Harmony shoved yet another pin into the innocent bulletin board now entirely plastered with photos. She hopped off the chair and stood back to admire her work, the music from her radio blasting at full volume. She was so immune to the loudness, but always forgot that her family was so not.
"Harmony!" her dad yelled. "We're going to bed! Shut it off now!"
Harmony grumbled, but stalked over and turned the volume dial down.
"OFF."
"Fine!" She screeched back. "You're such a party-pooper."
"I'll show you a party pooper." Harmony's dad called back. He had a habit of giving these empty threats that made no sense what so ever.
"Okay," Harmony called, smiling still. She looked around her room proudly.
Four hours before, she had a little spark of an idea and it turned out to be a full-blown re-organization, re-arrange spree for her room.
Now, four hours later, the room looked pretty good. The walls were a deep purple - well, the paint was. She had so many posters of bands, people, just random shots from random places that the wall wasn't visible in many places. Some were wizarding, some weren't. Her turquoise blue curtains hung and knotted, with twinkle lights strung through them. The lights extended across one of two extremely loaded bookcases, and onto a mirror.
The books. There were so many books. Books used to hold the door open. Books as a nightstand. Books as paperweights for her crowded little desk shoved in the corner. Books tangled in her sheets on her twin bed. Books, books, books. The entire room had a cosy, homey, magical feel to it.
No wonder she spent so much time in there.
"Goodnight, love." her mother opened the door slowly, blinking because of all the sudden light that clogged her vision from inside her eldest daughters bedroom.
"'Night, Mum." Harmony smiled, jumping up off her bed.
"Fancy a cuppa?" her mother moved more into the room and looked around. "Wow. I'm impressed. It looks great in here!"
"No, you should get to bed." Harmony said. "And thanks!"
"Well," Harmony's mum focused back on her. "tomorrow I won't see you until later because I'm off to work early. So, I'll see you then." she kissed Harmony's head.
Harmony smiled as her mum left. A moment later the mattress squeaked from down the hall as she climbed into bed.
Harmony's innocent smile turned into a full blown grin. Tonight was the night she was had planned to sneak out and see Sirius. Only about another hour, and she'd be with him.
To pass time while she waited for her family to fall asleep, she turned the music up the tiniest bit louder and plopped down on her bed. Her family was due to leave the house at the end of the week to live in a safer place until the Death Eaters stopped attacking. The only reason they weren't there now was because they were still putting enchantments on it. So, she was just going to admire and enjoy her home while she still had it.
There she sat, deep in thought with the music drifting around her room, until the sound of her father's snores were getting steadily louder. Harmony stood up and grabbed the bag of muggle beer wrapped in a blanket out from under her bed.
She slipped her trainers on and carefully stuffed her bed, making it look like there was a body sleeping under the green covers. Moving silently, like a cat, she slipped across the hall and into the loo she shared with her brother.
Sneaking out was like breathing; she'd done it so many times.
She closed the toilet seat, stood on it, and quietly removed the screen from the window. Harmony dropped the bag out first, the fabric quieting the clinking of bottles. She hopped out next, easily and smoothly.
A grin spread over her face as she reached in the window and grabbed the screen, loosely fastening it back in.
Harmony gripped the bag as she sprinted alongside her pool, to the back gate where the video camera's view was blocked by the large fence encasing her pool. She slipped out the gate and ran across the side of her front lawn, down to the road. She scanned the bushes for a glimpse of Sirius.
No sign of him. Harmony hid the bag in the bush and craned her neck down the road to see if she could spot his mop of dark curls.
"I'm impressed, Harmful."
Harmony spun and saw Sirius slip out from a spot behind a small tree, grinning widely, hands in his pockets adorably.
Sirius took in the sight of Harmony; her long hair flowing down her shoulders, Gryffindor jumper, and track pants slung low on her hips. Of course, she was also wearing those signature trainers of hers.
Harmony laughed and hugged him tightly, breathing in the scent of his unique cologne, mixed with smell of soap and a bonfire. Sirius kissed her quickly. "Ready to show me these famous sneaking-out spots?"
Harmony laughed, flashing him a toothy grin. "Sure. Let's go, Pup."
Hand in hand, and Sirius carrying the bag of alcohol, Harmony led him to the forest down the road. Her feet took her on instinct to the abandoned and half-fallen tree house hidden in the thick of trees.
It was made of wood, and it looked like it had been quite grand in its day. Now, the rain and wildlife around it had worn it out. Harmony climbed the ladder leading up to the little structure; she was careful to avoid the second step from the top, as it was broken.
