A week had passed by since Shaula confronted Sirius and not a lot had changed. The twins spent time together, Shaula studied with Lily, Severus and Pandora, James mooned over Lily, homework was irritating like usual and she continued to write and read through her diaries. The only things that changed, was Sirius' taunting towards Severus and Remus looking bemusedly at her every now and then. Sirius in fact, hadn't interacted or taunted any of the Slytherins at all. Shaula found it strange, but it was a welcomed change and she wasn't about to question it, actually she was rather proud of him. Unlike with her not confronting Sirius, she knew she would have to confront Remus eventually. Whilst him staring at her wasn't something he had started to do in the past week, it was something he started to do after he left the hospital wing, and it was beginning to get on her nerves.
It was one afternoon that Shaula was wondering around the corridors, inspecting the paintings and talking to the portraits, that she bumped into Remus. He looked momentarily relieved but then it had changed to one of anxiety. Shaula furrowed her brow, watching as he wrung his hands and pulled at the threads of his worn jumper.
"Everything okay Remus?"
His head snapped up, having lowered towards the ground as he thought about the words that he had rehearsed in his head for the past week repeatedly. He nervously shuffled his feet. Shaula looks at him in concern, taking a step closer to him. He automatically steps away.
"Remus what's wrong? You're worrying me."
He gulped, his face pale.
"How did you know where I was?"
"Huh?" She replied unintelligently, taken back by his question. 'What the heck is he on about?'
"On-on your birthday, I mean. How-how did you know I was, um, in the, um... hospital wing..." He stuttered through his sentences, his voice lowering until he was whispering his final two words and looking down again at his feet, harshly tugging at the sleeves of his jumper. Realisation washed over her, and she froze for a moment. What did she say? She didn't think he would question her about that day, it had never even crossed her mind.
"Because... you... weren't with my brother!" She exclaims, rather loudly as well, she was never a good liar. Remus looks up at her in disbelief.
"You... knew I was... In the hospital wing. Because I wasn't with your brother?" He questioned her, stopping every couple words to try and gain a better understanding.
She nods her head in false confidence. "Yes, if you weren't with my brother, James or Peter, then where else would you be?"
"In the library maybe?" He questions her again, his brows furrowed, but his anxiety gone and replaced with confusion instead now. Her overly false-confidence in her statement made it sound more like the lie it was rather than the truth.
"Yes well, I checked there and didn't find you. So, there. Hospital wing."
"Hospital wing."
The pair stood facing each other awkwardly, both fully aware that she was lying yet neither wanting to admit the truth. Shaula sometimes wondered if she really was a Ravenclaw, with her inability to answer riddles and create better lies. Remus nods slowly then, deciding to accept the answer because he doubted he was going to get the truth today. Deciding to break the awkward silence, Shaula brings up the Charms homework they had been set. The two quickly delve into a conversation on the studies and the awkwardness is soon forgotten.
By the end of November, and with December beginning, everyone begins to become excited for Christmas. Everyone that is, excluding Sirius. He didn't want to return home to where he would have to suffer under his parents, yet he knew Shaula and Regulus would be upset if he didn't come back. He sighed.
"You alright there mate?"
Sirius turns to face James, they were sat in front of the fireplace in their common room, Remus reading one of his books on the sofa nearby and Peter playing a game of Wizarding Chess against James. James clearly wasn't putting much effort into the game however, judging by the number of smashed pieces he had, either that, or Peter was putting in more effort than usual.
"Deciding whether to go home or stay here for Christmas really. Don't really fancy facing the real life howler, but I know Reg and Shaula won't be too happy if I don't come home." He confided. He hated telling people his thoughts and emotions, finding it both a struggle sometimes to find the right words to use and to how to explain his thoughts. Shaula helped him when they were younger though with expressing his thoughts, having done a monthly session since they were seven or eight in expressing their feelings to each other about how the past month went. They didn't do it so much anymore as it was mainly to help Sirius learn how to express himself vocally. They'll probably do one around Christmas however, knowing Shaula she'll say they were due a session.
"Well if you want, you and Shaula can stay at mine and your brother can come as well. I doubt my folks would mind too much." James turned to his game and frowned when Peter took out his other rook. Sirius grimaced, imagining the screaming voice of his mother as she screeched no through a howler.
"I'll see what Shau and Reg think before I say anything, but thanks mate. That sounds great." James flashed him with a quick grin in response and then yelped when his King was smashed by Peter's Queen. Sirius barked out a laugh at James' reaction and Remus rolled his eyes at the three and smiled.
For the rest of the evening the four boys played Exploding Snap, fellow housemates sometimes joining in or cheering others on.
The next morning, as the four boys enter the Hall for breakfast Sirius makes his way to his younger sister at the Ravenclaw table. She was sat with Pandora, the two in a deep discussion of what sounded like to Sirius a bunch of crazy jargon, 'humdinger-thingers' and 'heliowaves'. Or at least that's what he thought they said, he didn't pay full attention to what they were saying.
"Good morning ladies," he said catching their attention. They two girls echoed back a 'good morning' as he took a seat opposite them, snatching a piece of buttered toast.
"What brings you over to the table of intelligence and creativity today, brother mine? Is it just to see your glorious sister? Or is it to see your glorious sister's glamorous best friend?" Shaula jested, a large smile on her face. She received a blush and pleased grin from Pandora and a bark of laughter from Sirius.
"I'm actually here to talk about Christmas Shau," her brother replied. She nodded and hummed before plopping a spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth.
"I did promise Reg I'd come home to see him, he's positively going mad all alone in that house with only Kreacher for company and the letters he gets from us and Tabitha." She places another spoonful in her mouth, sprinkles some blueberries onto her breakfast and takes another spoonful.
"I'd offer to have you all come over but mum and dad are taking me to the White Cliffs of Dover," Pandora mentions dejectedly.
"Make sure you take pictures, I'm hoping to start collecting pictures of everything. I want to see everything, even if I'm not there." Shaula turns to her friend, who nods and says that she will.
"Actually, James has offered for you, Reg and I to spend Christmas holidays with his family. What do you think?" Sirius asks. Shaula tilts her head slightly, thinking it over and slowly nods to herself.
"I'll write a letter to Reg first, see what he thinks and if he's okay with it then I'll ask Mother. Better I ask then you, you'll probably make a pigs mess of it and blow our chances of having a fun Christmas." Shaula responds cheekily, giving a small laugh when Sirius gives a mock gasp of offense and abruptly stands from his seat, hand to his chest.
"Why I never! Well, I can see when I am being insulted and I will not stand for it." Shaula and Pandora begin to laugh at his dramatics. Sirius grins and continues, "Now I say good day to you two!"
They laugh even more, clutching their stomachs as they try to breathe. Other students turn to look at them curiously.
"Si-Sirius!" Shaula gets out between her laughs.
"I said good day!" Sirius exclaims, before marching over to his own friends, laughing as he went. He loved it when his sister had a good day, he had noticed growing up that she would rarely laugh. Some days seemed to be harder for her than others, so the days he could get her to laugh filled him with a sense of brotherly pride. Now all he had to do was wait for Regulus and his Mother to respond to Shaula.