Sirius Black

I'll swallow my blood before I swallow my pride.

[littleliongirlmckinnon-deactiva]

The look of shock on his face was a new one for Marlene, but that didn’t change the void one on hers nor the way her chin raised despite the urge to walk away and leave him to whatever inner turmoil the comment gave him. Sure, guilt was a welcomed change to the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am style of slurs she was used to. In fact, some part of her actually enjoyed the emotion flickering across his face while he scrambled for a way out of his own hole. Maybe that was the reason she stood there all on its own.

But deep down, she knew it wasn’t. Black was an Order member, and her allegiance to them meant more than a double edged comment on the streets, no matter how she felt currently. Her brown eyes never left his, soaking up the stutter and each variation his voice took as he pushed out his reasoning, and she found it hard to bite back an incredulous laugh at his words. “I know a lot of things, Mr. Black. The sky is blue, water is wet..” She mused, smoothing down the wrinkles of her blouse, momentarily taking her attention from him as she spoke, although, was she really?

"And I also know that it’s only you and I on this street corner." Marlene met his blue eyes again, the corner of her mouth stretching out in a vaguely sarcastic way. "No family, no mommy to pass that comment off on. Only you."

She took a breath in the silence her words allowed, bringing herself back up to full height. “I’ll pass the word along that you want someone more suited to your lifestyle for the next few weeks,” she assured him, dropping a foot back to turn away. “After all, we do aim to please.” The coolness in her voice was the only indicator of anything gone awry.

Had it been a different time, maybe back in school, Marlene knew that they would probably still be dueling from the hex she hit the center of his chest with, but time and experience had taught her how well words work over wands. Chaos was not what the Order needed, nor unwanted attention, and so she felt justified in her meager retaliation at best.

[bloodbefxrepride]

A muscle in Sirius's jaw strained as he grit his teeth; Sirius was not accustomed to holding anything back, but as much as he hated admitting to guilt of any kind, this was his fault, and he was not going to exacerbate things further by pulling out a wand. No matter how much McKinnon said, no matter what she said, Sirius vowed to keep his damn mouth shut and his head on straight.

A dry, sarcastic bark of laughter escaped him. Either this woman had no family, or she was so unattached to any she did have that she did not understand how hard it was to ignore the influence blood had. Even after all this time. Then again, admitting to missing his brother - whom, if the rumors were true, had done something Sirius still could not fathom - was probably not the best thing to do to an Order member he had just insulted.

"I'm sorry," Sirius said. It was sincere, if a little forced. Maybe a lot forced.

"But really? My lifestyle? What, the Order has more Capitol runaways I can form a club with?" And if he sounded defensive, so be it. Sirius found himself becoming more and more resentful with each reference to his past - and McKinnon was not the first, nor would she be the last to mention it among the Order.

"If you expect me to tread on eggshells around you, you can forget it, McKinnon."

[jxhannaxmasxn-deactivated201503]

Crumpled Pages || Johanna & Sirius

[jxhannaxmasxn-deactivated201503]

Johanna frowned, for real this time. She never thought of her normal face as unhappy per say, just neutral and emotionless. “I don’t try to look unhappy. It’s just how my face is, I guess.” Now she felt almost self-conscious, as if there was something horribly wrong with the way she looked all the time.

Something in the man’s face twitched slightly at the mention of Finnick Odair. Perhaps he was a fan; lots of people in the Districts were, after all. They did need an escape, and Johanna wouldn’t fault anyone that. She too was intrigued by Quidditch, although she was slow to admit it.

She wasn’t interested in Finnick, not really.

But this man? Johanna was, well, interested wasn’t the right word. He made her curious, and few people made Johanna curious. “I’m Johanna.” She took his hand and shook it firmly, just in case he thought she was some sort of fainting, fumbling maiden. “And I figured you weren’t that serious, Sirius.”

[bloodbefxrepride]

"Shame," Sirius said with a laugh. "But then again, when I smile, people tend to run for cover. Don't know why. They probably think it means I'm up to something."

To be fair, Sirius usually was up to something. But as long as everyone he cared about went home with most of their limbs intact, he counted it as a good day and would wait impatiently for the opportune moment to spring the next great prank.

"Johanna," Sirius repeated. He had been hoping to discern more about her; he would hazard a guess that she wasn't from District 1, but that was the extent of his sleuthing abilities. Then again, he had never been one to beat around the bush: "Which District are you from?"

[caradocx-deactivated20150517]

The Black kid was correct. Hogsmeade was different. Hogwarts students getting attacked was different. Parents were insanely persistent when the safety of their kids were concerned; this time, there was a very tangible possibility of Hogwarts actually shutting down. He pursed his lips, frustrated, but there was nothing he could do right now except to sip at his fucking coffee. 

