Chapter Text
“Thank you so much, take all the time you need,” you smiled to the house elf, having just told him what food you need.
You laid back against the wall behind you, the elf making its way back into the kitchen. There was a party in the Dungeon and people were getting hungry; you’d been tasked with getting snacks as you were one of the few people who could get their way around the kitchen. It wasn’t hard; all you had to do was be nice to the elves. You loved your house to death and would never have traded it, but sometimes you didn’t understand some of your housemates’ stances on a lot of things. You often blamed it on their upbringing; they were almost all purebloods. You were one yourself, but your mother wasn’t, and that had really had an impact on your education.
As you stood there waiting, practicing inoffensive charms that briefly lit up the air around your wand, you heard footsteps coming. Your first instinct was to hide your wand, but you relaxed seeing it was a student and not a teacher, or worse, Filch.
“Oh, don’t stop for me love,” he said, the smirk actually audible in his voice as he stepped out of the shadows.
“What are you doing here?” you asked, rolling your eyes. “It’s past curfew.”
“I could ask you the same question,” he retorted, his confidence intact. “But I’m not looking for trouble,” he paused. “Yet.”
He turned his back to you to knock on the kitchen’s door.
“Open up guys, it’s me,” he said as he knocked.
You muffled a snicker when nothing happened. “You’re not doing the right knock,” you told him, trying not to sound too condescending.
“I don’t need a secret knock, thank you very much,” he huffed, annoyed.
“Hey, I was just trying to help,” you replied.
The door didn’t open any further for a good two minutes.
“For the love of Merlin,” you groaned, before stepping up and knocking correctly on the door.
It opened almost immediately, and you were the one smirking as the small elf stepped out.
“The Gryffindor special,” he ordered, not looking at you. “Please,” he added, remembering his manners.
The house elf nodded, and went back in.
“You’re welcome,” you teased him as he made his way next to you.
He looked like he was going to give you a sarcastic reply, but something changed and instead he opted for a sincere yet grumpy “Thanks.”
You raised an eyebrow, surprised.
“I’m Sirius by the way,” he added, extending his hand to you with a wicked spark in his eyes.
“I know who you are, Black, don’t worry,” you laughed.
“I see my reputation precedes me,” he smirked, satisfied.
“More like you and Potter set my robes on fire in the first year,” you told him, hoping to erase that smug look off his face.
“Wait, that was you? Wow, you’ve changed,” he blurted out, not trying to conceal the fact he was eyeing you for a brief moment. “Y/N, right?” he asked, looking back in your eyes.
“Glad to know you at least remember,” you laughed, ignoring the first part of his remark.
You two made small talk, and you noticed he was getting flirty, but you’d heard this was apparently his default mode with girls.
“You know, you’re not so bad for a Slytherin,” he said, inching closer.
“And there it is,” you huffed exasperatedly, bringing your back completely against the wall. “It’s always only a matter of time with you Gryffindors.”
“It’s not what you think. I come from a family of Slytherins; I know what I’m talking about,” he replied, defensive. “They’re all the worst,” he added bitterly.
You studied him for a few moments. “You know, my younger brother’s a Gryffindor,” you started. “And because of that whole rhetoric you guys have going on, he doesn’t feel comfortable telling people his sister is in Slytherin.”
This time, it was his turn to look at you, surprised by your words.
“The whole house thing is great, don’t get me wrong,” you added, staring ahead. “But people really blow it out of proportions, sometimes.”
The short silence that fell between you was interrupted by the kitchen door opening, two elves coming out with your and Sirius’s orders of snacks. You thanked them and were going to leave, when he called after you.
“Your brother, what’s his name?” he asked you, which you had not expected.
“Y/B/N,” you answered, puzzled. “Why?”
“Was just curious,” he replied, shrugging it off. “Have fun,” he added with a smile, motioning towards the large quantity of snacks you were carrying.
“Thanks,” you smiled back. “You too!”
With that, you each went your separate ways. A faint smile tugged the corner of your lips as you thought to yourself that Sirius Black wasn’t as bad as his reputation let on. Admittedly, he wasn’t with his friends. You’d heard they called themselves the Marauders. Who even did that, name their groups of friends?
Later on, once he was back in the common room and the snacks were laid on a table, Sirius found Remus to ask him a question.
“Hey, do you know a kid named Y/B/N?” he asked him, looking around the common room.
“Yeah, he’s a first year I think,” Remus answered. “Over there. Why do you want to know, you want new friends?” he laughed.
“Piss off, Moony,” he grinned against his will, making his way towards the kid who was chatting with some other first years. “Hey, kid,” he called after him as he approached.
The young boy looked so stunned he was addressing him, Sirius had a hard time not laughing.
“Me?” the kid asked as his friends looked back and forth, wide-eyed. He was Sirius Black, after all.
“Yeah, you,” he said, trying not to mock him. “I know your sister. Y/N, right?”
The boy nodded, and Sirius was shocked to see in his face he was apprehensive. He probably thought he was going to call out that he was related to a Slytherin. You and me both, buddy, he thought.
“She’s cool,” he winked at him, before walking away, quite happy with himself, for some reason he didn’t want to think about too much.