Surrender To The Moon
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter names, characters and locations belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing that you recognize.
Written for the Torture the OTPs competition.
Prompt - One half of your OTP watches the other half die. (Scenario in which the death occurs is up to you, but Person B can't be saved.)
What was it like to lay down at night and not have to worry about what the day may bring? To embrace the silence found only in those precious moments before dawn, before the earth began to stir and birdsong filled the air. It must be nice, he thought, limping and staggering as he made his way down the moonlight path, to not be haunted by such demons. To simply lie down and rest in peaceful slumber.
His claws scraped against the bark of a fallen tree, his tired limbs aching with tremendous pain. His thoughts were coming back to him. He could remember seeing that awful woman, the one with the curly hair, her pink robes billowing out behind her as she raised her wand. There was a second, a solitary shard of time, when a flash of light shone before his eyes. The scarlet flare cut through the shadows, highlighting the many scars he'd accumulated over the years, and then darkness embraced him once more.
What was it like to not be hunted by your peers? To know true friendship and not see hatred in the eyes of every stranger. It must be nice, he thought, to know someone other than Sirius who truly loved him. Someone who cared, who cherished the time they spent together and didn't flee in terror when they saw him walking down the street.
Sirius Black. The name escaped him in the form of pitiful whine, falling from his lips like drops of blood that stained the earth. Drop by drop the werewolf bled, his gaze drifting upwards as the clouds shifted, revealing the constellation of sirius overhead. He lifted a paw, in hopes this silent gesture would be enough to summon his beloved, and reached for the stars.
He couldn't help but wonder what it was like to feel peace. What was it like to find beauty in the night? To embrace the stillness and serenity and not see it as a place of torment and despair. He lowered his head, staring at his reflection in the water. What was it like to find beauty in himself? Why did Sirius love him? What did he see in this hideous, horrifying minster?
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of breaking brush, the bushes shaking along the edge of the river. He barely had enough strength to lift his head. But when he did, he saw a black dog racing towards him.
Sirius came to hault beside the injured werewolf, his form shifting and changing as he returned to his human self. "No," he whispered, falling to his knees beside him. "No, she didn't."
The werewolf collapsed into his lap, his eyes closing as the last of his strength fell away. His pale features became visible as the layer of fur receded, revealing a deep gash on his side, along with numerous wounds and scars that covered every inch of his body. How could she call him a monster when she went out at night, stalking these innocent creatures, these poor, unfortunate beings who struggled to survive in a world that both loathed and feared them.
Sirius pulled him close, embracing the fallen wizard as tears spilled from the corners of his eyes. He didn't want to lose him, didn't want to let him go. They'd been together so long, facing every challenge together, whether it was Sirius' escape from prison or Lupin's ongoing battle with this terrible affliction.
"You," he hissed, his lip curling in a snarl as he caught sight of the witch who was responsible for this. "You foul, loathsome, disgusting beast! You had no right to do this!"
Umbridge giggled, ignoring the hurt in his voice. She smiled her sweetest smile, then turned on heel and went in search of her next victim.