Cigarette Burns - Sirius Black

Ch 2: Forced Connections Tend to Snap

Sirius Black was not the type of person who desired to sit in rooms and reminisce all of the grim memories he held from his childhood home. Therefore, he spent most of his days alone sleeping. Perhaps then time would go by faster and he could soon leave the depressing walls that kept him hidden from the world. This habit became such a routine that sometimes he would not emerge from his bedroom until the afternoon. His head aching from the extra hours of rest, mouth dry, and eyes sore.

It was no surprise then that when Remus Lupin, the former defence against the dark arts professor for Hogwarts, entered 12 Grimmauld Place that Sirius Black was nowhere to be seen. As Remus Lupin walked into the house he felt as though there was a change in the air. Almost as if a different presence could be felt, not one of the glum house, but instead something warm. He walked into the lounge curious of that feeling that guided him and saw the warm coals from a fire once lit. He stared at it confused, Sirius hadn't spent much time down there, let alone at night. He only ever used the room when he had company. His eyes finally fell upon a mess of grey hair. Her arm was slightly off of the couch, delicate fingers grazed against the bottle. Remus Lupin knew exactly who it was.

His legs quietly carried him up the wooden stairs. He ran into the bedroom of his best friend franticly searching for him. Sirius stirred from the loud noise and frowned at his friend, "Moony, what are you doing flinging doors about?"

Remus ran a hand down his face in disbelief, "Why, please tell me why, is one of my former students sleeping on your couch with an empty bottle of whisky in her hands?"

"Because we ran out of gin?" Sirius grinned pleased with his childish response to his friend's question.

"Padfoot, I'm not joking around." He said his eyes narrowed at the man.

"Should have known that you would know the puff," Sirius said sitting up in his bed, his signature smirk dancing on his lips. As he observed Remus's horrified face, he quickly realized that Dumbledore had not told his best friend that Morrigan was at Grimmauld Place.

"What did you to do?" Remus asked practically begging to be put out of his misery.

Sirius laughed at his friend, "Moony, why does your mind jump immediately to that conclusion instead of any other possibility?"

"Because you two have reputations," Remus answered, "And she's supposed to be at Hogwarts right now, not sleeping on your couch."

Sirius perked up at Remus's comment, "Reputations? Do tell," his lips were in a devilish smile. He was intrigued as to what reputation the girl could possibly have.

"Not until you tell me why the hell Morrigan Hale is here," Remus said growing impatient with his games. Of course, it has been the only entertainment Sirius has had in weeks, winding his friend up and watching him as he tries to figure out Sirius's intentions with Morrigan Hale.

Sirius shrugged, "I don't really know what she's doing here. Snape showed up last night and said that Dumbledore needs her to be hidden, so she's to stay here until he says it's okay."

Remus knew that the girl would not be hidden away here with Sirius Black without reason, so he dropped the subject. He told his friend to get dressed and to meet him downstairs. Remus returned to the lounge to see the girl awake, sat up on the couch her eyes focused on the glowing coals. Her gaze was left undisturbed when she spoke, "Why am I not surprised to see you here Lupin."

Remus let out the breath he was holding, "Morrigan." Her silver eyes stared into him and he felt uneasy under her gaze, "You're supposed to be at Hogwarts."

"But I'm not," she said leaning back into the couch, "instead I am in a poorly decorated house, with an escaped convict. Could be worse I suppose."