Sirius Black
The Quad
You may now turn over your exam papers," Rendell instructed with a steady voice from the wooden platform he stood on. Sirius looked at the headmaster, feeling a knot of stress in his stomach. He nervously tucked back a loose strand of his hair before flipping over his papers. "Each question should be answered with the black pen provided on your table, and any attempt to cheat will result in permanent exclusion from the establishment," Rendell continued before flipping over the gigantic hourglass next to his desk, moved outside into the Quad specifically for the occasion. Sirius had never taken any exams outside; at Hogwarts, they had taken place in the Great Hall. However, at Nevermore, the castle was much smaller, and the teachers – as Morticia had told him – had insisted on seating students one per table and spacing the tables as much as possible to prevent them from cheating.
Nevermore had a very strict cheating policy (which wouldn't prevent Sirius from cheating). They had implemented a strict policy for wizards: their wands had been confiscated two days before the exams and would remain in Rendell's office for the two following days after the exam period. Alongside this infuriating policy, the school had placed a particular classroom for the vampires too sensitive to the summer sun to take the test outside. Another one had been set up for the sirens. The mandatory 'anti-persuasion' necklace they were required to wear prevented them from hypnotising the jury. And finally, much to Remus's delight, the exam dates had been explicitly set between two full moons so the werewolves would not be agitated. In straightforward terms, the end-of-year exams had been meticulously designed, and there would be slim chances to cheat. Moreover, with the investigation of the stolen bones and Gates's murder (which Sirius still struggled to digest – and probably never will), the end-of-year finals seemed trivial to him.
Sirius lifted his head from his paper, on which he still hadn't written anything (except for his name, first name, and the date: Monday, May 16th, 1977), and observed the invigilators passing through the rows. Since early October, when he had crossed the castle threshold, he had only rarely studied for the exams and when he had done so, it had been with Remus which hadn't helped him focus. He had been convinced he would simply need to retrieve his wand when the time would come. And now, with it locked away in a double-locked cupboard and protected by a spell, he found himself in a difficult situation.
"I told you so!" he could already hear Remus brag as soon as the exam would end.
They had been at the library, studying for the botanic exam, when Remus had told him without raising his eyes from the heavy textbook he was reading, "You won't be able to use your wand..."
"Of course, I will," he had answered, fooling himself, "they don't even remember we brought them."
"This," Remus said, finally raising his head and gesturing around them, "is a magical school. Plus, don't you think Dumbledore already warned them?"
"Too much to do at home, with the dark magic rising... Don't worry," he had added when he should have been anxious, "come with me to Montevert Hall; James is at practice, Pete's hanging out with Larissa for the whole afternoon. The dorm's all empty for us," he winked. Now, it was his head that was all empty. He couldn't remember a single thing he had studied that day. Of course, ten minutes afterward, they had headed to Montevert Hall, and the afternoon had been more than fabulous.
He needed to clear his head and think on a global scale. He didn't have his wand, and he could forget about getting it back before the end of the exams. He looked at the hourglass. Twenty-five minutes had already passed. He needed to think of a distraction. Even without his wand, he still had magic. No one had ever stopped being a wizard simply because they were being removed of their wand. If the wand was broken, a new one could be bought at Ollivander's – problems solved, he thought with a smirk. But the wand directs the magic; it shapes it like a mould. Without it, Sirius knew he couldn't perform big spells. But smaller ones, ones he used daily without even being conscious of it (because they had become a habit), he might succeed.
Accio, he thought of the incantation. It was one of the first spells (if not the first, he couldn't remember) he had learned, even before he had entered Hogwarts. His father had taught him when he was a toddler. He needed to get his hands on the paper of a student who would pass the exam with flying colours. He first thought of Remus (as always), but he knew it would upset the boy if he knew Sirius had cheated on him. All those revising sessions for nothing... Remus had morals, especially regarding school. He glanced at the students ahead of him: Gomez, Lily (too risky; she wouldn't dare to report him for fear he would be dismissed, but she would definitely give him the cold shoulder), Morticia (too dangerous), Larissa – Larissa! They had almost every class together, except for Divination and maybe another one he couldn't place, but still, their papers were likely the same. He could easily get a sixty percent up to seventy percent grade if he stole her copy.
