Running With Wolves

Chapter 9: An Awkward Affair

Chapter 9: An Awkward Affair

The owl delivering the daily prophet to Remus landed in Sirius' porridge bowl, knocking it over onto his lap. Sirius jumped out of his seat and the bowl clattered to the floor. Several people looked up to see what the matter was. Lily giggled, and Remus struggled to subdue his smile, rescuing the owl from Sirius's murderous glare. He pulled the paper off the owl's leg, dropped several sickles into the pouch, and the owl flew away. He rested the paper against a jug of milk and began to read, stabbing a sausage from his plate. Lily, glanced over before waving her wand to clean off Sirius' pants.

Sirius cleared his throat loudly, sitting back heavily in his seat. "I hate it when the owls do that," he told James, though Remus could feel Sirius' gaze fixed pointedly on Remus across the table. Remus pretended not to notice.

"The owl can't exactly help itself..." James said, waving his arms to emphasize his point, and glancing back and forth between Remus and Sirius.

"I don't know James. I think the owl definitely could have helped himself." Remus didn't look up from his paper as he spoke.

"It was—it was just an accident." James kept bobbing his head as he spoke.

"Yes. And accidents happen. And I would be perfectly willing to forgive the owl for the accident."

Peter's eyebrows drew together as he watched the three of them talk.

"Sometimes accidents are easily avoidable," Remus responded, hardly managing to keep from glaring at Sirius.

"Well—but they happen anyway."

"Stop flailing your arms around, James." Remus paused for the first time from his paper to glance up at James and smile faintly at him.

"I'm not—," James looked at his hands, then whipped them under the table.

"Maybe it was easily avoidable, but it was still an accident," Sirius said.

"It didn't feel like it," Remus snapped. Remus clutched his fork so hard his hand trembled. He released it, and it clattered onto his plate leaving a silence so thick Remus could feel it pressing against his ears.

James coughed was much too loud to be genuine. "What does the paper say?" he asked.

"Not much, there's stuff here about—," he took suddenly, sharp breath in through his teeth.

"What? What's happened?"

"There's been another attack. A wizarding family near Lancashire." Several heads turned their way.

"How many..." Lily asked from beside Remus.

"Three children and their parents."

"What happened?"

"'Another wizarding family found dead near Lancashire yesterday evening by ministry officials. The doors were not forced, strongly suggesting magical involvement. One of the dead includes ministry official Marielle Ghislaine who previously worked in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. She and her husband were killed as well as their three youngest children ages ten, seven and three.'" Peter whimpered involuntarily. "'Their fourth and oldest child, Molly Ghislaine, twelve, currently attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The deaths are suspected to be the work of notorious dark wizard He-Who-Must-Not-Be Named and his followers. Several of them, known as deatheaters, where apprehended near the scene of the crime and sent to Azkaban to await trial. The Ministry continues to advise caution when traveling alone, and reminds anyone who witnesses suspicious activity to contact the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as quickly as possible.' And then it lists information for contacting the ministry."