Sirius Black walked down Kensington High Street smiling. Having just bought himself a small Muggle radio, he was listening to the latest tunes and singing along at the top of his voice. London was in the grip of a heat wave and he was enjoying every minute of it.
“Guess who just got back today?
Those wild-eyed boys that had been away,
Haven’t changed, haven’t much to say,
But man, I still think those cats are great.”
He was heading for the park to Muggle watch. It wasn’t much but at least it got him out of the oppressive gloom of Grimmauld Place. He’d tried to persuade Regulus to come with him but his brother preferred to sit in his room reading musty, old books. He frowned slightly; he wasn’t sure when it had started to go wrong between him and his brother. Though they were in different houses, they’d stayed on good terms. Perhaps it was when Regulus became the Slytherin Seeker and found Sirius cheering for the other side.
He reached the park and sat on the grass, suddenly conscious that his clothes were wrong. The kids his age seemed to be wearing either very tight jeans or very short denim shorts, frayed at the ends. His knee-length shorts looked ridiculous. He began surreptitiously rolling them up “ at least his T-shirt was okay, nicked from Remus whose Muggle mum bought his clothes.
“They were asking if you were around,
How you was, where you could be found.
I told them you were living downtown,
Driving all the old men crazy.”
He recognised this song because it was a huge summer hit and he was desperate to share it with James and the others.
“The boys are back in town,” he sang along exuberantly.
He lay back on the grass, enjoying the sun and reliving that last glorious night at school. After the Feast, they’d continued the party in the Gryffindor Common room until the small hours. A debate had started over whom would be serving whom on the train home. Sirius, Remus and Peter had insisted that as they’d won points for their House they would not become the girls’ house-elves. However, Phyllida, Sonia, and Lily were equally adamant that as they’d contributed more to the point’s deficit, they would not be serving the Marauders either. Then all six had turned on Mary and James who alone of the eight hadn’t earned any points.
“That’s unfair,” Mary had said, pouting. “After all, it wasn’t supposed to be about us girls winning the Cup “ you four were supposed to do it.”
“So, what you’re saying, Mary,” Remus had said gravely, “is that James should be the sole house-elf for us all?”
“Oy!” James had yelped. “You can’t leave it all to me.” He could see the pack closing in and, in his haste to run off, had tripped over an empty Butterbeer bottle. Thinking quickly, he’d leapt up and scrambled onto a chair.
“Ah-ha!” he’d declared. “But if I hadn’t fallen in the lake and staged that drowning act, then none of you would have got any points.”
Floored by his flawed logic, they’d collapsed with laughter “ even Lily, who’d been looking happier recently.
Sirius chuckled.
The journey back had been fun too. Sonia and Phyllida had made their excuses and sat with the Bennet boys, Remus and Lily had disappeared to the Prefects carriage for patrol duties, so he’d invited Mary to join them. Shy at first, she’d soon been beating them at Gobstones and generously bought from the lunch trolley with her winnings collected from Otto.
Then Remus and Lily had joined them. Lily, for the most part, had sat quietly reading a book. James had studiously ignored her, pretending to stare out of the window, but Remus and Mary’s laughter had been infectious and soon they were all smiling.
“You know that chick used to dance a lot,
Every night she’d be on the floor shaking what she’d got.” Sirius continued to sing, rather loudly, as he lay back on the grass.
“Oy, mate, you got a light?” said a voice near him.
Sirius looked up and took off his headphones. A scruffy girl, dressed in a vest top and tight denim jeans, was staring at him. She had earrings studded all the way up her lobes, a ring in her nose, and what looked like a dog collar round her neck. Her white blonde hair reminded him of his cousin, Narcissa. But there all similarity ended, for Narcissa’s hair was always immaculate and this girl’s hair looked as if it had been chopped with very blunt scissors. She’d outlined her eyes in thick black make-up and her lips were a violent shade of red. He knew, from Muggle Studies, that what she held in her hand was a cigarette and the light she wanted was a match. In his rucksack, alongside his wand, was a book of matches that he’d nicked from class. He casually struck a match, amazed that, for once, it had worked first time. She leant forwards, cupping his hand in hers, lit her cigarette, and inhaled deeply.
“Ah,” she exhaled. “That’s better. You want one?” she said, proffering the pack.
