Chapter 6: One Flawless, Beautiful Moment

"Every single day is torture…"

"My life is wasted on me…"

"I just want to move on…"

"…you can help everyone heal."

Sirius shuddered and woke up with a start. He looked around, sweating profusely. His face was unhealthily pale and his eyes were red, as if from crying. Sirius lowered his head and shook it viciously. He glanced up, tilting his sweaty face towards the window on the side of his bedroom. The warm, gentle sun flooded in, leaving bright patches of glittering light all over the smooth, wooden floorboard.

Sirius kicked off his damp blankets and stalked in to the bathroom. Bending over the delicate porcelain sink, he turned on the tap as large as it would go and splashed his face with cold water. Shivering slightly, he returned to his bed and sat on the edge, with water rolling down his face and dripping onto his clothes.

He was scared.

He was scared of wasting the gift that Harry had given him. And yes, it was a gift. Harry viewed it as a burden, but he was wrong, he didn't understand. Life is a gift, a miracle, the closest human beings will ever get to divinity.

Harry had viewed his as a curse that hurt himself and everyone around him. He didn't want it anymore. But even so, Harry still loved the people in his life. And Harry left Sirius, asking him to help everyone heal. Could he do that?

Sirius didn't know. And that's what scared him.

Sirius sighed. It was bizarrely quiet, as if no other human beings were around. The only thing he could hear was the faint sound of chirping birds outside the house. He stood up and opened the door from his room to the hallway. It was empty and no sounds of movement could be heard. He smiled, reassured. He wanted to be alone.

Sirius walked down the spacious hallway, running his finger along the numerous intricately designed walls and doors, some of which hadn't been open in so, so long. After all, the order didn't have any use for his mother's abundant afternoon tea rooms, art displaying rooms, exercise rooms, and… he sucked in a breath as his hand brushed against a door, accidentally pushing it ajar.

The music room.

God, he had forgotten about that. Seeing the huge, exquisitely decorated room and extraordinary wonder that it held brought up memories. It had been such a long time ago, but seeing all that made him remember. His mother, like the mother from any other high class pureblood wizarding family, had insisted on her sons taking piano lessons. But unlike most sons from these prestigious families, Sirius loved them. Beginning from the age of 5, he practiced for hours everyday until he had reached the age where he had to go to Hogwarts.

Smiling ruefully, Sirius walked inside the dust filled room and closed the door behind him.

Hogwarts… It held the best memories of his life, but also triggered the worst. All sorts of things happened, real life kicked in… And other than the occasional tinkering during the summers, he had just… forgotten about his piano.

Sirius strode across the sunlit room until he reached piano and with a light tug, pulled off the deep velvet cover and flung it onto the ground. He rubbed his hand against the dark beautiful wood of the piano and gently lifted off its cover. He pulled out the piano seat and sat down, placing his fingers on its keys.

Sirius was nervous. Desperately, desperately nervous. He didn't know whether his hands still remembered how to play… He bit his lip and quickly played a few awkward scales along the piano. Then, concentrating intensely, he began to play his favorite childhood song; Greensleeves.

(A/N: http:// youtube .com /watch?vP5ItNxpwChE – the music, remove spaces in URL)

He stumbled on the first few notes. It was awkward, his hands were tense. But he played. He could still remember. It wasn't perfect. It definitely, definitely wasn't perfect. But… he could play. He could play! He relaxed and let himself fall into the music.

Sirius smiled, remembering happier times in his life. He never admitted it, but he had missed Regulus so much. Hogwarts occupied most of his happy memories but there were times… times when he couldn't help himself. Times when he would think back to moments with Regulus with desperate longing.

Sirius remembered one of his most favorite, perfect moments. His parents was away, as usual. But Sirius and Regulus were together in the music room. Sirius was playing Greensleeves and Regulus was folding paper airplanes. It was like… a Kodak moment, he smiled again, thinking of odd muggle phrases he had picked up over the years.

He closed his eyes and continued playing…

…listening to the music…

…blocking out everything…

…letting the music seep inside him…

Sirius smiled happily, almost delirious with joy. And for a moment, just one flawless, beautiful moment, he thought that he could do it. He could do what Harry wanted.

He could help everyone heal.