Set Fire to the Bleeding Moon

Summary: Darkness was their night. Darkness was their day. And Darkness was the light that blew them away.

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and sadly do not own any one of her fabulously fabricated characters, plot, and world.

Chapter 4: Love would be Forever

Take me back to the happier times

To when life was simple

To when life was free

Take me back to the better days

To when I had blue skies

To when I had you

Silence can be a ghastly thing, lingering when it is not wanted, piercing when it is painful. Silence comes with hatred. Silence comes with love.

Silence follows a storm.

Silence follows a beautiful day.

And it was there that Sirius and Alethea lay, on the grass beside the Black Lake, in complete and utter silence. But it was comfortable, affectionate, soothing. It was unlike anything either of them had ever felt before. It was not the cold absence of caring that Alethea was accustomed to, nor was it the lingering fury of an unfinished fight that Sirius was used to. It was a mother's caress, soft, sweet and welcoming.

The pair lay there for a long while, basking in the glory of the sunshine and in each other's company. Their hands interlocked one another. Sirius closed his eyes. Alethea flipped onto her side and stared at Sirius. Her fingers danced across his arm, her eyes memorized every feature of his face. Sirius opened an eye. He smiled.

"Like what you see?" he said, smirking.

Alethea let out a small chuckle. She ran her fingers through his luxurious hair. "Digging for compliments now are we?" she replied.

"Yes,"

"Well then," Alethea began, before she pressed her lips softly onto Sirius'. She pulled away coyly. "Yes, I like what I see very much,"

And then Sirius captured Alethea into a fiery, passionate kiss. Cupid would have fist bumped the air.

Of course, all good things must come to an end and what better way to end it than with one's friends? Ah friends, the singularly greatest yet most annoying beings to ever enter one's life. You gotta love 'em.

"Oi! Go get a room you two will you? I don't need to see my best mate shove his tongue down another girl's throat. Now, scurry along before I assign you both detention!" James proclaimed proudly, puffing his chest out so that his Head Boy badge was on full display. "Seriously Sirius, that's gross," he continued, as Sirius grabbed Alethea's arse. "Please Sirius! This is indecent!"

He was met by a middle finger. James chuckled. Using all of his might, he hauled Sirius up onto his feet, bringing Alethea up as well. He gave them a small shove and pushed them towards the castle. "Go. Now," James ordered.

The couple obliged. Sirius swept Alethea off her feet (literally) and carried her into the magnificent building, running as fast as his legs would carry him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled lovingly at him. James watched as they grew smaller and smaller, before disappearing altogether. James could not help but smile widely. He truly was glad that his friend was able to find love and have it returned, unlike himself, whose long-standing feelings for Lily Evans remain, sadly unrequited. It was a good day for melancholy thoughts. The air was crisp with the onslaught of autumn, the wind blowing soundly. James stood in the small clearing by the lake alone, pondering life and Lily of course. He could not deny his feelings for her. And as cocky as it may have sounded, James was certain that Lily could grow to love him as well. He knew that they were meant to be together, so what was he doing wrong?

"Because you're an arrogant toe rag," he reminded himself. And for the first time ever, James realized how right Lily had been. He was arrogant and cocky and he had never given Lily any reason to like him. He believed that he had been charming but in honesty, he now felt that he had been stuck-up. He resolved to renounce his old ways. He would show Lily the good inside of him and the man he knew that he was.

And then perhaps, Lily will go on a date with me. James decided, a wave of hope budding inside him.

Ah, Young love, how sweet the sound. It is consuming. It is burning. It is everything. It is foolish and it is irrational. Yet it is strong and it is honest. In a matter of moments, one person grows from becoming nothing to everything, from another face in the hallway to a guardian angel. Such love may end in a horrible slew of events that leave bitterness in the heart. Or it may fade away, once a fierce forest fire, now nothing but burnt embers. Or, to the lucky few, it will be a slow fire, lasting for years.

Or rarer still, it may be immortalized among the stars, glowing brightly for aeons to come.