Sirius took one. He’d never smoked before. His hand fumbled and he dropped it on the grass. She took the cigarette from him and put it in her own mouth. Then, peeping at him from beneath her spiky blonde fringe, she lit the cigarette from hers and placed it between his lips. He could see and taste her lipstick on the filter. It seemed, to him, an extraordinarily intimate thing for her to have done. He inhaled deeply, as she had done. The smoke went into his throat and he coughed suddenly.
“Ha! Your first fag is it, darlin’?” laughed the girl.
“No,” he said haughtily, “I’ve had loads.” He knew she wasn’t fooled.
“Look, take it slow, breathe in and inhale a bit, don’t gulp the whole lot, then exhale.” She breathed out a thin stream of smoke from her lips.
Sirius copied her; he felt light-headed then sick.
“Godric, that’s disgusting!” he said as he stubbed the cigarette out. She leant over, picked it up and put it back in her packet.
“Suit yourself.” She shrugged. “I’m Jade, by the way.”
“Sirius,” he replied.
“Siri-what?”
“Sirius. I’m named after the star.”
“Ooh! Well, get you, posh, ain’t you? I’ve not seen you around here before.”
“I’ve been away at school,” he replied.
“Boarding school, right, like Eton?” she said.
“Err, yeah, sort of. Would you like a drink?” he asked, deciding he wanted to spend more time with her.
“That depends on what you’ve got,” she replied.
He pulled out two bottles of Butterbeer and opened them.
“Mmm, nice,” said Jade. “Odd though, it warms you up but it’s really cold.
They finished their beers. Sirius couldn’t stop looking at her. Despite the chains and make-up, she was extraordinarily sexy. All the girls he knew covered themselves up in robes, long skirts and baggy shirts. Jade, in her tight top, left very little to the imagination.
“What’s with all the jewellery?” he asked.
“Not heard of punk at your la-di-da school?” she replied
“Punk? What’s that?”
“It’s a way of life, Sirius. Our way of rebelling against all the crap in the world. Music’s unbelievable.”
“Show me?” said Sirius. “I’ve got a radio.”
“You won’t find Punk Rock on the radio,” she said scornfully. Then she took it and started twiddling the knob to find a channel.
“Here,” she said, “that’s about the clearest station you’ll get. Song’s not bad either.”
“Man when I tell you she was cool, she was hot,
I mean she was steaming.”
“You got any money?” she demanded when the song had ended.
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, this beer’s nice but it’s not very strong. Let’s go and get some proper stuff. You’re tall and will pass for eighteen. Go to that offy and get some lager.”
“Offy? Lager?” Sirius was confused.
“God, you upper-class twits are really out of touch. Off licence: where they sell alcohol. Lager: it’s like beer!” she said scornfully.
She took his hand and led him to a dingy looking shop. Sirius doubted the man behind the counter would have worried about his age. He picked up a pack of six lagers then joined Jade outside.
“Back to the park?” he suggested.
“I’ve got a better idea. Let’s go to your place.”
Sirius jolted. “No, you can’t come with me!”
“What, I’m not good enough. Don’t want to upset Mummy?” she said, looking insulted.
Sirius sighed. While he was afraid of upsetting Walburga Black, he also wasn’t sure how to explain to Jade that, as a Muggle, she’d be unable to find the house, let alone get in.
“It’s too far away. How about your place?” he said hopefully.
Sirius was sure she knew he was lying but wondered if the lager he’d bought as well as his company were enough to keep her there. She looked at him.
“Nah, I don’t live alone “ we’d ‘ave to share all this.” She pointed to the lager.
“I can buy more,” he said eagerly, and opened his wallet. “Look, I’ve got more money.”
Jade eyed the notes in his wallet and the willingness in his eyes.
“Let’s stay in the park,” she said, “for now, and get to know each other a bit better. Then, maybe “ if you’re good “ I’ll take you back to my digs.”
Sirius blushed. Despite his popularity at school, girls were never this overt. He reached out for her hand. She did not push him away but linked her arm round his waist instead. Hesitantly, he curled his arm around her. She was extraordinarily thin. He could feel her hip bones jutting out.
“Are you hungry?” he asked her.
“A bit.”
“Let’s get some food then. How about here? I’ve always wanted to try this place.” He pointed to a small shop nestled between a book shop and a record store. Its garish neon sign, lit despite it being daytime, flickered on and off.