He didn't think any further. He would steal her paper. But he needed to wait until she handed it over; otherwise, the plan would fail, and she would likely report him to Rendell if she saw anything. The Marauders had already had enough trouble with Rendell, and Sirius didn't want any more of it. The plan would fail without a distraction. By chance, Gomez was seated just before him, and where Gomez was, Thing was never far away.
"Thing," he whispered, making as little noise as possible. Lily turned around and looked at him with suspicious eyes. "Don't worry," he mouthed before beckoning her to turn back, which she did. "Thing!" The little hand turned over from under Gomez's chair. "I need you to distract Rendell when Larissa hands over her exam. I'll buy you strawberry-scented hand cream if you help me," he beamed at the hand which moved its fingers, pleased.
Now, all that was left was to wait. Sitting quietly in his chair, like a model student, Sirius watched the minutes pass in the hourglass. An hour went by, then two. Some students were already starting to turn in their papers when Sirius saw Thing slip away for a few minutes before returning with a hammer it dragged along laboriously. Sirius shot the hand a disapproving look, still sitting in his chair. But at that moment, Larissa stood up, and Thing climbed up to the gutters travelling along the edge of the Quad – where the black stone gargoyles were. Some of them were crumbling, and Sirius immediately understood. It was risky, but it could work.
From afar, he watched Larissa hand her paper to Rendell before signing the attendance sheet. Thing waited a few moments before delivering a heavy blow to one of the damaged gargoyles. Its head detached and collapsed loudly on the ground. Rendell let out a scream of terror from his platform, standing up and pushing his glasses back up his nose, all the students looked up from their papers, and Sirius seized the opportunity amidst the general chaos.
"Accio Larissa's papers," he murmured in a low but distinct voice.
"Months I've been telling the town hall we need urgent renovation work," complained Rendell to one of his colleagues nearby. Larissa's paper quickly fluttered over to Sirius's desk. "Lucky that no student was injured," the principal continued. "I've had enough incidents for ten years," he exhaled before sitting down again. "Please, carry on."
Sirius swiftly checked off each of the answers Larissa had marked. Nothing was easier than filling out a multiple-choice questionnaire when the answers were right before the eyes. He made random guesses for the subjects they didn't share and prayed for luck to be on his side. Either way, he would pass. That's what mattered, he reassured himself. He calmly packed up his belongings, took his paper, and slid Larissa's paper into his uniform sleeve. He confidently headed to Rendell's desk to hand in his paper. He winked at Thing, who spun around proudly. They made a good team. Lily threw him a dreadful and reproachful glare. She knew but she would get over it.
Arriving at Rendell's desk, Sirius bent down and pretended to pick up Larissa's paper, which he discreetly took out of his sleeve. "Excuse me, sir," he said to the principal, handing him Larissa's paper, "I believe you dropped this."
"Oh, how kind of you, my boy," Rendell said with puppy-dog eyes as if given a bone, "this castle is falling apart. Larissa–" he continued, looking at the paper, "one of our best students. You can't imagine the embarrassment you've just saved me from."
He readjusted his large square glasses once again. "Your name, Sirius how?"
"Black, sir, Sirius Black."
"Ah, yes, of course! Sign here, please," he said, turning the attendance sheet towards Sirius. "Here, please."
Sirius signed and handed over his paper. "Have a good day," he said before moving away from the examination area. He wouldn't mind having a smoke to celebrate.
§
The sun cast an unusual glow over Nevermore's gardens. Students were picnicking, seated in the grass, finally enjoying their summer without the stress of upcoming exams, and mostly decorating their canoes for the Poe Cup Race. It was on everyone's lips and minds. No one could go to the morning breakfast table without hearing students planning their strategy or discussing the minute details they wanted to add to their canoe.
Sirius had to admit that some of the boats (his team's, especially thanks to Zafyr) were painted fairly well. Some students had drawn long, sharp vampire teeth, realistic-looking blood marks, watchful eyes, or overly large smiles. That felt uncanny. Others had weapons placed at the end. But the wizard had something else in mind. They still hadn't figured out their costume with Lily.
He shouldn't have played against Zafyr and Larissa. That girl was a true viper who did everything to win.
