Pure Sinners

James had stilled the second he had seen the gun, and Sirius was half convinced he was going to pass out.

So convinced he had moved closer to the boy as Remus, Malfoy, and Lily had begun discussing the job.

 “You alright” he whispered softly as to not draw attention to James’s weakened state. 

“Gun” was all James uttered before he turned even paler - his olive skin looking rather sickly. Sirius frowned slightly “Yeah, mate, that’s a gun. You never seen one before?” He asked as he tried to guide James into his chair. At Sirius's words, the messy-haired boy quickly came back to himself. 

“N-no I’ve seen one before” he said and Sirius nodded remembering Lily had said something about James having been in special forces. 

As a child Sirius had often thought he’d join the police, maybe in special forces or something cooler like MI-6, safe to say that had not worked out for him. “Good, so you know how to handle one then” Sirius clarified as the colour began returning to James’s face. The boy nodded and spoke loudly “Why does he have a gun?” Sirius winced as the other three turned towards them. Remus was frowning at the interruption but Malfoy only smiled. “Why?..” He clarified voice cruel “..Why do you think I have a gun Brown - to kill people”. 

The entire room fell silent at Malfoy’s voice. Remus’s eyes were wide in panic and despite wanting nothing more than to comfort him, Sirius had no idea what to do.

 “Very funny Malfoy” Lily said as she rolled her shoulders “Don’t worry James. It’s just a precaution - an intimidation tactic. No one is dying” Her voice was firm and Sirius was overwhelmingly grateful for her quick brain and soft words, working as a soothing balm on James’s frayed nerves. The boy relaxed instantly, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose as he waited for someone to speak again. 

“So what we got then? Grand larceny?..Arson?..” Remus shook his head and Sirius changed track “..Assalt?..Blackmail?…” he was primed to keep going but Lily lifted her palm and Sirius stopped speaking immediately. “Riddle needs something delivered, we leave from the car park outside ‘Sweet Tree gym’ at 7am tomorrow…” Sirius glanced quickly at the clock (he wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight) before Lily continued ”if you’re even a minute late we leave without you. get some sleep.” She directed her warning towards them all but everyone knew it was for Malfoy.

 “Really even after my help tonight?” He asked and Sirius wondered how chivalrous his actions must have been for Lily to even allow him on the mission. She shrugged before walking into her room and slamming the door. 

“Bitchy tonight isn’t she,” Malfoy said turning toward the boys in the kitchen. Sirius felt his hands flex immediately, as his nails hit his palm he heard Malfoy speak again. His back was to Sirius as he grasped the doorknob. “must have been a particularly bloody day today” Sirius barely heard the words, too busy mentally praying for Malfoy to drop dead that second.

 Sirius quickly turned to Remus as the door shut behind Malfoy “What a dick” he said lightly. James guffawed loudly and Remus smiled slightly, the crease in his forehead vanishing. Sirius mentally patted himself on the back for his kind deed.

 “He’s a git.” Remus agreed and James nodded before speaking “I still have no idea what the job is”. He sounded put out and Sirius immediately pitied the guy - it had taken him a long while to pick up on the ‘gang lingo’ and even longer to gain Lily's trust enough that she would tell him information about the job in advance.

 “Well, that’s awful simple Jamie-boy…” Ignoring Remus's facial warning, he continued “, We have a kidnapping to complete”.

“A kidnapping?” James clarified as 10 different emotions, none of which Sirius could identify, passed across his face. Remus sighed before nodding “yes, although we weren’t supposed to tell you that..” he looked poignantly at Sirius who simply smirked. “..I don’t know if you’re coming” he finished and James frowned. 

The expression didn’t suit him in the slightest and Sirius found himself wishing he would stop looking at them like that. “Why wouldn’t i..” He began but Sirius interrupted him needing the frown to leave his gentle face. “Because you’re still new and deliveries like this are big deals.” He could tell James wasn’t understanding his meaning so he looked to Remus who looked as defeated as Sirius felt.

 “Look. If you do this you’re in. Like you’re in…” he tried to find softer words but he couldn’t “..this is you’re last chance to get out. If you do this job, you’re in for life. They’ll kill you if you try to run.” He knew he sounded dramatic but from the look in James’s eyes, he understood how serious his words really were. 

James had gone pale again and Sirius wondered if he was going to throw up right there on the kitchen floor. That would be a nightmare to clean, Sirius shrugged internally - he could get Remus to clean it. 

