Open Wounds (Sirius Black)

Reckless Gamble

The following morning arrived, and Mum and Dad had left to visit with Tonks, leaving James and me alone at home. The tension from the previous night lingered, and we were still ignoring each other, our unspoken conflicts simmering beneath the surface.

Amidst the quiet, a sudden, insistent banging on the front door disrupted our uneasy peace. The sound reverberated through the house, shattering the stillness and demanding our attention. As I glanced at James, it was clear that the unexpected visitor had caught us both off guard, and we exchanged uncertain glances before rising from our respective seats to investigate the disturbance.

James and I, wands at the ready, cautiously made our way to the front door. James peered out of the side window before opening the door to reveal an unexpected sight: Remus.

"Remus?" I questioned, my surprise evident.

"Come on, put your shoes on," Remus urged, a sense of urgency in his voice. James and I exchanged puzzled glances, and James, always quick to ask questions, inquired, "Why?"

"Sirius is being Sirius again," Remus replied, his frustration palpable in his tone.

James wasted no time and quickly grabbed his shoes, pulling them on as he pressed for more information. "What did he do now?" he asked, eager to understand the reason for Remus's unexpected visit and the reference to Sirius's behavior.

James, in a hurry, grabbed my shoes and threw them in my direction, prompting me to catch them.

As Remus explained the situation, uncertainty still clouded our understanding of Sirius's intentions. "I don't know exactly. He sent me a letter saying that he was going to fix the mess," Remus replied, further fueling our curiosity.

I held my shoes, perplexed about the sudden urgency. "Why do I need these?" I asked, not quite comprehending.

James, not one to take no for an answer, grabbed his jacket and then mine, tossing it at me yet again. "I am not going," I protested, the idea of rushing off with little information unappealing.

James zipped up his jacket and asserted, "Yes. You. Are."

I couldn't help but question further, "Why?"

James's frustration with my reluctance boiled over, and he snapped, "For heaven's sake, Dess, put your damn shoes on."

I complied with a reluctant sigh, slipping on my shoes and jacket. As I did, Remus tried to shed light on the situation, saying, "Dess, Sirius does this thing where he thinks he can fix everything and goes off and does something stupid."

I looked at Remus, my concern growing as I realized the gravity of the situation. Sirius's impulsive actions had caused problems in the past, and I couldn't help but wonder what he had gotten himself into this time.

"What do you need me for?" I asked, still uncertain of why my presence was necessary as we followed Remus out of the house and onto the street.

James, who had been quiet for a moment, finally answered, "Because, Dess, believe it or not, he still cares about you, and you can probably talk him out of whatever mess he's gotten himself into."

Remus chimed in, "It probably has something to do with you to begin with."

I looked at them both, puzzled. I couldn't fathom why Sirius would be engaging in reckless behavior because of me. The implications of his actions left me with a sense of unease, and I knew that unraveling the mystery behind his sudden impulsiveness was crucial.

We reached the nearest phone booth, squeezing inside the small space. James pressed the number 2 on the dial, and the booth began its slow descent into the ground, revealing a room with four different Floo networks. It was a common feature in England's magical transportation infrastructure.