Sequel: Back to Black ›
Falling Inside the Black
12
My feet flew up the steps as I heard the voices become clearer. I could make out Harry’s voice and Remus’ and suddenly Snape’s sneer. The back of his ebony cloak faced me and could make out his fighting stance with his wand drawn. I withdrew my wand from my waist and held it aimed at him.
“After you” Snape sneered motioning his wand to the door.
With a mutter under my breath I flicked my wrist at him and Snape’s body flew across the room into the drapes as they wrapped around his struggling body like a cocoon. I held my wand before me as I entered the room. My cloak ghosted behind me and my hair was combed back into a tight French twist, my eyes smoky with coal. I evaluated the room taking in the room. Remus sighed leaning against piano Harry and his two friends were huddled in a corner. I lowered my wand and turned back to Snape, before my eyes landed on the muddy boots.
I followed them up a tall skeleton to see his face. His cheeks hollow drooping from his cheekbones before sinking into pits his eyes were the same blue just much more tired than before currently glowing with tears.
“Sirius…” I breathed.
He choked away a sob before launching himself into me. I caught him and felt his body begin to shake. My fingers raked through his greasy tangles and I too began to cry. I cried over the fact that I could easily feel his bones through his skin. I cried that I felt if I squeezed too hard he would break, he was so weak so fragile. I cried because every rational reason I had to hate him had suddenly disappeared. Sirius pulled back only enough to cup my face. My brain suddenly had no input I would even consider as he looked at me so lovingly. His adoration flowing from every pore in his body, directed at me. I cried at the blessed feeling of being loved.
“My sweet Ella..” he trailed off cupping my face.
Snape grumbled as he ripped away from the drapes and raised his wand at us. Suddenly Snape was thrown back into the four-poster bed it collapsing beneath and on top of him. Sirius and I both turned our heads to see Harry with his hand raised.
“Tell me about Peter Pettigrew” He ordered.
With a bored sigh, Remus began “He was at school with us we thought he was our friend.”
“No, Pettigrew’s dead. You killed him!” Harry shouted shaking the wand at Sirius.
“No he didn’t” I spoke realizing in that moment I was holding not only my weight but most of Sirius’ as well as he leaned on me for support. I placed my hand on his chest to steady him.
Remus stepped into Harry’s line of fire arms raised in surrender “I thought so too Harry, until you mentioned Pettigrew on the map”
“The map was lying then” Harry shrugged
“The map never lies” Sirius boasted pulling from me to walk to Remus in the center of the room using the piano for support “Pettigrews alive! And he’s right there!”
I looked at the three students and soon realized what Sirius meant. Clutched in Ron’s hand was the large rat with a slightly deformed left ear and beady black eyes. Peter Pettigrew.
“What are you trying to do to him?” Ron cried out. Peter leaped through the air and landed on the piano keys Remus and Sirius firing shots as the dashed across the piano and to the entrance. Right as he reached the decayed wood of the bedroom doors I waved my spell hitting him directly in the bum. His form morphed into his natural state of a lump of a man. Remus and Sirius pulled him up right and back against the piano as I held my wand at him.
“Remus? Sirius? Ella too? My old friends!” Peter gasped before finding Harry. Peter began to approach him “-You look so much like your father. James. We were the best of friends..” I stopped before he could continue shoving my wand in his neck in warning backing Harry behind me.
“How dare you talk about James in front of him” Sirius bellowed throwing Peter by his rag of a coat back into the piano.
“You sold James and Lily to Voldemort!” Remus roared.
“I didn’t mean to!” Peter croaked cowering before the interrogation. “The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses!”
“Ella, Ella help me! I had no one to go to!” Peter begged and at his confession of James and Lily’s betrayal, I knew.Peter was asking what Sirius would have done, seeing as I didn’t react to his plea.
“I would have died! I would have died rather than betray my friends!”
“You sold us out” I whispered. Peter, Remus and Sirius looked at me. My eyes rose to meet Peter’s and his grew in realization.
“You sold us out!” I yelled launching myself at Peter who cowered away. Arms wound around my waist holding me back. “You sold us to Voldemort to the death eaters! YOU are the reason my boy is dead! Why Peter? Were we not good to you? We took you in! You were there for Leo’s birth you bastard! Leo, James, Lilly they all died because of you!”
“It was an accident!” Peter wailed in fear. “I didn’t mean to!”
“Didn’t mean to, eh?” Sirius voice came from behind me “Then I won’t mean to break your filthy neck!”
As Sirius lurched for him Peter ducked crawling under the piano for Harry “James wouldn’t have wanted me killed! Your dad would have sparred me, shown me mercy!”
Sirius grabbed him again and dragged him back to the center of the room “Should have realized if Voldemort didn’t kill you, we would. Together!”
“No” Harry interjected causing me to look at him.
“Harry” Remus sighed “This man-“
“I know what he is. But we’ll take him to the castle.”
Peter crawled to Harry pawing at his clothes “Oh bless you boy! Bless you!”
