I Choke Up Without A Reason

For a moment, Artemis’ eyes went wide in surprise at the offer for a future shopping trip together and then her mouth stretched into a smile. “Perhaps another time,” she agreed. “That would be fun. I don’t go shopping with other people very often and definitely not with people with a similar taste to me.” The pack was all about cheap and comfy and durable which was good but didn’t make for a fun trip, while the couple of times she had ended up shopping with girls from work the differences between them had just seemed greater than ever to the point where it was an uncomfortable experience. She hadn’t expected any solid answer on budget as she was well aware that most people didn’t like talking about such things. “In that case, I suppose it depends if there’s anything else you think you might want more? If not, then there’s nothing wrong with getting it. It would look lovely on you. I think we all go a little overboard from time to time, don’t we?”

.

“I did most of my shopping with my mum growing up, unfortunately. We have vastly different ideas of what is appropriate, or looks good on me,” Priya confessed with a chuckle. Her mother was controlling like that, always wanting to make sure her child was dressed to impress. There would be no dressing like a trollop if she could help it, she always said. Thankfully she was at the age and point in her life that she could regain some of that control. “If she had her way, I’d probably look like an old lady. I’m not even thirty yet!” There was a small smile on her face, her eyes lingering on the other for a moment before turning back to the garment. “No, I don’t think so. Plus, I’m going to take your advice, since we obviously have such similar taste. That we do,” she laughed, deciding on purchasing the item. “If we don’t do it for ourselves, who will? Anyway, I don’t mean to keep you, if you only came back for your coin purse. I have a tendency to ramble on when I feel comfortable around people.” Why she felt comfortable around her in the first place, she couldn’t explain. However, it just made sense.

..

Sirius thought for a moment, going through the list of girls - and few guys - that he’d dated or hooked up with in his head. “Way more brunettes,” he said. “Maybe black hair even,” he said. Mary, Aila, Remus… “Maybe that’s why James Potter is my best friend,” he joked. He didn’t know if she intended for him to answer it seriously, but now he was thinking about it. “Most of my relationships were people I was friends with first,” he said after a pause. “I know I might have a certain reputation about me, but I’m not all one night stands and body shots.” He took another shot from the table and tipped it back. “You have a type, eh?”

“I think you’re just scared,” he challenged. “The way I see it, the more challenges the better. Bring it on.” He had always been competitive and it had only gotten more so as he made friends with people who actually liked goodnatured competitions. “Ah, a mystery. I like it,” he said with a wink. “So what next, huh?”

.

Priya had to admit, she was shocked. Perhaps she did peg him wrong then, she thought to herself. At the mention of James Potter, she couldn’t help but snicker loudly. “Please. Bless his heart, but James Potter is as straight of a man as I’ve ever seen them.” Not many people were aware that Priya considered herself queer, but then again, it wasn’t as if that were something she was focused on. She liked who she liked, and would act as she wanted to act. Sure, it was a large part of her self identity, but it wasn’t something people needed to know. Still, she’d tell them, if they asked. “That’s one way to put it,” she teased, playfully nudging him. “I don’t judge you for it, it’s all fun and games.”

“Maybe I do. You wanna take a guess?” she asked, a smirk tugging at her lips as she looked up at him. Priya scoffed, shaking her head at the idea that she was scared to challenge him. “Please. Any other day, I’d take you up on it. My attention is pretty fixed at the moment, though.” She’d already lost count of how many shots they were in, but it didn’t really matter. As she tipped another back, Priya thought about his question. “Come dance with me,” she requested, the music starting to sound louder now that she focused on it.

..

Sirius wasn’t sure of the last time he had been on a date; he also wasn’t sure if  this was a date or they were just joking about it being such. He wouldn’t say no to a date with Priya, that was for sure, but even with their steady flirting nothing had ever come of them. He figured he’d have to count his losses sometime. “That’s something,” he said with a grin. He at least liked the banter they had, whether it led to something or not.

