Yes, My Lord

Chapter 1:14

Holly and Sirius froze.

Dumbledore walked towards his desk, clearly having acknowledged Sirius and Holly's presence but choosing to stay quiet. He was wearing light blue robes which swept the floor as he took his seat on the desk chair. His blue eyes sparkled behind his half-moon spectacles as he stared for a moment, switching glances between Holly and Sirius. He opened his mouth, only to close it again. He picked up a piece of parchment, slowly dipped his quill in the ink pot and began writing.

"Let's slowly back away and see if he notices" Sirius whispered

They both turned and quietly walked towards the door. They were about to turn the handle before the Professor spoke up, "Leaving so soon are we?"

Holly turned back round to find that the Professor hadn't looked up from his writing. Before she could speak, Sirius stepped forward, "We just came up here a few moments before you did."

"I see" He continued, still writing

"So we weren't in here long at all"

"Hm"

"Can we go now?"

Professor Dumbledore looked up from his writing and placed his quill back in the ink pot. He rose in the most graceful manner, before beginning to ascend the stairs to the top platform of his office.

"Um what do we do now?" Holly whispered to Sirius

"I think he wants us to follow" Sirius realized and started to follow after him. Holly, having given no choice, sighed and followed after Sirius.

The old man stopped on top of the stairs and turned around to face Holly and Sirius who were half way up, "You won't know how precious privacy is to you until you don't have it"

They both stopped in their tracks, guilt washing over them. "We're so sorry, we were just.." and Holly stopped talking, not sure whether to tell him the truth or not.

"Just?"

Holly sighed, "Well it's a bit complicated"

He gestured for them to continue up the stairs. Once they both reached the top, Sirius began to speak, "It's not Holly's fault" he looked at Holly who gave him a defiant look back.

"No Professor it was my fault, we just wanted to talk to the sorting hat"

"The sorting hat?"

"Yeah about Sirius' sorting"

"What about it?"

"Well um" she looked at Sirius who wouldn't make eye contact, "we were wondering if his sorting was a mistake"

Dumbledore let out a light chuckle, "I don't think the sorting hat makes mistakes"

"Well we just wanted to know why he got sorted into Gryffindor that's all"

The professor walked up to an old wooden cabinet and plucked a box off the top. He then placed it on the nearest table and slowly it transformed into a hat.

"I will let you ask it but only Sirius can"

Sirius, confused, asked, "Only me?"

Dumbledore nodded. Holly squeezed his arm reassuringly and left.

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Holly looked at her watch. It was 6:00. They were going to miss lessons at this rate she thought. Just as she was about to knock on the door, Sirius opened it.

"How was it?"

He didn't respond.

"Sirius?" She placed a hand on his shoulder, "are you ok?"

He still didn't respond.

"Sirius? Look at me" she demanded

He looked up. His eyes were frozen over like the top of a puddle in the winter, all warmth sucked out. It was like he crawled deep inside his own mind, not wanting to come out. Something was wrong.

"What's wrong? What's happened? Are you ok?"

A weak smile plastered on his face. "I'm fine"

"No you're not! What did the hat say?"

He let out a deep sigh,"It's not about what it said," he began, "it's what it didn't say"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Holly just stop. Please"

Hurt. All she could feel was hurt. Tears pricked her eyes and all she wanted was for them to flow, one after the other, but she forced herself to keep them in. Why was Sirius like this? What had happened? He shrugged her hand off his shoulder before heading in the direction of his dorm. She opened her mouth to call after him but closed it again, thinking better. He obviously didn't want to talk to her. 

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