“Get off!” Harry kicked “I said we’d take you to the castle after that the dementors can have you.”
~*~
As we reached the opening at the whomping willow Ron got settled to rest his leg as Remus pushed Peter onto a stump. Still upset about my outburst I walked further from the group and down the hill, eyeing the silhouette of Hogwarts it aglow with the light of flickering candles. I didn’t even hear the footsteps behind me until hands grasped my hips gently. I jumped in surprise as Sirius appeared.
“You ok?”
I shrugged turning back around but gently laying into him. “ I was thinking of our first time walking through those doors.” I snorted to myself “We were a rough bunch weren’t we?”
Sirius laughed too. Oh what a good sound. “Yes, I suppose we were.”
“I was just thinking what Leo would have looked like. His expression when he got his letter, him getting on the train, what house would he be sorted to… We’ll never know.” Tears brimmed my eyes at my confession and Sirius turned me in his arms. I buried my face in his chest. “And the man responsible for all the pain in my life is sitting not a 100 yards from me and I can’t even lay a hand on him.”
Sirius sighed heavily “He’s not worth it, dear. Leo, James, Lily yes we miss them but pain can never touch them again sorrow will never plague them again. And they get a pretty good laugh watching all of us down here. Peter will get what he deserves no need to worry yourself over him. He will never hurt you again, I swear it.”
I looked up at him and in the darkening sky the light of the castle gave his sickly skin the illusion of health and I saw the man I fell in love with before me as he stared back at Hogwarts longingly. I brought his chin and lowered him down to a kiss. Our lips melting together in a bliss of yearning. We pulled apart both still with our eyes closed taking in the moment to catch our breath pulling me closer my head fell and Sirius kissed my forehead. Footsteps approached.
“That was a noble thing you did back there” Sirius commented. “He doesn’t deserve it.”
Shrugging Harry answered “I didn’t think my dad would have wanted his best friends to become killers. Besides dead the truth die with him…” Harry looked at me directly in the eyes as he finished “Alive, you’re free.”
I smiled at him from Sirius chest enjoying the feeling of him holding me. I watched from my spot as Peter haggled Ron begging for his life.
“I don’t know if you know Harry… but when you were born James and Lily made me your godfather and Ella your godmother.”
“I told him love” I whispered.
“Well, I can understand if you choose to stay with your aunt and uncle…but if you ever wanted a different home..” Sirius voice sounded nervous of the proposal.
“What come live with you?” Harry asked shocked.
“Just a thought.” Sirius shrugged.
Suddenly an animalistic howl of pain sliced through the air and my head jerked up the hill. The full moon became my only sight before narrowing in on a form doubled over and withering in pain.
“Remus…”
“After you” Snape sneered motioning his wand to the door.
With a mutter under my breath I flicked my wrist at him and Snape’s body flew across the room into the drapes as they wrapped around his struggling body like a cocoon. I held my wand before me as I entered the room. My cloak ghosted behind me and my hair was combed back into a tight French twist, my eyes smoky with coal. I evaluated the room taking in the room. Remus sighed leaning against piano Harry and his two friends were huddled in a corner. I lowered my wand and turned back to Snape, before my eyes landed on the muddy boots.
I followed them up a tall skeleton to see his face. His cheeks hollow drooping from his cheekbones before sinking into pits his eyes were the same blue just much more tired than before currently glowing with tears.
“Sirius…” I breathed.
He choked away a sob before launching himself into me. I caught him and felt his body begin to shake. My fingers raked through his greasy tangles and I too began to cry. I cried over the fact that I could easily feel his bones through his skin. I cried that I felt if I squeezed too hard he would break, he was so weak so fragile. I cried because every rational reason I had to hate him had suddenly disappeared. Sirius pulled back only enough to cup my face. My brain suddenly had no input I would even consider as he looked at me so lovingly. His adoration flowing from every pore in his body, directed at me. I cried at the blessed feeling of being loved.
“My sweet Ella..” he trailed off cupping my face.
Snape grumbled as he ripped away from the drapes and raised his wand at us. Suddenly Snape was thrown back into the four-poster bed it collapsing beneath and on top of him. Sirius and I both turned our heads to see Harry with his hand raised.
“Tell me about Peter Pettigrew” He ordered.
With a bored sigh, Remus began “He was at school with us we thought he was our friend.”
“No, Pettigrew’s dead. You killed him!” Harry shouted shaking the wand at Sirius.
“No he didn’t” I spoke realizing in that moment I was holding not only my weight but most of Sirius’ as well as he leaned on me for support. I placed my hand on his chest to steady him.
Remus stepped into Harry’s line of fire arms raised in surrender “I thought so too Harry, until you mentioned Pettigrew on the map”
“The map was lying then” Harry shrugged
“The map never lies” Sirius boasted pulling from me to walk to Remus in the center of the room using the piano for support “Pettigrews alive! And he’s right there!”
I looked at the three students and soon realized what Sirius meant. Clutched in Ron’s hand was the large rat with a slightly deformed left ear and beady black eyes. Peter Pettigrew.
