Becoming Sirius Black's girlfriend was a tiresome endeavor and it didn't have anything to do with Sirius himself. The school on the other hand made it the center of gossip that wouldn't quit as the winter semester carried out. I was used to hearing rumours of Sirius from the six years we had attended school together but it was another thing entirely when I was a part of those rumours now.
Suddenly the two bachelors of Gryffindor were in committed relationships and the school didn't know how to react. This meant that Lily and I went around the school together quite often since we found it better to face the ogling, and sometimes resentful stares and jousts, in solidarity.
Lily was also a big help with reeling James in whenever he couldn't quite take the sight of Sirius with his arm wrapped around me or kissing me quite proudly before class. Of course being Sirius Black's girlfriend meant that I needed to adapt to his more public displays of affection since he didn't seem to care for the fact that these displays roused even more attention than we were already receiving.
Sirius also didn't slow down in his usual routine of carrying on with the Marauders, all except for his flirtatious nature. That was now solely reserved just for me.
"Are you sure it's safe?" I asked one night when the full moon was due to come out and I was finally voicing my concerns since finding out about Remus's fury little problem as the boys liked to put it.
"We've been doing this for two years now Ly, it's foolproof," Sirius grinned but I still felt a little uneasy about him, James and Peter going out when Remus was turned into a wolf.
"Well you are a bunch of fools," I couldn't help taking the bait and caught Sirius's rye grin that I proceeded to kiss off his face.
Sirius had adamantly persisted the other three Marauders to let me venture out with them during a full moon. James had been wholly against the idea, but since Remus agreed the argument was settled. But the only way to appease everyone was that I would only sit on the front steps of the school while James and Peter kept Remus away from us. Sirius would sit with me, turning into his animagus if necessary.
The moon was shining from its hiding place behind the clouds. I had waited fairly impatiently in the common room with Blythe giving me several sideways looks that said she knew I was planning on stealing away with Sirius once everyone else went to bed. But what I kept from my best friend and the rest of my dormmates was the rest of the plan. Even Lily didn't know about Remus yet, but it was something I felt Remus would tell her in his own time. Whereas I had found out accidentally on my own, I felt Lily was becoming someone very dear to Remus and whom he might actually tell one day.
This made me a little exasperated since I felt it was something that would spark things between him and Zelene if he were to confide in her, but I wasn't going to push them either.
"Sit here Ly, I want to show you something," Sirius practically beamed under the moonlight but I knew better to be cautious of this particular expression. "Don't look at me like that!"
My expression turned rueful before I took the seat beside Sirius on the steps that led out to the grounds to wait for Remus and the others to appear.
I continued to be skeptical watching Sirius take out a large piece of parchment from his robes.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Sirius uttered the strange words but I wasn't able to say anything as I watched the parchment come alive on the page.
Sirius lit a lumos charm and I was clearly able to see how the parchment turned into a kind of map of Hogwarts. I would recognise these grounds anywhere, especially since I figured I had seen more of it than most.
"Where did you get this?" I asked without holding back my surprise.
Usually I was able to suppress any shock and this was something Sirius knew about me. So his grin turned proud when he saw that he had indeed surprised me.
"We made it, the Marauders I mean," Sirius explained easily and I took the map hastily from his grip to inspect it more closely.
On the opened fold, I gazed in awe at the two name scrawls that appeared on the front stoop of Hogwarts; Adeline Potter & Sirius Black.
I was at an immediate loss for words before seeing three more names approaching slowly from the grounds; James Potter. Peter Pettigrew. Remus Lupin.
I looked up in keen interest and squinted into the darkness to make out the strange appearance of a large stag and rather wiry looking wolf near the Whomping Willow. I couldn't see Peter, but the map told me he was there and Sirius had explained that since Peter was a rat, I wouldn't be able to see him in the dark from this distance.
Sirius gripped my hand but this was his only giveaway of his anxiety. I looked over to see his proud expression, watching his friends frollicking in the grounds like it was completely normal to see a werewolf and a couple of animagi at Hogwarts.
"That's James?" I couldn't help asking what was obvious to Sirius.
But if he thought it was a stupid thing to ask, he didn't say anything. Instead he squeezed my hand and let a silence fall between us as I stared out in awe. The three boys-turned-animal didn't come any closer than the Whomping Willow, but it was close enough for a good look.
I didn't know how long it had been by the time I pried my eyes away and looked appraisingly at Sirius. He felt my gaze move and smiled knowingly, a sign of the years we had known each other.
"You want to see?" Sirius asked and I nodded with increasing curiosity.
It seemed even more bewildering to sit and watch my boyfriend turn into a creature. Sirius stood up from the stoop and walked down onto the grass. His eyes never left mine as those same eyes lowered and sank into another body.
