.Sirius.
"The Person's picture book is made up of memories and colors." She told him. "That's what makes it so different from a child's. As you grow up, the pictures change. And they're less like pictures, more like mirrors."
It isn't often that he takes the time to reminisce back on… any part of his life, really. But before the commotion that day in the great hall, that's what he was doing, much like he is now. Only now there will be no dramatic exits to distract him from the mess that has become his life, no crackle of electricity from across the great hall, no eyes burning with so many emotions it made his head spin as they met, not for the first time, no spark passing between two people, no new fiery pull to follow the enemy from the room.
There is no repeating the past. And in his remembering, he finds it hard to come to terms with that.
`~`~`~`
Brushing a piece of dark hair out of his eyes, Sirius scanned the hall for something interesting to do, or speak about. He found a giant total of zero conversation worthy topics. He was getting bored. He thought for a brief moment about how horrible things tended to end when he got bored, but then dismissed the thought entirely. He looked around again before his eyes fell on the boy seated across from him, a tall, too skinny boy with messy hair and glasses that were perpetually falling down his nose.
"Oi. James." He whispered softly, trying to keep his volume down. "James." Louder this time, and still the other boy didn't stir. Sirius followed his eyes and sighed loudly when he found them resting on Lily Evans, a pretty girl with long red hair and almond eyes, again. Of course he's staring. What else does he do? He thought and tried again. "Prongs? James? Prongsy? Oooooooh Jaaaaaaaaaaaames."
Louder each time, until Moony murmured beside him, head not raised from his book, "He won't pay any attention, you know that, not when he's staring at her. And besides. You only want to speak to him about the dung bombs. Couldn't that wait till after lunch?"
"Of course not. See it was only about the dung bombs. Now it's personal." He didn't add the bit about boredom, not wanting to offend his friend. Remus was rather lacking in conversation now that a new bookstore had opened in Hogsmeade, and Peter had wound up in the hospital after a bad potions accident the day before. Moony sighed and shook his head, nose still buried in the spine of his latest paperback.
"JAMES!" Sirius yelled, slamming the table in front of his best mate and laughing in a satisfied sort of way when James jumped about a foot off the bench and cried, "WHAT?"
"That's the third time this week I've caught you staring. When are you planning on asking again?"
James blushed furiously before painting an indignant look on his face. "I don't know what it is you mean, dear Padfoot."
"Asking you know who on a date. You remember what those are, don't you? You plus some (preferably pretty) bird out together. Alone. Not with your friends. Not that it would matter if you were with your friends, because you're already IGNORING them again." Sirius said in answer, sighing exasperatedly when he noticed James had stopped paying attention and resumed staring at the Evans girl.
"It really is no use." Remus still wasn't looking up. "He always does this. He goes through phases. If I thought I could make a time of the month joke without being called a hypocrite I'd-"
The noise that came next was enough, not only to stop Moony mid sentence, but to raise his eyes from the passage they had been perusing.
A crash from the Slytherin table, and a long shrieking of metal against metal caught everyone's attention in an instant.
"Say it again, Regulus." The great hall had gone silent, and all Sirius saw was the girl pinning his much hated brother down on the table with her wand at his neck. She had long dark hair that flew messily about her face, seeming to crackle with electricity. Her robes were slightly mussed, and she was shaking, but her face was set in a look of cold determination as she leaned back slightly from Regulus and said, "See? He's not so brave with a wand at his throat now is he? Even with his well within reach. Say it again, Black."
Moony whispered to Sirius, "Enjoy it while it lasts, Dumbledore's coming to his rescue now."
Sirius glanced at the teachers table and, sure enough, the seeming spell had at least broken for their headmaster, who was striding purposefully towards the Slytherin table.
"This ought to end well." He replied, eyes flitting back to the girl.
"And quickly." But Moony's reply was lost as Dumbledore reached the girl.
"Let him go." His voice was low, but not so low that Sirius could not hear.
She shook her head. "Not until he says it."
Sirius knew this play. She'd taunt him until he repeated it, whatever it was. Then when he did, she'd curse him for sure.
"Miss McAllistar. I must insist you let him go."
"He deserves what he gets."
"Miss McAllistar!"
His voice was sharp as she turned on him, and there was an honest to Merlin spark in her hair as she stared down the headmaster, sizing him up, anger and magic palpable in the thick air that was the Great Hall. She lowered her wand, but her eyes were still meeting Dumbledore's. She was not shrinking back from this one, not looking for a way out of punishment.
On the contrary, she stepped down from where she was standing on the bench and said, "He deserved more than what he got. He's lucky you came over. I'll meet you in your office, Sir."
She strode out of the Hall angrily, head held high, electricity still visible in it, and as she did, her eyes met Sirius', and he found himself shocked at their color, a green so dark and at the same time so bright that he swore it was hypnotizing. He inhaled softly, but to quickly, and she let out a quiet but wild laugh before reaching the doors, swinging them open, and leaving the Hall in two seconds of silence before a hushed roar began.
"Who was that?" He asked no one in particular, and as James muttered that he had no idea, Remus supplied,
"She's new. This year, actually. From what I understand she's American originally. Muggle dad."
"What the hell's she doing in Slytherin then?" Asked James.
"Didn't you hear what she said? Told Dumbledore straight out that she'd have cursed my brother had she gotten the chance. Now while I wouldn't blame her for her target, it takes a lot of something to act like that towards our Head."
"A lot of stupidity. Which only proves that she doesn't belong in Ravenclaw." James answered. This earned a laugh from Remus, and Sirius smiled as the Great Hall returned to its normal self, laughing along with the jokes and plans his friends made, but all he could think about for the rest of the day was that girl, and the color of her eyes as she laughed at him.