Caradoc let out a hollow bark of laughter at the younger boy’s question. So eager, so hopeful, so ready to jump into action—when, in fact, there was none to be had. The Order was being ridiculously passive about this; it was ridiculously passive about a lot of things, but that was another story altogether. “Nothing,” he spat, one corner of his mouth twitching sardonically. “We would have to wait and see how the next meeting goes, but until then—all talk and no walk. You know how it is.”

[bloodbefxrepride]

Sirius blinked. Of all the things he had thought that the Order might be doing to rectify the situation, "nothing" was not one of them. "Nothing" was not at all the answer he had wanted, and his mouth curled down in the slightest grimace, displeasure in his cold blue eyes.

"Well, as the saying goes, kill 'em with...apathy."

Irritation gave way to curiousity, though, when Sirius realized that he had no idea who he was talking to.

"And sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

[littleliongirlmckinnon-deactiva]

Marlene stood rooted to the ground, the disdain in his voice read as the likes of the discrimination she was witness to nearly every day at work. How often had she seen the lips of the pureblood royalty curl up at the mere thought of touching someone lesser than them? The hand she held up fell to her side, swinging to a stop as the smile faded from her face, giving way to a look void of any singularly identifiable emotion.

"Maybe you’re right," she mused, stepping back up on the curb and out of his way. Marlene wanted to make sure he had every opportunity to leave, now, for she wasn’t one to beg for attention, especially from someone who put her value so low. It wasn’t uncommon, really, but unexpected in this scenario. "With comments like that, it’ll be hard for me not to want to put you out of my misery."

"I’m sure the train is still within striking distance," she said, holding her rejected hand out to point down the road. "Don’t let me stop you."

[bloodbefxrepride]

Shit.

Sirius had let the words fly out of his mouth before stopping to think - he was angry and hurting and intrigued annoyed by McKinnon, and he had lashed out because that was what he did. And images, all of them unbidden, came flashing by: the first time he called someone Mudblood and looking at the Gryffindors' shocked faces, when he sent Snape to his probable death at the hands of a werewolf, of every moment he thought something disparaging of the Districts and their inhabitants.

Seven years since he'd been taught better, and his first reflex was still to spit out an insult. It felt like a kick in the teeth to realize how deep his family's claws were still embedded inside his thoughts, how far he still had to go to escape them.

Imagine how she feels.

"I...I..." But the apology caught in his throat, and Sirius had never been good at swallowing at his pride. "You know where I was raised. What they taught me. What I have to unlearn."

Do better than offer her excuses.

[hauntedlibraryscribbles]

Motherly Concern

[hauntedlibraryscribbles]

“Another student will come along and set more off, don’t you fret.” Minerva smirked for just a second. “Delight? I always thought of a different ‘d’ word for you.” She wiped the smirk off her face quickly. The Marauders seemed to have one skill beyond the normal prankster set; the ability to drag the teachers down to their level. She had to try not resort to such methods.

Even so, his comment about the Ravenclaw door made her smile. “On the contrary, I always found that door to be a delightful challenge. As I grow older, it asks more fascinating riddles. No wonder the Hat took so long to decide for me.” She waited a beat. “I do wonder why you are so certain the door would cause trouble for Gryffindors, I must admit.” So what if Minerva couldn’t punish him, and she knew he wouldn’t feel guilty. She could still let him know she knew.

Minerva sighed as he started to joke. “Mr Black. I am trusting you here, Dumbledore is trusting you.” When he said he’d never jeopardise anything, she nodded. “I know. We wouldn’t be having this discussion otherwise. But I do know your temper and recklessness. And I will be addressing similar matters with all of your friends.” She didn’t want him to feel like she was singling him out.

Being a Black in the Order would be hard enough. She’d had to argue with several Order members to even have Sirius considered.

“Many of the Order members are reluctant to have such young members.” While it was true, that wasn’t the only problem of course. “While I know you want to prove yourself, you must listen to what others have to say. No sarcastic comments, do you understand me?” She wanted Sirius to make a good impression on the others. Well, she wanted all of them to make a good impression. As Albus would say, if they couldn’t trust each other, who could they trust? So she’d help the youngest members earn the trust of the others. Lord knew, they had hers. Even if they caused trouble, she knew that when the time came for them to fight, they wouldn’t give up easily.

[bloodbefxrepride]

"Dainty? Diligent? Dangerously charming?" Sirius, who had been counting off on his fingers, paused and quirked an eyebrow. "Really pulling for that last one, Professor. And I'm quite put out that you think there will ever be another group of students who can quite compare to - well - me." He sat back in his seat with an air of great importance and pride, as though there was nothing more valuable than a reputation for trouble-making bigger than the whole of Panem. 