“I don’t have a type,” he said as he waited for their next shots. He took the glass in his hand and waited for Priya to raise hers with him. “I contain multitudes as do the people who warm my bed.” Normally he wouldn’t have thought anything of the comment, but after saying he was going to go on a date with Priya, he felt a bit guilty for bringing others into it. Others, that was part of it too. Not just women. But of course Priya didn’t know that. Not many did. He laughed. “Oh, I could definitely get way more numbers than you.” He tipped back his shot. “If, you’re challenging me of course.” It didn’t matter if she officially was though - Sirius took everything as a challenge. He put his shot glass on the counter with a loud smack. “Yeah? Anyone’s lap you would have in mind tonight?”

.

Priya wasn’t so sure that she believed Sirius when he said that he didn’t have a type. She did know him to be a rather large flirt, so she supposed that meant he would have to flirt with a variety of people, if he was doing it that often. Maybe it wasn’t totally fair of her to assume that, then. “I don’t know... everyone tends to say that, but if you look deeper into their relationship history...” she shrugged, smirking as she looked up at him. Hopefully he could tell that she was only messing with him. 

Even if Sirius could pull more numbers than she could, that wasn’t the point of their date. Tipping back another shot, she held a hand up, as if to pause him where he stood. “Hold your horses, Black, only one competition at a time. But if you ever want to test that theory in the future, well... maybe we can talk about it.” It wasn’t a no, but it wasn’t a heck yes either. At least she had the sense to know where he likely would have her beat. Then again, it could be fun to try. Priya couldn’t help but laugh at his question. Of course, she did have an answer, but it was more fun to make him guess. “Maybe,” she replied, leaning closer to him. “Guess you’ll have to find out when we get to that point.”

Artemis couldn’t help but giggle. “I completely know the feeling. I suppose I must have been as well to leave my purse behind.” She nodded, also looking at the top that they had both bought. It was a funny little coincidence but she also supposed it made at least some sense. They had similar complexions so similar colours were going to suit them. “It looks that way. I’d say maybe we should shop together but I really don’t think I should spend any more today.” She didn’t add that it was a little overwhelming to her that the other woman seemed to be buying multiple outfits. Artemis was so used to making the same few items of clothing stretch as far as possible and the only part of her wardrobe that was really well-stocked was lingerie. “Oh, oh yes that’s really nice,” she said, looking at the blouse. She could see the temptation. “I think it would look really good on you. I suppose it just depends what your budget is.” She was torn between encouraging her to go for it and not suggesting a complete stranger spend their money in a way that was potentially irresponsible.

.

Priya wasn’t used to having a shopping buddy, but the idea sounded nice the more she thought about it. “Perhaps another day, then,” she offered with a soft smile. Spending too much money was definitely not on the agenda for today, so she couldn’t possibly expect the other to. Still, the extended invitation would be one with no expiration date. Priya hoped that the other didn’t assume she was recklessly spending, since she was buying a few different things all at once, but considering she’d left most of her wardrobe behind, she was in a bit of a pinch when it came to clothing. “Thanks,” the woman replied, a bit excited that someone else had her similar taste. The comment about her budget made her wince internally. Priya never liked talking about her economic status with other people. It never ended well when you knew how much someone made. Whether you make more or less, or even the same amount, it tended to end poorly one way or another. She couldn’t very well say that she didn’t have a budget, as that would make her sound pretentious. Plus, she did have a budget, to an extent, but it was likely higher than the average wix. “I think this would be the last purchase for a while, if I do get it. I haven’t bought myself clothes in a while, so I guess I went a little overboard.”

..

Sirius nodded. Priya didn’t have to say fun a second time to convince him. Sirius was always looking for fun, even in the most unexpected of places. He was excited to get more alcohol in his system, to feel the faint hum that went so well with the loud music and low lighting of the bar. “Might be,” he said. His mouth stretched into a wide smile. “Oh, so we are going on a second date,” he teased. “That was just my made up story, but if you’re willing to go along with me, I’m certainly not going to argue.” It was always harmless flirting with Priya, and maybe it was the talk of proper dates, but something felt different that night.