Jade laughed. “What, you’ve never been in a burger bar? Blimey, Sirius, you need a proper education!”
She led him in. He let her order, although he’d been intrigued at the menu and was longing to know what a ‘Double Cheese Hamburger with everything’ was.
“Is it made from cheese or ham?” he whispered.
“Wait and see,” she said. “Just pay the girl and we’ll go back to the park.”
Sirius had always been told how rude it was to eat in the street, so he took great delight in opening the French fries and sharing them with Jade. He held one near her mouth. She bit into it then licked the salt off his fingers. Sirius’ eyes widened in pleasure and she laughed at his response.
Back in the park, they lolled about on the grass and began to take the packaging off their burgers. Sirius bit into his with gusto.
“Bleughh! What’s that?” He spat something green out of his mouth.
“A gherkin, you muppet,” she said. “I hate them too.” She carefully picked the gherkin out of her burger and began to eat. Sirius noticed that she made no attempt to close her mouth when chewing. He found it slightly distasteful but wondered if it was a Muggle thing.
She opened two cans of lager and handed him one. He swigged on it. It wasn’t smooth like Butterbeer. It had a slightly acid tang which made it refreshing. In the heat it was blissful.
“Ready for another?” asked Jade as she drained her can.
“Err... not yet,” he replied. Sirius was barely a quarter of the way through.
“Too strong for you?” she mocked.
“Had stronger,” he replied as he remembered the night with the Firewhisky. “This is very fizzy, though.”
It was getting hotter. Jade began to fan herself, and then rubbed the cold can across her face and up her arms. Sirius wished he could get his wand out and cast a cooling spell around them both. He settled for peeling off his T-shirt.
“Wish there was a lake nearby,” he said, thinking of Hogwarts. “I could do with a dip.”
“Nothing round here,” she replied. “All the fountains are dry ‘cos of the drought.”
He drained his can and reached for another. Jade lit another cigarette but didn’t bother offering him one.
Suddenly, there was a yell.
“Oy, you two!” shouted a man, “No alcohol allowed in the Royal Park!”
“Shit!” exclaimed Jade. “We’d better move it. He caught me here yesterday and said he’d fine me if I turned up again.”
“Who is he?” said Sirius as he scrambled to his feet.
“Bloody fascist park patroller, that’s who,” whispered Jade. She grabbed his hand. “Come on, Sirius, run!”
Together, they ran for the park gate, Sirius dropped his T-shirt on the way but Jade wouldn’t let him go back. Once out of the park, she pulled him into a side street and against a wall. She was breathing heavily but Sirius wasn’t even out of breath. He looked down at her sweaty, flushed face. Her eyeliner was running and her lipstick was smudged. High on adrenaline, he closed his eyes, leant forward and kissed her. She froze for a moment, and then wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back. It was a long, lingering kiss, more exciting than snogging Sonia who’d always come up for air too soon.
“Back to yours, then?” he whispered as they finally broke apart.
She shook her head. “Sorry, sweetheart, not today.”
“Oh.” Sirius’ face fell.
She trailed one hand over his arm. “I’ve got things to sort out, Sirius. Maybe tomorrow, though?”
“Really?” he asked.
“Yeah, really,” she replied. “I’ll meet you outside that burger bar tomorrow at noonish. Okay?”
She leant into him again, this time twisting her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her lips. Then she pulled away, picked up the last full cans, and sauntered off. Sirius stood for a while, watching her go, but she didn’t turn back and soon she was swallowed up by the crowd.
Slowly, he turned away and started to walk home. He began to zip up his rucksack inside. His radio was gone. Hurriedly, he checked to see if anything else was missing. The matches were still there and, mercifully, his wand. He grimaced as he checked his back pocket “ no wallet. Merlin! That was all his Muggle money. He wouldn’t be able to get any more this holiday. Sadly, he made his way back to the house, sipping the half full can of lager as he walked. He savoured the taste knowing full well that once it was finished there was no money to buy more.
Man, we just fell about all over the place,
If that chick don’t want to know, forget her!
He entered number twelve Grimmauld Place quietly. Regulus was sitting on the stairs. Sirius approached, staggering slightly, and knocked over the troll’s leg umbrella stand.
“Hey, Reg, how are you?” he said woozily.
“Sirius, I’ve been waiting for you. I need to warn you!" Regulus said urgently.