"You were a hat-stall?" Sirius asked, sitting up abruptly. His own Sorting was a sensitive subject, but the thought of an 11-year-old McGonagall causing trouble for that damned old hat was unsurprising, but very, very amusing. "You would have been a really great help a year ago, you know. Not that I was ever stuck outside that stupid door, or anything, but if I was..." He shrugged. "Oh, well."

I'm trusting you.

Sirius couldn't help the bitter, reflexive thought that followed: But you're just about the only one. If only he could tell her about all of the times his pride had led to fights in the Districts; he couldn't keep the indignant rage down, not at the provocation of distrusting glances and poignant reminders of his heritage. He knew he was from the Capitol. He didn't need every last person in Panem reminding him of that fact.

But he smiled. McGonagall, stern and demanding, sounded just like a mother. "I understand, Professor," he assured her, and he meant it. But Sirius could not believe that young members were a rarity; eight years of war meant eight years of recruiting from the halls of Hogwarts, and the Death Eaters started early as well. "Professor," Sirius added, trying to make it seem like a casual afterthought, "I won't be sent into the Capitol, will I?"

[littleliongirlmckinnon-deactiva]

Read More

[bloodbefxrepride]

Sirius froze for a fraction of a moment when she - McKinnon, whatever the hell her name was - put her hand on the handle of his motorbike. And in the next moment, he had put the bike into gear and harshly reversed it, wrenching the handle out of her grasp and hopefully throwing the woman off balance. He stared at her coldly from a distance away, the engine revving from the sudden moment before quieting again.

"Hands to yourself, McKinnon, or do they not teach you manners in these Districts?"

Even as she offered her hand, his eyes never moved from her face, and Sirius laughed - amused and scathing cold. “I’d sooner touch a dungbomb. At least I know where those have been.”

[hauntedlibraryscribbles]

Motherly Concern

[hauntedlibraryscribbles]

Minerva rolled her eyes. “Albus has never been the one dealing with you, Mr Black.  That is not about to change.” Her eyes narrowed when he almost swore, appreciating the fact he apologised straight away. She’d broken rules before, but she didn’t swear. She couldn’t tolerate it. “Perhaps you should finally take my advice and behave. Then you don’t have to deal with the doxies or drapes.” She commented mildly as she took the seat he held out for her.

Say what you might about Sirius, but he did have manners when he wanted to.

It was just a pity those manners were usually tied to a prank.

Her eyebrow lifted as Sirius started talking again, pursing her lips until he quickly changed the words he’d been about to say. “I never realised my life was lacking excitement. I suppose you would like me to thank you for all the time I had to spend in detention with you and your friends?” His angelic face made the corners of her lips curve. That face had been a constant part of her life for the past seven years. She’d learnt very quickly what it meant. “I certainly won’t be thanking you for the dungbombs. I’ve seen enough of those to last me several lifetimes.”

Minerva should have known better than to weaponise Peeves in her school years. He’d always threatened to let the students know. She’d always wondered if the Marauders had teamed up with Peeves. It would explain a lot of things.

“I nearly was a Ravenclaw.” Minerva admitted, although she was proud to be a Gryffindor. “But I will accept that compliment. Thank you. Nor would you suit any other house.” If he’d been in Slytherin, he wouldn’t be sitting across from her, she suspected. So despite all the trouble he’d caused her, she was grateful for the Hat’s decision.

Minerva cast a quick spell to make the noise around them louder so their words would hidden. “Now, we need to discuss appropriate behaviour at the meetings.” She started. “Firstly, no pranks. I’m serious. The Order is not as tolerate as I am.” That was just the first point of many that she needed to discuss with him.

[bloodbefxrepride]

"But, Professor," Sirius began, in a tone that was always reserved specifically for authority figures and situations that required weaseling out of, "if I behave, the light just sort of, you know, goes out of the world. Literally. Because you have to admit, there are a lot less rogue fireworks without me and my hijinks."

His bark-like laugh startled the nearby table, but Sirius was too busy remembering many, many, many nights spent in detention to care. And he and the rest usually weren't caught, not with James's cloak, which would, if found out, explain how most of their wrong-doing went safely undetected.

"Those were lovely nights, Professor. I'm a bit hurt you haven't thanked me yet - I hear that I'm an absolute delight. Particularly when I'm forced to do lines for hours on end." Sirius certainly preferred the detentions that were unsupervised, when he and James could use the twin mirrors that they had; at least those detentions were enjoyable.

Sirius didn't like to remember his Sorting, nor what came after it. He took another sip from his glass, his eyebrows raised in incredulity. "No," he shook his head. "I feel like you would be constantly getting into arguments with that blasted door they have guarding their Common Room." Merlin knows I have, Sirius thought. And all he had wanted was to go in to jinx that one Ravenclaw prat's underwear drawer.

