Ultimatums

Chapter 14

Sirius and Hermione waited for Regulus to say goodbye to Walburga on the platform, laughing as Sooty trotted around Hermione hand, preening at the attention.

From a distance, James, Remus and Peter watched them in confusion.

"What're they laughing at?" James huffed, squinting with his arms crossed.

"Better yet, since when were they friends?" Remus countered, taking some fudge flies out of Peters bag.

"Why don't we just ask, instead of wondering?" Peter asked, looking at Remus's hand in disdain.

"Great idea Pete! This is why we keep you" James pinched the boys cheek and marched over to Sirius and Hermione.

It took the pair a moment to notice the three boys in front of them.

"Yes, brother?" Hermione asked with her eyebrow raised in pleasant surprise.

"What have you done to Sirius? Why are you... friends?" James said the word friends as if it pained him, and luckily for Hermione, Sooty had ran for cover under her sleeve.

"She hasn't done anything to me James. Nita's cool, I don't know why we've been pranking her when we could've gotten her help. She's amazing at them" Sirius grinned.

Peter gaped, and Remus smiled softly.

"Since when do you call her Nita? That's what the Slytherins call her. What about Pillock Potter? And everything else?" James continued.

Hermione scoffed "Pillock Potter? Not your best work Black."

Hermione would've been more offended, like James expected, by the name if the two of them hadn't talked it out before. Sirius had explained everything from the Marauders side of things, and they'd had a bit of a row. But after a few days, Hermione had forgiven him, knowing how much easier it would be in the future if she had at least one Marauder as a friend, even if it couldn't be her brother. And on the plus side, Sirius wasn't too bad to be around, and it was mending the brothers relationship too.

"Cut me some slack Nita, I was eleven when I came up with it! Anyway, we need to go if we want to snag our compartment. See you around" Sirius held out a hand and they performed a complicated handshake, and James could've sworn he saw a black tail on his sisters fist. "Say bye to Sooty for me!" he called over his shoulder.

Once they'd chased some first years out of their carriage ("do you not see the initials carved into the wall? Are they yours? No? Then scram!"), an awkward silence settled over them.

"What did you do over the summer Pete?" Remus asked after a while of James sulking.

"Uhm nothing really. Went to my grans for a bit. Got ill from swimming in a pond. Er I saw my cousin Jill? You'd like her Rem. She likes Arthimency too" Peter stumbled over his words and fumbled with his slightly chubby hands.

"Sounds nice. Quiet then?"

Before Peter could answer, Sirius asked Remus "Rem you're a half blood. Have you had pizza before?"

"Yeah, it's pretty common with Muggles... I thought you was with your mum, when would you have had Muggle food?" Remus replied suspiciously.

Sirius's eyes brightened "Nita did some research over where the summer house is, and she found a Muggle theme park! She took me and Reg there, it was awesome"

"Would you stop calling her that? It's not even anything close to her name" James snapped, glaring at the floor.

"If it bothers you that much, mate.... But Rem, we went on all these rollercoasters and one of the best parts was when we got home. She lied to Walburga Black, and she got away with it! Mother even called her love! It was crazy..."