Sirius followed suit, and gasped when he entered the tree house. It was covered in pictures, handwritten words and messages and had blankets, beer bottles, and lanterns scattered all over the floor. It had that it's-going-to-be-a-night-to-remember vibe. He fell in love instantly.
"Like it?" Harmony smiled, then plopped down on the ground.
"Yeah! It's really cool, Harms." Sirius grinned and tried to take everything in.
"Beeeeeeer?" Harmony offered, holding out a cold bottle.
"Cheers," Sirius took it, and set it aside. He leaned forward, curled his fingers under Harmony's chin, and pulled her face to his. He kissed her gently, and the kiss was full of excitement and amazement. It was perfect.
Harmony pulled back after some minutes. "I want to get a little bit tipsy, Sirius."
He burst out laughing and opened his eyes, to find a pair of green-brown ones looking back at him. Her eyes were like a forest in the springtime, he decided.
"I'm already a bit tipsy." he told her, as she leaned back and grabbed a bottle for herself.
"On what?" Harmony snorted, popping the cap off her drink.
"You." he tapped her on the nose affectionately.
She turned pink in the face but remarked, "It must have taken you a while to think up that one."
"Nah, it was my natural charm."
"Now that's bullshit if I've ever heard it." she laughed and pecked his lips lightly.
"To..." Sirius lifted his bottle, leaving the toast subject up to Harmony.
"Uh," Harmony thought. "Constellations. To constellations."
Sirius grinned. "To constellations."
They clinked bottles, smiling stupidly, and gulped back the stolen beer. Four bottles later, they were both on the verge of having a buzz - they were at the giggly stage.
"Harmony, remember that time when you got so wasted that first weekend of school? And you made Remus do the tango? That was fucking hilarious." Sirius started laughing.
"No, I don't remember. I was hammered." Harmony chuckled.
"Yeah, that's true. You're great when you're drunk."
"Thanks," Harmony laughed. "This summer we can get completely wasted, but I want to remember tonight, you know?" she looked up at the familiar pictures on the ceiling.
"Yeah, I agree." Sirius sighed, calming down from laughing. "I like this. I like spending time with you like this."
Harmony tore her eyes away from the shot of her and Becca sitting around a bonfire to look at Sirius. He was gazing out the window, muscular arms behind his head.
"I do, too. It's nice to have the privacy; a new environment."
Sirius turned and looked at her, his face startlingly handsome. "Let's go see the stars."
"Okay," Harmony grinned. She shut the lantern off as Sirius grabbed the blanket Harmony brought and slipped down the tree house's ladder.
It was completely dark outside, and Harmony went to step on the broken step. "Shit!" she yelped, when her foot didn't contact the desired wood. "Every. Fucking. Time!"
Sirius laughed and called up, "How do you and Becca get out if you're super drunk?"
"We don't. But if we absolutely have to then believe me, it's an ordeal. A hilarious one."
Sirius slipped his arms around Harmony's waist and lifted her the rest of the way off the ladder, kissing her cheek repeatedly as she landed in front of him. He was getting a face full of hair from behind but he didn't mind much.
"Sirius," Harmony laughed, and pulled away from him, inhaling the crispness of the cold March air.
"Okay, okay." Sirius smiled.
Harmony guided him for a couple minutes through the forest as they laughed and chatted about everything.
"Here it is," Harmony breathed, dropping Sirius' hand as she made her way into a fairly big clearing.
She looked up, and was blown away by the beauty of the stars; the night was crystal clear, so every single sky-diamond shone brightly.
"Woah," Sirius gasped. "It's beautiful out here."
"I know." Harmony whispered. "I know."
Since Sirius' eyes were still on the breath-taking world above, and he didn't see Harmony approach him. She placed her cool hand on his cheek, rubbing her finger over his cheekbone. "Sirius Black," she whispered. It wasn't a request. It wasn't a question. It wasn't sarcastic or funny. It was just his name. Just his name rolling through her lips like, well, a harmony.
He looked down and smiled at her. She smiled back, her cheekbones illuminated even more than usual in the moonlight.
"You're beautiful." he told her, because in that moment it was hard to think of anything else; it was just them in their own little world under the stars.
"Thank you," she chuckled, her cheeks reddening from the beer and happiness. "Now kiss me."
"If you so desire." Sirius leaned down and kissed her without hesitation. He moved his lips over hers, and she moved hers in perfect sync with his. His hand was tangled in her silky ringlets and hers were holding his face close. Harmony stumbled back, the intensity of the kiss almost overpowering.
