Sirius wondered the halls of the school searching for some dark quiet place where he could just get away from everyone and everything. It had been an extremely cool and windy evening and James had gone out too Quidditch practice directly after supper, and Sirius was in no mode for anyone else's company. He always became a bit melancholy when separated from his best friend but tonight was especially depressing for him because he had received a letter from his mother.
He had only just gotten back to school and she had already decided that he would not be welcome over the holidays. What was worse she absolutely forbid him to spend his holidays with the Potters' where she knew he would be welcome, not to mention happy.
You are to stay in school and spend your time preparing for your OWLs.
She wrote in sharp swirling letters. Sirius didn't particularly care about going home but it was absolutely embarrassing always having to make up some fishy story to cover for his mothers lack of interest. James would not understand why he would not be able to go with him to the Hollow for the holidays and Sirius dreaded trying to explain.
Sirius tried to banish the thought of his mother as he climbed the stairs toward the Astronomy tower. He was going to watch the Gryffindor Quidditch team practice from one of the huge glass windows where he would not be inconvenienced by the brisk weather. It was exactly the type of weather that James played best in, Sirius pictured his friend finding him after practice flushed and exhilarated and ready to take on the world. They would sit in the common room for the rest of the night stuffing their faces with sweets while James gave him the play by play of everything that had happened during practice, all the while demonstrating every new move he had tried. If only Quidditch practice were over all ready, Sirius thought. No one was ever able to cheer him up like James.
Sirius opened the door to the empty Astronomy tower and headed stealthily up the thin iron staircase that clung to the curved stone wall leading to the narrow indoor observation deck. Although narrow and littered with cupboards and shelves packed with tools, lenses, and charts the observatory was brilliant. It had high wide windows that reached fifty feet to the slope of the ceiling where each window ended in a point giving the effect of gigantic archways. Sirius found a long bench cushioned in dark burgundy velvet near to one of the windows where he collapsed on his back gazing up at the pink and orange sky just beyond the glass. He breathed a loud sigh of relief, this place always helped to clear his mind, he just couldn't be depressed looking out across the open sky dreaming of being free.
"So, who are you hiding from?" A voice said from the far corner of the observatory.
Sirius sat up quickly seizing his wand from his robes upon realizing that he was not alone. Five windows down and obscured by several telescopes and step stools stood Bellatrix. She was not looking at him but instead resting her forehead against the cold surface of the glass window and gazing down at the grounds. She wore black velvet robes baring the Slytherin house crest and lined in silky gray fur, as she backed away from the window and turned towards him, he noticed that she was wearing simple blue jeans and a gray ribbed sweater. Bella smiled and began to walk over to Sirius.
"Did I scare you?" She asked smartly exuding a bit of pride at the prospect.
"Of course you did! I thought I was alone." Sirius answered sounding annoyed. He was really in no frame of mind to hold a conversation with anyone, especially another blasted member of the Noble House of Black.
Bella took a seat on Sirius's velvet bench, her smile fading as she leaned resting her elbows on her knees and gently perching her face in hands, her eyes fixed on the darkening sky. There was absolutely nothing about her that was child like; she seemed to have the weight of the world on her shoulders at all times. Even her smiles seemed strained and dishonest, masks for hiding some deeper terrible feelings.
"I'm sorry I disturbed you, I just needed somewhere to be alone I had no idea anyone would make their way up here." Bella said distractedly. "I was actually happy to see that it was you and not…well not anyone else." Sirius warmed at the thought of her being glad to see him.
"Are you avoiding someone?" He asked her gently, hoping that she would stop gazing blankly out the window and turn to look at him with those bewitching eyes. Bella dropped her head and laughed lightly.
"According to my sister I'm avoid my own life. That's a joke, as if my life were my own." Bella said sarcastically more to herself than to Sirius. Bella's hair slowly and silently began falling all around her lowered head, she absently ran both of her hands through it and sat up suddenly facing Sirius.
"Do you know why we're here Sirius?" Asked Bella.
"Well yeah. I guess we both wanted to be alone…not that I mind that you're here." Sirius tried to recover. Bella's smile formed instantly back on her face.
"No! I mean Narcissa and myself, why we are here at Hogwarts."
