One Step Ahead Part II | Sirius Black

Chapter 220

Frank and Alice take a seat when Dumbledore murmurs, "We're just waiting on a few more to join us."

"Will Alastor be here today?" Frank questions, tone sharp. Evidently, the auror couple was not at all pleased with their mentor siding with the Veela weeks ago. Gwen feels her lips curve slightly, her eyes lingering on Dumbledore as she says boredly, "I'm afraid not."

Her hand slips into her pocket, thumb running over the rough chain attached to a pendant she didn't go far without. One that would tempt others if they knew she had it. Gwen had a rather large respect for time, logic limiting her hearts desire to erase the past to fix the future. It was pointless anyway. She could only go backwards by five hours. She hadn't tried it yet. She liked the present too much. Even now.

Gwen's eyes slide to the door when a familiar short being peers inside the library, a grimace twisting his features.

"Kreacher," Gwen greets calmly, ignoring the grunt that Sirius lets out from behind the writing desk. Her lips twitch when the house elf rasps, "More traitors have arrived."

It doesn't hold it's usual edge, perhaps because the house elf is addressing the Veela that he couldn't resist liking no matter how much his old masters despised her.

"Thank you," Gwen hums, shooting the house elf a subtle wink that causes his pale ears to tinge slightly pink. He nods once and then disappears from their sight, leaving them all to listen as footsteps sound up the stairs.

She takes a moment, closes her eyes. She savors it, this moment in time where her friends aren't scared. When she opens them, Lily is hobbling into the library with James in tow. He peers over his wife's head, grinning first at Sirius and then finding Gwen waiting patiently for him.

"Love!" He cheers, helping Lily down into a chair before striding over to the Veela. Gwen's chest feels funny when James pulls her into a hug, her smile fading when he asks suggestively, "How was your Valentine's Day?"

"Inferi," Sirius warns from behind her, but he needn't worry. Gwen leans back to look up at James, wishing she could still smile when she says quietly, "No shagging, unfortunately. Just talking."

James quirks a brow, looking slightly disappointed. He loved when she embarrassed Sirius with her crass honesty. His voice is hopeful when he asks, "And what did you talk about?"

Gwen blinks, voice unfairly unfazed when her body feels like it's growing weak from the weight of what has to be said,

"You."

James' eyes grow wide, and in that moment, Gwen sees that he knows. He knows that something is wrong. She grabs his hand and gives it a squeeze before whispering, "Go sit by Lily."

He hesitates, still staring down at her with those wide eyes. He'd always been so emotive, even before she'd known him well enough to see it up close. James Potter was probably the most expressive person she'd met. So when that slight wrinkle appears between his brows and his glasses bob in time with his throat, Gwen squeezes his hand again for her sake. She feels like she's sinking.

She doesn't fight when James leads her over to where Lily is sitting on the sofa, she doesn't dig it when he sits down next to his wife and pulls Gwen down next to him. She doesn't fight, because she's too busy wondering where along the way she had allowed herself to become so attached to this boy.

Dumbledore clears his throat, turning from the window with a sigh before saying quietly, "I'm afraid I have some grave news to share with the four of you."

Alice and Frank have gone stiff, and Sirius leans forward on the desk, staring at the wood grain. Gwen slowly looks around the room, inpatients causing her to say after a beat of silence, "There's been a prophecy—"