Morticia's team's boat, the White Raven, was the blackest. Sirius still didn't know how she had passed through the rule of naming the teams according to a poem of Edgard Allan Poe. He guessed the raven was the fetish animal of the poet and so, it worked. Not surprising from Morticia's team. The boat was all black, except for a white raven Zafyr had painted on it. James had tried to dissuade the teenager from painting the opposing team's boat, but Zafyr had hurried to remind him that the boat decorations didn't count towards the race. And for James, only victory mattered; so he had eventually accepted. Besides, Zafyr had undeniable talent, and it was only fair to let the school benefit from it.
On the morning of the Poe Cup, the sun was finally fully out, and the race — a chase part on foot, part on the river — could finally begin. The usual post-race party promised excitement. Peter was preparing one of his famous fire whiskeys, Gomez and Morticia had promised to liven up the dancefloor, Mary had bought a dress (a very sexy one) for the occasion. In summary, everything was ready except for their costumes.
Lily had gone into town with Morticia, Gomez, and James (who had agreed to take a two-hour break from his training). Sirius had settled near Remus, who was reading his book while sitting on the walls near the castle's gates, awaiting for the girl to return.
***
Lily Evans
The Weathervane
"No, Morticia! For Merlin's sake, you cannot name your first child Wednesday!" Lily turned to Gomez, who was sitting beside the dark-haired girl in front of her. "Gomez," she insisted, "say something!"
"Whatever my sweet Dahlia wants," he replied.
James laughed, sipping his strongly infused black tea and unwrapping Lily's muffin from its paper packaging. "Here," he said, handing it to her. She took it absentmindedly and took a bite.
People were filling the Weathervane around them. Lily had never seen so many people since the sun had started coming out. Outside, the terrace was overcrowded, and the cups rattled against one another, creating a pleasant buzz. Lily loved the smell of coffee and vanilla cakes and the sound of the milk frother that permeated the atmosphere.
"Have you thought of a name?" asked Morticia after sipping from her quad. Like for Marlene, she didn't understand how could someone drink something so strong. Her heart would have stopped dead.
"Have we?" James turned to her, placing his hand on her thigh under the table. Lily couldn't get enough of his little attention and the weight of his hands on her. She smiled at him.
"Well, we certainly won't name our child Wednesday!"
"A Wednesday's child is full of Woe," Morticia quoted. "There is no sweeter name!"
"I think we prefer something simpler, right James?" she said as he took a bite from her blueberry muffin.
"Yes, maybe something like Thomas, or William, or Harry... Well, something British, something versatile."
***
Sirius Black
The castle's gates
"You still got nothing then?" Remus threw at him, raising his head from the novel he was reading.
"No," Sirius admitted. "I hope Lily found something. Otherwise, we'll hear Larissa talk about it until we fly over England."
"I'm sure she'll find something," Remus replied before returning to his book.
Spooky, wandering nearby, came to rub against Sirius's leg, and Sirius petted him for a moment.
"What are you reading?" he asked, wanting to captivate Remus's attention.
"Maurice by E.M. Forster," Remus answered as if Sirius knew the title.
Sirius hummed. He liked it when Remus knew things he didn't. "Is it any good?"
"Yes, very. It's the story of two friends," he said with a smile that Sirius knew all too well.
"Well, friendship's important..." Sirius replied before spotting Lily's red hair appearing in the distance.
She approached him and sighed, her shoulders relaxed, "Don't ask me. I found nothing."
"What? You promised," he said, taking his pack of cigarettes from his pocket
"Yes," she snapped back, "and you promised to put the ball in the cup, but here we are."
He took one out and gave it to Remus, who reached out for it while reading and took another for himself. Both took out their wands to light their cigarettes, "Parvus Lacarnum Inflamarae."
Morticia spoke to Gomez, then walked away, signalling she had something to do (probably something for the race). But Gomez joined them.
"I might have an idea," he said with a slight smile, "you know the knights in armour in the corridor?"
"The ones you impaled?" Remus suddenly asked, intrigued by the conversation.
"That would be them," he looked up at the sky with a smile. "What if you took them to dress up?"
Sirius and Lily exchanged a knowing glance.
"That's not a bad idea at all," Lily admitted, pleased. Sirius could feel James wouldn't appreciate the idea, but at the same time, what could be better than a costume that was already at Nevermore?
§
"Believe me when I say this," Lily started, struggling to keep up with Sirius's pace in her armoured shoes. "But it's the first and last time I'll ever wear armour!"
