Mischief Managed Y2 Part 2: The Truth of the Tournament

Chapter Six: Loose Lipped

.................................................

Sirius trailed behind, listening to James and Lily bickering, not even having the energy to be amused or annoyed. He had been sleeping so poorly lately, kept up by his fear that he'd take one look at Remus and just see a monster. He was horrified that he'd see a dementor in place of his friend again, that he'd never be able to be okay around the lad again because of what Walburga Black had put her son through.

His mum was the real monster! And she didn't even deserve to be called his mum.

Sirius bit his lip until it bled to keep from crying since Peter kept looking back at him and he had already wept in front of his friends too much the past few days.

He loved those idiots of his dearly.

They had both been so nice to him which he knew he didn't deserve. It almost would have been better if they had just left him to his wallowing, but not only did they check on him but they dragged his sorry arse out of bed every day. Sirius supposed that he would have done the same for his friends if they needed him to. But the Black heir knew that he wasn't the mate that should be getting consoled. He fearfully and eagerly counted down the days until things would go back to normal...or he would find out they never could. It didn't help that he had been having what had become a repetitive nightmare about all of his friends turning their backs on him as thousands of dementors swarmed over him and of Remus turning around as he was being devoured, looking straight at him with an expressionless uncaring face and chilling glowing golden eyes.

"Oi, Sirius, you alright?" Peter asked, still sniffling from the pain of his bad nosebleed, pinching the tip of it with his robe, and looking quite dishevelled. 

Sirius blinked a few times and shrugged. "I reckon I will be when things go back to normal..."

Peter nodded and grinned. "They will, Sirius, don't worry."

Black gave him a weak smile, appreciating Pettigrew's confidence despite finding it silly since the simpleton had no idea what had transpired.

"WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING, POTTER?" Lily suddenly shrieked. Sirius picked up his pace dutifully. James had been there for him when he knew he only deserved his friend's anger, so he'd be damned if he was about to let his mate face little-miss-sassy's wrath alone.

"Come on, Peter. Let's go rescue him," Sirius called, passing the shorter boy.

The Black heir impatiently glanced back at Pettigrew who was still trailing behind, now looking quite sheepish. "Oh...well...I think...I'm getting dizzy...all the blood loss, you know...better go slow..."

Sirius scoffed and rolled his eyes but he didn't have time to fight with Peter over his cowardice.

"Whoa, Lily, calm down. I just said you have really pretty eyes, it's a bloody compliment, you don't have to be so bloody sensitive all the time."

"SENSITIVE? How would you like it if some annoying girl randomly blurted out some stupid compliment while you were trying to have a serious conversation with her."

Even with walking as fast as he could Sirius barely made it in time. Lily's wand was pointing at James with a dangerous gleam in her eyes, which of course the moron was doing nothing to help himself get out of. 

Sirius tried to catch James' eyes but a truly dopey smile had exploded across the git's face who foolishly answered. "Well, that depends on if the girl is you or not, Evans."

"UGH, YOU ARE INFURIATING!"

"That he is, Lily. But hexing him will slow us down." Sirius pointed out wisely, quickly stepping in front of James who seemed lost in some daydream that probably had something to do with Lily complimenting him. What an absolute dolt.