The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

Maybe, Maybe, Maybe

"Give it back you little fucker!" 

Sirius disappeared over the back of the couch and a moment later there was a loud thump as he hit the floor, knocking the wind out of his lungs. The niffler went scooting under the sofa and across the room, skittering up into the book shelves. In his mouth he clutched Sirius's silver lighter.

"BLAST!" Sirius grunted, pushing himself up from the floor as Remus and Bradley stood in shock in the doorway of the kitchen. The niffler was to the top of the shelves now, crouching, peering down and panting as she watched Sirius struggle to get up. She bit on the edge of the lighter and when her teeth made no indentation in the surface, she shook it and banged it against the edge of the shelf. "Stop that, you little shite!" Sirius said, and he walked over and stretched, trying to reach the niffler. He was a good six inches off, even on tip-toes. "MOONY... A HAND?"

Remus walked across the room, stretched up his arm, stood on his tiptoes and gave a bit of a hop, his hand just catching the niffler 'round the scruff. The niffler kicked and spun about as she hung from Remus's fist. She quickly shoved the lighter into her pouch, then looked up to stare into Remus's eyes with an innocent expression that looked more guilty than not.

Remus held out his other palm and cleared his throat.

Reluctantly, the niffler reached into her pouch, fished about, then removed a shiny penny. She held it up hopefully.

"No," Remus replied. 

She paused, then shoved the penny away and reached in again, digging, and came up with a key. 

"No..." Remus sighed.

The niffler stared at him, bill twitching, then put the key back and finally withdrew the lighter. She dropped it into Remus's waiting hand, then crossed her niffler arms in disgust and looked away. 

Remus sighed, then handed the cigarette lighter out to Sirius. "Here you are, Padfoot."

Sirius took the lighter and frowned at it, wiping it on his pyjama bottoms with a look of disgust. "What's you bring her here for?" he asked. He looked at Bradley. "And what is this? Bring home kids from work week or something?"

"What?"

"James brought kids home this week, too."

"What kids?"

"Oliver Kent and like seventeen other kids from his orphanage. They all went to Jasper Odair's house," Sirius said.

"Oliver Kent? What?" Remus looked utterly confused.

"Uh-uh," Sirius said, shaking his head. "You first."

"Excuuuuse me?" sang Bradley from the doorway.

Remus and Sirius both turned about. The niffler, who was still dangling from Remus's fist, also turned her attention to Bradley.

"Where's the potty?"

"Down the hall, third to the right," Siris answered.

"Thanks." Bradley disappeared down the hall.

Sirius turned back to Remus. "Well? And actually start from the start. James said you were in New York? How --? Why? I was --" he paused. Then, "Why'd you go so far away?"

"Mr. Scamander took me into his case for the full moon change, and to keep me safe from..." Remus started, he paused, the weight coming back from all the anxiety he'd felt following Sirius's arrest and the news from Peter that the Ministry was after him. His hands shook. "I was with Newt since you nearly got me exposed to the Ministry!" Remus reminded Sirius, "Newt coming to get me was the only reason I didn't get caught and have to be registered!"