"Then I'm glad you're the princess and James is the knight," Sirius answered lightly, smiling behind his helmet and extending his hand to help Lily cross a slight mound.
It was past noon when Lily and Sirius had agreed to meet in the Quad to arrive at the Poe Cup Race together. Except for Gomez (who had the idea) and Remus (who would keep the secret to himself), nobody knew they had finally found a costume. Sirius anticipated James's reaction. Most of all, he hoped he wouldn't be a liability to the race. The armour was heavy, at least twenty-five kilos, and Sirius had no idea how Lily managed to keep walking to the river shore.
"It's too hot," she grumbled as she removed her helmet. Her long, fiery red hair mingled with the wind. Her cheeks were rosy from the heat, contrasting against the whiteness of her complexion. She looked like an actual princess in armour. Nothing seemed able to shake her courage. "How can someone expect me to dance in this!" she gestured to herself. She slumped in the grass, breathless. Sirius sat beside her and played with a daisy flower.
"Is Remus at the library?" Lily asked absentmindedly to start the conversation.
"I don't know when he isn't," joked Sirius. He loves me a little, he thought, tugging a flower petal. "Even with the exams over, he still goes every day. I guess he just likes to live in the constant stress of the exam period. Always with a cup of black tea, a heavy book, and a cigarette— when nobody's watching."
A lot...
"You guys are great together. He brings out the best in you," Lily said softly, turning to Sirius. "You bring him out of his comfort zone, and he," Lily carried on when Sirius didn't speak, "appeases you. You're softer. It's like going from a tormented sea to a calm lake, you see."
"Enough with the romantic comparison," Sirius chuckled shyly and played with his flower, passionately, madly, not at all...
"Nevermore served us both," he admitted, "I don't know if I would have had the courage to confess my feelings to him at Hogwarts..."
"Me neither," Lily admitted, watching a bird flying overhead. The cool breeze blowing on their face was comforting against the heat of this early summer.
"You guys would have ended up together no matter what," Sirius remarked. "You cannot even begin to imagine how much he loves to talk about you."
"I always thought it was a joke."
"He likes to joke about many things," Sirius said calmly, "but never about you. You were and always will be the only person he would never joke about. You're everything to him." Lily smiled at him, a big, genuine smile highlighting her small dimples.
A little, a lot...
"Let's go back to your knight then," Sirius said, raising himself and helping Lily get up.
When life was a twisted mystery, and suddenly the truth unravels, one's days can become boring. But Sirius was glad to finally live a quiet life at Nevermore. A part of him wanted to go back to Hogwarts (even if he didn't say so as they had taken the habit of not talking about the return, like a silent pact), but another part of him, growing with each passing day, hoped he could stay here. In these moments forever, hanging out as a clique by the river shore, dancing in gothic parties, James waking him up to train way too early, spending hours watching Remus read at the Gates, sipping his cappuccino from the Weathervane... It all felt very calm. Appeasing. He had thought less and less about his family, and his ties to them had started breaking. With each passing day, he had started to affirm himself. And now he knew he could go home bringing every experience he had lived at Nevermore; those cherished moments would be his light in the dark.
Lily started to walk again, following Sirius's pace. "So," she hinted, "what did the flower say? How much does he love you?"
"Madly," Sirius answered in the wind.
§
"It's going to be a Poe Cup finale to remember," said Rendell, perched on his fence near the river pontoon.
On the shore's edge stood eight tall flames on wooden posts erected in the greenish water, with a boat between each post. Four were decorated in each team's colours: The Castle of Amontillado, The Pit and the Pendulum, The White Raven, and Lenore. On each of them, four students were ready to fight it out and win victory at all costs.
On the Lenore boat, James couldn't keep calm. "How could you do this to me, Padfoot?"
Sirius laughed.
"No, dude," James said gravely, readjusting himself in the canoe. "This isn't funny! I'm serious!"
"No, I'm Sirius," laughed Sirius loudly, proud of himself for this one as if he hadn't done it a thousand times already. Gomez and Zafyr snickered.
"We'll lose! You're too heavy! We've been training for more than four months! Do you not have a single ounce of consideration for your best friends?"
Clad in white, Morticia looked at Sirius from her boat and grinned. At least there was someone who liked his costume. He could see on her face that devilish smile she wore at fencing class.
