Chapter 55 – The End of an Era
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All the way up the boys' dormitory, Sirius was silent. Her stomach clenched together as she watched his back. He walked in the room, only stopping when he reached his bed. Izzie closed the door behind her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door.
"Sirius, I -"
She didn't hear him move, but suddenly he was right in front of her. He gathered her up in his arms and buried his face in her neck. "I'm so sorry."
"What?" She intertwined her fingers in his hair. He placed a featherlight kiss on her neck, making goose bumps break out on her skin.
He started to shake against her, just thinking back to what that girl said. She had no right, no fucking right to talk about her like that. He held her tighter against him, trying to stop himself from shaking.
"Sirius, love." She cupped his cheek, wiping his hair from his eyes. The way she said his name, the way she called him love, immediately stopped him from shaking. "You're scaring me."
"I'm sorry." He said again, leaning his head against hers. "I just got so mad."
Izzie pulled her head away, taking in a trembling breath. Sirius looked worried at her; he was the one tucking her hair behind her ear now. "You know I do love you, right? More than anything. I just - I can't -"
"Hey -" He guided her face back towards him, wiping the tear away that rolled down her cheek. "Of course, I do. I never doubted you love me."
"But you're mad. You're mad because I can't - because my memories of us aren't happy enough for me to conjure up a Patronus."
"Oh, Iz." His thumbs caressed her cheeks softly. "I'm not mad about that, believe me I know how hard it is. I had trouble with it too in the beginning, just like with the meditation for becoming an Animagus. I know you love me. I know our memories are happy, just like the ones with Remus and Lily, Reg. But what you have been through." He shook his head. "With your family, with mine." He said through gritted teeth. Then his eyes softened, and he kissed her slowly. "I understand." His thumb grazed over her bottom lip. "I was mad at Lorena, what she said to you. I should have come over faster. The way she talked to you – I saw you tense up, and I was barely holding it together."
"You are amazing." She kissed him and Sirius stomach did a somersault. She still made him melt inside. When her tongue slipped inside his mouth and did something amazing, his knees buckled a little. He groaned as she sucked on his neck. "I love you. I love you." She kissed him hard. "I love you so fucking much that I'm so afraid of losing you."
He cupped her cheeks again, letting their eyes meet. "You will never lose me, never."
"I love you." She whispered once more before her lips crashed against his and she pushed him until they stumbled into his bed.
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Regulus was sitting at the Slytherin table with Barty and Evan. He was watching Isabelle and the others. James and Sirius had a book in front of them, but were conversing quietly with each other, their studies forgotten. Lily and Remus both had stacks of books around them, scribbling and reading in a fast tempo. But those two love studying almost more than anything, so there wasn't any stress in their bodies. Isabelle on the other hand. He recognized the signals. Her jaw was clenched, which means she was grinding her teeth. She had her quill in a fast grip, almost making it snap in two. But another tell-tale was, the strong pulse of magic coming off her. Sirius must have noticed some of those things too, because he was drawing slow circles on her back. When he leaned closer to her, stopping his conversation with James, and whispered something, she smiled. Her eyes twinkled a little and gave him a soft kiss. But the moment she returned to her studies the tension was back.
"Alright, I'll see you later tonight." Regulus jumped up. Evan and Barty looked up for a second, but the moment they saw where he was looking at, they bid him goodnight. He walked over to the Gryffindor table quickly. None of the Gryffindors saw him walk up, all in their own worlds. So, Izzie shrieked a little in surprise when he tugged at her hand and pulled her up. Her little shriek made the others' head snap up to him. Sirius and Remus had grabbed their wands.
"I'm stealing Isabelle for a bit."
Remus shot him a loving smile, putting his wand away. He gave him a smile back before turning to the girl in front of him.
"No, Reg. I'm studying."
"Yes, I know. I can feel your stress all across the room." He rolled his eyes. "Now come on." He tugged her hand again.
"Go on, love." Sirius smiled and Izzie turned to his brother. "Reg is right." Regulus his brows shot up so high, that they disappeared behind his hair. But Sirius wasn't looking at him, he was looking at Isabelle, squeezing her hand lightly. "You've been studying nonstop, you need a break. There are only three exams left and you are more than prepared."
"I thought you wanted to give me a break?" She smirked. Regulus and Remus scrunched up their noses in unison, not a fan of that inuendo.
"I'll give you one later." He winked.
"Don't - don't do that." Remus scowled at his book.
"Moony, we didn't do any-" Sirius started, a little afraid of what he might do, his eyes bigger than normal. It made Regulus hold back a laugh.
"You know I knew since the first time you did that." He still didn't look up. Sirius turned bright red; his head snapped to Isabelle, his mouth hanging a little open. "Izzie tells me almost everything, but she knows where to draw a line. My two best friends shagging, no, I don't need to know that. But this -" He tapped his nose. "Always knows, sadly."
"Oh, right." Sirius mumbled, still bright red. Then he tried to turn the tables around. "Well, I don't like that you shag my baby brother."
"I'm not a baby." Regulus huffed, turning the same shade of red as Sirius. Yes, definitely brothers.
"Why don't we stop talking about shagging and I'll go with Reggie? That's the most shag free zone anyone can think of."
