Protecteur (HP Marauders)

Chapter 2

"Can we talk more to one another?
Missin' the days when we were younger
Now all I hear is a distant echo
Turning your back when your eyes look yellow

Follow me into the night
I'll be here 'til you're alright

Stay close, little brother
I know your true colors
When the world don't listen
You can call my name
Stay close, little brother, stay close" 

- "Little Brother" by Ella Vos

Chapter 2

Sirius dragged Alice around his house by the hand, saying nothing to her in the process. She was too bewildered to speak at first. At least she was getting a tour of the house, which was larger than any she had been to in the past. They went up many flights of stairs. Clearly, they were headed somewhere.

"Sirius, where are you taking me?" she finally asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

Sirius looked back at her with a grin. "Somewhere we can talk alone."

"And none of the rooms we passed will work?"

"Someone - or a house elf - might walk in."

Alice thought that was reasonable enough. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what he had to talk about that required complete privacy. They had just met. He wasn't going to try to seduce her or anything, was he? They were 12.

Eventually, they stopped, and Sirius let go of her hand. Alice's eyes were drawn to a rope hanging from the ceiling. He grabbed it and pulled down a door with stairs leading up into an attic. He grinned at her hesitancy. "Come on, I'm not taking you up there to kill you."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I wasn't thinking that, but now I am."

Sirius chuckled lightly. "You'll be fine. Let's go."

Alice shrugged and followed him up the stairs. She did not truly believe he would hurt her. She did not know what to think of him yet, but she could tell he was not a threat. She coughed as soon as she stood up in the attic. It looked like this was where the family stored stuff, though they must not have moved anything recently, for it all had a thick layer of dust.

After examining the room, she looked at Sirius expectantly. "Alright, we're alone. What's on your mind?"

Sirius' expression turned serious for the first time that day. He crossed his arms and looked her over. "I want to know if you're a believer."

Alice stared at him in confusion. "A believer in what?"

Sirius did not even blink as he answered her. "Pure-blood supremacy."

Alice's mouth fell open as she felt complete shock. Never had any of the dozens of pure-blood kids she talked to asked her that. She did not know how to respond. Depending on his views, a lie or the truth could cause him to shut down. "Ah, well..."

Sirius' face softened slightly. "It's okay. No one else is here to listen. Just me."

Alice shook her head in disbelief. "You can't just ask that out of the blue. Are you a believer?"

Sirius responded with all the confidence in the world. "I definitely am not."

"That's just what I-" Alice stopped when she realized what he said, her eyes going wide. "Wait, you said you're not? You don't believe pure-bloods are better than everyone and muggle-borns shouldn't learn magic?"