He shrugged. “I’ve done it before. A bit awkward if you don’t know the person, but if you find someone willing, it’s not bad.” He searched the crowd to see who would be his target. He almost wanted to see if Priya would be up for it, but he decided against it. That felt both like playing it safe and stepping over a line at the same time. He looked for the people he assumed were single and passed over the men. He was comfortable with Priya, but not that comfortable. “The one in the corner,” he said, pointing to a girl with blonde hair and not a lot of clothing on, who was drinking a brightly coloured drink and talking and laughing with two other girls. “Her friends are loud. They’ll try to push her into it.” He felt satisfied with his pick. He tipped his shot back and sighed victoriously. “What are you doing at four shots?”

.

Was this a date? She had been at the bar alone, until he’d shown up, but then again, he did ask her to accompany him to a better bar. Were there rules about proper date etiquette that needed to be followed to consider it one? Should it only count if he asked her before either of them were out? That was too many questions, and she was too tipsy to keep them all straight. If Priya had to define a date in the simplest terms, this would qualify. “I haven’t officially decided, but it’s not completely off the table,” she answered back, with a small smirk. 

Priya glanced over at the girl that Sirius had pointed out and tried not to judge his taste. It seemed fitting, she thought to herself, slightly amused. “So that’s your type? Loud blondes? If that’s the case, I’d say you need to broaden your horizons,” she teased. The girl was cute and all, even Priya could admit that. The benefit of finding men and women attractive was that she multiplied her options. There were plenty of people there that she wouldn’t mind spending a night with, and yet Sirius was the one holding her attention. “Depends,” she sighed, thinking about it. “One time I made a bet with friends that I could get ten different numbers in one night. I’d also probably grab the first person I saw dancing and dance with them. Or, sometimes I’ll sing really bad karaoke,” she laughed, shaking her head. “You probably think my answers are lame, in comparison,” Priya confessed. “But for the record, I won that bet.” With a rather triumphant smirk, she tapped her fingers on the bar top, looking back at him. “I think the boldest thing I’ve probably done when drunk though was dance on someone’s lap.” Omitting how much it would take for her to get to that point, Priya mainly said it because she wanted to see how he would react. She might not have been blonde or loud, but that had never seemed to stop Sirius from flirting with her before. Why not take it up a notch?

..

Sirius had been to muggle pubs many times before, but he’d have to keep an eye on Priya to make sure she didn’t get too drunk and do something stupid. And the way she was talking, it seemed like she was planning on getting very drunk. He nodded at her choice. “Nice choice, Parkinson,” he said with a smile. It almost felt hard to believe that he was there with her tonight. He didn’t want to get too ahead of himself, but he couldn’t help but think of what the rest of the night could look like.

“Well, the thing is,” he said, pushing a piece of hair behind his ear. “I don’t think you can beat me, love.” He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as she talked. If this was how he was now, he was afraid to see what he would be like with some alcohol in him. “I don’t think it’s advisable to go past that. And you have to remember, I’ve been drinking before this. You might have an unfair leg up on me.” He laughed. “I’m pretty bold, so quite a few.” He thought for a moment. A lot of the first things that flew into his head involved him kissing other people. “If I drink 4 shots, I’ll ask someone if I can do a belly shot off of them.”

...

At his hint of doubt, Priya merely shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe I can, maybe I can’t. But there’s only one way to find out, and regardless, I think it’ll be fun.” Looking at him now, her comment about his smile from earlier seemed to play back in her mind. Must be that pretty smile, of yours, doing all of the convincing. It was pretty, all right, and she was positive that it could convince her into doing a thing or two, but she kept that thought to herself for now. Lusting over a pretty smile wasn’t something she’d normally do, but then again, there was a first time for everything. “I think you’re just using that as an excuse, Black. Maybe on our next date we can start on level playing fields,” she nodded, amused. 