"I know, James," pleaded Sirius, "I lost a game..."
"We're too heavy. Get out of the boat before you sink us!"
Sirius laughed again, although he could see James was truly pissed.
"We cannot compete if we're only three," Gomez intervened, "and thank God everyone will be looking at us. This is the beginning of glory," he added, proud of himself.
"He'll ridicule us!"
"I want to welcome you all to the Poe Cup Race. This is one of Nevermore's proudest traditions dating back ninety-five years ago— along with the gigantic party following the victory, but let's keep that for later, shall we?" Rendell started into the microphone. Every student was listening to his every word, eyes full of admiration. The Poe Cup race was definitely a big deal here. Rendell repositioned his square glasses and looked at the crowd of students ahead of him. "Each team must row across Raven Island," he resumed, "pull a flag from Crackstone's crypt and hustle back without drowning or being sunk."
"That's where we lose," James said, turning back and casting a deadly glare almost as terrifying as Morticia's at Sirius. The boy shrugged. It was the best costume, after all.
"May I remind you," Rendell smiled, "that there is no rule to the race and that mischiefs are advised. The first team to cross the finish line with their flag wins the Cup, bragging rights for a year, as well as some special privileges."
Sirius saw Lily a bit off the crowd, staring at them on the pontoon and listening attentively to Rendell's opening speech. Even behind the helmet, Sirius could tell she was smiling at him.
"Couldn't you have disguised yourself as a naturist?" snapped James, still visibly irritated.
"I'm sure a lot of girls would have appreciated it," Zafyr said from the end of the canoe.
"Not only girls," Gomez reminded them, chuckling.
"Let the Poe Cup begin!" Rendell said, and before he could say anything else, all the boats launched into the river.
"Move faster!" cried James, canoeing as quickly as possible. It was impressive how fast they could go, even with Sirius's weight. All that training hadn't been for nothing.
"Coming the Pit and Pendulum! Let's go!" Sirius heard from the boat beside them, following their pace dangerously. Suddenly, a vampire from the other team pulled a lever and activated a pair of axes flanked at the boat's butt. Zafyr and Gomez narrowly dodged it, and Sirius thanked Merlin for wearing armour that day. Without it, he would have been seriously injured. Suddenly, his costume proved to be a considerable advantage in the competition.
Morticia's team was far ahead; Sirius could already tell they'd win—no matter what. He couldn't picture Morticia losing.
Sirius looked around him, glad to still be in perfect condition thanks to his armour. He could only see three canoes, which meant that one had already sunk. He didn't know how, but he could tell it must not have been pretty at all.
The three canoes reached the island. Morticia started fencing the opponent. Where the hell has she put her sword on the boat? She was truly capable of everything! If she wanted to fight, Sirius would gladly indulge her.
Again, his armour proved to be the best defence he could hope for against Morticia's constant attacks. She chased him on the island, and he tried as best he could to run with the twenty-five kilos on him. He had rarely laughed so much in his life. Morticia was laughing, too, although it was a matter of victory for her.
When James returned to the shore with the flag, out of breath, Morticia's team had departed. In the end, they ended up in second place. At least James was pleased they didn't sink. And anyway, Morticia deserved to win.
§
Later in the evening
"I'm heading downstairs," said Remus, rolling a cigarette and looking at Sirius, who was putting on eyeliner in the bathroom's mirror. "You're coming?"
"Join the boys, go ahead. I'll come in five." He smacked Remus quickly before the tall boy descended to the party.
Before going downstairs, Sirius put on his favourite leather jacket, a dark bracelet he was glad he had put in his suitcase last September, and his black boots. He glanced at himself one last time in the mirror, trying to get his messy hair to behave.
You're playing so cool
Obeying every rule
When he arrived at the party celebrated in the Quad, all the students were already on fire on the dance floor. Mary and Marlene were dancing together, both holding a beer. Mary was savage, moving her hips to the tempo, swinging her black curly hair. Every student was watching her. She was the glow-in-the-dark. Sirius made his way through the bodies of sweaty students as best he could, avoiding the shattered glass pieces on the ground.
Deep way down in your heart
You're burning, yearning for some
Somebody to tell you
That life ain't passing you by
"Our Gryffindor Cassanova," James said to him when he finally reached them. He was seated at the fountain, Lily sitting on his legs, sipping from her fire whiskey.
