We Spin Our Own Stars ¹

3 | Run From It All

  "You're taking his side?" Jo grumbled, still taking a hesitant step towards the door. "Merlin, I wish one of us was a bird or something."

  James prodded her. "Your fault, we all thought you were going to be a blasted cuckoo bird because you talk so much."

  Jo stalked into the rain soundlessly, her boots sinking down in the mud. Turning around, her blonde locks sticking to her face, she flipped her brother off. "Well, what are you waiting for? Am I the only one who's going to be standing out here?"

  Fuck.

  Noticing the thought that seemed to pass through James's mind, Jo crossed her arms indignantly. "No, you are not ditching me, you asshole."

  James glowered, following her out into the rain as Remus and Peter did the same. The four of them trekked rather moodily around the place, with James attempting to lighten the mood once with a song and dance number that no one joined in on.

  After a few more moments of four irritated teenagers trying not to get mud on their shoes, Remus cleared his throat and asked hesitantly, "Jo . . . what really happened between you and Sirius last night?"

  "Yeah, Pads hasn't been right since he said 'bye' to us and went off to find you for a study session," James interrupted.

  Jo stared at her brother in disbelief. "James, I know that expression well enough to know what you're thinking."

  He raised his hands, "I'm just saying, if you and Pads did, well—"

  "Explain."

  Jo glanced at Remus, but the boy didn't offer an explanation. Instead, James grinned. "No, no, you'll get it when you're older, Josephine. This is adult talk."

  "You were asking me, I'm supposed to be part of the bloody talk. I swear, we did nothing." Jo threw her hands up. "We walked, talked, then all of a sudden Sirius was holding my hand. And he looked like he'd just seen a ghost. Hold on, that's weird. Screaming? Did I mention the screaming? Oh Godric, was my hand that sweaty?"

  Remus rolled his eyes.

  "That's it?"

  Jo rubbed her eyes. "No, no. Then he said he was ready for the test that we don't have and ran off. And I went back to the dorm."

  "You sure you were holding his hand? That's a stupidly romantic move for Sirius," Peter asked.

  "Well, yes, because he let go a few seconds later. And I thought Sirius was supposed to be a heartthrob? Probably mistook me for someone else," Jo elaborated.

  "Jo, he literally walked the entire way with you. You didn't hit your head on anything on the way back?"

  "You're the one with glasses," Jo snapped.

  "You're the one that almost walked right into the Whomping Willow once. Jo, your depth perception in the dark is absolute shit," James countered.

  She couldn't argue with that, could she?

  James muttered something under his breath that Jo couldn't quite make out. "Maybe we should just head in: class starts in a few minutes," Peter suggested.

  Resigned to the fact that their lovely friend was not anywhere to be seen, the four stomped back into the building, soaking wet. Remus dried himself and Peter off, James had conveniently managed to forget where his wand was, and Jo was so annoyed at him for suggesting to go out in the rain that she refused to cast the spell on him.