She came up for air, eyes still closed, and he kissed down down her cheek to her jaw. She sharply inhaled as his soft lips moved down to her neck. His hands held her waist tightly, and she tilted her head up for him as he continued to kiss her.
It was the most beautiful moment, with the stars twinkling above and Sirius down here, making her feel like she was a star, shining brightly from a place in the night sky. Somewhere in the process, Harmony backed up to a tree, and was now using it for support, as her knees could no longer support her. She brought his face back up to hers and positively kissed him with everything she had in her.
"Blimey," he breathed. "that was a kiss."
"More like a snog, if you ask me." Harmony laughed, and wrapped herself around Sirius. She buried her face in his neck and hugged him hard. He hugged her back, while they both tried to catch their breath.
"Lay down with me?" he asked, pulling back and spreading the blanket over the cold ground. She laid down on the blanket and he slid down next to her. Harmony snuggled up to Sirius, and he intertwined their fingers. Their body heat was enough to keep them warm; there no need for Sirius to cast a heating spell.
They laid in silence, small actions and stars speaking wonders. It was nice to just be still and tune into the sounds of crickets and the light ruffling of leaves as they fully appreciated the moment. Soon, Harmony's eyelids started to droop. She closed them, and felt herself slipping off into a light blissful sleep, comfortable in Sirius' arms.
Sometime later, Harmony was awoken by the crack of a branch. A loud crack. A loud enough crack to make Sirius jump. Her eyes shot open, only to find that Sirius was also looking over in the direction of the thick dark trees. "What the heck…did you-"
"Yes." his tone was laced with worry, eyebrows furrowed. "We need to leave now. We've been out too long, Harms. I don't know if this was the best idea." he whispered, pulling her up rapidly, eyes still scanning the tree line frantically.
Her heart was beating, even more than when he kissed her. "Okay, how will we-" she stopped speaking.
Something was gleaming in the moonlight, still on the forest floor. Harmony gazed at it, open mouthed, for a couple long seconds as she internally decided if it was some sort of bomb or not. Finally, she walked over, ignoring Sirius' shouts.
Sirius was pulling her back. "Are you bloody insane?!"
"No! Sirius, it's a watch! Look!"
Sure enough, there was a watch that looked as though it had been dropped accidentally.
"That wasn't there before. That's the path to get here." Sirius said as he, too, took in the sight of the fallen clue.
Harmony looked closer. "Wait, hold the fuck up. No."
"What?" Sirius glanced at Harmony, and back to the watch again.
"No. No. No. No. No." she was backing away, as if the carefully articulated metal was going to blow up.
"What? What's wrong?! Harmony!" Sirius rushed over to her.
Her eyes were wide, staring unblinkingly. "That's-"
"That's what?" he looked from her to the watch.
"That's Ryan's. That's my brother's bloody watch."
"What?" Sirius asked, taken aback. He regarded Harmony for a moment before turning to look at said watch nestled among the broken branches and fallen leaves.
"Oh my god. Sirius. Don't you get it? My brother. He's the spy. He's the one who's been ratting us out to-to-" Harmony's eyes were wide with horror and sudden realization. "Wholy fuck, Sirius, bloody hell. His bad moods, why he doesn't talk to me-"
Sirius paled. Harmony tried to contain her vomit. This was happening too fast. Too fast. This couldn't be true, surely? He was a fourteen year old muggle born.
"He-just-what-" Harmony stuttered. "This, he's working for Voldemort! My own brother!" she yelled, and Harmony felt like sinking to the ground and curling up forever. "MY FAMILY! WHOLY FUCK SIRIUS HE'S BEEN LIVING WITH US!"
"Shh, we need to beat him back to the house." Sirius gripped Harmony and disapparated to the bushes in front of her house. Harmony was caught off guard for a second, but recovered quickly, her legs already moving up the stone pathway to the front door of her house.
"He's fourteen! How?" Harmony was going into hysterics as she shakily shoved her hand underneath the front mat so she could find the key. "Why the fuck does it have to be him? He's not even of age-"
"Harmony! We could be wrong, okay? We can't jump to conclusions yet, but just in case we have to get your family out now. Focus." Sirius held her face steadily, looking directly into her teary eyes until she stopped hyperventilating.
"Okay, okay." she took a deep breath. "I just...I should have been there, maybe he-"
"This is not your fault. Don't ever say that again, Harmony Sea." Sirius said sternly, letting go of her face and adjusting his leather jacket around him. Harmony turned back around and turned the key in the lock, hearing the click and pushing open the door.
