Play the Game ✔️

As We Walked Along Together

Sirius sat on the edge of a library table swinging his legs as he waited for Liesel to arrive. He was talking quietly as two first year Gryffindors who had wandered in by accident, looking for the Great Hall. Sirius tried to explain that it was in a completely different part of the castle. When one of the young students began to cry, did his face soften and he relented.

"Right, look here now," Sirius said with gentle authority. "I'm waiting for someone. When she gets here, we'll show you how to get to the Great Hall, how's that sound, aye?"

Liesel wandered in and saw him crouched before the weeping child as he dabbed at her eyes with his handkerchief. "Hi, what's going on here?"

"Two lost little lambs," Sirius said as he stood, his face flushed with embarrassment as well as a lopsided grin when his eyes scanned her clothing appreciatively.

"Aww! Come here, darlin'!" She crouched down and held out her arms toward the one in tears and the little girl fell into them. Liesel stroked her hair gently. "You're going to be alright, I promise." She smiled as she pulled away slightly. "Ya wanna know a secret?"

The little girl nodded. "I don't know how to get there from here either."

"But you're a fifth year!"

"But I'm new here, just like you. I don't know where anything is," she replied. "In fact, I had to ask a teacher how to get here."

"Really," Sirius asked.

Liesel looked up into his eyes and nodded. "Really."

"Well, come on then, lets get a move on, they're not going to hold breakfast for you two!" Sirius held out his hand to Liesel which she gratefully accepted.

Sirius offered to give the one child a piggy-back ride and the other wanted to be carried as well, so he picked her up and carried her in his arms, garnering him many stares by students and faculty, including Professor Minerva McGonagall. She looked on as they approached her, a gaping stare on her face. He winked at her as they walked by. "I must still be asleep," she said shaking her head.

Lily was on her way out of the Great Hall, when they approached. "Sirius Black!"

"Lily Evans," he said with a dead pan air. He let the little girl in his arms to the floor and Liesel helped with the boy clinging to his back down.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Doing my civic duty apparently. I swear, if you say a word to anyone that you've witnessed this event, thereby ruining my reputation as a rebel, I'll tell everyone and I mean EVERYONE that you are indeed in love with Potter and are jonesing to bear his children! Got it?"

She sneered. "No one will believe you."

He grinned. "Oh, I beg to differ! Everyone WILL believe me. I assure you."

Recognizing the prefect badge on her jumper, the two younglings walked over to her and stood by her side. Lily pointed to the Gryffindor table and she asked them to go sit and told them that she'd be along momentarily. Lily smiled and held out her hand. "You must be Liesel Rhodes?"

"LIESEL! YES! This is Liesel!" Sirius offered jubilantly. "Liesel, this is Lily!" The girls looked up at him as Liesel offered her hand.

"So I gathered," she said, almost laughing, then she turned to Lily. "Yes hi, nice to meet you!"

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you manage to find yourself with this tosspot?"

"Hey now, that's not nice," Sirius said pouting.

"Neither are you. So you're either an imposter, or you're trying to impress our new student. Which one is it?"

"I think I'm offended, Miss Evans!"

"What? You're not sure?"

"That's right, I'm not. I'm Sirius. So if you'll please excuse us, Miss Rhodes is in need of a tour and I'm her guide," he huffed and grabbed Liesel's hand and pulled her into the large corridor and toward the large portcullis. "Come on, Queenie. I can tell when I'm not wanted around. Hmph!"

"OH YEAH! WELL, IT'S NEVER BOTHERED YOU BEFORE!"

Sirius turned and walked backwards and held up two fingers as he sneered, causing Lily to grin and shake her head.

Remus approached stealthily. "What's that about?"

Lily smiled. "I think Sirius finally has a girlfriend. And a real one at that!"

"Oh yeah," Remus said nodding as he sipped on  his juice. "Funny that one. He doesn't even know her full name yet."

"Oh. Well, he does now."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"Well then, I'd say that James and I owe you a life debt. I'll be sure to let him know."

"What?"

"Thanks, Lils," he said.

"I've know idea what for, but you're welcome?"

Sirius led Liesel through the small man-door next to the giant portcullis and the morning sun blinded them instantly.

"I had planned on taking you to Hogsmeade and then onward to London. I've a motorbike to look at."

She grabbed his arm. "But won't you get into trouble leaving the grounds like that?"

He shook his head. "Nah. As long as I've returned before sunset, I'm golden."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't be able to go with you," she said.

"Oh, scared that you'll get into trouble?"

"I would definitely get my ass into massive hot water! And my dad would be here instantly with his department to fetch me and lock me up and you too probably!"

"Oh? How's that?" He grinned.

She held up her hand and pointed to a signet ring on her right pinky finger. "See this? It's got a locator spell on it and a powerful sticky charm too. It ain't coming off no kind of way."

He took her delicate hand in his and examined the ring; it refused to even spin on her finger. "Well damn, that's unfortunate." He looked into her eyes. "But if you didn't have this preventing you from going?"

"Then I'd have to wonder if you had a second helmet," she said.

He swung his arm around her shoulder and continued toward the bridge, nodding his head. "Oh, I was hoping you'd say something like that!"