Nyctophobia - Sirius Black

Chapter 32

"Hey, Pads. What happened?" James said immediately. "Are you okay? Why are you hurt? Who hurt you? Why didn't you tell us you were disowned? Wh-"

"One question at a time, Prongs." Remus said, covering his friends mouth, only to jump away, wiping his hand on his pant leg. "Gross! Also, you're seventeen! Very mature."

"Pads?"

"I'm fine. It was just an accident."

"And accident? What happened? That doesn't tell me anything!"

"Calm down, Potter." Severus sneered. "He's alive." James didn't bother to reply.

"It's no big deal, guys."

"The accident or that you were disowned?" Remus asked.

"Both."

"Neither." Remus shot back. "Both of those are a big deal."

"Yes!" James exclaimed. "Now tell me what happened."

"I got hit by a car."

"How do you even know what a car is? I didn't know you knew what that was."

"I take Muggle studies." Sirius deadpanned.

"Also, you were clearly not hit by a car. Cars don't leave that kind of damage."

"They do when they're full of coal." Severus muttered under his breath. The three didn't here him, but Ruby and Sirius did.

"It was empty. And the boy's still alive, if you'll care to notice." He replied immediately.

"What was empty? What boy? What are you talking about?"

"Yeah. Why are you living here, anyway?" James asked. "You should have come to live with me."

"You hated him." Ruby was quick to point out. "He didn't have anywhere to go."

"So he came to you?" James sneered.

"No." Ruby countered. "I found him."

"How he got here is not important. What is important, is what happened." Remus interrupted.

"It was just an accident at work. Can we just drop it, please?"

"You have a job?!"

"My parents aren't exactly paying for my schooling anymore."

"Where do you work?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Please, just tell us, Padfoot." Remus pinched the bridge of his nose.

"The coal mines." He said after a long pause. "Now I'm going to sleep. It's late, and I have work tomorrow."

"But you're coming over to my house for a week." James pointed out.

"I have work." He rolled over, turning into his animagus and closing his eyes.

"I have work too. I can't be too tired, or they'll cut the pay." She yawned, laying down on the floor, next to the dog, her head on the mattress. "Night, Theus. Night, Sev." Severus muttered a good night, and Sirius didn't reply, already fast asleep. Remus frowned, but turned and left the attic, pulling James with him and motioning for Peter to follow him.

"We'll sleep in the living room." He said. "That way we'll be here when they wake up." However that didn't work as well as they hoped, since they woke to Severus scowling, and kicking them in the side. Sirius and Ruby were long gone.