The Death Debt

Chapter 15

"Where were you?"

"Nowhere! Ow! Fuck off, you old hag!"

"Stop lying to me. Tell me where you went."

"We just went to the Leaky Cauldron! We were sick and tired of fruit punch! FUCK! What was that for? I told you where we went!"

"Who were you with?"

"No one! It was just me and Sev!"

"I can always tell when you're lying. You start to sweat. It stinks up the whole room."

...

"... just to the park..."

"The park! Now, the truth comes out! What were you two doing?"

"We were just having a bit of fun!"

"What were you doing that so much more fun than spending an afternoon at a party with your friends?"

"They're not my friends–STOP! Merlin's sagging balls, what do you want from me!? You already control my life, what else could you possibly want!?"

"Answer my question, Son-of-Mine."

"There were just these dumb kids there! We borrowed their sled!"

"'Kids'? You mean Muggles?"

"Yeah, Muggles sometimes have kids, like the rest of the fucking world!"

"Oh, I know. They breed like vermin."

...

It grew quiet again. It was almost two o'clock in the morning. Severus eased the door closed, careful not to make a sound. He had plenty of practice growing up in Cokeworth.

He settled into his bed, even closed his eyes just in case. After about ten minutes he heard Sirius's heavy tread shuffle up the stairs. A few seconds past, and he heard two more pairs of feet– there was the click-clack, click-clack of Lady Black's stilettos, and the rougher, more assertive thump-click, thump-click of heeled boots; Bellatrix, if Severus had to guess. The stilettos fell silent once Lady Black entered her bedroom across the hall, but the sounds of Bellatrix moving around continued to penetrate the paneled walls. She entered the room next to his, thump-click, thump-click, and there was the rattling of a dresser and the groaning of bed springs. She was humming a tuneless song. He heard her settle into bed, and then–

Silence.

Severus continued to lay in his bed, wondering how long he should wait when he heard Sirius come back downstairs again, much quieter this time. Severus kept his eyes closed when the doorknob turned and the door was eased open. He could sense Sirius hovering over him for a second – to check if he was really asleep? – and then he moved away. Severus thought he heard his desk chair being moved and leather squeaking, before it once again grew quiet.

Severus counted the minutes as they ticked by. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, nearly an hour–

He opened his eyes and sat up. It took him a moment to adjust to the darkness, but once he did he discovered his room was empty. That was strange. He hadn't heard Sirius leave. Where could he have gone?

Severus got up and started to search the room when he heard another soft, leathery squeak. Severus focused on the leather armchair in front of the fireplace. He reached out with his hand, jerking it back when his fingers came into contact with something cool and silky, something he couldn't see. Potter's invisibility cloak! How could he have forgotten it? He reached out again and pulled it, revealing Sirius. He was curled up on the armchair, his knees tucked up, his head pillowed in his arms, and was fast asleep. Was he sneaking into his room to sleep every night?