“This is your last chance…” Remus clarified before looking sideways towards Lily's door “Look, if you leave now we..” He looked to Sirius who nodded sternly “Can buy you a bit of time. You know to get your stuff or say your goodbyes or whatever.”. Sirius warmed slightly at the memory of Lily offering the same to him and then him offering it to Remus - he just hoped James would make a different choice, the right choice. 

“Im staying” James said all confidence and naivety. Sirius looked to Remus and he knew they were both thinking the same thing in that moment. 

“Targets one Arthur Weasley, 43. Gambler - apparently owes Riddle a lot of money and has been unwilling to commit to a payment plan.” Lily spoke from the doorway causing all three men to jump. “We have to collect him on his way to work - he’s a banker. Middle management at a bank by Blackfriers - deliver him to a second location so Riddle can ‘talk’ to him.”. Sirius didn’t like her use of the word ’talk’ and judging by her face neither did Lily. 

“A-are they going to hurt him?” James asked and Sirius’s heart constricted - the concern hadn’t occurred to him. Lily shook her head “As long as he doesn’t try anything he’ll be fine. He’s a smart man, got a ton of kids. He’ll be fine” Her tone was firm and James nodded. 

Sirius felt his shoulders fall slightly - if Lily said everything was fine, it would be. She wouldn’t lie and she would do everything she could to ensure everything went smoothly. “Now get some sleep, we have work in six hours.” She ordered as Remus and James headed down the hallway to bed. 

“You okay?” He asked the girl opposite. Her hair was wild and her hands were shaking slightly - had they been doing that all night? Lily looked up to him, locking their eyes together - she looked tired.

 “I'm fine” she said with a shrug and Sirius nodded. Of course, she was, she always was - Sirius found it unthinkable that someone could be so okay in the face of everything but there she stood. In un-matched socks and stained pj shorts. Lily rubbed her eyes and Sirius pulled her towards his bedroom, she shook her head and gently pried her hand from his “Not tonight” she whispered as she crossed the hall into her room, shutting the door behind her. 

Sirius was confused but shrugged assuming the woman simply wanted to be sure she got a good night’s sleep. Sirius entered his room and quickly crawled into bed, begging for sleep to take him.    

..

Sirius was sure he had only been asleep for minutes when he felt someone shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes to find Remus handing him a pile of clothes and rushing out the door with “Five minutes” falling from his lips and a pink tinge to his cheeks. He must have just woken up as well if his hair was any indicator. Sirius yawned and pulled his shirtless body fully out of bed before throwing the dark clothing over his head and rushing out the door. 

The sky was a myriad of colour, the sun not fully illuminating the quiet morning. There were very few cars on the road in front of them as Remus drove towards the pickup point, in fact there wasn’t much of anything at all - no cars, no people, no animals. The whole world was asleep as Sirius lent his head against the passenger window. 

He was jolted out of his thoughts by a warmth on his thigh, it burned through his faded jeans and made his body feel as though he were sitting next to a fire. “You alright “ Remus whispered, his accent was always thick in the mornings and Sirius loved to listen to him talk.

 “Im fine” he said offering the boy a smile. He waited for Remus to remove his hand but he didn’t. The scarred boy simply nodded and turned back to the road, driving as though this were entirely normal. 

Sirius felt his skin flush, his pale complexion reddening as he watched Remus smirk. Glancing quickly behind him Sirius saw the other two softly conversing between themselves, he watched as James leant forward to tuck a stray strand of hair out of Lily's face. Her hair fought the action bouncing back as soon as James let go of the strawberry strand. He looked back towards Remus and his smirking face as he too looked into the rear view mirror. 

Oh. 

Sirius blinked quickly. Remus was using him. Of course, he was - Remus was into Lily and so was James. He was trying to make her jealous by showing his ‘interest’ in Sirius.

 Sirius blinked quicker as he felt a knife lodge itself in his windpipe. 

He didn’t care. 

He didn’t. 

He knew Remus liked Lily - this wasn’t anything new, so why did he feel as though he were choking. He coughed quickly to unlodge the obstruction in his airway. Remus had turned his head towards him as Sirius pulled his palm off his leg. “How much longer?” He asked voice light as he turned towards the back, focusing on James. 