The black dog that stood in front of me was unmistakably Sirius. Despite the fact that I had just watched the transformation, it didn't quite prove in my mind that this was real. It was the fact that the dog's shaggy, gleaming black fur was identical to Sirius's hair. It was also his gray eyes, giving me the same stare he always did.
A few seconds later Sirius reformed into a wizard once again and I stood up to touch him. My hand ran over his forehead, pushing a lock of his hair from his face. His skin was the same as always and his eyes still held my gaze.
"What do you think?" Sirius asked, sounding much less sure of himself than normal.
"You're an idiot for doing something so incredibly illegal," Sirius's expression was both disappointed and proud which was a strange mixed expression. "But you are also incredibly smart to figure out something so difficult and you are kind for doing it all for Remus."
Sirius's expression changed into something that increased my heart rate quite rapidly. And just as suddenly as it changed, his lips were crashing against mine in a sort of hungry surge. My hands wrapped into his hair and only pulled back when we both heard a howl that was most likely Remus.
"We should get going," Sirius announced, his anxiety filtering back that his human girlfriend was sitting outside when a werewolf was also roaming the grounds.
I knew he would most likely return to the rest of the Marauders once he escorted me to the common room. Sirius wouldn't let James and the others have that much fun and freedom without him.
It was also nice that he used the map so we avoided running into any professors. Things suddenly lined up in my head as to why the Marauders had far fewer detentions lately. I had chalked it up to Remus being prefect but this made much more sense.
Once we were at the Fat Lady's portrait, Sirius promptly pulled me forward and crushed his lips to mine in a flurry of affection. The disgruntled sneer of the portrait lady didn't stop Sirius from giving and taking his goodnight kiss until he was satisfied. I was admittedly winded by the time he pulled back but would never tell him that.
But the glint in his eyes and satisfied smirk told me he was content before I finally turned to head into the common room and Sirius turned with the map in hand to return to the grounds.
"Good night, Ly," Sirius called out as I stepped through the portrait hole.
I turned around and smiled as the portrait closed slowly behind me, his smile being both irritating and endearing at the same time; a perfect description of my our new relationship.
XX
Divination was usually only made bearable by the fun I had with Max and Elodie. But the professor felt like creating a better learning environment or some such nonsense, so he paired each of us up at his choosing. That was the only way I was sitting across from Adrian, arms folded crossly over my chest.
Adrian stared back, his own look of contempt apparent, but I knew I would wear him down. I had my game face on, eyeing him resolutely and with as much annoyance as I could muster, which was a lot considering my brother was James Potter.
As I predicted, which I guess was relevant to the class, Adrian finally let up with one last scowl and spoke first.
"Look Addie, I need to get my NEWT in this class, so can we just get this over with?" Adrian's question started snidely but ended up sounding more pleading.
I just gestured for him to start, indicating to the crystal ball sitting between us.
The only thing I was glad about was that we weren't reading palms today, so Adrian wouldn't have to touch my hand.
Adrian proceeded to stare into the swirling orb and referred to his book several more times than I would have thought necessary. But just before I went to scoff at his overzealous efforts, he looked up with a funny sort of look in his eyes. His stare was boring into mine, something that made me uncomfortable since we were now broken up and I was dating someone else.
"The colour black," Adrian pointed to the sudden darkening of the orb and I figured he would recite whatever the text book said about that particular colour change, "is a mark for death that will follow in your shadow until an untimely demise."
I unfolded my arms in surprise that Adrian would say something so forward and hostile. My head tilted forward, leaning towards the ever darkening globe that now felt ominous, if I was going to believe in this kind of thing.
"Two guardians will fall, but this will only be the first mark of tragedy on the name of Potter."
My mouth gaped now at Adrian before turning into a tight lipped scowl.
"Stop it. This isn't funny Adrian. What kind of sick revenge is this anyways?" I asked, not wanting to think that someone I dated would sink this low to hurt me. But Adrian kept going with his boring gaze and continued talking like I hadn't.
"Wedding bells will toll only for two lovers to fall from grace; one in shackles, one in death. Your end will be brought by your worst fear, marking the second and third tragedies."
"ENOUGH!" I stood up, pushing back my chair and catching Elodie looking over with worry since she was sitting only the next table over.
"Two boys born at summer's end…"
"What's going on over here?" Professor Medea finally came over, looking only mildly concerned that Adrian was still babbling like a crazed fool.
"…Black and Potter will always protect each other."
I missed half of what Adrian was saying now, but as soon as he paused his eyes became more focused and lost their previous glossy haze.
He continued looking at the orb before looking up at me confused.
"I think black means you're going to have a bad day, is that right professor?" Adrian asked like the last five minutes hadn't just happened, making me completely unsettled that I had just been given a cursed prophecy.
