The cold nights could be very unforgiving and even in summer, there wasn't much respite, such was the English weather. At least, for all that he could remember of it before twelve years.
It wasn't that big of a deal for a rugged man to roam the church lane in the pale moonlight though, he was used to it. This was nothing, at least not in comparison to the gruelling nights in Azkaban.
Still, all he could feel on his tender, fragile skin was the freezing cold air. He wished he could've had any other piece of clothing than his prisoner uniform; a thin comforter or a sweater, anything warm or comforting, but all Sirius had was a jacket of snow covering his body.
The sound of silence around him was chilling and frightening, and was only adding up to the dread he was already feeling before he had exited the bus.
He was meant to be looking after Harry, and finding his godson, wherever he may be. But he couldn't face the reality that would come crashing down upon meeting the boy. How do you say to an orphaned kid 'I am your godfather, and I'm the reason your parents died' and still retain any semblance of trust?
He had to come to terms with it by himself, first. Only then could he help his godson.
Funny how he had been almost numb to their deaths all this time and all it had taken was a trip to Godric's Hollow for the dam to break.
His mind was reeling with the sights in front of him, Bagshots' home still tall and proud. Standing there like nothing had happened. Nothing had in fact happened to the Bagshots, they were preserved as a relic to show the new generations the terrors.
The terror of surviving two wars.
Sirius had never personally met Bathilda Bagshot but James had told him that she usually kept to herself and sometimes told him stories of a nephew that she knew would never come back. Even during Voldemort's reign of terror, she never once erected any wards and funnily enough never got attacked.
Ballsy crone is what Marly used to call her and fairly so given that she and James had offered her help many times but got shot down at every turn.
Step by step he dragged his feet in the chilling night and his eyes came at a sight which had fueled his guilt throughout Azkaban and then some. The half-destroyed Potter cottage.
His feet stopped moving of their own accord, his throat still had a choked sob that refused to escape his mouth out of fear. Fear that someone might still be here, fear that James or Lily might come from behind and blame him for abandoning Harry.
The fear that he'd open his eyes and nobody would actually be there.
The hedge had grown wild in the twelve years since the tragedy had happened. So much time had passed since he had last held Harry from the rubble that lay scattered amongst the waist-high grass. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in the dark ivy and snow, almost mockingly in the form of a snake.
Slowly his feet started moving out of their own motive, more curious than Sirius himself of what may have been left of that backfired curse on the top right side of the top floor. The dam was about to break for him, it was getting so hard to hold back now.
He reached the frosty gates of the cottage and a touch of his hand on the gate prompted a sign to glow up, frightening him half to death. He had almost reached for his stolen wand.
In through the tangles of nettles and weeds, Sirius saw something bizarre, a fast-growing flower, and in golden letters upon the wood it said:
On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981, Lily and James Potter lost their lives. Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever to have survived the Killing Curse. This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family.
That was it for Sirius, the work that probably was done by Dumbledore became his undoing, his feet giving way for his knees to sink into the ground that was once the happiest place on earth for him.
He gripped the cold bars of the metal gate as he slipped down sobbing, feeling so terrible and miserable at the same time that it was getting hard to describe the maelstrom of emotions going through him. His head banged against the metal bar, once, twice then the howls echoed throughout the streets of Godric Hollow.
Howls of a man who had loved and loved but lost all.
~~SERIOUS BLACK~~
Monopoly. A rather simple word, nothing too complex to understand. The exclusive possession or control of something or someone.
That is all Marlene ever wanted from Sirius.
Not in the very extreme sense, of course, any lover/fiance would want that, maybe more so in Marlene's case but Sirius didn't ever have much time for her.
It was always usually reserved for James, Lily and Harry. His best friend. His godson and his best friend's wife. Maybe she was over-exaggerating the things a bit but Sirius was way too much attached to the Potters than he had any right to be.
She'd give him that as they had taken him in and given him a place to live but he had to get his priorities right after moving in with her. He had to let go …..
