maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

119. dancing queen

"No, I'm not," the girl chuckled.

"Then why didn't she wish me a bloody happy birthday?!" Sirius exclaimed. "Face it, Maple, you're a teacher's pet now."

Claudia sighed, "Your jealousy's showing, Sirius."

"Well-"

"Shit!" James suddenly exclaimed. "Oh, shit!"

"What is it?!" Lily asked concernedly.

"Where's my wand?!"

"You lost your wand?"

"Yes! Where is it?!"

"Prongs, calm down-"

"It's always Pete who does shit like this!" The boy yelled. "How do you find your wand if you lose it?!"

Sirius snorted, "Dunno, mate."

"Maybe you can Accio it?" Betty suggested, but there was no need for that as Nicolas suddenly appeared and handed it to him.

"Professor McGonagall found it," he said. "She asked me to give it to you."

"Oh...thank you," James said awkwardly.

"Yeah, yeah," Nicolas nodded. "Wouldn't want to leave your wand laying around, now, would you, Potter?"

"No," James said, giving the boy, who had changed his attention to Claudia, a tight smile.

"Happy birthday," he said simply to her, a small smile twitching on his lips.

"Thank you, Nicolas," she replied, watching him head off to the Slytherin table again, where a smiling Regulus sat as he mouthed a happy birthday to her as well. Claudia smiled brightly in response as Remus chuckled.

"Told you he has a crush on you," he said quietly, causing James, who too knew about the situation between Regulus and Nicolas, to choke on his pumpkin juice.

"You're funny," Claudia laughed, giving James a subtle look as Sirius frowned.

"How close are you two even?" He asked curiously.

"Not that close, why?" Claudia asked.

"Just wondering," Sirius shrugged, though everyone knew that him being curious wasn't the only reason.

"Okay," Claudia smiled faintly. "Well, I barely see him. But, you know, he's the nicest one of them all."

"Mhm," Sirius nodded, watching his brother laugh with Nicolas from where they sat at the Slytherin table.

"Oh, can I give my presents to Claudia and Lily now?!" Peter asked happily as everyone watched Sirius concernedly.

"You've got me a present too, Peter?" Lily asked.

"Of course!" The boy said, urging everyone to get up and head to the Gryffindor common room, despite four of them being Ravenclaws, so that sweet gifts of books, jewellery, records and candy could be gifted to the two girls - who, for the record, both had their separate boys at their feet as always.

"I love sharing a birthday with you," Lily smiled, hugging Claudia on the couch in the Gryffindor common room.

"And I love sharing one with you," Claudia responded, watching James and Remus laugh like idiots over something. "You know, about James-"

"Drop it, Claudia," Lily sighed. "It's never going to happen!"

"Oh, come on!" Claudia urged. "He's so sweet, and he fancies you so much! And he's trying to be nicer and everything and I promise you that you two would be perfect!"

"Claudia!"

"Why not?!"

"Because...because he's Potter!" She whisper-shouted. "He's always been there."

"Exactly!"

"No, that's not what I mean, it's just...I don't know," she groaned.

"Well, I suggest you think about it," Claudia smiled. "For me, okay?"

Lily sighed out of surrender, "Okay."

"Perfect!"

Lily sighed again, "I'm gonna go talk to Marlene before you make me date Filch or something."

Claudia nodded amusedly as as spotted Sirius sitting on the armchair nearby, so she decided to go talk to him.

"Make some room," she said, causing the boy to look up and then move to the side so that she could sit there next to him despite how little room there was.

"I'm gonna talk to you about Regulus," she said simply.

"No-"

"Yes," she nodded. "And you're gonna listen, okay?"

Sirius nodded.

"I don't talk to him often. But he's okay, alright? I know he is. He's got more support than you think he does, and he's still the same quiet and soft spoken boy we all love. But, Sirius, he misses you. Like hell."

"Did he say that?"

"No," she shook her head. "But I can tell, alright? He misses you just as much as you miss him. And he loves you."

"He shouldn't," Sirius said quietly. "I left him."

"You couldn't be there any longer," Claudia assured. "He might be angry but deep inside he knows that."

"But I just left him," Sirius persisted. "I should've at least taken him with me."

"You don't know what would've happened if you did," said Claudia. "And I promise you that I'll take care of him, Sirius. I promise you."

"I should be the one to take care of him. Not you."

Claudia stopped for a while, "You know what? Think about it this way. You take care of me. You have for so long. And my brothers never did. Hell, Nolan has only caused me hell and Nicolas is too awkward to speak to me most of the time. You are my brother. So, in turn, I take care of Reg. It's only fair I give you something in return, isn't it?"

Sirius smiled faintly, "You're a good friend Claudia. Regulus is lucky to have you. And so am I."

"Of course you are," Claudia grinned, messing up his hair which only caused him to slap her hands away. "You know what I was thinking about doing today?"

"No, what?"

"I was thinking about causing a little mayhem," she grinned. "How about you help me pull a prank?"

"I'm intrigued," he said, sitting up in his seat and reminding her so of Regulus. "Who are we pranking?"

Claudia narrowed her eyes as she thought about something, and then a mischievous smile came over her face.

"How about Evan Rosier?"

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