Sirius felt his face go red. "You mean it wasn't for the sole purpose of tormenting me?"
"That was just added incentive for me, cousin dear. You know that I couldn't turn down the prospect of coming to Hogwarts, destroying your reputation and turning your perfect little world on it's ear." Bella said with an evil smile twirling one of her delicate fingers playfully through his hair.
"It's Andromeda she eloped with some muggle born named Ted Tonks, and no one has seen or heard from her since she sent Mother and Father the letter to say that she was married and beyond their reach forever.
"You're joking! Andromeda? The apple of your mum's eye?" Sirius said slightly amused.
"I'm surprised that your mother didn't mention it to you, I thought for sure that you of all people would know." Said Bella.
"Yeah right. I can't be trusted with any family secrets, or haven't you heard?" Grumbled Sirius, looking down to poke grumpily at a frayed bit of velvet on the corner of the bench, again sounding annoyed at the thought of his mother.
"Actually I have." Bella replied gently.
Sirius looked at her in surprise, then resigning to the truth began to smile.
"You know that our mothers are the only two truly evil people on earth don't you?" Bella snorted a laugh and continued with her story.
"Well, Andromeda met Ted last year while she was attending Beauxbaton and they fell in love, he's actually really hansom and he is so sweet to her."
"Do you mean to tell me that you and Narcissa didn't rat her out to your parents?" Asked Sirius.
"She's my oldest sister, and besides who am I to tell Andromeda Black anything. Narcissa was a different story though, Andromeda practically hexed her into a coma over the course of the year. I still don't think that she is quite right from it." Bella said furrowing her brow.
"Bellatrix Black! You sound as though you approve of what she did. If your mother could hear you she'd hex you into a coma." Sirius said teasingly.
"If not worse!" Agreed Bella. "But I feel like Andromeda escaped her iron clad, predetermined destiny. Maybe she traded it for disgracefully shameful one but the bottom line is that she is free. I know that she is happy, even if Narcissa and I suffer for it. I must be proud of her for demanding control of her life." A shadow came across Bella as she said this, then shaking it of she smiled. "They fear that she is pregnant now."
Sirius sputtered laughter, "Oh my God! What I wouldn't give just to shake Ted Tonks' hand."
"Well my parent's were of course furious, they looked like complete idiots so they blamed the school. Said that they brain washed Andromeda and said that the school should be shut down. They acted like it was some kind of brothel. A lot of pure blood families pulled their kids out of Beauxbaton because of Andromeda's situation. Now Mother and Father are looking to save face with Narcissa and I."
"How so?" Asked Sirius.
"Well…swear to me that you will not tell. I refuse to hurt my family anymore than they already are and even though it is excepted in pure blood society, it is frowned upon at Hogwarts." She answered seriously.
"I swear!" Sirius promised cautiously.
"Over the summer they arranged Narcissa's engagement into an upstanding Wizarding family." Said Bella solemnly.
"What?" yelled Sirius sounding appalled. "She's just a kid! How could they do that to her?" Bella studied Sirius nervously, afraid to continue.
"She's older than you!" Bella cried defensively. "You won't say that I told you. Please don't say anything!" She pleaded.
"Of course not Bella, I wouldn't betray your trust." Sirius said looking directly into her overly bright, miserable eyes as tears began to stream down Bella's face. Sirius, not at all expecting that reaction, did the first thing that came to mind. He grabbed up the corner of his school robe and began to wipe softly at her tears.
"Why are you crying? I'm sorry I got upset." Sirius apologized.
"No! Don't be sorry. You're right to be upset. It's sickening and what's worse they mean to do the same with me if they haven't already!" Bella sobbed. Suddenly the reality of the situation dawned on Sirius; Rudolphus Lestrange was being positioned to be affianced to Bella who could not stand to be in his presence.
No wonder she's crying. He thought to himself, with a disgusted shiver at the thought of Rudolphus.
Sirius pulled Bella close to him and she buried her head in his chest still sobbing. The sun's last rays of light were almost fully submerged in the depths of the distant mountains. Sirius had just realized how dark it had become when like clockwork the vast narrow observatory's torches all burst into flame simultaneously. Sirius and Bella both jumped in surprise then began to laugh, Sirius still holding her in his arms and not really wanting to let her go.