"Well, there goes my plan to - kidding, Professor. Only kidding." Sirius did, at least, adopt a somewhat more appropriate, serious facial expression. He knew what some of the Order must think of him, a Black, and he often wondered how he'd been invited in in the first place. "Look, I mean - I know this is serious. I would never...I would never jeopardize anything."

Not on purpose.

[littleliongirlmckinnon-deactiva]

What Marlene wanted to do was drive the heel of her shoe down onto his foot, effectively cutting off the slur of speech he was tossing at her (even if it was only because his retort was relatively golden), but somehow she sensed that would go over like a muggle in the center of the Capitol. Instead of giving into her childish whims, no matter how deliciously tempting they might be, she kept the smile on her face, allowing a properly confused crease to form in between her brows. “Oh, here I was thinking the manners came complimentary with that accent you’ve got there.”

"Besides, you and I both know that blonde isn’t what you were careening down the road for, Mr. Black, as whimsical as that notion is. In fact, I’m just going to go out on a limb here and bet you were trying to catch the train that just left."

Tossing a pointed glance over her shoulder at the direction of the station, she managed to pull her lips into an apologetic (sarcastically so) line as she clicked her tongue. “Oh, right, why I’m here. Must be all of this excitement, makes me forgetful sometimes,” she lied. “Dumbledore sent me.” A pause. “Thinks we should share a cup of coffee, get to know each other.” Well it was sort of true.

She took a step towards him, running a finger down the chrome handlebars of his bike, out of curiosity, mostly, before drawing her eyes back up to him. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something. That is, unless you have something else to do while you wait for the next train?”

[bloodbefxrepride]

If I could get rid of this accent, I would, Sirius thought, a crease appearing between his brows. At least the ridiculous accent had been somewhat diluted by the last couple of years spent in District 1, though the inhabitants of 1 and the Capitol tended to mix quite often. Should have moved out to District 12. 

"Accent's free - anything else comes at a price, and I'm not in a giving mood right now," Sirius said. He bit his tongue - literally, because nothing else was going to stop him - at the pointed reminder that he had, in fact, missed the damn train.

"Peacekeepers are scarce in District 1 - maybe I'll hightail it through the wilds and hope for the best." It would certainly be faster than waiting one more day for the next train to arrive. Sirius was almost certain that the Capitol had arranged the train schedule like that on purpose.

"I dunno, Miss. You or I might not make it out alive if we have to spend one more second with each other. Then again, playing with fire has always been my weakness."

[weasleyxarthur-deactivated20150]

Train Ride || Arthur & Sirius

A heavy puff of air was pushed abruptly through his nostrils in a huff of both annoyance and anger causing Arthur to toss the newspaper down on his desk. Discussion of Hogwarts “closing their doors” seemed a bit abrupt, though it was true he didn’t know the whole story, but for the life of him he couldn’t believe closing the school would be best. To some extent he could understand why parents would fear what had happened, he certainly did, but to put the blame on the school was just ridiculous. After all, if their parents thought they’d be safer else where, Arthur believed they were greatly mistaken. 

A quiet coo-coo came from the muggle clock on the wall, where two little plastic birds popped out every hour on the hour. Upon looking at the time, Arthur cursed under his breath. “Shi-… it’s 14:00 already?” As if a whoopie cushion had been placed under his bum, he sprung up from the desk, tucking the newspaper into his briefcase. He pulled on his coat, and put his brown newsboy cap over his slightly curly hair just before uttering a goodbye to his partner. “I’m heading out for the day, Aaron. I’ll see you tomorrow!” Though the last bit was said as he dashed out of the office and hurried to the train.  

Luckily it wasn’t as crowded as most days on the train, so he found a decent seat across from someone he didn’t make much of an effort to speak to. As soon as he sat he pulled out the newspaper, flipping to the article again and reading it over. It seemed his displeasure was written over his sharp features, when the person across from him spoke and he glance up to see who it was. “Oh, hello. I’m sorry, I missed that. What did you say?” He forced the best smile he could muster. 

[bloodbefxrepride]

Opening his eyes to the painfully bright Capitol buildings and the even more painful outfits of the Capitol's inhabitants just outside the train windows made Sirius wish more than anything that it was a dream. He had, after all, made the somewhat catastrophic mistake of falling asleep on one of the blasted trains, subsequently missing his desired station in District 1, and now here he was, ending up in the last place on earth he wanted to be: the home he had left. Talk about a nightmare.

