Although it did Sirius some good to talk about Ginny, it also put him in a worse mood than he had previously been in. Instead of wallowing in a dark corner in his bedroom Sirius found himself in a room he had purposely avoided since they took up headquarters. The silver and emerald lined walls were completely different than the bright colors and posters that had covered the walls of his childhood bedroom. Dust covered the bed and dressers, and dust bunnies littered the floor. Sirius couldn't help but laugh when he saw the fading haphazard family crest and motto painted on the celling above the bed.
"Always trying to please mother," Sirius mumbled to himself as he hopped on top of the bed dust flying everywhere.
There were frail yellowing newspaper clippings in a collage along the crest. Sirius pulled one down ripping the corner slightly as he did.
Hepzibah Smith decedent of Helga Hufflepuff was found dead in her home, by the hand of her house elf who admitted to poisoning her cocoa. Hepzibah left her home and her large collection of magical artifacts to her nephew. Missing amongst her collection was the cup of Helga Hufflepuff, which is-
Sirius threw the article aside, thinking it odd that Regulus would keep an article of a woman neither of them knew.
Yanking down another, with a quick scan he could see it was an article from the prophet detailing an attack on a muggle village associated with Lord Voldemort.
Rolling over their was a picture on the night table that caught his eye.
One was a picture of the Slytherin quidditch team, Regulus front and centre grinning broadly, but it was the picture behind that one that caught his eye. It was Regulus wearing crisp black dress robes, his hair smoothed to the side and a champagne glass in his hand as he smiled up at him, but it was the girl beside him that caught his eye. Ginny stood beside him, in ball gown, her hair pinned up in delicate curls, she was smiling politely, as if she wasn't to found of the photographer. She had a half empty champagne glass clutched in her hand.
Sirius had seen Ginny the night that she attended the Easter ball, but even now in this black and white picture he could remember the purple of her dress, and how shiny her vibrant hair was.
Sirius kicked the side table in frustration, knocking the dresser over and spilling the contents of the drawer onto the floor.
Sirius got off the bed to pick up the mess stopping with he came across a picture with two boys, carrying broomsticks over their shoulders laughing. For all Regulus's family valves, his inability to displease his parents his loyalty to his brother who was tossed out, Sirius still couldn't understand his brother. He kept a picture of his brother in his drawer hidden away but a picture of his brothers girlfriend displayed for everyone to see.
"She was his best friend," a voice Sirius wished he didn't recognize spoke softly from the door.
"She seemed to have a lot of best friends," Sirius responded shoving the last scrap of paper into the drawer.
"Maybe it's time to accept that you didn't know her at all. Ginevra had an agenda and we all served our purpose," Severus Snape commented, the usually annoyance and superior tone gone from his voice.
"We were in love," Sirius responded.
"You weren't the only boy to fall in love with her," Severus stated.
"She never would have chosen you," Sirius replied coldly meeting Severus's gaze.
"I wasn't the one who was in love with her, not like that." he responded.
"My brother is dead."
"You didn't deserve her," Severus stated defiantly.
Sirius shoved his way past Severus and back towards the solitude of his room across the landing.
"He loved her, but he never told her. He loved you more, for some reason your brother was always rooting for you, all he ever did was keep her safe," Severus offered quietly to Sirius's retreating back.
"Then where is she?" Sirius asked his voice barely above a whisper, as he stopped in the middle of the hall, holding his breath as he waiting for Severus's response to the question that haunted him for years.
"I was hoping she would tell us," Severus replied.
Sirius turned to face Severus, confused.
Severus reached inside his robes and pulled out a white envelope, holding it out to him.
Sirius recognizing the delicate cursive, it was the same as the letters they received every month, only this time the letter wasn't addressed to the Weasley's. This time, Ginny sent Sirius a letter.