, the light bouncing off the snow nearly making her iris look translucent. He chuckles at her words before saying randomly, "I think you'd make a good teacher, Ninnie."

The Veela scoffs, biting back a smile as she points out, "I bloody hate reading. And learning. You think that makes for a good teacher?"

James nods, smiling slightly and replying sincerely, "I think it makes for an excellent one."

She was unassuming, patient. And always open to questions, even when he knew she may not have the answers. At least the answers he wanted.

James says quietly, disturbing the cold air with his warm breath, "How long have you been out here?"

Gwen laughs at his question and admits, "About an hour."

She'd needed to clear her head. Needed to be near the water. She wouldn't get to see the beach this Christmas, and it left her soul feeling empty. It made her miss her mother.

"Aren't you freezing?" James wonders, bending to scoop up some snow. He forms it into a tight ball, smoothing it over until it's perfect. Gwen shakes her head and takes the snow carefully from his hands.

He watches in awe as the snow begins to melt, flames flickering as water drips from her palms. His eyes fly to her, wide and curious. She smiles and answers his unspoken question, saying simply, "No wings or beak yet. But the fire is coming along quite nicely."

James snorts, leaning closer as she lets the flame grow, her palms orange and red from the dancing light. He smiles and mutters, "Just what we need. You having another thing to keep us on our toes."

Gwen laughs and curls her fingers inwards, diminishing the flame as her palms tingle and her insides grow warm. She liked this new control. She needed it. If nothing else, it made her even more useful.

Her eyes return to the frozen lake, and she suddenly feels the cold when James says curiously, "You haven't replied to my mother yet."

She doesn't say anything, the unspoken question he wants to ask hanging in the air between them. Not only had she not responded to Euphemia, she hadn't responded to anyone's questions when it came to the holiday. She was rather good at changing the subject, coming up with an excuse. Though James had been watching, waiting. Gwen wonders briefly how often people underestimate the Gryffindor. She was guilty of it herself.

She wets her dry lips, shifting nervously on her numb feet. Finally, she sighs and says quietly,

"I was going to write her tomorrow."

She was running out of excuses. Certainly running out of time. She wasn't sure what she was going to do when the break arrived. Lie? She'd never enjoyed lying.

James nods. She can see him frowning out of the corner of her eye. Gwen closes her eyes for a brief moment and it hits her. She'd been keeping secrets for so long, had been distant and independent for forever. And this was why. Because now she had people. And she wasn't sure if this would be cause enough to lose them, if keeping these secrets would make them cut her off. A new fear, one she'd hadn't realized.

"You're not coming, are you?"

Gwen turns to face him, her heart wrenching at the sad look on his face. He'd been so excited, pleased when Regulus said he'd be spending the holidays with him and Sirius and his parents. He'd been hopeful that Gwen would do the same. He sighs at the look on her face and continues, "You can't say anything."

Gwen nods, hurriedly replying, "I want to, James. Terribly. But all of this will come to light soon."

His brow furrows and he shakes his head, asking sadly, "Why are you—"

"This is something I have to do. Something I can do to help. I've been given an out, but I want to do this."

James sighs at her answer, reaching out and ruffling her blonde hair. He hesitates before asking, "Where will you go?"

Gwen smiles faintly and shrugs, a laugh escaping her before she can stop it when his eyes grow wide. He grabs her arm, practically gaping as he says incredulously, "You've agreed to do something dangerous, without knowing what the danger even is."

She nods, laughing some more when he rolls his eyes. James chuckles and pulls her into a hug, grumbling, "How are you going to give me your presents if you'll be...wherever you are?"

Gwen squeezes him back, replying simply, "I've already figured that out, love. Though I'm touched by your concern."

James pinches her arm, earning another laugh from the Veela. He smiles wider, hugging her tighter. He wasn't lying last term. She was one of his best friends. He feels a twinge of fear, not super pleased with the idea of her walking into danger with only Dumbledore by her side. But if there was one thing that could be said about Gwenyth Whitlock, it was that she was stubborn. Nearly as stubborn as Sirius Black.

James freezes, pulling back and staring at her with wide eyes. Gwen quirks a brow, tilting her head as James opens and closes his mouth a few times. He finally rushes out, mind racing,

"How are you going to tell Sirius?"

"Tell me what?"

Gwen and James stare at each other, faces morphing into matching expressions of horror. She'd let her guard down. He'd snuck up behind them. James winces and they both turn to face Sirius.

Gwen's heart hurts when she sees the snowball in his hands, the curious expression on his face. Guilt consumes her as he grows concerned, takes a step closer. He drops the pretty snow and asks again,

"Ninnie, tell me what?"