The conversation went from strained to morbid, and at about 11:30 Lyria could take it no longer and had pulled out the bottle of scotch.  Three hours and two bottles later, they were in the kitchen.

 

Lyndell sank to the floor after hitting the side of her hip on the island in the kitchen.  "That wasn't there before." She said breathlessly as she began laughing hysterically.

 

Lyria was trying to walk to the counter but fell to the floor herself halfway there, half due to drunkenness and half due to laughter. 

 

"I missed you Lyri." Lyndell told her friend.  "This is fun."

 

"It's been a really, really long time since I've had this much fun," Lyria replied, still trying to catch her breath. 

 

"Two bottles of scotch can be a lot of fun." Lyndell giggled.

 

"More fun with company."

 

"You know what? I like scotch.  It's good."

 

"I've liked scotch for a very very long time."

 

The door opened cautiously and Lyria looked up.  "Dell?  I think I died..."

 

"Why?" Lyndell looked up.  "We haven't had *that* much to drink."

 

"Lyri?  Dell?"  Standing in the doorway, soaked to the bone and looking rather worse for the wear, was a very confused Sirius Black.

 

Lyndell looked up at her supposed dead brother.  "Mother's probably found a way to bewitch something." Lyndell said.  "GO DIE YOU UGLY HAG!" Lyndell screeched, falling over in a fit of giggles.

 

This made Lyria laugh as well, though she wasn't entirely sure she was alive still.

 

Lyndell sighed and looked up.  He was still here.  "Sirius?"

 

Sirius knew his sister and his former girlfriend well enough to know how to fix the problem.  "Alright, you two."  He hauled them to their feet, dragging them to a bathroom and tossing them into a tub of cold water.  Unfortunately, Lyria grabbed his arm and managed to pull him into the tub as well.

 

Lyndell continued laughing until Sirius fell into the tub and she realized where they were and who had put them there.  "YOU ASSHOLE! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!" She screeched, punching his arm.

 

Lyria tried futilely to wipe off her glasses.  When she reached out, Sirius was there, a physical presence next to her.  "Sirius..."

 

"Ah!  Well you were in good company," Sirius told his sister.

 

"Asshole!" She punched him in the arm again.  "That was an extremely demented prank, you know."

 

"It wasn't a prank!" Sirius yelped, but he was interrupted when Lyria grabbed him by the hair and kissed him firmly. 

 

Lyndell continued beating on her brother until the door opened again.  This time, though, it was full of very confused and sleepy people.

 

Remus blinked.  "*What* is going on???"

 

"Lyria..." Sirius muttered, trying to disentangle himself.

 

Lyndell looked up at the group of people now in the bathroom.  "I honestly have no idea."

 

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at him.  "I thought you did it, but you didn't, and I'm sorry..." She slurred a bit.

 

"Judging from what I see, looks like you ladies are plastered," Dung told them cheerfully.

 

"Shhh...don't worry about it." Sirius replied as he helped Lyria out of the bathtub.

 

Remus moved to help Lyndell to her feet, but stopped.  "Sirius?"  He asked, almost whispering, though he did help Lyndell up.

 

"Depends on your definition of plastered." Lyndell replied, trying to get out of the tub, but, with Remus's help, she fell in again.

 

Lyria put a hand on the side of his face, then giggled a bit.  "You're all wet."

 

Remus physically lifted her out of the tub this time. 

 

"Yeah.  It's me." Sirius replied, looking around the room.

 

Lyndell burst into another fit of laughter.  "You know what, Dung? You have a funny name."

 

"Why don't people call you Shit?"  Lyria asked curiously.

 

Remus gave his friend a brotherly hug before focusing his attention on keeping Lyndell on her feet.

 

"Thank you...very much, I'm going to bed." Dung remarked.

 

"Good to see you in one piece, Sirius," Tonks said cheerfully.

 

"Thanks."  Sirius kept Lyria on her feet.  "I'll tell you all about what happened later."

 

"I think we'd all appreciate that," Dumbledore said from the doorway.  "But I imagine it will keep until morning."

 

The group scattered back to their rooms.

 

"I fell in a bathtub." Lyndell announced.

 

"I think Sirius put you there," Remus told her.  "You're soaked... let's get you in something dry."

