Fire Starter ~(Completed)

Chapter 2

And loss of control is always the source of fear ~James Frey

I woke up to a sandy-haired boy impatiently tapping my shoulder, his eyes blinking anxiously behind his thick reading glasses. I turned and looked at Remus in surprise- how did he find me here? Then I remembered something- he was always in the library. Of course he would come here, regardless of whether he was looking for me or not.

"Sorry, Wolf boy, am I in your spot?" I said finally, sitting up and frowning at him under my curtain of dark hair. "There are more seats in this blessed place if you want."

"You know that's my favourite" he blushed (obviously not- I'd never come here?!). "And no, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I actually wanted to ask about what happened earlier."

"Then I don't care" I replied moodily, putting my head back down on my arms, and hoping that if I ignored him long enough, he might go away. 

"Come on, Pete's crying again, and even James looks worried. He looks guilty about something. Did he say something to you before hand? Sirius!" he said sharply, and looked up at him expectantly, more than a touch irritated. "Look, come back to class, this isn't like you. Yes, you don't like to stick to rules, but you've never been... rude."

"Well, I guess I'm just not in the mood today." I mumbled, shutting my eyes again. I twitched as he put his hand on my shoulder again, in sudden pain. I had a deep burn on there that just wasn't healing, and the last thing I needed was him sticking his hands in it. "Look, watch it-"

"What's wrong- what hurts?" he asked, his eyes wide. I knew he would hate to think that he had just gone and injured me, and I knew that deep down, I wasn't angry with him, so he didn't deserve to have that playing on his mind.

"It wasn't you" I muttered, "I must have hurt it in Quidditch or something. It's just a bit... sensitive, that's all. No need to fuss."

"No need to fuss? This is Sirius Onion Black I am talking to, is it not?" he said sarcastically. "You cry the house down everytime you get a paper cut."

"I do not."

"You do to" he said childishly, and I had to admit, I did believe him on this one. "So what's wrong with it now? Insect bite?" He patted me on the back, but I twitched away, feeling though I had just been hit by a belt. "Padfoot? You ok?"

"I'm fine" I said through gritted teeth, my whole torso creeping up in flames.

"You're not. And that wasn't your shoulder, that was your back" he replied, as he nibbled his lip. Meanwhile, I tried to keep a straight face, waves of pain flushing through my body like a virus, making me shudder. "What's happened?" he asked quietly, acting like he really cared. Like he could really do something to help. I'd better not start crying.

"It's fine", I lied. "Look, I'd better go. Where are you and the others headed?"

"Well, we wanted to scout the third floor to check for passageways to put on the map-"

"Great.  I'll be somewhere else. Have fun, Wolf boy!" I said cheerily, ruffling his hair, and walking out, making a point of going the opposite way.

"Sirius!" called Remus, sounding exasperated, but I just gave him a cheery wave. I went on a bit of a detour, all the way to Gryffindor common room, unsure of what to do. Luckily, McGonagall went upon herself to sort all that out for me- how considerate! Seriously, why were so many people intent on irritating me today? Shehad her arms crossed sternly accross her chest, and said,

"Black. My office. Now."

I tried to back away, but I couldn't be bothered to think of an excuse, so I ended up sinking into the little wooden chair facing her desk in her new deputy head's office.