Hello everyone. To everyone in America reading this, I hope you're alright, unharmed, and staying strong. I can offer you nothing more than solidarity and support from as far away as I am. I can also promise you a listening ear if you'd like to talk - it ain't much, but it's what I got. I know I joke about the fact that a grand total of six people are reading a Sirius BlackxOC fanfiction in 2020, but for whoever is reading - here is the Black Lives Matter google document which lists relevant charities: (www) (ally) (wiki) [add dots in the middle please].
I'm South Asian, and South Asia has a long history of racism as well, which is why it's important to educate ourselves. Although most of these texts seem to be around America, I think this document also includes educational resources. I know there are more comprehensive lists by people on the ground, but I decided to go with the official Black Lives Matter documents. Keep fighting, lads, you can do it. More power to you.
I know its weird to be posting lighthearted fanfiction with this kind of thing as an opener, but I guess if anyone wants to read it for some comfort, I should go ahead and post.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin
Dear S –
I'm glad you like whatever I leave for you. I am not normally this brave. I really did switch the first one on accident, I promise. Everything else I did is a mystery to myself.
I'm leaving something that's a bit more cheerful this time. It's my mother's copy. She didn't have a lot of books, but I raided her shelves very early in my life. It's a very funny book, and it usually makes me happy if I'm ever said.
Best,
Reader
"Ha!" said Sirius under his breath. "Ha!" he repeated.
He looked around the dormitory. Everyone was in the bathroom, and the sound of James yelling at Remus for taking the bathroom for an age was carrying. "She wrote back!" shouted Sirius. He jumped to his feet and poked his head into the bathroom. "Are you listening? She wrote back!"
"Thaff good!" said Peter, his mouth filled with toothpaste.
"Remus I fucking –"
"Shut up, Prongs, are you listening? She wrote back."
James pushed his glasses back on his nose and glared at Sirius. "You are so whipped, Padfoot, if you had any sense you would be helping me in getting this fucking hog out of the showers –"
"Oh big talk coming from you, you worship Evans–"
"–You don't even know the girl–"
"–And here you are lording it over me–"
"Be quiet," yelled Remus from the shower. "James take the other shower, for the love of Agrippa –"
"You know I hate the other showers, you know it –"
But Sirius was no longer listening. He floated outside and reread the note. He had become so familiar with her writing, he could feel the agony that had gone into the words. The clean sheet of paper, with no cuts in the writing, nothing removed showed that she had meticulously edited her note. He knew how she thought – she thought and rethought. She usually had ten different thoughts on a page – and this one, written with such clarity – spoke of a thousand shredded sheets.
Then he examined the book in question. My Family and Other Animals. It looked… fun. He didn't think she'd read a lot of very fun things, because the last one had been about a conqueror and the one before that was about a murder. This one didn't seem to be about either of those things.
"What did she send?"
It was Remus, finally out of the bathroom. Sirius avoided looking at him, since he was still shirtless.
He held up the book in question and Remus laughed. "I've read it. She's got really good taste, I have to say."
"You have?" asked Sirius, baffled.
"Yes. It's really funny."
"Funny? It's a funny book?"
"Oh, yes. Couldn't stop laughing when I read it."
Sirius was pumped. Again, there were so many scribbles on the margin. He grinned at Remus. "I'm going down for breakfast!"
Remus looked bemused, and waved him goodbye. Sirius was feeling disgustingly cheerful. This was honestly awful, he did know. He didn't like having such a thrill over a note, but she had written back.
As he rushed down, he saw June sitting in the corner, her arms wrapped around her legs. "Williams!" said Sirius excitedly.
She startled. "What?" she demanded, surprised out of her reverie.
"She fucking sent a note."
"That's great," said June glumly.
"You sound low. What's up?"
"Erm."
She looked uncomfortable for a second. "I – nothing, I just don't like – I'm hungry."
"Come, eat," said Sirius, trying to be as inviting as possible.
She hesitated.
"You know you don't have to," said Sirius "I don't bite. You seem so jumpy around me. You can say no if you don't want to be around me."
Something seemed to be going through her head. She looked like she had contemplated half the world and then some, before she stood up.
"Let's go," she said, chewing her lip.
"So, why were you low?" he asked, pushing open the portrait hole and offering her a hand. She looked at him crossly for a second before she accepted his hand and climbed up.
"I'm – er. Letter, from mum," said June.
"Oh," said Sirius. He frowned at her, his forehead creasing. "You get along with your parents?"
"Rarely," sighed June. They walked down the corridor and Sirius shoved his hands down his pockets.
"Yeah, me neither."
"Everyone knows," muttered June.
Sirius grinned. "I love lording it over the rest of you. First, it makes me look very sexy to all the girls – you roll your eyes, but I'm a rebel who ran away from home, Williams. It makes everyone miserable."
"That the rest of us with tragic backstories are still at home?" she said to herself.
"You know, Williams, I always knew you had a tonne of attitude that you're barely mumbling out."
She blushed pink. "I don't!"
"Then just what did you say?"
She went pinker.
"Don't worry, I won't give it away," said Sirius. "You have a tragic back story, after all. One tragic back story to another, I understand."
She looked ready to burst. Sirius grinned again.
She had had it.
That was the hundredth time she had thought it, but on she continued. Were they friends? Why were they friends? She had gone through so many years of her life without this particular affliction, only to have Sirius Black barrelling into her life in some way or another. By the time they sat down at the table, he had already needled her twenty times more. She preferred him when he was being cruel.
