Fox On The Run
I don’t wanna know your name
‘Cause you don’t look the same
The way you did before
Fox on the Run
You scream and everybody comes a-running
Take a run and hide yourself away
1st September 1974
Sirius had an uneasy feeling from the moment he woke up that morning in the comfort of his room at the Potters.
He woke that way every day there that summer, of course, because he woke alone. While he and his twin spent half their nights apart at Hogwarts, they always slept in the same room over the summer. The same bed too, but he supposed that they were getting a bit old for that sort of thing. Still, he didn’t think he’d spent a single day of his life without seeing his sister.
Until that summer.
It was the longest time they’d spent apart, and half his heart ached. He imagined she left the same; their bond wasn’t made for such long periods of distance. Especially with the bond muted on both sides.
He understood why, of course. He was woefully understanding of his sister’s need for isolation. He just wished she spoke to him more than random drop ins that offered minimal information beyond baby Dora’s progression of crawling.
It had been hard on everyone, the lack of her presence.
Surprisingly, no one took it harder than Charlus; the man missing his daughter so very much.
He’d been present, sure, but had taken to staying in his office and scouring papers. Desperate to find a loophole or something that might offer the witch freedom from her contracts.
At least Sirius and James had made good use of their holidays. They had parchments with pre-planned pranks, a bag full of miscellaneous pranking goods, and enough restless energy to be desperate to act.
Cramming new records - a T.Rex he’d found in a junk shop, the new Dolly Parton that Marls had been gushing about - into his enlarged trunk, Sirius’s mind could not help but wander towards the bond. Though he could not get clear images, he felt his twin’s trepidation and nerves. Silently, he sent her a handprint’s worth of love - relishing in the feel of her matching poke back.
Satisfied, he snapped his trunk shut and made his way down the stairs.
Breakfast was a brief affair. After all, Monty and Charlus had a meeting they were prepping for, and Dorea and Effie were both off to check in on Andromeda now that Ara was going. They made use of the time; filling it with last-minute advice from the Potters, bundles of snacks pressed into their arms as Dorea fussed with the Black brothers’ shirts and hair. The boys left with red circles pressed upon embarrassed cheeks, waving awkwardly in parting as the Floo roared to life and promptly deposited them at Kings Cross.
A shiver left Sirius at the familiar sight.
Had it really been four years since he’d last Flooed to the Platform?
James’s hand on his shoulder promptly dislodged Sirius’s thoughts; the boy ushering him out with a smile. Regulus on their flank, whining that he hated that Floo. On their way through Kings Cross, the boys bumped into Peter Pettigrew. He’d grown a little that summer, both hair and height. Donning a brown corduroy jacket that complimented the soft blond of his hair quite nicely. With a polite greeting from the boys to his mother, the witch bid them a friendly goodbye and left her son to his own devices.
Which, in other words, was merely dragging his trunk and mates towards a brick wall and stepping through.
The younger Black brother bid the others goodbye once they crossed onto the platform, joining his House mates as they strode towards the train; Crookshanks yowling in his carrier. Promises to pop by during the journey, parting with a laugh as Sirius made a gesture at his back.
“I seem to have found our second favourite Black twin. And our most favourite artist” Suddenly, one of the Prewett twins popped beside Peter - arm around his shoulder as he smiled down at him.
“Why yes it is, Fab.” Gideon popped into view, nodding as though in deep thought as he wrapped an arm around James. “Bumped into your other half, earlier.”
“Heard all about her summer scamming Muggles and going punk.” Fabian chimed in, grinning as the boys frowned frowned at this new information.
“Do you know where she is?” Sirius asked, eyes flickering the station still. Desperate for a glimpse after a month of only seeing through her eyes.
“By the end of the train.” Fabian smirked, eyes flicking between his twin and Sirius as though so very excited.
“Do compliment her on her new look, for us.” Gideon told James, laughing as the boy’s eyes widened. “Perhaps second time’s the charm?”
With that, the twins pulled back - saluting the boys in unison before parting in opposite directions. No doubt to end up in the same location, now their mischief was finished. Pete turned to his friends, face beet red.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get those guys.” He shuddered, laughing as Sirius wrapped an arm around his shoulder. As James joined in the huddle, they began to walk towards the train end in hopes of the Prewetts being accurate for once.
“The only thing I don’t get is why I’m their second favourite.” Sirius grumbled, only grinning when James knocked him sufficiently - nearly pulling him into the train tracks.
Pete yanked them both back and away from the edge, grumbling that Ara was also his favourite in that moment.
As they reached the end, soft smoke blew their way - tobacco smell and train exhaust. It was hazy, a little heady. Luring them a little to the side as they finally reached the very person they were looking for.