Suddenly the Astronomy Tower door crashed open below them. They sat stark still not even risking to breath. They began to hear voices and movement on the iron staircase, then the worst fate of all they heard what they both recognized as Rudolphus and Lucius' voices heading towards them.
Bella's eye's were huge and silently pleading with Sirius to help her find some way out. Sirius' heart was racing, he glanced around and noticing what seemed to be a broom closet he pulled Bella and himself inside and without a sound pulled the thick wooden door closed.
Safe for the moment they could hear Rudolphus, Lucius, and several other muffled voices entering the observatory. It was pitch black in the small closet and Sirius could feel Bella shaking out of shock and fear of being discovered alone with him. Sirius again pulled her against himself to help calm her shaking, she immediately relaxed and pulled her arms into his chest. Standing in the quiet darkness, Sirius could swear that his heart was beating so loudly that they would surly be discovered.
Stroking some of the long silky strands of hair that were clinging to him out of Bella's face Sirius leaned in without warning to himself laid his hand lightly on Bella's neck gently pulling her to his lips and kissed her. When their lips met waves of warm electric excitement spread through their bodies and they pressed closer together in the precarious darkness of the small musty closet.
Bella gave in completely to Sirius, caught in the rapture of the kiss sliding her hands forcefully up his chest to rest on the nape of his neck. "Don't stop" Bella said in a barely audible whisper that blew gently against his lips.
On the other side of the door several fifth year Slytherins bustled about gathering telescopes, tripods, and lenses under the watchful eye of Head Boy Lucius Malfoy.
"Come on everyone, we don't have all night, gather up your tools and be careful not to break anything." Lucius commanded in a fiercely superior tone. He turned back to Rudolphus who had not lifted a finger to assist his classmates in collecting the inventory that was needed for their evening Astronomy lab being held on the outside observation deck of the Astronomy Tower.
"I so have more important things to attend to at the moment." Complained Lucius with a bitter sigh. The two stately boys stood examining the school grounds from one of the center windows of the observatory like lions surveying their Pride Land. Rudolphus bent his head and smiled.
"So, how are things with the future Lady Malfoy?" Rudolphus inquired in a hushed voice.
"From the looks of it I'm fairing better than you my friend. Miss Bellatrix Black is proving to be a bit more of a hand full than you were planning on I suspect." Lucius answered returning Rudolphus' naturally menacing smile.
"Oh, I'm actually pleasantly surprised at her resistance to bend to my will." Rudolphus said smugly. "Maybe I won't become disinterested in her quite so quickly this way." Lucius eyed him skeptically.
"To each his own." He said as he began to follow the last of the students down the thin staircase.
Suddenly they heard a loud clatter mingled with shattering glass from the floor bellow.
"Damn it! What was that?" Lucius yelled furiously and shoved several students into the wall as he quickened his decent down the stairs. At the bottom of the steps two boys were squatting on the floor quickly attempting to clean up the shattered mess that now lay on the uneven stone.
"Zambini! What the hell happened?" Lucius spat.
"It was Severus! He was hovering. He makes me terribly uneasy when he hovers." Said Olis Zambini getting to his feet glaring at Severus Snape.
"Well good job both of you! You two will be the ones to report to Professor Beltane that you have destroyed his precious equipment!" Bellowed Lucius.
"Severus, go get a dust bin and clean this mess up, I won't have you just leaving it here!" Ordered Lucius.
"But…I did nothing!" Severus began, but was promptly cut off by Rudolphus.
"Treed with care Severus. Malfoy's in no mood to hear excuses this evening." He said in a lofty tone. Lucius was staring at Severus threateningly looking as though he would explode with frustration any minute. Severus took a deep breath tossing a large piece of glass back down to the floor where it shattered getting lost in the debris. He shot Olis a terrifying look and stormed back up the stairs.
"Don't take the rest of the night to clean it up either, Severus. I'm not excusing you from your lab!" Called Lucius, after the tall thin boy.
Severus tensed at this comment slowing his pace up the stairs.
"Understood?" Lucius asked returning to his cool commanding voice.