"Adrian, what the hell was all that? Do you think it's funny? Telling me, what, that I'm going to die or something?" I shouted at him before bending over to collect my rucksack.
"What are you talking about Addie?" Adrian's tone sounded sincere but I wasn't interested in any viable excuse.
Instead, I ran out of the classroom and didn't wait to see if Elodie or Max were going to follow. I started at a jog but quickly increased my speed until I was sprinting through the vacant halls until my feet felt grass under my trainers. It was like my body had an instinctual reaction every time I was upset, leading me to my broomstick that was locked in the quidditch equipment shed.
I threw my rucksack into the changerooms before jogging back out to the pitch. I swung my leg over my broom and kicked off with one foot before settling onto the broom in midair. I had been flying since I was three years old when James got his first broom for Christmas. In the freezing cold, James and I bundled in our snowsuits and practiced kicking off until our father ordered us in for dinner. Both of us had been covered in mud and bruises, but I had never been so happy. Flying felt like freedom and it was something I wanted to feel, pushing the thoughts away that told me I had just been handed a death sentence.
The orb had turned black and I knew enough about Divination to get my OWL that it did in fact foretell great tragedy, like death. But I couldn't help but make the connection that my boyfriend's surname was Black, a curse all in itself. And black was supposed to bring about death.
I shook my head at this, remembering how Sirius promised to protect both me and James the day I faced my boggart. And there was no way Sirius would ever betray me or James, or any one of us. I loved him, despite not having explicitly told him that yet.
But there was no way he was going to cause my death, let alone an untimely one.
Two guardians will fall, but this will only be the first mark of tragedy on the name of Potter.
Guardians were most likely in reference to my parents, which I didn't want to contemplate. I was already riddled with anxiety, looking over the Prophet every morning to keep tabs on the investigations my parents were conducting.
One of three tragedies Adrian said.
The first will be my parents.
Wedding bells will toll only for two lovers to fall from grace; one in shackles, one in death. Your end will be brought by your worst fear, marking the second and third tragedies.
This one made less sense to me. But Adrian seemed to be referencing my death again. But my worst fear, as confirmed by my boggart in my fourth year, was James getting himself killed. How was that supposed to kill me? But somehow this would bring about the second and third tragedy for my family.
But that hadn't been all Adrian rambled on about. He mentioned something about two boys being born at the end of the summer, but that didn't add up. Sirius was born at the beginning of November and James's birthday is March 27th.
And it couldn't be Max or Wendall since they both had birthdays in May.
"Addie?" the sound of Blythe's voice cut through my whirling thoughts before I turned to find her flying idly towards me.
I slowed my flying but didn't answer her, even though she knew she'd gotten my attention.
Blythe didn't say anything at first and this was one of the reasons we had become best mates. Although Blythe was always candid when she spoke, she was also good at gauging when not to speak. And right now I needed the quiet of the quidditch pitch to clear my head.
It was twenty minutes later when I had almost slowed to a stop to idle in the air that Blythe finally said something.
"You've never been one to believe in Divination Addie. I know you only take it for an easy credit," Blythe exclaimed and I knew that Elodie must have filled her in.
I finally turned to look at her but she wasn't wearing any worried expression like the others surely would have. Another reason I got along with Blythe so well.
"I know that. And Adrian is also a git," I added but Blythe nodded at what I wasn't saying.
That despite thinking Divination was a crackpot class and that Adrian was an idiot, I was rattled nonetheless.
"You know, we could die tomorrow," such a statement was even bold by Blythe's standards so I gaped at her before she continued. "Amycus or Alecto could unseat us from our brooms during a game and we could fall to our death. One of the Death Eaters-in-waiting could corner us in the hallway like Bellatrix used to and get us with an Unforgivable. Or a war could break out with You Know Who attacking Britain and we could perish."
"Your point?" I snapped, Blythe's words only skyrocketing my anxiety.
"My point is that even if Adrian got it right, it's no reason to stop living now. As I see it, the world is changing and not for the better. If we can all get through this it'll be a bloody miracle. But I also know that Adeline Potter is no coward and won't back down because her ex is a git."
Blythe's stare held determination and I finally smiled back at her.
"Race you?" I blurted out, accepting Blythe's words as more true than Adrian's prediction. But I needed to feel alive and flying around with my best mate was a sure way of doing that.
In response Blythe took off, soaring across the pitch and I leaned forward to chase after her. Feeling the wind in my face and the cool evening air, in that moment I swore to live in spite of everything and keep pushing forward like I already had my entire life.
I would keep choosing to be with Sirius and I would keep chasing after James and keep getting stronger to protect my friends. Black might be my curse, but it was also worth fighting for.