What Sirius never said

Chapter 63

The last day of my job was a quiet affair. We had gone through the usual Hogwarts rush once everyone had received their letters, and it was just starting to quieten down again with a week to go before school started again. I had flipped the sign to say that we were closed and was heading back to the office for the final time when the bell jingled behind me.
"Sorry, we're closed" I said as I turned, but I came face to face with Sirius and the words died in my mouth.
"I know" he grinned in his usual cocky way. "Come on then" he said, hurrying forward and grabbing my hand. He dragged me, wordless into the office. There he spun me around and kissed me passionately. I kissed him back. Obviously.
"What was that for?" I asked when we broke appart. I took a step away and moved towards the desk to tidy some papers, as if nothing of the kind had just happened.
"I guess I'm just excited" he told me. "We're about to go on holiday together. And then we're going back to Hogwarts where we see each other every day".
I laughed. "We see each other every day anyway Sirius" I told him. But he just shrugged and grinned. Sirius perched himself on the edge of the one chair and was about to say something when we noticed the sound of footsteps outside. Garrick pushed open the door and glanced in. "Ah good, you're both here".
Then from behind his back he drew a bottle of prosecco. "A celebration" he suggested, and popped the top on the bottle. "As it's your last day here Trudy, I wanted to invite Sirius and have a good drink and toast to you both" I looked at Garrick in surprise.
"That's so sweet of you!" I told him.
"Will you get the glasses?" He asked me, so I summoned three champagne saucers and my two companions approached the desk.
"Here you go" Garrick said as he poured the golden liquid into the glasses and handed them to both of us. When we each had a glass he raised his and spoke."Trudy. I have loved having you work here with me over the summer. You've inspired me to employ help all year round. It was good fun, our conversations were eye-opening and I feel much better off for knowing you better. And with you, came Sirius. Sirius, you are a joy to know. Your kindness and virtue is apparent in all you do. I am so glad I got to know you both this summer and I wish you both the best for your last year of school and for all you do. To you" he finished and raised his glass.
"Here here" Sirius joined in.
"Cheers" I said, largely to stop myself laughing at the pomposity of the situation. I caught Sirius' eye then looked away quickly after finding the same glint of mirth there as I knew would be in mine.