They ran into the house and Harmony was slightly aware that this was the first time Sirius had ever been in her house. She hurried off down the hall to wake her parents. She wouldn't tell them - she couldn't. "Mum, Dad, I need you to get up now, come with me. Sirius is waking Charlotte."
After a couple more tries, her dad sat up groggily in bed. "What? I have to work in a couple hours, Harmony. What time is it?"
"What's going on?" Her mother asked tiredly, barely opening her eyes. She turned over to her other side and tried to fall back to sleep. They had gotten used to Harmony waking them up in the middle of the night for things - mainly to rant about the most recent book she'd finished at three in the morning.
"Mum, Dad, seriously. Get up now. This is an emergency!" Harmony said sharply, her stern but shaky tone startling her parents. She didn't realize how badly she was actually shaking until she tried to stand still.
"Why-?"
Sirius stalked in, Charlotte still asleep in his arms. "What the hell is he doing here? What the hell is going on?" Harmony's dad asked, regarding Sirius through sleepy narrowed eyes. It's hard to contain feelings of hatred if one woke up at two in the morning to the face of the boy who snogged their daughter.
"Saving your lives. Harmony," his eyes shifted to her. "apparate to Hogwarts. We're not trusting the Ministry."
"Okay. I'm going to explain everything once we get somewhere safer." Harmony gripped her shocked parents' hands and turned on the spot.
There was a bang as the door flew back open to the bedroom. The last thing she saw was the dark and twisted face of Ryan from the doorway as he burst in. His hair was sticking up, leaves in it, and he was in torn night clothing.
They arrived in Hogsmeade, the streets dark and cold and empty. "What-? What the heck is going on? Where are we?" Mrs Sea exclaimed, outraged. She almost fell over from the apparation and she was glaring at Harmony. "If this is a joke, Harmony-"
"We're at Hogwarts. Sirius, is Char okay?" Harmony turned to see Sirius and Charlotte.
"Yeah," Sirius confirmed, as Charlotte twisted in his arms, now awake. Her cheeks were flushed from sleep, her shiny dark brown ringlets, identical to Harmony's, stuck up adorably.
"What's happening?" her little voice cut through the night, blue eyes wide.
"We're going to my school, Char. Everything's okay. Mummy and Daddy are here, too."
She turned and looked at Sirius. "Hi,"
"Hello," he said politely. "Now we need to move."
The group scurried as fast as they could up to Hogwarts. They arrived at the big oak double doors and found that they were locked, despite how hard Sirius pulled on the handles.
Harmony knocked, shivering violently. "Here," Sirius set down Charlotte and handed his jacket to Harmony. She slipped it on gratefully, aware of her parents' eyes on them.
McGonagall threw the door open suddenly, breaking everyone out of a trance. Her wand was pointed directly at Harmony's heart. "Harmony, Sirius! What on Earth?" she lowered the wand to her side, taking in the sight of the five shivering people.
"It's an emergency." Harmony choked out.
"Come in, come in." she gestured and everyone stepped in the entrance hall.
"Can someone please explain what's going on? Where's Ryan?" Harmony's mother asked frantically.
"I presume you would like to see Professor Dumbledore?" McGonagall asked. Her hair was braided down, thrown over one shoulder, hanging down her pink nightgown. If the situation wasn't so serious, Harmony would be weirded out at how normal and human-looking the professor looked.
"Yes, please." Harmony replied, in shock. Sirius rubbed his hand on her back in a comforting gesture.
"There's something seriously wrong, here. What's going on?" Harmony's mother asked.
"I'd like to know that, too." McGonagall agreed.
Sirius looked over to Harmony, who gave him the slightest head shake. "It's um, really nothing. We just thought we saw someone...I won't go into detail in front of...not, you know, in front of-" Sirius gestured sideways to little Charlotte and her parents.
"Look at that thingy!" Charlotte screeched happily, pointing to the nearest suit of armour. "What's that, Harms?"
"Oh-uhm-" Harmony shivered, completely distracted.
"Where's Ryan?!" Mrs Sea screeched suddenly. "We forgot Ryan!"
Harmony turned around and shut her eyes tight while Sirius choked out a lie, "Nope, he left right before we did. He's okay. He'll be sleeping away up in his dorm, Mrs Sea."
Too bad he couldn't apparate in Hogwarts grounds. Too bad Ryan would never disappear to sleep after Harmony had just emergency apparated their entire family to Hogwarts. Too bad he was working for the darkest wizard to ever live.
