Sirius (Arcturus, Callaine) and OPEN
Arcturus had a very uneasy relationship with this Spanish class. Absent other considerations, he'd have forbidden Sirius from attending, but not only would that upset Sirius considerably, it would likely offend O'Hara and Mr Madrigal as well, and that wasn't his intention. He'd have happily allowed either of them to teach the little boy Spanish. It was sitting in a classroom with the unknown muggle children of parents he didn't know or didn't trust that was the problem. Arcturus was bound by the decision (to his mind, an inexplicable one) of his older self, but he had to try to minimise the dangers. His brother Cygnus, he knew, would forgive him for a flying accident, because they'd all had those, but letting harm come to his son at muggle hands? That would be inexcusable.
That was why he sat beside Sirius in class, whether or not others agreed with the idea. To protect him. He never participated, because he was afraid that doing so would alter a complex set of social dynamics. He was a boy taking on the social role of a grown man, and that was a precarious enough position at the best of times. He didn't want O'Hara thinking of him as a schoolboy, even if that was exactly what he was back in Britain. Instead he just sat there, sometimes with a book in his hands, sometimes not – and if he had a quick enough mind to be picking up a considerable amount of the language he heard around him, that was something he would keep to himself.
Today was even stranger, because of the food, and because they were there at Sirius' firm insistence that he could not miss it. He'd been resting in bed since the accident, but the thought of missing this special day had upset him so much that Arcturus had allowed him to get up for it, on condition that it was straight back to bed afterwards.
Sirius was delighted, of course. He'd assured Arcturus that his arm didn't hurt – it did, a bit, because the potion dosage that kept him awake and lively enough for class wasn't quite strong enough to block all the pain, but he knew that saying that meant not being allowed to go. He'd stood patiently while Arcturus helped him dress, and took a big square of white linen to wrap his arm in and tie at his opposite shoulder. Sunday's spellwork meant that there was no danger of the arm moving into the wrong position, but Arcturus said this was a sign so that other people would be careful not to bump into him, and not ask questions about how it all looked.
For once he was pleased to have Arcturus with him in class, because he wasn't going to be able to cut up the food by himself, and there was so much of it to try! So many foods he had never seen before. He waited politely, knowing it wouldn't be right to be the first person to run over and take a plate, but when Callaine Leyton walked up to the table and hesitated, Arcturus nudged him. Callaine was much older than him, but she seemed much more scared to say things in Spanish. If you wanted to have a proper conversation with Callaine in English, even, it was better to write than try to talk to her. Mr Leyton said that it was because she was new to the station, but Sirius had talked to people when he was new!
Still, he was going to do the right thing. He left his desk and walked over beside her, and then spoke up. 'Quisiera una arepa con queso, por favor,' he began confidently, because that part he'd just rehearsed. Then he saw where Callaine was looking, and added, more uncertainly, 'Y pambazos con...con chorizo para la señorita Leyton, y…' there was a little grin on his face now, 'un café para mi tío, por favor.' Arcturus had made it very clear to Sirius that he wasn't going to eat anything, but you didn't eat coffee, and the adults were all drinking it.