“Its just over here” Remus said, a scowl on his face as he pulled over in front of an alleyway just off the banking district. Lily looked to her watch and ordered Sirius into the ally. James was to stay in the van and open the door the second he saw Lily's signal, once the man was in the van Remus would drive away. 

Sirius stood on one side of the alley, and Lily on the other. According to Riddle’s surveillance, Weasley would walk down this street in exactly three minutes. It would be their only opportunity to grab him that day. 

“Where’s Malfoy anyway?” He whispered desperate to stop the mental images of Remus pinning the girl to this very wall. He had always had an overactive imagination - something his mother had despised. 

His brother had adored Sirius’s stories and would often sneak into his room on rough nights in order to hear them. Sirius being the genius he is, would spin tall tales of brothers in far-off lands and magical worlds.

 Lily shrugged bringing Sirius’s attention back. “Dunno, he wasn’t at the meeting point” she said carelessly and Sirius resisted the urge to smile at the bollocking Malfoy would get for missing the job he ‘volunteered’ for. “Three o’clock” Lily said as a short man with a ginger beard and thinning hair walked past the mouth of the ally. Sirius looked to Lily who quickly let out such a horrific scream Sirius himself had the desire to check she was okay. 

He moved closer to her and quickly ‘pinned’ her against the wall, predictably the balding man ran into the ally to help a damsel in distress. 

“Help” Lily said urgently eyeing the man who was fast approaching. Sirius slapped Lily across the face as the man reached him. By the look she shot him the slap had held more of Sirius’s frustration than it meant to.  

“Look here, there’s no need for..” Weasley stopped short as Lily ducked under Sirius’s outstretched arm and pushed Malfoy’s gun sharply into his spine. Sirius smiled and he saw himself reflected in the man's wide eyes. 

Sirius’s voice was low, his face menacing as he spoke  “Now, you’re going to walk out of this alley nice and calm. And then your going to get in the back of my van and were going to have a nice little chat”. The man nodded profusely and Sirius couldn’t resist the temptation “verbal confirmation” he said and Lily rolled her eyes before pushing the gun further into the man’s back. 

“Y-yes” the man said as Lily guided him out of the alley. 

As the three of them hopped into the van, Remus began to drive, uncaring of Sirius’s shaky footing.  Malfoy was sat calmly next to James who worked quickly to secure the shaking man into the white automobile. 

“Snake” Lily greeted as she bound the Weasley’s wrists together. Sirius noted the name she’d used in case he needed it himself. “Yes, sorry I’m late princess. The boss had a small change of plan for us. I hope you don’t mind.” He said getting much closer to Lily than any of the boys in the car liked. However, to Sirius’s surprise, Lily didn’t push him away, simply finished binding Weasley and moving to sit. Sirius quickly manoeuvred himself to the front as Lily moved to sit on James’s lap. Malfoy coughed loudly and Lily flinched before settling gingerly on the blonde's outstretched knee.

 Sirius looked over to Remus eyes wide only to find a similar expression on his friend's face, along with something else - jealousy? Sirius rolled his eyes suddenly uncaring of Malfoy’s arm as it banded across Lily's waist.

“Next right” Malfoy called out from the back seat and Remus obeyed. There wasn’t a lot of wiggle room for disobeying your betters in the DE - the higher your rank the more people who you could give orders too. Technically Lily was the only one of them who could refuse or disobey an order from Malfoy as they were both Blessings. 

Sirius himself would likely be able to get away with it, if he could prove the order stupid or life-threatening but Remus could never disobey an order from a Blessing or even a Blight - it would likely cost him his life to do so and it nearly had on a few occasions. 

“Stop” the blonde called out as Remus pulled up alongside a storage space. Sirius clambered out of the van. Helping James carry Weasley into a storage locker with a red door - number 4, Sirius noted as though it were important. Remus came in quickly followed by Lily and Malfoy who were arguing in hushed tones.

 “Fine,” Malfoy said sounding exasperated but with a smile plastered onto his ghostly face.

 “Now Mr Weasley is it?” He asked genteelly as Lily pulled the door closed behind them. 

“Y-yes” said the man sat on the lone metal chair in the locker. Sirius noticed a small bloodstain in the far left corner and hoped that no one else would spot the damning evidence. 

“Good good” he said walking closer to the trembling man. “I have it on good authority that you owe money to a friend of mine, and he’s quite in need of it back” he spoke as though this whole thing were simply an inconvenience. 