"Did Peter make these again?"
"Who else?" answered the girl, her voice a bit rushed with the alcohol. James brushed aside one of her red hair strands and kissed her gently on the neck. Okay, maybe he would be better off leaving them together. Alone.
I'm trying to tell you
It will if you don't even try
You'll get by if you'd only
He walked to the bar, arranged outside, and took a cup of beer. It was better to start light, especially if he didn't want to end in the same state as he had been at the last party. He shook his head, shaking off the embarrassing thought. Where's Remus? he thought when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew it was him before even turning back.
"Here you are. I've been looking for you everywhere," Remus said while slow dancing to the music. Merlin, the lights were making his blond hair so sexy. Sirius wanted to kiss him, here, now.
"Come with me," he said.
Cut loose
Footloose
Kick off the Sunday shoes
"Where are we going?" asked Remus, his voice barely audible once they were in the dark forest. "We're going to miss the party."
Sirius took a left turn when he saw a wand mark he had made once on one of the wide trees. "Here," he said. "We're almost there."
"And where is 'there'?" asked Remus, impatiently following his hurried step.
"I have something for you," Sirius answered.
Remus stopped in his tracks when he saw it. A Honda CB750, all black and polished. "Isn't she beautiful," Sirius tempted, gracing his fingers on the metal. "Keen for a ride?"
"Where did you find this?" Remus raised his voice, walking around the motorcycle. "It's in perfect state! Please tell me you didn't steal it."
"It isn't stealing if you're going to give it back to its owner."
"It's unlawful."
"The law is for those who get caught," Sirius answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Besides, we're just going for a ride around town. I'll put it back tomorrow."
"No," Remus said, his voice unmistakable.
Come on before we crack
Lose your blues
Everybody cut footloose
Sirius walked to him. He brushed the other boy's arms with his fingers, then up to his neck. "I promise," he whispered in Remus's neck, "I'll put it back at the crack of dawn."
"You better be," exhaled Remus, putting his head back and allowing Sirius more space to kiss. "Did you drink?"
"Only a beer."
***
Remus Lupin
Sirius ignited the engine, and it roared behind them in the dead of night. Remus gripped Sirius's waist as tightly as he could, sensing a shiver run down his spine.
"Have you done this before?" he asked, dreading Sirius's answer. A part of him already knew the truth. Sirius slightly turned his head towards Remus. The wind slapped them both in the face, and Remus wished more than ever to have a helmet.
"No," Sirius cried over the wind, his long, curly hair blowing into Remus's face.
"Please, go slower," Remus pleaded as Sirius revved the engine harder, the vibrations resonating through their bodies. Remus tightened his grip on Sirius's waist, letting his hand wander lower. He liked to sense Sirius's hard body against him. He liked the wind slamming him with Sirius's delicious scent. He tried to focus on Sirius instead of the fear of the road, even though the adrenaline coursed through his veins as quickly as he rode.
They had left the forest and were now riding on a narrow road leading to Jericho's suburb. The moon was their only light source in the darkness, but Sirius seemed perfectly at ease. Once they reached the city, Sirius zipped through the traffic, shifting his weight from right to left. Remus followed the movement and began to relax. He enjoyed the scent of the air—it was the essence of a summer night, with hints of forest and gasoline.
"Enjoying yourself?" Sirius asked, a hint of mischief lacing his words, sensing Remus's grip loosening.
"I can't believe you're doing this without a licence," Remus admitted, looking over Sirius's shoulder at the city skyline unfolding before them. He prayed they wouldn't fall face-to-face with the sheriff's car.
"If a Muggle can do it, why can't I?" Sirius replied, still focused on the road, and Remus could hear the smile in his voice.
After that, they rode silently, the only sounds of the engine roaring the wind rushing in their ears. Sirius speeded through the roads, concentrated. At one point, they entered a larger city with more traffic and lights.
"Close your eyes," Sirius requested, gripping the handlebars carefully as they neared the traffic-lights.
"What for?" Remus asked, observing the traffic lights ahead turning orange, following Sirius's gaze. Oh no, please. "No," he said.
"We're going too fast, and I don't know how to brake properly! We'll run through it."
"Slow down," Remus urged, gripping him with all his strength.
"Close your eyes," Sirius repeated as they went past the red light and disappeared into the night.