honey | sirius black

thirty

After his unusual night, Sirius awoke slowly. He smiled, then frowned. He was in love with Elodie! He was in love with Elodie. Elodie, who ate honey with her toast and put out his cigarette when she could reach it. Elodie, who fell asleep on anyone she sat next to and couldn't stop giggling if her life depended on it. In hindsight he should have guessed it; she had always paid him special attention, whispering words of affirmation in his ear when he needed it and making sure he knew she cared. With his rather absent, cruel upbringing, he shouldn't have been surprised he fell for someone nurturing and yet, there he was, psychoanalysing himself and his teenage crush. Sighing, he got out of bed, throwing open the curtains to let in sunlight.

He was still trying to sort out his thoughts as he dressed, sliding into black jeans and muttering to himself as he buttoned up half his shirt, incessantly straightening out the creases.

He was still mumbling to himself when James popped his head around the door.

"You coming, mate? It's our last breakfast with Baby, y'know."

"I know, I know, I'm coming," He raised his hands in surrender, making eye contact through the mirror. James nodded, closing the door softly behind him, mindful to not startle his friend.

Sirius found the rest of his friends already sitting at the breakfast table, Peter trying to pull off a muggle card trick making Elodie double over in laughter.

"Morning!" She smiled when they locked eyes, nodding for him to sit down. He grabbed the coffee pot, pouring himself a generous cup, mornings still not being his thing.

"Sirius, could you pass the honey, please?" Elodie asked, blowing him a kiss when he obliged. Sirius stiffened quickly, brought back to his dream before snapping out of it, jokingly catching the kiss and pressing it to his cheek.

They sat for almost half an hour, the five of them laughing together and teasing James when he got up to kiss his parents on the cheek as they woke up. A loud crack and a sudden, sharp knock tore them from their domesticity. Mrs Potter opened the door quickly, greeting Elodie's father kindly, inviting him in for a cup of tea. He agreed, walking cane accompanying his loud footsteps.

Elodie stood when she saw him, her smile not reaching her eyes.

"Hello, Dad," She greeted, sitting back down on his instruction. He sat at the head of the table - surprise, surprise - and made himself a cup of tea, seemingly oblivious to the uncomfortable quiet that had fallen over the table.

"Um, these are my friends, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter," Elodie broke the silence, realising her father had practically walked into a stranger's home. They all greeted him with a quiet "Nice to meet you, Sir." Her father looked up, locking eyes with Sirius.

"Mr Black," He began, "I believe we've met at your parent's parties? Although, I haven't seen you since at least 1975."

"Most likely, Sir. My parents throw expansive gatherings and it's not unlikely we've met before," Sirius replied stiffly, his solemn tone and formal register surprising Elodie. She'd heard him upset before, angry even, but never so emotionless and stoic.

"Right, um, I'll go get ready," Elodie pushed her chair away from the table and hurried up the stairs, leaving the rest of them to make small talk with her father.

She stared at her clothes, knowing she had to choose wisely. She eventually settled on a sundress on top of a white t-shirt for modesty, paired with some plain white sneakers. It was probably a little bit too casual for his liking, but Elodie thought she could probably get away with saying her nicer clothes were at her mum's house. She was worried about what she was going to wear over the month she was staying there, knowing she couldn't wear most of her wardrobe as it was 'too revealing' (revealing meaning anything that didn't cover up to her neck).

Blowing the then empty guest bedroom a goodbye kiss, Elodie returned down to her friends, trunk trailing behind her. Her father stood abruptly, already putting his coat back on and rushing to get to the door. Elodie followed slowly. At the mahogany front door, she turned to face her friends. She hugged them all tightly, not placing the usual kiss on their cheeks under the watchful eye of her father. Sirius hugged her tightest of all, enveloping her and inhaling the lavender in her hair.

"Write me if you need, whenever you need."

"Hey," She giggled, "That's my line."

"Yeah, well."

"Thank you," Elodie said, pulling away reluctantly. "Thanks for letting me stay, Mrs Potter."

"Of course, dear. You know you're my favourite," Mrs Potter teased, drawing out indignant rebuttals from the boys, "And you're always welcome here, you know that." Although it was a kind gesture, Elodie got the feeling there was more weight behind the words than she let on. Elodie merely nodded, lips tight as she joined her father outside. He gripped her arm almost viciously, tight enough to leave a mark. Elodie barely had time to prepare before they had disappeared, her forced smile the last thing her friends would see of her for at least a month, probably longer.

With the door safely shut, the boys and Mrs Potter stood around, unsure of what to say.

"I didn't like him," Said Remus plainly, "Something about him isn't right." They all agreed, more worried for Elodie than they would care to admit.

Sirius couldn't find the right words for a long time, his stupid teenage boy brain not coping with everything that had happened, and it was still breakfast.

"You alright, Pads?" Peter asked, noticing his vacant stare. He was quick to snap back, forcing out a laugh.

"Yeah, mate, all good."

And although the boys filled the day with playing quidditch and drinking Mrs Potter's lemonade, none of them could quite bring themselves to be as carefree as they were before Elodie had left.

a bit of a shorter part today but big things are happening over the next few chapters so stay tuned... <3