Hi everyone! I got lots of replies today!
RumRunner: No, I don't horse ride... as you can tell. I'd love to though! They have no horses for riding here... No farms... No nice green pastures... =( I saw that on The Wild Thornberrys!! They said that, so I just copied them. It was Marianne Thornberry's fault! Lolx.
Reader: Thanks, credit for her name actually goes to my friend Min. She had this name Khyreine Wei that she made up, and I was like "Do you mind if I use part of your name for my fic?" And she was like okay, so that's how Reine came about.
Hunnie07: Hello!!!!!! Welcome to the fic! Thanks for reviewing so much! My writer's block is at Page 97. We are now at Page 27. =D Something tells me I have to break this into two or that drop down menu is going to be humongous. Just don't feel like posting 7 pages at one go... I'm very used to posting 1 page per post. That's what I do at the HP Boards.
Chapter 20 - The glory of sunset furls away into the opening arms of nightI found myself sitting at the peak of the highest hill around, staring out at the sunset. I bent my legs in front of me and looped my arms around them. The wind blew gently rippling through my air, cooling my face. The sky was a peachy orange, the clouds glowed and the sun was just beginning to lower itself behind the tall majestic mountains.
The air smelt sweet of lilacs and lavenders. A sudden gush of wind blew making my hair dance in the air and then it calmed slightly. I smiled. It was the last time I'll see the sunset here before I go to Hogwarts. The sun was sinking gradually behind the mountains, making the sky redder and redder until it will eventually grow to the colour of violets.
"Hey," said a soft, deep voice.
I turned and saw Sirius standing coolly some distance behind. He smiled a soft, gentle smile and walked over to me, his hands in his pockets.
"Hey," I replied.
There was silence while we both stood staring at the sunset, the only sound heard came from the rustling of leaves and the brushing sound of the forest trees.
Sirius eventually walked forwards and settled down next to me still staring out at the sunset. The tips of the sun was touching the mountain valley, and the ray of sunshine could be seen peeking in between the valleys, making the river that snaked through it sparkle like diamonds.
"I brought you something I picked up on the way here," he said drawing out something that was poking from his shirt pocket. "It's a rose!" He grinned as he handed it to me.
I laughed quietly. "Sirius... it's a daisy."
He looked around uneasily and smiled. "I knew that."
I reached out to take it from him but just then our fingers touched and I snapped back reflexively, letting the daisy fall to the grass. I cast an uncomfortable look at him and edged a couple of inches away. I just feel insecure whenever he or James was around. Just them and nobody else. It made me feel unprotected and vulnerable, I couldn't explain why nor could I fight it. There was just this fear that existed inside of me.
I stole a quick glance at him and saw him staring, his eyebrows knitted in confusion, anger, frustration... I don't know. But I looked down at the ground, keeping my head low.
"You seem different Reine," he said quietly.
I kept quiet. I stared at the exact same spot of grass for god knows how long, but the sun had moved across the sky quite a bit and now it couldn't be seen at all. Only the rays of bright red which it left behind.
"Really?" I whispered unbelievingly.
"Are you afraid of me?"
"Of course not... why would I be..." I asked meekly, avoiding his gaze.
"Do you not like me?"
"I do like you."
"Do I smell or something?"
I turned and gave him a look. He didn't laugh nor did he smile... his face held the same tense, strained look he had been wearing.
"I know something happened..." he said solemnly. My heart skipped a beat and I looked at him, trying to see if he had managed to guess. "Just tell me about it... I can help you..."
"Nothing happened Sirius... why do you keep saying there is?" I asked nervously.
"I promise I won't tell anyone..." insisted Sirius. "What happened?"
I kept quiet.
"When will you be ready to tell me?" Sirius asked again.
"What's to tell? There's nothing to tell..."
"I think there is..."
"Well, You-Know-Who just kept me in that hut... that's it."
"Where did all those cuts come from?"
"He's not gentle..."
Sirius kept quiet after that.
"Listen... why don't we talk about something more cheerful?" I asked desperately. He left a lingering gaze upon me before nodding.
"Tell me how Hogwarts is like," I said.
"Well... it's a place where you have to see to believe the beauty of it. The first time you'll get to see it is from Hogsmead station... dark and magical, its numerous windows shimmering gold in the night sky accompanied by the moon that shone its silvery light onto the castle. Around Hogwarts, there's a lake... but at night, it's inky black and deadly calm. During the day, we students often splash around in it when it's really hot and during winter, you can go ice-skating. But there is the Giant Squid that lives down there. It often comes to the surface to have some fun."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Well... it doesn't harm us unless we provoke it," explained Sirius. "The castle inside is magnificent... The Great Hall is always cheerfully lit and grandly decorated during feasts, especially during Christmas. Ghosts are singing carols, everlasting icicles are placed on the banisters, a large, marvelous shimmering Christmas tree always stands at the back of the Great Hall, behind the teachers' table."
"Wow... it sounds awesome."
"It is... but this year's going to be tough though... I might even have to complete all of my homework this time."
I smiled. "NEWTs..."
There was a long pause and I fiddled absent-mindedly with the daisy. Stroking its furry stem and velvet dark red petals.
"Listen," he said quietly. "Look at me Reine..."
I tore my eyes away from the calm and looked into his eyes. He gazed directly into mine.
"It's bothering me so bad, Reine, that I know that you're suffering in silence."
"I'm not suffering! I'm okay now," I replied frustrated. Sheesh, why can't he just give it a rest?
"Well if you ever feel alone... or if you need a friend, just call and I'll come running," he said gently with a trace of a smile upon his lips.
Angry and frustrated as I was, I felt touched by his words. But you said friend... I guess that's all we'll be, Sirius... friends.
My anger ebbed away. "Thanks," I whispered and averted my gaze once again at the trees, swaying in rhythm. He had no idea how much it meant to me. Neither did he know how deep he had touched my heart when he said those words.
Sirius turned to watch the sunset, the last half of the sun was sinking into the mountains, showering its last warm rays of sunlight upon the earth.
We returned home just before it got too dark. After dinner, I retired to my room to settle my school things.