Severus clenched his fists at his sides and turned slowly to look down on the crowd of Slytherins gazing at them in hatred, not that anyone could tell through his long silky black hair that hung in his eyes masking his expressions in the now shadowy tower. Lucius raised his eyebrows in anticipation of a response.
"Completely." Severus answered with malice in his voice.
Lucius smiled triumphantly.
"Good." He said directly to Severus, then turning to his charges almost merrily he continued. "Lets be off then, Beltane is waiting."
The room beyond the thick door had become quiet again, and Sirius and Bella could feel the vibrations of several pairs of feet bounding down the observatory stairs. Sirius delicately pulled back from Bella pressing his ear to the door to see if they were once again alone. As Sirius listened his anxiety began to subside believing that they had narrowly escaped what could have been a severely nasty situation.
Sirius moved his hand to jar the door open when Bella suddenly stopped him. There was a thin crack of light along the base of the door that had just been broken by a silent shadow coming for someone or something just on the other side.
"We'll be waiting for you Severus." Rudolphus yelled, snickering form the lower door to the tower as he left. Sirius could hear Severus grumbling to himself as came towards the door. What foul luck! He though angrily reeling with desperate frustration.
Without a second thought Sirius pushed Bella behind him and quickly pined his robe against the side of the closet with his elbow feigning a leisurely stance in this the oddest of places. As Severus Snape flung the door to the tiny closet open Sirius thought of how completely ridiculous he must look just casually hanging out in a closet.
You'll never get away with this one Sirius Black, he thought to himself, Oh and how Remus will laugh when he is forced to come and collect me.
Severus had opened the door with such force that it made an echoing bang upon hitting the stone wall and began to swing quickly closed once again. Sirius took this opportunity to try anything. He handed Severus a broom and dustpan from the closets contents which Severus absently excepted being completely focused on his anger.
"Thanks." Severus said distractedly.
"Don't mention it." Answered Sirius, as the door slammed shut once more.
Severus turned and began to trudge towards the stairs when the realization of what he had just seen dawned on him.
He bolted back to the closet pulling it open once more and starring in confused disbelief at the image of Sirius Black leaning casually against the closet wall.
"Hello Severus." Said Sirius in a snotty indifferent tone.
"Black!" He hissed. "What the hell are you doing in there?"
"Well…isn't that obvious?" Sirius answered struggling to think of an excuse.
"No." Rebutted Severus who was now glaring at Sirius suspiciously. Sirius clinched his jaw impatiently ready to end the whole thing by knocking Severus out with one good punch to his narrow hook shaped nose.
"What are you hiding in there with you, Black?" Severus asked, a cruel smile beginning to form on his sallow face.
"Why don't you come and find out!" Taunted Sirius, his eyes narrowing as he thought about reaching for his wand. It was at this moment that Sirius realized that in order for him to reach or use his wand he would be forced to reveal his partner in the crime, whom at the moment he would go to any lengths to protect.
"Listen Severus, if you will just go about your business and please not say anything to anyone that you saw me here I swear that I, and any other person that I have contact with will leave you alone forever. Please just go." Pleaded Sirius.
Severus did not believe what he was hearing, he and Sirius had never gotten along. In fact since they had started school at Hogwarts Sirius and his small band of brothers had gone out of their way to make Severus the butt of all of their jokes. Anger and subtle humiliation began to boil inside of Severus as he thought on what Sirius was suggesting.
"How very presumptuous of you." He said in a slow tense voice. "As if I care how you or any of your friends act towards me." Severus said glaring with deep loathing in his eyes at Sirius who was caught a bit off guard by his tenacity.
"You have a date with destiny Sirius Black." Said Severus in a dark easy tone. "You will be sorted out eventually and at that time all debts will be squared, trust me."
"Those are strong words Severus." Came a calm friendly voice from the top of the stairs. Both boys jerked their heads in surprise to see Remus, his prefect badge glinting in the torchlight, strolling casually toward them.
"May I inquire as to what exactly you two are doing up here?" Remus asked using his most official sounding voice, his expression turning to a quizzical smile as his gaze fell upon Sirius standing in the closet.