“That is definitely bold. I think that deserves to be drank to.” Priya raised her shot glass to his and gave a quick cheers before tipping her head back and taking it. Of course it burned slightly going down, but it was nothing she wasn’t used to. “If you were going to ask, who would it be?” She gestured to the crowd around them, a free pass for him to scan the room and pick someone. Priya had to admit she was curious to see if the man had a type. There was also the question of whether he planned on acting on that boldness tonight. She had always admired his confidence. While she wouldn’t necessarily have been jealous if he actually did a body shot off of someone -regardless of the position- it did start to make her imagine what it’d be like if they were to take shots off of one another. Whether or not that was intentional, she had no idea, though it was becoming more amusing to assume that it was. 

..

“Don’t worry, I will,” he said as he led her into the bar. He strode up to the bar and flashed his ID. Confidence was key and luckily Sirius had much to spare. He put his arm around Priya as she fell into place next to him. “First round, whatever the lady wants,” he said to the barkeep. He looked around at all the muggles, trying not to get too distracted when he had a beautiful woman next to him. He wondered if any of them were like them, just trying to get a break from their world for a night.

“Gotta,” he said. “Don’t want someone else to snap you up,” he said. It may have been a little presumptuous even for himself to assume a second date. Sirius toed a thin line between one night stands and long term relationships. He preferred it that way;. Long enough to get to know someone well but not so long that they were stuck with him. He didn’t think he wanted someone to know him that well. Besides his friends of course. He nodded. He may have if she hadn’t asked. He wasn’t sure how seriously she was taking this. But once she said the word, he’d keep his promise.

He nodded. “Oh so you’re keeping up this challenge thing?” he asked with a grin. He thought for a moment. The last time he’d gotten piss drunk he’d done something he regret. Only because he was sure the other did too. “I’d stop at 6 I’d say. But even that is a little high.”

...

It took all of her concentration to remember they were in a muggle bar. If she ordered something she normally would at a pub, they’d look at her as though she had five heads. ”Whiskey.” Priya was well aware of the flirtatious ways of Sirius Black. It had been one of the many reasons she never took him seriously when they began their bout of back and forth comment and gestures with one another. While she wasn’t looking to get herself into a long term relationship at the moment, and certainly had her fair share of short lived romances, she didn’t typically go on many dates. Even if this was a pretend one, it was nice for a change to get to go on one. Sirius just so happened to have caught her on a good night. “I don’t think you have much to worry about. My attention is pretty focused,” she added, with a smirk.

“Of course,” she nodded slowly, her lips turning upward in a grin. “How else am I to prove that I could beat you?” It was a bluff, of course, but the trick to a successful one was confidence. She couldn’t have Sirius thinking that there was no chance she’d beat him. Truly, she wouldn’t know until they tried. Although, six was a pretty high number, once he said it out loud. “You’d stop at 6, hm? Okay... so how many would it take for you to do something a little bolder than you normally might?” She was simply making small talk, at this point, and as the barkeep brought over their shots, Priya took hers, and slid Sirius his. “I’ll go first. For example... I love to dance, but dancing in front of other people? I usually need to have one or two beforehand.” 

…

She acted like he didn’t know her at all.  Although, admittedly, maybe she was more unknown to him than he thought.  He was grateful that she didn’t realize he was in the Order, however.  That, hopefully, meant that he had done a decent job keeping it a secret from the rest of his mum’s side of the family.  Hopefully that relief wasn’t apparent on his face, because it was a short step from there to every problem he had ever had with Priya – he loved her, honestly he did, but he had never been sure that he could trust her.  He had never been confident that her point of view strayed from the horrific opinions of her parents.  Especially with Artemis’s emergence, he was glad that he could be, at least, moderately more sure of who she really was.  “Hmm.”  He probably should have said more, but what was he supposed to say?  I’m glad you aren’t a purist nightmare like my aunt and uncle?  Come ‘round to supper and meet your werewolf sister? 