Well, people.
Stood in a cloud of smoke, trunks strewn by their feet, stood Remus and Ara - lips curled around respective cigarettes.
The trio of Marauders watched on in alarm as they continued to puff away, taking in the differences to their friends.
Remus’s hair had gotten shaggier, falling in dark blond waves that looked effortless and frankly awesome. He donned a large beaten leather jacket over a simple white tee and jeans, a pair of scuffed workman’s boots tapping the floor as he spoke to Ara - looking both tough and artsy. It was more than that though. Over the span of one summer, their nerdy friend had grown another several inches and lost the last of his baby chub on his face.
And suddenly their chances with girls plummeted.
While Peter and James took in Remus, Sirius gawked at his sister. He knew when his friends caught up by the strangled gasps that broke from their throats.
Gone were her riotous brown curls - replaced by dyed indigo locks that had been perfectly straightened. Cut in choppy layers, framing her face sharply. Her eyes were lined thickly with charcoal that made her look serious and dangerous. And, if James’s opinion counted, hot as hell. A fact made more prominent by her new sense of style. Gone were the pureblood dresses and robes, replaced by a tight periwinkle tank and black platform boots - and blanketed mildly by a large military jacket. The only sign that it was definitely her and not an imposter, was the pinned flower on her coat. Of course she’d never take it off.
Sirius was certain he’d be needing to threaten boys away from her, given how short her tartan skirt was. Especially given the fact that her chest had swelled - her black brassier viable beneath the white fabric of her shirt. In fact, looking at the faces of his best friends, he was certain he needed to rehash their first year discussion.
Before the trio could approach their friends or escape their shellshock, their suddenly changed friends seemed to concur to snuff out their cigarettes and make their way through to the train.
“Blimey! When did that happen? I thought Ara stayed with your cousin, not Moony.” James exclaimed, spinning to stare down Sirius with wide eyes. The latter boy let out a strange gargled sound as he tried to comprehend what they’d just seen, but ultimately shut his mouth. There were no words.
“Come on, we can ask them on the train.” Petey’s voice broke apart Sirius’s thoughts - the boy shooting his friend a thankful look as the trio moved along the platform towards the train.
They were distracted for a minute; stuck after a group of older Slytherins barged past them with hisses. But once they were on, they made the journey to their usual carriage at the end of the train.
And the sight inside made Sirius freeze, even if for a second.
Remus had his arm around Ara, pointing out something funny in her book. She looked up at him with a grin, prompting a blush in the boy as he ran a hand through his longer hair. They spotted the glint of a lip ring as he chewed on his lip - and the matching glint that banded around the side of Ara’s nose. Sirius was not blind to how Ara leaned in, or Remus’s nervous smile. And he didn’t like it one bit.
Without warning, he threw open the door to the compartment.
“Hello twin! Did you miss me?” He grinned, despite it feeling tight, and let the other two walk in behind him.
Ara looked from her book to him, and simply beamed.
Suddenly his months of worrying felt foolish because she was looking at him like she always did and he knew they could do this.
“How was your summer?” Ara smiled, patting the seat beside her. In that moment, Sirius decided to forget about all the weirdness and her nose piercing and the terrifying fact that his twin was starting to grow up when he wasn’t ready yet. It didn’t matter, not when the olive branch was extended.
He slumped into the seat with ease, beginning a tale about all the pranks he’d been up to with James over the summer. He talked her though them exploding part of the orchards, being banned from the library after accidentally shredding a very old grimoire and all the other tiny things he’d done that he wished she’d been there for.
As he spoke, Sirius felt Ara cautiously cracking a gap in the haze between them in their mind, offering a hand for him to come join her.
None of the others commented on the fact that Ara and Sirius didn’t speak out loud for the rest of the journey. They simply held their own conversations, occasionally cracking a smile as they heard Ara giggle or Sirius bark out a laugh.
Things were alright again.
——
1st September 1974
Things were very much not alright. They only had ten minutes until the train would be off, and Ara had yet to spot either of her brothers in the crowds of students. She had hoped to bid whichever Potter deposited them an apologetic hello.
“I’m sure they’re just running late.” Remus reassured her for the fifteenth time - taking a drag of the cigarette clutched between his fingers.
“I know, I just… I had a dream about people not being able to get the train.” Ara sighed, shrugging off her trepidation as she looked to Remus with nerves. “Do you think they’ll notice?” She bit her lip for a moment, before exhaling smoke. Remus tensed at the question, eyes flickering around the station as he pondered. He took a small drag and threw his cigarette on the ground.