"Coming out of the closet Sirius?" Asked Remus trying to keep a straight face. Sirius bent his head attempting to hide the smile that was fighting its way on to his face. He absolutely adored Remus who always seemed to find the most inopportune moment to make him laugh.
"So who's been demolishing Beltane's lenses?" Asked Remus with a glance back towards the stairs.
"Severus did." Answered Sirius lightly.
"I did not! It was that idiot Olis!" Severus said defensively.
"Oh, hard luck." Said Remus with a wince. "Beltane's gonna freak. You had best get the pieces to him straight away, and don't use any spells on them. Just a warning! I saw Frank Longbottom get a black eye from a telescope that he had tried to fix after breaking the eyepiece off. Bloody vicious thing. I wouldn't want to be around to see what a few broken lenses could do."
"Yes, thank you for the advice Lupin." Severus said sarcastically picking up the broom and dustpan that he had been holding and waving it out in front of him and than slamming it back down to the floor.
"Well, you're ahead of the game aren't you? Good luck then." Remus said kindly, smiling as he took a step back to clear the way between Severus and the stairs.
Severus shot Sirius a dangerous look and then turned on his heel; broom and dust pan in hand dragging loudly on the floor behind him as he headed back to the staircase. Severus blew past Remus and grumbled, "nice badge", under his breath but just loud enough for him to hear.
Remus, deciding to overlook Severus' remark, turned back to Sirius who was still standing in the doorway of the closet only now his hands were resting on either side of the narrow door frame as he leaned out cautiously trying to listen for Severus. He could hear the tinkling scraps of the glass against the stone floor as Severus hastily gathered the remains and with a thunderous sound slammed the door to the tower.
"He's gone." Said Sirius turning quickly into the closet to look at Bella. She was standing expressionless, the light from the torches dancing in the shimmer of her ebony hair. She averted her eyes from his apprehensive and searching look.
"I have to go." Bella whispered slipping past him before he could stop her. She headed swiftly to the stairs glancing up Remus as she passed in embarrassed silence.
Sirius had not turned to watch Bella leave. Feeling mortified he made his way back over to his velvet bench where he once again collapsed on his back pulling his hands through his dark hair. Remus walked over to Sirius who seemed to have forgotten that he was there. He leaned in to Sirius' path of vision and with a gentle shake of his head and a warm smile he said.
"You so have detention."
Bella was breathing heavily having run most of the way from the Astronomy Tower for dread of being discovered by anyone, her eyelashes still wet from the tears that she had cried and the ones that she was currently trying to hold back. Silently she glided down the stairs leading to the long wide hallway just outside of the Slytherin common room.
What did you just do? What were you thinking? She mentally scolded herself as she stepped in front of a massive gilded portrait of an innocently lovely woman sitting aside a stone pool of water.
The woman had extremely fair skin that was draped in muted green cloth her long tendrils of amber hair falling down all around her. With in the portrait several snakes were unobtrusively winding their way around the woman's wrists, and ankles and hiding among the Lotus flowers adrift on the pool's surface.
"Corpus Hermeticum" Bella barked watching the hall for prying eyes. The portrait slowly began to swing open permitting access to the rooms beyond.
"Come on!" Cried Bella anxiously
"Patience, young Bella." The woman in the portrait said in a dreamy celestial voice. Bella ducted beyond the portrait into the immeasurable vastness of the Slytherin common room, glancing around tensely searching the room for anyone who might be searching for her.
The Slytherin common room was grand to say the least, there were several thick wide chairs covered in soft black leather arranged throughout the room as well as a few large over stuffed couches covered in emerald green velvet. Every enormous window in the space looked out underneath the lake adjacent to the castle allowing murky rolling waves of light too gently flow over the contents of the room. At the center of the room directly across from the portrait hole stood an enormous fireplace constructed solely of black marble covered in veining of a smoky green hue. The fireplace stood seven feet high and over fifteen feet wide supporting a large carving of a Cobra's head ready to strike fangs glinting.
Feeling that the common room was sufficiently empty Bella strode across the vastness towards the inner hallways that housed the dorm rooms. Turning down the coiling hall she again began too berate herself. What in GOD's name were you doing? Bella screamed silently, raising her hand to rest on her forehead, shielding her damp eyes.