“Yeah, maybe,” he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.  “I’m not mad at you,” he said truthfully.  “I guess I’m just confused.  I always thought –” he scratched the back of the neck.  “that you fell a  bit closer to the middle.”  He hesitated again before answer.  He had no plans to see Priya’s parents ever again if he could help it, but was he needing to keep secrets for two cousins now?  Not that Artemis had ever asked him to keep her situation a secret, but he understood the need for discretion there.  And here.  “Do they not know you’re back either?”

...

Priya was convinced in her mind that Frank was going to chew her out, thus she had panic begged him to hear her explanation before he could. Maybe that made things a bit more confusing or awkward, but she tended to ramble when she was nervous or uncomfortable. Thankfully, he wasn’t mad. She never knew him the type to get angry persay, but she hated disappointing people more than angering them, and that was truly what she feared. “I can’t say that I blame you...” she sighed, understanding why he would have thought that. “I guess I never really wanted to get involved. But, the older I got, I couldn’t agree with the things they do. It never sat right with me.”

Being neutral seemed to her like a double edged sword. At least, it did when your family so clearly stated their views to the public. By association, she understood completely why people may have thought she obtained those same prejudice views. However, after everything that happened with her siblings... Priya had frankly just shut herself down. “No,” she shook her head. “No ones knows. Well, I mean, no one that specifically thought I was elsewhere. Obviously you know, now. I had planned to tell you I was back as soon as I knew I wasn’t going to be found out.”

..

This wasn’t the first time Sirius Black had done this and it wouldn’t be the last. He could see by the way that Priya looked at him that it was her first time. It made him feel proud, noticing how her eyes trained on him as he transfigured paper into their IDs. “Sorry I had to make yours from trash,” he said smiling at her and hoping that along with the drink he bought her would be enough of an apology.

He remembered how out of place he was the first time he went to a muggle bar. Well, the first time he got into one. The first time he didn’t have proper identification and had gotten kicked out. He ended up turning into Padfoot and sulking outside, letting some drunk girls coo at him as he licked their hands. 

He laughed. He always loved a story. “I mean, I think my looks will be enough,” he said haughtily. “We’re on our first date, but the place I wanted to take us to was full and I bunged it up and didn’t make a reservation. So I’m taking you here which is quite cool, but nothing like what I actually had planned.” He smiled. “And hopefully you’ll have a good enough time tonight that you’ll come ‘round again and I can show you what I was planning.” It was a total made up story, but he watched for Priya’s reaction as he said it. He wanted to see if she’d go along with it or if she’d ask for a different story.

“Yes,” he said. “So Parkinson, are you up for shots or are you more of a mixed drink girl?”

...

“I’m sure you’ll make up for it,” Priya responded quickly, not taking it personally that Sirius transfigured hers from some random piece of trash. There wasn’t much around for them to work with, after all, and honestly she was more so impressed than bothered, especially when he went along with her request for a backstory. Quite frankly, she didn’t think he would put that much effort into it, but the fact that he was giving her all of these details was exciting. Committing it to memory, her brows rose when he mentioned going out a second time. While they were making up a hypothetical story, she couldn’t help but tease him about it. 

“Are you asking me on a second date already? You do move fast, then.” Her lips curled into a smirk, accepting the story. As for whether or not they’d go out together again after this, well, she supposed they should wait to see how the night would end first. “I’m not a complicated first date, just don’t leave me to talk to somebody else and we’ll be fine.” She was half joking, but wanted to add her own clause to the story they were portraying. The truth of the matter was that she was pretty laid back when it came to dating, but she wasn’t overly needy. 

Laughing at his question, Priya shook her head and looked up, amused. “Who do you take me for? Mixed drinks are a’right I suppose, but what sort of challenge would that be? Shots,” she answered, settling in at the bar and getting the bartender’s attention. “What’s your limit?”

..

Sirius wasn’t sure if Priya was going to agree to his scheme at first. He knew she wasn’t a complete wet blanket, but he still wasn’t sure if she’d want to hang around him enough to follow him into the night with only the promise of alcohol and a good time. Sirius would follow most people for less than that, but he wasn’t sure about Priya. “It’s not a comment on you, love. I’m just saying I’ve met quite the folks out some nights.”

