Written In the Stars | s.b |

SEVEN

Sirius needed to get out of the house.

Between his mother and her painful magic, his father and his hurtful words and Kreature and his disgusting muttering, Sirius needed to get out.

"Sirius," his brother said, catching him as he tried to sneak away. "Are you... are you leaving?"

Sirius froze at the door, staring back at his little brother.

"Er — Yeah," he responded.

"You're not leaving for good are you?" Regulus asked, eyeing the bag in Sirius' hand.

"No!" he said, shaking his head quickly. "Just going out for a little. I'll be back though."

"You promise?"

Sirius felt his stomach clench. He hated that his brother had to deal with the same things that he did. He'd been debating leaving all summer but the idea of leaving Reggie alone with their parents had him trudging through the wet cement. As it got worse and worse, however, he knew he couldn't stay under the roof very much longer.

He nodded. "I promise, Reggie."

Hallows Grove was a very pleasant neighborhood. Sirius walked along the stores in the neighborhood, watching families enviously as they talked and laughed with one another.

He knew the Lupins lived in the area. Ariah gave him her address before summer — just in case. But now that he was here, he felt rather uncomfortable just showing up at their door, uninvited, with a bag in hand.

It seemed rather intruding.

So he wandered around town, hoping he'd just casually run into the Lupin's.

Instead, he spotted James Potter with his mum and dad. They were inside a broom shop, Mr. Potter bending down to his sons' level as they both fawned over a broom stick. Mrs. Potter wrapped a red, yellow and blue scarf with a Phoenix on it around James who tried to shrug off the scarf but his mother wouldn't allow it.

Sirius' heart clenched with some undefinable emotions as he watched the family.

James walked off with the broom in hand leaving his parents to look around. Sirius made his way to the aisle they were in, pretending to look around.

He wasn't sure what his intentions were, but he wanted to be around them.

He was just about to leave, deciding that what he was doing was ridiculous, when Mrs. Potter turned to him.

"Oh you're in Gryffindor?" She asked, looking at his gryffindor scarf. "What year?"

"Er — Uh... going into year two," he said.

"How wonderful! Do you know my son? James Potter?"

Sirius blinked. "Er.... yeah. We're roommates."

"Oh! Fleamont look, it's one of James' friends," Mrs Potter said grabbing her husband.

Sirius grew flushed. He definitely wasn't one of James' friends - far from it. But the Potters seemed so nice, he didn't want them thinking he was some arse bag that their son couldn't stand....

"Hello!" Fleamont said, shaking Sirius' hand. "It's nice to meet you..."

"Sirius..."

"It's nice to meet you Sirius," Mrs Potter said with a kind smile.

"We were just about to have some lunch, would you want to join us?" Fleamont asked.

"Er —"

"Okay I'm ready to —"

James arrived, his eyes landing on Sirius.

"James, hunny, we just ran into your friend Sirius," Mrs. Potter said. "He's going to join us for lunch."

"My friend?" James asked, eyeing Sirius with distaste.

"Euphemia, dear, the boy didn't give his answer," Fleamont said. "He seems like he has a place to be."

Sirius eyed his bag. He had packed it hoping to run into Ariah but it didn't seem to be happening. And here he had an invite....

Sure James couldn't stand him, and frankly Sirius couldn't stand him. But his parents were so nice and if he could even get one meal without being cursed - both with words and by magic - well that's all he could really ask for.

"Oh no," he said. "I'm completely free — no where to go. I'd love to join you for lunch!"

"Wonderful!" Euphemia said. "We'll go get a table!"

Euphemia and Fleamont left before James could object to the plans. Once they were gone, James turned on Sirius.

"What the bloody hell!" James spat at him. "We're not friends, Black."

"Awe c'mon, Potter," Sirius said with a smirk. "Just trying to have fun."

Sirius started walking, James trailing behind him grumbling.

"Well have fun with your own family," James said with anger. Sirius frowned, glad that James was behind him and couldn't see his obvious hurt to that statement.

"What're you doing here anyway?" James asked. "What's in the bag?"

Sirius shrugged. "I live close by and this bag has everything I've boughten in it," he lied.

"You live close by? Why haven't I seen you around then?"

"I'm a home body," he answered automatically. "Can you stop asking me so many questions."

"Hiding something Black?"

"My love for Ariah Lupin," Sirius said with a smirk. "I came to duel you to see which of us will get her hand in marriage."

James glared at the boy. Causing Sirius laugh.

"I'm joking, James," he said. "I have zero feelings for Ariah so if that's why you hate me —"

"That's not why I hate you."

"Then tell me, why do you hate me?" Sirius asked. "Because I acknowledge that I was a massive arse in the beginning of the year. But do you know who my family is? It's how I was raised."

"That doesn't excuse —"

"No. I know it doesn't. But... I'm trying to change. I'm... trying to be better...."

James sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Alright... it might possibly be because of how close you and Ariah are...."

Sirius smirked despite the twisting in his gut. He didn't know why this confirmation of James' feelings for his best friend made him slightly.... unhappy.... he decided it was because it was James Potter who fancied Ariah Lupin — Who he knew deserved nothing but the best. And James Potter didn't seem like he'd give her the best. He had good morales, sure — but Sirius saw the way he treated girls, or anyone not his friend for that matter.

"Told you," Sirius said in a sing-songy tone.

James shoved Sirius, trying to hide the smile and blush of his cheeks. "Shuddup."

Sirius chuckled, feeling like he might have successfully made another friend?

"So, can I join you guys for lunch?"

"I think you're going to join us whether I say yes or no."

"You know me so well already."