“Warn me? What about?” whispered Sirius as he tried but failed to pick up the umbrella stand.
“Your O.W.L. results came in the post. Mum opened them,” Regulus replied in a worried voice.
“So what? I expect I did brilliantly. What can she complain about?” said Sirius, raising his voice.
“It’s not the results,” hissed Regulus. “It’s the subjects!”
Godric, how could I have been so stupid? thought Sirius. He knew he should have stayed in and intercepted the owl. Sirius hadn’t told either of his parents that he’d been taking Muggle Studies. He had a letter in his room that he had meant to substitute. Since year three, James had faked a Hogwarts letter for him that had omitted the set books for Muggle Studies, then Remus would buy two sets for them both.
Suddenly sober, Sirius looked at his brother, touched that he’d sat there to warn him. “Thanks, Reg, don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”
The drink will flow and the blood will spill,
If the boys want to fight, you’d better let them.
The hex caught him by surprise. He felt a sharp sting on his cheek. He turned to see his mother, apoplectic with rage, his results in her hand.
“Hey, Mum,” he said casually, belying the fact that he was thinking quickly. “How did I do?”
“You dare to speak to me. You dare to deceive me. MUGGLE STUDIES!” She aimed another curse at him. Sirius was used to this and reached into his bag for his wand.
“No, you don’t! You’d dare to use a wand on your own mother?” she screeched.
“For protection, yeah. Mum, let me see the results. I can explain everything.” He hiccupped. She came closer and grabbed his arm.
“You come home, wearing precious few clothes; you stink of alcohol and smoke. You disgust me! Is this what they teach at Hogwarts now? Is this the manners they approve of in Gryffindor or is this merely a habit you’ve picked up from the worthless half-blood scum you call friends?”
She leant right into his face. Sirius could see the maniacal rage in her eyes. He’d never pushed her quite this far before, but then she had never insulted his friends. In the past, she’d simply refused to acknowledge that Remus and Peter existed.
“Where have you been?” she demanded.
He shook his head. Walburga stepped back; Sirius thought she might be retreating. Instead, she lifted her hand and slapped him viciously round his face. The heavy Black ring she wore on her middle finger cut his cheek. Sirius could taste the blood as it ran onto his lip “ his eyes glittered strangely.
“I’ve been out!” he said defiantly. “Out in the park, enjoying the sun. And I met a girl “ a Muggle who gave me a cigarette. We bought lager and I kissed her.” The words were spilling uncontrollably from his mouth now.
“A girlfriend? A filthy Muggle in the Black family? I think not!” She hit him again, raised her wand and began to rain hexes down on him.
“No,” screamed Regulus. “Mum, you’re hurting him. Mum, please!”
Regulus was begging her now. Too scared to help his brother but too shocked to walk away, he stood up and tried to take his mother’s arm. At that moment, when she was distracted, Sirius reached for his bag and grabbed his wand. In one fluid movement he shot a Confundus curse at her then rushed up the stairs and into his room. He grabbed as much stuff as he could and looked round. Only last week he’d attached Gryffindor banners and a photo of his friends to the walls with a permanent sticking charm. He couldn’t remove them, but then neither could his parents.
Smiling grimly, he ran down the stairs. Walburga was recovering. He held his wand high, ready to repel her next curse.
“Regulus, tell my mother” - the word was laced heavy with sarcasm - “that I’ve had enough. I’m leaving!”
“But where will you go?” whispered his brother.
Sirius’ thoughts flickered briefly to the park and the burger bar, but he doubted he’d see Jade there tomorrow.
The boys are back in town.
“To James,” he said decisively.
He slammed the door on Grimmauld Place, knowing he’d never see it again.
The Lions of Gryffindor by Equinox Chick
Chapter Notes: It’s the summer of 1976 and London is in a grip of a heatwave. Sirius Black is desperate to escape the depressing gloom of Grimmauld Place so armed with Butterbeer, Muggle money and a radio he runs off to the local park. It’s about to get a whole lot hotter.
The song in this chapter is Thin Lizzy’s, The Boys are Back in Town, which was a huge hit that summer. I must thank my brother-in-law, Andy, for suggesting this song.
Thanks, as ever, to Terri (mudbloodproud) and also to Cassie (ms leading) for beta'ing this for me.
Chapter Endnotes: So that's why he left home. The next chapter is from Lily's POV. Please leave a review. I thrive on reviews.