Eunoia | Sirius Black

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It's nearly eleven when Lily arrives. 

Dorea Potter, who has been talking with me for the last fifteen minutes about school and what new troubles James and Sirius are getting into, goes to hug her right when she enters. 

"Sorry," Lily pants. "There was a notice-me-not charm on your manor and my mum and dad kept making excuses for us to go back even though I insisted the house was right there."

I grimace and so does Dorea, "It's Charlus' fault. I told him to remove the charm or modify it for that matter, just for tonight but of course, he forgot."

"It's fine, Mrs Potter," Lily smiles warmly. "I'm glad you invited me."

"Aw, you're such a sweet girl. James was right, in all his letters." 

"All his letters?" Lily raised her brows curiously. 

"Oh, yes he writes about you —" Dorea began but Peter interrupted her sentence. 

"Mrs Potter, do you know where James' other white shirt is?"

"What?" She frowned. 

"Sirius was coming down with a wine flute in his hand and he dropped it on James by accident," Peter said, then leaned forward to whisper. "He's on his way to get drunk, no doubt."

Dorea was silent for a second before shaking her head, "Let him. The hangover tomorrow will teach him a lesson."

I frown. Wasnt Sirius drinking when I arrived, too? It's been three hours since then.

Dorea went the other way after telling Peter it was in James' right drawer while Lily and I followed after Peter. 

We ascended the staircase and entered the hall to James' and Sirius' rooms. 

"IT IS NOT IN MY RIGHT DRAWER, PETER! FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME - THAT'S WHAT I SENT YOU TO ASK. IT IS NOT IN MY RIGHT DRAWER WHERE IT SHOULD BE!"

James grumpily walked out of his room and looked up at the two of us with a startled expression, "Elena — Evans? What are you two —"

It is then the three of us notice him being shirtless. James widens his eyes in panic and whirls around as if he'd miraculously find his shirt on the floor. 

Miraculously, he does. 

"Oh, there it is!" He makes a sheepish face at Lily. "I must have thrown it out while I . . . also threw my other clothes around to look for it."

I look over at Lily to find her face the same shade as her hair. She gulps and says in an awkwardly high-pitched voice, "It's fine. I'm fine."

"Of course, you're fine." James looks up. "Why wouldn't you be?"

That makes Lily blush harder and she swallows again, "I am fine."

"Okaaaay." James shrugs and goes back into his room, closing the door behind him. 

I had a weird sixth sense that James was sitting in front of his door, breathing as hard as Lily right now after his attempted nonchalance. 

"He didn't even say a 'Hello there, Evans.'" Lily turned around to face me. "He didn't even compliment my outfit."

I sip the margarita in my hand, "Why would he? You didn't wear it to impress him, obviously."

Lily blushed harder if that was even possible, "Of course," She blew a puff of air and laughed. "Why would I?"

"I don't know, Lily," I smile widely, leaning in, "You tell me."

Her smile drops and she backs away as if I'd electrocute her for answers, "I have nothing to tell you!"

"You like —"

"AAAAAH." She shrieked, running back down the stairs. I laughed, sipping the rest of my cocktail with mirth.

The door beside James' opened and my laughter immediately faded. Sirius walked out in his black tux, his face looking paler than usual and his eyes a little hazy. 

"Are you drunk yet?" I ask him. 

"What's it to you?" He snaps. 

I frown, did I do something? "Sirius, I —"

I pause when I notice his eyes. They're bloodshot. There's a dead butterfly in my stomach, fluttering its wings still and I feel this strong protective urge to make sure he's fine. In fact, it's so strong that I nearly reach for the railing for support. 

Just when I'm about to ask if he got my gift, a record player with a personal mix tape I made for him, Remus steps around. 

"Hey, you." He smiles at me. 

I smile back but I'm a bit annoyed at the timing for Sirius clearly didn't want an audience and now he's scowling and retreating back into his room. 

Though, before he can do that, a hand shoots out and pulls him into a hug. 

"Ella," I gulp. 

"She's late," Remus shrugs. 

"You knew she was coming?" I ask him. Why didn't he tell me?

"Why wouldn't she?" He turns back to me, "She's our friend."

"Right," I didn't mean to accuse him or something, "I just - I thought you'd warn me —"

"What did we talk about not hiding from her, Elena?"

"I'm not hiding, Remus." I sigh. "I just wanted for you to tell me that my sister would be here."

"Again, what's there to tell?" He frowns. "It was obvious, Elena."

I clench my jaw, I mean, yes it might be obvious but — I sigh again. Maybe I'm just too snappy tonight. 

"Marlene and Alice are downstairs, by the way. If you want to meet them." He tells me. 

I nod absently as I watch Sirius hug Ella back and then exchange words that make him finally crack a grin. 

I don't realise I'm gripping my glass that tight until I notice my knuckles going white. 

Remus goes next to meet Ella and I watch her raise her eyebrows at me from over his shoulder. Biting my lip in frustration, I go downstairs and Alice smiles at me when she sees me. 

I hug her and she tells me about how she was trying to find Frank Longbottom. I point towards the other hall where a silhouette of Augusta and Frank Longbottom is visible and she kisses me on the cheek as a thank you. 

Marlene grins at me from behind the Tiramisus she and I both adore and I laugh. I take the white wine from the house elf scurrying along and thank her.

"Winky thanks you, too!" The elf smiled at me and bowed and I felt my heart warm. 

Potters made everyone a better person. They were the most beautiful souls I'd ever met. 

When five minutes are left for New Year, we all gather in the ballroom for the countdown. Some couples are dancing, and some are sitting down with their babies or with their relatives, laughing at something someone said. 

The aura is so positive, it startles me. So different from what my manor used to look like when we had balls. 

Everybody starts to search for their partners for their new year's kiss and I look around for Remus.