Silence

Chapter One

Memoirs of a Black

I'll Never Tell.

Sirius froze as he spied the young Harry Potter for the first time in twelve years. The uncanny resemblance to James sent butterflies throughout his entire body. It was an amazing sensation. The last time he felt so much love infiltrate his heart was over a decade ago when he, James and Lily threw a surprise birthday party for Remus the week before Halloween. Yet now, as he watched Harry in his animagus form, he experienced that feeling once again, and it was above all irreplaceable.

Sirius nudged out of the murky shadows to get a better look at the boy, but halted as Harry turned to look straight at him.

He held his breath, hoping to surpass as a dog, and then suddenly, the proverbial Night Bus appeared out of nowhere. Immediately, Sirius made a run for it.

He couldn't risk being caught. More than his life was on the line, and he knew it.

The aloof night air brushed against his fur as he ran with all the vigor permissible in his aging bones. He needed to get out of the open. He needed to get far away from the dementors to evade the 'kiss', a reprimand worse than death itself.

But where could he possible stay that wouldn't turn him over to the officials?

He was a mass murderer; No one would trust him.

Yet there was one place he could think of.

One place he felt he needed to go to, and that was the habitual cottage in Claygate, London.

So he ran, his senses in a fury; He wouldn't even be in this mess if it weren't for the worthless rat, Sirius snarled.

Pettigrew betrayed them. He had brought to pass the heartbreaking and alarming deaths of his two best friends, James and Lily Potter.

Pettigrew was the reason he was sent to Azkaban for twelve retched years!

And lastly, the act most distressing to Sirius… Peter murdered his fiancé, Julia, whom he mutely swore never to speak of again.

Pettigrew ruined his life, and he would never forget it.

It was his duty to bring forth the truth of what all happened that fateful night, and he was going to prove it to the entire wizarding world if it was the last thing he'd do.

Yes, Sirius Black was on the run, and he felt no remorse for his foes and whosoever stood in his way.

After many long hours, he finally reached the small village outside of Thames.

The remote voices of people from the township caused him to hang his head and continue on another path.

Silently, he crawled amongst the trees to evade company, and then finally came upon a clearing that held three small houses side by side.

As he spotted the first one, his heart twisted in his chest. It was over a decade ago when he last saw this house, and he could only plead the same family occupied it.

Cautiously, he inched up to an open window and took a whiff of the mauve lace curtain propelled out onto the wind.

He sighed as he recognized the gemlike perfume of Emily Macnair, sister to his long deceased betrothed.

Julia and Emily had lived together in this house back when he attended Hogwarts.

Emmy was two years older than her sister, but they were literally the best of friends.

Sirius whined, his heart aching, as he reminisced once again of the hidden memories in his mind; Then undecidedly, he leapt through the open window and found himself on the elegant wood floor of the living room.

He gaped as he looked around the room; much of the pictures and furnishings were in the same fashion as when he last visited.

He moved silently around the room, reliving memories, and examining the photos on the mantel, and then he spotted her.

A stone-embroidered picture frame held the breathtaking photo of Julia, her beautiful brown locks bouncing as she waved her left hand for the camera to view. A starlight diamond ring glistened on her finger, and Sirius gawked as he realized that this was the picture he took of her the night he proposed.

But then how could Emily have gotten it?

An angelic smile lit up Julia's entire face, and Sirius beamed at how happy she looked.

Those days were so perfect. He and his friends were so carefree and innocent. Why couldn't time just rewind back for him to live like that for one more day?
One more day of friendly laughter and love.

One more evening to watch the glorious sun set.

That was all he wanted. Just one more day.
Sirius' face clouded over as he remembered the night it happened. The fateful night of her and the Potter's murder. The night Harry was affronted with the killing curse.

He remembered that solemn day well…

Sirius perched lazily on his chair at the Ministry of Magic. His shift was almost over and then he could finally go home.

He grinned as he glanced at his watch. He had an evening set with Julia tonight, and he was going to propose. It was going to be perfect.

A soft rapping at the window alerted him to the presence of the familiar owl.

Recognizing it as Julia's owl, Nutter, Sirius jumped up from his chair to receive the message.

Gently, he stripped open the letter and read the elegant text inside:

"Don't Be Late."

That was all it said.

Sirius laughed as he thought of her promptness. He didn't know how a fella like him landed with a neat freak damsel like her, but he loved how everything worked out.

Finally the clock struck his dismissal and Sirius practically ran out of the Ministry of Magic to meet his dear Maiden.
A/N: …(To be continued): Yes I know! I'm sorry to stop it right there. I also wanted to get to the fancy evening, but I just don't have the time at the moment. I'll have the next chappie up there as soon as time permits, so don't worry. ;)

Please Tell me what you think so far! This story is so fun and heart twisting to write, I hope you all felt it as you read it with me. :)

All Reviews are Welcome!

Sincerest appreciation to all reviews and readers!

Hugs,
EA