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Fourteen

“Thank you, love,” Hope says as she puts the plates away. “Those were the last ones.”

Her son is sick, and his friend Sirius is staying with them for a couple of days to keep him company. When Remus is resting, Sirius likes to help Hope and Lyall with chores in and around the house. They have just finished doing the dishes, the Muggle way, as for Hope that’s the only way she knows how and Sirius is too young to do magic outside of school. Besides, Sirius is fascinated with the Muggle way of doing things, and stares at everything Hope does in wide-eyed wonder.

“Are you sure there isn’t anything else I can do for you?” Sirius asks, drying his hands on a towel.

“No need, you go and relax.” She pats Sirius lovingly on his cheek. “You’re a sweet boy.” She turns to leave, but stops as Sirius’ voice sounds behind her.

“I’m not.”

She turns around and blinks at him. “What was that?”

“I’m sorry,” Sirius says. “I’m very happy I’m so welcome here, because being with Moony means the world to me, but I can’t let you think I’m something I’m not.”

“How do you mean, sweetheart?”

“That!” Sirius says. “I don’t have that! A sweet heart. I’m a Black, so my heart probably is too.”

Hope can’t help but chuckle. “I highly doubt that.”

Sirius sighs. “You’re a Muggle- not that that’s a bad thing-,” he quickly adds. “You just don’t know the Wizarding Community, and within that community the Black family is a notorious family known for their messed up believes.”

“Do you share those believes?” Hope asks carefully.

“No!”

“Well, then I don’t know what the problem is?”

“Don’t you see?” Sirius says, getting frustrated in trying to make Hope understand what he sees as an important issue. “There’s something off with all members of the Black family.”

Hope tilts her head. “And... is there something off with you?”

Sirius shrugs. “Undoubtedly. I haven’t discovered it yet, but there must be.”

“Well,” Hope says. “Let’s not worry about that until then, shall we?”

“Alright,” Sirius says slowly. “But know that I’m not sweet!”

Hope smiles softly at him. “Whatever you say, Sirius, whatever you say.”

Sixteen

“So, Remus...” Mary leans forward with her hands folded underneath her chin and a glint in her eyes. “How are things between you and Sirius? Tell us everything!”

Remus can’t help the smile that spreads over his face just thinking about Sirius. “It’s good,” he says. “Very good. He’s... incredible, really. He makes me feel so comfortable and secure. He knows what I need better than I do,” Remus says with a chuckle. “He’s just so thoughtful. He always wants to hold my hand walking from class to class, and he never goes to sleep without kissing me goodnight.” Remus knows he must look like a lovesick fool with that dreamy look on his face, but he doesn’t care. He is a lovesick fool.

“Sounds like a dream,” Emmeline sighs wistfully.

Remus nods. “It feels like a dream. He’s just the sweetest boyfriend.”

“Don’t let him hear it,” Lily smirks. “Before you know it, he’ll go off into one of his infamous ‘a Black can’t be sweet’-rants.”

“Well, it’s true!”

They all turn around to see Sirius standing behind them, holding a roll of parchment in his hands and glaring at Lily.

Lily rolls her eyes. “Sure, Black. Sure.”

Sirius opens his mouth to retort, but before he can say anything, Marlene quickly asks “Whatcha got there?” and Remus shoots her a grateful look.

Sirius closes his mouth and glances down at the roll of parchment in his hands. His cheeks slightly redden. “Oh, this... The book Remus needed for his Potions homework was all checked out in the library, but this Ravenclaw let me borrow hers for a moment, so I copied all relevant pages...”

They all stare at him and Lily arches an eyebrow.

Sirius’ face turns bright red and he dumps the parchment on Remus’ lap. “But I’m not sweet!” He snaps, before turning on his heels and stalking off.

Nineteen

“So, what do you think?”

Remus looks around the room. In a corner, instruments are charmed to play romantic music, which is an incredibly difficult charm that must’ve taken Sirius ages to perform. A soft light comes from floating candles near the ceiling, there are fresh flowers on the coffee table, and the dinner table is set and covered with Remus’ favourite food.

“I asked your mum’s recipe. Of course, it won’t be as good as hers, but it should taste alright, at least I hope-”

“It’s perfect,” Remus interrupts.

Sirius beams. “Really? You like it?”

Remus turns to him with a bright smile. “Can I say it? Please, can I say it? Just this once, let me say it.”

Sirius averts his gaze and looks down at his feet. “Fine. Just this once.”