All in the Family

Chapter 45: Grim Defeat

For once, Sirius' shock was so much he didn't even notice the change of scenery, including the sleets of icy water now poring down on him. He just stood there, quaking in one spot, gasping again and again, "I, I'm sorry, I-"

"Sirius!" James finally broke into his line of sight by shaking him, honestly it was a miracle he could see where he was going. His hazel eyes weren't even visible behind the rain smeared glasses, his unruly hair was plastered to his face. "Padfoot, come on mate! Let's get below the stands at least for some cover!"

When Sirius didn't respond, James grabbed his elbow and began physically pulling him along. Sirius stumbled and nearly fell down below, James twirled on the spot and caught him before he could. He kept his hands in place until he was sure Sirius wasn't going to fall over, than caught an even stronger grip on him. Sirius stalled him for only a moment, bending down and picking up what he'd slipped on, nearly lost in the pounding torrent, the purple book. James nodded in understanding, the two now galloping down and underneath the stands where Remus and Peter were waiting, bouncing uneasily on their toes and huddling close under their robes for whatever warmth they could.

"Pads, you okay?" Remus still had to speak a bit louder than normal to be heard, especially as thunder rolled not to far in the distance. "We saw you just standing up there for a whole minute."

"Yeah, we know you're sorry, alright," James clapped him on the shoulder, his face looked scrunched and almost painful between the chattering teeth and his eyes squinting to focus on anything. Sirius just blinked, he hadn't realized he'd still been saying it.

"Really mate, there's ah, there must be some logical explanation for this," Peter tried to reassure.

Sirius couldn't think of anything to say to that. He hadn't even bothered to shake his hair out of his face, it looked like a shaggy mess dripping down all around him.

"Oh, I spot Regulus!" Peter suddenly yelped as a distraction. He was nearly falling down the steps, eyes scanning for some way to slip beneath the bleachers. Peter darted out this time to snag him and tow him inside. He was ghastly pale and looked like a drowned victim, but at least his black eyes were alert.

"Thanks," he panted, taking in their surroundings. "This must be some kind of sick joke," he sighed, turning back to look just as a flash of lighting captured the sky. "We finally get put into the Quidditch stadium, and this madness is happening!"

"Guess we'll have to wait a little longer to get back in the air," James sighed in agreed disappointment.

"Seen the other three about?" Peter asked, trying not to poke his head too far out into the icy rain to scan for them.

"Yeah, opposite end of the field, they were ducking out of this just fine," Remus reassured, finally dragging his eyes away from Sirius, but going right back to eyeing him as he still said nothing.

"Sirius, you're scaring us," James finally whispered.

There was still water leaking down from overhead, a steady drop leaking down and plopping on exposed skin, trickling down their collars and leaving them just as shivering and miserable. The four of them kept swiping at themselves every few moments, shivering to try and keep themselves warm, bundled close to each other, except him.

"We can't pretend this isn't real anymore," he finally managed in a croaky, unfamiliar voice. They would all swear he'd been standing in that rain for years, his face gaunt, eyes focused on nothing. "I, I did something. I, I tried to-" he turned wretched eyes to his best friend. "Prongs, I'm sorry."

James could swear his breath was misting around him, but he didn't even notice as he returned as calmly as if this were still about the weather. "There's nothing to be sorry for Sirius. You haven't done anything, nor will you. Not while I'm here for you."