"I didn't see-"
McGonagall reappeared, towing along a tired-looking Hufflepuff prefect. The poor girl had half her hair falling out of a ponytail, the prefect badge pinned on upside down, and her light blue night gown was badly wrinkled. "Lila will take your family up to the Room of Requirement, and then I believe your alternate house will be ready to move into tomorrow. It's fairly close to your other one, surprisingly, but the Ministry thought that it would be best because the Death Eaters won't even be able to see the house anyway and Charlotte needs to continue school. You finished packing up your belongings this week, correct, Mr Sea?"
"Yes, and thank you very much - but can someone please explain why we're here? What happened, Harmony?" her father asked, staring directly in Harmony's eyes. Harmony understood how confusing and rushed this all must've been for them; getting woken up at three in the bloody morning, dragged off to their daughter's magical boarding school, and told literally nothing. But Harmony couldn't tell them. She couldn't tell them that there was solid evidence to support the fact that their own son was the one ratting their daughter out to an evil wizard.
Lila perked up when she saw Charlotte. "Hi!" she smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
"Did you know that Harmony has sparkling knickers?" Charlotte stepped forward and took Lila's hand.
"Bloody hell," Harmony muttered, covering her face.
Sirius barely contained his smile when Harmony's mother screeched, "You watch your mouth, Harmony Sea!"
Charlotte giggled, and skipped happily away, hand in hand with Lila. Harmony's father followed, but Mrs Sea throwing concerned looks over her shoulder, dark brown curls hanging down her back. Harmony mouthed, "After." at her mother, and she nodded, understanding.
"If you would please follow." McGonagall said sternly.
Sirius, Harmony and the professor walked swiftly though the dark and empty castle. It was odd for Harmony, for the castle almost seemed uninviting, cold even; the contrary to when it was full of students.
"Pumpkin Fizz," McGonagall said, almost irritably. Probably because Dumbledore knew how to pick good passwords and she didn't.
The Headmaster was still wide awake, looking magnificent as ever in midnight blue robes peppered with glitter for stars. "Ah, what a lovely surprise." his office looked the same as ever; odd but enchanting with magical instruments of all kinds, Fawkes the Phoenix regarding the scene from his perch with mild interest, books after books filling shelves.
"Professor," Harmony burst. "we haven't confided in anyone the last few weeks, but Sirius and I have been noticing that-"
"Sit," Dumbledore ordered, and in one swift, elegant movement he was seated calmly behind his own desk, leaving the others to follow his lead.
Harmony plopped down completely ungracefully and leaned forward. "We have a Voldemort spy, following us around, listening to our conversations," she said breathlessly. "and-and-it's-"
"Her brother. Ryan." Sirius finished.
Silence.
"How do you know?" Dumbledore asked finally, electric blue eyes scanning Sirius then moving to Harmony.
"We-we found his watch." Harmony said, trying not to go into specifics. How embarrassing. She was going to have to tell her Headmaster that her and Sirius snuck out to see each other.
"Where, might I ask?"
"Well, you see-" Harmony bit her lip.
Sirius sighed. "We snuck out. To see each other. Harmony has a forest by her house, and we were in this clearing for quite some time. A branch cracked, and we both heard it. Harmony," he gestured to Harmony, who was staring at the floor. "found the watch. She saw it in the middle of the path where we came into the clearing. It definitely wasn't there before. We would've noticed."
"Ah, I see." Dumbledore said lightly, pressing his fingertips together. "Aren't you both under the influence of alcohol?"
"No, not enough to not notice something like that. Believe me, Professor. I am not drunk, and if I was you'd be able to tell." Harmony said sincerely. Two bottles each was not drunk. It was a buzz. Hell, it was hardly that.
"I know, I just needed to confirm. Now, this is the only evidence you have?"
"Yeah-" Sirius started when Harmony said at the same moment, "No."
"Miss Sea?" Dumbledore questioned.
"Harmony?" Sirius asked.
"Ryan's been...angry. He never talks to me anymore. Something's shifted. It's him, the spy. I'm one hundred percent sure. You were already in Hogsmeade," Harmony's eyes looked to Sirius. "but he came through the bedroom door before I left. He tried to shoot a spell but missed us. His face..." Harmony swallowed. "His face was unrecognizable. Twisted. Dark. It's going to haunt me. That wasn't the Ryan I grew up with, the brother I love. That was the face of Voldemort, right there sitting upon Ryan's little fourteen-year old body. It was sick." Harmony whispered. Silence met her. She wiped her eyes. The tears were for her own failure as a big sister, role model, for all the times she yelled at him for being in her room. All the times he tried to strike up a conversation and she ignored him. All the years she'd lived with him; yet she had no clue what his favourite colour was, favourite food, preference in music.