“Only if we aren’t clever.” He looked at Ara through his eyelashes, mischief glittering in his eyes as they shone faintly gold. Ara laughed in response, dropping the dredges of her cigarette and picking up the handle of her small bag.
“As long as we make sure my twin is distracted when he needs to be, I think we can make this work.” She grinned, winking at him as he grabbed their trunks - refusing to let her carry her own even though the idea made her eyes roll. The chivalry from the boys in her life, while touching, grated on her nerves. “Are you sure you don’t just want to tell them now? About your mum, I mean.” She asked suddenly, brow creased as she regarded him.
“I’ll tell them after dinner, I promise.” He sighed, dropping the filter and smushing it with the tow of his shoe. “But I don’t want the start of the year to be me telling them my mum died.”
“It was only a week ago, Moony. You don’t have to put on a show.”
“I’ll do it later, I promise. Just let me have a moment of normalcy?” He pleaded, wide green eyes holding her captive, just for a moment.
“Alright.” She nodded. “Let’s hurry up then.”
They found their usual carriage and set themselves up inside, finding themselves reading the same book, pressed together as they had been so often over summer.
It was comforting.
“Hello twin! Did you miss me?”
Ara’s head shot up and she was finally greeted by the sight of her twin, the other half of her soul. She was sure he could read her happiness on her face, as well as she could read the trepidation on his.
She understood his wariness - after all, she had spent almost the entire summer at Andy’s, speaking to him through the bond so rarely that a haze parted them in their minds. It had been useful for her little secretly sinful summer, but it couldn’t last into Hogwarts. Not when she’d felt like half her brain was numb for months.
“How was your summer?” She asked, patting the seat next to her as Remus slid slightly away from her as to not arouse suspicion.
“Not too shabby.” He shrugged lightly. “James and I managed to break into Monty’s leaves to incite some wonderful pranking.”
“Aunt Dorea ended up with pink skin and Dad had purple hair for nearly a week!” James laughed, grinning lopsidedly as he reminisced on their tomfoolery. He’d gotten taller over the summer, filling out his shirt a little more. Still with that classic Potter hair, but Ara suspected that it might be impervious to change. Perhaps that was why Monty had made that hair potion?
“Crooks was a brute, though.” Sirius interjected with a grin. “Missed you terribly, that orange fiend.”
“He’s delightful.”
“He’s a menace.” James piped in, slumping opposite. “Your hair looks nice.”
“Andy took me to Muggle London to get it sorted after Remus and I tried an at home job.” She chuckled, running a hand through the pin-straight locks. “They did this thing called permanently straightening it. Godric knows how long it’ll last, even if it says its meant to.”
“Ah.”
“Where did Reggie stumble off to?” She asked, looking to the window and back to the boys with expectant eyes.
“David and Henry found him before the train.” Sirius explained, laughing fondly. “He promised to come eat with us tonight. He didn’t want to miss spending time with you.”
“Wicked.” She smiled. “I bought him some new comics, some of those Spider-Man ones he loves.” She laughed.
“That’s my job.” Peter mockingly frowned, easily cheered up by Ara sticking her tongue out at him in a playful gesture. “I like your nose thing, by the way.”
“Cheers, Pete.” She grinned, tapping the thin gold band. “Remus and I were bored over summer so we nicked one of Andy’s sewing needles and pierced each other.”
“I stayed with Andy and Ted for a couple weeks,” Remus explained upon Sirius’s suspicious eyes, “Dad’s been a bit of a nightmare.” The group nodded in understanding.
“You did a good job.” Peter nodded. “Healed up well.”
“Andy cast a few spells on them ‘cause Remus’s lip swelled up.” Ara giggled.
“It was right before the full moon.” Remus groaned, shrinking into his seat as he let out a little laugh. “I was lucky I didn’t rip it out when I changed.”
“Your wolf knows you look cool. Werewolf with a lip ring.” She spoke in a sing-song voice. The others shared a laugh at the image. “What other mischief were you up to? I want to hear it all.” She asked, turning to her twin with a smile.
“We made a cabin in the orchards at the back of the house.” Sirius grinned, refraining from flashing a glimpse of the event. She felt it. Like a scrape along the mist between them; an accidental shift. More like a wince than anything else. Too harsh and full of sorrow.
And so, as he continued to wax tales of adventures at the Potter Manor, Ara realised how much she had messed up. In her summer of freedom, she had forgotten how integral the bond was to her twin.
Nervously, she poked at the fog in their mind; the same fog she had erupted between them. It dissipated at her touch, carving a small hole through to see Sirius.
He didn’t even hesitate to break it all down.