Look, she wasn't one to hold on to grudges. She had accepted it as an inevitable part of growing up that the loud kids would not get along well with the quiet ones. She had not expected it to also be a part of growing up that the loud kids would eventually want to be friends with the quiet ones. She hadn't liked being around Sirius Black when she was thirteen, and she doubted she would like it now.
And yet, here she fucking was.
After he was done telling her about The Conqueror the last time they met at the library, he'd even helped her with the transfiguration spells. And he had made her laugh. She never laughed, she only did it like – twice in a day, and those laughs were reserved for herself. She hadn't told him that he had made her laugh either, she'd had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep it from escaping. But he'd known.
"So, what do you have today?"
June blinked.
It was surreal having Sirius Black asking her for her schedule.
"Nothing – nothing much," she said finally. "I think I have Care of Magical Creatures, with Professor Kettleburn."
A slow smile spread over Sirius Black's face.
"What?" she asked self-consciously.
"You know, you did not stumble at all when you said that," he said triumphantly.
She went red and looked at her knees. "Shut up, Sirius Black."
He stuffed his face with toast.
"June?"
It was Lily. She was looking at them, incredulous.
"Hi, Lily," said June, miserable.
"You came down with Black?"
"Of course she did, Evans," said Black at once. "Don't you know we've been secretly dating all this time?"
June went even redder, and tried to shrink into herself.
"For heaven's sake," said Lily, tossing her hair and sitting down across them. "June, just tell me if you need me to hex him."
"She would never –"
"Yes, please," said June in a small voice.
"Ha!" said Lily. "There you go, Black."
"You wound me, Williams. And after I confided my deepest secrets in you."
June felt like she was turning a shade of purple or something. "Not very good secrets," she mumbled.
Black gave a short bark of laughter, that one that was particular to him. Lily looked shocked.
"Pick your jaw off the floor, Evans. Just because Williams is capable of actually saying something rude once in a while, eh?" said Black.
"Sorry," said June quickly.
"Don't be," said Black without missing a beat. "Anyway, I have to be off. Unlike some people here, I actually have Ancient Runes. And I have to write something important."
"You can write, Black?" asked Lily, her voice acid.
"Of course. It's a love letter, Evans. You wouldn't understand," he said, winking at June.
She really was going to kill him.
Charms class had now become her official place to mope over the letters Sirius Black was sending her. She had collapsed into her arms, regarding the newest note he had sent.
It had been one week since she gave him My Family and Other Animals, and he was already done. If this was how fast he was going, she was going to run out of books soon enough.
Dear Reader,
Not your usual style, is it? There were no murders, and no battles, and not a lot of romance either. Do you happen to read everything?
It was a good book, though. I really enjoyed it – I laughed like anything, which made James curious, if you were wondering. And he wants to read it as well. But you can trust me. I wouldn't give away your books to others, I promise.
I can see why you read this book when you are feeling sad. I think the scorpions alone would be able to bring anyone out of any and all unhappiness – and if it isn't that, then perhaps Margo's dramatic boat ride after her broken heart? Either way, the drama really suits me. I hope your mother enjoyed it as much as you and I did.
- S
She was going to burn the note. And her books. And anything remotely associated with herself.
She was exhausted by the week's end. She had lost her biggest super power: She was no longer able to move from room to room without once being noticed. If it wasn't Lily, who seemed to have taken her new found "attitude" as an invitation to have her hang out with herself and the girls more often, it was Sirius Black, who seemed to have no other friends or something.
She was being uncharitable, she knew. It wasn't like Black was seeking her out all times of the day, but she had to be even more careful if she was inconspicuously trying to watch him read.
"Williams," said Sarah, by way of greeting.
Here was someone else who seemed perfectly capable of noticing her now. June hated it.
"Hello," she said.
Sarah settled down next to her without another word. Flitwick was already in class, and was ordering everyone to take their wands out. June shuffled about, hunting for her wand, readying herself for a more practical lesson – which involved conversation and everything. As she pulled her wand out, there was the sound of a heavy thud nearby.
"Oh, Williams – you dropped your book. Hang on –"
Sarah scooped the book up just as June hurriedly said, "Oh, that's alright -"
"Is that – is that Georgette Heyer?" asked Sarah.
Fuck.
June tried to snatch it out of her hands, but Sarah held it out of her reach.
"Could have sworn Sirius Black was carrying that a few days ago," added Sarah with a drawl, even as June's fingers barely brushed Sarah's wrist.
June fell back, breathing heavily. "It's not mine. I mean – I mean, yes it is. No, he gave it to me."
Sarah was surveying her. "You and I both know that that's not true. Now, explain, or I will explain it to him."
Fuck!
"No. No! Please don't do that!"
Sarah began to smile. "Then explain," she said, folding her arms. Her smile looked particularly chilling – very entertained, and very ready to call Dumbledore himself on June's small mishap.
"Can we do this a little later?" asked June desperately. "I promise to tell you everything during lunch."
"Alright," said Sarah. "It amazes me that you didn't stumble even a little bit when you said that. This isn't the first time you're conspiring, I take it?"
June groaned. "No."
"By the by," said Sarah, grinning. "What book did you give him this time?"
June glared.
"A Wizard of Earthsea," she said, through gritted teeth.
"Le Guin," nodded Sarah. "You have good taste.
"So I've been told," said June, wishing with all her might that she could just disappear from this world in entirety.
Do review, and take care of yourselves during this time. Much love to everyone.
