𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 77

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN
✧
-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY 
CHAT TO SIRIUS

. . .

 "Why was Dung hiding from us?" Ron asked sounding disappointed. "We'd've liked to've seen him." 

"Speak for yourself." Aviana scoffed, nose still wrinkled. "C'mon, the man's a weasel - no offence, I suppose. All I meant he's slightly vermin-like."

"Slightly is an understatement." Sirius nodded his agreement. "Never mind. He was banned from the Hog's Head twenty years ago, and that barman's got a long memory. We lost Moody's spare Invisibility Cloak when Sturgis was arrested, so Dung's been dressing as a witch a lot lately... Anyway..."

He cleared his throat, glancing down for a moment, before continuing again. "First of all, Ron - I've sworn to pass on a message from your mother." He said, and glanced behind him. 

Ron froze. Memories of a screeching Howler in the middle of the Great Hall played in his mind. Then he had only stolen a car and crashed into the Whomping Willow. Merlin knew what would happen this time. "Oh yeah?" Ron asked, sounding apprehensive. 

 Sirius cleared his throat again, glancing down at the scrap of parchment that wandered just a little too close to the flames and singed at the edges. He moved it hastily. "She says on no account whatsoever are you to take part in an illegal secret Defence Against the Dark Arts group. She says you'll be expelled for sure and your future will be ruined. She says there will be plenty of time to learn how to defend yourself later and that you are too young to be worrying about that right now. She also" - Sirius's eyes turned to the other two - "advises Harry and Hermione not to proceed with the group, though she accepts that she has no authority over either of them and simply begs them to remember that she has their best interests at heart. She would have written all this to you, but if the owl had been intercepted you'd all have been in real trouble, and she can't say it for herself because she's on duty tonight."

 "On duty doing what?" Ron asked quickly. Aviana was fixated on Sirius's head amongst the coals, ignoring the feeling of Harry's gaze on her. 

"Never you mind, just stuff for the Order," Sirius replied.

"No mention of me?" Aviana asked.

"No mention of you."

"And considering my other parents are nowhere to be found?" She continued, eyebrows raised, awaiting the obvious answer.

"I'll give you permission." Sirius stared her for a moment, because the words somehow meant more than just that. Aviana grinned. "Anyways, it's fallen to me to be the messenger and make sure you tell her I passed it all on, because I don't think she trusts me to." There was another pause in which Ron fiddled with a hole in the hearthrug, the heavy thrum of Crookshank's particularly loud purring amongst them. 

"So you want me to say I'm not going to take part in the defence group?" Ron muttered finally, having been lost in thought until then. 

"Me? Certainly not!" Sirius said, looking surprised. "I thought Aviana made it perfectly clear - I think it's an excellent idea!"

"You do?" said Harry, his heart lifting.

"You've trusted me on absolutely everything else - including my plan to snog in front of Umbridge to piss her off - and this you question me on?" Aviana asked, completely astounded. Harry spluttered, glancing pointedly over at Sirius. She waved her hand dismissively. "He already knows about it, dickhead."