At least for a while.
The war was no place to raise a child and she had told as much to Lily and James but they had remained adamant in conceiving Harry, did they not understand the danger?! Did they not understand the pain and suffering Harry would have to go through if they died?
That was exactly what happened.
The pain of death, while only lasting a few moments for the victim, lasts an eternity for those left behind.
This was exactly what she was talking about as she saw Sirius howl about in the streets of Church Lane. Grieving was an important process for moving on, something she wasn't sure that she herself ever applied but she knew the fact to be right.
Even if Sirius thought visiting the Potter's house was more important than visiting his dead fiance's grave.
Anyways, crappy old memories were best left untouched lest she lose the main focus of her life. Happy memories were the only things she wanted to remember, happy memories with Sirius and even if the boy was a little confused there was not a sliver of doubt in her mind that he loved her any less.
She remembered the day as if it was yesterday.
It had been a rather odd occurrence that Regulus had called her here in the Hogwarts grounds in the middle of the night, the chilly atmosphere did little to assuage her fears and the situation wasn't really made better with the rumours going around that Regulus was involved with the Pureblood Movement.
Still, he was her friend, she'd give him every last chance until he gave her a reason not to. Besides she was quite competent with the wand if she said so herself, her prowess was already made known to Walburga Black when she had tried to kidnap Sirius of all the stupid things.
Needless to say that taking her boyfriend anywhere without her permission was a very wrong move, she had rammed the firebird straight into the entrance of No.12, James and Charlus had to rescue them after that when she became rather overwhelmed by the Black family members, though not before setting fire to Walburga's hair.
Sirius had kissed her for twenty minutes straight later, thanking her and telling her that she looked really sexy while duelling.
As if she didn't already know that.
She had almost reached the whomping willow when she heard panting behind her, as if someone was running.
She turned around for a second and suddenly the person running had taken her hand in his and was dragging her along with her, she got a good look at his hand and knew at an instant it was Sirius.
There was a dog tattooed there, a female husky.
"What the hell Sirius!"
"Trust me Marly, we're goin' for a ride!"
"It is 12 at night! Death eaters are all over, use your brain you mangy mutt!" He still wasn't relenting on dragging her along, they were almost on the boundary, she had forgotten all about Regulus at this point and was going along with wherever Sirius was taking her.
In hindsight, she was glad she had.
He turned right near the carriages and started going towards the muggle parking area…
Oh no.
He was looking for their firebird. They were gonna get out of the wards!
After that it was a flurry, not much was as clear as it should've been, she remembered him revving up the firebird and telling her to be patient.
The rest of the details weren't that important, a stop in the warm and comforting night of the Hogsmeade pavilion, not one whisper in the stands made to accommodate thousands but the passion was ignited.
A ride in the firebird and the promise of a lifetime as they kissed.
The call by Regulus was long forgotten.
~~SERIOUS BLACK~~
This beauty was just astounding, her lustrous glow was mesmerising. If I had any semblance of control, I would've noticed that I was indeed drooling but there was nothing wrong with appreciating the eyeful curves she had. It was taking all my control not to just grab a hold of her and take her on the ride of a lifetime…
"Boo", a loud voice behind me exclaimed and holy shit I almost fell over in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies, I felt my heartbeat go miles in a few seconds.
"Goddammit twinkle toes, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"I gasped as she dissolved into fits of laughter, she chose to ignore the nickname in favour of clutching her sides and holding my shoulder for support.
"You looked like you were going to propose ze Firebolt if I 'ad waited a minute more besides, you left me in shutters to collect all ze pictures."
"You were having photos developed on the spot… and you were the one who told me to wait outside!"
"Yeah well, outside isn't exactly five blocks away, you know?"
I blushed a little as she rolled her eyes and smiled. She waited a moment but suddenly broached the subject again.
"So… a firebolt?.."
"Yes, the fastest broom in the world 0 to 150 in 10 seconds..-"
"- ….Custom made from 'andpicked britches, I know." She completed and again levelled an amused look at me.