"What in GOD's name have you been doing?" Said a voice peaking out from one of the many doorways on either side of the cold torch lit hall.
"My god, I reprimand myself as if I were my own sister…that's just sick." Bella mumbled to herself as she breezed past Narcissa, who was swiftly pulling her long silk emerald green robe on over her matching nightgown and following on Bella's heels.
"Where in the hell have you been?" Narcissa roared, her white blond hair flying loosely behind her as Bella turned into her room touching the lock on the door with her wand for it to open.
"None of your business." Exclaimed Bella in bitter frustration, as she slipped through the doorway quickly slamming the heavy door on Narcissa.
The room was drafty and dark yet it was one of the only Slytherin dorm rooms that actually had a small window toward the ceiling that was above the level of the lake. Bella had insisted that if they were to automatically sort her into Slytherin upon her mother's request that she absolutely could not live under water. Her mother and Narcissa viewing the request as a future means of escape had several thick iron bars placed outside of the window.
In one fluid movement Bella pulled the black satin ribbon that drew her velvet robes together at the chest, and flung it over the end of the closest of the two full sized beds that resided in the room. She threw herself down, face first into her pillow on the far bed below the high thin window. She lay there face down for a moment before rolling over roughly, an exquisite smile forming on her face as she attempted to mentally relive every second of her first kiss.
The room remained unlit aside from a slight hint of moonlight that just allowed Bella to see the subtle outlines of her room, not that she was looking at anything that was currently in her presence. All she could think on were his deep blue eyes and the way they seemed to drink her in. She drew her fingers up to lightly touch her lips as she thought of the way that he had so sensually kissed her in their secretive darkness.
"He's defiantly done that before." She sighed with uneasy excitement. A noise from the door suddenly broke into her dreaming causing her to sit up quickly groping for her wand.
"Blast! Where is it?" She growled as Narcissa barged into the room.
"Lumos!" Narcissa commanded, carelessly flicking her wand toward the stone mantled fireplace across the room.
Instantly the room was flooded with warm light from the torches set in their silver sconces and the now crackling fire ablaze in the hearth. Bella stealthily connected with her wand hidden among her crimson chenille blanket, she let her hand rest on it where it lay just incase her sister was in a homicidal mood.
"I want an explanation, Bellatrix!" Narcissa demanded narrowing her eyes at her sister as if trying to read fine print on Bella's face, her wand gripped firmly in her hand. Looking up at Narcissa from the bed Bella got a jolting chill. It was unnerving how much Narcissa looked and sounded like their mother with her tall willowy build and waist length flaxen blond hair. Bella desperately worked to clear her mind of the night's events anticipating her sister's course of action. She braced herself as she felt Narcissa reaching out with her mind attempting to infiltrate her thoughts and take the answers that she was seeking. Bella knowing that Narcissa's attempt was failing began to smile boldly.
"Why not give me a moment to answer you?" She said trying to sound calm and unshaken, which was extremely difficult with the hot headed Narcissa Black clutching her wand at her side.
"Cut the formalities and answer me now, I'll give you no more time to concoct one of your clever stories." Narcissa said with stern conviction.
"I just went to explore the school Narcissa. I hate it down here. I went up to the Astronomy Tower to look over the grounds." Answered Bella, a pleading look on her face. Narcissa relaxed her grip on her wand and moved to sit on the bed next to Bella her face softening.
"Listen Bella, everything that you do reflects on me not to mention our parents. You really need to start acting your age." Saying this Narcissa carefully gathered Bella's thick loose hair and turning her gently began weaving it into a long plat.
"It's a bit embarrassing that one of the most eligible young wizards at Hogwarts is interested in you and you're off gallivanting around the school at all hours instead of dedicating yourself to winning his affections." Narcissa said in a lofty voice.
"Is that what this is about?" Bella asked dully. Rudolphus was the last person in the world that she was interested in talking about, in fact all she truly had a mind to do was to crawl back into darkness and dream about Sirius.
"Maybe I will find someone even more suitable than him, or better yet maybe I'll just become extremely powerful and successful without having to relinquish my name." Bella said in a dreamy yet defiant tone.
