Glass Houses

Chapter eight

"Nice one mate!" James called out from beside him.

Sirius smiled wider, "I should be saying that to you. I mean, look at your target."

James looked at the ground, embarrassed. Almost all of the holes littering the target were focused in the centre.

"I'm just getting lucky-"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Don't insult my intelligence."

James was about to speak, when Peter suddenly appeared next to Sirius, "Do you reckon one of you could help me?" the shorter boy pleaded, the gun looking so out of place in his hands that it was almost funny. "I really haven't got the gist of it yet."

James and Sirius shared a secret glance, and Sirius was struck by a sudden pang of gratefulness that he had found a real friend. After years of having to pretend to enjoy the company of absolute arseholes, he finally had a real friend.

"Why don't you ask Moony for help Pete?" James suggested, "That's what he's here for."

"What am I here for?"

Sirius almost jumped as Moony seemed to materialise beside him.

"Peter wants some help," Sirius said, "With the um-" his eyes were so golden, it didn't make sense. "With his gun."

Moony turned to Peter, and Sirius felt a stupid sense of relief not to have those eyes on him anymore. Turning to James, he saw the boy wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, and had to refrain from shooting him.

* * * * * *

The dining room was packed for lunch, and Sirius found himself sitting at the same table as dinner the previous night, with one extra instalment to their little group.

"What did you say your name was?" Sirius asked.

"Marlene," the girl said.

Her blond hair was braided, but Sirius could tell that it was on the shorter side. Her fringe almost covered her bright eyes. She had two dimples when she smiled, which was most of the time.

"I know you!" James exclaimed suddenly, banging his fork on the table. "You're that Candor girl that called out to Mr Hart when you caught that kid cheating!"

Marlene grinned and stuck her chin in the air, "So? I shouldn't report unlawful behaviour?"

Sirius snorted, "Unlawful-"

"He was cheating!" Marlene exclaimed, "I was supposed to do nothing?"

"That's such a Candor thing to do," Sirius said, "Yell out in the middle of a test 'Oi! This kid has his nose in someone else's paper!'"

The table laughed, and Marlene went bright red, although the smile stayed stubbornly on her face. The rush of joy at making so many people laugh effected Sirius much more than it should have, making him want to stand on the table and dance.

"Why'd you all leave then?" Marlene asked, "If there's one thing we can agree on, it's that we didn't fit into our factions."

Sirius almost laughed at how she put it. 'Didn't fit in' felt like the understatement of the century.

"I left," James started, "Because I want to do something to help this city. I want to keep it safe, and I couldn't really manage that on a farm."

"Tell me James," Lily said.

At once, James' attention was on the red haired girl, "Yeah?" he asked, "Anything, what is it?"

Sirius glanced at Marlene, who was looking between the two of them like she wanted to either laugh or run away.