But it seemed to be reality, and Sirius was hardly thrilled when the train compartment emptied, leaving him sitting alone as other people boarded - and it was less crowded, too, so there was no one to hide behind as the train began moving again. And Sirius did not know the destination, either. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck for a day in a District he was wholly unfamiliar with..

"Hey," Sirius tried to grab the attention of the man sitting across from him. "Hey!"

"Sorry to bother you - could you tell me where this train is headed?"

[jxhannaxmasxn-deactivated201503]

Crumpled Pages || Johanna & Sirius

[jxhannaxmasxn-deactivated201503]

Johanna bit back a smile, trying to make sure her smile didn’t shine through. “My eyesight’s just fine, thank you.” And if it wasn’t, she sure wasn’t going to spend her precious money on a pair of enchanted glasses. Regular glasses maybe, but not magic ones. “I was just distracted, you know.” The smile snuck out a bit, and Johanna bit her lip slightly, trying to keep it back in check.

She wanted to slap herself, actually, for getting charmed by this man and his cheeky smile and easy way of talking. It had been a while since Johanna had met someone who was so self-assured, and she was sure that this guy wasn’t like her, but Johanna hoped that wasn’t true. Wizards weren’t supposed to be charming and friendly and not nasty, after all.

"Tell me about it." She wasn’t going to push if this man didn’t want to talk about the headlines, although it would be nice, to figure out if he was, in fact, a wizard. "I don’t understand the whole appeal of Odair. Don’t get me wrong, he’s handsome and all but…" Johanna let herself laugh a bit, a rare treat. "Handsomeness doesn’t get people fed."

He was looking at her, a bit too intently for Johanna’s liking. That made her nervous. “Everything alright?”

[bloodbefxrepride]

The woman's barest hint of a smile and her subsequent effort to curb it made Sirius chuckle. "Are you always so determined to look unhappy? I promise I won't let it go to my head if you do smile at something I said," he teased. 

He struggled to keep his voice even at the thought of Odair, though. They didn't know each other well, or at all, really, but Sirius had been at Hogwarts for one year with Finnick, and had seen the Capitol ensnare him the way it always did to beauty and talent. Odd, since that was the year that Sirius had started working to free himself from that same society.

It does get you fed in the Capitol, though, Sirius thought. It gets you more than you want in that damned place.

He blinked, startled out of his thoughts, and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Just trying to work out if I know you from somewhere. I'm Sirius, by the way - as in the brightest star in the sky, not a synonym for solemn," he added, offering her his hand. 

[annie-of-the-sea]

The beaches of District Four always became muddled with visitors and locals alike each time the summer months came around. And this year was no different. And whilst most locals, mainly vendors, flocked to the crowds of tourists in the hopes of selling their trinkets, there were a select few that if anything, avoided the crowds like the plague. Annie was one of them. If there was any other reason aside from the anxiety that came along with large crowds, it was that unlike the others, she would find no business down on the shores. Tourists wanted items that reminded them of the paradise around them, shell necklaces and conch shells, not fishing nets.

And so, it was with a knowledge that came from having grown up on the coastlines that Annie had wandered along the shore, alone. Whilst most avoided the northern areas of the coast, it was because of the knowledge passed on by great ancestors who had settled in District Four, that she knew if one tolerated the rocks and bitter gusts of wind for long enough, they would finally reach a smooth patch of sand. 

She couldn’t help but grin under the sun, and listen the gentle crash of the waves with appreciation for the sound, as though it was a harmony she had never heard before. It had been far too long since she had been down on the waterfront. For the winds had been to cold, and the waves too violent. And after months of spending the majority of her time at home, she had grown a sever case of cabin fever. And so, as the texture beneath her feet changed from jagged rocks to sand, she vowed that she would try and visit the spot, as often as she could, and take in as much sun as she could.

Just as she was about to venture out into the water, she could hear a set of footfalls behind her, something that, out of instinct, made her anxious. Crowds were awful, but, being along with a stranger, seemed to be even worse. And so, she threw a wary glance over her shoulder, squinting at the approaching figure, with a mixture of curiosity, and vigilance.

[bloodbefxrepride]

Sirius had discovered a long time ago that being Padfoot was easier, simpler, even better in some ways than being himself. There were no complicated emotions crushing in on him when he was racing along a shore on four legs instead of two, hearing and smelling more than he would ever know with only his dull human senses, and there was an undeniable sense of freedom as the cold swept over dark fur at speeds that made his eyes water. Freedom was never something that came easily to a Black.

He had found an abandoned stretch of shore several years ago in District 4 and visited it whenever he needed a break from everything going on - sometimes it was his parents, but this time...this time it was about the war.

After an hour of solitude on the beach, the bearlike dog caught a strong scent on the wind, something more than the sea and the salt and the light whiff of fish from the nearby docks. It was human. Human, and he was getting closer to the source. 

