No Promises | Wolfstar AU

Sixty-six

Sirius has to go back to his own dormitory to borrow Severus' wand. When he leaves, Severus is still sound asleep, reduced to a shadowy lump on his bed in the thick darkness cloaking the room. Sirius ignores the guilty tug in his chest and makes his way back out of the Dungeons.

The journey to the Gryffindor Tower is one of crippling anxiety. With each step he takes, bile rises higher in his throat. His heartbeat is so violent that he can almost swear its louder than his footsteps. It's all so misplaced because why should he worry? Remus Lupin is not a werewolf. That's just not possible, not even in Sirius' most scandalous nightmares.

The white light of the moon spills in through the tall windows lining the corridors, so bright its almost opaque. Sirius imagines he can feel it on his skin, cold and powdery like icing sugar. He sticks to the shadows as best as he can, listening for anyone approaching, but the Prefects' have apparently given up their patrolling because no one seems to be around.

Once he reaches the portrait of the Fat Lady, he hesitates. The Common Room is most probably empty, but is it really worth the risk?

Sirius decides he'll fall back on his most valuable asset, his undeniable charm.

The Fat Lady—Sirius isn't sure how polite it is to call her that, but it literally is her name and there's not much he can do about it—is sound asleep, her gentle snores resonating through the air like the low purring of a cat. She's draped in a peachy pink fabric, and on the table in front of her is a telling glass with a rim of red wine left at the bottom.

"Hello, miss," he grins smoothly, leaning against the wall next to the portrait.

On hearing him, the painted figure startles awake, her hands flying upwards.

"My apologies," Sirius says quickly, putting on his sweetest, most boyish smile. "You look so lovely, I just couldn't walk by without talking to you,"

"Oh?" The Fat Lady blushes, waving a dismissive—but not quite—arm at him. "Why, I..."

"It must be the Full Moon," Sirius goes on, absolutely shameless. "Really, I think it brings out all your beauty. And what is that rouge you're wearing? Your cheeks do look like roses,"

"Oh, stop, you," the Lady covers her mouth. "How shameless you are,"

"I can't let shame stop me," Sirius pouts, "not in front of someone as darling as you. You must be so lonely at this time,"

"Oh, well, it's what I'm fated to be," the Lady sighs, smoothing the fabric of her dress. "I'm all by myself," she glances over her shoulder.

"Really?" Sirius widens his eyes. "There's no one around? I thought someone might be inside the Common Room,"

"Oh, it's as deserted as it could be," the Lady sighs again, deep and long. "It always is around this time,"

"That's unfortunate," Sirius nods.

"Well, what to do?" the Lady gives him a sad smile. "I suppose you should get going,"

"But I'd rather stay," Sirius smiles sweetly.

"Well, I'm sure you would," the Fat Lady laughs, "but it's past curfew,"

"Ah, I guess I forgot all about it when I saw you. I'll go in, if you don't mind,"

"Not at all, young man," comes the reply. "Go on in. We don't want your lovely self catching a cold." And the portrait swings to its side, making way for Sirius to enter the Common Room. Sirius bids the Lady a quiet good night before slipping in.

Sure enough, the Common Room is only occupied by moonlight and shadows, not one person in sight. As the pale moonlight passes through them, the tall windows look like ghosts levitating in the air. The fires have all died down, not even an ember fighting to stay alight in the fireplaces. Taking a deep breath, Sirius stalks up the stairs leading to the dorms.