“I-i told m-m-mister R-Riddle t-that I’d have his money b-by Thursday. It’s only Tuesday” Weasley said as he stared at the floor. “So it is. But I really must insist you give me the money Mr Weasley” Malfoy said waving his gun which had been swiftly reclaimed from Lily through the air.

 “I-i don’t have it yet, I only get paid Thursday m-morning” Weasley said looking up to Malfoy. Sirius found himself slightly impressed by Weasley, it was a very hard thing to tell a man he was wrong right to his face and even harder when said man had a gun pointed at your bollocks. 

Malfoy took a step forward as did Lily “he says he doesn’t get paid till Thursday Snake, he’s going to give it over when he gets it.” She said and Weasley nodded quickly.

“Princess. You know that’s not how it works. Now shut up before you owe me more than you want to pay” his voice was quick and his words clearly hit their target as Lily stepped back immediately. Sirius tried to catch her eyes with his own but she was looking straight at the ground. Sirius looked to both Remus and James who both exchanged similar looks of ‘What the fuck was that?’. 

“You’ve got a lot of children don’t you Weasley,” Malfoy said moving closer to the man in question. Weasley’s eyes grew wet and Sirius resolutely looked at Malfoy instead. 

“Is it 5?, no no my mistake must be six now. You’ve just had a little girl, haven’t you. Congratulations” his voice was harsh and tears fell from Weasley’s eyes. “Ghost, offer the man some congratulations” he said waving his gun towards Remus. 

“Congrats” Remus choked out. The man, taking one look at Remus’s scarred face began begging. “Please, please, they didn’t do anything. There just kids. My wife didn’t even know I took the help, she’d kill me if she knew. I’ll have the money by Thursday - I promise.” Sirius found himself looking anywhere but the man in the middle as he begged not for himself but for his loved ones. 

Sirius couldn’t imagine begging like that for anyone. 

He couldn’t picture himself throwing away his dignity to cry in front of a man like Malfoy for anything short of his own life. 

Malfoy cocked the gun and placed it on Weasley's forehead. “Thursday’s no good for me mate” his voice was mocking as Weasley’s kaki trousers darkened. “W-Wwednesday. I-i can g..ive it to y-you..W..Wednesday” he offered as he tried to breathe. Malfoy quickly raised his other hand and punched Weasley in the face - hard enough to leave a bruise. 

“Enough!” James said his voice was quiet but the order was clear. All three team members looked towards the Blight with varying stages of panic.

 Malfoy smiled quickly stepping away from the man and placing the pistol into his trousers again. “You’re awfully right.. it was a pleasure doing business with you sir” he said as he walked towards the door “Ghost, you’ll help our friend on his way won’t you..” Malfoy ordered before beckoning James and Sirius over towards him and Lily.

Sirius followed the three out of the locker taking one last look back at the disheartened Remus as he gently unbound the hiccuping man. 

As they had left locker number 4 Malfoy had directed them into another along the opposite row. Once inside the cold coffin, Sirius held his breath, counting the seconds it would take for someone to speak. James stepped forward towards Malfoy knowing he had done something wrong and was going to be punished for it. Malfoy had smiled at the brave boy before raising his arm and swinging his gun into Lily's face. 

Sirius suspected Lily knew the hit was coming and was proven correct with how she hit the ground - arms out in front of her, legs placed to allow her a quick rise.

 “Wh..” James began before Sirius grabbed his bicep. Malfoy kicked his foot into Lily's stomach forcing her fully to the floor. “Sto..” James began again only to be shushed harshly by Sirius. 

Lily stood once she gained her breath and clasped her hands behind her back, James looked at him imploringly and Sirius could only whisper in his ear. “You chose to stay, she’ll take them for you.” He didn’t think his words were a comfort as James flinched when Lily was slapped again. 

“You allow this kind of disobedience Princess?” Malfoy asked as he waved his hand towards James. He hit her again in the side and Sirius could see Lily fighting every instinct to defend herself. She smiled and her teeth were bloody. 

He felt his hand tense around James’s arm as Lily spoke “he’s never disobeyed me Malfoy. Maybe you’re not as great a leader a you think you are”. Malfoy was quick but Sirius knew Lily had chosen not to move as he pushed her against the wall, wrapping his first around her throat. “Seriously bitch. Now isn’t playtime.“ He was too close to her, his mouth hovering just in front of hers. Lily gasped for air as she taunted the blonde, eyes locked on James. 

