YOUTH ━━ s. black

[ 053 ] a mutual connection

"He's always saying something odd,"

"Something about history repeating itself when he saw you and I,"

Scarlet turned to him. "What, did you ask what it means?"

"I was going to, he just left,"

"And you didn't try again?"

"Nope," answered the boy, popping the 'p'.

"Were you not curious?"

"Just a little,"

"How do you sleep at night?" she wondered, the curiosity would have eaten her alive. It is eating her alive right now.

"With my eyes closed," he nonchalantly shrugged and she rolled her eyes.

After a moment of silence, she looked at him. "I actually needed to speak to your friends."

Sirius' eyeballs practically fell out of their sockets, "Blondie, I don't think I'm ready to tell them yet."

"Not about this, you idiot, it's something else."

His eyes narrowed in a suspicious manner before he gave in, watching her pleading eyes. 

      AFTER A LONG TIME SPENT ON SIRIUS TRYING to wake up James from his deep nap, Scarlet stood before the Marauders as they sleepily stared at her.

"So, you remember on Christmas when all of you got me something and I didn't get any of you any gifts." Scarlet started to explain, her hand touching the small bag she carried. 

Remus shrugged. "Your mum did, that woman knows how to spend money."

"Well, that was her... not me and it has been eating me alive because I like being even."

James furrowed his brows in confusion, "What sort of household did you grow up in, woman? It's called a gift for a reason—"

"James, shut the fuck up," she turned away from him as he slumped back in his seat, pouting like a child. "In simpler words, I just wanted to get you all something in return."

Then she started to dig through her small purse on which she used a charm to fit all the gifts in her bag and then swiftly pulled out three bags.

She studied the insides closely before handing them out, first handing it to James whose arrogance got to him and he jumped on his feet.

"HA! I get the first one," he made a mocking face to the other boys, and Sirius rolled his eyes.

Whilst he was scrambling through it, she handed Remus and Peter a bag of their own. All three bags were crimson—their house colour.

James ripped the paper that wrapped the box inside the bag, breaking through the seals to reveal a sky-blue jumper. After further inspection and unfolding, James' jaw dropped and melted to the floor under him.

He could see it was a jersey, decorated with navy seams and the Tutshill Tornados double T badge. Under the number on the back, there was a little black scribble resting underneath it.

He squinted his eyes, and then jumped so high, his glasses fell off. "NO WAY, IS THIS REAL?"

The scribble wasn't just a scribble. It was an autograph. The signature read the captain of the team: Brevis Birch. And as the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, it was one of the best things anyone could have gotten James.