 

Lyria placed a hand on the side of Sirius' face.  "I'm sorry," she repeated.

 

Lyndell nodded and let him lead her out of the bathroom.

 

"Lyria...why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."

 

Remus helped steady her, particularly on the stairs.

 

"I believed them, I thought you'd did it... and then you were dead and it was horrible, Sirius, don't ever die again... I came here all convinced you were terrible but Remus told me, and I felt so lost... like I'd found you and then you were gone, and then I slept with Remus but Dell was sane and then I fought with her and we made up with a couple bottles of scotch... and then I saw you and I thought I was dead, but I wasn't, at least I don't think I am...."  All of this spilled from Lyria in a matter of seconds.

 

"Thank you." Lyndell slurred. 

 

"I don't trust your feet to get you upstairs.  I think you need some nice dry clothes and a nice long nap," Remus told her.  "Sound alright?"

 

Sirius sat her down at the bottom of the stairs.  "Wow.  That's a lot to happen to a person in a few days."

 

Lyndell nodded.  "Naps are good."  She shivered slightly.

 

"I tried so hard to hate you..."  Lyria sat, grateful to not have to focus on standing.  Sitting was less work.  "But I couldn't, I love you Sirius, and I'm sorry..."

 

Remus picked her up.  "You going to be able to change on your own?"  He asked.

 

"Shhh...Lyri...breathe." He told her. 

 

"Right now?" Lyndell asked.  "But I'm not even in my room."

 

She kissed him again, fingers playing with his hair a little bit.

 

"When we get you to your room," Remus said, pushing open the door.

 

"Because that would kind of help." Lyndell told him, laughing again.

 

"Agreed."  He closed the door and set her down.  "Think you can do it?"

 

Sirius kissed her back.  "You know, we probably should get some sleep."

 

Lyndell looked around the room and steadied herself against the bed post as the room seemed to sway.  "Maaaybe."

 

"You're all wet, you'll get sick.  You need to change."  Lyria said suddenly.

 

"I think I'd better help.  Staying on your feet might be enough trouble for you."

 

"So do you." Sirius said, pulling out his wand.  Casting a quick drying spell on both of them, he sat up against the wall.  "All set."

 

Lyndell started laughing again.  "Feet is a funny word!!"

 

Remus cast a drying spell rather than trying to help her change.  "There.  Bedtime."

 

"Can I have some more scotch first?"

 

"I think you've had quite enough," Remus said.

 

Sirius yawned.  "God...I'm too tired to move."

 

"But scotch is nice...it brought Sirius back from the dead, so I'd say it has to have some magical powers."

 

"Me too," Lyria admitted.  She curled up close to him.  "Promise you'll be here when I wake up?"

 

Sirius wrapped his arms around her.  "I promise."

 

"You're not in need of any more magical powers."  Remus picked her up and put her in bed.  "You're in need of some sleep."

 

Lyria closed her eyes, drifting off quickly.

 

"I don't want to sleep." Lyndell got up.  "I've had enough sleep."

 

"Well I'm in need of some sleep, and I want you to stay with me.  Fair?"  Remus decided to take a different angle.

 

Lyndell looked at him.  "I don't want to sleep."

 

"You're not going to be able to go very far... don't fall down the stairs," he advised.

 

"I won't fall." She insisted.  "I...need a glass of water. I'll be back.  I promise, then I'll try to sleep.  I just need a glass of water." Lyndell told him, as she walked down the stairs and stumbled across a sleeping Sirius and Lyria.  Smiling mischievously, Lyndell rearranged their sleeping positions before heading into the kitchen.

 

Remus sighed but didn't go after her.

 

After retrieving her glass of water, Lyndell made her way back upstairs, laughing as she passed Sirius and Lyria on the way.  "I told you I'd come back." She said to Remus as she shut the door behind her.

 

"I'm glad you made it successfully," he told her with a smile.

 

"I almost fell."

 

"That would have been bad."

 

"Over Sirius and Lyria to be exact.  It's quite funny what they're doing."

 

"Uh-oh."

 

Lyndell climbed into the bed, still laughing a bit.

 

Remus put an arm around her.  "Going to try to sleep?"

 

"I don't like sleeping anymore." She yawned.

 

"Then I'll sleep for us both."

 

"Have nice dreams?"

 

"I'll try."

 

 

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