There was something about holding hands while apparating over locking arms. It made them less steady of course, but he wouldn’t argue about holding hands with a pretty girl. He thought of the place he wanted to go clear in their heads and then they were outside a bar where they could already hear the music thumping inside. “Hold on,” he said, pulling her down the alleyway near the bar quickly. He took out his wallet and transfigured his money into muggle money, then turned a piece of paper into an ID card. He pulled a piece of rubbish off the ground, made Priya her own card, then handed it to her. “Tonight, my dear, we’re muggles.”

...

The excitement that rose in Priya’s chest once they landed and she could hear the music made her want to rush in. However, she knew that wouldn’t be the smartest plan, especially when she heard Sirius tell her to wait. Still, the atmosphere was already so much different that she could hardly stand to wait the extra time. The music felt as though it were making the ground beneath them vibrate, which was quite impressive, she thought to herself. “Do you do this a lot, Casanova?” she teased, watching as he so expertly transfigured everything that they would need. She hadn’t even thought of giving them ID cards, though it made sense why they would need them. 

It felt like a slap in the face to the pretentious purebloods they were tied to, to walk about pretending to be muggles. Even associating with muggle borns was seen as risky to some of them, but Priya couldn’t have been any more enthralled with the idea of existing as a muggle for the night.  She took the ID card from him and tucked it under the bust of her dress.  “I can play along with that. Should we get a backstory? You know, something to help really sell it? Or maybe you’re just relying on those good looks of yours to get us everywhere.” Priya winked at him, placing a hand on his shoulder as she slipped past him and headed toward the door of the bar. 

Once they walked in, Priya had to admit, she was impressed. The music was just as exciting as she’d thought it’d be, and there were plenty of people who seemed to be having a great time. Definitely a promising sign, she thought to herself. “I can see why you like this place. It’s right up your alley, it seems. Should we get a few drinks?”

..

Sirius nodded. If he paid attention to her words for too long it would get too sad, so he kept on the balls of his feet, as if the alcohol would drip out of him if he kept still. He had always been an active child, running around from room to room so Kreacher could barely keep up with him. Now, with the added paranoia, he felt like he was a little kid again - barely able to sit still. He was sure Priya had something to do with it as well. He couldn’t be in a room with her without feeling slightly nervous and that hadn’t disappeared when he grew up.

He wasn’t sure where the night was going to take them and if his night would even end after this bar. The night was still young and he was ready to be out for as long as possible. He wasn’t sure if Priya would stay alongside him, but that was okay either way for him. But the nagging in the back of his head wanted them to end their night together. “Who said I would take you with me?” he asked with a smile. He was already satisfied with their banter and he hoped it would only increase as the night went on and the alcohol flowed. He winked at her. “Maybe you’ll get lucky.” He held out his hand. “Okay, ready?”

...

Priya had nothing better to do that night, and even if she had, the curiosity and thrill that she got from talking to Sirius always pulled her in longer than she liked to admit. When the two of them mixed it was hard to say who was entertaining the other’s company and antics, but she didn’t really care to figure it out. As long as they were both along for the ride, did it really matter, anyway? Noting the way he avoided her original question, Priya rolled her eyes playfully. “Please. Your night would be far more interesting, having me for company.” 

Eager to see how the night turned out, Priya found herself growing a bit more curious about what he was thinking. His talk was smooth but she wanted to know what his actions would say more than words. He did already offer to buy her a drink, though she didn’t need the bribe to go to a different bar with him. The Leaky Cauldron was hardly the best place for a drink in England, after all. “Steady,” she replied, cheekily, placing her hand over his. That was the quickest way to travel, of course, and luckily neither of them were intoxicated enough yet to risk splinching themselves. She let Sirius lead though, as he was the one boasting about knowing all of these exclusive bars and what not. “Impress me, Black.”