"I'm horrible. I'm absolutely disgusting, and if I'd given two shits, maybe even one fucking shit, then he wouldn't have resorted to Voldemort for praise, care. I just-I'm-" Harmony heaved a sob.
"It's not your fault, Miss Sea." Dumbledore said.
"Yes, it is! I'm supposed to be there for him! I haven't at all! He's barely lived! He's fourteen! Who is monstrous enough to lure a child in and use them like that?"
"Voldemort. That's who." Sirius said sternly. "Now I'll not tolerate sitting back and watching you blame yourself for this. You are not the only factor in his life! Don't convince yourself that because you blew him off a couple times he went running to Voldemort. No, Harmony, it's obviously much bigger than that. You can apologize to people because their loved ones passed away, because their family business is going to the dumps, but you cannot take responsibility for it. You understand me? There's more to this." Sirius shook Harmony gently.
"Mister Black is right." Dumbledore looked mildly impressed. He shifted and the candlelight hitting his beard made the silver shimmer. "Where is Ryan now?"
"I-I don't know." Harmony said, in slight shock.
"I don't think it's wise for your family to go back to the house, so I'll summon their belongings and they can stay here until their newer safe house is fit to live in at the end of the week." Dumbledore stood up gracefully, his cloak swishing behind him as he started to pace. "Why haven't you informed your parents?"
"It would positively destroy them." Harmony said instantly. "I can't-I can't tell them."
"How are you going to explain Ryan's absence?" Sirius asked. "The cat's out of the bag..."
"You are not pretending that everything's fine and dandy, if that's what you're planning on doing." McGonagall spoke up, and Harmony jumped because she forgot about the professor's presence.
"I can't tell them, Professor. Charlotte wouldn't understand," Harmony's voice broke. "and it would tear the family."
"Your family is already missing a member, Harmony. It has been ever since Ryan joined Voldemort. Once you're in, there's no going back. That's how it is with Voldemort. All or nothing, as the muggles say." Dumbledore commented wisely.
"Please, just keep an eye on him for now."
"Harmony…" Sirius told her firmly.
"No, look, I can't do this right now. I need to like process everything before-before-" Harmony swallowed. "we turn him into the Ministry, or something-"
He looked down. "I understand, Harms, love is fucked up." Sirius said, and he sighed.
"The amount of profanities are absolutely unacceptable!" McGonagall burst finally.
"It's very true, though, Minerva." Dumbledore's eyes looked mildly amused. "Love is complicated."
"So, I'll just-just act like I'm peachy?" Harmony asked.
"If that's what you think is best." Dumbledore nodded once, closing his eyes as he did so.
"I do. I...I think he'll turn this around, Ryan, that is." she glanced towards Sirius. "I want to at least give him the chance to redeem himself, to explain, to tell me I'm wrong."
Sirius didn't say anything on Harmony's comment, and it made her nervous, because what if he didn't redeem himself? What if he didn't deny it? "Reckon we should get to bed?" Sirius asked, then asked quietly, "Professor, can I use Floo powder to let James and his parents know that I'll be staying here the rest of the holidays?"
"I'll take care of that. And your clothing, also. Goodnight, Miss Sea, Mister Black."
They muttered goodnights and left the office. Silence pushed down on the pair as they walked the halls together, following the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. Harmony was trying to picture Ryan, her mind re-evaluating every single conversation she'd had with him in the last three months.
Outside the portrait hole, Sirius stopped, ran his fingers down Harmony's back, and turned to her. "Ready to put a happy face on, Harms?"
"No. I want to crawl into my covers right away and I want you there with me and we can hold hands and you'll make me feel a bit better, like you always manage to do." Harmony said childishly.
Sirius wrapped his arms around Harmony, tightly, lifting her back up as her knees gave out and she made to sink to the ground. She hugged him back, falling a little bit harder for him because despite everything, he was still beside her, all solid and real and perfect, holding her up when all she wanted to do was fall down.
A/N: Well, as Sirius would call it, shit happened in this one. I was seriously looking forward to this plot twist, and it still makes me immensely happy actually. I hope you're as shocked as I am, or at least enjoying the story so far! Thank you guys for the sweet reviews. I could probably cry because it makes me so happy to get feedback like this!