Sirius
“Professor, I want to be honored. I really do, kind of. But there is no way in hell I’m doing that.”
McGonagall pressed her fingers to her temple. “Save it, Black. I’ve heard it all from Lupin.”
The hustle of Diagon Alley drowned out their conversation from the passerby, but Sirius’ voice had been growing steadily louder. He diligently matched McGonagall’s long gait, staying so close to her that her elbow kept jabbing him in the stomach. He was starting to think it wasn't by accident.
“Lupin?” Sirius asked, his nose curling as if the very name was poison. “What does Lupin have to do with this?”
McGonagall stopped so suddenly that Sirius very narrowly avoided crashing into his old professor. “Don't you talk to each other at all anymore? You’d be working together. This isn't a one man job.”
Sirius set his jaw, grey eyes glinting. “I'm not working with him and I’m not doing this. I’m studying to be an Auror. I’m going to fight.”
“You’re not,” McGonagall said with a curt shake of her head. “Not any time soon. This is how you help. No effort is too small.”
"This is definitely too small.”
“Nonsense.”
“Minnie-”
“Don’t call me that.”
“I’ve always been good‒”
McGonagall gave a sharp sigh. “Sirius Black. If you are about to say that you’ve always been a good fighter, that is simply not true. You have a fighting spirit, but that’s not everything that makes up an Auror. You need to learn patience. You need to learn how to act rationally in stressful situations. I’d say this is the perfect assignment for you.”
Sirius seemed to choke on his words. “I can learn that anywhere! I can learn that while killing Death Eaters! I want to fight. I’ve been a good fighter, haven’t I?”
McGonagall's mouth pursed, and Sirius thought he saw the smallest look of pity on her face. “Not since your brother died.”
Sirius clenched his teeth so tightly that he tasted blood.
McGonagall reached out and brushed a speck of lint off of Sirius’ robes. “Speak with Lupin, please. Let me know your decision by the end of the week.”
With a sharp pop, she apparated and Sirius was left standing alone under Ollivander's wand shop.
Without looking around to check his surroundings, he threw his head back and shouted, “Fuck!"
A nearby witch shrieked and clapped her hands over her son’s ears. The boy’s eyes were wide and he stared at Sirius.
“Excuse you! There are children around!” The witch hissed.
Sirius gave a small bow. “Apologies, ma’am. Kid.”
There was a second pop as he apparated, Remus’ flat in his mind’s eye for the first time in months.