Who: @lenanemitz

Priya wasn’t the best potioneer that she knew, but she didn’t consider herself terrible. In a pinch, she could whip up a decent potion, and she really didn’t need to be explaining why she was looking for hangover potion ingredients to someone who’s job it was to make them. She’d taken the last of hers after the night she’d spent with none other than Sirius Black. At the time, she’d thought it was a good way to celebrate being back in England. While she hardly regretted it, perhaps she did regret the amount that she drank. 

It wasn’t only hangover potion ingredients that she could use, however, which was why she decided to go to the Apothecary in the first place. She had only just entered the shop when her eyes wandered over to the various items along the shelves. It had been a while since she came by, and it appeared that the shop had been reorganized in her absence. Deciding she might have better luck asking for help, she tapped the shoulder of the nearest person. “Excuse me? Do you happen to know where to find the lavender? It’s been a while, since I’ve been here.” 

..

Sirius and Priya had always been slightly outside of each other’s orbits. It was quite uncommon to befriend people older than you at Hogwarts. By the time the first years arrived, everyone was pretty grouped up. Quidditch or clubs or being in the same house helped, but most of his friends were in his year. And why did Sirius need anyone else? He could have made friends without anyone he wanted to, but he didn’t need anyone else when he had Remus and James and Pete and Marlene and Mary and even Lily.

“No time to waste,” he said. “Life moves fast, Parkinson. You gotta take it by the horns and ride it.” He paused for a moment, pondering if that made sense. It sure had to him before he said the words aloud. “Lots of arguing done in my house growing up,” he quipped. On another person, it would have been sad, but Sirius Black said a lot of things like he was reading from a History textbook. His family was awful and abusive and he didn’t need to think more on it than that. “Oh, don’t mess with me,” he said, looking at her through hooded eyelashes. “I’m pretty and you know it. We’ll see if they let you in,” he teased. He started to walk away, turning back for a moment. “I am convincing though, don’t you forget that.” He was glad they had fallen back into this push and pull. It was a familiar flirtatious nature that he enjoyed. Sirius enjoyed flirting and especially so when his companion flirted back. “I’m always up for a challenge,” he said, throwing a wink in for good measure. “Now, come on. Can’t wait for you all night. I might want to hit another bar after this one. The people there always know the most exclusive places.”

...

If that wasn’t the truth. Priya’s life had always been fast paced. One minute things were one way, and with the blink of an eye they were changed forever. She didn’t want to make this a sad encounter though, thus she pushed away any feelings that slowly started to creep back into her brain. “Well, I think we both know that better than most people,” she commented, leaving it at that. She had to admit, seeing him here now, it was like she was looking at a different man. No, not different, but definitely a man. Maybe that had always been the problem, that she hadn’t really seen him as someone on her level. It wasn’t that she hadn’t respected him, but, with him being younger, Priya supposed she’d always seen him as a kid. Their age difference wasn’t even that severe, and yet it had made a drastic difference before now. 

Yours and mine both, she thought to herself, though she refrained from saying it out loud. Priya didn’t want to outright admit it, but she knew that he was right. Both about him being pretty, of course, and the fact that she was well aware of it. At his remark, however, Priya leaned forward and swatted at him quickly, unable to hide the smirk from her face. He might have grown up quite a bit, but he still had the same attitude as he did when he was younger, which, oddly enough, was charming, now. For a moment as he started to walk away, Priya thought about whether or not she should actually follow. Wherever this road was leading to, she had no idea, but the temptation was far too grand not to investigate. “Oh, what the hell...” she murmured to herself, sliding off of the bar stool and following after him. “More exclusive places, hm? And how many people do you take to these exclusive bars? Should I consider myself lucky?” Priya asked, stepping up to him and tipping her head to the side curiously.

..

The war had forced Sirius to grow up quick, but there were still pieces of him that remained. If anything, those pieces were more stubborn, like a child throwing a tantrum in public and not relenting. Sirius knew there was a war and that people like the family he was raised in were on the other side. He knew that he could do everything possible and it might not be enough. But what he could control, was how he had fun. Just because there a war, didn’t mean everything needed to be like a funeral.