Sirius was Sirius again, windswept hair and an apprehensive look in those steel blue eyes. He kept walking, though, until the figure in front of him was more defined - a young woman who looked apprehensively behind her and stopped him in his tracks.

"You okay?" He had to raise his voice a little to compensate for the distance and the wind, but he had to be sure. Sirius certainly wouldn't blame her for being anxious about his presence.

[caradocx-deactivated20150517]

Caradoc didn’t know what to make of the boy in front of him yet. When he first heard that a Black would be joining the Order, he had demanded a full background check on the kid, eyes narrowing in suspicion. An offspring from the infamous Black family fighting on their side? He didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one bloody bit. Family ties ran stronger than one imagined; who knew if he would turn against them when time came for him to battle his kin?

He was quick to judge; there was no time to give anyone benefit of the doubt when a war was going on. Yet he found himself standing on unsure ground in regards to this particular eighteen-year-old. He took another sip of his coffee, raising an unamused brow at the Gryffindor’s quip.

"Take an educated guess," he suggested in a wry tone, pointing at the Prophet headline lying on the kitchen table with his chin.

[bloodbefxrepride]

"Yes, I know, I know," Sirius said impatiently. His eyes flickered towards the flashing headlines and the moving photographs of the austere school governors. "Everyone's gone batshit crazy over something the Death Eaters have done a thousand times before - only this time is different because it was Hogsmeade."

Funny, how outrage was only sparked when it was wizarding children in danger, instead of the District's Muggles, who had been dealing with this for eight years virtually unprotected by Ministry law. And despite his angry exhaustion over the news, Sirius knew that this was why he joined the Order in the first place.

"And what are we doing about it?"

[hauntedlibraryscribbles]

Motherly Concern

[hauntedlibraryscribbles]

"You doubt I could find a way to punish you, Mr Black?" Minerva swallowed her laugh as Sirius threw his best friend under the bus. "Alas, I am all too aware that while that particular mess way being created, Mr Potter was already being lectured by me for… what was it again? Ah yes, trying to break into my office. I wonder what he had planned?" Minerva kept her face as solemn as Sirius, knowing Sirius would never admit outright to being the culprit.

"I have two brothers, Mr Black." Minerva was incapable of calling former students by their first name, at least for the younger students. "I am well aware that male standards are not at all close to what women call neat. Of course your place is messy."

Again, she had to fight the urge as Sirius commented that his behaviour was the opposite to hers. “School may be out, but I’m afraid I am still rather busy. There are always preparations for next year.” It wasn’t as though she could say that she was busy with Order business.

As Sirius looked at her, Minerva frowned. Usually, his serious face - oh lord, she hadn’t meant that pun - was the warning of a prank about to occur, but instead he told her to loosen up.

It was tempting, highly tempting, to make Sirius’s jaw drop by admitting that while she had never owned a motorbike, or set loose the entire Owlery (she had preferred cleaner pranks), she had certainly done much to inconvenience the Slytherin team when she was a student.

Minerva sincerely doubted there had ever been a single Gryffindor who had not been involved in a prank at some stage of their life.

But she couldn’t ruin her image.

"No, of course you haven’t. No sane Gryffindor would ever admit to their actions. It would make my life easier if you did." She faked a sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if I upset the Hat, the day he Sorted me." It was the closest thing she’d come to a joke with her students.

At the café, Minerva looked for an empty table, pointing to one that had just been vacated. It was certainly busy today.

[bloodbefxrepride]

"I don't think Order members are allowed to assign detentions, Professor," Sirius said with a low chuckle. "And please don't ask Dumbledore to make that a new thing, or I'll be stuck cleaning the Order safe house while you're all out doing something more meaningful than polishing the vases on the mantle or cleaning doxies out of the damned - woops, sorry, Professor - drapes."

Sirius pulled out a chair for McGonagall at the empty cafe table before sitting across from her. He folded his arms across the heavily polished wood - bloody hell, District 1 really did pay attention to every last detail - as though he were pretending to be the attentive student that he never was at Hogwarts.

"Oh, Professor. I swore on Merlin's saggy left - well, you get the point - that I would always be there to make your life exciting and entertaining. 'Easier' was not part of that promise. Exploding dungbombs, on the other hand, are an absolutely integral part, as I'm sure you've figured out." He gave her his most angelic smile, a smile that certainly fooled no one who knew him, but which had worked on complete strangers more than once.

"I can't imagine you being anything other than a Gryffindor, Professor. No other house could quite cope with you, I don't think. And I do mean that as a compliment."

He took a sip from the water that the waiter had brought to the table, looking expectantly at McGonagall for whatever business it was that they had to discuss in the first place.