We finished our glasses, then finished the bottle, and before we knew it it was 7 o'clock. Garrick was a hoot, recalling stories of the shop long ago, or else talking about historical battles both magical and muggle, or enquiring about new theories from uncle Lou. He knew uncle Lou well and it was only when the self same man knocked on the back door of the shop that we were forced to look at the time.
"What have we got going on here?" Lou asked in his deep booming voice as he walked into the office. "Are you not ready for us yet Garrick?"
"Ah, yes, time does get away from you" Garrick spluttered. "Kids, I'm sorry, I'm afraid that shall have to be it. We've got our monthly great minds meeting now" I smiled at that. Uncle Lou had told me about his monthly great minds meetings. It was a collection of vastly intelligent, very excentric, middle aged men who gathered together every month to drink port and discuss the newest developments in magical theory. As far as I was aware, the circle included Lucianus Tattleberg, Garrick Frobisher, Horace Slughorn and Billius Mergan. I knew there were others too, but I didn't know their names, and I knew they had invited professor Dumbledore to be a part of the party, but he had so far always declined.
"I would offer for you to join us" Garrick had continued speaking. "As I am aware you both have brilliant minds, but I also know you have a wonderful evening to get to, so you must hurry along now".
I nodded and started collecting my things. But of course, you couldn't see Uncle Lou without him having a word or two to say. "A brilliant mind?! Why, Trudy here has one of the most brilliant minds I have ever come across. Hers beats mine by a long shot!" I blushed and glanced at Sirius. He was smirking, which only made me blush further.
"And who is this fine fellow who makes you blush?" He asked me, turning his attention to Sirius as well.
"Sirius Black sir" Sirius said in response, thrusting his hand out for Lou to shake. "We met at the Greenwoods new year's party".
"He's my boyfriend" I added.
"Secret one" Garrick interjected as Lucianus's eyebrows shot up.
"A distraction hmm?" He winked at me.
I groaned inwardly.
"Yep".
"Well then Trudy, Sirius, I shall not tell your secret."
"Thank you" I said quietly.
"And for now you must hurry along. What is this great evening I have heard rumours of?"
"We're just going out for a drink with some friends".
"Dear old Andy?" Uncle Lou had met Andy a couple of summers ago and he had made a good impression.
"No, these are different friends" I replied. "They're Gryffindors".
"Mmmhmmmm, Gryffindors ey?" He winked at me then patted me on the back and pushed me towards the door. I only paused long enough to grab my bag off the chair and take Sirius' hand before I made it through the shop and out into the street.
"Phew" I sighed as soon as the fresh air hit my face. "It could have taken a long time to get out of there!"
Sirius chuckled beside me and I glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?"
"You have the strangest collection of middle aged men friends that I have ever met!" He laughed. So I pushed him over.
"I have no idea why I have so many" I blushed when he had righted himself.
"Come on" he nodded up the street and I followed as he lead the way for the last time.
"Did Garrick really invite you down for drinks?" I asked as we walked.
"Yeah, I was a little surprised, but he did. Popped into the ice-cream parlour at lunch".
"That's sweet of him".
"I think he's got a soft spot for me".
"I think you're right. Every lunch that you didn't come in to eat with me he was asking where you were".
"What can I say, middle aged men love me" he batted his eyelids at me. So I pushed him over again.
We walked up the street slowly, meandering across as we passed the shops that we had passed all summer. This would be the last time for ages and I wanted to cherish it.
"Have you heard Lily is coming this evening?" Sirius continued after a while.
"Is she?"
"Yep. James invited her".
"Ooooh, they're getting on well then?"
"Certainly seem to be. They've been exchanging letters at least three times a week. How anyone has that much to say I have no idea".
I laughed openly at that.
"You have lunch with me almost every day, what's the difference?"
"Well we can talk rubbish. You actually have to have things to say if you're writting a letter" I rolled my eyes.
"That's not true, I could definitely fill a whole roll of parchment without saying anything of note".
"Go on then" I looked over at Sirius to see if he was joking. He didn't seem to be. "It'll be your challenge when you get home tonight". I gave him a questioning look. "You can write me a whole letter of sweet sweet nothings".
"Sirius, we're going on holiday together literally tomorrow".
"And?"
"Okay, if you want a letter, you can have a letter".
He carried on walking and sighed whistfully. "It's the one thing about living together that I don't like. I mean, James always gets so excited when his letters arrive. It must be so nice to be properly wooed".
"You want to be wooed huh?"
"Yeah. And that's not to say I don't love our flirting because I really, really do" his voice got deep and my heart fluttered. "But it would be nice to have been romanced using the written word".
I chuckled at that.
"You've been spending too much time with Garrick... But I'll see what I can do".
I felt Sirius step away from me then, as we reached the entrance to the Leaky Cauldrons beer garden. He had evidently spotted the same thing I had - the vast collection of Hogwarts students around the place, enjoying the good weather and a break together before heading back to school. At a table in the middle of the pack sat our friends; Lily and James on one side and Peter and Remus on the other. I smiled and waved over to them and Remus and Peter waved back. The other two however were far too deep in discussion to notice us, and were sitting awfully close. I slid onto the picnic bench next to Lily.
"You guys are late" Peter commented.
I glanced at my watch. 7:20. "We're only 20 minutes late" I told him.
"Yeah but that's 20 minutes that you could have spent with us" Remus complained, though I could see the twinkle in his eye showing that he was only teasing. I stuck my tongue out at him.
"So civilised" Sirius teased.
"And how come you've arrived together?" Remus asked, eyeing us both.
"Because I thought I would be chivalrous and pick Trudy up after work, but had I known you were going to interrogate me like this, I might not have bothered" Sirius replied a little frostily.
"I would have walked with you if I had known what time you finished" Peter piped up.
I sat back in my seat a little. "Okay, I appreciate all the offers but I am perfectly capable of walking myself. When did you all get so possessive? I need a drink." And with that I stood up and stalked off towards the bar.
I don't know why I had gotten so annoyed by that. They were just trying to be friendly, but it frustrated me that they all felt the need to chime in and one up each other. I wasn't a possession to be won, I was a friend. And it annoyed me that we had all spent such an easy going time together last year, and now, when I hadn't seen them in ages, they all acted like this. Sirius I could vaguely understand although I was still frustrated by it, but the other two?
"Wait up Trudy" I heard a voice behind me and turned as I slowed. James came running over. I gave him a tight smile and carried on towards the bar, confident that he would fall into step beside me.
"So, how are you?" He asked easily.
"I'm alright thanks, how are you?"
"Seriously? What's got your knickers in a twist?" I wanted to be grumpy at him for asking that. He had been there at the table, surely he noticed them fighting over me, but one glance at his excited, happy face and I just couldn't be mad at him. "Eh, just your friends becoming weirdly possessive over me. Not a fan of the clingy friends thing".
"Aren't your friends super clingy?"
"No" I snorted as I worked my way through the crowd of gathered wizards and up to the bar. "Nah, they let me be. They're really good about it actually". I thought back to my birthday last year and had a pang of longing for my Hufflepuff group.
"That sounds kind of lonely" James nudged me with his hip as he stood next to me. He was watching my face intently.
I shrugged. "It was. It can be. Particularly when they've got a big tournament coming up. But that's what I've got you guys for right?"
"Have you seen them over the holidays?"
I shook my head. "Nah, we don't see much of each other over the holidays really. Everyone has family stuff" I shrugged.
"Which is why you spent so long with Lily and Sirius over the holidays?" James asked, and I could see the way his mouth pulled up into a smile at the mention of her name.
"You two friends now then?" I asked him and he grinned in response. A proper big grin. It made my heart swell to see him like that.
"Yeah. Yeah I think we are friends. Good friends" it was my turn to nudge him.
"It's good to see you so happy James".
"Thank you" he said seriously, then turned back to the bar as Tom the barman arrived. "Two Guinesses please, and a gilly water."