Sister (slow updates)

Chapter Sixteen

It wasn't long before Quidditch season had finally made its way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. James wouldn't stop talking about the first match of the season, Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. He was making us go with him, so he could see Gryffindor's prospects at winning the Cup that year. I had never had much interest in Quidditch, but I always watched James play. I went to every Gryffindor match, usually sitting in the top corner of the stands, but I rarely went to watch the other Houses play. This time, however, James was determined to drag the rest of us along with him as he made his way to the Pitch.

Sirius kept glancing at me the whole walk across the grounds, while Remus and I talked about Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen. "Do you two nerds ever shut up about that book?" James laughed, turning around and walking backward so he could face us.

"What's the matter with that?" I countered. "Too dumb to comprehend our intellectual conversation?"

"Wow, that was too many big words in one sentence, even for me to understand," Sirius laughed, playfully shoving James. "How are you two even related, Prongs?"

"Shove it, Pads," James laughed, lightly pushing him back.

We finally made it the Quidditch Pitch with the rest of the school. We entered the far section of the stands, near where the Ravenclaws were crowded together. I was squished between James and Remus, Sirius on James' other side as always. While we waited for the match to start, Remus and I were back to our Jane Austen conversation. I could feel Sirius' eyes on me the whole time, despite his detailed conversation with James.

When the match started, and the players were kicking off, James stared intensely at each team's chasers. Every so often, I glanced over at him, analyzing the teams' every move and strategy. He was so focused on the match, he was oblivious to Sirius' stares and the conversation Remus and I were having over the cheers of the crowd.

"He's still staring," Remus observed. "I've noticed the frequency. You need to talk to him."

"Remus, he's always with James," I sighed, giving a quick glance over my shoulder toward Sirius. "I can never get him alone. I've tried. Besides, I don't even know what I would say to him."

"You have to talk to him eventually. You can't keep going on like this, living off stolen glances and never telling each other the truth. Trust me, Josie, you want to tell him." I simply sighed and turned back to the game, attempting to focus on it like James was.

When the game was over, and Slytherin had won, we began to make our way off the Pitch with everyone else. While most of the crowd made their way up the grounds to the castle, our group of five took a detour and headed for the big oak next to the Great Lake. Remus gave me a pointed look and then nodded toward Sirius. I took a deep breath and stopped.

"Hey, uh, I forgot something that I need from the castle," I said, drawing the attention of the group. "Sirius, come with me?" I asked, looking at the Black. He looked a bit startled at the request, and looked at James, who looked at me for a moment. He seemed a bit suspicious that I would ask Sirius, instead of himself or Remus, but seemed to brush it off as he shrugged at his best friend and turned around to keep walking. Sirius looked at Remus, who gave him the same look he always gave me before following James and directing Peter to go with them.

"Why me?" he asked as we walked towards the castle, glancing at me. "Why not James, or Remus?"

"I dunno," I shrugged. "I guess I just- well, since the thing with the stairs, the first time, I mean, I just- uh- I guess part of me feels safe, I suppose you could put it."

He merely nodded silently, thinking. Neither of us said a word until we were inside, walking down a deserted corridor. I stopped. Sirius looked at me, worriedly. "Joss?"

"I lied," I breathed up suddenly. He stopped walking. "Well, sort of. I mean, I didn't actually need anything. Well, I did but I, uh, I really just needed to talk to you. In private. Without James."

"What's wrong?" he asked, stepping back closer to me.

"Nothing's really wrong I just, well, Remus noticed, and Lily and Marlene, and they won't shut up about it, and well, I just needed to tell you, and Sirius I-"

Once again, we were interrupted. By some first years, who came running through the corridor, laughing. When they had finally disappeared, the moment was over. We stood in silence for a fraction of a second before Sirius opened his mouth to speak. I quickly cut him off, all motivation to admit my feelings gone.

"We should get back to the others," I muttered, looking anywhere but him.

"Joss, I-"

"James will worry if we're gone too long."

He simply nodded and I let out a small breath as we began walking back down the corridor. By the time we'd made it outside and were just nearing the small slope down to the lake, Sirius stopped, gently grabbing my wrist to stop me. I turned to face him, and I was made suddenly aware just how close we were. I could nearly feeling his warm breath on my skin. "Joss, I just have to say this before we go back. I l-"

"Hey, you two! We were just coming to look for you!" James laughed as he ran up the hill towards us. Sirius and I stepped away from each other, the moment broken for the second time. "We decided to sit up in the common room instead. Peter said something about needing to finish assignments."

"Okay," I said, turning to James and forcing a small smile onto my face. As James grabbed Sirius by the arm and started jabbering off about something, Remus gave me a look. We started following the group, Peter jogging to catch up with my twin and his best friend.

"So?" Remus asked expectantly, glancing toward Sirius.

I shook my head. "We were interrupted. Again. Twice."

Remus sighed, looking forward at his friends. "I'll try and distract James later. Give you a little bit of time to talk."

"You don't have to do that. I'll find the right time. It'll happen when it happens," I shrugged.
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I forgot. Oops. I had it edited and ready to go and then just forgot to post it. That's my bad. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Things are getting a bit more interesting, don't you think?