claret, sirius black

29

chapter 29

"GOOD MORNING," JAMES POTTER said as he sat down at the Hufflepuff table, his tie messy and his glasses askew. "I've been looking for you."

Lenora raised an eyebrow, "For any reason in particular or have you and Sirius decided to rekindle your so called 'detective mission'.

"He told you about that!" James gasped, holding a hand against his heart and turning around to glare at his friend who was happily eating his breakfast at the Gryffindor table. "I can't believe him, what's a Marauder code for if no one can keep it," he mumbled grumpily to himself, Lenora continued to look at him. Even Dorcas stopped eating her eggs for a brief second to chuckle from beside Lenora.

"James," Lenora said, the dark haired boy looked up and shook himself from his strop. "What do you want, we're eating."

James glanced at the empty space where a plate should be in front of her but chose not to mention it. He coughed awkwardly.

"Right," he tapped his fingers against the dark wood of the table. "I'll be blunt, are you and Sirius going out?"

Lenora furrowed her eyebrows and Dorcas laughed. "She said we're eating James," she fake gagged, initiating a laugh from Lenora. The two girls began laughing with each other and completely ignoring James' presence. The pair even started a conversation whilst he was still sitting opposite them. James scoffed, he grew bored of waiting for them to pay attention to him again, so he stood up and left. He's still adamant to find out whether Lenora and Sirius are a thing.

-

Lenora was standing leant against the wall of the corridor when James spotted her again, this time she wasn't with Dorcas but it did look as if she was talking to someone - someone who James assumed would be Sirius, eager to catch them he strut down the hall and invited himself to stand next to Lenora, well practically on her feet.

Still assuming it was Sirius she was talking to, James looked up at the other person with a smile but it soon faltered when he realised he had to extend his neck a little further back than usual.

"Oh," James said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his robes. "I have an aunt who lives in Basildon, you know." He said quickly and without thinking.

Lenora screwed her face up, James couldn't tell whether it was because she was trying not to laugh or because she had now become overwhelmed with secondhand embarrassment.

"And where are you from?" Basil Melonkind asked with an eyebrow raised, a slightly mocking look on his tan face. His dark, curly hair was tucked behind his ears, usually if someone did that they'd look like a founding father of some sort, but Basil didn't. He looked no less than magnificent.

"Somerset," James replied.

"Oh," Basil smirked, "That's about a three hour drive away from Basildon, your aunt is very lucky."

James felt his cheeks, hands and the tips of his ears become hot. Lenora gave her older brother a look before looking at James with a relatively friendly smile.

"What would you like, James?" She asked, pulling on her tie. Strands of her hair covered her forehead, a pink tint contrasted her mealy complexion.

James debated asking her the original question he had approached her for, but the presence of Basil was off-putting and he seems to be one of the only people who is somehow capable of making James Potter nervous. It's unusual, as Basil, like his sister, has an unsettlingly friendly face.

"I would like to ask," James bored, quickly debating the possible outcomes in his head. He could ask about her and Sirius and risk Basil either punching him for the sake of it or Sirius for now dating the girl he had made cry a few months prior. James decided Basil wouldn't be appreciative of finding out his sister and Sirius have an all edged relationship, so he promptly avoided bringing it up. "If you have the potions homework," he said eventually, "And if I could copy it?"

Basil let out a laugh. "Len is shit at potions, and you're a shit liar."

James widened his brown eyes.

"Er -"

Lenora looked at him, curious as to what he was going to say next. Basil rolled his green eyes and clapped his hands.

"I'll see you later Len," he said, glancing at James before leaving the two sixth years on their own. Lenora waved at the back of her brother's head as he made his way down the hallway, she then turned to look at James with both of her eyebrows raised and an amused look.

"So," Lenora said, still leaning against the wall. "Potions?"

James sheepishly laughed.

"I didn't think that you'd be talking to him."

"Why not?" Lenora asked, standing straight so she was only a few inches shorter than James now she wasn't slouched.

James didn't have an answer so he shrugged.

Without warning, Lenora started walking down the corridor. James opened his mouth before following her. "Where are you going?" He asked as he walked beside her.

"To dinner," Lenora said, "Are you walking with me?"

"Er-" James stammered, "Okay."

Lenora nodded and the two of them walked to the Great Hall. For the majority of the way there, they walked in silence until James finally spoke up.

"So, you and Sirius?"

"We're friends," Lenora told him, "But I assume he's already told you that."

James nodded.

"Well, then why are you asking me?"

"Because I don't believe him."

"Well you should," Lenora said, "It's weird that you want to know everything about everybody."

"That's not true!" He squeaked, "Just my friends."

"Well it's a good job we're not really friends then isn't it, James?" Lenora glanced between him and the door leading to the Great Hall, "You don't have to worry about who I spend my time with."

"Yeah bu-" He started before Lenora waved at him as they entered the already busy hall.

"See you," she smiled as she walked towards the Hufflepuff table.