the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 5: Warm Welcome

Maybe I'll be there to shake your hand,
Maybe I'll be there to share the land;
That they'll be givin' away,
When we all live together, we're talkin' 'bout together, now...

- "Share the Land" The Guess Who, 1970

Sirius Black, did in fact, know who he was. Or rather, Remus got the feeling that he knew a lot more about him than just what could be pried out of the 'R. Lupin' plaque outside the door. James, seemingly the eternal gentleman, had swooped in easily to introduce the both of them, but Sirius just looked Remus up and down with tight eyes and nodded his head. It was the same look you got walking around the East End on your own; it said, 'I see you, and if you try anything I'll gut ya', only on Sirius, with his swooping black hair, untucked dress shirt, and shined shoes, Remus saw more of a conceited prince than a scrappy alley-boy.

"Don't normally get new kids in year eleven," Sirius said, like an observation. He seemed to end every sentence with a brow-raise. It made Remus think of the stuffy ministers that visited the Estate all the time on business with his father.

"So I've heard," Remus answered. He stepped back and gave the boys an open stance with his shoulders back—the way Tomny used to do when he and the group used to stare down trouble. It was a display of dominance, but it had always worked for Tomny. To Remus' surprise, a corner of Sirius' mouth quirked up, though he still hadn't moved any further into the room. James kept his eyebrows knitted together in the centre of his forehead while Peter fit his spoon back into his mouth.

"Where you from?" Sirius asked.

"He's from London," James supplied for him.

"London," Sirius said without much enthusiasm. "Champion. Three out of four now. Must feel so lucky."

So not him, Remus thought. He didn't have the vibe of it anyway. Remus had known Sirius Black for less than two minutes, and already he was already pretty sure he'd placed him. Most likely old money with familial pride, maybe even a distant cousin to the crown a few times removed. That's what schools like Hawkings were filled with, right?

You see people, Tomny's voice echoed in his head. It made him want to ring the older boy by phone or by the neck; both of which were equally as unrealistic when Remus considered the fact that he was hours from London and Tomny didn't have a telephone.

"And you?" He asked, drumming his fingers across the top of his trunk. "Where's your family from?"

Sirius dropped his smirk, and Remus saw a tendon in his neck flex. James, sensing the sudden mood shift in his friend, grabbed Sirius by the shoulder and nudged him gently. "C'mon, Sirius, tell me what happened with Reg and his lot."

"Yeah..." Sirius started, still staring at Remus.

"We'll leave you to get settled in, Remus," James said, helpfully. "You coming Pete?"

Peter scrambled up off of his bed, setting the empty bowl of curry aside. "Coming!"

James turned his friend toward the door, and Sirius shoved his hands into his trouser pockets, tossing his dark locks out of his eyes with the flip of his head. "Pleased to meet you, Remus," James called, opening the door and walking out with Sirius ahead of him.

Peter reached for the door handle after the two boys and smiled. "Feel free to just shove my stuff aside, Remus. I'll trade you bed covers later. See you!"

Remus waved goodbye to be polite before the door shut with a heavy click and he was finally left alone. The room itself was spacious enough and made up of a large rectangular shape with four dark walls and hardwood floor. The beds were set up across from each other in a square, with red rugs spanning the aisles between. The bathroom was decent too, with all white fixings and clean tile, though the only two windows in the entire space were on the far wall, away from his and Peter's beds.