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Sirius Black did not cry. He wore tight shirts, and even tighter jeans, with big bulky leather jackets, making him give off a too cool to care about anything vibe. He brooded, got angry, hexed people, but crying? Never. So when he stumbled through the fireplace in Potter Manor with salty tears running down his bruised and bloody face, he was more surprised than even Mrs. Potter, who dropped her cup of tea onto the marble floor.
“James, love, come downstairs” shouted Dorea Potter while rushing over to the trembling boy standing on her carpet. “My Merlin, boy, what have they done to you”
“Sirius, what are you -- what happened to your face?” James exclaimed, hopping down the last few steps and joining his mother at his best friend's side.
Without letting Sirius get a word in, Mrs. Potter replied hurriedly, addressing her words to the hurt boy “ Enough of the questions, come upstairs and I'll fix you up,”
And that she did. In hardly any time at all, Sirius was laying on a bed in the room he always stayed in at the Potter's house. In his hand, he held a steaming cup of tea, and by his side sat James Charlus Potter, his closest and best friend. James was glancing at Sirius through the corner of his eye, waiting for him to start explaining what had happened, and why he had brought his trunk with him through the fireplace. Although, he already had a good idea of the situation.
“I'm not going back. Not ever.” Sirius said quietly, sipping on his tea.
“Okay,” James replied, now looking straight at Sirius. Stormy grey eyes met warm hazel ones and James continued speaking, “You don't have to, mate. You can just stay here with me.”
Sirius smiled, ignoring the sharp pain he felt because of the bruises that remained on him, he replied “I know,”
“Why didn't you tell me it was this bad. We could've gotten you out earlier.”
“ I was going to, so many times. I'd always mean to, but when I actually got there.. Mate sometimes it’s just easier to lie,” Sirius replied to his best mate, not meeting his eyes.
And that was that. James didn't ask again, and Sirius didn't attempt to explain any further. When they told the other half of their posse that Sirius was living with James, they didn't ask too many questions. Sirius was happy. His best friend had given him something that no one else had even thought of offering. A new start. A New Beginning.