Sirius was unusually chipper during dinner that night. A schoolboy smile hung onto his face like a leach. There was a twinkle, a gleam, in his eyes that would not be diminished. He complimented everyone and everything, from the 'vividness of James' tie' to Professor McGonagall's 'utterly breathtaking hat'. It was quite the sight. James, Remus, and Peter got quite the chuckle out of it.

Sirius' good mood was further heightened by the appearance of another Gryffindor seventh year. Her hair was slightly dishevelled, her lips slightly swollen, but she was beautiful nonetheless and Sirius' face lit up as soon as he saw her. Indeed, his excitement was clear for all to see as he raced over to her and picked her swiftly, swinging her light frame over his shoulder.

"Sirius fucking Black! You let me down this instant!" she cried pounding her fists into his back. He laughed.

"Not a chance, fair lady," came the reply.

She kicked and she screamed all the way from the door to the Gryffindor table. Sirius' eyes were full of mirth, shining and twinkling with more vivacity than Dumbledore's newest set of robes. He shot her with a coy grin.

"You arse!" she exclaimed, slapping his arm.

"Oh Alethea, you know you love me," Sirius retorted, digging in to his dinner. Alethea looked on incredulously.

"Wha-?" He said, his words muffled by the heap of food in his mouth. Alethea made a disgusted face. "Oh come on, it was all in good fun!"

She maintained her steely composure.

He flashed her his cutest puppy dog eyes.

The two stared at each other, until finally, Alethea gave in.

"Fine. You sir are hereby forgiven,"

"That's what I like to hear," Sirius said in a low voice as he leaned in to kiss her.

A group of girls in the background groaned in disappointment.

"So, are you two like a couple or something now?" Anthony Georgenson, a fellow seventh year, asked. All eyes were now on them.

Alethea and Sirius looked at each other. Alethea was inwardly panicking. They hadn't yet discussed 'what' they were. What would she say? What would he say? Would he proclaim her as his? Or was it all just another fling?

"No," Sirius said firmly.

Alethea's heart sank. Of course it was all too good to be true.

The group of girls let out collective sighs of relief.

"Not yet,"

Alethea's ears perked up at the statement. She looked up to see that Sirius had climbed onto the table and was tapping his spoon against his goblet incessantly.

"People, people! Please gather round! Today is a special day for all of us! Some of you may know me as Hogwart's resident playboy. I do not deny the vast number of women I have had ventures with,"

A snort from the background interrupted Sirius' extravagant announcement.

"But I am happy to denounce my old habits. It has all been great fun, however the time is upon us all for change! For a fresh start! For a chance to live life with purpose! With meaning! With a stride in every step that you take!"

"Get on with it will you?" someone in the crowd muttered. Sirius shot him a dirty look.

"Very well then! I would like to formally ask this beautiful young woman beside me, Ms. Alethea Winters, if she would like to be my girlfriend," Sirius paused and stared straight into Alethea's eyes. "Alethea, will you be mine?"

The students started chanting and whistling. They stamped their feet and clapped their hands. "Say yes! Say yes!" they demanded.

Say yes! A voice in Alethea's mind furiously whispered.

Sirius stood there with his arm outstretched waiting expectantly.

The crowd held their breath.

It all came down to this moment.

Alethea took a deep breath and grabbed the waiting hand firmly.

"Yes,"

The Marauder's faces broke into enormous grins.

The crowd cheered exuberantly.

The group of girls wailed.

But to Sirius and Alethea, all they saw was each other. He smiled at her. She smiled back. He pulled her onto the table and into a kiss.

And at that moment, they were together. Their love would never die. It would be there always.

And love would be forever.

The months flew by after that. Green faded into shades of gold. Leaves caramelized into rich hues of orange and umber. They lingered on the branches for a while, before falling to the ground in a heap of burgundy. Soon the Hogwarts' courtyard became scattered with a light dusting of amber, cranberry, and mahogany. The air was swimming with the tanginess of apples and the spice of pumpkin. The first of the scarves came out, proudly bearing house colours.

The first of the NEWTS work came out, professors blaring about the difficulty of the exams and the hundred and ten percent commitment expected. Even the Marauders were seen collapsing in the common room atop a heap of books and parchment.

Gryffindor won the first match of the season against Ravenclaw.