“I know. He’s just so much fun to play with” she said and winked at the stupefied boy next to him. Sirius was sure he could feel James’s heart beating through his palm - or was that his own? It didn’t matter because when Malfoy’s hand tightened both heartbeats skipped. 

Lily's eyes fluttered as she fought for breath she wasn’t getting, Malfoy’s strong grip lifting her from the floor. Sirius felt James step forward again and almost let him go. 

Malfoy pressed his lips against Lily's and violence filled Sirius’s body. Anger rushed through his bloodstream propelling him forward just as Lily broke the blonde's hold pushing him against the wall with a knife aimed at his heart and her body as far away as she could manage. 

She spat in his face, and Malfoy smiled as though she had told him she loved him. “Threatening me princess? Not a good idea. I know the rules - that beating was much deserved, wasn’t my fault you wouldn’t let the Blight take it” he jerked his head towards James and stared at him as Lily spoke. 

“You kissed me, you know the rules,” she said voice like steel and Malfoy nodded. 

“Gonna kill me then?” He asked still staring at James “Does he have to die too?” He smiled as Lily dug the knife further into his chest. 

“Eyes on me Malfoy” she ordered. “Not worth looking anywhere else Princess” he said and Sirius was sure he wanted to die, But then Lily pulled the knife away pushing it into her boot “we’re even” she said as she walked towards the door. Sirius was sure he’d never been more confused. 

Blood trickled from her nose staining her lips cherry red. “Whatever you say” Malfoy agreed as he peeled himself off the wall. “Shall we?” 

When they finally pulled up outside the alleyway opposite their building Sirius had never been so grateful to see his piece of shit flat. He quickly opened his door and ran towards the sanctity of their flat. He watched from the hallway as James directed Lily to the kitchen table, pulling the first-aid kit out from under the sink. 

“Why would you do that?” He questioned and when Lily shrugged, he frowned “I could have taken it” he said and Lily smiled softly. 

“I always take them” she said as though it were strange to say aloud and Sirius supposed it was.

 At James’s blank look she shrugged again, struggling to hide her wince at the action. “I take them for my boys, always have. Plus you’re on our team” her voice was light but Sirius hoped James understood the words she wasn’t saying. 

She cared -well as much as someone like Lily could possibly care. He hoped James knew she was telling him that she accepted him. That he was a lost soul and she’d decided to save him.

“Who takes them for you?” James asked and Sirius froze. Had he ever asked her that, had he ever even offered to - no he hadn’t and he knew Remus hadn’t either. Both only too eager to be cared for by Lily. Sirius forgot how to breathe - it had been years and neither one of them had taken a beating for her. They were her family and they’d never even offered. 

“I don’t need anyone to take them for me” Lily said like it was obvious but suddenly it wasn’t. Lily was a liar. “I can do it mysel..fuck” she swore as James dabbed alcohol onto her temple. 

“Just say thank you and fuck off, like a normal person” she ordered and Sirius expected James to do what he would have done and follow her direction gladly. “I never asked you to do that for me” James said with anger in his voice - for a moment Sirius considered walking in there and punching him. He stayed still. Hidden behind the doorframe, watching a moment he had no right to. 

 “Well I did, so get over it” Lily said with just as much anger in hers. Neither of them spoke for a minute and Sirius considered leaving his hiding spot and going to bed just as James muttered something under his breath. “What?” Lily asked also not hearing the shy boy. “You didn’t deserve that” James uttered as though it were a fact, written and recorded for decades. It sounded important to him - the way he’d said it much too raw.

Lily laughed and Sirius flinched at the sound “Trust me..I deserve much worse than a beating from Malfoy” Her voice was full of resentment and suddenly Sirius wondered if anything Lily had ever told him was true.

Sirius pulled himself away from the wall and walked quietly into his room, shutting the door softly behind him. He lay in the centre of his bed, mind drifting back to his childhood bedroom. The one he hadn't seen since he moved in with Lily. The room he had hated. The room they had found his brother in. His body hanging from the rafters, swaying slightly in the breeze from the bay window Sirius had never quite figured out how to close properly. 

He dreamed he found him this time. 

That he arrived just in time to save his brother. 

His baby brother. 

He picked him up on his shoulder, loosening the noose from his neck. 

His brother lay next to him on the bed after that. His hand was small in Sirius’s own. 

“Tell me a story,” he asked through blue lips. 

And Sirius did.