NOX° SIRIUS BLACK

Chapter Forty-One

"Oh, so you're not taking, like, a date or something?" Sirius asked.

"Dorcas is my date, technically." Calypso said. Dorcas stood behind Sirius and watched the interaction between them with a curious look on her face. "But, I'm not taking a boy or anything."

"Okay." Sirius said, sounding perkier than he had been when he asked the question and some of the tension released from his shoulders. He glanced behind to see Dorcas standing there and he smiled at her before saying something about how he needed to get to class before rushing off.

Calypso stared at the spot where Sirius had been standing for a few seconds, replaying the conversation in her head.

"Maybe you should take Sirius to the ball." Dorcas suggested. Calypso frowned at the girl.

"No. I'm taking you. You and Marlene deserve a nice night together." Calypso nudged her friend in the ribs while they walked down the hallway. "Don't you want to go?"

"Of course I want to go, but maybe you and Sirius should go together too." Dorcas said.

"I've been dragging Sirius along to Slughorn's functions ever since I joined Slug Club. He's been to all sorts of balls, dinners, and parties with me and I'll most likely bring him to more in the future. Believe me when I say he's not going to be too fussed if I don't bring him along to this one." Calypso said. She smiled fondly to herself when she thought about the parties she and Sirius had attended together. Sometimes they'd people watch, or dance all night, or play secret games where they'd pretend to be completely different people. "Wait, why are you suggesting that I bring Sirius along?"

Calypso stopped walking so she could face Dorcas. Dorcas gave her a rather pointed look that Calypso deciphered instantly.

"Dorcas . . . no. I know what that look means and no."

"I haven't even said anything." Dorcas said innocently. Calypso looked at her bemusedly.

"Oh, please. I know what that look is. That's your 'I'm-convinced-that-one-of-your-friends-likes-you' look! You did the same thing with Remus back in third year."

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "Remus was in love with you third year and you can't convince me otherwise. The only reason he stopped was because Karma came along and now those two are playing this weird game of 'will they/won't they'."

"Remus was not in love with me and neither is Sirius."

"Look, you've been best friends with those four boys ever since you came to Hogwarts — your friendship with them was like fate or something — but your relationship with Sirius has always been different than it was with James, Remus, and Peter. I don't know how to explain but it's just different. But, it was never the right time for either of you to become more before because you liked Sebastian, then he dated Marlene, and then you dated Aerin, but you've finally both reached a point in your relationship where you guys could be good together."

"Dorcas," Calypso's face was suddenly very serious, "Sirius has never and would never like me in that way. There have been times when I thought that he might, but he told me himself that he'd never be interested in me that way."

"What do you mean he 'told you so himself'?" Dorcas frowned.

"During Slughorn's Halloween Party in fourth year he told me that he'd never date me." Calypso said rather matter-of-factly. Dorcas scoffed.

"What? He should be so lucky to call you his girlfriend." Dorcas said angrily. Calypso laughed and patted Dorcas's shoulder.

"It's fine," she shrugged. "Besides, I wouldn't want something to happen between us that would ruin our friendship."