"Do you play quidditch 'Arry?"
"Yes, the youngest seeker for Hogwarts in over a century, you know?" I preened a little at that,
"What about you though, do you play quidditch?"
"Not quidditch, but I do race sometimes." She said in a very nonchalant way as we started moving towards the crystallised fruits shop.
"You will have to show me sometime, I'm a bit of a swift little thing myself you know?"
"Mhmm? Oh yes, definitely 'Arry although maybe next time, my broom is back in France you know."
"It's not the broom, it's the rider"
"Race me on a Cleansweep 7, why don't you then?"
"Oh please, I certainly will not!"
"And 'ere I thought monsieur 'ot mess was the youngest seeker based purely on skill, where's zat pride now?" Fleur teased as she saw me huff.
"Oh twinkletoes, it's not me I'm worried about, I just shudder to think you quitting your pretty little pastime. I don't want to be accused as the guy who's responsible for fewer people interested in ever touching a broom." She laughed, and suddenly closed the distance between us. She used our entwined finger to leverage me towards her as her other arm slithered around my waist.
"those are some bold words 'Arry, zink you can back zem up?" Her breath tickled me in a funny way as I got a very close look into those baby blue eyes, her divine scent making me crazy and her hands cold from the ice cream that she had finished. This was a very dirty tactic, one at which I wanted to be annoyed at but could only feel pleasure with the distance between us or maybe just lack thereof.
If I were to die right now, I'd die a happily annoyed man.
~~SERIOUS BLACK~~
Harry was just too easy
Maybe not that easy as she felt him resist her grip and the red that was threatening to overwhelm his face, her eyes darted sideways as she saw the shop nearby and as suddenly as she had closed in on him she moved away but with her hands still in his as she smirked.
Not that easy but baby steps.
She dragged him near the crystallised fruits shop, it was basically one of the main selling points of magical Britain, the guy who ran the shop had somehow managed to crystallise the sucrose inside the fruits and added his own zesty twists to each flavour, his secret potion for crystallisation was not even known to his wife!
"A crystallised peach with lemon zest and truffle for me", She told the bald guy on the counter and gestured towards him if he wanted to try the same flavour.
Harry, who was still trying to get a hold of what had just happened sort of shook his head, "No, not peaches."
She let out a long dramatic sigh which was for obvious reasons fake, "What's your enmity towards peaches now?"
"Fruit of the devil, not for me besides the smell stays for hours!"
"It won't, trust me 'Arry, besides zere are different kinds of peaches, 'ave you tried the pale one? Trust me 'Arry, you'll realise the true meaning of summer if you eat that crystallised." There was a certain smugness in her tone, an undertone of… something, he didn't realise what it was but it was enough to convince him of taking one pale peach with toppings.
He took the offered paper plate and took the first bite, she could almost see it on his face. It tasted absolutely divine. Soft peachy flesh almost melting in his mouth to give away the sweetness of the crystallised fruit. She saw an opportunity here, an opportunity to get back for twinkletoes.
She was really worried it'll stick but if it does, she will have one of her own.
"So, did you like it?" Her smug tone didn't diminish one bit but with his eyes closed in pleasure, he nodded.
"It's alright, I suppose"
Fleur rolled her eyes, "Admit it 'Arry, you loved it. You're in love with peaches."
"I wouldn't say love.."
"Oh please, you're still sucking on ze sweet"
"..."
"..."
"Ok, It's bloody brilliant." He admitted in a small voice.
"What was zat?"
"It's an amazing sweet," he admitted again but smiled as he saw her with an ear-splitting grin as she flicked her silvery hair back.
"Good, now I'm calling you peaches."
"What? But why?"
"Because you love peaches now!"
"That makes absolutely no sense!"
But Fleur had already started towards Twilfitt and Tattlings hands still locked with Harry, dragging him.
Soon Harry would find out not many things did make sense around Fleur Delacour.
And he was all for it.