"Fine." The three men grunted.
"Come on, Reggie." She tugged on his arm and guided him out the great hall.
"I was the one stealing you away, remember?" Regulus shot up a single eyebrow, a smirk ghosting his lips.
"Lead the way then, mister Black." She gestured in front of them with a smile.
And Regulus did just that. He led her outside into the basking sun. It was the middle of June, and the temperature was climbing fast. They didn't do something grand or excessive, they just walked and talked. Talked about the house, their summer plans. About Reg going back to Hogwarts without them. After almost two hours of walking, they sat down on the edge of the lake, their bare feet skimming over the water.
"I'm afraid my parents will be there." Regulus said, his voice wavered a little. Izzie looked over to him and saw that his jaw was clenched, his hands fisting the grass besides him. "At the platform, coming to drag me home."
She grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers together, his jaw relaxed slowly. "We won't let that happen. Sirius won't let that happen, neither will Remus. And certainly not me. You know I won't ever let them near you again. You are off age and have a home with me. Sirius and I are your family, Remus is your family. They won't come near you, I promise you that."
Regulus leaned into her, resting his head on her shoulder. She smiled a little in surprise. Yes, they have gotten closer with physical intimacy, but she was always giddy when Regulus instigates it. He has only done that with her and Remus. Sirius... Sirius is still a little hard. They talk and joke in their own dry way, but the only time they touched was when she was in the hospital wing. They'll get there. One day, they'll get there.
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"School's over." Remus breathed in disbelief. They were lying down in the Astronomy tower gazing at the star filled sky above them. Like always they lay with their heads besides each other while their feet were facing the other side of the tower. It was their last night at Hogwarts, tomorrow morning they would leave Hogwarts forever, taking the train back to London. Taking the train to their first step into a new chapter.
"Yeah, it – it feels surreal, doesn't it?" Her eyes found Sirius's favourite constellation, unknowingly a smile formed on her lips. "Who would have thought seven years ago, our lives would be like this? Us moving in with Sirius, James, Lily and Regulus. I think eleven-year-old Izzie and Remus would laugh in our faces." She snickered.
"Oh, they would definitely have." She could hear the smirk in his voice. He turned his gaze towards her, and they were both grinning. Remus's eyes softened as his eyes scanned her face. "Thank you, Iz. For being my best friend, for being there for me since we were six. I never regretted telling you, I never regretted letting you in."
"I'm glad." She smiled softly. "Because I can't think of a life without you." Just like she did with Regulus last week, she intertwined their fingers together. "You were my first and will always be my best friend."
"Sirius is making you corny." He teased with a laugh.
"Yeah, I know." She laughed with him. "But you're almost as bad, especially when it concerns Reg."
"We're a group full of corny people." Remus sighed dramatically, gazing up the stars again. "You think we should let them come up?"
"I think they suffered enough." She agreed with a grin. She waved her hand, and a fire message went on its way. "I bet you two Galleons that they are waiting right downstairs."
"I'm not taking that bet." He looked at her, grinning. "I can hear them already coming up."
"You're no fun." She pouted. "I could've used the money."
"So do I." He tugged playfully on a piece of her hair.
"You have a rich boyfriend, you know."
"So, do you." He pointed out. They looked at each other for a long moment before they started laughing. When the door opened, Sirius and Regulus were playfully pushing each other trying to get through the door first. It was their first real physical contact without there being any danger or being scared out of their minds. It made Izzie and Remus's heart soar just from seeing that.
Regulus being the spiteful little brother, placed his foot in front of Sirius's making him trip. Smirking triumphantly, he walked past him and hovered over Izzie and Remus.
"Hello." Remus smiled. "Took you long enough."
Regulus snorted, placing his hands on his hips. "Very funny. Is there still room for us?"
"Ass." Sirius elbowed his brother as he passed but there wasn't any venom in it, Sirius even tried to hide a smile. He flopped himself down on Izzie's other side, curling his arm around her shoulder and pulling her against his chest. He smiled as he kissed her, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Regulus laid down next to Remus, curling against his chest, both had a sappy smile plastered on their faces as their eyes shifted from each other to the sky.
And lastly, Lily and James walked in. They laid down next to Sirius. The blanket was just large enough for everyone. Or maybe Izzie just made it large enough for the six of them to fit on.
They were quiet for the first twenty minutes, just enjoying the feeling of their loved ones against them as they gazed at the stars. Sirius played absently with Izzie's hair, while Regulus played with a button of Remus's shirt. Then James broke the silence saying he's going to miss pranking everyone at school. They talked into late in the night, before they all fell asleep under the stars.
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The next day, Regulus and Sirius's parents were indeed waiting for Reg on the platform. A protective barrier formed around Regulus without another word. Even Barty and Evan took a place in front of them. Izzie wrapped her arm around Sirius's waist as he was hesitant. But when he noticed what she was doing, he leaned down and kissed her in front of his parents, who were turning red in the face. That gave Regulus his encouragement, because he wrapped his arms around Remus's neck and kissed him passionately, the most passionate they ever had in public. With a promise made to Evan and Barty to hold a housewarming party, they apparated away to their new home.
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That is the end of Hogwarts! Still 15 chapters left with some fun moments and some dark ones.