Chapter 5
After this interraction the boys finished smoking and Sirius brought Remus inside, where he got greeted by Lily and the rest of the group. It was a comfortable evening… Lily was holding James’s hand the entire evening, even when they weren’t talking to each other. She spoke to Remus a lot, she was telling him about the fun times she had had during her summer, the time at camp as an councillor and how they got together with James.
After she finished telling that story, she took James’s face into her hands and kissed him. Remus noticed the look in her eyes. It was the same look that his aunt May gave to his uncle. They were in love. It was a bitter-sweet feeling he got when he noticed. He was so happy for Lily, but he still wished he had someone who looked at him like that.
Remus finally got to talk to James as well and he seemed surprisingly nice. He was soft, that was the first thing Remus had noticed. James was soft, but not in appearance, it was more in the way he moved and talked. James talked about how he wanted to go to cop school and become a cop, make detective as soon as he can. Help people. He seemed like a good person. And whenever he mentioned Lily his lips unconsciously curled into a warm smile. It seemed that Lily chose right.
But.
James talked a lot. Especially about his friends. During the evening there wasn’t a single time when he mention himself. If he did talk about himself, it was only to include the right characters in stories… otherwise it was always “Sirius this and Mary that and OHH! Marlene is just the funniest!” And when he wasn’t talking about his friends, he was talking about his family. About his mom and dad it seemed he really loved them. Their names sounded familiar, Remus had later found out they were the founders of the E&F Potter law-firm… right, he goes to Hogwarts High-school, it’s way more likely his parents are making bank, than that he is in on a scholar ship. It was quite ironic a boy with lawyer parents being a cop… funny.
Remus knew Mary and Marlene from before, they were friends from his old high-school. So he loved hearing about their lives now. Well mostly about their camp experience… which he was supposed to be a part of… but he had to cancel last minute… because his house it nearly falling apart, and his uncle needed his help. It doesn’t matter now.
Mary showed them a picture a guy he developed a crush on, which was met with an eye roll from both Marlene and Sirius.
”MARY! That guy is an asshole! I told you so many times! Remeber how mean he was to the kids! Besides isn’t he like younger then you!”
”NO HE ISN’T he was born earlier then us actually, he just got held back a year… or two.” She turned her head shyly.
Sirius immidetly took the chance to talk. ”MARY! I know Barty… and trust me, you don’t want to be his girlfriend! He is one of my brother’s friends. And they are… weird!… not that I’m saying my brother is weird but… uughh” Sirius seemed as though he is about to rip out his hair. And yet he still looked so handsome, even with that concerned look on his face. “They are just… too arts-y! YES! Let’s just say arts-y! They do drugs and… and and… i don’t even wanna say the rest of the things they do!”
Mary tried to press Sirius for answers. “Cmon, tell me… I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
Sirius had changed up again, he pressed his eyebrows together, and the lines have wrinkled. “Mary. I am telling you… do not. Push this. Do not go out with Crouch… he’s bad news and he is going to break your heart.” Remus couldn’t take his eyes of him.
”Fine.” Mary rolled her eyes and shifted her position on the chair to not face him. “But he is still cute.” She whispered softly.
Remus shifted his eyes from Sirius to his watch. “OH FUCK! I hate to be that guy, but it’s so fucking late. My uncle is going to kill me.”
”Oh i can drive you, it’s fine.” Offered James.
”Oh no, thank you James, that’s fine…you guys have fun, imma head out.”
”Okay bye Remus!” Lily waved him goodbye.
“Imma go as well.” Sighed Sirius. “You guys stay. I need to get home….” He turned around to catch up to Remus. “Hey! Wait up Remus!!” Sirius grabbed his jacket and ran to Remus.
Ohno. Not Sirius he has been distracting enough today.
”You going home as well? I doubt we are heading to the same direction.”
”We may be, if you live close to Lily… I need to get to the school parking lot first… i left my bike there.”
Did you not noticed me coming out of my house when James picked me up?
”Sure, we can get your bike together and then we split.”
“Are you certain? I could give you a ride?”
”On a bike? No thanks.”
”What do you have against bikes?!” Sirius sounded offended. “She is completely fine and safe.”
Remus giggled “Sure if you wanna think that…”
There was a moment of silence as the boys walked under the streetlights.
”Hey, ehm…Remus” started Sirius. “We are partners now… on the project for the company and Miverva… you know that right? I just wanted to let you know… We should do it together… like actually do it together. I can’t do it alone because….” There was a moment of silence again as they were looking at each other…. It seemed as though Sirius was searching for something more than words. “…well, you know… if there is two of us… the company might allow us to use their lab. I think- I- if i talked to my- to them. We could go there… for experiments of course… n-not that we would be allowed to do much. But yk, wouldn’t it be cool?”
”Why are you suddenly so nervous?” Remus asked. “And I don’t think the company will allow us to do that. They seem to be very strict. But if you manage to convince them with a heartfelt email… sure why not.”
Sirius stopped in his tracks and stared at him again, this time it seemed like Remus was not getting something. “Why do you keep staring at me like that?”
“I-I am sorry.” Sirius turned his head away and chose this next words carefully. “I will try to convince the Black Industries to let us use one of the small labs in regard of our research… that we are doing for them anyways. They just might cave.”
”Tell them you are like a long lost relative of the owners family.” Remus joked. “Since you like share the same name and everything.”
”Yeah… I will tell them that.” Sirius smiled softly and it had almost brought Remus to his knees.
Remus didn’t know he was talking to the eldest son of the Black family. THE Black family, since they kept private a lot, the only person, who was know well to the public, was the Orion Black, Sirius’s father. Orion was the only person, who ever spoke with media and whenever they tried to talk about his family with him, he either paid them to not ask these questions again or silenced them… in another way. But of course, Remus didn’t know that.
”So I will let you know when to meet me for the lab, okay?” Sirius had a gentle exited tone.
”You are quite confident you know… that it will work out.” Remus teased him.
”Well, you aren’t the only one with the charm.” He winked and continues walking. Remus felt his heart skip a beat. It was a gentle and honest conversation, unlike what the had before. It felt sincere, like they had all the time in the world to just be. They continued walking and chatting. Until they reached their school, where they split with a handshake.
”It was nice to properly meet you, thank you, Remus Lupin.”
”Thank you as well, Sirius Black.”
They shook their hands, looking into eachother’s eyes for a little too long.