He grinned at the familiar face of Priya Parkinson. They had crossed paths a few times at Hogwarts. Sirius had always enjoyed her company; always thought she was pretty. He appreciated her company. With a last name like hers, she knew the burden. “Whatever you want, love,” he said as he tried to get the attention of the bar keep. “Or we could skip the foreplay and go to the next bar. I’ll buy you a drink there.” Why stay at the Leaky longer than he had to? “Come on, Parkinson, you know I’m one for a challenge. I was thinking on in muggle London. There was one I went to not long ago. Played good music. Pretty people. Much more my scene.”

...

Priya didn’t know if she should call Sirius Black famous, or infamous, but either way, she knew well enough who he was. A few years younger than she, and a pureblood, of course, though they both seemed to have interesting roles in their family dynamics, from what she knew. The harmless flirting didn’t bother her at all, even if he did have a bit of a reputation to his name. Though they weren’t the best of friends, Priya never minded when their lives overlapped one another’s. It kept things interesting, she liked to tell herself, and that was the truth. 

“Are you always in this much of a hurry?” she asked, her eyebrows quirked upward as she toyed with the drink she already held in her hand. It was almost gone anyway, and she could have used another, so why not, she figured. Priya laughed, finishing the drink before looking back up at the younger man. “Merlin, you do make a convincing argument. Good music, a free drink, pretty people? Are you quite sure you didn’t charm your way into convincing them to let you in?” she teased, nudging him casually. “Must be that pretty smile, of yours, doing all of the convincing.” After a beat, Priya gave a shrug of her shoulders. “Why not? Let’s go. Should I assume that’s a yes, on the challenge?”

…

“Hmmm,” he said thoughtfully, taking a step back to lean against the wall.  He crossed his arms before he considered how to respond.  Seeing Priya was usually a cause for celebration, but here?  In this particular venue?  It bothered him that no one had thought to tell him.  It bothered him that Priya hadn’t thought to tell him.  “Well, I’ve been here awhile now.  Not consistently in this space, of course.  But I’ve been frequenting these meetings for the past few years.”  That probably wasn’t helping his case, as he hadn’t told Priya either – although, could she blame him?  Her parents were less than great when it came to war things and Priya had never seemed all that inclined to talk about it.  “Very recent, it seems.”

There was also the added complication of Artemis.  Frank had easily gone along with her obvious wishes, ignoring the mention of Priya and their other family members.  But with Priya back was he could to be able to keep the fact that her sister was still alive a secret?  He wouldn’t tell Priya.  That wasn’t his business, but he was also supremely bad at keeping secrets.  “Alice is here somewhere,” he waved a hand at the room.  “Neville’s with mum.  How – did you come about being here tonight?  If you don’t mind me asking.”

...

Priya realistically had no idea that Frank was in the Order as well, which she would use as a defense if she had to, but her goal wasn’t to fight with her cousin. Especially not at a place like this. “Really? You don’t say?” she asked, acting completely shocked and baffled by this information. While it was a bit surprising, it truly didn’t shock her, with the type of man she knew her cousin to be. “Very, very recent... like, so recent,” Priya nodded her head frantically, hoping he’d buy it. “Haven’t even unpacked yet.” That wasn’t a lie, though normal people might have already settled in. She’d only been back a week or so, but before now, she had been laying low, not wanting to draw attention to herself. 

“Oh, well maybe I’ll see her on the way out—” Priya tried to casually imply that she wanted to leave, but it was rude to just up and walk away, and she did owe Frank at least a sliver of explanation. “Look, don’t be mad at me. You can’t, I won’t allow it. See, I’m giving you the puppy face,” she looked up at him with wide eyes, frowning just enough to make herself seem innocent and vulnerable. “No one can resist the puppy face.” While she was fully aware she probably looked ridiculous, Priya hardly cared. “I didn’t not tell you intentionally. Coming home really was a last minute decision, and I didn’t want my parents to find out. I’m not living at home, you see, and I haven’t exactly settled into things yet... I had heard rumors about another group, besides... well, you know. I dunno, I just... wanted to come learn something. A new perspective.”