Prompt 18 - Bargained
Wolfstar, March 18, word count 713
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Sirius walked past the two bulky officers Moody had assigned to guard Remus. They swapped over every few hours and were all under strict instructions not to let anyone in that hadn’t been put on the approved list, which was made up of Sirius, Barty, Evan, Lily, James and, of course, Moody and Kingsley. The others were waiting in the dreary waiting room with the lumpy sofa and the creaking chairs.
“He’s awake,” he told them, motioning with his hand for them to follow. The guards glowered at each of them as they walked into the room. Sirius went straight back to Remus’s side, their hands finding each other and sat on the plastic chair beside Remus’s bed.
“Oh, Remus,” Lily moved to his other side, pulling James with her. Barty and Evan stayed back, looking a bit awkward. Lily fussed over Remus, straightening his blanket and making sure his pillows were just right. “Are you thirsty?” James asked. Remus nodded, and he picked up the cup off the side, filled it with water from the provided jug and popped a straw in it. Lily took the cup from James’s hand and leaned over the bed.
“Little sips, darling,” she ordered as she placed the end of the straw between Remus’s cracked and broken lips. He took a few painful-sounding swallows before the water seemed to soothe his throat enough for him to drink more easily. Tears prickled the backs of Sirius’s eyes. He should have left Remus alone. Why hadn’t he been smarter? As if Remus could feel the turmoil inside Sirius which left his stomach in knots, Remus stroked his thumb across the back of Sirius’s hand. Sirius let out a shuddering breath and patted his arm.
“I know, sweetheart. I know,” Lily moved the cup away, and they fell into silence.
The silence went on, no one knowing what to do or say. Remus broke it.
“Hey, Barty,” his voice croaked. He cleared it and sounded more like his old self with his next words. “Still fancy that threesome?” He coughed, and Lily brought the cup back to his lips while Sirius tried to stifle his laughter at the look on Barty’s face.
“Just tell me where and when gorgeous, and I’ll be there with fucking bells on,” Barty cooed sweetly. Sirius felt a wave of love for that ridiculous man. His friendship with Barty was more than he’d ever bargained for, but he could see what Regulus saw in him. Barty may be an insufferable pain in his arse, but underneath all that rubbish beat the heart of a slightly less pain in his arse, but also a man full of kindness. Remus began making an odd noise, and Sirius stared at him with panicked eyes until he realised he was laughing.
“Evan’s face,” he choked out. Sirius turned his attention to his property manager. Evan’s eyebrows had disappeared into his fringe, his mouth hung open, and his cheeks were dusted with a delicate pink blush. The room erupted into laughter. The knots in Sirius’s stomach began to lose, but he knew he wouldn’t feel true relief until this was all over. His phone buzzed in his pocket. Moody was calling him. He excused himself and stepped out into the hall to take the call.
“Hi,” he said as he made his way down the deserted corridor.
“It’s done,” Moody told him, his voice curt. “Walburga and Orion Black are in police custody along with a certain Mr Kreacher and the two men who look like they went a few rounds with Mike Tyson.”
“Thank you,” Sirius said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“You’ll receive a notification about when the trial starts and what you’ll need to do, but for now, rest easy, Mr Black,” the line went dead, and Sirius slid down the wall. Tears slid down his face as he clutched his phone to his chest. He was so close to being free. He got to his feet and went back to tell the others what Moody had just told him. He walked back in, and the room was still full of carefree laughter. Looking at the people in that room, he couldn’t believe how much his life had changed from only a few weeks ago.
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