“What are you trying to do to him?” Ron cried out. Peter leaped through the air and landed on the piano keys Remus and Sirius firing shots as the dashed across the piano and to the entrance. Right as he reached the decayed wood of the bedroom doors I waved my spell hitting him directly in the bum. His form morphed into his natural state of a lump of a man. Remus and Sirius pulled him up right and back against the piano as I held my wand at him.
“Remus? Sirius? Ella too? My old friends!” Peter gasped before finding Harry. Peter began to approach him “-You look so much like your father. James. We were the best of friends..” I stopped before he could continue shoving my wand in his neck in warning backing Harry behind me.
“How dare you talk about James in front of him” Sirius bellowed throwing Peter by his rag of a coat back into the piano.
“You sold James and Lily to Voldemort!” Remus roared.
“I didn’t mean to!” Peter croaked cowering before the interrogation. “The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses!”
“Ella, Ella help me! I had no one to go to!” Peter begged and at his confession of James and Lily’s betrayal, I knew.Peter was asking what Sirius would have done, seeing as I didn’t react to his plea.
“I would have died! I would have died rather than betray my friends!”
“You sold us out” I whispered. Peter, Remus and Sirius looked at me. My eyes rose to meet Peter’s and his grew in realization.
“You sold us out!” I yelled launching myself at Peter who cowered away. Arms wound around my waist holding me back. “You sold us to Voldemort to the death eaters! YOU are the reason my boy is dead! Why Peter? Were we not good to you? We took you in! You were there for Leo’s birth you bastard! Leo, James, Lilly they all died because of you!”
“It was an accident!” Peter wailed in fear. “I didn’t mean to!”
“Didn’t mean to, eh?” Sirius voice came from behind me “Then I won’t mean to break your filthy neck!”
As Sirius lurched for him Peter ducked crawling under the piano for Harry “James wouldn’t have wanted me killed! Your dad would have sparred me, shown me mercy!”
Sirius grabbed him again and dragged him back to the center of the room “Should have realized if Voldemort didn’t kill you, we would. Together!”
“No” Harry interjected causing me to look at him.
“Harry” Remus sighed “This man-“
“I know what he is. But we’ll take him to the castle.”
Peter crawled to Harry pawing at his clothes “Oh bless you boy! Bless you!”
“Get off!” Harry kicked “I said we’d take you to the castle after that the dementors can have you.”
~*~
As we reached the opening at the whomping willow Ron got settled to rest his leg as Remus pushed Peter onto a stump. Still upset about my outburst I walked further from the group and down the hill, eyeing the silhouette of Hogwarts it aglow with the light of flickering candles. I didn’t even hear the footsteps behind me until hands grasped my hips gently. I jumped in surprise as Sirius appeared.
“You ok?”
I shrugged turning back around but gently laying into him. “ I was thinking of our first time walking through those doors.” I snorted to myself “We were a rough bunch weren’t we?”
Sirius laughed too. Oh what a good sound. “Yes, I suppose we were.”
“I was just thinking what Leo would have looked like. His expression when he got his letter, him getting on the train, what house would he be sorted to… We’ll never know.” Tears brimmed my eyes at my confession and Sirius turned me in his arms. I buried my face in his chest. “And the man responsible for all the pain in my life is sitting not a 100 yards from me and I can’t even lay a hand on him.”
Sirius sighed heavily “He’s not worth it, dear. Leo, James, Lily yes we miss them but pain can never touch them again sorrow will never plague them again. And they get a pretty good laugh watching all of us down here. Peter will get what he deserves no need to worry yourself over him. He will never hurt you again, I swear it.”
I looked up at him and in the darkening sky the light of the castle gave his sickly skin the illusion of health and I saw the man I fell in love with before me as he stared back at Hogwarts longingly. I brought his chin and lowered him down to a kiss. Our lips melting together in a bliss of yearning. We pulled apart both still with our eyes closed taking in the moment to catch our breath pulling me closer my head fell and Sirius kissed my forehead. Footsteps approached.
“That was a noble thing you did back there” Sirius commented. “He doesn’t deserve it.”
Shrugging Harry answered “I didn’t think my dad would have wanted his best friends to become killers. Besides dead the truth die with him…” Harry looked at me directly in the eyes as he finished “Alive, you’re free.”
I smiled at him from Sirius chest enjoying the feeling of him holding me. I watched from my spot as Peter haggled Ron begging for his life.
“I don’t know if you know Harry… but when you were born James and Lily made me your godfather and Ella your godmother.”
“I told him love” I whispered.
“Well, I can understand if you choose to stay with your aunt and uncle…but if you ever wanted a different home..” Sirius voice sounded nervous of the proposal.
“What come live with you?” Harry asked shocked.
“Just a thought.” Sirius shrugged.
Suddenly an animalistic howl of pain sliced through the air and my head jerked up the hill. The full moon became my only sight before narrowing in on a form doubled over and withering in pain.
“Remus…”
♠ ♠ ♠
Been too long I know had a crazy emotional year! Comments appreciated!