Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 105

"We need names." James announces when he barges into the boys dormitory where Sirius and I are cuddling, Remus is reading and Peter is napping.

"JJ, have you fallen on your head again?" I laugh, nuzzling closer to Sirius.

"No!" James waves his hand with a grin. "We need code names!"

"Not following..." Remus says.

"Okay well, I've been thinking about it for a while now and I think we need names to go with our group name. The Marauders...insert five code names here." James explains all too excitedly.

"I love it." Sirius grins, accidentally getting up too fast and making me roll off of the bed. "Darling!" He screams. I can't help but laugh hysterically at his expression and the way he rushes to pick me back up.

"What if we make them to do with our Animagi?" James asks.

"Genius!" I snap in agreement. "I've even got an idea! For Sirius, we can call you Fluffy." I cover my mouth to stop the laughs escaping my lips at the offended look he's got on.

"Nice one, Chiara. I like that one a lot." Remus says, laughing along.

"How about Snuffles?" James snorts, causing my laughter to get louder. "'Cause of his wet nose."

"That's worse!" Sirius growls.

"Awe, Snuffles, don't be like that." I boop his nose while he stays grumpy.

"Someone choose something else please." He whines.

"Pawprint?" Peter suggests.

"Ew." I mutter.

We all spend some time thinking until Remus' eyes light up. "I've got it! Padfoot!"

"I love that!" I say, wrapping my arms around Sirius' waist. "Padfoot."

"I'm good with it." Sirius grins cheekily, pulling me in closer and pressing a kiss on my temple.

"As for Chiara's, I kinda love Keeks too much to change it to anything else. Could we just keep yours as that?"

"I'm good with it if you lot are!" I shrug with a smile. "But I think Remus' should have something to do with the moon."

"Maybe Moon-Moon?" James tries.

"Moony!" Peter cheers.

"Oh, yes! Moony suits you, Remy!" I agree, wiggling my finger towards the boy.

We go quiet as we think of names for both James and Peter. "Cheese?" I laugh.

"Rats don't eat cheese. That's mice."

"Only you would know, Moony." I roll my eyes playfully.

"Prongs!" Sirius says at the same time as James says, "Wormtail!"

"Perfect! Now that we've got that figured out. What do you say to putting our new names down on the map." James smirks mischievously. "Remus – er, Moony, you write them!" James tosses the large parchment over to Remus who catches it with ease.

After Remus takes his sweet time with ever curve of every letter, he smiles proudly at his work. "There! Come have a look."

We all gather around Remus and stare down at the map. It reads: Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs & Keeks are proud of present The Marauders Map.

"Why is my name last?" I whine.

"What does Messrs mean?" Peter frowns.

"And why is mine second to last?" James scrunches his face up in disgust.

"It sounds better that way, and it formally refers to more than one man." Remus answers easily.

"I'm a girl." I remind, raising a brow.

"Not today you aren't." Remus laughs with a shrug. "Too late to go back now anyhow, it's written already."

*

It's been a little over a week since our fifth year's come to an end. James and I spend as much time together as possible considering our houses are only a few apart. Summer break has been good for the most part, not much's happened. That is, until one very rainy middle of the night.

The doorbell sounds, bringing me out of my peaceful sleep. I push myself up and glance at my bedside clock. Who would be at the door at such an ungodly hour? I hear the faint voice of my mother's from downstairs and then the sound of her hurried footsteps coming upstairs towards my room. She knocks on my door once before opening it herself and entering. "Sweetheart, Sirius is here. He's in terrible shape."

It's as if I'm on active-mode because my body is reacting before my mind even has a chance to register any of her words. I've pushed my blanket off and run out of the room faster than I've ever run.

I make my way over to where he sits on our sofa, only to see his hair dripping wet and his clothes covered in water droplets as well. "I'll go get you some fresh towels, dear." Mum announces from the staircase.

My heart drops as I take in the state he appears to to be in. His skin is ghostly pale, he's got dark bags under his eyes and he looks as though he's been crying. "Sirius." I manage to say softly. The sound of my voice causes his head to turn my way and the second his eyes find mine, tears fall down his cheeks fast. "Oh, Sirius." I rush forward to wrap my arms around him.

"I-I ran away." He says in a horribly hoarse voice. He must've been yelling.

He melts into my touch and buries his face into my shoulder, sobbing. I rub soothing circles on his back and hold him tight. And press chaste kisses on his forehead, knowing he likes when I do that. "You're okay now. I've got you."

Mum walks downstairs holding a clean towel and frowns in concern at the sight of Sirius broken down in my arms. She silently sets the towel beside us and sneaks off to give us a moment alone.

He continues to cry until his tears run out and I coax him through it. After a while he pulls away slightly and rests his forehead against mine, our noses touching. "It's their loss, okay?" I whisper as he nods his head sadly. "You can stay here tonight and for as long as you need."

He glances up into my eyes. "B-but y-your parents...you haven't asked. I don't want to intrude."

"Oh, none of that." I wave him off. "You won't be intruding, I'm inviting you. Besides, Mum keeps cleaning the guest room's comforter and sheets. She's basically inviting you herself." I smile warmly at him.

"Of course you can stay!" Mum pipes up from the kitchen.

"Mum!" I groan. "Stop eavesdropping!" Sirius laughs gently, the sound making my heart skip a beat.

"Sorry, dear!"

It's only then that I realize Sirius is shivering and is still soaked from head to toe. I hesitantly pull away from him to retrieve the towel and wrap it around his cold body. "You've packed a bag, yes?" I ask him and he nods. "I'll get you some fresh clothes from there then." I slip away to where he dropped his bag near the front door and pick out a pair of grey sweats, a white t-shirt and a pair of socks. "This okay?"

"Yes, thank you, love. Thank you. For...for being the only family I need."

I smile and lean forward to press a kiss to his lips. "Always."