James surprised everyone by stopping his childish pursuit of Lily, instead opting to remain approachable, but distant. What was even more surprising was Lily's subtle disappointment at James sudden lack of interest.

Then autumn slowly grew into winter. The scattering of leaves was soon replaced with a carpet of white. The heavy cloaks came out with students huddling around the fires in the common rooms, the younger students desperately pleading for warming charms from the upperclassmen. And of course, soon rolled around Christmastime. Hagrid once again hauled in a gigantic tree from the Forbidden Forest. The Professors eagerly added charms and decorations around the school. Students whispered about their plans for the break and the presents they hoped to get. Hogsmeade was bustling with people buying gifts and the like. Even the stone cold Slytherins had an undeniable air of excitement and joy. The whole of Britain was celebrating, singing, and being merry.

Except for one Sirius Black.

He was determinedly not excited for Christmas. In fact, he became extremely irritable, mocking anyone that dared to sing a carol or brag about his or her upcoming Christmas activities.

"We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" James sang loudly as he walked through the common room. "That goes to you Longbottom! And you too McKinnon! And you of course, my Lily-Flower," he continued, shooting everyone a charming smile. "Ah! Sirius! What've you been up to? We missed you after dinner,"

Sirius, who was sitting on a couch by the fireplace, shot James a dirty look. "Piss off," He then returned to flicking small bunched up pieces of parchment into the fire and watching it fade into nothing.

"Woah, what's wrong Padfoot? I thought things were going well with you and Alethea? You sure gave quite the performance asking her out," James said, taking a seat beside Sirius, whom promptly ignored him.

"Okay… so are you excited for Christmas?"

Bad move James.

"What do you think?" Sirius snapped before storming up the stairs, leaving a very confused James behind.

"Wait! Padfoot! What'd I do?" James called out but Sirius had already disappeared. Exasperated, James threw his arms up and sunk back into the couch. Remus, who had just climbed into the portrait hole, went to sit down next to him.

"What's up Prongs? Lily problems again?"

"Sirius problems,"

"Serious problems in the love department eh?" Remus joked.

"No! Serious problems in the Padfoot department!" James exclaimed, even more infuriated than before.

"Well it can't be that bad can it? What's wrong with him now?" Remus replied.

"He's pissed all of a sudden for no reason! He's been bitching about everything and everyone and then I ask him about Alethea and he doesn't reply so then I try to change the subject and ask whether he's excited for Christmas or not and then he goes and storms out of the common room!" James ran his fingers through his hair. He huffed. "Sometimes I just don't understand that guy's mood swings, seriously,"

Remus shook his head slightly. "You really are dense Prongs. No wonder Lily still won't go out with you,"

James looked highly affronted. "What? Not you too! Don't you go calling me dense- "

"Don't be such a prissy queen. Can't you think of any reason why Sirius would in a bad mood around this time?"

James pondered for a minute before shaking his head.

Remus sighed. "Probably because it's almost the Christmas holidays?"

"Why would that be? The holidays are the best time of the year! There's snow and presents and hot chocolate and presents and we get to go home and…" James paused before his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh!" he said simply.

Remus nodded approvingly. "We're all going home but Sirius doesn't have a home to go to,"

"He could come with me! That's it! I'll go and ask him right now!" James decided excitedly, quickly getting up.

Remus grabbed onto his arm before he could move any further. "You can't remember? You and your parents are going skiing in France,"

"Right," James muttered dejectedly. "Well maybe you could-"

"My parents don't like Sirius much. Not after he snuck a bottle of firewhiskey into the house and got completely drunk the last time he visited,"

"Well maybe Peter could-"

"You know that Peter and his mum have been having troubles ever since his father left them," Remus finished, leaving them both feeling quite melancholy indeed.

"Poor Padfoot,"

"Poor Padfoot indeed," Remus agreed as the pair sat before the cackling fire in a heavy silence. Their anticipation for Christmas substantially subdued.

Well that's chapter 4! It's a bit shorter than usual and for that I apologize, but it just sort of unfolded like that you know? Promise the next one will be longer ^^ Thank you all very much for reading and please leave a review if you feel up to it!

Much love

xxx,

LordessV