One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 124

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Sirius hides his smile behind his glass of water, staring out of the windows at the garden.

He turns around when he hears footsteps, his lips twitching when he sees his brother appear in the kitchen. James and Remus follow, both looking suspiciously hungover. Sirius chuckles, saying lowly, "Good morning."

Regulus quirks a brow and replies, "It's noon."

Sirius rolls his eyes and retorts, "Well you just woke up, didn't you?!"

Regulus chuckles and nods, swatting his brother's hands away when he goes to ruffle his hair. Sirius joins Remus and James at the table, biting back a laugh when James' head falls to the table with a thud. Remus grimaces when Regulus sets down water in front of him, looking especially unwell.

Regulus sighs, asking exasperatedly, "What do you want then, mon loup?"  Remus smiles hopefully and croaks, "Tea, please."

Sirius grins as his brother grabs the kettle and asks, "Really, Reggie? Mon loup?"

"Shut up, you call Gwen every sappy name under the sun," Regulus says, his lips quirked in a half smile despite the blush across his cheeks. Sirius chuckles, taking another sip of his water. He could get used to this, was getting used to this. His friends, his brother. His...whatever Gwen was to him now.

He gulps down more water, like it will force the emotions down with it. He'd been a coward this morning, fleeing before she woke up. But he didn't know what to do. Didn't know how she felt.

He smiles gratefully when Regulus sets down tea for the three Marauders, taking the seat between James and Remus. James perks up immediately at the smell of the hot drink, professing honestly, "Little, if Remus ever makes you mad just let me know and I'll beat him up."

Remus squawks indignantly while Regulus grins happily and nods, replying, "Sure thing, Potter." Sirius snickers at the stunned look on Remus' face, saying sympathetically, "Sorry, Mate."

He merely grumbles and mutters, "Where's Wormtail? He'll protect me."

James grunts, taking a sip of the tea before him and smiling contentedly, "Passed out on the couch. I'm not sure if he drank too much or ate too much."

"Probably both."

The boys all jump, startled by the sudden presence of their Veela companion. Sirius softens at the sight of her unruly hair and sleepy eyes, the pajamas he left for her nearly swallowing her whole. He would never tire of seeing her just after she woke. When she was still warm and tired and so cute that it turned him into a pathetically sappy mess. He feels a twinge of nervousness, unsure what it is she'll do in front of their friends.

She merely shuffles over to where he is sitting and climbs into his lap, her feet resting on either side of his legs, knees bent up under her arms and her forehead lolling forward to rest on his shoulder. Sirius heart must be on the brink of exploding, he swears it. Slowly, he wraps his arms around her, biting back a smile when her knees bump into his chest as she relaxes.

"Good morning, Ninnie." He says quietly, biting back a laugh at the tiny noise of acknowledgement that comes from her.

"It's noon."

Sirius sighs, glaring over her shoulder at Regulus. He smirks, laughing when Sirius says, "Remus, shut him up, would you?"

Remus flushes at the implication, instead grabbing Regulus' tea and holding it up to his face. James snickers when the tea sloshes and nearly burns the disgruntled Slytherin.

Sirius rolls his eyes at the scene, but his smile gives away how much he is enjoying his afternoon. He gently runs a hand up and down Gwen's back, murmuring, "Did you sleep well, love?"

He chuckles when she nods, her face resting against the crook of his neck. He carefully takes his fingers through her hair, untangling the birds nest that he had to take some responsibility for. When he's satisfied with his work he gently pats her bum, earning a quiet laugh from her. Sirius grins when she leans back and looks at him knowingly. He holds up his hands innocently until her lips twitch into a smile. He pulls her back down to his chest, wondering briefly how she could sit so comfortably with her knees practically up to her chin. She didn't seem to mind though.

Sirius mumbles into her hair, "Why don't I get you something to eat?"

She quickly pulls back to climb off of him, saying, "I can get my own—"

"I want to," Sirius interrupts, holding her tight as he stands before setting her down in his seat. He winks at her flat look, turning and moving to the counter to pour her a cup of tea.

Gwen blinks at the boys sitting around her, smiling faintly. James suddenly grins and nudges Regulus with his elbow before saying with mock innocence and curiosity, "Late night, Ninnie?"

"Technically an early morning," Gwen says nonchalantly. "But it's okay. I fell asleep after we shagged."

Remus simply nods, a smile fighting to appear on his face while James and Regulus laugh at her honesty, laughing harder when Sirius grunts crossly,

"Jeez, woman. Tell the whole world why don't you?"

Gwen smiles when he sets her tea down with a piece of toast, his arms wrapping around her to lift her up so he can sit down again. She perches comfortably on his knee, saying simply, "Its not like they don't know that we have sex."

Sirius groans and swipes a hand down his face, apologizing to Merlin for the bluntness of the girl. James grins, saying happily, "I've missed you, Ninnie."

Remus and Regulus nod in agreement. Gwen laughs and replies honestly, "I've missed you all too. I met the funniest group of boys that reminded me of—"

She stops short when the arm around her waist grows suddenly tighter. She peers over her shoulder to find Sirius looking far more broody than he had moments before. She feels a tiny twinge of guilt, not having realized how the story may sound. Gwen leans back in his hold, continuing on carefully, "They reminded me of you. Taught me how to play some muggle game with chalk and rocks."

Remus bites back a grin, saying calmly, "Hopscotch."

Gwen blinks, smiling at the new information. She nods, repeating, "Yes, hopscotch."

Regulus glances at his brother, feeling a bit sympathetic for him. He didn't really have any say in what Gwen did, they'd broken up. But that didn't mean it hurt any less.

Gwen raises her cup of tea to her lips, her tone blasé as she says, "I only spoke to them because I thought one looked like Sirius. Rather pathetic. He turned out to be far less attractive."

She can practically feel Sirius' pleased smile, his hand squeezing her hip gently to show that he's heard. James snickers, saying cheekily, "Padfoot looks ready to murder someone."

Remus laughs, nodding, "I think jealously looks quite good on our friend."

Gwen shrugs, setting down her tea and saying flatly, "They're probably all dead now, anyway."

The kitchen grows quiet and Gwen watches curiously as Regulus and Remus share a shocked look, James leaning in with a concerned expression. Sirius turns her slightly in his lap so he can see her face, his brows furrowed as he asks slowly, "They're all dead now?"

James whispers to Remus fearfully, "Do you think she killed them?"

Regulus, having heard, elbows him sharply in the side. They all grow silent when Gwen shrugs again, her voice strong with a hint of sadness as she says, "Yes. It's likely."

Sirius grabs her wrist in his hand and gives it a gentle squeeze, fear gripping him as he starts to ask, "Ninnie, what—"

She interrupts him, saying warningly, "I can't tell you what I was doing. Just where I was."

Regulus, James, and Remus lean forward, eyes wide with anticipation. Sirius however nearly recoils, nearly chokes on his deep breath in when Gwen says calmly,

"I was in Bulgaria."