"You see! This is what I'm talking about Bella, your refusal to except your life for what it is. You might as well just put all of these silly fairytales out of your mind, you're fighting the inevitable you know." Narcissa said, a cold smile forming on her mouth. Bella was gazing over her shoulder at Narcissa who had come to the bottom of her plat and was now twisting the curled ends of her sister's obsidian hair around her fingers absently.
"Narcissa are you…as happy as your making out, about Lucius?" Bella asked in concern, glancing down at the monstrous five-carrot princess cut canary diamond set in platinum on Narcissa's ring finger. Narcissa flashed a shocked look at Bella, who was immediately sorry that she had said anything.
"Are you mad? Lucius is the man I have always dreamed of. My life is just beginning now that he is part of it, you would know how that feels if you would give Rudolphus half a chance." Narcissa said sounding a little uncomfortable.
"Okay, I will do my best to be nicer to Rudolphus!" Bella said in exasperation tired of hearing his name. Rolling her eyes at her younger sister's immaturity Narcissa tossed the end of Bella's braid carelessly aside.
"Tell me where you are going next time. This school is just crawling with all sorts of dirty lowlifes, you shouldn't be out alone." Narcissa ordered sourly. Bella grinned quietly wanting for a moment to taunt her sister with the fact that she was not alone but was to tiered to get into a battle of will with Narcissa at this late hour.
Narcissa left the room heading down the hall to Lucius' dorm where she had secretly taken residence since their first night happily leaving Bella with a room to herself. It had actually been an office prior to their coming to Hogwarts but upon the request of her mother, not to mention a substantial donation to the school, Head Master Dipit had it converted to house the two young ladies. Slytherin dorm rooms would usually house between two to four students all from the same year, and this was one point that Bella had been happy to have her now ridiculously over protective parents fight against. The final arrangement had been made that the sisters would share a room and everyone was appeased especially Bella who didn't make friends easily, particularly with other girls her age.
Bella distractedly got ready for bed trying to regain her thoughts of Sirius and not focus on the unpleasantness of her own all to real situations. She slid herself under her covers wondering what he was doing at that very moment, still able too catch the sent of him lingering on her skin. She inhaled deeply laying on her back her hair still in its long plat that coiled on her pillow.
She closed her eyes and focused on her surroundings then she released her breath in a slow controlled exhale. The air hesitated and swirled for a moment directly above Bella's face then as if it were a gust of wind let in through some unseen opening, the air blew through the room extinguishing all of the torches and hitting the crackling fire like a bucket of water. Bella smiled to herself as she drifted down to sleep with thoughts of her secrets to keep her warm.
It was almost midnight when the portrait swung open to reveal the forms of Sirius and Remus entering the high circular common room of Gryffindor Tower. The room was quiet and shadowy aside from the flicker and soft crackle of the dying fire in the large stone fireplace. A look of relief came over Sirius' face upon seeing the empty common room. He was dreading having to explain what had happened before he had ample time to work it out for himself. Sirius turned to Remus who he had not really spoken to during the walk back from the Astronomy Tower.
"So I guess I can't really give you a hard time about being a Prefect anymore can I?" Sirius said flashing his friend a quick smile.
"Who are you kidding? Of course you will." Remus said with a smirk, his mind eased by the broken silence. He never felt to comfortable when Sirius was being tight lipped.
"And you know? I'm okay with that." Remus paused at the surprised expression gracing Sirius' face. "Cause I'll just continue to give you detentions every time you do it." Sirius gave a hearty bark of a laugh in response.
"Now if that's not abuse of power I don't know what is. By the way, you didn't really mean what you said to me back there about having detention did you?" Sirius asked with a hopeful grin.
"Are you kidding? I catch you in a closet with some girl and you expect me to not give you detention? If I was too follow protocol the both of you would be in front of Dumbledor and Beltane right now, so consider yourself very lucky." Remus said a stern yet warm look on his face.
"We've already lost you to the badge, Moony." Sirius sighed, as he turned to head towards the boy's dormitory.
"Sirius?" Remus said looking a little confused. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it Moony?" Said Sirius, stopping to look back at Remus before heading up the stairs.
"That girl, Bellatrix, the one who was…"
"Yes Moony, what about her?" Sirius answered with slight annoyance.
