One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 5

Lily has a look of pure horror on her face.

Gwen is walking to their table with James Potter, laughing and chatting like old friends. She blinks in surprise when James quietly sets down a mug of butterbeer in front of her, taken aback by the extra foam. She expects a cheeky remark or something crass, but he just sits down next to Gwen, the rest of the marauders filing in.

The only person that seems as equally perturbed as she is happens to be Sirius Black.

"Hello lads," Marlene says happily, smiling at Remus and Peter. Gwen and her share a look after glancing at Lily's sour face.

It's silent for an awkward moment before Gwen pipes up, asking curiously,

"I was surprised to not see you in a lot of my classes Remus. I suppose you're taking all of the hard ones with Dorcas?"

The lanky boy laughs and shrugs, replying, "Trying to get away from the lads. They're dreadfully boring."

James yelps indignantly, "Hey!"

Sirius pipes up for the first time, asking cheekily, "How's detention been, Whitlock?"

Lily gasps and turns to her friend, crying, "Gwenyth it's been less than a month!"

Gwen grins sheepishly and shrugs, eyeing Sirius rather nonchalantly as she replies, "It was fine. Slughorn let me off early."

James gapes at her, Remus' eyebrows shooting to his hairline.

"Slughorn let you off?" Peter asks incredulously. Sirius frowns, another failed attempt at getting a rise out of her.

"Yeah. Is that odd?" She wonders, her expression surprised as well. She'd only really served two detentions before Slughorn told her it was fine and that she could be done. She hadn't thought much of it, chocking it up to just doing her jobs quietly.

"How?!" James wonders exasperatedly.

Sirius snaps, barking out irritably, "Because shes a creature that turns men into blithering fools."

Lily's eyes practically pop out of her head, Marlene not in a much better state. They both glance at Gwen. She's impressively composed, not even flinching at the implication he's made. A creature. A creature that manipulates men. Even though she hadn't looked like a Veela for long, she'd been hearing things like that since she was only 13.

Sirius notes the grave error he's made, the silence at the table not nearly as intimidating as her pale eyes staring at him unwaveringly. Her voice is even when she asks,

"Speaking from personal experience, Black?"

"Ninnie, I—"

"I'm classified as a being. Just so you know. I'm sure you and your parents have lots to say about that."

He flinches, anger and regret flaring at the idea that he agrees with anything his parents have to say. Marlene whistles low under her breath,

"Fuck."

James scoots closer to Lily, whispering quickly when she tries to push him away,

"Sod off, Evans! I'm not getting caught in the crossfire."

Sirius grits his teeth, muttering darkly, "Don't you ever—"

"Save it," Her tone is bored, her face uninterested. It pisses him off more. The Marauders, minus Sirius stare at her in awe as she stands. Ninnie Whitlock had changed, whether she realized it or not. Her aura commanded attention, her eyes so piercing that they all felt like she could see through them. Even Marlene and Lily share a nervous glance.

"Gwen," Lily says beginning to stand up. The Veela quickly looks at James' crestfallen face and says warmly,

"Finish your drink, Lily. I've got other things to do anyway, I told Dorcas I'd go to Honeydukes for her."

James shoots the girl a small and grateful smile when Lily settles back into her seat. Gwen smiles and waves before she quickly disappears in the crowd. The table is awkwardly silent, Remus and Peter clearing their throats uncomfortably. Remus asks Lily a question and then they're back to talking, trying to ignore the brooding boy in the corner.

Sirius glowers silently, stewing on the underhanded insults shared between him and the blonde. He stands abruptly and leaves the table, not turning back even when James yells,

"Padfoot!"

He storms out of the three broomsticks, eyes flying across the village of Hogsmead when he finally spots shining blonde hair in the distance. He jogs towards her, cursing when she slips into Honeydukes.

He opens the door to the sweets shop and quietly creeps inside. She's in the corner, looking down at the boxes of chocolate frogs pensively.

Sirius tiptoes closer, groaning when she breaks the silence between them,

"Sirius, what a surprise."

He's stunned silent for a moment, embarrassed by his interest in how she says his name. Her voice is musical, sweet. He doesn't think he's ever heard his name said so beautifully. He doesn't miss the edge to it however.

"How do you do that?" He demands to know, frowning when she turns and faces him. He expects her same underwhelmed look from earlier, or maybe even anger. But her icy eyes are clear of anything other than mirth.

She hesitates, mulling over her answer.

"Intuition."

Sirius scoffs, rolling his eyes at the lame response. She laughs and says quickly,

"It's true! I've always had good intuition."

"Is it your...." he trails off, not sure how to say what he's asking. His rude remark from earlier hung in the air between them. A creature. That's what he'd called her.

"Charm? I'm not sure. I'm rather new to all of this," Her response is calm despite the turmoil beneath her smile. It hurt, what he said. Because she was scared of what she was, embarrassed. But she'd never show it. Not to him.

"I can tell," It's a simple response, but surprisingly gentle. It didn't take a seer to notice that she was still coming to terms with her change. He's suddenly compelled to ask her about it, ask what it feels like to be her.

Instead he runs the back of his neck and grabs the sweets she's been collecting from her palms, taking them to the front while she trails behind.

"I was going to buy those you know," She calls after him, slightly perturbed. She was fine with pranks, but nicking her sweets was a new low.

"Now you don't have to," He retorts, finally getting a good look at the items she'd chosen when he sets them on the counter.

"Acid pops?" He questions, quirking his brow at the Veela standing next to him. She shrugs, smiling faintly before she teases,

"What can I say. I like the thrill."

Sirius nearly smiles, finding himself amused by her antics. He pays before she can despite her protests, handing her the bag and following her out of the shop. He winces when she yells loudly from the door way,

"Bye, Ambrosius!!"

Sirius looks at her in surprise when the bald man from the checkout replies,

"Goodbye, dear! Come again soon!"

They stand silently for a moment. Nonchalantly, the Veela sneaks her hand in the brown bag and pulls out an acid pop, sticking it into her mouth. She nudges his arm gently, holding out another.

Sirius blinks at her before he takes it from her long fingers, plopping it in his own mouth. His nose wrinkles and he grunts,

"These are awful."

Gwen grins and shrugs, nodding her head in the direction of the castle before she asks rather simply,

"You coming?"

He doesn't hesitate, because he can't help it. Gwen is an enigma. He nods once and they begin the trek back to Hogwarts, this time the silence far more comfortable.