It was a subtle shade of white; not glaringly pure, but not a definite cream or ivory. The sun was just setting, and it obscured the actual colour. Pity, but by the time he could find white light it would be too late to see the colour. This would have to do for now.
Raising the first piece of charcoal, he vaguely creates a circle. He had always been good at drawing, and he had had plenty of time to practice during the more boring DADA classes.
"Oi! Moony! D'you have Yakoby's notes on counter jinxes…wow. Prongs, check this out! You draw well, Moony." The picture was a simple one, the three of them. He would have drawn Peter, but he had been seated directly in the front and it was difficult to properly see his face.
The cross hatching lines go across the face…slightly higher than usual, for that prominent nose that was-
"-another one of the horrid things that makes a Black a Black," he began to imitate a high, screechy voice, "Blacks must uphold the family honour! Marry only a pureblood! Strive to eradicate all Mudbloods from society! If it were possible, I'd like to hang her head up with all those bloody house-elves."
Hmm. That turned out well. Next came that mouth, which could take on so many forms. Cocky grins that would make a girl go wobbly-kneed, genuine smiles that would appear the moment he was free of his home for the school years, mischievous beaming ones for pranks, plastic ones for pictures and meeting other purebloods, and that serious ones that made everyone stopped dead.
"I've left her. I'm never going back there, that's final. I don't care if I'm a disgrace to the name of Black, I don't care if my name gets eradicated from that horrid tapestry, I've had enough. James, I can't take it anymore!"
It might have been the 'James'. It might have been the fact that he had brought all his belongings, when anything he might have needed was at the Potter estate. It might have even been that he had Floo'd in, instead of taking an official Portkey.
But everyone present knew that it was because of that smile, one that showed the strain of the world that had been placed on his shoulders.
It was the same smile that had convinced Lily at the very last moment to…
But that was finished with, and it was time for the ears. He had always had uncanny hearing.
"Padfoot!" Remus' whisper was almost inaudible from under the Invisibility Cloak, but Sirius, currently serving a boring detention writing out lines, paused instantly.
"Yes?"
"Got you food from the kitchens."
"Bless your furry heart, Moony…"
It had been after that detention that they'd had come up with another idea for the map.. A special feature that he had wanted to make sure that if anyone that they had disliked tried using the map, it would insult them in true Marauder-esque style.
Hair now, wild and tousled at all times as if he had stepped off the Quidditch pitch…no, that was Lily's spiel. He supposed, then, that it was just messy. Of course, it was possible to make it lay flat…
"Is she gone?" at the nods from everyone, he pulled out his clasp and threw his robe into the air, "Incendio!" With a shake of his head, his hair released itself from its gelled constraints.
"I don't get it, even Sleasky himself couldn't get mine to stay down, and you do yours in an instant." James patted his head with fake morose, "Oh well, guess that means one less thing to do for these society parties."
"It's part of the Sirius Black charm…skips multiple generations. Next one is due in around…fifteen million years or so." He smiled at a passing girl, who smiled back and giggled.
If he wasn't mistaken, that girl had been Narcissa something-or-another. The charcoal slipped a little, creating a small curl on one side of his face. He made to wipe it off, but stopped when he realized that it had existed. He had said that it was due to Azkaban, and constantly twirling it around one finger.
The background…he paused for a second then let his hand move freely. He drew a willow tree, and a full moon behind a cloudy overcast…
"Maybe we can nick Lily's sister's eye thingy and prevent you from turning into a wolf. I mean, you aren't right now, and it's cause there's a cloud over the moon…" Remus doubled over in pain.
"Sirius…transform. If I change, then you'll get hurt."
"Man, you are in pain right now, and I'm not changing. Where are Prongs and Wormy?"
"Sirius…transform! I'm dangerous, do you not get that?"
"Remus, you are in pain. Do you not feel it? Cause if so, then I can get Prongs to come back. But forget my changing until you change."
That had been a miserable night.
It was time for the eyes, he couldn't put it off any longer. Sharp, hard strokes for the eyes that had once been soft and caring, eyes that had seen an endless horizon where anything were possible.
"It. Wasn't. Me." Sirius looked at Remus, his eyes desperate for support, startling Remus that someone so full of life could even dream of being reduced to such a state.
"I believe you." And with those words, he lived again.
And now… Remus stepped back, viewing his completed picture. It was bounds better than anything he'd ever done of his before, it seemed almost…alive.
He turned away from it, and his eyes alighted on the old book that he'd borrowed from Irma before leaving.
Vieaus Semainara Swish and flick while remembering the one in the picture. Remus turned to the picture as the first rays of sun started to shine through the window. His wand hand hovering, he smiled.
--Finished--
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