[littleliongirlmckinnon-deactiva]

Something that never ceased to amaze Marlene was the air of royalty that all Capitol dwelling souls (formerly residing included) seemed to hold of themselves. It didn’t matter if one was bald with a belly that hung out over their belt or hideously lacking in any semblance of a personality whatsoever, all residents inside the holy boundaries of the elite felt compelled to look at anyone else as Sirius was looking at her just then. In her younger years the look downright pissed her off (and, yeah, it still sort of did), but now she had enough sense to realize they didn’t seem to know better.

Not that the fact excused any of them from acting like such snobs, but it at least helped Marlene to be prepared for when it inevitably happened. Instead of flying off the handle as her younger self might have, she merely allowed her lips to twist into a demeaning smirk of her own and flicked her gaze to the aforementioned blonde by the news kiosk. Definitely attractive in a ‘more than a handful’ type of way, with her eight mile legs and blue eyes, but instead of agreeing with the prideful fellow, she clicked her tongue with a shake of her head. “I’d be inclined to agree if she even knew you existed,” she mused, tilting her head slightly. “Seems to me she’s more preoccupied with that smart fellow over there doing his job instead of a boy on a bike.”

The smirk on her face stretched into a calculating smile as she turned her head back to Sirius. “As for your little disadvantage,” she continued. “What makes you think that isn’t exactly how I want it?” Marlene allowed only a beat to pass before moving on. “Now, if you could find some manners in that head of perfectly styled hair, I’d like a moment. Let’s just say an old friend sent me.”

[bloodbefxrepride]

"Unless she has eyes in the back of her head - which I hope to Merlin she doesn't - I would certainly think she's unaware of my existence." Sirius raised an eyebrow in a distinctly bored way. "Which is why, in case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to wrap up this conversation as quickly as possible." He gave the woman in front of him a pointed look - truthfully, Sirius was not interested at all in the blonde, he was merely put off by this one's attitude, and he wanted to go find a friend to talk to about the mess of the article in the Prophet.

His fingers twitched, imperceptible, but he could feel it - that urge to wipe a damned smirk off someone's face. Sirius had done it plenty of times before, but it was usually a Slytherin with a mouth that needed cleaning out, or another student with unfortunate timing that happened to catch him in a foul mood.

"As for manners, I'll show you mine if you show me yours. Which makes it pretty damn unlikely, sweetheart. Tell me what you want, or get out of my way."

[just-katniss]

Navigating the crowded streets with a district native’s ease, Katniss kept eyes down with only the occasion sideways glance to the sound of an unknown voice. Her worn leather boots casually carrying her and her illegally-filled satchel on their usual rounds, the brunette did her best to merely remain just another face in the crowd between customers. While those born to the district knew her well and those of the Seam knew her even better, it was the people from beyond the barbed wire fences that made her hold her satchel just that much tighter as her swerved through the assortment of bodies.

Eventually matching strides with the pair of feet before her, Katniss took advantage of every step she took; less time among the crowd in turn meaning less time among the Peacekeepers. Calculating the shifts of the person’s directions using the directional pointing of their feet and the lean of their weight onto a particular foot, her transitions were seamless throughout the short distance they traveled until… Until for whatever reason a blasted newsstand apparently became the most interesting thing in that person’s day.

Walking full speed into the other being’s back, a collection of hair met Katniss’ face before stumbling backwards to regain her footing. Her hand luckily latched around her large bag of illegal game, none of her secrets were spread across the open area, but her nose now ached just as it had when she had ran into a tree while hunting during a new moon a few years back. 

Her grey, Seam eyes jumping up as her eyebrows buried gently into the ground, Katniss felt her body tense as an unfamiliar face blocked her path. Unknowingly clenching her jaw as angry words dared to leave her lips, a quick release of air through her nose was all her mind would allow for the time being. There were too many people around, unfamiliar people, to make a scene - as if that was even the type of person Katniss was.

More or less sizing up the figure to tell if they had been offended by her crashing into their sudden stop, the braided female could honestly care less unless they were the type to raise a fuss. Her toes pointing in the direction to clear them then continue on their way, her usually unused voice roughly murmured under her breath, “Step aside next time… No sense in anyone getting hurt.”

[bloodbefxrepride]

Sirius wouldn't have been able to pick up the words muttered under-breath in the midst of a busy street, but Padfoot's ears were keener than Sirius's ever would be, and somewhere in his mind the two connected and his eyes flashed angrily as he turned to the girl who had bumped into him. He would have let that go, too, seeing as it was his fault for stopping in the middle of the walkway, but he was in no mood to deal with District citizens who - No.

He stopped the thought in its tracks; it was what his parents would have said, what his brother and cousins would have said, and he knew what they would have done next, and it made him sick.