"Isn't she…well I had heard…she is a Black, is she not?" Remus asked, squinting his eyes as if trying to understand.
"Is she? I hadn't noticed." Sirius said turning to quickly head up the stairs to the boys dorm bathroom in avoidance, leaving Remus to ponder.
Sirius took his time washing up in the hopes that everyone would be asleep by the time that he finally crawled into bed. Upon entering the his dorm room Sirius was forced to grope for his bed in the darkness, not even the embers in the hearth glowed any longer for lack of care. Sirius finding his bed sighed in calming relief as he situated himself under the covers.
That hadn't turned out so badly, considering the possibilities, he thought to himself as he curled into his pillow beginning to think of her again. Her long strands of hair clinging to him, how soft her skin felt to touch and to kiss, but most of all was how eagerly she had returned his affections.
What did she say, don't stop? Just the thought of hearing these words again, remembering that moment stirred feelings in him that he had to force to the back of his mind.
"Sirius?" a voice came from the darkness. Sirius' eyes flew open, he had been lost in his thoughts and wasn't sure if he had imagined the beckon or not.
"Sirius, I know you're awake!" Whispered Remus.
"Well I am now. What do you want Moony?" Sirius said in his most practiced annoyed voice.
"What were you doing in a closet with your cousin?" Remus asked trying to suppress the violent urge to laugh predicting the reaction that this comment would spur.
"You were in a closet with your cousin?" Both Peter and James yelled in unison as they sat up, James jumping onto the foot of Sirius' bed in one leap from his own.
"SHHHH!" Sirius hissed at the trio, grabbing his pillow and chucking it at Remus who was now in tears from the effort of holding back his laughter.
"Bloody minger! Now see if I go to your damn detention!" Sirius spat in a whisper.
"Your excused, it was worth it just to be able to rat you out." Snickered Remus.
"It was that girl Bella, wasn't it Moony?" James said eagerly, "Is she really your cousin Sirius?"
"If I had a cousin who looked like that I'd shag her too." Said Peter punching his pillow and laying back down now that Remus had a small candle lit on his bed side table making everyone just visible.
"You're sick Peter!" Snorted Remus still laughing.
"I didn't shag anyone!" Sirius said defensively glancing around to be sure that the other boys in the room were still asleep.
"Oh Sirius, please tell me that you didn't really do anything with her sister too." Pleaded James, grinning in a worried manner.
"Oh my GOD!" Sirius whimpered pulling his hands through his hair and resting his palms on his eyes. James, Peter, Remus, and even Sirius now where all trying to stifle their laughter so as not to awake anyone.
"Okay." Said James. "The floor is open if you want tell us what really happened, or leave us to come up with our own versions."
The Marauders never kept secrets from one another it was just an impossibility, someone would always figure you out, and then it would be ten times worse than if you had just been honest from the beginning.
"Alright, you're my brothers, I can trust you all with anything…Right?" Sirius started hesitantly. He looked around as they all nodded, now silent as the grave and waiting for the truth of what had happened between he and Bella. Sirius took a deep breath.
"I kissed her." He said glancing around for reactions. "But that's it! Nothing else, I swear!" To his surprise he got no reaction at all, his friends just sat starring at him.
"It was an accident, I didn't even mean for it to happen." Argued Sirius with no one.
"See, now he's lying." Said Remus tucking his shoulder under his crimson blanket.
"I've about had it with you Remus!" Threatened Sirius scowling.
The boys all began laughing again but this time Sirius leaned up from his bed and blew out Remus' candle, in the same motion grabbing James by the shoulders and pushing him off his bed.
"I'm going to sleep now, please hold all questions until tomorrow morning, and guys please this is a delicate situation it's not just me that's involved but…" Sirius broke off.
"On our honor Sirius, we won't ever say anything about this to anyone, I swear." Said James.
"Peter, Moony?" Asked James ruffling his hair in concerned thought for Sirius.
"Swear." said Peter.
"Of course I swear." Said Remus, throwing Sirius' pillow back over at him. It fell heavily against the back of Sirius' head, flipping his dark hair into his eyes. He grabbed it and slid it over his face hoping that it would help too block some of the thoughts that were currently swirling through his mind.