Sirius looked at her, still angry, but Merlin, she was so young - younger than he was, even.

"If I were you, Miss, I'd watch my own step instead of worrying about someone else's. Easiest way to avoid getting hurt, I think, especially with everything going on."

Sirius didn't have to add the obvious point he was trying to make: There are plenty of people worse than me out on the streets, all of them more unforgiving than I am.

[drxmedatonks-blog]

Not protesting Sirius’ help, she let him take the bag of vegetables, rolling her eyes as he mentioned safety. “Well, you can ponder on about safety, but I know there is a rather adorable little girl that has been waiting for her Uncle Sirius to come visit. She only ever takes that leather jacket you gave her off before bed. The few times she has let me clean it, she stand right by my side, with her little hands on her hips, making sure I don’t ruin it.” A smile tugging at her lips at the picture of the little girl, she looked up at her cousin, shaking her head. “You are never trouble, anyways, I’ve got enough spells around to make sure it keeps out anyone that comes poking around, especially if they aren’t welcome.”

“I can’t leave you here, not with the state of things right now. Please, Sirius, come home. Even if it’s for an hour, grant me some peace of mind, would you?” Looking over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the crowd to see if anyone posed a threat. They could get on his motorcycle if the need arose, or run, however neither of the modes of escape were appealing to a witch that had always relied on apparition, floo powder, and port keys. “Anyways, I might just take this as an insult to my cooking, I know it’s a work in progress, but it can not be so terrible that you make excuses not to come.”

[bloodbefxrepride]

Sirius grinned - he had gotten Dora her first leather jacket when she was still so small that all he could do was swaddle her in it; it had grown as she had, courtesy of several enchantments and charms, and he had been there to make sure she wore it with the appropriate bravado and class.

"A few more visits and maybe I'll convince her to style her hair like mine, too. Can you imagine? Before long, there'll be a mini-me! Lucky you," Sirius teased. "Then you'll always have your favorite cousin around and quite a lot of explaining to do to Ted."

His smile faded, though, as images of his family were replaced by those of the reality they lived in. "I don't know, Andy." Sirius wanted so badly to look around, to check for anything or anyone that would send off warning bells in his head. But that in itself might alert someone, so he kept his eyes ahead and tried desperately to use the other senses - most of them amplified by his frequent transitions into a dog - to inform him of his surroundings. "Your cooking is enough to ward anyone away - can you guarantee the safety of my lower intestines if I choose to stay for dinner?"

[jxhannaxmasxn-deactivated201503]

Crumpled Pages || Johanna & Sirius

[jxhannaxmasxn-deactivated201503]

There was something almost relieving about having someone grab your arm as you felt yourself falling, even if you knew how to trip badly and still stay on your feet. It was especially relieving when the hand on your arm wasn’t too rough, although Johanna could do rough pretty well, and when the person the hand belonged to looked… well, Johanna was more likely to trust someone who looked messy, less neat and clean-cut, especially when she was in District 1. Messy was good. Messy meant not Capitol.

She smiled, steadied herself slightly against his shoulder. “Thanks.” His shoulder was strong, hard, something that made her feel safe again. It was like her brother’s shoulder, strong and hard and calm and steady, rock-like. But it wouldn’t do to think about her family, not now, not unless she wanted to start crying in front of this stranger, and Johanna did not cry.

"I’m fine." She passed her hand in front of her eyes quickly. Yep, no tears. "Just lost my balance a bit. I was fine." It was true. She was fine, absolutely fine and in control now that her feet were steady and she had someone to maybe even talk to as she walked.

Still, it would be rude to just walk off. “You seen the news?” It was a safe question, she figured, good for figuring someone out. If he knew about the news, probably wizard. If not, probably not.

[bloodbefxrepride]

"No trouble at all," Sirius replied with an easy grin. "May want to consider investing in some of those glasses they sell at Dervish and Bangs, though. You know, the ones that alert you to obstacles when you're walking; lets you concentrate on other things."

If more than once Sirius had replaced his best mate's glasses with new-and-improved Dervish and Bangs ones that made odd screeching noises in the presence of red hair, he sure as hell wasn't going to say so. But at least he could vouch for their efficacy. 

"Who hasn't seen the bloody news?" Sirius hedged the question; he did not want to talk about the news. Not the news, not the war, not anything that reminded him of either. "All anyone's been talking about, really. Well, that, and Finnick Odair's hair. Priorities, you know." 

He walked a few more steps in comfortable silence, but then he looked at the young woman again, puzzled. She couldn't be much older than he was, and Merlin, she was gorgeous, but he had no memory of her at Hogwarts or anywhere, really. Did Muggles read wixen news? Could they?